It seems like sacrilege to take a track with as rich and organic of sounds as DJ Cassidy’s “Kill The Lights” and sterilize it with synths and effects. Then you remember that a straight-up disco record wouldn’t work on as many modern dance floors as a future house track would, and suddenly Audien‘s remix doesn’t seem so bad.
For what it’s worth, only some of the important parts are missing anyways. Audien keeps Jess Glynn and Alex Newell’s crisp vocal harmony almost perfectly intact, and while much of Nile Rogers’ upbeat guitar licks are missing, they’ve been replaced by a rubbery bass line that gives the track a bit of future house appeal.
When it’s all said and done, though, DJ Cassidy’s original version left some awfully big shoes to fill. Recording with a full orchestra was what gave so much disco its mystique in the first place, and to switch them out with what sounds like a preset just feels like some kind of sacrilege.
Nonetheless, Audien‘s remix of DJ Cassidy’s “Kill The Lights” featuring Jes Glynn, Alex Newell and Nile Rogers is now out on iTunes for those who wish to check it out.