Fiendish Flips Vol 2: A Sense of Balance
I recently started doing deep dives into the SoundCloud discographies of some of my favorite producers, as well as up and comers. These deep dives inspired a new series of articles called Fiendish Flips. Volume one of this series covered speaker-breaking flips from some of dubstep’s best. Volume two takes on a new angle: balance. This sense of balance can be genre-based or based off the levels of original material and flipped elements. SoundCloud flips are a great way to assess a producer’s style and skillset. As well as their artistic inspirations. This list will give you further perspective on the art of FLIPS!
“Wolfmother – Joker and the Thief (Evalution Remix)”
This first flip features a guest star from the previous list. EVALUTION and SubDocta did a flip of the hit Silverstein track, “My Heroine”. However, this time around, EVALUTION rides solo. His flip of Wolfmother breakout song; “Joker and the Thief” pays respect to the original, while greatly expanding its sound range. A sample from The Hangover (which uses the original song in its soundtrack) gets things going. It features Alan’s character saying “Its not gambling when you know you are going to win” and immediately hooking into the famous guitar riff. The sampling done here is HILARIOUS! (“What a sick joke!!” )
The song stays relatively similar to the original in the introduction. However, the low-ended drops dramatically shift the vibe. These drops are bouncy and wubby. Staying true to the hit guitar riff with an EDM twist. Its chorus keeps up with the drop, and sounds relatively unaltered. This EDM twist remains for the rest of the track, adding a colorful backdrop to this hit. The second drop changes things up. It is much less heavy and moves a little slower. The other elements tick in the background, adding more rhythm. Lastly, a sample of a Will Ferrell quote from Anchorman joins the fray. The blaring drop slowly fades with the vocals. Achieving balance between the original song, samples, and flip contributions.
“I thought you were kidding! I thought it was a joke!
“Rebelution – So High (GRILLA Remix)”
This remix of Rebelution’s vibey hit; “So High” gets the Grilla treatment. It achieves balance by making a mellow track both heavier and melodic. A woman takes over the vocals and adds in Trap-inspired delivery. The song starts off on a calm note as the elements rack up. Vibey bass, drum hits, and reggae notes combine in the introduction. The first drop builds off of the reggae twanging and throws in crystalline wubs. The song keeps up a consistent pace, giving listeners a minor head banging sesh. Check it out for some wobbles.
“sombr – back to friends (NVLL. Flip)”
NVLL.’s spin off of sombr’s bop, “back to friends,” hit me hard in the feels when I first heard it. This remix was a welcomed surprise and appeared on a SoundCloud recommendation queue. The circumstances of discovering it made it that much more emotional. NVLL.’s flip opens on an atmospheric note. Piano and synth are subtly introduced under the crisp vocals. An EDM hum can be heard as the vocals POP OFF! An emotional soaring sensation quickly turns to cathartic and HEAVY wubs. Things get reeled in after the first drop. The verses return with some light drum effects, contrasting with the singer’s BOLD singing voice. We transition into a choppy bridge that whooshes into the final drop. This last drop features intergalactic vibes and YUHHHHH effects and fades out, along with the vocals. This NVLL. flip balances heartfelt vocals and brain-melting wubs very well. A serious contender in the Fiendish Flips world. That concludes volume two of this new series. Check out these flips ASAP!
