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The Burden brothers look back at twenty years of Detroit techno history as Octave One on this new greatest compilation with a twist on their own 430 West imprint. Rather than just releasing a collection of seminal classics, Octave One has turned the tracks over to a variety of different remixers for a package that is able to present the past in a favorable way without becoming mired in it.

Things start off with a new “Revisited Remix V2” version of “Dema” by Octave One, the original a prime example of the group’s (and genre’s) style as a whole – driving beats and bleeps of futuristic melody that can only be described as techno. The new version is more relentless than the original but beyond that does little to change the structure, think of it as an upgrade rather than a reworking.

They follow that up with another reworking, this time of “Meridian”. “Meridian” showcases the funkier side of Detroit techno and the reworking here simply adds more of those house music elements for something a little warmer and more organic than the pioneering original version. Sandwell District turns “I Believe” in to a dark, modern affair with a great mix of techno and bass elements that hearken all the way back to the origins of the genre and yet still maintains a fresh cutting edge vibe. Aril Brikha lends his neo trance touch to “Daystar Rising” for a passable tech-house version that sounds NOTHING like the original.

Cari Lekebusch uses the same basic formula as Brikha but achieves far better results with a deep groove that is both sophisticated and primal. Alexander Kowalski doesn’t add much to “I Need Release” for one of the collection’s few disappointments. Vince Watson, on the other hand, rarely disappoints and here he does his best to actually sound like Octave One with very small shifts in dynamics and intensity that mimics the originators of the sound quite well on “Nicolette”. It also offers one of the best moments on the collections right next to Ken Ishii’s version of the same track His remix is done more in the old three-deck, loop techno style with short phrasings and musical elements that are constantly shifting. It is flawlessly executed, given a modern twist, and again offering one of the best moments on the collection.

Luke Slater chooses a more recent track, “The Greater Good”, to unleash his raw techno fury, stripping the original back to a paint-peeling 303 jam guaranteed to wake the dead. Roman Fluegel and Joern Elling aka Alter Ego, tackle one of Octave One’s biggest tracks “Blackwater” complete with Ann Saunderson’s stirring vocals. The new version is a jacking techno version with treated vocals and relentless drive that rivals the original but lacks the melodic strings that gave that version such emotional depths. Gerald Mitchell aka Los Hermanos closes things out with a rootsy slice of Detroit techno that provides the perfect ending for a compilation that does the legendary Octave One proud.

Artist: Octave One Title: Revisited (Here. There, & Beyond) LP Label: 430 West Tracklist01. Dema (Revisited Remix V2)02. Meridian (Revisited Remix Rebalanced)03. I Believe (Sandwell District Remix)04. Daystar Rising (Aril Brikha Remix)05. Love and Hate (Cari Lekebusch's Revealed Remix)06. I Need Release (Alexander Kowalski Remix)07. Nicolette (Vince Watson Remix)08. The Greater Good (Luke Slater Remix)09. Nicolette (Ken Ishii Remix)10. Blackwater (Alter Ego Vocal Mix)11. Somedays (Los Hermanos Remix) www.430west.com www.octaveone.com Our Rating: 8/10