FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Music

Nicky Romero on the Craft Behind a Remix

"It’s challenging to find originality and freshness when working off someone else’s sound."

Working on remixes gives producers a chance to showcase their talent in a really fun way. It's not easy taking someone else's work and transforming it into something new—especially when you know you have a perfectionist waiting on the other side. Of course, it's challenging to find originality and freshness when working off someone else's sound. But I think you've just got to do what you think sounds good. Don't get too caught up in what others think.

Advertisement

My work ethic revolves around working closely with other producers and artists. That can happen through collaborations, working in the studio with up-and-coming producers, or just trying new things out for fun with other producers. All of this allows me to engage in a dialogue with them. I think when you put two or more minds together, you can come up with something really unique. That's why I spend a lot of time engaging with the artists I am helping out.

For my "Feet on the Ground" remixes, I wanted to have an eclectic package that would really explore all the possibilities of the song, and could be played across many different genres—including deep house, trap, hip-hop, electro house, and progressive house. Here's the rundown on the five remixes that made the cut.

The Original

Obviously, I think "Feet on the Ground" is a song that deserves a lot of time, love and attention. I just love Anouk's vocals so much. But more than anything, I wanted the remixers to transform the track and really push its boundaries.

Arno Cost 


Arno Cost is a good buddy of mine, and he's a part of the Protocol team, so it just made sense for him to do try his hand at a remix. His version premiered on Danny Howard's BBC Radio 1—he absolutely nailed it. 

Merk & Kremont Remix


Merk & Kremont give the vocals a more robotic blend, but this might be one of my favorite drops of the package. So much energy—I love playing this one out!

Flashmob Remix

 
I'm really glad that we got a bit of the darker side with this one. Flashmob represents a nice switch-up from all the high energy remixes.

Bare Remix


This one is full-on party mode right here. Super excited to see that Bare completely re-flipped 'Feet On The Ground' into a trap-style anthem.

GusGus vs. T-World Remix


A tremendous techno-soul side to the remix package—you can really tell that the focal point here was on Anouk's vocals. I'm really happy with how this one turned out.