The Future Sound of London – Papua New Guinea (Hamish McDonald Mix)

Released on:
Papua New Guinea (1992)
Papua New Guinea (1996)

Runtime: 5:04

With two big-name producers signed up for remix duties, Brian and Garry turned to their friend and occasional collaborator Hamish McDonald to round out the 1992 ‘Papua New Guinea‘ remixes. McDonald had rapped on ‘Tingler (Meltram Mix)‘ the year before, simply as “H”, and here turned to the kind of sample-plundering FSOL were themselves known for. His mix reframes the track as a tribal ambient piece, with bongos and tinny drum machines replacing the original’s breakbeats, most of the synths replaced by layers of effects and unusual samples – spoken word, oddly grating synths, burbling synths, birdsong, spy film flutes – and an atmospheric outro derailed by mumbled spoken word. It’s a surprisingly quiet mix after the previous seven, and this may explain its appearance being limited to the CD version: it’s not likely to have received much club play.

Although lacking in some of the group’s later finesse, the mix – with its laid back percussion and layers of samples – strangely plays out closer to Tales of Ephidrina and Lifeforms than anything the band themselves were releasing at this point. Some fans have speculated that McDonald was given a helping hand by Brian and Garry when producing the mix.

I’ve always loved the track: something about its oddly textured, frequently sinister atmosphere makes it stand out ahead of much of the more overtly club-oriented material of the time. It was the track I gravitated towards most on first purchasing the single at the tender age of 12.

Credits
Composed by Brian Dougans & Garry Cobain (sleeve).
Composed by Brian Dougans / Garry Cockbain (labels).
Produced by The Future Sound of London.
Recorded at Earthbeat Studios 1992.
Engineered by Yage.
Additional production & remix by Hamish McDonald.