If you bounce over to Bandcamp, Abigail Ward aka Ghost Assembly will tell you the wild story behind her latest single, Acid Elaine. It’s a tale that takes in Abs’ first crush, first trip, and first visit to a recording studio – the results of which she has now reworked some 30 years later. 

The track comes in 6 mixes, all appropriately named after different  types of LSD, and while each one is aimed directly at the dance floor, they do represent a journey from the drug’s initial gentle – feeling slightly weird – onset to mad peak and calmer re-entry. 

“Smiley” starts things off, already racing at 125 BPM. Its rhythm a ringer for the proper old school Chicago house of folks such as James “Jack Rabbit” Martin. Its details a disorientating delirium of looped vocals, echoed piano snippets and dramatic strings. There’s also something slow low and demonic in there – a la Bam Bam and Sleazy D. However, don’t forget this is the warm-up. Things quickly get decidedly barmier. 

“Windowpane” features punchier drum programming and a pumping, kinda camp hi-energy B-line. Dirtier, sleazier, with a little of Skatt Brothers “Walk The Night”. There’s a dissected diva, clattering computerised cowbells and short, razored stabs of bionic brass. This continues until the DAT gets chopped and screwed and the track suddenly, momentarily, threatens to do a “French Kiss”. 

“Microdot” is mental, much faster, up to 130 BPM. A giddy gallop stuffed full of hardcore chipmunks, whip cracks and rude Hoover synths. Those divas – and their “Ooh yeah!”s – are detonated, then time-stretched, and keys are also finally allowed to rush for an arms-in-the-air crescendo. 

“Orange Sunshine” strips things back. Talking itself down, with a whispered refrain, and making more of the piano and orchestration. 

“Purple Ohm” has a more Bigshot vibe – summoning the Canadian label’s sound, situated somewhere between the end of freestyle, and the beginning of house. Snares are sharp, organs, warm swells and someone squeezes in snatches of an operatic aria. 

“Strawberry” then slows to a comparatively sedate 120, and returns to rave’s Chicago roots. Delivering something more sophisticated, deep and subliminally, spiritually uplifting. A reflective, post-rush reprise that made me, personally, think of Marshall Jefferson / The Truth’s magical “Open Our Eyes”. 

You can cherry-pick, but my recommendation would be to travel through all 6 mixes for the full flashback. You can sign up for that experience here.