In a bid to fight off the ‘ahh it’s been three weeks into vac and I’ve done no work’ blues, I’ve buried myself in musical entertainment and have trawled the web for tunes to turn my frown upside down. Now we all know how great Radiohead are, but I was interested to see what other musicians could do using their music as a mere foundation. So hold tight as we take a trip into the Radiohead underworld where djs from all over the world have morphed their music to create totally different soundscapes.
One of my favourite songs from In Rainbows, Reckoner has been remixed by one of my favourite DJs at the moment: Nosaj Thing, and he’s cooked us up a real treat. Starting off with jittery drums and sustained synths, one could easily think it was just another of Nosaj’s own gems. It’s only when Thom’s voice comes soaring over the silence that we recognise the Radiohead lineage, and the song comes into its own. If you’re bored of Radiohead or haven’t heard of Nosaj Thing then this track will initiate your love of both. You’ll be surprised how quickly it reaches the top of your ‘Most Played’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKOQNN3eYUk
I’m not sure whether this track fits under the title of ‘cover’ or ‘remix’ but either way Nina Karlsson pushes all the right buttons with her version of Nude, using her subtle vibrato vocals to strip the song of all excess, leaving nothing but the sweet sound of piano and human to caress our ear drums. Even though some of the song’s intensity and melancholic guitar is lost, Nina manages to retell the story in a new voice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa_-GSpqDg8
If you’ve had enough of wallowing in your own self pity then this is the song to get you crunking around in your chosen work (procrastination) space. Amplive has stuck to traditional remix guidelines and cut and pasted Weird Fishes transforming it into a thumping hip hop-esque concoction. Repetition plays a central role in this track but somehow hearing snippets of Yorke’s voice over and over doesn’t get boring, especially at 3.20 where the song starts sounding a lot like Session from Linkin Park’s Meteora (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xeu-zpcwdaM).
You can listen to Amplive’s remix here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaVOkhgqMyE.
Any more In Rainbows remixes and you’d start thinking I’ve never listened to anything else, so here’s one from OK Computer and I’m warning you, it’s mainly for laughs. The subtly named Jadiohead have slipped some thuggery into Radiohead’s track with Dirt of Your Android. Even though there’s something so, so wrong about mixing Radiohead and JayZ in the same bowl, the energy in this song is just so right. It will quickly become your number one guilty pleasure, replacing TMF’s video mashups in no time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk54ZeHlPRk
Whilst you’re at it, hit up his website http://www.maxtannone.com/projects/jaydiohead/ and have a ball listening to all the other mash ups!
Now if those didn’t put a smile on your face, perhaps this week’s playlist can. I’ve been suffering from a bout of nostalgia so am offering up all those 90s/00s hits that we all miss! Don’t fight it guys, enjoy.
