Artist: Ashtrax Feat Ben Woods
Title: Digital Reason (Remixes)
Label: Deviant Records
By: Simon Jones | 4 November 2002
Tracklist:

• A: Ashtrax Remix
• B: Filterheadz Remix

Ashtrax Feat Ben Woods "Digital Reason (Remixes)"

To compliment the Original and Ogenki Clinic remixes, Deviant have comissioned some slightly more diverse remixes from Ashtrax themselves and one of the hottest production outfits of the moment, the Filterheadz to ensure that 'Digital Reason' ends up in the box of DJs right across the board, so let's find out how this remix disc holds up in comparison..

'Ashtrax' return to the roots on the a-side, reworking the track into a deep twisted house direction, layers of grooves locking with a big rolling bass as the filtered cut up vocal forces it's way through the chaotic beats, the worlds 'you look so digital' echoing in time with the reverb, building and building to a large break before descending onto a more minimal groove where the full vocal comes into it's own before nice looped grooves lead us to finish. Ashtrax have crafted a mix here that does what you least expect with it's innovative approach and ideas.

The currently on form 'Filterheadz' get their hands on the track on the flip, starting things off with a slow percussive groove that just vibrates and shimmers softly, as warm chord arrangements drift in, deep snares offsetting the mood nicely, as atmospheric effects just circle away in the background. Cue the arrival of Ben Woods, ready to belt out some captivating vox amidst the trippy synths that fluttter away in the middle of the groove. A remix that still sounds fresh to this day, even though it was created almost two years ago, which goes to show how forward thinking the Filterheadz are in their approach to music.

The remix by Ashtrax is perhaps an indication of a new sound which borrows elements from the duo's Casselle and Christopher guise as well as James's Stalker alias and gives a good idea of the diverse sounds we will come to hear on the forthcoming Ashtrax artist album. I for one look forward to it eagerly.