It’s been over a year since Ardalan delivered the incredible album Mr. Good and now he’s looked to fellow artists to take the music to new heights!
Ardalan’s debut album Mr. Good will go down in history as one of the most creative offerings to ever come out of the Dirtybird circle. A passion project born from a desire to combine his personal identity with his professional experience, every track was built using hardware built by the man himself, nothing sampled, and all parts unique to his own imagination. Now, Ardalan has breathed new life into the album with the release of Mr. Good Remixes, bringing along some friends to celebrate their own musical individuality.
This remix album has brought out the big guns, enlisting artists like The Martin Brothers, Justin Jay, OMNOM, and Bruno Furlan & DJ Glenn to build the vibe while offering up a platform for the stars of the future like RYBO & Lubelski, Pezzner, and Cour T. to stretch their creative prowess. Whatever your pleasure, this album will take you there. From tech-house to techno, breakbeats to drum and bass, no stone has been left unturned.
The Dirtybird crew is so excited about the release of Mr. Good Remixes that on November 27 they’ve also prepared a day-long celebration dubbed the Remix Pardy. Many of the albums remixers will be present and accounted for, including a B2B by Justin Jay & Danny Goliger, Soul Clap, DJ Minx, German Brigante, and more, hosted by philosophical icon Baba Cosmo. You can be part of the Remix Pardy by heading over to Dirtybird’s Twitch channel. But, while we wait, let’s explore the nooks and crannies of Mr. Good Remixes!
Grab your copy of Mr. Good Remixes on your favorite music platform, stream below, and continue on to see which remixes caught my ear when put up against one another.
Stream Ardalan – Mr. Good Remixes on Spotify:
“I Can’t Wait” – Ardalan’s Electrocoustic vs Delano Smith vs Soul Clap
“I Can’t Wait” is easily the most recognizable track to jump off of Mr. Good and with three vastly creative remixes to feast my ears upon, there was one that truly took the crown. But before we get into the good stuff I want to point out a little fun fact that many may not have known about this track.
“I Can’t Wait” was actually born from a conversation Ardalan and his girlfriend were having about the album. She was saying how she “can’t wait any longer” for him to finish as she wanted to watch Game Of Thrones. Ultimately that line was used to complete the track. Get more of the inside scoop from the man himself by checking out our interview with Ardalan last year! Now back to the task at hand…
My pick for the winner of the best “I Can’t Wait” rendition goes to Ardalan and his Electrocoustic Rework. What I love the most about this tune is that it keeps the original vibe fully intact while immersing me into a breakbeat paradise where I experience a full-on head-trip, influenced by vibrating sound splashes and a chopped up vocal echo. Of course, an electrocoustic wouldn’t be what it is without a little guitar action, and on this remix it sets the tone for one hell of a cool chill session. It’s something we don’t always get in the dance music realm and it provides a breath of fresh air.
“Mr. Bad” – Archie Hamilton vs DJ Deeon vs Garneau
The original version of “Mr. Bad” is packed tight with flickering flair and drunken character and so, I was looking for a remix to match up to that level of crazy while also taking me on a brand new journey. While DJ Deeon matched up to the quirk and Archie Hamilton took me on a nose dive into the techno realm, it was Garneau who delivered a level of breaks and bass that could shake me right out of my sneakers! Because he caught me by complete surprise, I have to give him the win.
Garneau pulled out all the stops on “Mr. Bad,” snapping me out of my relaxed state with a whole lot of grit and grime. This tune would make the Dirtybird bassheads proud while giving the weirdos among us, like me, the freaky feels they need to grind down low on the dancefloor. It’s truly all in the details and between the hardcore auditory vibrations and the perfectly timed rising notes that scream creepy carnival, I am thoroughly hooked.
“Zombie Village” – DJ Minx vs Cour T.
“Zombie Village” is a track that remains very laid back as a whole but contains a vast array of sparkling detail. So much so that if you listen on repeat, there is something new that will jump out every time. So, I am searching for a remix that remains true to the detail but plumps up the bassline and maybe adds some atmospheric layers to the top end. Between DJ Minx and Cour T. there wasn’t a whole lot of expansion that happened but the fact that Cour T. took me down into deeper octaves, I have to give him the win.
There is something so incredibly enticing about the labored bassline that begins to lurch from the 1:15 minute mark. It almost puts me in a trance as the top end melodics swirl and whirl, ping and knock. It is almost like stepping into a different dimension where everything feels like it has been pulled inside out. It’s a bit disturbing and that’s what makes this remix so special. And how about that ending? Yes, my friends. Cour T. may just be an alien from a far off galaxy.
