The concept makes sense: Take rhythmically intricate and harmonically inventive rock music and throw, throw, throw some beats on it. Hell, the concept even has commercial precedent. Sounds great, right?
Except when the result hardly differs from the original. Like P.O.S.'s "redo" of "Drilling," which amps up beats and fuzz that already exist, and the Monostereo mix of "Michio's Death Drive," which adds a touch of a break.
Or when the result pulls down-tempo tricks from more than ten years ago. Like when Fog suffocates verses on "Memphis & 53rd" under fuzz and fills the background with thick synths to make the brisk and athletic original sound lethargic and fat. And when the Plan B remix stretches one DJ Shadow trick over the entirety of "The Fix," turning the breezy base into slo-mo muzack.
Or when the results sound like an emo Depeche Mode covers band getting the IDM treatment. Which pretty much sums up the aforementioned songs and Interpretationes del Oso, a remix of 2005's Menos el Oso.
***
Band: http://www.minusthebear.com/
Label: http://www.suicidesqueeze.net/
Audio: http://www.myspace.com/minusthebear
