Artist: Junkie XL
Title: Today (Remixes)
Label: Skyline Records
By: Andy Dixon | 1 November 2006
Tracklist:

• A: Fuzzy Hair Mix
• B: King Roc Mix

Junkie XL "Today (Remixes)"

Skyline Records has released two more remixes of Junkie XL's 'Today' to complement the Extended and Unkle Vs Mode mixes that came out as a separate release. Fuzzy Hair and King Roc get creative control on these two new rewrites and they both find a way to outperform the others.

Italian Andrea Cerutti as Fuzzy Hair has pieced together a dark, disturbing mix. It seems inspired by Digweed himself, a compliment I give because of its unsettling mood and good tight production. Pounding beats, engulfing basslines, and schizophrenic accidentals create its ominous atmosphere. A filtered adaptation of the vocal is all that remains of the original, stressing more of a futility in the lyrics than the other mixes by repeating, "Hold on tight and let it slip away". The beat drop after the break is one of those moments that stirs up something from deep within, a reminder of club nights on the dance floor that first inspired. By adding new layers of electronic glitches and bouncy peripherals the track continues to gain momentum until the very end, or preferably the mix out.

King Roc utilizes tech house and electro elements in his remix to convey a different mood entirely. A slower build than the Fuzzy Hair mix, it works into its own skin using a good driving beat with long snares, blip bass, and hiccupping melodic and vocal extras. The bassline morphs from note to note adding movement and combined with panning, time gaps, modulation, and flange effects make this mix anxious and uneasy in a good way. While the vocal is reduced to just one word, 'Today', that is repeated and strung out, it uses new guitar themes to vaguely resemble some of Junkie's work.

Both the mixes on this release are arguably better than the other mixes. They capitalize on their own twisted realities, which makes them more than good remixes but just good music.