When deadmau5 released his now classic tune “Ghosts N Stuff” eight years ago, he probably couldn’t have anticipated the effect it would have on his career. With Rob Swire’s soaring auto-tuned vocals and an uplifting house production, the single went on to define the burgeoning EDM scene of 2008 and has remained a fan favorite ever since. Just in time for Halloween, the Canadian producer’s ode to ghosts now gets a haunted makeover courtesy of Xan Griffin, who manages to deliver a suitable re-imagining of the classic progressive house cut.
Xan Griffin opens his remix with the familiar organ progression from the original, adding a haunted flare to the tune with wailing guitar licks and dramatic strings stabs. Things really get ghastly in the breakdown, as spooky sound design builds the remix up to suspenseful anticipation, leading into some heavy drops that take an unexpected turn. Half time beats pound away beneath discordant synths, bringing a creepy dubstep vibe to the table.
Xan Griffin definitely gets points for originality with his “Ghosts N Stuff” remix, juxtaposing the familiar chords from deadmau5’s classic against a haunted barrage of slow riding dubstep. The drops also basically bear no resemblance to the source material, a technique that’s become something of a rarity among remixers these days.
