Remixes I Like Better Than The Originals - Part 2

Today I will share the second part of what I hope to be a recurring series of remixes that I like better than their original songs.

Foxes - Youth (Adventure Club Dubstep Remix) vs. Original


Adele - Set Fire To The Rain (Plastic Plates Remix) vs. Original


BassNectar - Voodoo (Beats Antique Remix) vs. Original


Foster the People - Houdini (RAC Remix) vs. Original


Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) - Bibio Remix vs. Original


Special Consideration
Avicii - Levels (Skrillex Remix) vs. Original*


*Note that the now well known vocal hook from this song was sampled from Etta James' "Something's Got a Hold on Me," and was previously sampled by Pretty Lights in the 2006 track "Finally Moving." Pretty Lights used the same sample again two years later in "Finally Moving Remix," and again in 2010 in "Finally Moving James Brown Remix." It boggles my mind that such a great original hook was sampled in not one, not two, but three good songs from a solid artist, but never became widely known until it was used in a shitty house song in 2011.

Song Of The Day: Bibio - Fire Ant

I first heard this track by british producer Bibio, aka Stephen Wilkinson, late one night on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. I could always count on this channel to provide me with refreshing doses of new, energized, instrumental electronic music, some of it recognizable, but usually it was all new to my ears. Unfortunately, because of the medium it was presented on, before the development of Apps like Shazaam or SoundHound, rarely was I ever able to identify these tunes. After getting my first smart phone back in 2009, this was the first song I've ever ID. Several phone later I still remember it for a few reasons:



I think the song is a good representation of the dynamic nature of Bibio as a producer. The song begins, interestingly enough, with two young children having an inaudible conversation about a fire ant, which is gradually overlaid into a mid-tempo, somewhat upbeat rhythm, akin to Two Fresh in 'Bakers' Dozen', yet more polished. About 1/3 of the way through the song switches gears by changing melodies, adding some playful distorted vocal loops and a syncopated rhythm, and most notably a cross-fade effect on the vocal track which sounds like a skillful showing off.

The final third of the song makes another drastic change in style, and serves more as an epilogue, or transition to the next song, while ghostly chords are strung out on what sounds like a harpsichord.

Recently, Bibio released the single 'Excuses' off his upcoming album 'Mind Bokeh' which will be released on Warp Records March 28th.

*Photo courtesy of Warp Records