Remixes, Covers and More: Explained (Pt 2)
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- dizzydj
- added this
Remixes
Remixes, which have become popular in different contexts, have become popular with all sorts of genres of music. There are, in my mind, two different schools of thought when it comes to the remix, the rap-remix and the electronica-remix. The two kinds of remixes have very different schools of thought, and differ more then you would assume.
Rap-Remixes
Rap-Remixes really are not remixes at all. Well, ok, they are remixes, but the songs don't change as drastically as the electronica-remix thought. The dynamic and tone of the song stays the same, but some of the beats change to accommodate the added vocals from the rappers that join the ensemble of the remix. The example that I thought of off the top of my head was Rich Boy's song Throw Some D's. The original mix, which you can hear at http://bit.ly/vs05h, doesn't have as many vocal tracks, or bass tracks, which you can hear at http://bit.ly/3nwjQr.
Electronica-Remixes
First of all, I know most people immediately think that Electronica is Techno. Forget that auto-assumption, mainly because most of this "techno" is NOT Techno. Now that we have that out of the way, Electronica-Remixes are what most remixes are, taking songs and re-imagining them so their tone, and have the ability to cross genres without problems. But what seperates them from Covers is that they use the original source material, not a different person attempting to sing/perform/etc the song that is being remixed. Some remixes stay with a similar sound as the source material, but others take the material and run with it.
Falling Free by Curve is a great example of running with source material to create a remix. Its an early 90s tune that has been remixed by a man named Richard D James, better known as Aphex Twin. RDJ loves how he re-imagines music. His unique take on chaotic and ambient music is something that many people are impressed and overwhelmed by. Falling Free is a rock-pop song, as heard here at http://bit.ly/qEfu. Then there is the Aphex Twin remix, which takes the song's core, the synth, and loosely resembles the source material, as heard at http://bit.ly/xXKqW. Quite a difference, isn't it?
Then there are the more standard electronica-remixes. Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap, heard at http://bit.ly/1ivwc7, is one of those songs that screamed to be remixed. As I first heard this song on a season finale of The OC, it played my emotions. Even when heard in its original, unedited form, I still feel sad. Then Enmass did an amazing remix of the song, heard at http://bit.ly/7iDLA. As you can tell, you can still feel the original pain of the source material, but mixes is it sounds a bit more upbeat, a bit faster and adds a new dynamic to the song. That, in my book is the perfect remix.
Covers
Covers are not remixes, mashups or samples in any way, shape or form. A cover is, in my mind, a non-original work. Its a copy of a song, transformed into a new genre, or refitted for a different band. Oh how I could go on and on about covers that were horrible. Here is a great example of a cover. Queens of the Stone Age's song Go With The Flow, heard at http://bit.ly/1jbBUR, is a great song. I love it. Then Royksopp covered it, heard at http://bit.ly/O0kh. This is a true cover. It sounds nearly identical to the original, except for obviously isn't Queens of the Stone Age singing the song. Thats a cover. Its not an original derivative of a pervious work. Its a near 1:1 replica of the original.
Do you agree? Does this make sense? Do you have questions?! Comment away!
Remixes, which have become popular in different contexts, have become popular with all sorts of genres of music. There are, in my mind, two different schools of thought when it comes to the remix, the rap-remix and the electronica-remix. The two kinds of remixes have very different schools of thought, and differ more then you would assume.
Rap-Remixes
Rap-Remixes really are not remixes at all. Well, ok, they are remixes, but the songs don't change as drastically as the electronica-remix thought. The dynamic and tone of the song stays the same, but some of the beats change to accommodate the added vocals from the rappers that join the ensemble of the remix. The example that I thought of off the top of my head was Rich Boy's song Throw Some D's. The original mix, which you can hear at http://bit.ly/vs05h, doesn't have as many vocal tracks, or bass tracks, which you can hear at http://bit.ly/3nwjQr.
Electronica-Remixes
First of all, I know most people immediately think that Electronica is Techno. Forget that auto-assumption, mainly because most of this "techno" is NOT Techno. Now that we have that out of the way, Electronica-Remixes are what most remixes are, taking songs and re-imagining them so their tone, and have the ability to cross genres without problems. But what seperates them from Covers is that they use the original source material, not a different person attempting to sing/perform/etc the song that is being remixed. Some remixes stay with a similar sound as the source material, but others take the material and run with it.
Falling Free by Curve is a great example of running with source material to create a remix. Its an early 90s tune that has been remixed by a man named Richard D James, better known as Aphex Twin. RDJ loves how he re-imagines music. His unique take on chaotic and ambient music is something that many people are impressed and overwhelmed by. Falling Free is a rock-pop song, as heard here at http://bit.ly/qEfu. Then there is the Aphex Twin remix, which takes the song's core, the synth, and loosely resembles the source material, as heard at http://bit.ly/xXKqW. Quite a difference, isn't it?
Then there are the more standard electronica-remixes. Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap, heard at http://bit.ly/1ivwc7, is one of those songs that screamed to be remixed. As I first heard this song on a season finale of The OC, it played my emotions. Even when heard in its original, unedited form, I still feel sad. Then Enmass did an amazing remix of the song, heard at http://bit.ly/7iDLA. As you can tell, you can still feel the original pain of the source material, but mixes is it sounds a bit more upbeat, a bit faster and adds a new dynamic to the song. That, in my book is the perfect remix.
Covers
Covers are not remixes, mashups or samples in any way, shape or form. A cover is, in my mind, a non-original work. Its a copy of a song, transformed into a new genre, or refitted for a different band. Oh how I could go on and on about covers that were horrible. Here is a great example of a cover. Queens of the Stone Age's song Go With The Flow, heard at http://bit.ly/1jbBUR, is a great song. I love it. Then Royksopp covered it, heard at http://bit.ly/O0kh. This is a true cover. It sounds nearly identical to the original, except for obviously isn't Queens of the Stone Age singing the song. Thats a cover. Its not an original derivative of a pervious work. Its a near 1:1 replica of the original.
Do you agree? Does this make sense? Do you have questions?! Comment away!
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- groups:
- Music, imogen heap
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- tags:
- Music, Covers, imogen heap
