Flip, Reverse It: The Power of the Remix

As the eponymous and everlasting Missy Misdeameanor Elliott once said: "Put my thang down, flip it and reverse it," and then something that always sounded like: "It's your-thingy-fema-thang-wip, it's your-thingy-fema-thang-wep," and we all went, "Yeah, ok," because it was very cool, and we sang it in a kind of I-Don't-Know-What-I'm-Saying-But-This-Is-On-At-The-Club-So-Lets-Get-It kind of way.

Well. It now turns out that was a clever bit of scratching and reversing the record (by 2001 standards, anyway) to the rhythm of Missy Elliott's flow that has become a famous and much-touted lyric in it's own right. Time was, we'd play Black Sabbath backwards on the record player to listen to secret Satanic messages, but we've come a long way, baby. (Bonus points if you get that reference.) So let's start at the start.

You can track the history of the remix in direct correlation to the technology of the era—right down to the beats they use. By the late 90s, Chicago's dance and music scene was much like London's house scene of the same time, and lo, the doors of remix and mash-up were thrown open and anything—if it could be sampled—was fair game. For example, Jason Nevins' 97 Remix of Run DMC introduced the rap duo to a mainstream audience (infant Jess remembers it being in the charts for what felt like 27 years). It's still a banger, but it has dated itself as compared to what you can remix on your iPhone on your lunch break. Having said that, you put "It's Like That" on the sound system, and the lino comes TF out, along with the bucket hats. That's just a fact.

Through the decades, the Remix fully ensconced itself into the Top 40, with the the likes of FatBoy Slim, Royksopp, and Groove Armada making waves and disrupting the poppy bubblegum of the era until they had no chance but to adopt its edgier, cleaner sound (cc: Britney's 2004 "Toxic"). In recent years, with millennials and our short attention spans on the constant search for the next hit, lurking, AUX cord in hand, the humble remix has got to do more than just have a good beat. This list features artists that are political, funny, inspiring and unexpected. So here, truly, is a grungy millennial's guide to the five best Remix Houses out there:

1. 2manydjs

The first track of their 2002 compilation album As Heard on Radio Soulwax Part 2 is a mash up of a grungy techno version of "Peter Gunn's Theme" (yes, that one from Blues Brothers) and "Basement Jaxx." Where's your head at, indeed. And it just... goes on from there. Dolly Parton vs Royksopp, Destiny's Child vs 10cc. It's humourous and intense; it's the sound of the underground club on a gritty night out as it straddles that shift between house music to the freeform mash up. I mean, whoever would think of mashing up Salt N Pepa and Iggy Pop? Oh, just avail yourself and accept the way of 2manydjs, and when you are done with that, fall into their Under The Covers Cover album. Nothing will sound the same again.

2. Fatboy Slim

No list that mentions remixes and dance tracks couldn't not feature the Big Man. Undoubtably, he ran the 90s dance scene both here in the UK and in America too. Norman Cook ran a broad church of thick and juicy beats with catchy lyrics from "The Rockafella Skank" and "Ya Mama." It was just pure earworm material that also featured music of the era: for example, the piano track used in Camille Yarbrough's original 1975 tune, and the original voice on the track of "Praise You," is perhaps the first instance of the mainstream sample. I defy any child of the 90s to be humming "Right Here Right Now" in their sleep, with the use of the track on every radio and in every TV advert of the time, and of course Dylan Moran of Black Books's hilarious bit on the "Funk Soul Brother" lyric here. And oh yes, you'd best believe someone has remixed Moran lambasting the remix with Slim's "The Rockafeller Skank." The internet. Can't beat, it can ya. The popularity and cult of the Fat Boy that grew and grew surely hit its height with his "Weapon Of Choice" video with Christopher Walken. Get limber!

3. Daft Punk:

Of course, our French cousins had this shit down way before us: Thomas Banglater and Guy-Manuel were treating the French house scene as their personal playground before their 2001 (a year that's fast becoming the watershed in Electronica and the remix's popularity, noticed that?) breakthrough album, Discovery, which featured a veritable smorgasbord of electronica, with an album list that compiles basically the classics: "One More Time," "Digital Love" and "Aerodynamic"—the list goes on. In entering the mainstream, they signalled a change just about every way electronic music could—the trademark filtered vocals, and the fact they created their own melodies by hand and reverse engineered them into dance tracks. What's great about La Daft Punk is that they managed to stay relevant and unchanged—Excusez-moi, they do not sample; they are sampled.

4. The Reflex Revision:

A modern one for you now, and most likely one you've heard of without realising, so subtle is the remix remedy: The Reflex, not to be confused with the campy Duran Duran track, is a one-man-stop-shop for your appreciation of the classics. Necessity is the mother of invention, and history is circular, and also, damn catchy. When one of Reflex Revisions come on, most frequently on the Funk and Soul hour on BBC Radio Two, you stop: (don't worry, you totally start again) It's just that much like a dog that's been asked a question; you tilt your head to the side, simultaneously thinking that "I've heard this before..." and "what's different"—what's different, friend, is now you can hear it—what Reflex achieves with his revisiting of Earth Wind and Fire, Diana Ross, The Clash, and Shirley Bassey is just how damn good session musicians were before the machines—in isolating the unavoidably toe-tappingly funky bass line from Bassey's "Light My Fire" we have a lead-in that is better than any lame-ass dubstep drop. This is music, people, and Reflex is revitalising it, one instrument at a time. You lucky people, get down on it.

5. YouTube Youth:

Well, they might not be youths (in fact, they are probably not), but with YouTube only being in our lives since 2005 (I know, right?) the platform they are touting their talent on is in its teens, anyway. But with new technology comes new opportunities, new exposure, and new fame. With subscribers, you can see in numbers your audience and your outreach in real time: who you gig to at any hour of the day and night, reaching phones, cars, parties, and aux cords all over the world. With such power comes great creativity: Type in mashup in the search bar, and you are suddenly lousy with mashup classics: from Eminem vs Prince to Ed Sheeran x Diana Ross and so on. Delve deeper though, and you get the diehards making their tracks under the surface, with evergreen titles such as "Every Breath You Take is Africa." Yeah. Figure that one out. More than finding open-minded instrumentals to swipe right on easy going vocals, entire genres are fair game, as evidenced by this 80s version of Britney's "Toxic." Basically, YouTube has become your one stop mashup shop. So I'll leave you with this timeless MC Hammer x Eurythmics x New Order x Talking Heads x Donna Summer track by YouTube user FAROFF. Yes: That is singular. One track. Enjoy the rabbit hole, kids!

So what have we learnt?

Well, put simply, there's nowhere to hide from the remix. And why would you want to? A great remix takes what you know and makes it unknowable to you again—what kind of excellent gift is that? Finding out the "Sweet Dreams Are Made of This" and "Poker Face" match up perfectly made my day. From FatBoy Slim's remix of Beastie Boys' "Body Movin" in 98, to the Propellerheads single-handedly reviving Shirley Bassey's career with their track "History Repeating" in the same year, to repeat-remixers Soulwax danc-ifying Walter Murphy's 1970s remix in a very meta way—there's no genre the remix can't infiltrate and ultimately make you re-appreciate, especially in this age of instant nostalgia. For my money, the remix has become a genre all of its own, and I for one will see you at the club. And I'm an introvert, so. Big words.

Eat. Sleep. Rave. Repeat.

Ta-ta.

J x