Last year Cut Copy put out one of the best records of 2008, and for me, one of my most favorite records, I think, ever. It was their sophomore release, In Ghost Colours, which was produced by none other than Tim Goldsworthy of DFA; the man I oft refer to as a musical genius. The dance punk/electro styled album with new wave influences was an immensely popular and successful album, with inclusion on many of the ‘best of’ lists of 2008. It’s filled with numerous tracks that are just pure musical enjoyment and excellence. I’ve featured one in a previous remix post “Hearts on Fire” and I’ll continue to feature remixes of some of those tracks and today I will continue with “Far Away”.
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“Far Away”
Feel like jumping into a DeLorean and time traveling back to the decade of excess, big hair, big money and lots of keyboards? Well you can embrace it with arms wide open by turning on Cut Copy’s “Far Away”. The track is painted with an 80s, retro, electro, disco brush of brilliance. It opens generously with soft, padded, programmed drumbeats and is soon married to a characteristically Human League synth riff. But Cut Copy really take their childhood influences of that decade to make an electro sound uniquely their own. The song is perfectly characteristic of the album, oozing with a sound that is cheerfully positive and upbeat that longs for the late night of the dance floor.
Hercules & Love Affair Remix
This is my favorite remix of the song and might I say, possibly better than the original. Hercules & Love Affair released their amazing disco inspired album last year, and to note, Tim Goldsworthy, too, produced it. That man had a solid year. This track is wonder on its own by combining two of his pieces of work. The mix is true blue to the sound of Hercules & Love Affair; minimal progressive disco. It takes away the original 80s flavor of the song and replaces it with slow, pampered, house and disco beats and a lot of funk filled bass lines coupled with a few slaps on the bongos.
The Golden Filter Remix
The Golden Filter mix drains out the vocals and surrounds it with echoy ‘ooh ooh’ vocals to an impressive effect. Musically it too removes the original synths and fuzzy guitars and engages in starry, spaced out presses on the synthesizer. The layered electronic riff is mysteriously sleazy in a late night adventure sort of way, with a punchier beat than the original.
Hundreds and Thousands Remix
I can’t make out if this remix is good or not, so I’ll just let others decide. It’s a random remix, to say the least, and not very original, however, it has something that makes you keep it on. It has a pretty stomping beat that goes with the kiddy like synths. Though when all that synthy glory is silenced and the lone beat plays amongst the vocals, it’s pretty impressive.
Neon Coyote Remix
This is a really different take on the song. It is slowed down to the pace of a ballad, and it has that feel as well. Sort of the end of the night, school dance song played in a John Hughes film. It’s adolescently sweet and starry with that sort of youthful magic. No heavy beats, no dance floor drivers, just a sweet song to get close to that special someone with.
