Romanthony Ministry of Love (Remixes)
Casual fans of electronic music might only know Romanthony from his Auto-Tuned vocal on Daft […]
Casual fans of electronic music might only know Romanthony from his Auto-Tuned vocal on Daft Punk’s “One More Time,” but the man otherwise known as Anthony Moore was a significant and prolific producer in his own right. His beats were funky, quirky, and propulsive, and his vocals could capture both a shrieking instability and a gospel purity, all delivered with a preacher’s passion and fervor. Though these six remixes of “Ministry of Love,” one of Romanthony’s most overtly spiritual tracks, were commissioned before his recent passing, they are all clearly reverent of the late producer and highlight the minute variations that can be wrought from his focused songcraft.
Andre Crom‘s remix fractures the vocal, letting the organ spread casually and muffling the song’s more hyperactive elements. Romanthony’s voice floats wonderfully in an endless loop, and the track overall has a restrained ebb and flow. Ejeca‘s garage influences are obvious on his take—particularly in the way he chops and reshapes the vocal—and he chooses to highlight the seriousness of the original’s spoken-word interlude, leaving blank space beneath the sermon until it morphs into joyous piano house. Glasgow Underground label head Kevin McKay‘s “90’s Re-Edit” doesn’t stray too far from the source material, leaving the iconic organ burble front and center and spitting the incendiary sermon over elongated guitar squeals in the outro.
McKay’s other remix fares better, pitching down the synth so it rattles around a disruptive low end. When Romanthony promises “I got over the devil,” his monotone insistence and a lurking acid line makes it sound like he’s just barely escaped. For McKay’s third remix on the package, a collaboration with the Glaswegian Mirrors, the brightest elements are obscured while the kick degrades underneath ricocheting synth flourishes. A pitched-down vocal makes Romanthony anonymous and also adds a dubby sense of menace. Finally, Andrés‘ “Extended Disco Mix” brightens the mood, employing sparkling strings and a wandering bassline that never moves too far from the insistent groove. It’s a charming effort; unfortunately it’s also the shortest remix on the release.