One of our favourite remixers LEANN GRIMES has just dropped his next re:mixtape I’m Not Too Skinny and it is just as fun, hectic, big and beautiful as his first. Sampling GIVERS, My Morning Jacket, Atlas Sound, St. Vincent, Beirut and many many more, GRIMES has taken the music he loves and discovered on blogs and mashed them all together into something quite wonderful. 

GIVERS got the infectious indie african influenced pop thing down to a tee on the incredibly enjoyable “Up, Up, Up”. Stepping back somewhat, “Atlantic” is a little more low key that starts off slow and builds into something rather beautiful. The beginning of the track reminds me for some reason of one of the songs from the film “Stand By Me”, which is never a bad thing. 

The Givers- Atlantic by Lightning100

“Atlantic” is from the debut album In Light, which is out now.

GIVERS: Website…Facebook…Twitter…iTunes

Oh the remix. Making bad songs good, good songs great, and great songs freaking amazing. Whether you absolutely love the original, the remix (if done right) can make you discover and appreciate things in a track that often goes over looked in its original form, don’t ask me how, it just does. 2011 was a good year for remixes (However, I’m not sure if 2011 was a great year for wine…time will tell) so here are my favourite ones of the year…


LEANN GRIMES

…and I can’t pick just one. Remixer Shane Conerty aka LEANN GRIMES came to my attention with some of the best remixes I’ve heard this year. Taking indie tracks and mishing and mashing and mixing things up, LEANN GRIMES ear for music sets him apart. 

Cats & Dogs in Idaho by LeannGrimes

Held Hands Coming Apart by LeannGrimes

The xx- “Intro” (Kenny Burke Edit)

The XX - Intro (Kenny Burke Edit) by Kenny Burke

I’ve always said that the problem with The xx’s Intro is its over way too quickly for my liking. Its a phenomenal song that puts you right in ‘that mood’ from the start and then its over… So thank you Kenny Burke who has extended this to eight minutes plus, adding some beats, some dazzling synth arpeggios and keeping ‘that mood’ tone. God bless you Burke.

Bon Iver: “Towers” (Sango Remix) + (Karma Kid Re-Rub)

I couldn’t stick to just one of these remixes. Each one brings something different. Sango’s adds a big beat and lets the instrumental do its thing as it rides over it. Karmas slows it down, lets the vocals do their things and adds a whistle. Both brilliant. 

Bon Iver - Towers (Sango Remix) by SangoBeats

Bon Iver - Towers (Karma Kid Re-Rub) by Karma Kid.

The Neon Lights

The Neon Lights from the UK came out with two of my favourite remixes of the year. Funnily enough they’re remixes of The xx and Bon Iver, so we’re really not breaking that much new ground in this post so far… But seriously these remixes are golden. Taking Bon Iver’s Hinnom, TX and The xx’s Crystalized and doing something amazing with both of them, 

Bon Iver - Hinnom, TX (The Neon Lights bootleg) by The Neon Lights

XX crystalised - The Neon Lights remix by The Neon Lights

Matt & Kim: “Daylight” (Stic Man Ra Remix) + “Block After Block” (Echoes Club Edit) + (Teen Daze 80s Teen Gang Movie Remix)

I couldn’t stick to one, again. There are always some great remixes of Matt & Kim’s stuff, probably because you’ve got something pretty good to work with already. Stic Man Ra’s remix of Daylight adds a lead guitar, a tight hip hop beat and a guitar solo to close. I’ve picked two remixes of Block After Block because both bring something awesome to the Matt & Kim table. Echoes brings along some 90s piano and some synths while Teen Daze brings along video games sounds and some synths. All good fun.

Matt and Kim - “Daylight (Stic Man Ra Remix)” by Green Label Sound

Matt and Kim - Block After Block (Echoes Club mix) by differentrecordings

Matt & Kim - Block After Block (Teen Daze’s 80s Teen Gang Movie Remix) by teendaze

Foster The People: “Pumped Up Kicks” (MNDR Remix)

I mean, who didn’t remix FTP this year. It seemed like every week someone was releasing another remix of Pumped Up Kicks. I’ve painstakingly narrowed all these down to just one favourite remix of Pumped Up Kicks by MNDR. It completely transforms the original, taking the bassline vocals and adding to it a sick dance beat. And if you want to check out all the others…soundcloud bitches.

Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks (MNDR Remix) by loadedlove

The Naked and Famous: “Young Blood” (Dave Sitek Remix)

TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek is a demon when it comes to remixes, and when he turned his attention to The Naked and Famous’ smash Young Blood, he did it right proud. Adding a little Japanese flavour with some massive snares, this is on par with the original and for a night out…it just noses ahead.

The Naked And Famous - Young Blood (Dave Sitek Remix) by The Naked And Famous

Adele- Rumour Has It (Rascal Remix)

Adele had a helluva year in 2011, no bones about it. Rumour Has It is my favourite track off 21, and this remix just keeps up the love. This, without fail, gets me hyped for a night out, its just a massive dance track. Get involved.

Adele - Rumour Has It - RASCAL Remix by djrascalmusic

GIVERS: “Up, Up, Up” (CSS Remix)

Love the original and love the CSS switch on it. Keeping the fun and happy style, CSS adds some guitar and a catchy dance beat. What more could you want?

Givers - ‘Up Up Up’ (CSS remix) by Stayloose

Kanye West: “Monster” (Another Somewhat Hellish Cazzette Bootleg)

Oh this goes hard. The original went hard, but this Cazzette remix takes it to another level. It speeds up and slows down vocals, adds a dubstep break, mixes in some d’n’b and just takes it to the next level.

CAZZETTE vs Kanye West, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Bon Iver & Nikki Minaj - I’m A Motherf**king Monster by Cazzette

Theophilus London: “Why Even Try” (RAC Remix)

It was hard to narrow down RAC’s amazing year of remixes to just one, but this remix of Theophilus London’s Why Even Try is the one for me. Taking away that heavy juicy bassline and adding in a sweet video gamey riff. 

Theophilus London ft. Sara Quin - Why Even Try (RAC Mix) by RAC

Childish Gambino: “Freaks & Geeks” (Star Slinger Remix)

Star Slinger had a huge 2011 truly making some major noise with his remixes. Having an endorsement from Childish Gambino probably didn’t hurt and much deserved with this remix of Freaks & Geeks. 

Childish Gambino - Freaks and Geeks (Star Slinger Remix) by Star Slinger

Freelance Whales: “Hannah” (Lightwaves Remix)

Now this is one that I prefer over the original, sorry Freelance Whales. Lightwave’s remix of Hannah is infectious fun, kicking drums and synths all round and puts me in a good mood everytime so can’t be all bad. 

Freelance Whales - Hannah (Lightwaves Remix) by chooseyourownadventure

Seriously whenever I see a photo of these guys they always look so so happy, bless their cotton socks. Posted up on GIVERS a whiles back with the original of this remix. CSS came along and threw their magic pixie dust all over this and remixed the hell out of it. 

Givers - ‘Up Up Up’ (CSS remix) by Stayloose

Click on the down arrow to download.

Paul Simon paved the way to mainstream afro-pop, Vampire Weekend made it hipster cool and now GIVERS are making it super fun. Up, Up, Up is a lovely, fun loving (perhaps a little rockier than VW) track from this Louisiana band. Their album In Lights is out now, and its really really good. (Also, check out this CSS remix, it’s GOOOOOD 

GIVERS Up Up Up by Glassnotemusic

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