The Big Pink has gone quite far since we’ve written about them. They are now a 2k9-2k10 indie sensation. The really confusing and weird situation of pop and underground music is perfectly manifest in the song I choose to blog now: The Big Pink covered Beyoncé a while ago for Radio 1 Live Lounge. Of course, it’s nothing new and Radio 1 has a history of paying attention and encouraging awesome covers, some of which include underground acts covering mainstream pop stuff. What does it all mean? It means, for one, that the elitist “the real pop is the underground pop” is just as wrong an opinion as the unawareness of mainstream ignorance. For two, The Big Pink takes the song not in order to make us laugh, actually they take it more seriously than anyone would ever have taken the original. I mean, the lyrics now make sense. Anyone ever thought how great the lyrics were in Beyoncé’s song? I guess not, I mean they were just lipdancing turned to audio or something. Lo-fi psychedelia and dry, undramatic emotionality are what make the original pop song into a haunting, ghastly piece. Stripped down to the bone, it is hard to differentiate original and cover, mainstream and underground… The fact remains that the original song is one I always hated, and I will always hate Beyoncé, but there has to be something in the original for The Big Pink to take and transform into their own world. Thanks for the track to PMA.

The Big Pink – Sweet Dreams (Beyoncé cover) [mediafire] // [ysi]

I didn’t write a review about the YYYs album cause everyone blogged it to hell. Now, it’s single time. Remixes from MSTRKRFT, Erol Alkan and Animal Collective. Zero is gonna be one of the best indie-dance tracks of the year, that’s for sure now, and it’s highly bloggable due to the remixes. I personally don’t like either the MSTRKRFT or the Erol Alkan versions cause neither managed to grab from the track the parts I adore and made it into stupid dance-music. On the other hand, I just got to listen to the Animal Collective one. They are not really famous for being awesome remixers, I guess and the appeal stems from their status as alternative-indie icons. The remix is nonetheless cool. Weird and otherworldy as it can be expected, coming from a universe where every planet builds up from water, the atmosphere is a great fit for Karen O’s vocal. I’m not saying it’s the best remix we’re gonna hear but it washes away the bad taste that MSTRKRFT and Erol Alkan left in the mouths. And thank god, it’s not over 5 minutes. Show the love and buy the stuff!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero (Animal Collective remix) [mediafire] // [ysi]