Playgroup

Along with left-field house peers Black Strobe and Tiefschwarz, Trevor Jackson has been fielding piles of remix offers during the past few years. Many of the tracks that resulted are compiled for Reproduction, a two-disc set that adds a handful of previously unreleased remixes to tempt those who have snapped up everything else in one form or another. (The title must be a nod to the Human League's undervalued first album.) Packages like this are practical, especially for fans of the remixer in question -- no matter how much time you devote to club-going, crate-digging, and downloading, keeping tabs can be problematic. And though Jackson could've very easily presented Reproduction in the form of a mix, its tracks should be heard and owned in their full glory; they're more than DJ tools. If you're familiar with Playgroup at all, whether through the studio album, DJ Kicks mix, or any of the remixes, you have a good idea of what to expect here, and that's precisely what you get: nasty-sounding house that isn't afraid of pop gloss, with flashes of post-punk, synth pop, dub, and electro. He rarely does anything radical to his source material, but he has great instincts and seems to know exactly what each track needs in order keep bodies moving while keeping home listening in mind. Every noteworthy remix is here, including the ones for the Rapture's "I Need Your Love," Chicks on Speed's "Wordy Rappinghood,"Captain Comatose's "Price Gun Baby," and Soft Cell's "Monoculture." The trio of previously unreleased remixes aren't gimmes: Jackson's 11-minute, acid-dipped reworking of Yello's "Soul on Ice" is one of the best on the set, and a dub version of Playgroup's own "Bring It On" (the only inclusion that strays from the dancefloor) is wonderfully obstinate, with random electronic bursts and guitar scrapes bouncing all over the place. Hopefully Jackson will remain as productive during the new few years to necessitate a second volume. Remixing turns out to be his greatest talent, making Reproduction the most ideal Playgroup release to date. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide