To commemorate Merge's 100th release, the label had Mark Robinson (of Unrest fame, and head of the wonderful TeenBeat label) remix six tracks from the label's catalog. Strange as it is that Merge head Mac McCaughn didn't do the honors himself, Robinson -- one of the few people in the world who understand that "remix" doesn't have to equal "dance mix" -- turns in some great pieces. He simply re-arranges the songs' constituent parts (or adds vocals and guitars) into new atmospheres that sometimes mirror his approach with
Air Miami; his take on
Magnetic Fields' "Smoke and Mirrors," in particular, reveals a perfect link between his aesthetics and those of
Stephin Merritt. Also included are
Superchunk's "Eastern Terminal," Spent's "Brighter than Day," Butterglory's "She's Got the Akshun!," and a track from Lambchop. ~ Nitsuh Abebe