Dance music has been attempting (often unsuccessfully) to redefine itself outside of the prescribed box for some time now—both Zedd and Above & Beyond have released acoustic albums, Daft Punk just received Album of the Year for an electro-turned-disco record that flipped EDM on its head, and deep house has never been more popular. Maybe it’s that people have been around long enough to start digging deeper into the crates (we’re on year four of the EDM takeover) or maybe it’s the producers’ collective backlash against the negative criticisms from “traditional” musicians. Whatever the case, alternative dance (seems like the appropriate name for it) is out there for those willing to dig deep enough.
It’s nice, then, to stumble upon a reservoir of remixes (approximately 200 deep) that refuse to be categorized and fit just as well in a Pitchfork article as in this one. RAC (Remix Artist Collective) may have been around since 2007—I know, I’m late—but their prolific remix catalog is a breath of fresh air into the dance music scene, so it’s only right to share.
Without sacrificing originality or diversity, RAC (it’s a collective, but most of the work is by founder André Allen Anjos) injects a indie-pop sensibility into each song while still retaining the intended genre and style, thus keeping away from the formulaic club remix. And while their work is anything but simple, they still manage to keep it widely accessible—a formula most dance producers can’t seem to figure out (I’m looking at you, Gesaffelstein).
Head on over to their Soundcloud for the full extent of their work (their remix playlist in ten hours long), below is a sampling of their best, including an original, “Let Go” featuring Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke and MNDR. Catch them live at Ultra, Firefly, and Hangout this summer.