“Remix culture” is about learning on the job and publishing every mistake you make. I recommend learning from the masters.
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U2, “Desire (Hollywood Remix)” (1988)
- Sampled newscasts, later resampled and distorted (matches the of-era anti-Bush music video): “In Hollywood tonight—” “ ‘Voodoo’ economics—”
- Loop of chorale and tambourine make soul danceable
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Coldplay (MORRISSEY: “Oldplay”), “Talk (Thin White Duke Remix)” (2006)
- Sampled Speak & Spell
- Theme crescendoes, crashes as “vinyl” grinds to a stop, resumes full bore as needle drops
- Vocal stanzas spaced out and given breathing room; by comparision, the original song runs too fast
- Here, and only here, does the voice of Chris Martin actually work. He desperately needs to sing on other dance albums (Cf. lugubrious “Where Is My Boy?”)
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Lady Gaga, “Poker Face [‘Poker F♠ce’] (Space Cowboy Remix)” (2009)
Stunner. Lyrically originating from an actual premise (it isn’t about love), “Poker F♠ce” recapitulates the last 30 years of dance music:
- “Sireens”
- Sudden collapse of the whole song as a shotgun cocks and fires
- Eurythmicsesque scales
- Sweet-, clear-voiced Aughties chanteuse solo
- Trance segments with deep-house backing vocals
- Actual rap segment
These songs were all remixed with the foreknowledge and consent of the creators and everybody got paid. Compared to these, Danger Mouse and Girl Talk offer you… what? A way to stick it to the man?