There are a lot of things that go great together. Vegemite and toast. Beaches and bikini babes. Monday nights and Game of Thrones. Two different things that on their own are pretty boss, yet bring them together and you have a brand new dynamic that exceeds the sum of its parts. The same can be said of music collaborations. There have been plenty of great musical marriages in ages past, one only needs to suss out Happy’s latest exclusive track to know that much. Just last week that Brissie boys Art of Sleepping dropped a reworking of their track Crazy, remixed by none other than Tom Iansek of #1 Dads and Big Scary.
Tom Iansek gives Art of Sleeping’s Crazy a stirring and incredible reworking that’ll make you wish he made an album of AOS reworks.
I know right? Let that marinate in your brain for a bit, then when you’re ready sink your teeth into this delicious, tender soundtrack. If you haven’t been living under a rock then chances are you’ve heard the original version of Crazy. Big, bluesy riffs dominate the track and simply ooze cool. Caleb Hodges’ vocals croon with ridiculous swagger whilst those choir-esque backing vocals on the final chorus is simply intoxicating. And those drums. Man they really carry the piece.
In case my fan-boyish state of delight didn’t come across in the above paragraph let me put it bluntly; Crazy is a pretty good fucking song. So naturally doing a rework of the track that could not only match the awesomeness of the original but also exist in a space of its own is a tough ask. Luckily for everyone everywhere Tom Iansek is one talented individual and is just the man for the job to help Crazy morph into something entirely new and incredible. Like if a butterfly morphed into an even better butterfly*.
Tom’s reworking of Crazy is nothing short of a triumph. Whereas the original clipped along briskly with lively guitars Iansek’s is slowed way down, the flurry of bluesy guitars replaced with tender piano chords, reverberating synths that sit at the bottom of the mix and vocal delays. A completely new drum track is used which works phenomenally. Art of Sleeping’s version had those big, crashing drum parts. Here we have a more spacious take, the crashing cymbals swapped out for the simple hi-hats and snare rhythm.
The overall effect completely transforms the track into one that is soaked in introspective melancholy. If the original had a sense of fun this time around Iansek keeps the vocals and their lyrical matter under the spotlight. Part of what makes a great cover, rework or remix work is the artist’s ability to maintain the spirit of the original while simultaneously giving the music an entirely new and unique dimension. That is what we have here and it is a joy to behold. If Tom Iansek wanted to remix an entire Art Of Sleeping album this guy will be the first one lining up to buy that album.
*Is that possible you ask? I’ve called science and they said they’d get back to me when they had an answer.
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