Ratatat

Normally I'm not huge into remixing music.  I used to believe that if someone remixed a classic, or used a riff in their rap song from something wonderful like the Rolling Stones or something, that the original song was losing it's initial power.  I still that way a lot, but the more I hear remixes done well, the more I can appreciate them.  I'm not talking about the same chorus playing over and over and over again in one song that has a no name rapper and then gun shots in the background, I'm talking about the use of one aspect of a song that is taken and morphed into something else.  I had a very interesting experience with this type of music this past weekend.  Clearly, I feel the need to share.

One song really stood out to me, more than any other that I had heard all weekend; Sleep Head-Passion Pit.  The amazing thing: it was not Passion Pit.  For those of you who have no clue who Passion Pit is, they are electronic/pop/alternative with some pretty high pitched lyrics.  Their song Sleepy Head just so happens to be a personal favorite of mine, so when I heard the opening beat I immediately tuned in.  Run Toto Run was the group who changed the way I listen to electronic music...mainly because they are not electronic.  They use a synthesizer for some of the harder sounds, but mainly a xylophone, a fiddle, and an acoustic guitar.  The breakdown is incredible.  It took me only a second to realize that instead of the high pitched sounds of Michael Angelakos I was listening to a woman singing, and an added bonus was that I understood what she was saying!

I would also like to take a second and acknowledge the amazing amount of folk music that is currently being created.  I talk about music and I say that I love a lot of things, folk is where my heart is.  I love the harmonies and the way they tell stories.  I love the use of a band, and not just a lead singer, but a collective group where everyone has a job.  Folk music has always been around, but it was pretty uncool for a while there.  I'm just happy that the world is finally coming to its senses again and seeing that folk music actually makes the world go round.