As much as the no-vowels trend deserves to be shot in the head, there’s no denying that GRVRBBRS‘ take on Active Child‘s “Hanging On” is pure nü-disco gold. The Brooklyn production team takes Pat Grossi’s electronic slow jam, off Active Child’s debut LP You Are All I See, and slaps on a slick drumbeat and Miami-style synths for fantastic effect. The final product borrows heavily from Kavinsky and Justice, but those are inspirations we can all get behind.
Earlier this month, we told you about Fanfarlo‘s video for “Shiny Things”. Well, we have some more shiny news. Yeasayer (on intermission) lent their unique Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel sound to the pop track, toning the original down in all the right places. It’s infused with synth and talkbox vocals, leaving no doubt as to who constructed the retake.
If you want some more cool stuff from Fanfarlo, go to their site and check out their superb live sessions, which can only build more excitement for Rooms Filled with Light, coming out February 28 on Canvasback Music.
PAPA‘s EP, A Good Woman Is Hard To Find, can certainly stand on its own; it’s been well-received by critics everywhere and has helped propel the band’s popularity in the chattering blogosphere. But that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with somebody else taking “I Am The Lion King” — a fantastic track off the release — and making it a bit “dance-ier.” In comes St. Lucia. Fresh off announcing they would be releasing an LP with Neon Gold Records, the New Noise and All Things Gold alumnus transforms the indie rock jam into a killer remix. St. Lucia’s take amplifies the high-end guitar of the original and gives it a tropical, synth-pop treatment, adding in airy wind chimes and dreamy background keys. And just wait for the acoustic guitar breakdown. You’ll feel like you’re floating.
If you’ve ever been on the Internet (um) and have ever been to a music blog (hello), you’ve probably noticed that whenever a big song premiers, within a matter of hours hundreds of internet DJs scurry out of the woodwork to remix the original track in an attempt to get in on the action. Some efforts yield spectacular results, while others are just so-so and some sound like they might have stolen their beat from a Casio keyboard commercial. In the face of all this remixing, reworking, and renovating, the question becomes; how do you go about separating the wheat from the chaff in order to find those few hidden gems of musical innovation?
Anticipating this remix madness in the wake of the release for the new video of her single “Comme un Enfant,” French electro pop queen Yelle took fate into her own hands by launching a Remix Contest on her Facbeook. To enter, contestants have been asked to submit their own remix (of “Enfant” or “S’éteint le soleil,”) directly on the site; the winner will be awarded a spot on Yelle’s next digital EP (as well as a “Yelle prize pack,” complete with free music and autographed apparel, and a year-long subscription to SoundCloud Pro).
We were lucky enough to stumble across one promising contender—Antoine Rigail aka Oxford’s remix of “Comme un Enfant.” Yelle’s signature shrillness is recognizable beneath a significantly sweeter synthscape, melding together to create a friendlier but still-danceable that reminds us why we play the remix game at all. Not impressed? You still have two days to submit your very own remix (but if you win I think you owe me the autographed merch for the tip off; it’s only fair).
So we’re pretty excited to have RAC headline the launch of All Things Gold. Chances are that any track you find on ATG has been reworked by these geniuses, and in good fashion. Make sure you stop by tonight to watch these remix giants tear the decks up at U Street Music Hall.
You can stroll through and stream RAC’s entire catalog of remixes below. Highlights include their reworkings of Mr. Little Jeans, TDCC, Holy Ghost!, The Shins, Ra Ra Riot, and fellow All Things Gold 001 performer Penguin Prison. Honestly, it’d be much shorter to make a list of their remixes that aren’t flawless.
