Yellow Flicker Beat (LYAR Remix) – Lorde

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At the end of September, New Zealander Lorde released the audio to her single titled Yellow Flicker Beat on The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I soundtrack. By October, the release had not only become the lead single on the soundtrack, but had transcended all from Lorde’s preceding album, Pure Heroin. Weeks later, Yellow Flicker Beat even peaked as number sixty-five on the US Billboard Top 100. “Curating the soundtrack for such a hotly anticipated film was a challenge,” Lorde stated back in July, “but I jumped at the chance. The cast and story are an inspiration for all musicians participating and, as someone with cinematic leanings, being privy to a different creative process has been a unique experience. I think the soundtrack is definitely going to surprise people.” And surprise me, it did. In total, Lorde had her hand in four of the twelve tracks, including another single, Ladder Song, a Kanye West Yellow Flicker rework, and a Stromae production, Meltdown, which featured her, Pusha T, Q-Tip, and HAIM. The lifeblood of these contributions flow from her cheerless, even ominous, style, a style that feels heavy but does not lack energy. Since curating the soundtrack, Lorde has been anything but idle. In early November, she released the visuals to Yellow Flicker Beat, which has already racked up over six million hits. As with her other music videos, the Yellow Flicker video perfectly illustrates her unusual, but alluring, disposition. Most recently, Lorde appeared at the 2014 American Music Awards, in which she performed in color-changing cube. It was during that week that I unearthed the LYAR remix. LYAR, a fresh electronic project out of Germany, is not more than a month old, but is proving to be better than many artists that have existed for several years. In the Yellow Flicker remix, LYAR extracts Lorde’s austere energy and stirs it into deep house electronics, something similar to what they did with Jeremih’s Don’t Tell ‘Em earlier this month. “We missed some deep beats in the original song and it sounded way too mainstream,” the duo explained , “so we tried to make it really big and deep.” Grab a copy of the remix for free on LYAR’s SoundCloud, and don’t forget to check out the rest of the Mockingjay – Part I soundtrack for other great tracks. Enjoy!

Remix of the Week: Blood (Mazde Remix) – Osca

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One year ago today, London label, Duly Noted Records, set forth a new genre: “night time pop.” Few artists, however, embodied this somber, almost lethargic, style. Among those selected were The Night IV, J. Tropic, and Paperwhite. But the group from the that stood out most was a band from Manchester, England, called Osca. This past July, Osca electrified the pop genre with their debut single titled Blood. The unexpected success of this release prompted a string of other singles marked by a fluid progression and weighty vocals, a structure that was so characteristic of the first. Over time, Osca has fallen into a rhythm which another British band, Coldplay, introduced not too long ago. In fact, Osca’s most recent release, Trumpet, exemplifies this unmistakable resemblance. Although they will likely never match Coldplay’s international success, Osca has a fervor that will continue to serve them well. Earlier today, lead singer of Osca, Jack Kensworth, told Q Magazine about the Trumpet single: “Trumpet was inspired by a novel I was given of the same title. The book is about the life of Joss Moody, a jazz trumpeter in the 50s, who was born a female but chose to live his life as a man in order to pursue a career as a musician…when Joss was playing the trumpet his gender and sexual identity became irrelevant. I really liked this idea of individuality and it became the basis for the lyrics of the song. The idea of telling someone to be who you are and not to be afraid of that. The line ‘It all doesn’t matter, let the trumpet sound’ is a direct reference to the book.” It is undoubtedly the tangibility of Osca’s passion which drew German producer, Mazde, to remix Blood. In his adaptation, Mazde hardly touches the original, but changes it in a way that has a considerable impact. What initially breathed tiresome, now erupts with a surge of synths and drums. Unfortunately for Osca, it’s almost impossible to listen to the original without craving Mazde’s alterations. Follow them both on SoundCloud and stay on the lookout for another future collaboration. Enjoy!

