Gomma boy Golden Bug is quite mysterious. He’s seemingly come from nowhere, yet he’s released an album, remixed some of the biggest names around, toured the world and smashed the tastemaker’s monthly charts – all the while maintaining a playful degree of mystique, beguiling you with genre flitting genius at every drop.
Like other notable bros on the good ship Gomma, Golden Bug is producing jams on the crunchy vocal-electro end of the disco stick. There’s wallowing grooves and vibes for those who enjoy shredding to repetitive vocal loops, but in equal proportion there’s stab-in-eye top lines and hectic electro drum kits. The word ‘quirky’ comes to mind, which is perhaps why he’s seemed to find a pleasant home away from home with several fun releases for the Bang Gang 12’s lads in Sydney.
Flamingo boasts rhythmic, steady guitars pushing through a disenchanted, screeching vocal. For remixes, this pack explores the two dimensions of sound that create the unique madness that is the Bug.
There’s the chaotic vocal-electro dynamics of In Flagranti, alongside an instrumental driven stroll from France’s Rove Dogs. Pete Herbert rides with a bouncy gait atop Golden Bug’s squelchy basslines. Herr Styler’s remix is interesting, EQ’d to thrill then jumping down on a funky piano break with barely time to shout ‘more cowbell’. But In Flagranti is the definite winner on this pack. Moody as you like with deceptively glitchy cuts on the lead hook.
Artist: In Flagranti Title: Ex Ex Ex Label: Codek Genre: Techno, Electro Format: Digital Buy From:Juno Download
Despite plugging away at excellent filth infused disco releases on their own Codek imprint since the turn of the century, In Flagranti’s rise to prominence in recent times has been mostly down to the sheer amount of remixes they’ve been commissioned to undertake.
The Swiss duo have lent their trademark sound to acts on labels as diverse as Kitsune, Rong/DFA, Phantasy Sound, Permanent Vacation, Backyard and Bang Gang in just the last 18 months yet the Sounds Superb series of edits they compile is rarely mentioned beyond the realm of obscure discoteria fans, and their album Brash & Vulgar was released last year to no real fanfare.
This might all change with “Ex Ex Ex”, their new single which features the vocal talents of long term collaborator Natalie Smash (nee Smith) which is a joyous excursion into glam rock meets farmyard discopogo with a potential for crossover stunted only be the usual smutty artwork. That this is the first In Flagranti release in which they are the object of remixification, with a slew of their former subjects returning the favour, should be seen as notice of their intent.
Bear Funk’s resident Italian Bottin turns in a Ze Records inspired reimagination, sometime Gomma artiste Golden Bug continues his excursion into heavily percussive electro house and is topped in the lysergic house stakes by the perennially tipped Riton. Relish boss Headman eeks more life out of the punk funk template whilst Hercules & Love Affair’s Andy Butler stays truer to the tempo of the original which builds from a haze of deep synth into a right disco chugger. It’s left to In Flagranti’s NYC neighbour DJ Wool of The Glass to turn in the outstanding treatment which is all Hi NRG Italo and has Disco Bloodbath anthem written all over it.
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