I know. Of all of the New Order songs that have been remixed, I chose this? “Spooky” was released in 1993 as New Order’s last single until 2001’s “Crystal” And you could contend New Order was simply going through the motions with this.
And this “Out of Order” remix by Paul Van Dyk is considered to be one of the weaker mixes off the original CD-single release, perhaps because it’s not very danceable. So why would it make my Top 10 list?
I have owned this CD-single since it came out. And after all of these years, I still like this mix the best. It starts out slow and the lyrics are lonely, peculiar and quiet. And it progresses with a steady and controlled pace that ascends to a point well beyond the lyrics of the song, but always with a strange, almost empty sense of electro-minimalism. And that’s it right there: It’s a dance track meant for one, not a crowd—sort of an anti-club-anthem. And if you compare this to the Duncan Sheik track I posted earlier, you’ll see some similarities in its structure and its message.
Truth be told, this song has played countless times as I have got ready for my night out. It reminds me of picking clothing for going out, driving into the city or the music that should play before I descend into a club at the beginning of the night. And for all of its simplicity (and criticism), I remain quite a fan.
August 28, 2009 at 18:26 |
I can’t say this would even make my Top Ten list of just New Order mixes, but I enjoy your reasoning for including it on your list. I think both of your lists are so interesting!
August 28, 2009 at 19:17 |
Thank you! This Top Ten list has evolved from a definitive list to more of a study on what I conscious or subconsciously listen to over and over. To do that, I pulled up a list of frequently listened to remixes in my own iTunes library.
If truth be told, I am not sure New Order’s “Spooky” would ever pop into my brain without looking at those iTunes stats. However, when I noticed the high play count it really got me to thinking about the mix… how long I’ve listened to and perhaps why… and ultimately this post. Rather than a definitive, must-have list, I do hope my approach (and glimpse into my quirky thinking) is mildly interesting…
November 21, 2009 at 18:44 |
[...] Of Order Mix] – http://writingaboutmusic.com/2009/08/27/top-ten-remixes-ever-steven-4-spooky-out-of-order-mix/ [Magimix] – [...]