Body Gold (Louis the Child Remix) – Oh Wonder

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Nowadays, most artists are merely drizzling: subsisting drop-by-drop and releasing material at unpredictable moments to keep their listeners interested. Not Oh Wonder. Two months ago, Oh Wonder, formerly Wonder Wonder, a songwriting duo from London, adopted a radical musical philosophy after their curiously sudden name change. Instead of letting their releases flow naturally (i.e. whenever they want), Oh Wonder has challenged themselves by promising to release a song once a month for the next year. If you don’t believe me, check out their website. This attempt to stand out as an electronic project has served them well. On November 5, the Brits attained the unattainable, ranking #2 and #4 on Hype Machine with their September and November singles Dazzle and Body Gold. It was during this time that Louis the Child stepped across the Atlantic to remix the latter. The duo from Chicago, composed of Robby Hauldren and Freddy Kennet, has had their hand in countless productions this past year, but nothing like Body Gold. “Our style has…evolved over the time that we’ve been together,” Kennet stated in an interview with Electrify Chi, “because of a lot of changing influences.” In particular, the group cites James Blake, Flume, and Cashmere Cat, as having shaped their musical orientation. And these influences have had an impact on their artist selections. Before Oh Wonder, Louis the Child delved into tracks from artists like Empire of the Sun, Bombay Bicycle Club, Adventure Club, and Zella Day. The duo even featured on the The Chainsmokers’s official remix album for their single shockingly titled Kanye. Now, with Body Gold, the Chicago natives perfectly exhibited the ever-changing quality of their style. Drawing from the dulcet motion of the Oh Wonder original, they have fabricated a remix that undulates and recedes, but one that does not lose momentum. Strictly speaking, if the original is gold, then this remix is diamond. All you need to is follow Louis the Child on SoundCloud and you can have this priceless gift, well, priceless. Enjoy!

Anchor (Mazde Remix) – La Mar

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La Mar is undoubtedly the catch of the day. Earlier today, the group washed ashore on the Sydney coast with a surprise in hand, their debut single, Anchor. The single is less than a day old, like the duo themselves, but bespeaks their prospective talent. “La Mar are a…two piece electronic project,” the Australians spelled out this morning, “who’s music hinges on the relationship between singer Dylan Wright, and keyboardist / producer, Andrew Grant.” Although these two may be new to the game, they don’t plan on disappearing anytime soon, especially not with the backing of REC Studio producer Craig Wilson. If Wilson’s name does not ring a bell, perhaps you’ll recognize his past projects, which include Flume, New Navy, LDRU, Yahtzel. Just like these successful Australian natives, La Mar seems to moving towards an innovative electronic style, born from a naturally influenced dynamism. Another artist who has adopted this musical philosophy actually appeared in company with the Anchor single, German producer Mazde. A familiar face from Berlin, Mazde just recently surprised us with his Shifted Thoughts EP, released in early October, which featured La Mar on the track Shifted Thoughts. The two, as well as Melbourne’s Sweetland, make up rising label Stoney Roads Records which, like La Mar, are based out of Sydney. “Mazde’s tasteful spin on ‘Anchor,'” explained Stoney Roads, “…sounds less like a remix, and more of an interpretation of sounds. [Here,] Mazde carefully creates a unique track, appealing to only the most cultured of ears.” Indeed, this remix offers something special to the La Mar original: an equilibrium of lyrical progression and sensual cadences, which crest and break as softly as a swelling tide. Listen prudently, and don’t forget to buy La Mar’s Anchor EP on iTunes, which includes the Mazde remix. Enjoy!

Octahate (Cashmere Cat Remix) – Ryn Weaver

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What happens when a cat and his best friend get together? This, apparently. Although this wouldn’t be the first Cashmere-Weaver collaboration we’ve seen this year; Cashmere Cat had his “paw” in the Weaver original that debuted on her Promises EP, released this past August. Weaver would not be where she is now with him, as well as many others who helped her in the early stages. Octahate was supported by familiar musical names, including Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos, Benny Blanco, and Charli XCX. In just four months, the track has gathered almost 2.5 million plays – an astounding turnout for such fresh talent. Like Weaver, Cashmere Cat had similar luck and has since developed quite the standing in the pop music industry. After the publication of his Mirror Maru EP, record labels were pining for the Norwegian producer’s electronic touch. This year alone, the Cat has appeared in Ludacris’s single Party Girls ft. Wiz Khalifa & Jeremih as well as Be My Baby off Ariana Grande’s newest album My Everything. Cashmere, however, is not one to run with the big dogs for long, for more than one reason: not only is he a cat, but he always has something new to offer. Here, in his remix of Octahate, Cashmere has reimagined Weaver’s “sparkly pan-genre synthpop”, as Stereogum announced during the track’s release. In his rendition, Cashmere infuses a new energy into Weaver’s stunning vocals, polishing it with a crunch that the former lacked. As a result, Octohate has become Octo-great. Look for the original on iTunes, and hope for a copy of Cashmere Cat’s edit soon. Enjoy!

