I find it hard to believe speculations that the Marshmello project consists not only Dotcom, but a group of big-name artists that take turns wearing the mask onstage. If producers like Skrillex or Dillon Francis had any part in these releases, they wouldn’t sound like the anonymous DJ/producer’s rework of Anne-Marie’s “Alarm.”
Providing a clear-cut example of what not to do with a remix, Marshmello almost duplicated the progression in the source material and just added a few lazy production elements that only serve to make it more busy. The synth plucks and main stage-ready buildups only distract from Anne-Marie’s infectious vocal where the original arrangement left it front and center.
…Oh, and can we as the electronic music community go ahead and retire these high-pitched vocal chops? They were awful before I heard them in every other song, and trust me, that didn’t make them any better.
Marshmello‘s remix of Anne-Marie’s “Alarm” is out via Big Beat Records, and was premiered exclusively by Billboard. Meanwhile, the masked performer still has yet to reveal a release date or high-quality version of “Ritual” featuring Wrabel after debuting it in Miami, so look out for more on that in the coming weeks.
