Remix Retrospective Part 10: Embrace Me (Rank 1 Remix)

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Stream here 
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High Contrast Recordings | Cat# HCR058
Released: Tuesday June 10th / Friday June 13th (Vinyl) 2008
Buy herehttps://www.beatport.com/track/embrace-me-rank-1-remix/597502
01. 133 BPM | A_Min | 06:58 | Rank 1 Remix
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Discogs & additional info
Enter June '08: It was to be a glorious summer. I passed my high school exams, there was a Rank 1 mix compilation on the horizon (which would be my first self-bought CD ever!), and Benno was about to unleash Lost Connection with Jochen. Some incredible records were waiting on the horizon! 

When I finally got round to buying High Contrast presents Rank 1, I was delighted to read "Embrace Me (Rank 1 Remix)". I had heard the incredibly electric H!Vltg3 Mix on ASOT #349 (though at that time the tracklist didn't reveal a track version so I assumed it was the original). Now I was dying to hear what Rank 1's interpretation was going to sound like though. I should have learned my lesson from The Future. But I didn't, sadly for me... :')

Rank 1 Remix
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vs. the Others
Embrace Me stood out among the other Ronald-Benno collabs due to the size of the release: no less than six(!) versions could be bought from it. Each mix presented something different but for this comparison I will merely focus on the two other club-length mixes for comparison with the Rank 1 Remix:
- The Heart-Shaped Reconstruction
- The H!Vltg3 Mix
The first of the two was the most laidback of the club-oriented ones, deploying a bit of Progressive Housey vibe you'd expect from the Jody Wisternoff realm... Or perhaps Gabriel & Dresden? A beautiful take on the original imo, very relaxing. Then there was the H!Vltg3 Mix. Up to this day it baffles me that this version was not the Rank 1 Remix to begin with... I mean honestly! Compare the Rank 1 Remix to this version and tell me what you hear. I mean: the wicked synths, the deep pulsing bass, the vocal stutters: heck, ESPECIALLY the strings in the breakdown: all of it is so trademark Rank 1! It would fit perfectly in line with their previous techy remixes as well! It even sounds like the proper follow-up to This Way (Rank 1 Remix). Why on earth wasn't this version the Rank 1 Remix? Heck, for all I care it could have been a (Ronald van Gelderen vs. Rank 1 Remix). I will never really understand but I will eternally pity the fact that the most "Rank 1 Remix sounding mix" wasn't released as such... :/ It makes me recall that back with Ronald's Realize single, the Stripped Down Mix had been tagged as "Rank 1's Stripped Down Mix" in a few ASOT playlists at the time. In the end it was released as just the "Stripped Down Mix". Innocent mistake? Or did Ronald get involved in it, forcing them to drop the "Rank 1" part? If that is so, that makes it regretable that both the Stripped Down Mix of Realize and the H1Vltg3 Mix of Embrace Me didn't get to fortify the impressive Rank 1 Remixography... They were more than worthy of that Honor in my humblest of opinions...

Final verdict
A missed opportunity to present a cool follow-up to the amazing This Way (Rank 1 Remix)... Ronald had the right voice and in the case of this tribute to his Dad, the right sentiment for the Rank 1 Remix to be truly outstanding. In the end the build-up was slick, typical Eccletic-Era Rank 1 goodness but that main lead just felt uninspired, nothing but a cheap And Then copy. Harsh words perhaps, but compared to the many remixes preceding it, I feel the guys got it wrong with this one. Throughout the years it has often bordered between "meh" and "decent" for me, but in light of the other 16 remixes, I can't deny that this is by far their weakest moment in an otherwise Glorious Era for them. What I find the biggest shame is that it would turn out to be their very last remix for High Contrast Recordings... I've always been curious as to why they would never do a remix again for the label they've been on since '05? Regardless.
Nobody is perfect. And even those accustomed to being number 1 tend to slip up. It's all good though. ;) It would turn out to be just a small blip on the road.
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 NOTE | This review is part of a larger Retrospective feature:
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