Following on from the release of their recent single Switching On, Hull band LIFE have shared a new remix by Bristol’s Mercury nominated scamps, Idles.
The remix was done by the bands guitarist and friends of LIFE, Mark Bowen, who says of the remix:
“I have watched LIFE play live well over 100 times and one thing that I really wanted to maintain through the remix is how incredibly tight they are as a band, so I left everything from the original in there. There was something new they were bringing with the song, there’s that assured LIFE sound central but there are experiments in electronics and noise coming closer to the surface. I wanted to push those ideas further, exaggerate them to the point of becoming violent. I often think a remix should eschew the original vocal, all my favourite remixes are unrecognisable as songs, that felt inappropriate here. Mez stays front and centre where he belongs.”
In response, LIFE frontman Mez Green says:
“Switching On is an experimental love-song. When writing the track we homed in on new textures, noises and beats as we continue to fall in love with all aspects of music making, as a result we thought the original single would also work as a remix. Mark Bowen, one of the band’s closest friends, took the helm. Bowen has added some flirtatious sleaze. He has made the track sound like the love you would find coming out the backside of a city at night. It’s seedy, it’s vast and it rains down on you just like IDLES do from their necessary pulpit.”
Dark, brooding and wilfully experimental, Idles remix focuses on some of the industrial sounds, and pulls and prods at them, making their hard edges and angular melodies sparkle and buzz. Over the top Mez does his best slacker/Mark E Smith on it, at once ordering and cajoling his way through it.
Check it out, here
