By Keith Walsh
One very welcome aspect of the electronic music scene is collaboration. Blaklight just released a twenty-song set of remixes of last year’s remarkably good Into The Void. Titled Out Of The Void, the LP reveals a variety of takes on the LA duo’s tunes from artists around the globe. Comprised of Adam Collier on keys and programming, and Brian Belknap performing vocals and writing lyrics, the project has gained a considerable following with their mix of smart and savvy techno pop.
Whereas traditionally, electronic pop has leaned towards darker themes, the actual players in the scene are friendly and positive. Experimentation is an important feature of electronic music and remixes of electro pop tunes offer an ideal space for songs to be altered and twisted in new ways. My personal favorite from this album is the remix of “Reset” by Fused.
Recruiting the artists, Belknap says they reached out to their favorites. “Putting together this project is very much about relationships,” Belknap writes. “We’re big fans of all of the artists involved with this project, so that’s where I start. And I try to cast a wide net, not just the obvious choices. They are all artists that we want to be associated with. Then I try to match the artist with the song that I think they’re best suited for.”
I noted that the results are still very much in line with the commercial sound of the original tracks. “You never really know what you’re going to get back,” writes Belknap. “Of course you have assumptions from knowing their work, but remixes give artists a great opportunity to break free and let loose on a track that’s not their own. We’re thrilled with everything we received.”
As Collier told me, he sent WAV files to the collaborators. The omission of drum sequences allowed the remix artists to provide their own drum beats and sounds. Throughout Out Of The Void, dance beats prevail – no surprise as most of Blaklight’s music has solid, danceable structures. When creating their music, Blaklight finds Collier using Logic Pro and variety of VSTs, while Belknap uses Reaper to add vocals.
I found it interesting that the global techno scene is very friendly and collaborative, even though the scene is known for some of the darker themes in pop music. Collier writes: “I’m not surprised at all. I think that this scene is more honest in their writing. Darker subjects pull at your heart strings and I think that more people can relate to that. The scene is full of empathetic souls. From adversity comes strength and community.”
Belknap adds: “It is is an amazing community. I’ve met SO many friends through music and this scene. And for this release, I really wanted to reach out even further to new people and artists outside of our little bubble.”
BlakLight Links
BlakLight Bandcamp
BlakLight on Facebook
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