KMFDM- Brimborium

ARTIST: KMFDM
ALBUM: Brimborium
LABEL: Metropolis Records
REVIEWER: Matthew J.
DATE: 3-17-08

It's hard to believe that in 25 years of operation, KMFDM haven't put out a full-length remix album until now. It seems long overdue, but this 12-track collection is worth the wait, highlighting the real diversity of a band sometimes criticized for relying too much on their own proven formulas. Relying mostly on remixes from last year's studio album, Tohuvabohu, this CD features plenty of the usual remix offerings, like Die Krupps' "Super Strange" metal-laced dance mix of "Looking for Strange" or the dirty minimalist techno of Zombie Girl's "Zomb'd Out" mix of "You're No Good," but there are surprises, as well. Angelspit offers up modern electro, complete with reverbed hand-claps, on their "Fix Mix" of "Headcase," and DJ? Acucrack's "Saft und Crack" mix of "Saft und Kraft" starts with dark trip-hop, then bursts into aggressive breakbeats and thrash metal guitars. The most memorable remixes, though, come from members of KMFDM itself. Band founder Sascha Konietzko offers up a "Buttfunk" mix of "Superpower" that's reminiscent of nothing so much as classic Prince, with tinny keyboards, slap bass, and a horn section, all highlighting Lucia Cifarelli's soulful backing vocals. Steve White's "The One and Only" mix of "I Am What I Am" is even more stunning, offering none of the driving riffs he provides in his role as KMFDM's guitarist; beginning with cinematic orchestral arrangements and slow, dramatic drumbeats, it shifts into clean guitar strums, eventually adding a Rhodes piano for a warm, almost jazzy feel. If Konietzko, Cifarelli, White and company do occasionally venture into formulaic territory, it's clearly not because it's all they're capable of; the stunning diversity on this collection proves that there's a lot more depth beneath the power chords and techno beats to each KFMDM song than meets the eye.

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