Sublime To The Ridiculous: Phantasy Singles Collection 2022 captures the eclectic energy of another year of unexpected club pleasures, offbeat psychedelia and dominant rave hits from the London-based independent label, founded in 2007 by DJ and producer Erol Alkan. Out now on streaming platforms here.
Opening with beloved pop-experimentalist Bullion’s untangling of PYTKO’s cryptic, avant-garde ‘Silent’ into one of the most memorable remixes in Phantasy’s history, the collection expands with the cosmic ‘Rhythm Passage’ from Red Axes, continuing their partnership with the label on transcendent form.
Two nocturnal dispatches from the fringe of the dancefloor follow. TERR further diversifies from cosmic romance to electroclash lust with the modern-dating dilemma and Indie-Dance chart topping ‘Only For Tonight’. Meanwhile, Josh Caffé returns to stalk the club with lustful intent on ‘Do You Want To Take Me Home?’, a yearning underground hit carrying the spirit of Chicago vocal house, later slowed for sensuality on the live take, ‘Do You Want To Take Me Home Part 2 (Still In The Club)’.
Contrasting talents based in Berlin, Cromby and Wilted Woman plot the next chapter in Phantasy’s yearly retrospective. The former unleashes ‘Loving’, a Panorama Bar leveling masterpiece in hardcore throwback clocked by Resident Advisor as a “dialed-in summer festival banger.” Meanwhile, Wilted Woman returns to the label for the first time since 2018 with ‘Close To Stone’, embracing electro-futurism and glistening kosmische to conjure a lingering dream melody.
Three generations of queer culture are unexpectedly linked on Peaches’ high-energy, typically confrontational remix of Feel It resident Joshua James’ explicit ‘Fist’, with Peaches’ own vocals duetting with LGBTQI icon Leigh Bowery. Inexplicably matching such energy, remix partners Gramrcy and Phantasy’s own John Loveless deliver their first original track, ‘Highdive’, embraced by an impressive gamut of DJs including Peggy Gou, Gabrielle Kwarteng and Job Jobse, featured in 2ManyDJs new live show, as well as soundtracking catwalks for Moschino and Hugo Boss.
Reuniting for the first time in a decade, Dr. Dunks and Dean Meredith AKA The Rhythm Odyssey return to reveal ‘El Cid’, an imaginary 80s cop show theme tune by way of tunneling, DJ Harvey approved weirdo-disco bliss. Closing this divergent collection, PYTKO emerges once more with ‘Flowers’, a highlight of her debut LP ‘The Way We Blush’, echoing goth and post-punk influences, an eerie kiss-off in the spirit of This Mortal Coil or Alva Noto.