Release Date: June 3rd 2011
Returning with his first new cut since his 1923 album and its accompanying singles, Headman offers up a cover. The band chosen has had much influence over Headman’s career and sound and in a fitting tribute he has picked an early highlight of the band’s catalogue to illuminate and re-imagine.
On Headman’s Vocal Mix Adolescent Sex, the title track of Japan’s second album, is handled with respect – the melody, harmony and vocal all stay close to the original’s angular simplicity. The shift comes in the rhythm, gone are the rolling drums in favour of a contemporary disco house workout. This is followed with a rich, synth laden Dub, breathy gasps and resonating filters frolicking around one another.
Those sharp vocals are provided by Jean, from Montevideo who recently appeared on Relish with their Tribal Dance EP, and Sebastian from London post-punkers Detachments. Headman himself, who has provided remixes for both bands, features on backing vox.
Remix duties are provided by both Munk and Dissident’s high priest Andy Blake. Here Munk contributes a nearly 9 minute disco house mix that layers new melodies galore over the Vocal Mix. Proceedings are rounded off and stripped back by Andy Blake, focusing on a more dancefloor orientated mission that has traces of an early, lost Charlatans dub.
Accompanying the release is a video by none other than Dieter Meier, who returns to his early Yello style of image production rooted in his quintessential hi-speed photo-collage.