i've been exploring soundcloud a lot lately. i usually stick to my corner of vocal-synth (think VOCALOID, UTAU, SynthesizerV, etc.) covers, but as of a few years ago, i discovered a k-pop remixing scene that i dove head-first into. i was introduced to this scene via 4KAE, a collective based around remixing k-pop songs, usually into jersey club or hard dance or other genres. but i've been exploring more, and listening a lot, and i wanted to share my favorite tracks!
into you - tiffany
this is the track that inspired this post. the artist says in the description that they were "just having fun" and it absolutely shows throughout this track. into you is all fun, without a single slow moment; it's absolutely euphoric, from that infectious paramore sample shaping the whole track to the other samples sprinkled around. that moment around the one-minute mark where the track builds upon a fucking wii sports theme sample into another drop? it makes me feel like i'm floating. into you is pure, distilled joy.
don't care🖕⭐ - harddcandyy
i've been loving harddcandyy for a while now! i adore how they spin newjeans tracks into totally different dance genres, and don't care is no different. the song this remixes, newjeans' right now, is a shibuya-kei inspired track with a breezy, fun feeling to it. don't care takes that breeziness and flips the tone to something bored, almost annoyed, even. the beat is relentless and sharp, slamming on every syllable of the vocals. don't care is an inspired flip on one of newjeans' cuter songs and the creativity at play here is incredible.
Air Force One (4KAE REMIX) - 4KAE
UGH THIS ONE GOES SOOO HARD!!! that drop into the pre-chorus of air force one, the da-da-da, and the build-up to the drop after, it's intense. this track swerves smoothly into remixing another song, and i won't spoil the surprise of which song it is, but the cover art here may clue you in! the pre-chorus of that second song on this beat is just as intense, if not more, as the music beats down to the pace of the vocals. it's such a hit of energy.
nasty (junebug florum remix) - GAY JAZZ
tinashe's nasty was absolutely everywhere for a while there, and so when this came on my radar via soundcloud, i had to check it out. i was delighted and surprised by the genre-change on this one— it takes nasty's flaunting and teasing and puts a pluggnB sound to it, with sentimental synth loops that make me smile, but doesn't hesitate to get even harder by the end beat-wise, as the music gets sharper and slams down rapidly. but it keeps that bright tone to it throughout the whole track, from that joyous intro to the glittering outro.
outro
as i've discovered and listened to these tracks, i've found it increasingly intriguing how these artists are capable of completely changing the tones and contexts of these samples and songs into something new. the transformative nature of the remix scene is so inspiring to me and i'm glad that these artists are including us listeners in their journeys to create the most batshit, hardest remixes ever. thank you, random people on soundcloud!