British rockers alt-J are easily one for this decade! Their songs are sung along with such alarming enthusiasm, no one dare get it wrong. Which is why any remix of their numbers has our full attention.
Wake us up in the middle of the night, and I bet most of us can sing alt-J pitch perfect (err…not perfect. We try. We’re no Joe Newman, obviously.). By now, the songs are so ingrained in our heads, we can just imagine how loud the sound mass will be at alt-J’s upcoming shows in Mumbai and Delhi with Emerge. Which is why a great remix of any of their songs helps spice things up a bit. The Sherp rounds up some of the coolest alt-J remixes around. Bet you never thought Breezeblocks could be all that!
1. Every Other Freckle – Big K.R.I.T Remix
We’ve been following Big K.R.I.T’s rap and producing career with much interest and dare we say, he’s one of the most exciting names around. So imagine our surprise when he of the ‘Money on the Floor’ fame worked things up with Every Other Freckle from alt-J latest album, This Is All Yours. Now, Every Other Freckle is easily one of the most sensual tracks to be ever made, and if you think it couldn’t be more intense, think again! Big K.R.I.T deftly lends the song subtle sensuousness, before he surprises you with something he’s bloody good at. We’ll save the reveal till when you hear it.
2. Hunger of the Pine – The Golden Pony Remix
Hunger of the Pine from the album This Is All Yours is a haunting track. No other word describes it best. It slowly and very gradually makes its way to wake up every sense on your skin. And to take a track as intensely melodic as that and actually give a dance takeaway is no mean feat! The Golden Pony remix of Hunger of the Pine is not a crude track that can be played in a disco, no no. But it’s a much groovier take on the original, something you’d definitely add to your party playlist.
3. Fitzpleasure – Betatraxx Remix
Ever imagined how our favourite crooners would sound if they were a futuristic set-up, amped with some massive bass complementing their smooth vocals? Electronic producer Betatraxx pretty much solves that for you with his remix of Fitzpleasure, one of the band’s more popular tracks. There is that bass line that controls but doesn’t overpower the song’s vocals, the spaced out arrangement, and that gravelly sound. And we cannot stop listening!
4. Breezeblocks – Matt Emery Remix
The best part about this Breezeblocks remix by Matt Emery is how consistent it is with the original rhythm of the song, using it in recurring drum sets throughout. The remix, in feel, is not too far fetched from the original, and that, if we can say so, is a good thing. It’s extremely upbeat, and depending on what mood of the day you’re at, you can pick your poison. We for one, are digging that gorgeous use of drums.
5. Dissolve Me – Ben Lovett Remix
This song, on the onset may feel like a breezy, summery number, except would you know they’re singing about acid? But either way, have you ever wondered how alt-J would sound at the hands of fellow British boy band Mumford & Sons. Ben Lovett of the latter takes Dissolve Me of the former and makes a nice trip-hop, electro version of the same. This is real smooth work. Trust us.
6. Left Hand Free – Lido Remix
Norwegian producer Lido does with an alt-J track what very few other people manage to do. He makes it virtually unrecognisable before taking us completely by surprise when the familiar Joe Newman vocals kick in. He scrunches the peppy rock from the original by giving us such a cracker of a remix, that you won’t stop listening to it. It’s that catchy. Let this song prove how you can fall in love with an alt-J track all over again!
7. Matilda – Ghostpoet Gang Panang Adlit Remix
In our last article, we told you the story behind alt-J’s Matilda, an ode to the movie Léon: The Professional. But what makes this remix of the song truly interesting is that it sounds nothing like the original. And that is an understatement. It is as farfetched from the original as it could have been, even twisting the vocals to some new-found glory. If you’ve always how an alt-J song would sound if ripped off all alt-J like components, this would be a good discovery. It’s dark and sinister. We approve.
Get your tickets for Emerge here.
