The Horrors: Higher
The Horrors
Higher
(XL Records)
When The Horrorsā Skying was released in 2011, I was a big fan of the bandās ability to walk the line between retro and modern. I was open to the idea of a remix album, especially since the dreamy atmosphere of Skying lends itself to being reinterpreted. However, Higher is definitely not the right way to go about a remix album.
Very few elements of the original songs remain, thus eliminating what made the record so accomplished in the first place. A few of the tracks have been made completely instrumental, and in the case of āI Can See Through You (Blanck Mass Remix),ā taking a four-minute song and stretching it out over eleven minutes is just unnecessary. This isnāt even the longest remix on Higher.
There are some glimmers of hope. āDive In (The Pressure Ridges)ā is a proper remix, adding some natural sound effects and sexy beats while preserving the original vocals. Likewise, āMoving Into Blue (Seahawks Skying Suite)ā is genuinely beautiful and delicate. But for every song I enjoyed, thereās another that ruins the experience. āStill Life (Connan Mockasin Remix)ā is obnoxiously slow and muddled, as though someone just decided to play the song slowly and strip it of any charm. Another remix of the same song, āStill Life (Still Living Still Giving Cherrytones BMX),ā uses such shrill notes that I couldnāt sit through it because of the pain it inflicted.
I wonāt count it against The Horrors for trying to put out different interpretations of Skying. Having said that, Higher is definitely worth ignoring.