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Remix Monday: Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Posted: 18 May 2009 02:54 PM PDT

Resident remixologist Ali Hussain is out this week so I, editrix Jessica, will be bringing you this week’s “Remix Monday”, featuring a little band that went by the name Nirvana. I shouldn’t have to educate you at all on the history or legacy of the band and front man Kurt Cobain. Nor should I have to talk about drummer Dave Grohl and his continuation in music with the Foo Fighters. To be honest, I don’t know much about Krist Novoselic, Nirvana’s bass player, and had to Wikipedia the band to remember his name (sorry Krist!).

.“Smells Like Teen Spirit”
As the catalyst for Nirvana’s rise to fame, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is an iconic song lauded by many. As the lead single off of the equally iconic Nevermind (the band’s sophomore effort), it jumped to the top of the charts (reaching #6 on Billboard’s Hot 100) and allowed alternative rock to enter into the mainstream. You know it immediately from the opening riff and sing along in with its garbled words. “Life is stupid and contagious. Here we are now, entertain us.“; yes, remixers, entertain us.

.DJ Rap remix
I first became aware of DJ Rap through my dear friend Annie in college. Annie was (and surely still is) a diehard DJ Rap fan. She once convinced me to head to the Lower East Side (my geography might be off, it was 4 years ago) to catch the lovely DJ Rap spin into the wee hours of the morning. Amongst throngs of creepy dudes and the B&T crowd, we danced in front the DJ booth enjoying DJ Rap’s set. Both Annie and I were delighted when we heard this remix of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. Putting a club beat to one of the most iconic alternative rock songs of all time? To be fair, you don’t immediately recognize “Smells Like Teen Spirit” as part of the remix: the track begins with a throbbing beat and a soft almost-siren sound in the background. Just before a minute and a half goes by, Cobain’s mumbled words break in and remained unaltered for a mere 20 seconds before a synthetic beat picks up and reminds you that this version of the song would be more at home at Avalon instead of CBGB (R.I.P.).

.Warp Brothers remix
The beat is pounding right from the get go and there is a scramble of synthetic percussion; nothing alludes to the song being remix, it’s generic house fare by the Warp Brothers. A single “YEAH!” can be heard at a just over a minute in, alluding to “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, but only if you’re paying close enough attention to realize it’s Cobain. Two minutes into six and a half minute mix betrays the song being remixed and it healthily speeds the track up at a seemingly impossible pace to actually play those beats and riffs at. The track is slowed down for a hot second and warped into a siren before raging full speed ahead once more to keep the crowd jumping.

.DJ Spirit remix
Upon first listen, you think you might need to check the back of your CD for scratches or take it off fast forward, but DJ Spirit simply scrambles the opening measures of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” before the drums blow it all apart. Much of what Spirit does is repetition; he doubles up on a chord here and a beat there so there’s just barely a noticeable difference in the track. This is the least remixed of the remixes, but certain flourishes of random sound effects inserted in the weirdest places still make it worth a listen, as does the signature choral riff made wonky at the track’s midsection, where the entire cut picks up in its remixiness and increases in its “pump you up” factor.

Nirvana: website