Variety Lights - Silent Too Long (10" vinyl)

On this 10” original Mercury Rev singer David Baker and his synthy friend Will MacLean bust out a couple of tracks of their weird synthetic minimal pop, and then Silver Apples remix one of the songs on the B-side. Of the originals, 'Silent Too Long' has unsubtle crooning coupled with minimal synths and I'll be honest with you, I didn't enjoy it. The following track 'Worry', however, is immediately improved by its lack of vocals, instead allowing a subtle, twitchy, melodic passage of smooth gliding synths and nice round bass tones which is atmospheric and slightly Carpenteresque and mercifully much longer than the opener.

Since I wasn't mad keen on that track I was somewhat dreading the remix on the flip, but thankfully Silver Apples are way too nuts to leave it recognisable, turning it into a bonkers acid housey chillout stomper with wibbles all up your jacksy and vocals, when they do appear, processed into a digital demonic oblivion. Ignore the clunky first track and turn your attention straight to the “B-sides”, for they are where you will find your satisfaction here.