KOCH Records is releasing a compilation album, Classic Regrooved, that will feature 15 classical music themes, re-mixed and re-imagined by some of the top names in the emerging world of electronic music: Electric Skychurch, Skylab 2000, Holmes Ives, EROS and more.
The songs on Classics Regrooved use familiar melodies of some of the best-known classic tunes, which are then Regrooved. Ranging in style from “chillout” to “trance,” the CD was conceived by Larry Kraman, the founder and owner of Newport Classic Ltd, one of the top independent classical labels in the U.S. Kraman produced the project in collaboration with KOCH Record’s Bill Crowley.
“Electronic dance music has emerged from the underground through its prominent use in some of the most creative and widely seen TV commercials of the last few years,” says Crowley. “And listeners have taken note, as they have discovered and embraced artists like Moby, first encountered on TV. For this project, we sought out some of the most compelling and influential artists in the world of electronica and electronic dance music, who were eager to restyle, regroove and breathe new life into the classical tunes that most inspired them. The result is an album that has already found fans in unlikely places, with enthusiastic reception from fans of classical music, electronica, and everyone in between.”
Producer, Larry Kraman adds, “Johann Sebastian Bach was a remixer, an innovator on the synthesizer who ‘remixed’ works by Vivaldi and his other favorite composers. The organ was the ‘synthesizer’ of Bach’s day, developed chiefly to imitate other instruments. Bach Regrooved Vivaldi’s violin concertos into concertos for solo organ, and ended up creating some of his most popular and accessible works.”
“Bach was a dance music artist as well, creating minuets, gavottes, gigues and other popular dances of his time,” Kraman continues. “Technology allowed the quantum leap in musical progress as the forte piano, valved instruments, and other innovations transformed music, much as ‘Classics Regrooved’ is transforming the classics today.”
The artists featured on “Classics Regrooved” have enjoyed their share of success. Skylab 2000 has two tracks on the giant mp3.com web site, where the tracks shared the number one most downloaded songs overall. On that site alone, there’s been close to a million downloads of skylab2000! Electric Skychurch has released numerous singles, and its second album, “Together,” climbed to #1 on the CMJ RPM chart and stayed there for 20 weeks. Eros was named the 2001 Breakthough Electronic Artist of the Year in Orlando, FL, and has released popular singles, “Mix Mag,” and “Resurrect the Funk.”
“Classics Regrooved” is debuting as a pre-release exclusive on Apple’s Itunes Music Store. Special 12-inch remixes have been commissioned for club play, and a music video starring DJ Keoki has been produced by international dance guru Oliver Chesler.
Tracks
- Für Elise (Beethoven Regrooved) performed by skylab 2000
- Habanera (Bizet Regrooved) performed by Jay Atwood
- Ave Maria (Schubert Regrooved) performed by EROS
- The Swan (Saint-Saens Regrooved) performed by Domingues & Ives
- Toccata & Fugue in C minor (Bach Regrooved) performed by Electric Skychurch
- Prelude In C# minor (Rachmaninoff Regrooved) performed by Sinestro & Archon
- Ase’s Death (Grieg Regrooved) performed by Joseph Jaime
- Hungarian Dance No. 5 (Brahms Regrooved) performed by skylab 2000
- Arabesque (Debussey Regrooved) performed by Mojo Jones
- Gloria (Vivaldi Regrooved) performed by DJ Scotty Marz
- Meditation from Thais (Massenet Regrooved) performed by Domingues & Ives
- Night on Bald Mountain (Mussorgsky Regrooved) performed by Jay Atwood
- Pavane For a Dead Princess (Ravel Regrooved) performed by Casey Baldwin
- Dies Irae (Verdi Regrooved) performed by EROS
- The Erlking (Schubert Regrooved) performed by Electric Skychurch)
