Pole Remixes

Stefan Betke, AKA Pole, just released four 12"s (all of which were additionally compiled into one big CD) that feature remixes of tracks from his immaculate Steingarten LP. The remixes -- as well as the original album -- were released on Betke's own ~scape label.

Pole is currently one of my favorite German minimalist producers. There's a classiness and suaveness to his meticulously crafted dance tracks. I use dance hesitantly as Betke is first and foremost a composer in my mind and not just a run-of-the-mill Berlin house DJ. He crafts these stupendous, cavernous songs that so subtly build up tension or excitement and so smoothly resolve into peace. You listen to the songs on Steingarten, and you won't know if an hour or just ten minutes have passed ... they're that self-contained and self-conscious.

Anyway, the remixes hold up very well to the original album itself. The Frivolous remix of "Acherbahn" is being given away as a free download (you can also grab it/stream it below) and is a very respectful and reverential take on the original, which is a tad more serene. The remixed version sounds almost like a glitched-out dub rendition, but it's too unique and too separate to be seriously considered as such.

Anyway, enough with my yakking ... download the song!


Pole - Acherbahn (Frivolous Remix)