Well it certainly seems as though JJAMZ has captured the hearts of music lovers everywhere with “Heartbeat” (check it out here), and with that success comes the obvious desire to remix the track. The original track has a fun yet ominous sound that certainly lends itself to a wide range of creative interpretation, and so today I present you with a 12-track remix package that gives "Heartbeat" a different sound with every take.
Personally, I instantly gravitated to "Heartbeat" in its' original form with Elizabeth Berg's vocals, really accentuating the "bumping electronic bass and pulsing guitars." It's hard to listen to twelve different versions of one track while still maintaining an objective thought process, yet many of these tracks impressed me immensely. Unfortunately, I won't be able to individually critique all 12 tracks, however there are a couple that I do want to highlight. The first track I present is from recent EARMILK newcomer Chrome Wolves – check out his Stunnaman remix and Active Child bootleg. Chrome Wolves maintains that pulsating bass while layering it with a constant stream of arpeggios, giving it a peppy overall sound. I've listened to this track about 50 times and it still is hard for me to describe. I do know that it's a combination of soothing notes, beats, and sounds that make it a worthy remix (in my opinion) of "Heartbeat".
If you're looking for something that has a little bit more bite to it, then I suggest taking a listen to the Kicks N Licks remix. The first 15 seconds gives the opening a dramatic flair before Berg's vocals are effectively paired with a deep and vibrant buildup. Once the 55-second mark rolls around, Kicks N Licks sends the track into overdrive with some spectacular dubstep. Literally felt like my ears were in the stranglehold of throbbing bass that attempted to fill my insatiable subconscious desire for bass. However, KnL expertly weave Berg's vocals throughout the track keeping an equal amount of focus on her lovely voice. A near perfect balance of lows (courtesy of bass) and highs (courtesy of Berg).
Continuing on, another track that is high on my list is that of PRFFTT & Svyable. You may remember them from their bootleg of Ellie Goulding's cover of "Hanging On", but they definitely affirm themselves as a group to keep tabs on with their take on "Heartbeat". This remix has more of an emphasis on the pulsating bass line throughout the track, but at the same time delivers an extremely low synth line giving the remix a sensual feel. What I appreciated even more about this track is that PRFFTT & Svyable did a great job of incorporating the original instrumental within the remix. They took what they were given, and created a spectacular tribute of original and new sounds.
Winding down this extensive list, I want to highlight 2 final tracks, one done by MISCHIEF, the other by Gazzo. The overall vibe of MISCHIEF's track was really pleasant to hear, with a slight aquatic sound emerging just past the 2:10 mark. Certainly a good track but I was left wanting more. Gazzo, on the other hand, does what I have come to expect from him – create a progressive house banger that is tailor-made to festivals. It's the longest track of the bunch, but the energy flows well with each passing minute. Reminded me a bit of his remix of Y Luv's "Never Touch The Ground", but no major complaint from me there. But with other remixes provided by No Pets Allowed, DUDES, Ravi, Synchronice, Kontrol Freqs and a mashup courtesy of DJ Bahler you have plenty of tracks to satisfy your heart's desire.
Finally, big shout out to all the people who came together to make this happen: Dangerbird Records. MJ with Household Management. Chris and Adam with CA Management. Z Berg and the whole JJAMZ crew. Jackie Feldman with Show Support for the artwork. And of course, all the producers and DJ's you see in the post. So huge thanks, and make sure to hit me up in the comments naming your favorite track and why.
