What’s the story?

Having reached a dozen albums in their Cue Dot series, and setting a few electronic music markers down in the process, Paul Scott’s label are taking a little time to survey their work to date. They are doing this in a clever way, getting each artist from the series involved in a remix and reworking album, each one reworking the work of another or having their own originals fed back to them.

This melting pot of creativity is capped with the final remix of 13, where 808 State’s Graham Massey takes on Scissorgun.

What’s the music like?

ReFabricated has all the qualities Cue Dot artists have exhibited throughout this series, getting the blend of ambience and the germination of ideas these artists have so consistently had.

R. Seiliog’s remix of Lyndon Scarfe‘s Starling is a beauty to start with, making slow and stately progress against a much bigger background. Seiliog returns the favour to Toby Wiltshire, the twinkling remake of Emerald Sylvan shifting slowly and rather beautifully across the sky.

Meanwhile the spoken word / steady build combination of Fragile X reworking Lying Cat generates positive movement and energy. Spoken word has a bigger role in the more playful Lammy from SAD MAN & Francis Lowe, who gain a loose-limbed bass and groove from Moth Effect.

The musical variety in this selection is one of the most pleasing things. Beat-heavy remixes such as A Human Concept‘s take on Manfred Hamil‘s It’s Not A Drug It’s A Drink work really well, as does the supple groove of Scissorgun, remixing Moth Effect‘s When The Bloom Is Off The Rose. SAD MAN gets the synths bubbling on Scissorgun’s own Sybarite, the broken rhythms following suit, while Hamil’s Asphyxiated gets a really nice Lo Five remix, with closely woven textures and complementary melodies.

Many of the tracks have an ‘outdoors’ feel to them, the germination given a natural aspect. Lyndon Scarfe‘s remix of Veryan‘s Belonging has a lovely open feel, while the thick ambience in Manfred Hamil‘s remix of Human Concept‘s A Reason To Feel suggests the half light at either end of the day, before consoling beats arrive.

Others pan out further for a panoramic view, with Toby Wiltshire‘s Orange Light glowing softly in Veryan‘s rather wonderful remix – or go in close, as Graham Massey does on a compelling stitch-up of Scissorgun’s Tangie Biscotti.

Does it all work?

It does. The music is ideally ordered, and the creative spirit of these artists shines through in both explicit and subtle ways.

Is it recommended?

Yes – ReFabricated is a great way in to the Cue Dot label, or, more likely, an enhancement to the fine things you have already heard.

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