- A grab-bag of a remix album with inspired turns from Anz, Nia Archives and LSDXOXO, highlighting the singer-songwriter's unique position in pop-dance crossover.
- PinkPantheress's first remix collection is more of a playlist than an LP. It begins with two versions of the same track, "Pain," and runs through different iterations of each song in a row, all sequenced in the same order as the EP. An album it isn't, but it's still ambitious, sometimes even eye-opening. Those first two versions of "Pain" offer a good taste of what we're in for: Powfu's version is essentially a duet, leaving most of the original intact, while LSDXOXO's rework is hardly the heart-palpitating techno he's known for, instead looping the backing vocals into an ambling rhythm that almost reminds me of The Books. So this isn't a collection of PinkPantheress dance floor edits, but it's not not that either. Like the UK star's music itself, it's somewhere in-between.
If there was anything that defined last year's garage and jungle-inspired to hell with it, it's how short the songs were. They were very short. For the most part the remixers here don't bother to change that—even the danciest versions are usually three minutes or less. Some of them are packed with ideas, like Flume's constantly exploding rework of "Noticed I Cried," while others more gently take the music in new directions. WondaGurl's version of "Last Valentines" adds a hip-hop flavor to PinkPantheress's UK soundsystem beats, then eventually switches into something resembling vaporwave for a compelling fade-out. But for the most part, these remixers are content to vaguely stamp their own imprint on PinkPantheress's originals, which only tells you how fully-realized her songs already are. It's hard to imagine improving on them. Even big-time pop producer El Guincho merely adds his vocals to the record's biggest hit, "Just For Me."
There are two remixes that beg special attention, however. Anz's version of "All My Friends Know" feels like an important meeting of the minds, where PinkPantheress's bedroom pop finally steps onto the dance floor. It starts off as a muscular garage tune, following the path of PinkPantheress's vocals until everything drops out and a Reese bassline storms its way through the silence. It's unexpected and unapologetically rowdy, the kind of thing that would give even the shyest of clubbers—or a meek first-timer—an unhinged moment to remember. And a fellow rising singer-songwriter-producer, Nia Archives, wraps the introspective ballad "Nineteen" in lightweight jungle breaks. Both Nia Archives and PinkPantheress have an unusual ability to make soul-baring, private-sounding songs with the tools of dance music.
to hell with it (Remixes) is an extension of what we already knew about PinkPantheress: that she's a budding star who can tread both underground dance music and mainstream pop without sacrificing anything to either side. It's also a way to get more mileage out of the most addictive 19 minutes of last year, and in a few cases, artists like Anz and Nia Archives actually find something new to say with the source material. 2022 looks to be PinkPantheress's year, heading out on tour on her own for the first time (even opening for Halsey), as more and more people discover the gripping, almost private-sounding record that stole so many hearts last year. With one hand gesturing towards the dance floor and the other making gestures at radio, this remix LP feels like a power play, or at least a show-off. If nothing else, all these reworks from all corners of the music industry only underline the unique combination of introspection and club-ready rhythm that makes PinkPantheress so intriguing in the first place.
Tracklist01. Pain (Powfu Remix)
02. Pain (LSDXOXO Remix)
03. I must apologise (Sango Remix)
04. I must apologise (Tommy Gold Remix)
05. Last valentines (WondaGurl Remix)
06. Last valentines (2AAB Remix)
07. Passion (Sam Gellaitry Remix)
08. Just for me (El Guincho Remix)
09. Noticed I cried (Flume Remix)
10. Noticed I cried (O.J.C Remix)
11. Reason (Jarreau Vandal Remix)
12. Reason (Evilgiane Remix)
13. All my friends know (FKJ Remix)
14. All my friends know (Anz Remix)
15. Nineteen (Nia Archives Remix)