Health - Disco2

LA four-piece HEALTH released their first remix album in 2008. ‘HEALTH//DISCO’ was a chaotic mash-up of the more defined songs from their 2007 debut album ‘HEALTH’. It seems, with the amount of creativity they inject into their innovative noise-rock sounds, there is no creative juice left for album names. So now, after the release of ‘Get Color’ last year, comes another remix album suitably named ‘DISCO2’.

Remix albums often aren’t exceptionally celebrated. No one wants to feel like their favourite tracks have been spat out on some spotty adolescents ‘decks’ in his dirty bedroom, however, sometimes said albums are executed with such sophistication that it’s hard to greet with animosity. In layman’s terms this album, yet again, does not disappoint.
While ‘DISCO2’ doesn’t have the accustomed to aggression based pace of a HEALTH track, in place it is made with relaxed, trance foundations. Most surprisingly, the record opens with brand new track ‘USA Boys’. Again this track doesn’t exactly evoke the normality of the frantic HEALTH style, yet it does set the pace simply and immediately with a more laid-back charm than it’s predecessor. Infact, if compared to the other frenzied, fervent works of HEALTH, this is pure chillout. It gives further proof that, for better or worse, HEALTH improve on their production with each new track they release. It loses the DIY vibe ever-so slightly, but in place is uncontrollable, heavy synths and brooding, musing groans that are magnetic.

This proceeds to Montreal’s CFCF and his remix of ‘Before Tigers’. Throughout the album, especially apparent in this track, is a holidayesque sensation. Somewhere between native Jamaican vibes and Hawaii lies this track. Subsequently it reeks of summer and relaxed, hungover mornings. ‘Before Tigers’, like all of the tracks, have been completely reworked. There is no fiddling with a chunk of chorus, the songs in their entirety, have been meticulously picked apart sound by sound, and painstakingly put back together in the most novel way possible. The album holds a diverse range of remixers who have taken part such as Blondes, Salem, Tobacco and Javelin. The one that particularly stands out is Crystal Castle’s remix of ‘Eat Flesh’. Though one of the shorter tracks, it stands its ground well in a completely discombobulated version of an already confused song. At around the halfway mark, the song tenses and tightens into a pounding fit, capturing the essence of HEALTH in seconds. Despite this it’s HEALTH’s original works that really holds it’s ground. ‘USA Boys’ is just a pure reminder of the bands perfection in innovation.

‘DISCO2’ is a fantastic album, in it’s own right. It manages to amplify every quality and glint of originality the band possess. Not because it’s origin was good, and not just because it’s the ever-amazing HEALTH. More so because, yet again, HEALTH have managed to evolve a record into something completely different, morphing it into it’s own 52 minutes of pure, undiluted brilliance. I suppose now we will have to wait for ‘DISCO3’.