7/10

While Editors made an impressive return with their sixth studio album 'Violence' last year, the band have now returned to see their latest collection reworked and remixed by the experimental and kinetic producer Benjamin John Power aka Blanck Mass. Originally released as an exclusive vinyl pressing for this year's Record Store Day, 'The Blanck Mass Sessions' were actually a critical part of the recording process behind the original album. Initially brought in to add a new dimension to their sound, Blanck Mass' reworks were an integral part of the sound that eventually became 'Violence' and the band felt it necessary to let their fans hear these recordings as well.

Originally one half of Fuck Buttons, producer Benjamin John Power has made a solid and interesting arrival since becoming Blanck Mass, and this new release is no different. Stripping back nearly all of Editors' post-punk-inspired aesthetic and letting his own imagination run wild on the release has seen the producer incorporate his own sound entirely within the group's, giving this a completely unique feel when compared to its official counterpart. From the start, the beatmaker adds a wave of spiked and harsh electronics that manage to couple so well with frontman Tom Smith's voice, you could be forgiven for thinking that this album was its own fully formed full-length and not a collection of remixes.

Creating a diverse and eclectic sound throughout, 'The Blanck Mass Sessions' show what happens when a producer is given free reign to create whatever they feel. The result is a bold and engaging release that manages to move itself far enough away from the original album, and yet still maintain plenty of that dark and ominous presence its predecessor showcased.