MNDR “Hell To Be You Baby” (album)
TOKiMONSTA transforms the title track off of MNDR’s Hell to Be You Baby album into a spacey club banger. The track (originally produced by Mark Ronson & Peter Wade) is now propelled by a four-on-the-floor beat and a percussive, ‘90s-inspired deep house organ accent, but the L.A. producer’s remix is by no means backward looking; TOKiMONSTA applies a 21st century sheen to her propulsive arrangement, with bright, psychedelic synth pads chasing MNDR’s swirling melodies. Who knew something titled “Hell to Be You Baby” could be filled with such positive energy?
MNDR “Hell To Be You Baby (RAC Mix)”The start of these two friends’ many collaborations dates back almost a decade with RAC’s slinky nu-disco remix of MNDR’s “Feed Me Diamonds,” followed soon after by her feature spot on his big hit, “Let Go.” The release of Hell to Be You Baby brings them together again, and it’s here that the Portland-by-way-of-Portugal producer places his indie-dance signature on this heady remix of the new album’s title song (originally produced by Mark Ronson & Peter Wade.) With chunky layers of stereo-panned guitars and a hypnotizing Andrew Weatherall-inspired groove, RAC casts a mesmerizing spell that is sure to guide the listener towards instant, head-nodding bliss.
Check out the trippy visualizer and dance!
MNDR “Hell To Be You Baby” (single)
Keznamdi (ft. Vybz Kartel and Tory Lanez) “City Lock Remix”TRAPCHAT scores another big dancehall reggae tune, this time adding Vybz Kartel to the remix of Keznamdi’s “City Lock feat. Tory Lanez”. Remix produced by TRAPCHAT, Keznamdi, and Suku Ward. Check the new version below.
MNDR “Love In Reverse (with Empress Of)” Porches RemixEven as Aaron Maine has evolved his Porches guise from its indie rock beginnings to a more dance and synth-pop-focused trajectory, his music has retained a deep sense of intimacy — it’s often as if he’s sharing straight from the pages of his diary. The NYC-based musician brings this same sensibility to his Porches remix of MNDR’s “Love in Reverse (feat. Empress Of),” deconstructing the already forlorn sentiment of the original to expose the rawest of emotions. Here, the song’s rolling rhythms have been stripped to a skeletal beat, while the bright, colorful synths are gray-scaled to a muted sparkle. MNDR’s yearning melodies are front and center. Unlike a traditional remix, with its pulsing production aimed for the dance floor, Porches has turned this song inward and instead asks the listener to simply let go… and feel.
MNDR “Love In Reverse (with Empress Of)”Around the same time that MNDR’s debut album, Feed Me Diamonds, was released, an anonymous musician/producer introduced herself with a series of gorgeously abstract, minute-long music pieces uploaded to YouTube. We’d soon learn the identity behind these beguiling “colorminutes” vignettes: Empress Of (a/k/a Lorely Rodriguez). Fast forward to 2021, and Empress Of is deservedly a household name in the electronic-pop music world, and also a kindred spirit to MNDR, who invited her to contribute to the upcoming album, Hell to Be You Baby. With composer Hudson Mohawke sitting next to longtime MNDR producer/collaborators Peter Wade and Babydaddy, the “Love in Reverse” single sways between shimmering, beat-less verses and rolling, percussive refrains that complement the vocal interplay. When MNDR yearningly confesses “I know it hurts,” Empress Of softly echos the same words in empathy, as if it were two friends confiding.
MNDR “Save Yourself (with Big Data)”MNDR-Big-Data-Save-YourselfMNDR and Big Data (aka Alan Wilkis) are far from strangers and through the years have frequently worked together on tracks like “Live Forever” (off the Brooklyn producer’s 2019 album, 3.0) and more recently, MNDR’s “Save Me.” Keeping it in the family, they reconvened in New York with plans to produce a remix of the latter for release alongside MNDR’s Hell to Be You Baby album. Their M.O. quickly changed, however, as songwriter Evan Bogart and electro-soul singer Daniel Wilson dropped by the session, and MNDR and Big Data exited the studio with what might as well been a whole new song — a fervent electro-house stomper re-titled “Save Yourself.” If the original “Save Me” was a cry for help from the dance floor, it’s here that the clipped, bass-heavy rhythm and the interplay between MNDR’s ecstatic vocals and Daniel’s soaring interjections come together to reveal that salvation and the dance floor are, in fact, one and the same.
Louis The Child “Big Love with Earthgang & MNDR”Taken from Chicago dance-pop all-stars Louis the Child’s Here for Now, MNDR guests alongside EARTHGANG on album banger “Big Love.” Atop the blown-out bass and beat, the Atlanta rap duo’s feel-good verses are all answered by MNDR’s monstrous hook of a chorus, making for the summer anthem that we all needed in 2020… and beyond!
Listen for “Big Love” in the Logitech TV commercial “Defy Logic: Leah Thomas” featuring intersectional environmentalist Leah Thomas.
Stray Kids “Go Live”The latest album from K-pop legends Stray Kids is named after the title track “Go Live” which is produced by WonderSound’s own TRAPCHAT and MNDR. The raucous, trap inspired, goth circus track supports a juggling of raps from a continuous rotation of eight Stray Kids frontmen.
Learn more about Stray Kids on their website and add “Go Live” to your Apple Music and Spotify playlists.
Now GO! GO! GO! GO!