Grum + Blende + Major Lazer = Happy Ears

Saturday, January 30th, 2010 >> Blog
Written by Dani Deahl

Hello, lovely readers! Some delicious tracks for you in time for Saturday night. I don’t know about you all, but I’m definitely going out tonight. I’ve had some…unusual…nights out in the past week or two and I feel like I need something to counteract it all. Case in point, I had one night where a hired escort BIT the guy she was with, causing the cops to come in and carry her out, and another night where I inadvertently went to a club that was, yes, a Jersey Shore party. I walked in only to hear over the system, “Hey Chicago this is JWoww from the Jersey Shore! Who’s ready to parrrrrty!” Totally surreal. Wish me luck tonight…who knows what might happen. On a side note, if you haven’t submitted a question yet for the video round table, please do so! And watch this weekend for a contest to win tickets to see Holy Ghost in Chicago on 2/10!

This remix of MSTRKRFT’s “Breakaway” by Blende is holy terror in the best way possible. The looped intro is worth actually including in a set with angry synths that build up in the first minute only to open up after a little over a minute. Here’s a rare instance where I actually think the vocal as it sits detracts from the track. Would have liked to hear more distortion on it, but that’s just my opinion. Overall, this track is not for the faint of heart and Blende does a fantastic job of making a simplistic melodic hook interesting for the duration of the remix.

[audio:http://www.danideahl.com/audio/01_29_10/Breakaway_blende_remix.mp3]
MSTRKRFT: Breakaway (Blende Remix)
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Diplo and Sinden are all over group So Shifty and one listen to the remix below should make it obvious why. Another dancehall-electronic fusion group with a twist – they’re from Germany? This Top Billin remix of “Clap” has its ups and downs. I’ve never been a fan of over-compression (which the snare suffers from) but I can forgive in favor of the fun Nintendo-esque fillers and the damn catchiness of the vocals. Plus, anyone who reads this blog knows I’m a sucker for heavy drums.

[audio:http://www.danideahl.com/audio/01_29_10/Clap_Top_Billin_remix.mp3]
So Shifty Feat. Ward 21 & Natalie Storm: Clap (Top Billin Remix)
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Barletta‘s steadily been going in a direction different from the uber-heavy bangers seen from him in the past. This newest with Gianni Marino – “Drop Out” – sounds more Calvin Harris in nature than vintage Barletta with dreamy echoed out glassy notes and soft pads in the background dropped over an electro base. Sounds ripe for some acapella action. I’m wondering why the sound transition has been so drastic for Barletta…even as recent as six months ago, remixes of his posted here (of Sta and Metric, for example), were much crunchier and grittier.

[audio:http://www.danideahl.com/audio/01_29_10/Drop_Out.mp3]
Barletta & Gianni Marino: Drop Out
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Grum has been a name I’ve been hearing more and more of over the past few months, and with good reason. This newest remix of “Show Me The Night” by Jump Jump Dance Dance is a wonderful example of building around vocals instead of a producer creating a remix and then trying to make the vocals fit. In fact, it almost sounds like an original in its own right – love the placement of everything. The subtlety and restraint in the composition and inherent thoughtfulness really shine.

[audio:http://www.danideahl.com/audio/01_29_10/Jump_Jump_Dance_Dance_Show_Me_The_Night_Grum_Remix.mp3]
Jump Jump Dance Dance: Show Me The Night (Grum Remix)
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Larry Tee has been churning out the remixes as of late (and alternately, sending over lots of remixes of his own work by others). This time, he teamed up with Alexander Technique and Kassiano for a rework of Major Lazer’s “Keep It Goin’ Louder.” I’m actually glad they picked this song – it’s one of my least favorite Major Lazer tunes. The trio add a slight Dutch influence without it sounding like it’s right out of a DJ Chuckie set. Stripped of extraneous sounds, a strong clap becomes the central percussive element while touches like panned drums and  utilization of the vocals help make this punchy and fun.

[audio:http://www.danideahl.com/audio/01_29_10/Keep_It_Goin_Louder_Larry_Tee_Alexander_Technique_Kassiano_Remix.mp3]
Major Lazer: Keep It Goin’ Louder (Larry Tee, Alexander Technique & Kassiano Remix)
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I’m a huge fan of the original of “We Love Animals”, and Religion takes it in a parallel direction where the integrity is conserved but a tilt towards straight up electro house is introduced. Funny enough, listening to the remix, I kept thinking, the sound of the synth line that Religion put in sounds eerily familiar. It’s very reminiscent of the Punks Jump Up remix of Miike Snow’s “Animal”. I’m going to get all mixed up with these animal references, yeesh. Anywho, take a listen below and see if you dig the remix as much as I do.

[audio:http://www.danideahl.com/audio/01_29_10/Religion_We_Love_Animals.mp3]
Crookers Feat. Soulwax & Mixhell: We Love Animals (Religion Remix)
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I am a huge Ellie Goulding fan, and am a huge Russ Chimes fan (his remix of Crystal Waters really put it over the top for me) so when I saw the two names together on one file I had an ‘oh, gimme!’ moment. Russ Chimes does not disappoint, with epic piano lines, giant whooshes and release and decay used liberally. I do wish it had been mastered a bit better with the vocals popping more and better stereo definition between the highs and mid ranges, but overall I am a fan.

[audio:http://www.danideahl.com/audio/01_29_10/Starry_Eyed_Russ_Chimes_Remix.mp3]
Ellie Goulding: Starry Eyed (Russ Chimes Remix)
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Bonus tracks:

[audio:http://www.danideahl.com/audio/01_29_10/The_Streets_Trust_Me_GMGN_Remix.mp3]
The Streets: Trust Me (GMGN Remix)
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[audio:http://www.danideahl.com/audio/01_29_10/GMGN_On_My_Mind.mp3]
GMGN: On My Mind
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