par VIOLATION » 07 Sep 2005, 17:35
Source EW3
We asked our residing DJ Element - an expert amongst experts on club music and remixes alike - to offer his 2 cents on the promo mixes for the upcoming Depeche Mode single, "Precious".
So without further ado... 'Precious' remixes as reviewed by Element...
1. Precious (Sasha's Spooky Mix - Edit)
To be honest, I never really was much of a fan of Sasha. It’s not that I didn’t like him; I was just never a fan. When I think of Sasha I think of the big stadium DJ who plays that predictable, adrenaline based music that you would expect. Those big progressive, epic trance anthems that he and his cotemporaries often play in their DJ sets. So when I heard that Sasha was doing a remix for Depeche Mode, I was a little leery and was really thinking a generic dance mix was on the way. I was wrong. Dead wrong.
This remix that Sasha has created is indeed a club friendly remix, but it is so much more than that. The layers of synths roll so smoothly over the deep, driving beat that it sets the entire mood of the remix. The ethereal, dream-like layers of sounds are so warm and melodic that they will give you the same emotional reaction that you would get from the LP version. While the lyrics paint a tortured picture of an adult struggling with issues of guilt, the subtle, more uplifting, layers paint a broader stroke of hope that is often found, however masked, in Depeche Mode songs. Sasha’s balance between the lyric content and the over all feeling of the song is fantastic and will be a stand out remix in Depeche Mode remix history.
2. Precious (Sasha's Gargantuan Vocal Mix - Edit)
With this remix, Sasha wastes no time and gets right to the point. This remix of Precious is a lot harder and darker then the Spooky mix. This is one that you will hear at the peak hour time in a club and one that will surely pack the floor. On this mix, Sasha went a lot darker and has given it a deep driving tech sound. The track starts off with a hard driving beat and then these crazy, almost frantic, synth riffs come out like an attack on your senses. It’s almost like this forced sense of urgency and you just have to deal with it. Dave’s voice comes in, but run through this cool effect that gives it a robotic edge that just adds to the overall darkness of the mix. Then the familiar synth lines from the original come in and it’s like a calming moment and everything is familiar again. The remix has a wide range of emotions, but so does the original. Both of Sasha’s remixes are dance mixes, but it’s their range of emotions that I feel keep it very true to the original ethic of the song.
3. Precious (Michael Mayer Balaeric Mix)
Here is a haunting little mix from one of my favorites, Michael Mayer. I was so thrilled to find out he was remixing Depeche Mode that I set my standards for his mix pretty high and he didn’t let me down. The remix starts off like this dark and quirky minimal track, but quickly moves into more of a tech house track that really holds true to the original song. Mayer adds his signature sound to the remix, but he doesn’t drown it like others have done in the past. You hear more Depeche Mode then Michael Mayer, but it’s clearly Mayer’s remix. If I had any complaints, it would be that it’s almost to safe a remix and I would like to have seen him challenge the song a little more. This remix will work well in a club and also at home. It’s very beat driven, but minimal enough to not over power you in a laid back setting. I think fans will really like this one. They may have to warm up to it a bit, but it’s one of the better Precious remixes.
4. Precious (Misc. Full Vocal Mix)
This mix will be the instant fan favorite! I’m not familiar with Misc., but they gave Depeche Mode a fantastic mix. Their remix of Precious is more of an electro mix compared to the others. It has a very deep, electro tech sound, but again holds very true to the original. The beat has more of a chunky sound to it with some great synth sounds added. The mix is almost getting into that trendy 80’s electro sound, but not enough to destroy it. I think Precious lends itself to that style of mix, but I’m glad they didn’t take it down that path. It’s adventurous enough, but not cheesy or instantly dating itself. In the tradition of the Danny Tenaglia and Deep Dish remixes, they also throw in a sample of an old song. They sample in that screeching sound from the beginning of “I Feel You” into their mix and it’s always fun to hear that kind of thing in a remix. My only complaint is this little synth riff they added towards the end that sounds like something from a generic fan mix. Aside from that, it’s a very solid dance mix from Misc. and one a lot of fans will love.
5. Precious (Misc. Crunch Mix)
The 2nd remix from Misc. and very aptly named. This mix has that crunchy, almost dirty electro tech sound, but also a mix that really drifts away from the original song. This is one of those remixes that will challenge the tastes of a lot of fans because it’s a little harder and more abstract. It has a harder, progressive sound that is darker then their other remix. It’s more driving then your typical electro tech mix and it has a lot of twists and turns to it. The break in the middle is great though. This mix builds you up and then drops you with one of the better breaks, and then the beat kicks back in to take you back up. The vocals are only sprinkled in here and there, but it works fine for this style mix. While it does stray from the original, you will still know it’s Precious.
6. Precious (Motor Remix)
Motor’s remix for Precious is a very hard mix to describe. It veers so far away from the original that only a fan would know it’s Precious. This mix is more of an aggressive mix and it has that dirty, glam synth sound like Misc.’s Crunch Mix, but Motor’s mix has more of a bounce to it. This remix has such a drastic departure from the original that it has more of a Rex The Dog or Blackstrobe type sound to it rather then Depeche Mode’s Precious. It doesn’t drift away as far as Underworld’s “Hard Mix” for “Barrel Of A Gun”, but gets pretty close. Like the Misc. remixes, it’s very electro, but more pounding then theirs. Considering remixes are made to take a song and move it to a different market, it works, but sadly the song is lost in the mix and that market may never know they are hearing Depeche Mode from this particular remix. The fans will hate it.
Memento Mori World Tour 2023/2024
Anvers 20 mai 2023 Bloc 147
Lille 22 juin 2023 Bloc B03
Anvers 6 Février 2024 Bloc 153 Ma collection de bootlegs :
https://www.depechemodebootlegs.fr/