The Automatics Group Summer Mix

The Death of Rave presents a much needed vinyl version for one of this decade’s most uncanny pieces of computer music - Theo Burt’s dance-pop deconstruction, ‘Summer Mix’.
First issued as a limited CD edition by Entr’acte in 2011, it’s become a bit of an iconic piece, presenting a non-trivial nostalgia trip that somehow sounds like a digitally diffused take on Gas, Basic Channel or Ross 154.

It was created by applying a complex mathematical process known as a discrete Fourier transform upon a number of late ‘90s and ‘00s dance anthems, effectively sieving their contents before phase-resetting the data and discarding half of the information, with the surviving sounds subsequently organised in order of similarity.

What’s left is a haunting spectral impression: smeared traces of cloud-busted melody and motorik rhythm skeletons; rending anthemic metaphysics as a sublime murmuration of intangible memories, perhaps even simulating the effect of an MDMA-induced cultural amnesia.

Due to the inherent frequency limitations of vinyl, the timbral thizz of the high end sounds subtly altered on this version, with pulses pronounced just enough for adventurous DJs, and also features the bonus of a pre-installed 33rpm version if you really want to break it down.

While rooted in academic research, it’s a transcendent and strangely emotive piece of work, and should serve as a fine introduction to Theo’s music in advance of his keenly awaited ‘Gloss’ album for Presto!? - the label run by Lorenzo Senni, one of his co-stars in Richard Sides’ ‘Don’t Blow It In The Vector’ documentary.

We reckon ‘Summer Mix’ is a fascinating cultural arfefact and a beautifully trippy listen.