There've been questions about this, and it's easy to see why. This is a
truly fucked up 2CD release. The tracklisting doesn't match the music,
songs are sped up for no reason and unceremoniously truncated (there's
plenty of room for more music), and music that should have been included
isn't. There's somebody at Transmat that should lay off the crack. At
least the music is great. Too bad Derrick makes Juan look prolific by
comparison.
Here are some notes with corrected tracklistings based on close listening &
comparison w/ versions on other albums (track numbers in parentheses), (?)
indicates uncertainty, [times in brackets to help people w/ the UK release]:
Disc 1 -
(1) Rest [1:08] - brief filler
(2) Strings of the Strings of Life [8:23] - the same as the fabulous
almost-kick-drum-free "Unreleased Mix" on RetroTechno. The most
devastatingly emotional piece of Techno I've ever heard. A very similar
version appears on Relics, though it's over 2 minutes shorter.
(3) Another Kaos beyond Kaos [0:51] - filler
(4) Freestyle [4:31] - different from the version on RetroTechno. It's
shorter (4:21 vs 5:40), and I can only describe it as being a bit more
minimal.
(5) Beyond Kaos (?) [1:33] - filler, very similar to track 3
(6) The Dance [7:13] - has an 8 second intro tacked onto the beginning and
has been speed up 2% from the original 12", which is the same as the
version on RetroTechno. The Innovator version is almost a 1/4 step sharp,
which I find irritating (please no arguments if you can't feel this sort of
thing). The version on Relics has 2 1/2 minutes chopped out of it but is
otherwise the same track.
(7) Feel Surreal Begins (?) [0:57] - song fragment, similar to track 13
(8) Another Rest (?) [0:34] - filler
(9) It Is What It Is [6:28] - has been sped up 3% from the original 12",
which of course means it's a bit sharp.
(10) A Little Spaced Out (?) [0:10] - filler
(11) Daymares (?) [0:09] - filler
(12) Beyond The Dance cult mix [7:00] - Amazingly, this seems to be the
same as the version on Transmat MS11, except that the first 4 seconds have
been cut off. It's fairly different from the mix on Relics, with over 4
minutes before the distorto beats kick.
(13) Original Feel Surreal (?) [0:55] - an undeveloped song fragment,
compare to track 7
(14) R-Theme [6:22] - has an unrelated 20 second (kinda boring) intro, and
has been sped up 5% from the original 12", which is the same as the version
on RetroTechno. The Innovator version is slightly flat due to
transposition of almost a half step. I don't think it works as well at the
faster speed either.
Disc 2 -
(1) To Be Or Not To Be (?) [5:39] - I'd never heard this one. It's fairly
minimal, with Derrick's trademark eerie pitch-bent chords fading in and out
over occasionally distorted beats.
(2) Icon (Montage Mix) (?) [5:48] - Another I hadn't heard. Classic Mayday
- pitch-bent chordal intro leading into driving Detroit beats, all with a
heavy melancholic mood.
(3) Phantom [1:41] -The full length version of this is on Relics [5:13],
where it is called A Relic/Longer Than Long Ago. Sounds sorta Suburban
Knightish.
(4) Kaotic Harmony (?) [6:33] - I'm going out on a limb here, but this
track sounds familiar, so I'm guessing as to it's identity. I'd love it if
someone w/ The Positiva Ambient Collection could confirm this. I'd do it
myself, but some joker in the UK never sent me the copy I bought (though he
did send me some damn fine Black Dog boots, so all is forgiven, just answer
my email, I'd like to trade some more dammit!).
(5) More Phantom [1:11] - a continuation of track 3
(6) Salsa Life (?) [5:27] - I'm guessing this is Salsa Life due to the
salsa piano and the latin percussion.
(7) Nude Photo - sped up from the Transmat MS02 version, and 2 minutes
shorter. It's hard to detail how the mixes are different, but they are.
Both mixes feature the same elements, just arranged differently.
(8) A Relic Mix (?) [5:27] - a subtle track w/ a lot of Derrick's standard
elements.
(9) The Beginning (?) [3:26] - a beat workout, not a lot going on melodically.
(10) Another Relic From The Relics [1:01] - this is an abbreviated version
of Another Relic/Long Long Ago (track 7) on Relics. The original was 2:44,
and like many of Derrick's works, sounds like an unfinished song fragment.
Sigh.
(11) Drama [4:30] - is sped up 3% from the Relics version w/ the associated
pitch problems. The only other difference is that the kick drum is almost
EQ'd out for 4 measures starting at 44 seconds. Both are edited down quite
a bit from the 7 minute version on Biorhythm 2.
(12) Strings Original Mix [6:05] - the one and only.
(13) Wiggan - Juan Atkins mix [6:15] - it's interesting comparing this to
the May/Pullen remix on Relics.
Che