Album Review: Recoil, "Selected"

Recoil's Selected: Remixed, Remastered...Required

Mute Records 2010


For those who are unfamiliar, Recoil is the brainchild of former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder, the man who turned the unpolished demo of "Enjoy The Silence" into the club stomper that we know it as today and contributed significantly to one of the most influential bands of the electronic music world, from the haunting throb of the bass line of "In Your Room" to the notorious samples in "Fly On The Windscreen". If Depeche Mode in the 80's and 90's were a piece of homemade chocolate cake in a world of Twinkies, then Wilder's involvement in the band was the icing on top.

He first founded Recoil in 1986 as a self-described alternative to the constraints of Depeche Mode's pop format. Ten years later, Wilder started his own studio, The Thin Line, and began developing Recoil into something which many have called a cinematic experience, far more involved- and evolved- than just a simple "side project." Stylistically, the music touches on the symphonic, with swelling strings and stark keys, keeping you guessing. Yet, it also delves frequently into trip-hop and blues as a result of Wilder's collaborations with artists like blues singer Joe Richardson and spoken word genius Nicole Blackman. When you add the same dramatic flair that he brought to Depeche Mode (and mix it with the chops of a classically trained pianist to boot), while it might not be music for the masses, it still creates an unforgettable impact on the listener.

As an avid Depeche Mode fan and a curious consumer of previous Recoil albums such as SubHuman, Liquid, and Unsound Methods, I was thrilled when I heard that Wilder and Co. would be releasing a double CD this spring; the first one entitled "Selected" and the second one "Remixed," featuring the magic touch of frequent collaborator Paul Kendall, Alan Wilder himself, a few newcomers to the Recoil group, and even a remix by Bon Harris of Nitzer Ebb. Mute Records also released the album on vinyl, as well as a limited-edition box set and a downloadable release. The album also coincided with a tour known as "A Strange Hour With Alan Wilder And Paul Kendall," a multimedia experience showcasing live arrangements of Recoil tracks and performances by special guest artists throughout Europe and the United States.

The first CD contains an assortment of previous Recoil material chosen by the man himself, a sort of "greatest hits" compilation. It starts out with "Strange Hours," a blues-y number featuring Diamanda Galas, followed by an unforgettable cover of the Alex Harvey Band's "Faith Healer," on which Douglas McCarthy of Nitzer Ebb makes an impressive vocal appearance. Other gems include the swirling, pulsing psychedelia of "Shunt," an excerpt from one of the tracks co-written with Joe Richardson, "The Killing Ground," and the hauntingly beautiful "Red River Cargo." All in all, Wilder's "Selected" tracks are a perfect introduction to new Recoil fans and a familiar assortment to everyone else.

The second CD is where it gets really interesting; it is a kaleidoscope of musical stylings and arrangements which I have been listening to incessantly on my iPod for nearly a month now because it's just that good. Paul Kendall creates a lurching, synth-drenched atmosphere with the "True Romance" mix of "Supreme," which fools us into thinking we can sit back for a while and just chill out, until the relentless strains of the "Shotgun" mix of "Prey" put us back on the edges of our seats. Both the "Poison Dub" mix of "Drifting" and the "Filthy Dog" mix of "Jezebel" take on a curiously urban, gritty edge, the latter leaning slightly into a drum n' bass feel. From that point on, we are plunged into pure and glorious deconstruction with the "Noisy Church" mix of "Allelujah" (the original track is on the first CD as well) and the "Solid State" mix of "Killing Ground."

Not all of the remixes were created by Alan Wilder or Paul Kendall, however; Goldfrapp's Davide Rossi "reinterprets" the Wilder/Richardson gem "5000 Years" as a mostly instrumental arrangement with the "Romanian Elegy For Strings" mix. This is truly one of those tracks that makes you stop whatever else you're doing and sit in one place, just to listen and let it wash over you.

If you are impressed by Rossi's work, you'll be pleased to hear it again on "Strange Hours '10," which features Rossi in collaboration with The Verve's Nick McCabe and Simon Jones, a project known as The Black Ships. Hot on its heels is a dreamy reworking of "Missing Piece" and, to close the album, experimental electronic duo Pan Sonic's mix of "Shunt." Listen very closely (and watch your ears if you keep the volume loud!) and you'll hear something new every time.

One of the things that I've always appreciated about Recoil is how much of a collaborative process it is, like a collage of sound and talent; Alan Wilder is constantly finding new directions to go in and new people to do it with. If you pay attention and examine your Recoil album liner notes closely, you're guaranteed to find all sorts of interesting musicians to read up on and hear more of. As a fellow electronic musician, I find this approach to be not only inspiring but refreshing as well. This album stands strong both as a solid introduction to Recoil, and as a stunning example of the many different ways you can approach a remix.

Recoil finished up their US leg of the "Strange Hours" tour in mid-May but have hinted at a more extensive tour in the fall. For more information, visit Shunt, the official Recoil site, at http://www.recoil.co.uk.