Remix of the Week: Left Hand Free (Lido Remix) – alt-J

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This harvest season would not have been the same without a little alt-J; although, truthfully, they’re suitable for just about any season. Back in mid-September, the indie pop band from Leeds, England, surprised the British and Americans alike with the release of their second studio album, This Is All Yours, which shot to the top of the charts in both countries. Their novelty album has since received only praise, something almost unheard of in the pop music industry. In particular, however, three records have emerged as the top picks: Hunger of the Pine, Every Other Freckle, and, of course, Left Hand Free. The “awesome wave” created by alt-J’s September splash also captivated several remix artists, like Lido. This year, Lido, a indescribable act from Oslo, Norway, has been entangled in projects from far-reaching genres, such as Zhu’s Faded, BANKS’s Drowning, The Weeknd’s Often, and, most recently, alt-J’s Left Hand Free. Just yesterday, the alt-J named the Lido remix as an official remix single. Although, at first glance, the Anglo-norweigan collaboration seemed a bit out of place, I decided to give it a chance, and I was pleasantly surprised. Without each other, the two undoubtedly impress, but together, the two are in perfect harmony. In the remix, Lido manipulates alt-J’s pop vocals to match his unpredictable, yet steady, rhythmic magic.But the Lido masterpiece is far from a typical remix. In fact, if anything, it’s an adventure. Sit back, close your eyes, and embrace all of the originality of this production: vocal additives, dreamy synths, and, yes, even gunshots. Be sure not to skip a second of this remix – it’s a true experience. If you’re looking for a copy, grab it on alt-J’s iTunes page. Enjoy!

Break the Rules (ODESZA Remix) – Charli XCX

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Seattle: home of Starbucks, rain, and the best of them all (yes, even the Pumpkin Spice Latte), electronic duo ODESZA. A little more than a year ago, when I first discovered these six letters, I was intrigued, not only by the duo’s name, but also by their unmatched production quality. The name, it turns out, was inspired by Harrison Mill’s (one half of ODESZA) uncle’s ship, Odessa, which now rests at the bottom of the Pacific ocean. It was during his senior year at Western Washington University that Mills met his other half, Clayton Knight, also known as Beaches Beaches – a guy whose music he’d known about as early as his freshman year, but had never considered pairing up with. However, just after their graduation, the two realized the possibilities of merging their separate talents under one name. As Odessa was already taken, they changed one ‘s’ into a ‘z’ and began their voyage on their new ship, the ODESZA. And it was smooth sailing from there. By September 2012, the Seattlites had released their debut album, Summer’s Gone, followed a year later by My Friend’s Never Die – an EP which reeled in at least half a million views on each individual track. Most recently, the duo launched their worldwide “In Return” tour after their album of the same name, released this past September on Counter Records. However, even on the road (or water, if you will), Mills and Knight have managed to put out this impressive remix of Charli XCX’s electronic pop single Break the Rules. The single’s title do justice not only to the track’s unruly lyrics, but Charli’s quirky, and rather dark, disposition. Tangling their signature sunny sound with Charli’s goth pop rebellion, ODESZA has fashioned an two-faced composition that is nothing short of astounding. Give it a listen and visit ODESZA’s website for the dates of the In Return tour which, in 2015, will be coming to the United States. Enjoy!

