Just as their collaborative debut, 1998's Slag Boom Van Loon, boasted the combined production talents of Michael Paradinas (µ-Ziq) and Jochem Paap (Speedy J), So Soon, the pair's remix-album follow-up, speaks to a similarly ambitious recruiting effort. Alongside the usual (and usually solid) remix hirers-on like Matmos and Four Tet, Paradinas and Paap were able to pull in a few real treats for experimental/electronic fans: Boards of Canada (who lead off and close the set), Pole, and experimental godfathers Coil. True to form, Boards of Canada's is the best here, a chilly, melodic track named "Poppy Seed." Paradinas digs deep for his remix ("Spc-Ch-Pn"), sounding like a restrained outtake from his excellent, long-distant debut Tango N' Vectif (a welcome proposition for fans). Breaks specialist Tipper comes up with a surprisingly copacetic track called "Butch," and µ-Ziq confederates Horse Opera and Leafcutter John contribute interesting ideas on their tracks. The Coil reworking, "Fallen Angels Entering Pandemonium," is eerie and wracked with paranoia, removed almost entirely from any context on the Slag Boom Van Loon record. For those with not enough vested interest in µ-Ziq and Speedy J to consider buying the original LP, So Soon offers a much easier entrance point (and a broader range of sounds).
© John Bush /TiVo