Remix reverie via synth-pop duo
Canadian duo Electric Youth managed to put themselves on the map previously through their contribution to the 2011 cult film Drive as well as their critically-acclaimed 2014 album Innerworld (see TEC review previously).
As Electric Youth, Austin Garrick and Bronwyn Griffin have developed an obvious love for analogue synth sounds. There’s a warm, emotional heart to their compositions as evidenced on tracks such as ‘Runaway’ and ‘Without You’.
Since the release of Innerworld, the electronic music duo have continued to work alongside film director Nicholas Winding-Refn (who was responsible for Drive), particularly on the soundtrack to his 2016 film The Neon Demon.
Their talents have now appeared on the radar of legendary musician and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto with a remix contribution to the async remodels album.
In 2017, Sakamoto released his critically-acclaimed album async which was a piece of work that offered a curious combination of both acoustic and electronic instruments. The textured tones of the album offered a contemplation on mortality and humanity (the music was composed following a scare for Sakamoto with throat cancer back in 2014).
async remodels was conceived as a remix project that puts the original compositions by Sakamoto in a new light. As an album, it also pulls in an outstanding list of talented contributors outside of Electric Youth. This includes Jóhann Jóhannsson (the notable Icelandic composer responsible for scoring films such as Sicario and Arrival), S U R V I V E, Cornelius, Oneohtrix Point Never and Andy Stott.
Electric Youth’s contribution is a remix of ‘andata’ (the opening track from async). The original composition revolves around a melancholic piano piece augmented by a funereal organ. While the mood of the piece remains intact for this remix, the composition is given a much more electronic makeover which also introduces percussion to give it more impact. The result is a warmer, contemplative work that somehow manages to combine the best of both Electric Youth and Ryuichi Sakamoto.
‘andata’ is out now.
async remodels is due for release 13th December 2017 via Milan Music/Commmons.
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