Remix albums depend a lot on the quality of the original tracks, no matter how innovative and exciting the remixer. Appendix is the third and final in a trilogy of remix albums by Funkstorung which basically pulls together their most recent remix work and other bits and pieces.
de Luca and Fakesch have now called it quits with Funkstorung and are concentrating on their own solo projects. Funkstorung, truth be told, have been patchy since 2000’s Appetite For Disctruction, and their golden period encompassing their early releases on Bunker/Acid Planet and Musik Aus Strom through to Appetite quickly fell away to be replaced with the intricately produced but syrupy Disconnected in 2004. Last year’s Return To Acid Planet represented their last joint release and was a reworking/remastering of their jiggling/wiggling acid funk from their earliest days.
Now as remixers Funkstörung have done some blistering work. Bjork’s All Is Full Love was taken and made even better and Wu Tang Clan got done over several years before Prefuse73 burst on to the scene with glitched up hip hop. Unfortunately, though, Appendix rarely reaches these heights – remixes of Lusine ICL’s ‘Sustain’ and Lamb’s ‘Heaven’ and the inclusion of the b-side version of their All Is Full Of Love remix (from a Fat Cat label release) are the picks, whilst their mixes of Phon.O, Enik, Beanfield and The Raveonettes scrape the bottom of the barrel in terms of source material.
Unfortunately Appendix is an apt title – these are the dregs which are really only for completists.
