Remix Roundup

Quite the grab bag this week: the following eight remixes hail from Los Angeles, Toronto via Baltimore , London, Chicago via Stockholm, New York via Missouri, Bristol via London and Stockholm via Gothenberg. Guess which is which!

Walls (Fontän Rework) - The Shout Out Louds

Psst! Remix blogger confession: I rarely like both the original song and the done up version I feature. 90% of the time I'm feeling someone's remix, I am totally let down by the original song. And more often than not a remix that catches my eye - because I've eagerly been awaiting some mixes of the awesome song I've been spinning nonstop for 6 weeks - hits with all the force and appeal of a dead eel. Not so with these folks (Swedes, obvs). The Shout Out Louds' original is taut, upbeat and forceful. The rework by electronic outfit Fontän divides and conquers, distorting guitar elements, performing brilliant surgery on the lyrics and in general adding a layer of resonance without interrupting the energy of the source material.

I am Not a Robot (Clock Opera Remix) - Marina and the Diamonds

Marina's gorgeous voice - Marina's annoying instrumentation + a Clock Opera facelift = a 100% great song.

Alejandro (Sound of Arrows Remix) - Lady Gaga

It's so rare to see singles by a pop monster of Gaga's caliber remixed by smaller artists in addition to the usual Jason Nevins fare. And I think everyone should know about Sweden's Sound of Arrows who are a great group in their own right, as well as having contributed some stellar remixes of tracks by the likes of Penguin Prison and, erm, Alphabeat. "Alejandro" is one of the better cuts off The Fame Monster. I don't feel like they fully harness Gaga's brassy divaness in this effort but they do succeed in translating the song out of its Abba-referencing, faux-Latin camp and into something lighter and sparkling.

You Wanted a Hit (Ryan Nexus Remix) - LCD Soundsystem

Missouri's Ryan Nexus seems to have misheard the lyrics to LCD Soundsystem's "You Wanted a Hit" ("I try and try/It ends up feeling kind of wrong") because here it is: a hit.

Bermuda (Active Child Remix) - Kisses

LA band (and boyfriend-girlfriend duo) Kisses are all kinds of cute and their album, which just dropped last week is only marginally less adorable than a basket of kittens. Their sound, with singer Jesse Kivel's crooning vocals overtop, is like Jens Lekman amongst the palm trees. Recent buzz-receiver and DS Featured Artist Active Child takes the single "Bermuda" on a revved up scooter ride through Candyland.

Ruins (Jokers of the Scene Remix) - O Children

I've written about O Children before but I just can't get over Tobi O'Kandi's terrifying baritone and the extra layer of creep it lends to a skillful remix. This one's got chunky beats, a savage electronic snarl and sweeping strings. When they fade out and he starts chanting like a
Gregorian nightmare I get goosebumps. Tightly wound and perfectly synchronized.

Stop the Music (DJ Downfall Remix) - Pipettes

Let's dance! It's a little silly, and sounds more like Sophie Ellis-Bextor than the Pipettes but hey, it's for clubbing.

Lewis Takes off His Shirt (Dan Deacon Remix) - Owen Pallett

Dan Deacon has a gift for creating music of stunning organic beauty using only electronic sounds. This one sounds like nothing quite so much as the organized chaos of an orchestra warming up. Pallett's voice is almost a percussive element here and the overall effect is like soap film and shooting stars. Seattleites, Owen Pallett is in town this weekend and playing the Crocodile on Saturday night . See you there?