Reincarnations: The Remix Chapter 2009-2014 [LP]

Stefan Kozalla, quizzical and ebullient, as quoted on the second volume of Reincarnations: "What do I think is the all-time best remixer? I thought a long time about this question and, um, I think it's me. Oh wait, wait -- um...yes, yes, yes, yes, it's me, it's me. And do I know the secret of making a great remix? No, I don't know the secret. Please tell me. I need to know to keep the pole position." This talk is overdubbed toward the conclusion of his slightly roguish, wholly seductive remix of Herbert's Bodily Functions highlight "It's Only," which landed at the top of Resident Advisor's Top 50 of 2013 poll. The track's level of regard demonstrates that, since the first volume of Reincarnations, Koze continued to be one of the most valued and creative remix producers in the business. If not quite as dazzling or as novel as the 2009 volume that preceded it, this assortment of Koze remixes, which covers a comparatively short period of time, nonetheless lacks disposable selections. Among the greater triumphs are a bumping and spaced-out transformation of Mount Kimbie's "Made to Stray," a rumbling take on Moderat's "Bad Kingdom," and a subdued dub-house version of Caribou's "Found Out." Koze also continues to expose his knack for left-field rap production with a dizzying chop of Gonzales' "Knight Moves" and a drunken stomp he grants to Herbert's "You Saw It All." His irreverent yet still musical approach, whether drastically processing sounds from the original productions or adding his own ideas, continues to astound. No one synthesizes mischief and finesse like he does. As with the volume that preceded it, the anthology has a mixtape-like flow that prompts beginning-to-end listening, as if Koze carried out his work, from case to case, with track sequencing in mind. This is far from comprehensive. Remixes for Efdemin, Mathias Kaden, Ben Watt, and Wolfgang Voigt, among others, remain uncompiled. ~ Andy Kellman