twisted tongue follow up their acclaimed debut album with the first single from their follow-up lp, >a return to space<. eschewing the p-funk stylings of their self-titled debut, twisted tongue (dave jay & mark dalton) provide an essential revival of the mid-tempo soul stepper, featuring guest vocalist johanna lee sweetly leading a tough, incessant groove that recalls the classic likes of nick martinelli and the mizell brothers. twisting the track even further are the remixes provided by dj ray mang (dfa, mangled), one of the founders of londons nu-disco scene, who has long taken inspiration from new yorks golden era of the loft and paradise garage. twisted tongue writer/producer dave jay joined forces with ray for his >mang vs. mondo< ep on mangled earlier this year, and here mang returns the favour by dubbing out and extending >a return to space< to mind-bending effect. on the flipside is the cinematic, downtempo remix by blue states, which subtly subverts the original, transforming the track into a late night indie excursion. andy dragazis (blue states) has now been delivering his unique brand of melancholy, guitar-led head music for over decade, via labels such as xl recordings, and this mix of >a return to space< ranks up there with his most memorable work