Innova Music 
V.A. : In C remixed -2CD- (US,2010)****
I heard already many versions of In C, and even did a whole radio show based upon these recordings. The concept of a “Remix” could be interesting or devastating, but with the concept of in C the fundaments pretty much look for grounding (in C) themselves, and because Innova is based upon new classical composers this surely can’t be a mainstream attempt. The foundation is a 20 minute recording of Terry Riley’s IN C played by the Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble. All composers was asked a similar length of interpretation.The remixes were done often by new music composers who had some relationship with minimalism (several of them had worked before with Philip Glass) or remixing, DJ work.
The double CD release has a different approach on each CD. I was in fact surprised how on the first CD the remix factor showed so much vision on how to improve the fundamental piece with an extra composer’s vision of another dimension. The CD is mixed well, and tracks that fit well organically are put together at the right place.
-The GVSU New Music Ensemble version of Terry Riley's In C is used for remixes by Jack Dangers (Meat Beat Manifesto/producer,remixer), Mason Bates (classical & techno composer), Glenn Kotche (Wilco/Jim O'Rourke/drummer, composer), Michael Lowenstern (new music composer/bass clarinetist), Zoë Keating (cello with live sampling), Jad Abumrad (Radiolab/American-Lebanese radio host and producer/composer), Nico Muhly (Philip Glass/Grizzly Bear/new music composer), DJ Spooky (hiphop & triphop DJ), Phil Klin (Jim Jarmush band The Del-Byzanteens/composer), Dennis DeSantis (composer,sound designer,percussionist), Daniel Bernard Roumain or DBR (composer/DJ projects/Philip Glass), Luke DuBois (composer/Princeton Laptop Orchestra), Todd Reynolds (violinist,composer), (Andreas) Kleerup (Swedish drummer,producer/The Meat Boys). The remix versions have had 4 extra players on individual tracks.-
Jack Danger’s version sets the tone well, with its great enriched dynamics into the piece. Masonic (Mason Bates) also keeps the acoustic band well as its basic foundation, changes it to a different, dynamic sound range version with lots of things happening, expressive and smoothly rhythmical. For Glenn Kotche everything starts to vibrate like a dynamic drone, before returning to the original acoustic playing. There are electric parts added, dynamic rhythms and new ideas. All these prove how remixers with a compositional vision can add an extra dimension, add another level of a new music nature this way. Michael Lowenstern plays with a piano part remix mixed with drum& bass and dub elements, DJ work but with intelligent use of its compositional elements. Keating, who adds cello to the original recording keeps the idea of minimalism strong by adding another layer of minimalist nature. Jad Abumrad is different again. It is like folktronica piece, a mix with baby sounds, resulting in baby music classical minimalism with a strong sense for humour. Nico Muhly added a bass clarinet improvisation on top of the fundamental original performance of the classical band, and stays thus close to the original recording. The least creative and most simplistic version on the album is by the most famous person invited on this project (I wonder why), DJ Spooky. He adds not much more than a rhythm drums and bass. It is annoying compared to the previous example, it hardly stands as a descent example on its own, but they gave it a rather ok place in the complete concept. Phil Kline’s remix shows something original. It is as if he transforms the piece into a birds composition, with a swarm of swans, before with vibraphone and whistle instruments this version comes back to the recognisable minimalist nature, keeping something of the birds present. Very different again is Dennis DeSantis remix which is broken into fragments of recordings, like a techno-like piece mixture of classical composition cut into a shorter version with added beat and bass, the first real dance related music piece version. Also DBR’s version is that with a DJ’s vision on a chill-out dance floor, mixing drum&bass with the classical composition’s evolutions.
The second CD after the first track, more often starts instead of increasing the sounds and possibilities from the basic recording, from changing the original composition by only taking out certain elements, and do something with that.
Jack Danger’s second, extended version adds thriller effects, DJ bass and drums and gamelan to the piece. Michael Karlsson/Rob Stephenson take out small elements like in an avant-garde collage while keeping a vague compositional similarity running with the broken elements. The second mix by Lowenstern turns the piece with other cut out elements into minimal techno, basically DJ dance music with trip hop elements. Also R.Luke DuBois uses triphop elements and relaxed beats. Also Todd Reynolds minimilizes some of the recording, some of its elements are taken out, but he also adds accordions and certain rhythmic elements. Kleerup, after DJ Spooky has little to add. He has a simplistic approach of automatic bass and rhythm box rhythms and should have been left out, for it is not able to add an extra value and it shows no understanding of a mixer’s vision as a composer. David Lang’s version of In C however transforms it into something completely new, an organic moving and crawling creature where its original composition shows itself in arms and legs. Very special. The last track is the original near-20 minute track by the Ensemble.
A concept which showed most of the time the possibilities of the remix idea within a well fitting concept of what In C can offer. It often adds another dimension which other versions only sporadically touched.
