Unreasonably funky: Chris Lake gives an entertaining twist to Chemical Brothers!
Unreasonably funky: Chris Lake gives an entertaining twist to Chemical Brothers!
87%Overall Score
• Fast, tight groove
• Tech house twist
• Exciting build-ups
Initiating this year with a bang, Chris Lake has surpassed expectations yet again; the tech house whiz got the official duty of remixing the Chemical Brothers— no easy task knowing their inimitable sound— and nailed it with a fantastic remix that is feisty and fun-packed to the core. Reworking “No Reason,” this take on the already unconventional track is a mighty show of how a veteran creative like Chris Lake has still plenty of tricks up his sleeve.
Let’s have a look at “No Reason” first: it was included in the Chemical Brothers’ latest album “For That Beautiful Feeling.” The duo is notoriously good at bending genre rules; masterfully designing records that fall anywhere from avant-garde electro to psychedelic, dreamy house. Fellow British alias Chris Lake fits the bill as a remixer for such an advanced project; the original ripples with stuttering drums and a bold acid riff, supported with equal measures of dashing electro-funk—sprinkled with enticing vocals and other quirky yet riveting sound design.
Conserving that bizarre yet hypnotic vibe, the Black Book Records label-head paid attention on the basics: the acid riff, strummed bassline, and vocals. Using the classic technique of sampling, the remix flips the original into a tech house heater without compromises. The four-on-four drum sequencing with the mentioned ingredients snaps right together to deliver a tight-paced groove, interlaced with the acid opening up right around the transitions to aggravate the tension. It’s straightforward, unadulterated tech house in its best form.
A joyride for the ears, Chris Lake made the most out of the opportunity granted— reshaping the atypical and distinctive source material into a formidable house tune, being equally as experimental and unique in the process!
