TIGERBALM - International Love Affair Remixes

Since it's release in November, Rose Robinson's first album as Tigerbalm, International Love Affair, has received plenty of plaudits from critics and listeners alike. We're not surprised, because the album's unique, retro-futurist blend of global grooves, indigenous instrumentation, female vocals, heavy percussion and nods to a variety of past, present and future dancefloor styles is a bold and brilliant statement from the London-based DJ, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Given Robinson's own roots in club culture - before turning her hand to production as part of now dormant duo Earthboogie, she was (and remains) a popular DJ in her home city and far beyond - it seems fitting that the album has been given a dancefloor-focused makeover. After completing the album in early 2022, Robinson reached out to producers whose work she loves - some friends, others like-minded individuals - and asked them to deliver reworks of cuts from the set. The Result is the brilliant International Love Affair Remixes collection, which lands in March 2023 on vinyl (2LP) and digital formats - the latter with a clutch of additional mixes not featured on wax. Fittingly, the showcased remixes touch on a variety of styles (all frequently found in Robinson's record bag), but all make extensive use of International Love Affair's original instrumentation. The results are frequently stunning, from L Rubrique's Clavinet-heavy 'dirty boogie' rub of the Brazilian-tinged 'Bahia Escapita' (which also boasts vocals from a very special secret guest), and Isaac Soto's pleasingly spaced-out, mind-altering mix of 'La Brisa' (where creepy, echo-laden instrumentation, dubbed-out chants and rolling tribal percussion catch the year), to the percussive deep house warmth of Session Victim's album-opening re-wire of 'Cocktail D'Amore' and Tulsi's woozy, tech-tinged, early morning house revision of 'Tokyo Business'. It all adds up to an inspired set of alternate versions and remixes that add even more dancefloor weight and pressure to Robinson's original Tigerbalm tracks.