Fred Falke

It's not often I cover artists whose work centres almost solely on other people's material, but sometimes, when a remix artist consistently churns out intelligent and listenable remixes which almost top their originals, you have to give them a mention. Fred Falke has done exactly this. His ventures into music production began in the late 90s (he began playing music a bass player around 1995), and since then he's collaborated with notably Alan Braxe, and more recently French based German DJ and friend Kris Menace.

Alan Braxe & Fred Falke - Intro
Alan Braxe - Addicted (Original Mix)

His first record Intro, featuring a sample from The Jets 1987 hit Crush On You, was made in collaboration with Alan Braxe and released in 2000 on the French Vulture label; since then the pair have formed a high output remix duo, remixing bands prestigious as Death From Above, Van She and Justice before their split around the beginning of 2008.

DFA - Black History Month (Fred Falke & Alan Braxe Remix)
Van She - Kelly (Fred Falke & Alan Braxe Remix)
Justice - D.A.N.C.E (Alan Braxe Remix)

Fred Falke's post-Braxe work is where he really shines. He's worked with, amongst others, The Gossip, La Roux, and Grizzly Bear since the split, effortlessly making 4 minute pop songs into 6 - 9 minute excerts of timeless, dreamy house music. His signature sound is full and synth heavy, building up, building down and re-emphasising sounds across the board, to create shining melodic combinations of danceable 90s disco music. Strong beats typically lie beneath spacey, distant vocal takes which throughout the course of the tracks transform from vague, semi-ambient background sounds into widening expanses of electronic euphoria. Listen to his some of his more recent work below via mediafire.

The Gossip - Heavy Cross (Fred Falke Remix)
The Whitest Boy Alive - Golden Cage (Fred Falke Remix)
La Roux - Bulletproof (Fred Falke Remix)