Begging For Thread (Gryffin & Hotel Garuda Remix) – BANKS

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A singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, California, BANKS has become the backbone of numerous electronic productions this past year. Following the release of her third album, Goddess, on September 5, her SoundCloud page was flooded with remixes from artists in every corner of the globe. Most notable was that of Lido, a producer from Oslo, Norway, who perfectly blended the enticing melancholy in Drowning with his signature rippling synths back in July. Most recently, three artists have turned to BANKS’s Begging for Thread, the hit that steered Goddess to the top of charts. And after listening to the trio’s collaboration here it seems that Gryffin, a New York-based dance/soul producer, has found a partner in Hotel Garuda, a fresh duo of Washington D.C.’s Manila Killa and Los Angeles’s Candle Weather. Griffyn has been on my radar since July, when he remixed Whitney Houston’s classic, I Learned From the Best, into his “Cloud House” version, in which he took “soul and emotion out of the original” and flipped it into “an uplifting, dreamy summer song.” Here, we hear a bit of this tropical influence mixed up into the otherwise gloomy lyrics of BANKS, resulting in a paradoxical, but riveting, sensation. “[I’m] super happy with how this one turned out,” Gryffin announced yesterday, “…hope you all like it!” And luckily you can download it for free on Gryffin’s Artist Intelligence page here. Enjoy!

3005 Pt. I & II (Zanski Remix) – Childish Gambino

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Like Zanski, a new love for Donald Glover, better known as Childish Gambino, has ignited within me. On October 10, the lyricist from Stone Mountain, Georgia released the visuals to one of his tracks, Telegraph Ave (“Oakland” by Lloyd), off of the 2013 sophomore album Because the Internet. Though my craving for Gambino didn’t stop there. After perusing the Twittersphere, I came across his joint mixtape/EP project which had been released a week earlier: STN MTN & Kauai. This sudden, but successful, drop has pushed Gambino to the top of charts, unfortunately a place where many don’t believe he deserves to be. Nevertheless, the Georgian has carried on just fine. In fact, in the words of Consequence of Sound, “[Gambino] seems to be strictly ignoring negative scrutiny, instead making a clear attempt to honor the legacy of his native Atlanta/Stone Mountain, Georgia, resurrecting beats from the past decade and a half.” While all of this was going on, producer Zanski from Thunder Bay, Canada saw a way to take advantage of the Childish Gambino craze. But instead of looking to Bino’s fresh content, the Canadian scooped out a blast from the past, or rather, last October: 3005 . The track, which was released as the first single of Because the Internet and once stood as a radio hit, has been entirely re-imagined. Under Zanski’s thumb, the lyrics have been magically woven into a soulful beat. A beat which is, apparently, winter-ready. “[It’s perfect for drifting your cars in the snow,” Zanski explained during the remix’s release, 3 days ago. It” come as a surprise, as this is everything you were never expecting Gambino to sound like, and for free. Enjoy!

Remix of the Week: Chains (Just A Gent Remix) – Nick Jonas

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After a bit of digging, this hidden treasure has been unearthed. However, its contents are not what I expected. It looks and sounds like a Just A Gent touch-up, but the selection of artist is so unlike anything I’ve heard the Australian produce thus far: Nick Jonas. The Jonas name, at least for me, has been long forgotten ever since the brother band’s split in October 2013 (no, I did not know that off the top of my head). Which explains why it was so difficult to find the Just A Gent version. In fact, it was in the Gentleman’s repost of the official New York-based label Island Records’s release that Nick Jonas’s Chains first surfaced. Unknown to me until recently, Island Records is the home to many stand-out solo artists and bands, such as Kiesza, The Vamps, Tove Lo, and American Authors. And apparently, Nick Jonas. An unlikely pair, but nevertheless it has worked out for the both of them, and just in time too. With the exception of his “Djentstep” turn-around of Zhu’s Superfriends, Just A Gent has been behind the curtain, since then only releasing his outlandish single Warlock Masquerade under his Hegemon label, an AIA Artist Collective. And the 17 year-old with this caliber of musical talent deserves some bragging rights. This remix, for instance, has got me in chains…pun intended. The Gentleman has mastered the art of intertwining pop lyrics and electronic influence, with moments of potent house trap feels. The beat is positively glorious. Enjoy!