mixtape maestro (2.0)

In response to the suddenly revived blog interest in The Gossip’s years-old cover of Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody”, here’s a couple other not-so-new, but still impressive, indie-dressed remakes of old R&B hits that are equally deserving of some re-pimping:

Rio En Medio “Let’s Groove (Earth Wind & Fire Cover)”

Coming off of a mid-to-late-’70′s peak commercial period that produced such R&B classics/ deathless wedding reception staples as “Shining Star”, “Got To Get You Into My Life”, “Boogie Wonderland” and “September”, Earth Wind & Fire were no doubt left more than a little frustrated as the turn of the decade saw their big band disco/ funk style feeling increasingly dated.

Determined to stay relevant in a genre that was growing more and more dependent on an electronic-based sound, EWF managed to score one last great hurrah with 1981′s feel-good “Let’s Groove”, a post-disco disco epic carefully crafted to reference the band’s previously winning sound while given enough of a slightly futuro-funk sheen to as not appear completely “old-school”.

Last year, wispy voiced indie-folk chanteuse Rio En Medio (aka New Mexico-born Danielle Stech-Homsky) released a stupefyingly brilliant recreation of the dancefloor favorite that found her using nothing but handclaps and circuitous layers of doo-woppy mouth-noise in place of the original’s extravagant instrumentation.

Try not to get lost in the dizzying delight of the most “groove”-iest musical art project you’ll ever hear.

DL: “Let’s Groove (Earth Wind & Fire Cover)” (alt)

Peggy Sue “All N My Grill (Missy Elliott Cover)”

When it comes to that mind-blowingly “next next level” rap shit, everyone knows that Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott is the one to seek out; but the “supa dupa fly” diva’s R&B side dishes rarely ever get as much shine, even though they consistently deliver interesting, buttery smoove renditions of the oft-generic form.

On her underrecognized 1998 treasure “All N My Grill”, Elliott’s silky vocal slides alongside lightning bolt-like strings stabs while demanding “If you want me/ Where’s my dough?/ Give me money/ Buy me clothes” to a deadbeat old lover she’s well aware doesn’t have the funds. At one point she even emerges as a possible influence of Sasha Fierce when she urges the reconcilation-craving homeboy to “show me a ring”.

In the hands of Peggy Sue (via the enjoyable “indieghetto” online series), the combination of a downbeat acoustic folk reading and vocalists Rosa Rex and Katy Klaw’s moody, back-and-forth soul wailings strip away Elliott’s hood-toughened confidence for a tender vulnerability, adding some striking emotional depth to a track that had initially carried it’s appeal solely on the surface.

(Other “indieghetto” highlights include Alan Pownall tackling “Single Ladies”, Ayah Marar taking on Bobby Brown’s “Don’t Be Cruel”, Paloma Faith & Paul Weller doing Nelly’s “Dilemma” and La Shark’s kooky reimagining of Ja Rule’s “Always On Time”)

DL: “All N My Grill (Missy Elliott Cover)” (alt)