I just had a rather frightening thought: Am I being unreasonable, or have we actually reached the point in music history where the number of remixes and remix artists outnumbers the number of substantial original works being put out? Either way, the functionality of the music industry has undoubtedly changed quite a lot in the past couple years. It’s strange to say that I recall a time wherein a remix was a strange and exciting thing. I suppose it figures, though; We had little more than Basement Jaxx, Daft Punk, and The Chemical Brothers to work with, and considering the large expense of equipment at the time, the field of remixes was, naturally, an empty one. At this point, however, the case is quite the opposite: It seems the bedroom producers nearly outnumber lawyers, and as such, I’m forced to cross my fingers each time I come across a remix of a song that I particularly enjoy in hopes that its bedroom producer hasn’t wreaked an excessive amount of havoc upon the once sparkling creation.
(I should mention that I really am very curious as to how other people feel about this issue. If you’ve got an opinion one way or another, feel free to express it!)
LAZRtag
Fortunately, I’ve recently been struck with an extensive good luck streak, and have been pleasantly surprised with my finds. As you may have surmised due to a recent post, I was thoroughly impressed by the job that Los Angeles’s Classixx did on their Ting Ting’s Shut Up and Let Me Go remix, and at the time that I posted, I would have argued that another artist making an attempt at an additional mix would be foolish (and would indeed further my statement about the lawyers)–In case you haven’t guessed, that’s no longer the case. Where Classixx was able to take the original poppy track and turn into something soft and elegant, the quick-rising group known as LAZRtag has chosen quite the opposite approach, and built a nine foot monster of sound that, to put things nicely, will inevitably consume you. Sure, it’s a classic, generic electro banger, but hey, who doesn’t love a fat synth to sweat to every now and again, especially when you’ve got the cute Ting Tings girl singing for you all the while.
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The Ting Tings – Shut Up and Let Me Go (LAZRTag remix)
And while I’ve got you thinking heavy, I figure I owe the blog world a bit of a refresher: I spent a considerable amount of time yesterday searching for Boys Noize‘s 2006 remix of Tiga‘s Move My Body, only to be disappointed to find that it had all but disappeared. Boys Noize‘s latest works have indeed been inexplicably creative and fun, but when the cravings for his original home-brewed party techno arrive, they must be satisfied. *Sigh* Sometimes I just can’t help but miss 2006.
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MP3: Tiga – Move my Body (Boys Noize remix)
Tags: basement jaxx, boys noize, classixx, Daft Punk, lazrtag, the chemical brothers, the ting tings, tiga
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Totally agree with you intro there. I can’t keep up anymore and frankly, can’t even be bothered to.
Well said my friend.
She makes that face in every picture. And every video
I think you’re probably preaching to the converted. I’m sure most (not all) blog scavengers and bloggers share and dig / dig and share because we’re always searching for that perfect track. We’re prepared to throw out the junk because finding something new and exciting satisfies something much deeper. That said, there’s a tonne of junk and an increasing amount of stagnancy that kinda makes me pack it in.
from a producers standpoint, making remixes is how you get heard.. it gives you notoriety and then you hope for the best with original material