The Urban Decadence

It’s been a while!

I want to apologize to everyone who’s been checking back to see if there were any updates since the announced hiatus of the blog. I originally planned to update once everyone was set and had at least three separate interviews lined up and ready to go. Unfortunately, that’s not the case! These are hard times, and I know I have trouble having money for transportation. Stealing out of my little brother’s piggy bank can only get me so far, not to mention the fact that it’s kind of fucked up to do so (and I know all of you with younger siblings have done the same). I also want to thank everyone for checking back to see if there were any updates, and I want to thank everyone who’s encouraged me to keep the blog going. I was honestly going to let it fade and move on to another project. All of you made me realize that I should keep this going, and I’m more than happy to oblige.

And, I have a few good people to interview, all lined up and just pending dates. Hopefully my financial state improves over the next month.

BUT, that’s not the whole reason as to why I decided to update.

I have come across a new addictive set of songs, thanks to Rek of IgnantWitted.com and I thought they were too good for me to be selfish with.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you the compilation of eight songs that blew me away from song one:

Click to listen and download.

Here’s the track listing for the…beat tape? I don’t know what to call it exactly.

Beatnick & K-Salaam presents Never Can Say Goodbye
1. Michael Jackson – I’ll Be There Remix
2. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough Remix
3. Stevie Wonder – My Cherie Amor Remix
4. Michael Jackson – Never Can Say Goodbye Remix
5. Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On Remix
6. Stevie Wonder – Uptight Remix
7. Michael Jackson – ABC Remix
8. Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On Remix

As you may have guessed, this is actually a compilation of remixes of various Michael Jackson (from his Jackson 5 days), Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder songs. When I listened to the songs, I was blown away. I think this is the best set of remixes I’ve come across yet, and I seriously had to go back and listen to the original songs to compare the two sounds. It made me wonder why the original songs weren’t produced like this!

I am now witness to the genius and skill of the two producers, Beatnick and K-Salaam.

Now, let me talk about my three favorite songs.

Michael Jackson – I’ll Be There Remix
The thing I like about this song the most is the little sample of what Michael says the beginning of the song. It’s a sample of an interview he did where the interviewer asks him: “When you go about writing, what happens?” His answer is what gets me, and I think the way he said it was beautiful: “I couldn’t explain the anatomy of why it happens.” In turn the interviewer asks: “There’s a formula?” And my beloved Michael Jackson says: “Not that I know of. I…it’s my heart, I put my heart in it.”

Now, tell me that doesn’t get you???

I guess it’s a little biased on my part because 1) I love Michael Jackson, 2) I spent the whole day today listening to Michael Jackson and watching the VMA tribute and funeral I recorded on my DVR, and 3) I am a writer. In any case, that little sample that lasts only sixteen seconds of the song made an impact on me. And so, I am hooked.

Michael Jackson – Never Can Say Goodbye Remix
Ah, the title of this compilation, and also this particular blog entry. Coincidentally enough it fits; I never can say goodbye to Michael Jackson, nor to this blog.

Anyway, compared to the original, I love how the two producers cleverly added the trumpets into the instrumental, on top of accentuating the bass and sounds of the synthesizer.

“Tell me why is it so…I want to let you go!”

Stevie Wonder – Uptight Remix
I love this song. As you can hear from each and every one of the songs in this compilations, Beatnick and K-Salaam have a way of stripping the song from their original sound, yet leaving the essence of the original intact while laying down a more contemporary instrumental. This song, “Uptight”, is the perfect example of their skill. “Uptight” was produced in 1966, heavily laced with trumpets and the whole Motown sound of that time period. When you hear  the original, you feel like Stevie Wonder is competing for the focus that the trumpets take away from his voice. However, Beatnick and K-Salaam’s remix totally takes the original instrumental away, accentuating Stevie’s voice with subtle trumpets, slight bass, and a bit of the synthesizer that overall compliments Stevie, while leaving the essence of the original instrumental intact.

All in all, I give this a 10 out of 10, and know that I’ll have this on repeat for a good while.

-hannahrenee.