I have been delving into the extended mixes offered by the YouTube channel 110Berlin and their output is getting very good indeed. It has taken me a little while to catch up with their output since my previous post.
Sometimes, some things still don’t quite hit the mark, but of the mixes I have listened to lately, the ones that really stand out are mixes of Sweat In Bullet, Careful In Career and 20th Century Promised Land. I think we can see the link with these three here, right? All of them coming off SAF/SFC – and that will always pull me in. The three mentioned just now are all fabulous – but the one of Kant Kino that has been done is just SUBLIME!
The Sweat In Bullet mix is also accompanied by a fantastically remixed video. Really entertaining stuff. That footage from the Cologne Rockpalast gig blended in, slowed down, etc, is just really working so well with the remixed sounds. And the ending is timed to perfection and just superb.
The fading drum echo on the Careful In Career remix is fantastic. As is the video for it as well. Topical to the song, complimenting the music excellently. 20th Century Promised Land also has a great, trippy video accompaniment and the treatment of Jim’s voice with echo effects is gorgeous. A really nicely produced remix. It manages to highlight just how fantastic Jim’s voice is on this track – those fantastic nuances he had to his singing voice at that point. I adore his voice from that point in time.
These mixes also highlight the beauty of Brian McGee’s drumming. I despair at how under-appreciated he is when it comes to Simple Minds and their sound. I really do get weary of the whole “greatest drummer in the world – Mel Gaynor” spiel that gets thrown about ad nauseam because….I won’t deny Mel was great and he brought something else to the table for SM. He certainly allowed for the bombast to develop in their sound but … I will never tire of shining a light on Brian. Never! This (even though my hair looks utterly shit in this photo below) was one of the absolute highlights of my fandom. This meeting right here. That face of mine is pure, utter delight.
Back to the remixes. For me, the one that has really gone beyond measure is the Kant Kino mix. It’s just so chill and ambient – it’s just stunning. I left a comment on the YT clip letting 110Berlin know how much I love it. Kant Kino has always been my favourite SM instrumental and it now has an extended mix that has transported it into something even more sublime than it was to begin with. I don’t even know how it is possible or how 110Berlin achieved it but I will give them due praise for doing so. You have excelled yourself!
![Simple Minds: Kant Kino [Ambient Version, Unofficial]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/X_Yy8hTDteU/hqdefault.jpg)
If you have a spare 30 minutes, click the relevant titles to be taken to view the YouTube clips by 110Berlin – trust me, they are worth the 30 minutes of your time to enjoy them.
Happy Minds Music Monday – 30 mins of four bangs for your buck courtesy of 110Berlin Extended Mixes 2023. (I think this may make up for the lack of MMM content and posts of late.)