“OSCI” – Justin Jay & Danny Goliger vs Kevin Knapp vs Kyle Watson
“OSCI” is a track full of sexy undertones and urban flavor which makes it one of my favorite tracks on Mr. Good. Claire George has the kind of voice that hits so sweetly on the brain, putting me in a deep state of bliss that I never want to escape from. For the remix, what I am looking for is something that pushes my sultry escape to the next level. The artists that have flexed their creative edge on “OSCI” are some of the greatest talents in the industry, so I knew this would pose quite the challenge when picking my favorite.
This was definitely a close call! While Justin Jay & Danny Goliger reconstruct the track to make a beautiful lounge atmosphere come to life and Kevin Knapp kept it funky, fresh, and fun, it was Kyle Watson that grabbed me by the heartstrings. I am enraptured by the dark techy undertones that the South African native has worked up for our listening pleasure. It’s a mature flavor meant for the afterparty with a brooding bassline to hold us in the pocket while Claire George’s voice morphs to match the dark groove.
“Mr. Good” – German Brigante vs Bruno Furlan & DJ Glen
This is another vocal power pumper with Party Patty leading the charge. Her voice is inspirational when it comes to convincing the wallflowers to make their way to the dance floor. In fact, “Mr. Good” is an all-around lighthearted track that can be appreciated any time morning, noon, or night. While Dirtybird favorite German Brigante came with a festive fire that makes me think of raucous afternoons and nights free of inhibitions at Dirtybird Campout, I have to lift my hat for Bruno Furlan & DJ Glen.
Yes, the Brazilians came through with an outrageous take on “Mr. Good,” amping up the energy with a tornado of dissonance that makes a beautiful mess out of the melodic detail. My words may make it may sound less than desirable but trust me when I say it will have an interesting effect on your mental state. I find it incredibly favorable and I am drawn to hit the repeat button so that I can get whipped up in the simple yet effective sound structures that this remix has to offer.
When it comes to the rest of the album there remains an array of remixes that deserve a strong shout-out.
To wrap things up I want to quickly touch on the remixes that didn’t have multiple contenders yet paid wonderful homage to the Mr. Good legacy. First up we have “Strength” featuring Erica Dee remixed by Kill Frenzy. The original drips with attitude so I would expect Kill Frenzy to come with the same ferocity. What he did was throw some gas on the tempo and inject some serious acid techno to deliver us deep into the wormhole. I would definitely say he stepped up to the plate.
Tapping back into to quench our psychedelic needs, “Warped Soul” and “Baba Cosmo” are two of my favorite tracks on the original LP. Lubelski & RYBO abduct us into their space ship to experience “Warped Soul” from an enhanced perspective, engaging in hair raising auditory calisthenics that will have you locking your doors and pulling down the shades. On the flip side, OMNOM takes “Baba Cosmo” and adds computer-generated vocal accents that you will hear in your nightmares. Mix in a horror-inspired melodic tone and we make our leap onto planet strange. I am obsessed.
“Orange Dreams” and “Lifted” see Ardalan taking an ethereal yet dominant approach. Pezzner places his stamp on “Orange Dreams” by taking the ethereal essence and twisting it to make way for a simple fun bounce. I find myself swaying to the rhythm with a smile plastered on my face. In the opposite corner, we have The Martin Brothers (Justin and Christian) who place their stamp on “Lifted” by giving a facelift to the drum n bass aspect while using Claire George’s vocal chops to retain the cosmic beauty. While I am not a huge fan of DnB, it’s impossible not to get lifted by the flourishing energy.
The remixes from the Mr. Good album are truly fantastic and show off just how creative artists can be when they’re twisting and turning tunes by using their creative abilities. Now that it’s written in history, we would love to know which one was your favorite, let us know in the comments!
Ardalan – Mr. Good Remixes – Tracklist:
- I Can’t Wait (Ardalan Remix)
- I Can’t Wait (Delano Smith Reconstructed)
- Mr. Bad (Archie Hamilton Remix)
- Zombie Village (Minx Remix)
- OSCI (Justin Jay Remix)
- I Can’t Wait (Soul Clap Remix)
- Mr. Bad (DJ Deeon Remix)
- Strength (Kill Frenzy Remix)
- Warped Souls (Lubelski & RYBO Remix)
- Orange Dreams (Pezzner Remix)
- Mr. Good (German Brigante Remix)
- Baba Cosmo (OMNOM Remix)
- Mr. Good (Bruno Furlan & DJ Glen Remix)
- OSCI (Kevin Knapp Remix)
- Mr. Bad (Garneau Remix)
- Zombie Village (Cour T. Remix)
- Lifted (Martin Brothers Remix)
- OSCI (Kyle Watson Remix)
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