The meteoric rise of one of dance music’s biggest trio right now is matched by no other group. Since its inception, Major Lazer has been in the forefront of the mainstream reggae/dancehall scene, infusing their own sounds along their way. They’ve produced songs that have smashed Billboard charts and iTunes lists alike. Successful songs deserve equally powerful remixes, and we’ve listed 10 of them that deserve some room in your playlists:
1. Jah No Partial (So Shifty Dub)
Jah No Partial is one of the hardest-hitting tracks by Major Lazer ever, produced in collaboration with Flux Pavillion. In complete contrast to the original, this dub remix by So Shifty does away with the distorted basses, vocoded samples and other extremities. What you get is something straight out of Jamaica, with organic sounds, bass guitar layers and toms. One listen and you’d have never thought of Jah No Partial sounding this way.
2. Powerful (G-Buck Remix)
When G-Buck lays his hands on a track, it turns into a multi-genre monster. That’s exactly the case with this remix for Powerful. Adding elements of trap, hardstyle, breaks and everything else, coupled with copious amounts of bass, you can try as hard as you want to stay sane while listening to this one.
3. Too Original (Beats Antique Remix)
Beats Antique is a treat to watch live, and their productions contain several live elements to give their tracks the extra oomph. This remix for Too Original features trumpets and keeps transitioning from an authentic dub sound to a hardstyle banger, with several soundscapes superimposing themselves over one another.
4. Lean On (Dillon Francis X JAUZ Remix)
Two of the most well-known faces in the bass scene have twisted the moombahton smasher that is Lean On, and turned it into something that most definitely won’t keep you still. Drop number 1 is a full-blown trap sequence that will leave you swinging away, and drop number 2 is a hardstyle annihilator that’ll test your jumping skills.
5. Be Together (ARYAY & LOUDPVCK Remix)
It comes as no surprise that most Major Lazer remixes are either trap or hardstyle, because of their production style. But then, this one by ARYAY and LOUDPVCK is no ordinary trap song, with multiple layers and aurally pleasing breakdowns.
6. Come On To Me (Tomsize Remix)
One of the harder-hitting trap edits on this list, this remix for Come On To Me by Mad Decent signee Tomsize, the amount of sub bass on this one is ridiculous, and you’re lucky if you have a good subwoofer for this one.
7. Original Don (Flosstradamus Remix)
Flosstradamus has been trap’s most famous representatives, and you can’t help but think about the duo when someone says Run The Trap. Therefore, it makes perfect sense when there’s a remix for Original Don that bears the Flosstradamus moniker. Giving their usual treatment to the original banger, this one is a masterpiece.
8. Jah No Partial (Jack Beats Remix)
Unlike the remix by So Shifty on top of the list, this one by Jack Beats is your typical electro festival banger that starts off slowly before using the same bass sample from the original and turning it into a typical 2013-era Jack Beats mix.
9. Lean On (Ephwurd & ETC! ETC! Remix)
With the vocals heavily detuned to make it sound like a man’s, this isn’t your average rework of Lean On. Ephwurd and ETC! ETC! have turned the mellow original into a modern-day bass house banger to make the song more festival-friendly, even switching to a mini trap sequence in between.
10. Powerful (Michael Calfan Remix)
Rounding off this list with a very elegant remix by Michael Calfan, this one features a 4/4 deep house beat with stellar sound design and vocal chops everywhere. The sound design on this one is worth mentioning, and kudos go to Michael Calfan for making an almost-RnB track sound good even when given the EDM treatment.
Think we missed out on any remixes? Tell us in comments below your favourite remixes of Major Lazer tracks.
Catch Major Lazer live as part of Mad Decent Block Party‘s debut in India along with Gorgon City, Big Gigantic, Giraffage, Nucleya and many more. Buy your tickets here.
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