When I first heard The Caribbean‘s meditative, experimental pop tune “Imitation Air,” I didn’t think: “Throw some acid squelches in there, and these guys could have a hit!”
Yet D.C. producer, DJ, and venue co-owner Will Eastman has gone and done that anyway—and it somehow works. Eastman’s energetic remake of “Imitation Air” preserves a few elements from the original tune, and spins the rest into a dizzying, acid-burned floor-filler. It even has drops. Drops!
The Caribbean’s Matt Byars says that’s what the veteran indie-rock band wanted. “We’ve known Will for a while, [and] think he’s an extremely cool, fashionable guy, and wanted him to do something from the new record,” Byars writes in an email. He calls the remix “exactly what we were looking for from Will: something that would sound great in a club with a fantastic sound system (e.g. U Hall) and that, yes, people can dance to.”
The Caribbean has been remixed before—numerous times, in fact. Producer/engineer Scott Solter produced an EP of remixes based on the band’s 2007 album, “Populations.” Byars points out that other tunes from the band’s recent LP, “Moon Sickness,” have been reworked by Brad Laner of Medicine, Jimmy Ether of Headphone Treats, and Mike Shiflet—and more are forthcoming from D.C.’s Outputmessage and Thomas Wincek of Volcano Choir and All Tiny Creatures. Byars says the band is also working on a release for D.C. label Bad Friend Records that includes Deleted Scenes, Tereu Tereu, and The Caribbean remixing each other.
While that’s all in the oven, absorb this transformative take on an already vibrant track.