A GUY CALLED GERALD
'Blow Your House Down Remixes Part Two'
(SPLIT)

Ask most people in Europe what Gerald is famous for and they'd say 'Voodoo Ray', but take a trip to Detroit and 'Blow Your House Dawn' would be the reply. This track actually appeared on the B-side of Voodoo Ray and is recognizable from its main synth hook that felt oh-sogood in a warehouse back in the '80s. But now four separate artists have tied their hand at remix duties and the result is this first release on Split Recordings. Smith and Selway appear first with a typical club killer, followed by a Killa Productions rework. The British Murder Boys come up smelling of pure horse dung with a genius dark and dirty mash up of nonsense and finally Paul Mac gets all '80s acid on us.

M8/M8

[Reviewer: Unknown]

A Guy Called Gerald
Blow Your House Down Remixes
Split

The first of a two-part set of remixes of A Guy Called Gerald's of .overlooked 1988 acid house classic Blow Your House Dawn. Since the original's been a favourite of Detroit techno's elite for the best part of two decades, its only fitting the the second remix package will feature some storming dub techno rubs. This EP, though, features the original and three jackin' rubs, with SPLIT bosses Chris Finke and Ben Sims each giving their interpretation (Finke's noughties acid take being a highlight) alongside a brilliantly alien, bleeptastic Freaks mix. The remixes are on the whole great. but this is worth picking up for the original alone.

****

[Reviewer: MA]

A Guy Called Gerald
Blow Your House Down
SPLIT Music

HEAVY ROTATION - March's BIGGEST Tunes And HOTTEST Releases

Hands up those who remember this from its original release in 1988? Unless you're a Detroit techno DJ or an acid house digger. the chances are you'll have forgotten it. Well. now its back. with great new Jackin mixes from Freaks, Chris Finke and Ben Sims. The original ain't that bad, either.

PLAY IT: Chris Finke Mix. Freaks Mix RELEASED: May 29

[Reviewer: Unknown]

A Guy Called Gerald
Blow Your House Down Remixes Part 2
Split Music UK, SPLIT001B

Chris Finke and Ben Sims convert their popular club night onto plastic and if this first release is anything to go by then we are in for some mighty fine music over the coming months. Four superb remixes of this cult classic from 1988, and as soon as you unleash that old school hook on the floor they are going to go mental. Smith and Selway let the hook do all the talking on their version while Ben Sims unleashes the pick of the bunch with an unrivalled filthy groove on his, which combines with the main riff for something completely new. British Murder Boys and Paul Mac versions complete the package.

*****

[Reviewer: Kai I]

A Guy Called Gerald
Blow Your House Down Remixes
Split Music

London's bimonthly Split club is gaining a reputation for presenting the cream of techno - old and new school. Now residents Ben Sims and Chris Finke have started their own label. First release is solid gold as A Guy Called Gerald's '88 classic - originally the B side of 'Voodoo Ray' - is turned into a massive remix package. The original and it's all-consuming metallic riff, which so slaughtered the Detroit boys back in the day and just screams for cavorting, kicks off the first disc before the three more housey versions steam in. Chris Finke sets the scene with 808 cowbell and boogie riffs before blasting into the main riff's mayhem potential. The Freaks take it deeper-with slowed down vocal hook. Ben Sims adds a huge kick-bass bedrock to squelch and growl into off-the-head oblivion. Smith & Selway kick off part two with a dark, modem pile-driver, before Ben Sims' Killa Productions Mix pulls on hard, tribal underpants. Surgeon and Regis - aka British Murder Boys - fire up a panel-beating belter before the fantastic treatment from Paul Mac which can only be described as ACIEED! Impeccable stuff.

5/5

[Reviewer: Kris Needs]

A Guy Called Gerald
Blow Your House Down Remixes
Split

Can't say we particularly remember the B-side to Guy Called Gerald acid house monster 'Voodoo Ray' and that may well be because it is simply not as memorable as its more well-known sibling. The 'Blow Your House Down' original included here is an atmospheric acid cut that probably would have worked okay back in 1988 but lacks the spark of magic that made 'Voodoo Ray' such an enduring classic. Chris Finke's mix gives things a more contemporary edge simply by giving a little more oomph to the beats, Ben Simms takes things dark and dirty for his heavy acid-techno work-out, but it's the Freaks who turn in the best mix, injecting bucket-loads of wonky funk into the spooky synth lines and chunky acid riffs of the original for a cheeky stripped-down acid groover that is good enough to make the whole re-issue package worthwhile on its own.

[Reviewer: TI]

A Guy Called Gerald
Blow Your House Down (Remixes)
Split

There's nothing like some acid house nostalgia, especially when the accompanying remixes treat the original track respectfully. In this case, Gerald's cartoon voice sampling 303 workout, the B-side to 'Voodoo Ray', gets interpreted by the residents at the Split night. Sims' 'Soka' version centres on restrained, noisy beats, Smith & Selway add an evil bassline, Paul Mac tweaks the add line to the verge of insanity, and best of all, British Murder Boys add some industrial might to Gerald's evergreen groove.

****½

[Reviewer: Unknown]

The B-side to the seminal 'Voodoo Ray', this slightly more obscure acid-house classic gets remixed by Ben Sims and Freaks.

Jimpster: "This is extremely old skool. It's an old Guy Called Gerald tune? That would explain why it sounds old skool. I don't know the original but I probably would have bought it back in 1988, it's the sort of thing I would have been into back then.

"Gerald's another one of those guys who's an absolute legend with all the stuff he did with 808 State. Without him, there wouldn't have been half of the British dance music that there is now. He's done some really nice productions – I really liked the drum & bass album ('Black Secret Technology') that he did.

"If I wanted to play some classics, there are better tunes from 1988 than this one. I can see why they got Freaks in to remix it, they use a lot of those old-skool influences but their mix is a bit too retro and a bit too comedy for me. I can see what they were trying to do but I wouldn't play it."

***

[Reviewer: Jimpster]