The Power of Remixes
The remix is an art form with a long history. It dates back to the earliest pop music, when “extended mixes” were included on vinyl 12-inch singles.
In his mix for Fabric Presents, Leon Vynehall balances muscle with depth. A percussive workout mixes with deep house and cavernous techno, before a trance-inducing edit of Burial’s sultry hit.
Bhad Bhabie & Lil Candy Paint
This remix of 22 explores the complexities of love, trust issues, and personal insecurities. It highlights a couple’s struggle to maintain a loving connection despite these challenges. The chorus sung by Lil Candy Paint conveys a deep connection and sincerity, and encourages the girl to believe her. He also mentions their frequent arguments for no apparent reason, suggesting a lack of communication and understanding.
He also mentions pouring codeine into Sprite, which may indicate his use of drugs to deal with relationship issues. He also talks about their expensive car, implying that they are wealthy. Despite their flaws, they express their love for each other and want to have a genuine relationship free of groupies.
This remix is a testament to the power of social media. The original 22 has been streamed over 2.7 million times on Spotify, and the remix has already exceeded that number. The song’s popularity has also led to an increase in the rapper’s fame.
Lil Zeikenov
A remix can have a big impact on the popularity of a song. For example, when a producer named Audien uploaded his version of Pompeii on SoundCloud, it became one of the most popular songs at two of the biggest EDM festivals in the world – Electric Daisy Carnival and Coachella. Since then, the song has become a staple on music lovers’ playlists.
Kazakh producer Imanbek Zeikenov was living in a rural village when he illegally remixed SAINt JHN’s woozy 2016 hit “Roses.” His remix turned the song into an inescapable TikTok smash, with rows of sweatshirted teens wriggling along to its relentlessly thwacking bass.
In the remix, Imanbek sped up the vocals and pitch-shifted them to chipmunk octaves. This made the track more recognizable to audiences and helped it to rise up the charts around Europe. The other trick he used was to remove some of the original instrumentation, which made it lighter and more danceable.
SAINt JHN
After years spent writing songs for Usher, Jidenna and Hoodie Allen, SAINt JHN finally got the push he needed to step into his own spotlight. His debut album, Collection One, dropped in 2018. The same year, his anthem “Roses” (via the Kazakh DJ Imanbek remix) became an international hit, climbing to the top 40 in the US and topping charts in Australia, Ireland and the UK.
The Guyanese New Yorker carries himself with the calm of someone who knows he’s on to something big. His voice and lyrics unwind a narrative of intertwined self-expression, artistic obsession and the drive to escape systemic poverty.
He and producer Lee Stashenko, who goes by the moniker f a l l e n, built their melodic trap sound inside of a Bushwick apartment that Stashenko shared with two roommates. Ask Stashenko if SAINt JHN would be as successful without him and he immediately dismisses the idea. He calls the duo a “destiny.” They’ve already previewed a new song at Lollapolooza to a cheering crowd and a treasure trove of unreleased music awaits.
Battery
Last year Finnish energy drink company Battery launched a special edition of their popular remix series flavor, Remix 22. This limited-time product was named in collaboration with the renowned pop artist Isac Elliot, and featured an eye-catching pink and blue can design that was designed to appeal to younger consumers.
The chemistry behind this type of battery is different from others in that it uses no toxic elements. Instead, it uses copper oxide cathode and zinc anode technology to chug along at both electrodes as electrons are tugged between them. As this chugging happens, chemical products are created that can cause the reaction to slow down and the battery begins to lose its voltage. It is also less expensive than other batteries, but its energy density is lower than alkaline primary cells.