Cut Copy’s second album, In Ghost Colours, was my favorite album of last year. And that’s quite a claim considering 2008 saw the release of some stellar records. And on that album, my favorite track was “Lights & Music”. I even had the chance to interview lead singer/songwriter Dan Whitford for Popwreckoning (check back for it to post shortly!) and ask him the meaning behind this song. Now I’m wondering if I should share it here for you folks or let it linger until the interview is posted. And I think I’m going to go with the latter. Sorry, but it’ll give you more incentive to read the interview. Also, this is the third segment of Cut Copy remixes I’m doing, as I’ll be covering most of the mixes done for this album.
Now it’s kind of shocking that for such a great song, as well as the lead single of off the album, that there are only three remixes out there, yep, only three. That might be because Cut Copy usually has a say in which of their songs are remixed. They probably knew no one could touch a gem. And right they would be. None of these remixes compares to the original. Not even close. It’s like holding a candle in front of an inferno. But I still think that these remixes have a lot to offer and from a technical aspect are very well done.
Lights & Music
This is a wonderfully complex and layered track that screams of pop, lush synths, heavy as the heart drums and slick guitars. It’s a fast paced melody matched with slower vocals that are almost filled with apathy. The lyrics are heartfelt, lamenting a love lost, “Fading with the colors you see in my face”, “Cold and crystal you can’t hide as your tears race”. This is a magnificent disco and rock infused stunner, catchy to the utmost. And it’s sequenced brilliantly, building up pace and then exploding right when the chorus first makes its appearance, ushering in with it sounds from every direction that cease the ears.
Boys Noize Remix
This is the best remix by far and a pretty good one at that. The beginning is pretty impressive because it brings forth the iconic part of the mix; the stuttering and jolting disco riff that stops/starts/stops that causes your chest to vibrate in that strange but good kind of way. The mix removes the shimmer of the original and brings a slower, but thicker sound, like syrup dripping off of Aunt Jemina onto your waffles. Another interesting trick that Boyz Noize employs is at the end of some of the words he lets the vocals slide, kind of like a kazoo for the voice. It’s almost as if this mix was made carelessly with faults and breaks in the beat, but it all mixes in together so well.
Moulinex Remix
This mix could be the soundtrack to a really bad 70s movie, like Krull. Not that it’s particularly horrible or anything, just very spacey and sci-fi in that old fashioned sort of sense. It could also be the soundtrack to an early Nintendo video game. It has nothing of the original except for the vocals. It has a thick and drilling riff, which is comprised of a medley of synths, percussions, bass and plenty of Justice-esque distortion. The song takes on a new character and would definitely be a shifty dance track in the oddest of dance floors.
Superdiscount Remix
This is a laidback sort of mix with a slow Caribbean drip to it. It’s sparse, with lasery synths and a whisper of a drum machine that barely touches the song. It’s full of bleeps and electronic tinkering that casts a gloomy and ominous feel to the song. It really strips away the pop and upbeat feel from the original. This would be the version for the macabre people.
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