Barker and Johnson are most famous for their collaborative work on Luke Solomon and Derrick Carter’s Classic imprint, with tracks such as ‘Stucco Homes’ having become benchmarks in the illustrious label’s catalogue. Other releases for the likes of Cynosure and Brique Rouge have helped form a strong reputation and ‘No Pictures Please’ adds to it nicely. Here, Leftroom boss, Matt Tolfrey has licensed the original record, first released on Aesoteric, and had some fresh remixes knocked up to boot. The cut was on regular rotation
by Dave Congreve at Nottingham’s Hot Spot, Bomb, during Matt’s introductory years to electronic music. In original form ‘No Pictures Please’ is a burbling, bleep driven and heavily swung house groove that is typical of the pairs idiosyncratic and original take on house music. Another Classic artist, the indomitable Rob Mello, delivers one of his ‘No Ears’ mixes next. As a house music institution, Mello rarely puts a foot wrong and his gently tense, dubbed-out yet buzzy rework is a master class in the genre. Brett Johnson goes on to deliver two solo versions to close the release, the first of which (‘Boogie Down Mix’) retains the shuffled groove and distorted bass of the original but bends a swirling mist of sounds around it, creating a seriously trippy journey of a track while Johnson’s ‘Tech’ mix keeps things dry, electronic and direct.