Resina - Traces – Remixes

A Closer Listen

In the old days, a remix EP usually meant that a single track would be remixed into the most club-friendly form possible.  The artist’s original vision was often buried beneath the almighty beat.  This hit-or-miss proposition was often prompted by a label’s desire to produce a hit at any cost.

Times have changed, and Traces – Remixes is a perfect example.  Hearing the percussive hits of “Trigger,” one imagines how easily the taps could have been changed into steady dance beats, and voilà!  Resina would be sharing the floor with Marshmello and Alan Walker.  Such is not her intention; nor is it the intention of the label or the remixers.  In fact, Abul Mogard heads in a completely different direction, doubling the length of the original track, smoothing out its protruding angles, producing a piece that no longer hammers, but shimmers.  One can still hear the cellist, although her music seems time-stretched, her timbres cradled in electronic arms.  The tone, however, is amplified.  Mogard teases out the implied menace that lurks in her cover art, staying faithful to the artist while underlining one of her essential characteristics.  Surging forward in its final minutes, the “Trigger” remix is a masterwork in carefully constructed drone.

“In” is a different beast.  The opening track of Traces is a pensive, looping piece with a touch of distant vocals.  It’s no wonder this caught the attention of Ian William Craig, who adds his own tender vocals to the remix.  Solemn repetitions make the new version even more melancholic.  Fragments of static grace the edges; the vocals dissolve into flutter in the finale.  One can hear the tape machine being clicked, the method incorporated into the composition.

And then there is “In In,” which on the original album is a logical extension of “In.”  Resina’s voice provides the early anchor before her cello takes over.  A segment of holy chimes leads to another of pounding drums: a third mood for Resina, demonstrating the breadth of her range.  This is where Ben Frost and Lotic find an entrance.  As expected, neither artist is content to let the beats stay where they “should.”  Frost scatters them about, alternating with snatches of Resina’s voice to create a fascinating hybrid, combining the best of both talents.  Keyboard notes rise in one speaker, balanced by chords in the other.  This “In In” comes across as a new sonic world.  Lotic’s take is single-length yet complex.  Sharp percussion, chalk writing and hums distinguish this version from the Frost remix, allowing them to co-exist on the same EP.  The art of the remix has evolved, and we’re all the better for it!  (Richard Allen)

Want more Resina?  Check out this amazing podcast from February, courtesy of A Closer Listen’s Joseph Sannicandro and Sound Propositions!