- Part of what made Factory Floor's self-titled debut album so enjoyable was that the band rendered their influences—Throbbing Gristle, Peter Gordon, Robert Ashley, James Murphy—into something more than the sum of their parts, shaping them to fit their own blueprint. There are few bands who could get away with commissioning six remixes for one song, but Factory Floor's music is rich enough that one track can be the jumping-off point for a wealth of ideas.
A hypnotic "New" version of the album standout "How You Say" is included on the second of these two remix 12-inches. Nik Colk Void's deadpan voice repeats lines until they take on an abstract quality, swooping in and out focus and acting as a glacial counterpoint to the sawing synth and Gabriel Guernsey's percussive onslaught. Daniel Avery is a natural choice for this project, his brand of techno cut from a similar cloth. His remix on the first EP is a blissful piece of techno that's as slow moving, shiny and thick as tar. The central synth line and pitched percussion soar subtly before the kick and bassline re-enter and Void's voice returns as a cut-up hook. Though it doesn't fire the one-two punch of the original, it's surprisingly moving. L.I.E.S. artist Gunnar Haslam reworks "How You Say" into a club tool. The contrast between the furious tumble of kicks and the giddy synths works, but he under-uses Void's vocal as a rhythmic device, and as a result his remix is less memorable.
On EP2 Helena Hauff's remix foregrounds an oily acid line, string countermelody and stinging claps. When it finally enters, Void's vocal is insubstantial and vaporous, making for an interesting contrast with the focused groove. But the real winner is Invisible Conga People. They slow "How You Say"'s beat to a steady pulse, and in such a stripped down setting, the vocal's alien properties become increasingly apparent. It may not be as forceful as the "New" or album version, but its effect is profoundly unsettling.
TracklistEP 1
01. How You Say (Gunnar Haslam Remix)
02. How You Say (Invisible Conga People Remix)
03. How You Say (Daniel Avery Remix)
EP 2
01. How You Say (New Version)
02. How You Say (Helena Hauff Remix)
03. How You Say (Bookworms Remix)