Leaether Strip “Yes I’m Limited V” (CD Alfa Matrix)

Artist: Leaether Strip Title: Yes I’m Limited V Format: Album Label: Alfa Matrix Genre: EBM Release date: November 13, 2009

Claus Larsen and his alter ego Leaether Strip is back with yet another limited release. The 5th installement in his limited collectors series entitled “Yes I’m Limited V”. It features a lot of exclusive tracks, unreleased versions, new versions, remixes from bands like Die Krupps, Project Pitchfork, Titans and Autodafeh. It also includes some tracks that he played live this year like “Kill A Faetish”, “Aeighty Aeighty (Us Mix)” or like the new version of “Don’t Tame Your Soul”. Even a tribute song to J-m Jarre is included. On top of this, it is released on Claus’ birthday on November 13. All in all there is 27 tracks on this massive release.

Even though I’m very sceptic to releases like this, including a lot of unreleased and rare version. Since there is a reason because they are unreleased and rare, usually because they didn’t fit on any album or other releases. With this release I find a couple of real amazing tracks. The first track “Compassion”, great melody, the very infectious synthscapes and the recognizable beats. The very catchy “Kill A Faetish”, which is over ten minutes long, like it never going to stop, with it’s very strong melody, great atmosphere and pumping beats. Also the new version of “Don’t Tame Your Soul” is one of my favorites, featuring swedish talk at the beginning of the song where he says “Don’t crush your dreams, you can’t live without them. Follow the screams, it will not stop until your soul is taimed. Don’t tame your soul”. And yet here you has the cool infectious melody, the beats and great rythm. I must say that the track “Der Heizer” is kinda cool, featuring German vocals.

The second cd is completely different from the first one. On the first one you got the recognizable sound that we all know Leaether Strip as of today. The second cd includes a lot of really early material from the start back in the 80′s. The tracks has this blipping and distinguished sound from the early 80′s synthpop tunes. Even tough I think it’s kinda cool to release these early demos but I think they feel useless like they have been put there just to fill the space out.

Among the remixes I have to say that I think the Titans remix is one of the better remixes I’ve heard lately. It easily stands out among the others and got a really great structure with melodic synthlines. I think these newcomers has really succeeded with this remix.

Any Leaether Strip fan will not get disappointed with this release.

Tracklist:

CD1
01. Compassion (Quan Yin Edit)
02. Love Me or Die
03. The Bears Aren’t Sleeping Tonight
04. The Battle of Cologne
05. Its Who I Am
06. Almost Too Much
07. Aeighty Aeight (US Mix)
08. Kill a Faetish
09. Don’t Tame Your Soul (New Version)
10. Fluidity (Tribute to Jean-Michel Jarre)
11. Der Heizer (featuring Rummelsnuff)
12. Gothenburg Noir

CD2
01. Dreaming (First Version)
02. Do the Dance
03. Don’t Leave Me
04. Dreaming (2nd Version)
05. Complaining
06. Way Out in the Blue
07. You Don’t Look the Same to Me (Instrumental)
08. Northern Boy
09. Never Trust Anyone at the Carnival

Bonus Tracks:
10. Genetic Fuckup (Die Krupps Remix)
11. Don’t Tame Your Soul (Titans Remix)
12. Strap Me Down (Project Pitchfork Remix)
13. Don’t Tame Your Soul (Autodafeh Remix)
14. We Are Dust (Netz Remix)
15. We Are Dust (Logic Eats Reality Remix)