Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Remixes

“Welcome to the wonderful world of Edward Sharpe” is probably something you’ve heard before. Sometime in high school when your friends took the song “Home” with you on a hike and picnic to celebrate your respective college admissions and your disregard for AP exams. The sunshine and the green of the trees and the warm air and the crunch of gravel under your shoes fell in line with the whistling and the harmonies. There are few moments like hearing the song “Home” for the first, second and third times. There are also few moments like hiking Sleeping Giant with your closest friends on a still and sunny May day, but I think the first example is more universal, unless you happened to grow up in Connecticut and know what Sleeping Giant is. Regardless, I’ve yet to meet a soul who can turn away from some of Sharpe’s classics.

“Welcome to the wonderful world of Edward Sharpe remixes” is perhaps not something you’ve heard before, however. I’ve always been a bit hesitant to embrace remixes, especially when computer artists attempt to play around with songs that, in reality, don’t need any tampering with. As such, I’ve stayed away from any attempts at editing Kanye, Chance, Beyonce, and apart from one Das Kapital rerub, any and all Bon Iver songs. And yet, I’ve been surprised and delighted over the years to find a steady arrival of glorious remixes of Edward Sharpe classics. A test of a truly good remix is that it can be its own song without diminishing my desire to hear the original. This rings true in three cases of Sharpe tunes: “Man on Fire,” “40 Day Dream” and of course, “Home.”

When the Magnetic Zeros dropped their second most recent album “Here,” I blasted its first track on repeat, and only grew more infatuated with it when its music video also surfaced. Naturally, I was wary of the unheard of “Little Daylight’s” revision, and almost passed it over while surfing through the Hype Machine’s most popular songs of the week. However, less than ten seconds into the enhanced snapping and tongue-clapping beat, with Sharpe’s voice echoed and synthesized to the ultimate level of enchantment, I knew I had stumbled into a masterpiece. This remix is ideal: it preserves the tone and feel of the original track and merely speeds up the rhythm and kicks in the bass enough to make it a source of perpetual radiance. The sound effects compliment the normal track without overpowering it or adding distraction, and Sharpe’s innocent lyrics still shine through. For your late mornings, early dance parties and sunny kitchens: <Man On Fire — Little Daylight Remix>.

Dissimilarly, producer/DJ Turbotito decided to make large changes to Sharpe’s track “40 Day Dream.” These work because the sound is so new and deviated from the actual track that I can still listen to the original and get a different feel for it. This remix has an increased tempo, heavy drum influence and dancy sound. Turbotito takes Sharpe out of his folk style and into the synthesizer-warped electronic world of acoustic remixes. This one’s for your afternoon jogs, post dinner beer and 2 am diner runs: <40 Day Dream — Turbotito Remix>.

I love this next one. “Home” is one of my favorite songs of all time (a trait I think I share with 98% of the world), and just when I think I can’t find new ways of loving it, I remember that popular remix artist RAC has blessed us with an accompanying version. One of my favorite tricks is to play this song to a group of friends, waiting patiently during the thirty seconds of introduction, and then smiling with glee at their surprised reactions when the legendary whistling kicks in. It is a sure-fire crowd pleaser. For your happy moments: <Home — RAC Remix>.