Gossip is a three-piece indie rock outfit from Washington, fronted by Beth Ditto. They released their fourth studio album, Music For Men, this past summer and “Heavy Cross” was the first single released. Their sound is a mixture of vocals that are soul and gospel and music that is funky punk and dance.
Gossip – “Heavy Cross” (watch video below)
Heavy Cross starts off with quiet staccato strums and soft ‘oohs’ from Ditto. Though peaceful, there’s a slight urgency to the music that builds up and eventually breaks through with aggressive guitars and dancey percussion. Ditto’s voice, powerful and diva-esque, carries the entire track, from her whispers to her screams, the music matching all the highs and lows. There’s a touch of synth splattered throughout for a retro feel.
“Heavy Cross” (Yuksek Remix)
Yuksek does the best remix in my opinion. The song is structurally the same though layered with creativity. The first addition is stadium thumps and claps surrounding the staccato and the vocals, eventually Yuksek plays with distortion by adding in electronic and house beats. The result is a quicker more dangerous track.
“Heavy Cross” (Burns Remix)
Similar in structure to the original and Yuksek’s mix, Burns adds his own flavor as a layer to what already exists. His mix is tremendously faster and concentrates on percussion which is a driving force, thick and heavy. He plays with that throughout on different levels. Burns allows for a slower build up in the beginning before bringing all the noise in.
“Heavy Cross” (Fred Falke Remix)
Though not the best, Fred Falke does the most diverse of the remixes, the one that sounds nothing like the original. He strips the original melody and inserts his own, ethereal, light synthesizer sound. Mr. Falke then adds in speed via a thick bass line that snaps around like a rubber band for an original sound. It’s a ligher and faster track, the most appropriate for the dance floor.
Gossip: website | myspace | interview with
Theres a few remixes of this try the Siriusmo remix for another flavour