Pete of Dinowalrus put Twitter to good use by contacting Jez Kerr, original member of Manchester post-punk band A Certain Ratio, to check on his availability to remix a song from his Best Behavior record. It was a shot in the dark, but perhaps Pete knew deep down that “RICO” would appeal to Kerr, due to its allegiance with the era. The original has a Jah Wobble-esque bass line, there's a delicate cowbell breakdown that harkens to the post-funk-punk sound Kerr once brought to Factory Records, and “RICO” just sounds like the natural extension of the musing laid on “To Each…”.
Jez Kerr is truly as rad and as punk as it gets for lending his touch to “RICO”. The ACR remix softens the mania of the original with a fatty bouncing bass riddim that gives Dinowalrus a chic flare, but Kerr still knows how to knock out a sweaty dance punk cut. Meeting your heroes feels good, but when your hero hands you a killer remix of your song it's an entirely new level of surreal, particularly when it confirms how worthy of idolatry he truly is.
Dinowalrus, “RICO” (Jez Kerr A Certain Ratio mix)
Dinowalrus' Best Behavior is out now on Old Flame.
