Rose, Rose I Love You (Shanghai Restoration Project Remix) - Yao Li; 3:20

Remixed and Restored, Vol. 1

Rose, Rose I Love You (Shanghai Restoration Project Remix)
玫瑰, 玫瑰我爱你 (Shanghai Restoration Project Remix) - 姚莉

Chinese-American producer Dave Liang's pet project, electronic group The Shanghai Restoration Project, is an experiment in Chinese musical sounds and 1930s jazz combined with American hip-hop and electronic influences, which produces a rare and truly listenable end product. For its fourth album release, Remixed and Restored vol. 1, the Shanghai Restoration Project took six 1930s Shanghai jazz tunes and both restored the original versions to listenable quality, and remixed each of them to Shanghai Restoration Project's signature electronic-hip hop-Chinese fusion style.

The result is masterfully produced songs, such as Rose, Rose I Love You (Shanghai Restoration Project Remix), which features in equal parts the original song's integrity and vibrancy, and its modern fusion mixing. Yao Li's delicate vocals, typical of the Shanghai jazz era, emanate throughout the song, bringing a vibrancy and cheer to the upbeat track. The hip-hop-influenced electronic beat compliments the original music and the vocals perfectly, taking elements of the original music and incorporating it into the new beat, bringing a danceable element to classic music. One gets the sense that this is precisely what Liang set out to do, and thus has done it well.

This song is available to download at iTunes Music Store.

Blue Skies (Paul & Price Remix) - Doris Day; 4:55

Rewound & Reworked - Jazz Remixes Vol. 2

Blue Skies (Paul & Price Remix)

Duo Jonathan Paul and Damir Price - otherwise known as Paul & Price, notable for their Sounds Like Sex compilations, return to their winning classics-remix formula with Doris Day's Blue Skies. The track is distinctly different from its predecessor, and retains the duo's signature smooth downtempo style while incorporating jazzy elements holding true to the original version. The selection of Day's original vocals used flitter about the track, with lyrics such as "bluebirds ... all of them gone, from now on", giving a slightly chilling feel to the track. The lyrics, repeated throughout the duration of the track, give an empty summer day's take on the track. Elements of the original song are combined in perfect harmony to the downtempo melodies, featuring string combinations and guitar - albeit engineered to mastery, as the duo are notable for.

This song is available for listen at paulandprice.com and can be purchased at iTunes Music Store.

I Go Deep - Jim Rivers; 9:08

Rennaissance: The Master's Series, Part 9

I Go Deep

Of-the-moment British DJ talent Jim Rivers captures the essence of the minimal electronica movement perfectly.  His work is the pinnacle of the genre (genres, some would argue, and there are a plethora that fit into this umbrella - minimal house, minimal trance, etc.) and I Go Deep, released as a part of Satoshi Tomiie's compilation album Rennaisance: The Master's Series Part 9 in early 2007, is the height of his work.

With a meticulous, detailed, almost bit-like feel, I Go Deep is atmospheric as it is subtle.  The bassline blends perfectly with the melodies and beats that enhance it.  As a DJ, Rivers masters his craft with the nuances that carry the nine-minute track.  The track flows seamlessly between emphasis on its bassline and its modifying elements and an airy, atmospheric undercurrent, never letting down to bore the listener.

This song can be purchased at the iTunes Music Store.

Editor's Note, Vol. 2

Welcome back, everyone.  It has been a while, hasn't it?  You'll notice some changes to the interface of the blog.  Firstly, our description in the upper right corner has been modified, followed by the addition of a blogroll.  The blogroll will consist of blogs the editors see fit to match massive.fm as the pinnacle of lifestyle blogging.

Also, we have modified the editors row slightly, to better reflect who is writing which post.  The administrative account (me) is run by editor Sacha Durand, and will be used for notes and changes to the blog.  The account for Sacha Durand, labelled as such, will be used so that he can write blog entries.  This makes it easier for you, the readers, and we, the writers, to update the blog consistently and clearly.

The format of the posts will change slightly.  Due to developments online through wonderful websites such as Imeem and Seeqpod, we will (try) to attach clips of each song to the posts, to enable readers to listen to each song as well as having the option to research and purchase them on exterior platforms.