Modeselektor has made a habit of cherry-picking the hottest artists from the underground of European dance music. Strangely, this compilation of sorts is a more understated affair, lacking the fanfare of most label comps. Gathering the imprint's series of remix twelve-inches that came out last year, the release focuses on remixes of Moderat's 2009 debut, Cosmin TRG's most recent outing and Benjamin Damage's excellent album from last year, along with a brief stop at Addison Groove's Transistor Rhythm LP. The scope of 50 Weapons' roster and associated artists is flexed with names as big as Marcel Dettmann, Robert Hood and Rashad, working alongside more niche artists T++ and Lee Gamble.
The results aren't initially striking. This is mostly a collection of DJ-tools, a refinement of the more sprawling explorations on each of the albums. In some respects, it's this understated nature of the LP that is the source of its success. The best moments, such as Hood's remix of Benjamin Damage, or Legowelt's deft treatment of Cosmin TRG, stem from a minimalist functionality of the pairing between remixer and source. The collection is not totally consistent in this respect but when these factors are in balance, as they frequently are, the effects are great.
(50WEAPONS)The results aren't initially striking. This is mostly a collection of DJ-tools, a refinement of the more sprawling explorations on each of the albums. In some respects, it's this understated nature of the LP that is the source of its success. The best moments, such as Hood's remix of Benjamin Damage, or Legowelt's deft treatment of Cosmin TRG, stem from a minimalist functionality of the pairing between remixer and source. The collection is not totally consistent in this respect but when these factors are in balance, as they frequently are, the effects are great.