Don Quijote X BeatRehab

So this review is going to be a bit unconventional. The reason for this is quite simply. I don't actually like both of the tracks. I LOVE Stwo's (pronounced "stew") remix, as I love most of his work, but this is a rare case where you get a fantastic remix born out of an original track that honestly just isn't that good. The Norwegian producer, Lido, ironically ends up getting a bit lost in his original track "Lost." Where does he get lost you might ask? Well.... everywhere really. I should preface this whole discussion by saying that I personally am a  huge fan of progressive beat structures and unconventional melody formation. As an example, the New Swoop we wrote on Baths was one of the most unanimously positive reviews we've ever written. The issue with attempting to build such a progressive track, like Lido does here with "Lost," is that oftentimes you end up doing bizarre things just for the sake of doing them. What happens here...

The last few reviews we've done have been remixes or edits of immensely popular songs. This is no exception. Chicago's own, The Hood Internet, do an inspired mash-up here of Drake's smash hit, "Hotline Bling" and Giraffage & Slow Magic's jam, "So Cute." To be completely honest, I don't love mashups because I think they're kind of gimmicky, but this is a rare exception. The Hood Internet manage to stay in check (the most difficult thing for mashup artists to do) by not overdoing the mashup and staying honest to both original tracks. Nothing is more frustrating than a mashup that sounds like two tracks just mashed together, it has to be more intricate than that. Giraffage & Slow Magic's "So Cute" is a Wave Racer-esque romp into glossy and high-arching chords with powerful yet minimal percussion. One of the things I love so much about Giraffage is his ability to make something out of nothing, particularly by using pauses ...

I love remixes and collaborations like this because every one of the artists involved is tremendously talented and special. Giraffage is an old favorite and staple of CasaSwoop. His production in the original track is as tight and composed as ever. The production is intricate without being flashy using a varied and bright percussion along with well-crafted synth melodies using long sustained notes to support subtle chords underneath. Giraffage is a master at manipulating rhythms and rests. He has a knack for setting up a strong beat and suddenly stripping away layers, leaving certain lines isolated and exposed. Japanese Breakfast is a personal favorite of mine and I was surprised to see her collaborate with Giraffage as I wouldn't classify their "sounds" as very close. However, her vocal on this track is refreshing in her understated, comfortable tone and delivery. It gives the track a kind of other-worldly and ethereal feel. RAC's remix does a lot to not stray too ...