Brit-pop meets electric mayhem

Brighton-based rock band The Kooks just released a remix album for their songs on Listen. The band has tested different genres, such as hip hop and funk, before. But spending time in New York and hearing so many club remixes of their music convinced them to experiment with the electronic music scene. They called together many talented DJs and artists to work some magic on this new album.

Although so much of Listen is brilliantly-crafted and contains great, catchy songs, only a few songs on the remix album are worth listening to. Of these are the Montmarte Main mix of “Sweet Emotion” and the Kedeko remix of “Are We Electric,” which are both refreshing, upbeat, and perfect for dancing along to. Likewise, the two remixes of “Forgive and Forget” –one by Atlas Genius and the other by Isabella Summers of Florence and the Machine– present great new experiences of this song. The former adds a funky touch to “Forgive and Forget,” with an emphasized bass line and a ghostly synthesizer in the background. The latter starts very soft and daydreamy, bearing influences of Atlas Genius’s Indie-pop style, then warps into something bright and vibrant.

Most of the other songs on the album, however, fail to deliver something appealing. Many are overdone, containing such a jumble of electronic noises and taking too much away from the allure of the original song. It is unfortunate that only the remixed version of the brand new track “Creatures of Habit,” was released –this song was not included in Listen. On Hello, What’s Your Name?, the listener can’t hear what The Kooks did with this track, because it is covered by a heavy layer of synths.

Overall, this album offers a re-experience of The Kooks’ work, as they intended. But the original, un-reworked songs in Listen are still much better and more worth your time.