There’s a lot of space and time that comes with a James Blake song. Blake’s soulful lyricism and ear for percussion punctuate the airy breadth of evocative minimalism and mystery. Stil & Bense have taken to remixing the English producer. Stil is a widely known DJ, and Bense is a doctor whose thesis tackled contemporary virtual music cultures. Together, the duo managed to stay true to the poignancy and power of “I Am Sold,” while also transforming it into something entirely different.
This is ‘90s house. The gridded kick drums and stark structure have the make your head bounce on your neck. The Blake chorus, “And we lay, nocturnal,” repeats over and over, taking on poetic depths (with the help of reverb and overlaid piano and organ), and what house track would be without claps? The R&B vocals are perfect for creating the smoky, dreamy stratosphere of house lyrics/melody. The drums are for your body, and the rhythms for your mind.
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