Remix Retrospective Part 1: Lyteo (Rank 1 Remix)

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Stream here
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Black Hole Recordings | Cat# Black Hole 182-5
Released: Tuesday July 12th (Vinyl) / Thursday October 20th (Digital) 2005
Buy herehttps://www.beatport.com/track/lyteo-rank-1-remix/64067
01. | 138 BPM | C_Min | 06:15 | Rank 1 Remix
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Discogs & additional info
https://www.discogs.com/master/37679-Mr-Sam-Lyteo
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Enter August '05: I had first heard this remix during a Sensation Black pre-party broadcast on the radio my brother was listening to. I didn't really feel it at that moment, it was a little to rough for me. A couple of days later I gave the Freerecord Shop a little visit after school and I saw the Sensation White 2005 compilation among the new CD releases. I quickly turned the CD case around to scan the tracklist! 

I saw "Rank 1 - Opus 17" and I actually thought this was the Lyteo Remix! I don't remember what I thought when I then read "Lyteo (Rank 1 Remix)" or if I even noticed that they also had a remix on CD2. Regardless, a couple of weeks later my brother bought the compilation and I got my mind blown inside-out as it turned out that Opus 17 was actually a brand new production and the Lyteo Remix  was... Well... The Lyteo Remix.

Rank 1 Remix
Without doubt this remix stands as one of Rank 1's heaviest, rawest and hardest remixes ever. The only one I can think of that is darker in this regard is the one they did for On Fire (but since that one has an Industrial Techno flavor, that's no surprise really). You can hear the BAR1DC influences in the percussion and bassline of this remix, their transformation into "Tech 1" gaining momentum. If I am not mistaken this is also the first remix in which they started using those delicious vocal chops/stutters of theirs. And what can I say? That happens to be another feature I like about their interpretations of other people's work: they cut out unnecessary vocals if necessary and turn them into another instrument for the track's composition. Of course, the Lyteo Remix's stand-out element is its Hard As Nails main lead. The main lead's synth is a pretty fierce one and it increases its intensity throughout the track, first teasing into "fake climax" halfway throughout the track before its "rage" starts to increase and the melody is hammered at full power. There is a sort of whistle/pan flute like element guiding this part and it creates an interesting contrast: fierce main lead and serene flute melody to back it. Meanwhile the vocal chops are sprinkled on top of it all, giving this hard remix a mysterious feeling at the same time.

vs. the Original
The contrast with the original couldn't be any bigger: the original has more of a bouncy Prog feel to it before it turns Trancier in the final third. It's pretty low on energy and feel like a completely different track. Bar Kristy Hawkshaw saying "Lyteo", there isn't a clear cut recognizable element from the original that can be traced back to the original ALTHOUGH that flute thingie in the Rank 1 Remix sounds a bit like the background "howling vox" of Kirsty. Very subtle reference guys!

Final verdict
All in all, to me the Rank 1 Remix is a far superior experience than the original, but I am biased as hell of course (plus I had never even heard the original before doing this review hehe). Even so, it took me some time to appreciate Lyteo. And somehow I've never "loved it" beyond a certain point. I would say that in the case of a 5 star ranking system, at best I've always felt it was a 4/5 even though I've experienced first hand what kind of a Floorlifter this track can be. I like it, I think it's cool but as it would turn out, Rank 1 would do even better on other remixes. Case in point being proven just over a half year later from this moment.
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NOTE | This review is part of a larger Retrospective feature:
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