Sia ft. Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills (John J-C Carr Remix)

Fresh off the press, come seven new remixes of Sia's collaboration with Sean Paul, "Cheap Thrills." With mixes from the likes of RAC, Le Youth and Nomero, this package can boast a tremendously diverse collection of artists, sounds and styles. Being a big fan of Cyril Hahn, I immediately went to his mix, and was pleasantly surprised with how deep, dark and heavy it was. It's awesome to hear artists push their boundaries and step outside the norm. Cyril's mix would likely fit perfectly into his DJ sets, as they seem to skew more towards this sound than his light and ethereal productions, especially his Begin EP. But let's return to the topic of this post, John J-C Carr's remix.

Both in the Spotify playlist and in my iTunes, Hahn's mix leads into Carr's. Immediately the styles contrast, in an actually pleasing way, which is often not the case in remix packages. The light and strident synth work in Carr's remix fills me with comfort, calling back Aeroplane's remix of Gypsy & The Cat "The Piper's Song." The warm and energizing synths somehow dissipate into an absolutely turnt, Tchami-style bass drop. But fear not, the soaring synths triumphantly return bolstered by Sia and Sean Paul, coercing us with the lyrics "I don't need no money, as long as I keep dancing." The incredible contrast of the shining brightness and brutish bass drop make John J-C Carr's remix, my favourite of the compilation. Listen to it below, and check out the full EP here. SUPPORT JOHN J-C CARR: FACEBOOK TWITTER
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Throwback Thursday: Friendly Fires - Paris (Aeroplane Remix)

For this week's installment in my Throwback Thursday series, it gives me great pleasure to reintroduce the world to one of the catchiest and most beautiful melodies, situated around some of the most infectious vocals and bumping basslines, Aeroplane's remix of Friendly Fires' "Paris." Simple soaring beauty propels Aeroplane's remix right from the start, with its subtle disco percussion and sprightly synth plucks. Add the depth of the bassline, and the track really starts to take off. The lightness and ethereal quality of Au Revoir Simone's vocals shoot "Paris" into the stratosphere, imbuing the track with a heavenly essence. The sheer magic of Aeroplane's mix seems to be utterly endless, whether it's the progressive playfulness of the melody and percussion, the sweeping atmospheric movement, the manipulated madness (starting at about 4:17), or the slow but steady release of tension with the final, exalted flourish (at about 6:34); everything Aeroplane puts into his remix exudes lush and rapturous elegance. If you are at all familiar with Aeroplane's catalog, this will come as no surprise to you, his productions are quite simply aesthetic beauty in their most concise and profound form.

I first came across his remix of "Paris" when he was the 500th DJ to do an Essential Mix back in 2010. In that mix (which lives up to his incredible standards of beauty), it was mixed with Flight Facilities' "Crave You" to create one of my favourite mashups ever. Find both (available for free download, courtesy the man himself), the full Essential Mix, and the recreated mashup, below. If I may further add two more suggestions of Aeroplane tracks that you simply must hear, I highly recommend his remixes of Gypsy & The Cat's "The Piper's Song," and The Human League's "Never Let Me Go." Get on board the Aeroplane of awesomeness and travel to a simpler, more beautiful time. SUPPORT AEROPLANE: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER