David Holmes & Raven Violet’s LP, Blind On A Galloping Horse, rightly garnered a ton of praise upon its release last November. The album, however, had been promo’d and teaser-ed, for something like two years, with singles, and some stellar dance floor remixes. Heavenly have now rounded-up some of these reworks into two handy digital packages. There are also – at least – four 12s on the way.

Some of the standouts you’ll already be aware of, since they’ve been available individually for a while: Those by Jordan Nocturne, X-Press 2, Sonic Boom & Panda Bear, Colleen “Cosmo” Murphy, Horse Meat Disco, Decius, Lovefingers, Skymas, and Robin Wylie. However a few of the re-fixes are previously unreleased, and definitely worth a detailed mention. Several others seem to have slipped though the Ban Ban Ton Ton net first time around.

The Vendetta Suite’s Reason To Live version of Yeah X 3, for example, totally remakes the track as retro-not-retro synth pop. Something worthy of Martin Rushent / Dare-era Human League. Also released last year, Phil Kieran’s take on Necessary Genius, is a brilliant bit of post-punk funk, where his work with Bush Tetra’s Cynthia Sley – namely the singles Snakes Crawl and Out Of My Mind –  has clearly rubbed off. The lithe, live bass-line is from the school of Peter Hook and Jah Wobble, while the synths and shaken effects tip their hat to Simple Minds’ Theme For Great Cities. This is now partnered with a mad, deranged dub, where the OG is ripped to shreds – sliced, diced and radically restructured – and collaged over a cut of constantly shape-shifting modern house. Again, it bears the influence of another of Phil’s collaborators, in this case, Chicago icon Green Velvet.

Approaching the other new tunes track-by-track, mastering maestro Rich Lane, like X-Press 2 before him, channels mid-to-late 1980s acid house for his makeover of Yeah X 3. Stuff like Jack Frost & The Circle Jerks’ Clap Me and Shout spring to mind, and infectious and eurphoric, I can picture it being played, back in the day, at smiley happy places like Trip and Shoom. His TB-303 tickling Raven Violet’s lyrical positivity.

Sean Johnston aka Hardway Bros also plugs in Roland’s silver box. His remix of Too MuchRoom though is double-dipped – far faster, harder, darker. A far heavier dose. Pumping and pounding, with distorted, demonic voices dodging the skipping cymbals. His Uptown Dub, produced in cahoots with Sons Of Slough’s Duncan Gray, while still banging, is comparatively chilled. Revolving around the kick, ringing bass, and Raven’s multi-tracked, dovetailed reading of the song’s chorus. Ivan Smagge and Rupert Cross’ crack at the same track is a jacking electro-clash, flashback.

Amy Spencer’s Ammonite, a recent Ran$om Note signing, reimagines Emotionally Clear as a prayer-like acapella. An ethereal atmosphere of ambient drones, and auto-tuned choir, focused around the line “Do you believe?” Andy Bell continues to turn out really, really great gear as GLOK, as his shuffling shot at Agitprop 13 goes to prove. Built around a classic house bass-line, that’s been sedated to a crawl, gradually details, like bongos and backwards vocals, get involved. While a big kick keeps feet moving, it’s also haunting and sorta Clannad meets Chris + Cosey.*

It’s those Sons Of Slough, though who, personally, provide the biggest surprise. The pair reign in the album’s racing title track, pitching it right down, and transforming it into an end-of-the-night anthem. With drummer boy snares and post-rock 6-string textures, it’s something you’ll be singing on the slow morning-after march home. It’s climax of lysergic bubbling sure to keep your residuals rocking.

The remixes of David Holmes & Raven Violet’s Blind On A Galloping Horse Remixes are out now on Heavenly Recordings. 

*Can someone please remind me where the groovy GLOK bass-line is from, as I can’t place it and its driving me crazy : )