Remix Rundown: INXS’s “I Need You Tonight”
Occasionally I like to search out new remixes, covers and mashups of classic tunes. I almost always find something better than the original, especially with tracks that were both good and well known to begin with.
This week it has been I Need You Tonight by INXS (pronounced “inkses”, of course :). Here’s the original for reference – or rather, the best approximation of the original I could find on YouTube easily.
Man, the video compositing dates it more than anything else…
The original track stands out for having a unique and instantly recognizable sound, even to this day. It is contaminated with vocals, but they are quite well integrated with the rhythm and melody and are a net plus.
Here are some of the mixes I’ve enjoyed most, in roughly increasing order of awesomeness. I take no responsibility for the sometimes NSFW video content – in some cases I wasn’t able to find a better version.
There’s always a Liebrand mix, isn’t there? Throwing this in not so much because I like it but because it’s a curiosity – an example of the early ’90s sample salad mixing style.
This unnamed mix is more like a standard late-90s anthem template overlaid with some INXS samples, but it works if you like the beat and chord progressions of that sort of music, which I do to some extent.
The Genesis Breaks mix is a fairly clubby mix that basically just replaces the bassline and speeds up the beat. It works though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53xZ1I-ifsY
The Fractal System mix pretty straightforward but I do like the bouncy beat.
This mashup with a Sebastien Tellier track plus something else makes for a nice change of atmosphere.
Kazy’s cover has a slower pace and darker feel.
Now here’s where I think the mixes start to improve on the sound of the original.
The Rhythm Scholar mix is a bit faster-paced and clubby, but I’ve come to like it out of familiarity – I’ve heard this version a lot. I especially like the modified vocal background sample that comes in occasionally starting around 2:05.
This Wehbba mix is a fairly direct mix adding a new beat, bassline and a few distorted samples. A little on the beaty side but I like the use of stuttered accent samples here and there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBsr3Fzun9E
Another Wehbba mix with more of an electro-funk feel to it.
The Manhattan Deep Dub mix is a less direct remix than most, being closer to a selection of choice samples included in a new track, but it does make a decent semi-mellow coding background track.
A mashup (I think) with Shaka Ponk results in a nice rock & roll adaptation. Strong sounds in this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB1b9NaZrak
I really like the replacement guitar sounds in this Roman, Button and Cosmic JD mix.
The Streetlab mix – not sure what to call this, but it works. I especially like the kick drum beat in this one.
A cover by Cassettes Won’t Listen – probably my favorite of the versions I’ve heard that are definitely covers rather than remixes.
The Devant vs. Filo & Peri mix was my favorite last time I made the rounds on this track. It’s still great. Somehow the bassline that starts around 1:45 feels good, especially when it comes back at 4:30 for the reprise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKJZP-kiehY
The Natema mix is definitely my favorite from the lot. It’s got several nice ambience changes scattered through, and some simple but nice sampling and synth work. I had this one on loop for a whole day and kept going back to it for the rest of the week.
There are lots more mixes of this track out there, but I think I found the majority of the ones posted to YouTube, and these were (in my opinion) the best of the lot.
