I love a remix! A producer takes another artist’s song, cuts it up and makes something entirely new and completely his, or her own, while still giving props to the original artist. Perhaps the new highest form of flattery? Or might blogging about the artists and remixers be the new highest form of flattery?

To celebrate the artists, remixers and the BEATS, I introduce the first post in the multi-part series: Mix-tastic!

These three classic tracks would have been remembered for many years to come without the aid of a remix. But the remixes still give the tracks just a little more weight than they had before. Each of them tantalizes the ear with sounds of the familiar while making the body move to a new beat!

I’m on Fire (Cousin Cole’s Bad Desire Mix) – Bruce Springsteen

Born in the USA (1984)

This track has a very deep classic sound. The beauty of Springsteen’s original is amplified by Cousin Cole’s smooth editing. The lyrics to this song amaze me. Only The Boss could get away with lyrics as dirty as these while maintaining such a pure and lovable image.

Hey little girl is your daddy home
Did he go away and leave you all alone
I got a bad desire
Im on fire

Tell me now baby is he good to you
Can he do to you the things that I do
I can take you higher
Im on fire

Did he really say that? Doesn’t matter… he’s The Boss and we love ‘em!
Cousin Cole, based in NYC, is both an accomplished remixer and a co-owner of the Flagrant Fowl label. He has a has a funky remix of Timberland’s The Way I Are up at his myspace page, check it out!

Jolene (DJ Soap’s BMAF Remix) – Dolly Parton

Jolene (1974)

Don’t let the beginning of the track fool you… it’s slightly annoying beginning, with the quickly repeating “Jo” sample is overwhelmed by a captivating layering of guitars and Dolly’s signature voice. She pleads to the stunning beauty, Jolene, to leave her man alone, with her voice full of devotion, determination and desperation. Parton wrote Jolene at the tender age of 28 in 1974, 8 years after marrying her husband Carl Dean, whom she is still happily married to today. Seems to me that Jolene, whether she be a bank teller, or a concert goer, never had a chance.

DJ Soap is a Mid-Western dynamo, working hard as a DJ, remixer and promoter. His popularity is brewing now as a result of this BAMF remix of Jolene. Check him out over at myspace.

Foxy Lady (Speaker Junk’s Foxxy Switch Remix) – Jimi Hendrix

Are You Experienced (1967)

This banging update of Hendrix’s classic Foxey Lady by Speaker Junk is crazy sexy! Hendrix’s passionate lyrics and skillful guitar are mixed up with the thickest beats that make you want to dance all sexy like!

I wanna take you home
I wont do you no harm, no
You’ve got to be all mine, all mine

Speaker Junk keeps himself very busy, creating, and remixing under several monikers (Hervé, Voodoo Chilli, Action Man, Count of Monte Cristal, Dead Soul Brothers, The Young Lovers). He has several tracks that I adore and expect many more! Keep your eared perked for this one!

I got a message from Italian DJ, Producer and Remixer Biancardi Domenico. In his 33 minute Breaks mix he drops the freshest cut ups and thick beats that get you movin’, even at your desk at 9 in the morning!

Pick up a copy of his Breaks Mix over at zshare.

Track listing:
Colin Hobbs – Coming Up (Riva Starr remix)
Black Eyes Peas – My Humps (Clark Bootleg)
Randy Brusset And Jr – Jazz Ghetto City (Lee Mortimer Remix)
Bass Kleph – Bump Uglies (Stupid Fresh Remix)
Kelis – Milkshake (Man Eat dj Jizm Remix)
Mowgli vs MJ. – Mowgli is Bad
DMX – Up in here (Mightyfools remix)
Clash – Should I Stay Should I Go (Biancardi remix)
Chemical Brothers – Salmon Dance (Crookers Wow Remix)
Elektrons – Dirty Basement (Sinden Remix)
Crookers – Il Cattivo Plus Thunder

His Electro Rap Mix is worth a listen too.

Track listing:
Cool Kids – Pump up the volume (Flosstradamus Remix)
OSOF – Like Whoa
Wu Tang Clan – Stomp (The Bloody Beetroots)
South Rakkas Crew – Mad Again
Kap10Kurt – Burning down the haus
Dizzee Rascal – Pussyhole (Mike B’s Dj Edit)
Hint – Muddled Morning
Young Mc – Bust A Move
Kid N Cudi – Embrace the Martian
Kid Sister – Girl Rock
Lady Sovereign vs St. Andrew – Love Me or 80’s Me
Mystro – Who you gonna blame
Larry Tee – I Love you kill

Check out his website, or send him some myspace love!

Everybody But Me(diskJokke Remix) – Lykke Li

Young Novels (2008)

Lykke Li has been heating up the music blogsphere for a few months, since RCRD LBL released a couple of her choice tracks for our sampling pleasure. Today her debut full length album is available in both physical and digital music stores. I hope this is the beginning of a long career for the young Sweedish artist.

Dance, Dance, Dance was the song that first got my attention. It is an adorable ditty in which Li sings of her ironic love of dancing, because deep down she’s shy, shy, shy. I highly recommend you download a copy from RCRD LBL. I have included a copy of the diskJokke remix of Everybody But Me, which is a beautiful remix of her minimalistic track about those nights when you’re out on the town, but you just aren’t feelin’ it. Her unique sound combines an innocence of child-like wonderment with a musical mastery, layering . There’s even some cowbell on the new album for us all to enjoy!

Om Shanti Om (2007)

I missed the finale of So You Can Think You Can Dance, but I was rooting for Katee & Josh and am happy to hear that Josh won. He nailed every dance I saw him do (Katee did too), and had so little training, it was amazing to watch.

My favourite dance they did was the Bollywood routine Dhoom Tana Om from the movie Om Shanti Om. I don’t know anything about the film, but the song is a captivating orchestration of Indian instrumentations and vocals that incorporates tradition, flare and humour.

I loved Katee & Josh’s dance so much, I wanted to share it with you, but when I found the original scene from the Bollywood film the performance was taken from, I knew I’d have to include it too, because it is quite a spectacle!

Enjoy!

Now, Katee and Josh’s performance:

I very much enjoy Bhangra music, but have very little of it! Do you have any suggestions for quality Bhangra that I and my readers may enjoy?