My (very) Occasional Remixes

Remixes are interesting territory: at best they motivate entirely new music; at worst they genericize an otherwise interesting track into 4/4 dancefloor fodder – some of those verve remixes make me shudder & I can imagine the original artist turning in their grave, cursing the fact they never specified in their will that remixes are ok, but just not with that 4 on the floor beat! Anyway a few weeks ago I finished the third remix I have ever done. The first was a decade or more ago, back when I was obsessed with breakbeats/drum&bass. I was commissioned to ‘do what I like’ with a short piano piece that was the coda of an album of pop songs by a NZ band called the Strawpeople.. It was kinda fun, I made some new music & I got paid – what more can you ask for?

Second remix was an entirely different kettle of fish. Each year APRA, the NZ music royalty collection company have an awards ceremony which involves the most excellent idea of artists performing interpretations of the finalists songs, and so I was asked to help interpret the finalist (& as it turned out winner) of the classical category; a piano concerto by renowned nz composer John Psathas. My role was to create ambient manipulations of the piano concerto & then perform it live with a small classical ensemble (strings, percussion & piano) and despite my initial panic attacks it was a fantastic experience. The conductor wrote fermatas into the score so he basically paused/held/sustained the little orchestra & we crossed into my ambient tones & once he felt it appropriate he would un-pause the orchestra & I would fade out…. There were three fermatas in the new score and I am pretty sure my pounding heartbeat drowned out the percussionist every time, but it was a real buzz – the composer thanked me afterwards, as did the pianist which was humbling as both are artists with a musical depth & sensitivity that I can only ever dream of possessing…. But the best praise came from the audience – as I discovered afterwards most of the audience are from the ‘contemporary’ music industry ie pop/rock bands etc who get drunk & generally have a good time but also usually ignore/talk right through the interpretations of the classical finalists… and yet you could have heard a pin drop during our little excerpt…

And my third remix was released today. I love the music of the original artist Sawako but this remix was not of her music. It was an entirely open brief of remixing field recordings she made while on tour over summer. You can download & listen to the collection of source material here and I only became aware of the opportunity when Volume One of remixes was released here…. so when Volume Two was announced I figured I’d have a play…. & in an evening generated this: (click image for full size image)

So feel free to go check out Various Artists – Sawako Summer Tour Remix Volume 2 on the excellent anticipate record label, its a free CC licensed download….
For my track I used GRM Freeze on a number of ambiences & then created a slight vocal progression via manipulating a vocal sample from a recording of one Sawakos rehearsals…. but then I couldn’t help myself & added a metronomic bassline, but because theres no other rhythm I enjoy the fact you cant tell what time signature the music is in… its just cyclic!

& yes, I’ve actually started remix #4, for the talented NZ composer Victoria Kelly…. I have collaborated with her on a few films now (The Locals, Fracture, Black Sheep and next year Under The Mountain) but those collaborations have been cinematic score (her) vs sound design (me) whereas this remix is purely music & such fun!