Toro y Moi - New Beat (Star Slinger Dancehall mix)
Fresh take on a half decent Toro Y Moi single
In my opinion Star Slinger is one of the top upcoming electronic artists today. Here he took a single from Toro Y Moi’s (rather disappointing) second LP and spiced it up with some dancey new beats. It’s a simple formula that he does rather often, remixing old tracks and posting the results on Soundcloud to the benefit of anyone listening.
The word “dancehall” should be the first clue-in as to this track’s contents: a steady beat, a catchy synth line, and some other je ne sais quois that will make you want to bob your head or tap a foot. For this track, Star Slinger finds that something that the original track missed with synthesized horns that kick in around 1:06. That’s where the track really picks up steam, streaming a syncopated blend of horns, kooky synths, and constant percussion underneath Toro Y Moi’s calming voice.
The original vocals are accentuated by Star Slinger’s unique take on the beat. Toro Y Moi’s original “New Beat” was almost a funk track, a matching synth and bass line that was silly but catchy. Star Slinger’s tone is a little darker, sending the listener into an entirely different zone without editing the original vocal line; Toro Y Moi’s lyrics are enjoyable, but the focus is on the backing track’s synths and horns. The result is a strange blend of chillwave-y keyboards and soundboard percussion and horns that comes this close to being too silly to work but still makes you wanna dance with a stupid grin on your face.
