Dross Glop is a remix compilation album by American experimental rock band Battles. It was released on April 16, 2012, and compiles remixes (on one CD/in one album download) by different artists of Battles’ songs from Gloss Drop (2011), eleven of which were originally released over a series of four 12 vinyls. The CD (and MP3) compilation includes a remix of Sundome which was not included on any of the vinyls.
The four 12 vinyls were numbered from 1 to 4, and were announced on Battles’ website and Facebook page, and released from February (the first on February 6/7 internationally and in the US, respectively) to April 2012. The final part, Dross Glop 4, was released on Record Store Day 2012 (April 21), following the release of this compilation.
The album title is a spoonerism of the title of the band’s album Gloss Drop, which the original versions of the songs remixed are from. All four of the vinyls’ artworks and the compilation’s cover are also based on the initial art for Gloss Drop, intermixing different colored paints on the pink of the original sculpture.
Reception
Dross Glop has mostly received mixed to positive reviews, with a score of 63/100 on Metacritic, indicating generally favorable reviews . musicOMH summarised that the album was unchallenging territory for the band, giving it three out of five stars.
Slant Magazine’s Kevin Liedel, in a two-out-of-five stars review, opined that while the album’s contributors lean in a well-intentioned direction, preferring organic, innovative methods over simply pasting some vocal lines and guitar riffs on top of standard, synth-driven BPMs, Dross Glop is, at best, uneven, also calling it scattershot, meandering, awkward, and often boring .
PopMatters’ John Garratt said, The best remix albums can capture the listener’s imagination and take it down bold new paths. But in this case, if you want bold imagination, you really should side with the original Gloss Drop.
More positive reviews came from such publications as Pitchfork, who awarded the album 7.8 out of 10, and acclaimed Hudson Mohawke’s remix of Rolls Bayce , calling it an unexpectedly soft and emotive take from the Glasgow producer ; Kode9’s remix of Africastle , saying it is a seven-minute, house-focused mini set of sorts, fizzing and grinding ominously before slamming into a kind of chiptune dancehall dance party ; and Qluster’s Dominican Fade , which pairs prim horns with beautiful organ glimmers, sounding nothing like the source material but no worse for it.
Allmusic’s Heather Phares gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars, and said Gang Gang Dance gives Gloss Drop single ‘Ice Cream’ one of the most playful and successful treatments, adding to it a futuristic Latin twist with dive-bombing bass, a low-rider beat, and chanting vocals, also noting that Like many remix collections, Dross Glop doesn’t flow particularly well, and it’s not quite as dazzling as Gloss Drop, but it once again shows that Battles are up for anything.
Track listing
1. Wall Street (Gui Boratto Mix) 7:01
2. Sweetie & Shag (The Field Remix) 8:53
3. Futura (The Alchemist Remix) 3:47
4. White Electric (Shabazz Palaces Remix) 3:43
5. Africastle (Kode9 Remix) 7:03
6. Inchworm (Silent Servant Remix Edit) 6:07* (8:17)
7. Toddler (Kangding Ray Remix Edit) 5:29* (7:36)
8. Dominican Fade (Qluster Remix) 3:42
9. Ice Cream (BDG #Gang Gang Dance Remix) 4:07
10. Rolls Bayce (Hudson Mohawke Remix) 4:17
11. My Machines (Patrick Mahoney & Dennis McNany Remix) 9:11
12. Sundome (EYE Remix) 5:42
* These tracks were edited for the CD release, but are included on the vinyls in their original full-length forms.
Dross Glop 1
Released February 6, 2012 internationally and February 7 in the US.
1. Wall Street (Gui Boratto Mix) 7:01
2. Sweetie & Shag (The Field Remix) 8:53
Dross Glop 2
Released February 20, 2012 internationally and February 21 in the US.
Side one
1. Futura (The Alchemist Remix) 3:47
2. White Electric (Shabazz Palaces Remix) 3:43
Side two
1. Africastle (Kode9 Remix) Kode9 7:03
Dross Glop 3
Released on March 19, 2012 internationally and March 20 in the US.
Side one
1. Inchworm (Silent Servant Remix) 8:17
Side two
1. Toddler (Kangding Ray Remix) 7:36
2. Dominican Fade (Qluster Remix) 3:42
Dross Glop 4
Released April 21, 2012 (Record Store Day) in the US and internationally.
Side one
1. Ice Cream (BDG #Gang Gang Dance Remix) 4:07
2. Rolls Bayce (Hudson Mohawke Remix) 4:17
Side two
1. My Machines (Patrick Mahoney & Dennis McNany Remix) 9:11