- Aug 23, 2022
- 207 Posts
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A Split-Second – Flesh (1986) is not only a landmark track in the Electronic Body Music (EBM) scene, but also a crucial link in the early evolution of trance. Originally released as a fast-paced industrial-style track with distorted vocals and driving rhythm, it already carried a strong melodic and atmospheric foundation. That hidden potential was fully revealed when, according to legend, a Belgian DJ accidentally played the 45 rpm record at 33 rpm and pitched it up to +8%. Slowed down, the track transformed into something deeper and more hypnotic, allowing its moodier and more trance-inducing elements to shine through.
This slower version, which later formed the basis for the 1987 remix, became a defining sound of what would soon be known as New Beat—a genre marked by sub-120 BPM tempos, dark textures, and hypnotic repetition. Flesh was one of the genre’s earliest and most iconic examples, igniting dancefloors in Belgium and even reaching legendary UK acid house clubs like Shoom and Spectrum. However, the track also serves as one of the earliest and clearest steps toward the trance aesthetic. With its brooding atmosphere, loop-driven progression, and subtly evolving structure, it embodies many qualities that would later define the trance genre.
In 2002, the track was revisited by Paul Oakenfold and re-released on his Perfecto label. Unfortunately, the remix failed to do justice to the original. Rather than capturing the hypnotic essence that made Flesh influential, the remix bloated the structure with rhythmically inconsistent and uninspired filler sections that lacked direction or cohesion. The result felt more like a superficial attempt to extend the track’s runtime than a meaningful reinterpretation—ultimately diluting rather than honoring its legacy.
A Split Second - Flesh [1986] - RecommendedThis slower version, which later formed the basis for the 1987 remix, became a defining sound of what would soon be known as New Beat—a genre marked by sub-120 BPM tempos, dark textures, and hypnotic repetition. Flesh was one of the genre’s earliest and most iconic examples, igniting dancefloors in Belgium and even reaching legendary UK acid house clubs like Shoom and Spectrum. However, the track also serves as one of the earliest and clearest steps toward the trance aesthetic. With its brooding atmosphere, loop-driven progression, and subtly evolving structure, it embodies many qualities that would later define the trance genre.
In 2002, the track was revisited by Paul Oakenfold and re-released on his Perfecto label. Unfortunately, the remix failed to do justice to the original. Rather than capturing the hypnotic essence that made Flesh influential, the remix bloated the structure with rhythmically inconsistent and uninspired filler sections that lacked direction or cohesion. The result felt more like a superficial attempt to extend the track’s runtime than a meaningful reinterpretation—ultimately diluting rather than honoring its legacy.
A Split Second - Flesh (Remix) [1987] - Recommended
A Split Second - Flesh (12" Perfecto Mix) [2002] - Not recommended
