Hello all. So, first, apologies, because this is going to be a slightly shorter remix entry than usual. That being so because I’m currently traveling and won’t be back in the good ol’ United States for another two weeks. But I didn’t want you to start your week off with nothing. However, I am currently in London discovering some solids sounds, which I will share when I return. But today I shall cover The Presets.
The Presets are a creative and extremely cutting edge electronic duo from Australia, signed on to the same label as Cut Copy and Van She, Modular Recordings. I first heard them with the release of their 2005 album, Beams. They released their sophomore album this year, Apocalypso, which met and surpassed their debut by far.
You can catch the duo on tour in the US beginning in Tallahassee, Fl. on March 27th and finishing up in Pomona, Ca. on April 20th. Check the band’s website for dates and venues.
“This Boy’s In Love”
“This Boy’s In Love” is a slightly different sound for the group. It’s more of an indie disco song, rather than their usual electronic punk. The song has heavy traces of Depeche Mode, particularly in the dark piano melody and the deep echo-y vocals. The vocals are what stand out in this song, they yearn, they’re nostalgic, they’re haunting. Musically it contains metallic synths and light looping percussion. It’s all a little dark romanticism.
Lifelike Remix
Though the original is a great song and I’m sure it will be a classic, I much prefer the remix by Lifelike. It has more synthesizers than driving electronic bass beats of the original, which gives it a softer feel. For me the song conjures up an image of a deep, dark night, a wet, one lane highway road on a mountain surrounded by deep green trees, the only light the moon and driving down that road very fast.
“Talk Like That”
Firstly, check out the video for this song. Very cool. It’s sort of reminiscent of the famous 1980s Apple Superbowl Commercial combined with Flashdance’s Alex Owens wearing American Apparel; all slightly harking back to the novel 1984. This is a fast moving song, but eerie in so many ways, with sinister drums and bass, a chant like chorus, sharp paced disco synths and fuzzy guitars.
Miami Horror Remix
This mix comes with a lot of grit thrown into it. Though the original is slightly faster and certainly gloomier, it lacks a certain pertinence, which Miami Horror throws in with cut up, distorted, grinding synthesizers and guitars. The song is magically transformed from an ominous, disco pulse to a more suiting track for the clubs.
