Paul McCartney and Perfume Genius are two artists who’ve recently released intriguing remix versions of their most recent albums. Erasure and The Avalanches have also recently announced remix albums from them are waiting in the wings.
McCartney III Imagined
Paul McCartney and Friends
★ ★ ★ ½
Paul McCartney’s recent album McCartney III was described as a raw and rough selection of songs recorded in lockdown, but the selection of songs has been given a slick makeover with a remix and remade version of the record allowing the former Beatle to team up with a wide range of artists.
The record opens up with McCartney teaming up with Beck for Find My Way, the original version was a intense rock number but here it’s fully tropicalia, chilled out and into the realm of space disco. Kiss of Venus is transformed from a mellow guitar strum into a funky RnB jam thanks to Dominic Fike who takes over the vocals on this remake.
Khruangbin bring their very recognisable blurred and reverb heavy guitar sound to Pretty Boys, McCartney remains on vocals floating in over the beats dub style. St Vincent joins McCartney for a new version of Women and Wives that’s not too dissimilar to the original.
Blood Orange provides one of two version of Deep Down included in this new collection, Dev Hynes matches his ovice with McCartney’s for a sublime version of the tune, equally wonderous is another version from 3D aka Robert Del Naja. He brings an intensity to the tune and it wouldn’t sound out of place on a Massive Attack album.
Phoebe Bridgers brings a version of Seize the Day, which is a lovely version of the tune, it doesn’t have the flower power vibe of the original, transforming it into a moody and ethereal ode. Damon Albarn takes on Long Tailed Winter Bird, one of the highlights of the original album, adding a splattering of electronic blips and swirling flutes and bluesy organ. Anderson .Paak remixes When Winter Comes adding twinkling pianos and a cocktail lounge theme to the song, the original is much better and earnest.
The Avalanches get ready to release 20th anniversary version of Since I Left You
Australian band The Avalanches have just released a new remix of their classic track Frontier Psychiatrist.
Frontier Psychiatrist (Mario Caldato Jr’s 85% Remix) was remixed by legendary engineer/producer Mario Caldato Jr. who is best known for his work with The Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal record label having engineered and produced their iconic multi-platinum classics Paul’s Boutique, Check Your Head, Ill Communication and Hello Nasty. The award winning producer has also worked with a multitude of world renowned artists including Money Mark, Tone Loc, Young MC, Beck, Bjork, John Lee Hooker, Yoko Ono and many more.
The band is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their celebrated record Since I Left You.
A special version of the album stacked with bonus remixes will be out this July. Among the remixes featured on the album are versions from MF Doom, Black Dice, Leon Vynehall, Sinkane and Carl Craig.
Set for June 4 release the anniversary edition is now available for pre-order / pre-save in vinyl, CD and digital formats. Fans who pre-save the album will instantly receive two of the bonus tracks – Frontier Psychiatrist (Mario C Remix) the previously released Since I Left You (Prince Paul Remix).
Other standout bonus tracks include Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life (MF DOOM Remix), wherein a previously unheard vocal contribution serves as a bittersweet homage from the late, enigmatic master of the hip-hop underground, who passed away last October. Daniel Dumile – the masked rapper who performed as MF Doom – was praised by The New York Times for forging “a style that was intricate and imaginative, calling on both esoteric and lowbrow references as well as cartoonish imagery in lyrics that could be poignantly emotional.” Born in London and raised on Long Island, Dumile released six albums plus full-length collaborations with Madlib and Danger Mouse, among others.
Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life (Dragged by Leon Vynehall) is described as a profound reflection from the British producer/DJ, who has won acclaim for his exploration of the deep house and downtempo frontiers.
Across the CD, Vinyl and Digital releases as number of remixes are listed for release, including collaborations with Cornelius, Sun Araw, Sterolab, Canyons, Andy Votel, and Jackson and HIs Computer Band.
Immediately Remixes
Perfume Genius
★ ★ ★ ★
If you’ve had Perfume Genius’s acclaimed album Set My Heart on Fire Immediately on high rotation for the last year, now you can give it a refresh with a remix version that presents different takes on each of the tunes on the record.
The Jackko Eino Kalevi remix of Whole Life takes the song into a much more upbeat territory, giving it a slight 80’s vibe, while Initial Talk turns On The Floor into a dancefloor smash. Many of the new version of the tunes push them into the pop sphere, Boy Hasher covers You Body Changes Everything with sythns and electro drums.
The A.G. Cook remix of Describe turns the track from a moody melody into a rave tinged party anthem that builds up to a pinnacle before morphing into a dreamy dub soundscape. While Welsh electronic artist Koreless transforms Same Dream into an ambient journey. Oddly Jenny Hval leaves a message over the top of Leave discussing how she messed around with the song.
This remix collection shows that there are so many choices to be made when creating music, and there are many roads not travelled. This mixed and varied collection certainly explores many paths. It’s the second time Perfume Genius has offered a remix collection, his No Shape record was transformed into Reshaped.
Erasure announce upcoming remix album
Andy Bell and Vince Clarke have announced details of Erasure’s next release, it’s a remix version of their most recent record The Neon.
The Neon Remixed will be an album collating new remixes of the album’s tunes, alongside a brand new track, Secrets.
Adding their touches to the tracks are a host of artists including Kim Ann Foxman, Hifi Sean, Octo Octa, Paul Humphreys (OMD), Andy Bell & Gareth Jones, Brixxtone, Theo Kottis and more. The original album, featuring singles such as Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) and Nerves of Steel, went into the UK Official Albums Chart at #4.
The album will be released on 30th July. The Neon was the duo’s 14th album of their career, which got started back in the mid 1980’s.
Take a listen to new track Secrets.
Graeme Watson
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