RMX ROUNDUP: swim good + Star Slinger / filous + RAC / CHVRCHES + Four Tet

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A lot of end-of-summer remixes have surfaced as of late, which means it’s time for another Remix Roundup. To start, we wanted to share the Star Slinger rendition of swim good‘s “Since U Asked.” The original was a nostalgic gem of a track, and the UK producer takes it to the next level with his stellar upbeat spin. While leaving Merival‘s vocals at the forefront, Star Slinger shakes up the tempo and brings out the beat, ensuring the danceability factor. Stream below.

Next is the new mix of filous‘ first original track, “How Hard I Try” by prolific Portland producer RAC. The original track, by rising Austrian artist and music prodigy filous (the french word for “Rascal”) features vocals from James Hershey and has an inherently tropical tone. RAC takes it in a different direction with a more muted approach to the synths and haunting echoey instrumentation, which is apt given the subject matter.

In related news, RAC is actually going on tour with filous, Big Data and Pink Feathers this fall so be sure to check out their tour dates. For those in the District, they’ll be at DC’s 9:30 Club November 10 so get your tickets now!

Last but not least, we’re loving the fresh Four Tet take on the new CHVRCHES single “Leave A Trace.” CHVRCHES — everyone’s favorite Scottish synthpop outfit — caused a stir on the internet with the announcement of their sophomore album, Every Open Eye, due out September 25 on Glassnote Records. The English electronic artist strips down the poppiness of the original and instead supplies an underlying tension, building the track around the hook: “I know I need to feel relief.” It’s a masterful case of the production mimicking the message of the song, as only Four Tet is capable. Listen below.

 

swim good x Merival – since u asked

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As part of producer Ryan Hemsworth‘s Secret Songs series, swim good has paired up with vocalist Anna Horvath aka Merival to produce “since u asked.” Jon Lawless, the Toronto-based artist behind swim good has cooked up a sweet little ditty of a track that also features contributions from Joel Karlsson of Air France (RIP), Darren Seltmann from The Avalanches and Torquil Campbell of Stars. On top of this dream team of producers, we detected a Whitney Houston sample in there as well.

So what’s the song about you say? Glad u asked. Lawless notes that the track is a response to the highs and lows of “when someone asks how you’re doing and you can’t help but give a super honest answer.” Relatable. Stream this wistful, heartrending tune below.