After further consideration of the continued remix album phenomenon, I’ve concluded that there is a simple equation to making a good remix album. [Music With Proper Mechanics to be Remixed (Talented Base Artist + Talented DJ) = New/Surprising Version of Song]. That’s it. There has to be talent on both sides of the booth and the music has to be “remixable.†I think this is why many remix albums, including Verve Remixed 3, tend to suffer; a lot of the music just doesn’t have the proper mechanics. But I digress.
Want to know who is really remixable? Kings of Convenience. Surprised the hell out of me, I tell you what. After they released their debut album Quiet is the New Loud in early 2001 one, they turned around and released the superb remix album Versus in late 2001.
Versus plays like any other Kings of Convenience album, very laid back, very lush but the electronic backing added by the likes of Four Tet, Royksopp, Andy Votel and Ladytron fills in all of the spaces.
How do you take something great and make it even better? Well, if you’re an American, you double it’s size and then add TV screens and lasers. In the case of Versus, it was simple extrapolation, no need for the lasers and poor gas mileage.
Stuff to Sample: From Quiet is the New Loud “Leaning Against the Wall†and “The Weight of My Words†and from Versus “Leaning Against the Wall (Evil Tordivel Remake)†and “The Weight of My Words (Four Tet Remix)â€
"How did they eliminate the middleman? There is something fishy going on here, but I digress."
The phrase, "But I digress," keeps popping up everywhere. I have been tempted to use it many times but I am sick of hearing it. Every freaken commercial goes on some stupid rant before they get to their pitch. No kidding, you digressed, thanks Captain Obvious. How about you make your commerical 10 seconds shorter so that I can see another 300 frames of The Simpsons.
I am boycotting that phrase. But I ...just went on a stupid rant about how much I hate that freaking saying.
What I wanted to say was; The best remix I have heard so far this year was of "Surface to Air" from Flip the Switch. Who would have thought that someone could have mixed the Chemical Brothers, A Beatles Cover, and The Smashing Pumpkins so succesfully? Why the only thing I have heard (and seen) better than that, was The Cure with OutKast. Go Diplo!
[1] Wow, you must live in "I Digress Land" because the only time I ever hear the phrase is when I use it. However, I live in a podunk suburb, and not the big city, so I'm the only one using crazy english skillz with words like "digress" and "plethora" and "c'mere a minute" and "oh yeah?!?" But I digress.
Flip the Switch was awesome, I have to agree with that. It fits the formula well with a talented base artist and proper mechanics.