[Rush Hour Recordings]

“It’s A Crime” was one of the clear highlights from Virgo Four’s Resurrection LP, a compilation of unreleased material that dates back to their earliest days. Most of the duo’s material is quintessential Chicago house, but the track stands as one of their fullest moments, seamless blending a relentless, anthemic arrangement with supremely dirge-y vocals and lines like “This damn world/don’t give a damn.” This clash of moods means there’s a lot to be exploited, and so it comes as little surprise that Rush Hour have decided to release it on its own 12″ along with two remixes.

Caribou’s Dan Snaith often peppers his productions with his own voice, which can be cloying in its wispiness. That ineffectualness is a strength here, however, as he begins his remix with a muted, resonant version of the original — unassuming and rickety, it’s very much in line with his recent productions as Daphni. Midway through the track explodes into an epic, coiling synth line with the rhythm suddenly weighty behind it, sounding like the cathartic response to the restrained first half. Consequently, it already sounds like a peak-time staple, easily Snaith’s finest excursion into house yet. Hunee takes a comparatively trackier, more upbeat approach. The original’s steely synths are intact, but most of the other elements are streamlined around constant piano and melodica lines. He pares the vocals down to the titular phrase and the “gotta go underground” refrain, even adding some laughter which is surely welcome for anyone bummed out by the original’s lyrics. It’s a lot tighter rhythmically as well, especially via the addition of a bouncy disco house bass line. The track isn’t as eccentric as Caribou’s version, but it’s just as smartly executed.