Single of the week
Westerman – Edison: Ross From Friends remix
More overhaul than remix, Ross From Friends’ dance-psych production is a lateral deconstruction of Westerman’s polite bedroom pop original. Creating a spacey atmosphere with treated vocal samples and groggy synths, Westerman’s vocal melodies crop up only fleetingly. The five-note bass motif becomes the hook, recurring after each of the track’s scenic detours and wielding opiate-like power.
Perfume Genius – Slip Away: Mura Masa remix
Having previously taken on Foals and Haim, Mura Masa continues his indie remix hot streak on ‘Slip Away’. The song’s magnetic lead vocal stays in tact, but the bizarro-E Street Band instrumental is removed in favour of a springy dance groove. Built on handclaps, analogue synths and festive percussion sounds, the pool party vibe pairs well with the song’s message of nonconformity. And there’s a nice bit of irony hearing PG’s Mike Hadreas sing, “Don’t ever break the shape you take,” atop an entirely new arrangement.
A$AP Rocky ft T.I. and Kid Cudi – A$AP Forever Remix
Rocky extends his Moby-sampling “I’m the best” single to accommodate features from T.I. and Kid Cudi. The result? It feels about 90 seconds too long. Sampling ‘Porcelain’ is a good move in theory, but it sounds a bit jarring next to Rocky’s clunky flow. T.I. introduces the track; his appearance is nothing special but at least it’s not ‘Ye vs. the People’. Cudi is a better fit for the ambient groove, but not talented enough to rescue things.
Sufjan Stevens/Moses Sumney – Make Out In My Car
Moses Sumney and Sufjan Stevens have a lot in common. Both are sentimental souls who make avowedly intimate music that still seems somewhat distant. Here Sufjan takes on one of Moses’ blunter statements, flipping the song into an up-close acoustic ballad with fully fleshed out verses (Moses’ original contains just two lines). It’s a mini-triumph that instantly nominates itself for the Call Me By Your Name sequel soundtrack. Next can we hear Moses doing ‘Should Have Known Better’?
