- Nina Kraviz's "Main Mix" of "Blue Train Lines," which appears on the first of two EPs reinterpreting tracks from Mount Kimbie, could have launched straight into a thumping beat, but instead we get 25 seconds of wailing guitar. Her DJ sets are full of these discordant moments, sharp jabs to keep the crowd on their toes. In this case, there's a handsome reward for sticking it out. The "Main Mix," Kraviz's first material of 2018, is another lean, twitchy weapon in the "Pochuvstvui" mould, full of imaginative twists and turns that make its eight minutes fly by.
Everyone may have a different favourite sound here. Maybe it's the low hum that sounds like a mournful whale. Or Kraviz's (we assume) sultry utterance of the word "welcome." Personally, I'm all about the snappy bassline that hits two minutes in, which combines with the icy claps and snares to devastating effect. We also hear the gruff voice of King Krule, who featured on the original track, before Kraviz introduces a shrill, demented melody to really put things in a spin.
The EP also includes two "Tool" mixes of "Blue Train Lines." At under four minutes, "Tool 1" is shorter by half and more direct, with few pauses for breath. "Tool 2" is similarly tough and stripped back, though the trippy melody rears its head for the final stretch. Both skip the guitar intro, tempting you to play it safe.
TracklistA1 Blue Train Lines (Nina Kraviz Main Mix)
B1 Blue Train Lines (Nina Kraviz Tool 1)
B2 Blue Train Lines (Nina Kraviz Tool 2)