Kavinsky - Protovision EP Review

Kavinsky, the undisputed master of 80s, yet future-style electro-house, knows how to get us excited for an album. The latest single from his upcoming album, Outrun, is a great showcase of what to expect from it. The track is essentially three minutes of adrenaline, looming synthesizers, and wailing guitars that will burn your ears off (in the best way possible). Considering how awesome the original song is, you'd think it would be pretty difficult to top. Yet, the producers Kavinsky has deployed to remix "Protovision" have no trouble making the track their own. Do any of the remixes beat the original? Not really, but then again, is it possible to beat Kavinsky? Hit the jump for my opinion on each track.

Protovision (Boys Noize Remix)

Alex Ridha, AKA Boys Noize, is a seasoned remixer, having reworked artists from N.E.R.D to the Scissor Sisters to... David Lynch? It makes sense, then, that he would remix a fellow electro-house producer. On this one, Alex kicks the beat from 110 to 120 BPM and chops up the synths for a sort of glitchy effect. This remix is nothing really out of the box for Boys Noize, in fact, it's about as Boys Noize as possible. I feel like this one needs more fine-tuning; the build-up and drop, for example, is honestly a bit disappointing. This one feels unfinished to me, but you can see what he was going for, and he gets the job done just fine. B-

Protovision (Blood Orange Remix)

Blood Orange, better known as Lightspeed Champion, is a British songrwriter/producer who has dealt with a variety of genres. For this remix, he's transformed the hard-hitting original track into a melancholy pop-dance number. The remix isn't afraid to stray far from the original, but still keeps in the key elements; the guitar, for example, is re-purposed to a haunting effect. A notable element of this track is the female vocals, which really suit the atmosphere and enhance the mood. This remix actually sounds as if Kavinsky himself decided to remake his own track in a different mood. B+

Protovision (Mumbai Science Remix)

Is what they say true - do Belgians do it better? Judging from the duo Mumbai Science's energetic remix, I'd say yes. This remix is exactly what you'd expect (and hope) of a Mumbai Science + Kavinsky collab. The beat is infectious, and the fun, bouncy synths make it hard not to dance in this song's prescience.  There's not that much to it, but there doesn't need to be. I'm definitely getting a Soulwax vibe from this (and they're also Belgian!), so I could easily see 2 Many Djs play this one out. Killer mix. A-

Protovision (Turzi Crack Remix feat. D-Gage of KFTP)

Turzi's spin at Protovision borrows heavily from the original track, keeping the BPM and all the key elements intact, while throwing in just the right amount of their own special spice. This remix would actually be more of an re-edit, if it weren't for the vocals. Yes, this features the pipes of D-Gage, lead singer of the band Kill For Total Peace. I can see why Turzi wanted to add something special, but the vocals just aren't doing it for me. They're actually kind of irritating to be honest, especially when there's a fantastic remix hiding under them. But this is just a minor complaint, so I'll go ahead and give this one a B.

The vinyl edition of this EP excludes the latter two songs in favor of the Red Sky mix and the Sebastien Tellier version. I couldn't find the Red Sky mix anywhere, sadly, and I could only find a one-minute preview of Tellier's version, but from what I've heard from it, it's pretty sweet. Overall, this EP is solid. I wouldn't say any of the remixes are bad, they just take a couple of missteps. Enough of Protovision, now - Kavinsky's album is out in less than two weeks, and he's done a good job of getting me looking forward to it.