December 13, 2004 | Posted by David B. at 7:20 PM

Break the beats with boughs of holly

Christmas Remixed

This album just shouldn't really work. The epitome of a gimmick, Christmas Remixed pits DJs with fireside crooners, and the result is traditional holiday songs remixed with beats galore. The thing is, it does work, for the most part, with folks like Dan the Automator having their way with Bing and Dino. My favorite track from Christmas Remixed is this:

I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - Kay Starr (Stuhr Remix)

On a music geek note, I like how it takes a happy, jaunty, major-chord kind of song and gives it a little bit of a dark, minor-chord edge on the chorus. Otherwise, I just like how it singles out the catchiest parts and breaks them down. It's also one of the more interesting tracks on here (I am a Dan the Automator fan, but his take on Dean Martin's "Jingle Bells" isn't nearly as good as you might hope).
Anyone know who/what Stuhr is? If I've done my Googling correctly, they're an offshoot of Boston breakbeat group Moonraker. God knows my Googling skills could use a little work, though.

You can find Christmas Remixed here, or get it from iTunes.

Now go get me a hot toddy.

Comments

this is one of my favorite christmas albums, and i have gotten a few requests from people i know about where i found it. the label that puts it out has some great stuff too, both electronic and world music. i first heard about it on NPR, actually when one of the guys from the label came to speak about new releases for the holidays.

Posted by: kel at December 13, 2004 9:36 PM

You're definitely right about the Dan the Automator disappointment. What a shame.
My favorite track is the Beef Wellington. I actually just heard it in an ExpressMen recently; it seems that a lot of these jazzy downtempo christmas remixed albums get sexed up in retail stores.

I didn't look up Stuhr, but I know that Moonraker is some kids out of the Berkeley School of Music. They're pretty good, I'm coming close to posting some of their stuff.

Posted by: aurgasm at December 21, 2004 8:42 PM

Hello! Super work performed. Top PAGE, further so!

Posted by: at June 2, 2005 8:36 AM
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