Cher - I Walk Alone (Remixes)

The latest single from her Closer To The Truth album has been remixed for a club release. Pop/Rock diva P!nk wrote this song and also performed the background vocals. The rock tinged song was a fan favorite. The Dance/Rock/Country style of the original works really well and Cher sounds great singing over that production. There are remixes by JRMX, Mike Rizzo, Morlando, and Tracy Young on this first set. JRMX delivers a Disco/House mix reminiscent of the Freemasons' signature sound that works surprisingly well. Mike Rizzo provides an interesting mix that incorporates dub step elements which somehow works. Morlando's 80s sounding mix is anthemic, however, it lacks a certain something that would take it over the top. Tracy Young's mix is a big room oriented Electro House one. It's the most mainstream mix of the bunch.

Grade: A

Savannah Lynx - Colors

This is the latest single from the newcomer. The uplifting song is sung beautifully. The lyrics are so pretty. The vocals call to mind some of the vocal Trance of the mid 2000s. The production on the original is really great too. Tracy Young provides some remixes that don't stray too far from the original. She maintains the synth riff and chords of the original but adds a few electro breaks.

-Listen to the original version here (Soundcloud)
-Buy the original here (iTunes)
-Listen to the Tracy Young version here (Soundcloud)

Grade: A

Blue - Roulette Summer Edition EP

This is a special remix EP of the UK boyband's Roulette album. The Single Mix of "Break My Heart" is basically a slightly more uptempo take on the original. "Sing For Me", "Break My Heart", "Paradise", and "Ayo" all get remixed by Tracy Young. "Sing For Me" now has a clubbier big room flavor. "Break My Heart" has the Madonna "Celebration" styled elements heightened. "Paradise" also is more big room styled. "Ayo" has a fun Inner City throwback sound to it. The midtempo 3rd single  "Without You" closes the EP. All of the remixes are really well-done. The "Sing For Me", "Break My Heart" and "Ayo" ones are the best of the bunch.

Tracklisting of the EP:
1. Break My Heart (Single Mix)
2. Sing For Me (Tracy Young Mix)
3. Break My Heart (Tracy Young Mix)
4. Paradise (Tracy Young Mix)
5. Ayo (Tracy Young Mix)
6. Without You

Listen to clips and purchase here (iTunes)

Grade: A

VenSun - Love Is Love

This is the collaboration of French producer/DJ David Vendetta and big voiced singer Sylvia Tosun. The song is about love and equality for everyone. The positive message is one that is especially relevant right now. Sylvia delivers a soulful, uplifting vocal. There are some remixes by Marc Stout, Matteo Marini, and Tracy Young. Marc Stout's mix is in a similar vein as the original but it gets a bit harder and darker. Matteo Marini's mix has a laidback, chilled vibe to it during most parts, however, the synth sections have an anthemic feel to them. Tracy Young's big room mix with the gorgeous piano sections is lovely. The mix is mostly a dub with just a handful of vocals during the breaks.

-Listen to the original version here (YouTube)
-Purchase the original, Marc Stout, and Matteo Marini mixes here (Amazon)

Listen to a preview of the Tracy Young mix:


Grade: A

Blue - Break My Heart (Tracy Young Mix)

The British R&B/Pop group's comeback album was released in April. This is the 4th single. The electro/pop influenced R&B song calls to mind Rick Astley's "Together Forever" during the verses and Madonna's "Celebration" during the choruses. The vocals are really great as can be expected.

Tracy Young has done a club remix which makes the midtempo into an atmospheric floor filler. The "Celebration"-esque production is nicely played up. An edit of this version could easily make this song more radio friendly as an alternative to the original. The remix is really pretty.

Listen to Tracy's remix here:


Grade: A-

Cher - Woman's World (Remixes)

The official release of the single finally happened today. The song was first streamed on her official website late last year. The album's release campaign kicked off with the release of the single and a performance of the song on NBC's The Voice.

The new version of the song is very similar to the previously streamed one. That is being considered the demo version. The vocals and production are pretty much the same, but everything is much smoother and cleaner sounding. The song Paul Oakenfold produced song is an empowerment anthem for women in every sense of the word. Cher sounds great.

There are some remixes by Danny Verde, R3hab, and Tracy Young. Danny delivers a hard, dark pulsating circuit anthem. It is the definitive peak hour mix of the song. R3hab's mix has some nice moments, but the noisier sections end up ruining it. Tracy's mix presents her newer sound that is more akin to what is in many of the Electro Dance/Pop songs flooding the radio airwaves right now. This version would actually be the one to use if the song is given a top 40 push. Tracy's mostly instrumental dubs with an emphasis on the piano sections are pretty. Overall, Danny and Tracy's are the best of the bunch.

Listen to the original version here
Danny Verde | R3hab | Tracy Young

Grade: A

Ginny Blackmore - Bones (Remixes)

This is the debut single from the singer-songwriter from New Zealand. The tearjerker's lyrics are powerful as is Ginny's delivery. It's a brilliant song.

There are some remixes by Kassiano, Reflex, Sidney Samson & Killfake, and Tracy Young. Kassiano's mix with marching band drums and dubstep sections give it a darker feel. Reflex's dubstep/pop mix makes the song more uptempo while staying close to the original. Sidney Samson & Killfake's mix is a noisy electro one. The sped up vocals don't sound good here as the production doesn't mesh with the mood of the song. Tracy Young's mix is mostly a dub with just some vocals in the middle. The vibe of her big room mix is close to the original. Reflex and Tracy Young's end up being the best ones of the bunch.

Listen to the original version here (YouTube)

Grade: A

Astrid Suryanto & Tracy Young - Color Of Your Eyes

This is the latest collaboration of the avant garde singer and the DJ/remixer. Tracy had previously remixed "To Find You" and "Home." The 80s synthpop style of the original is refreshing. Astrid's warm vocals are so hypnotic and intoxicating, much in the same way Sade's are. The poetic lyrics are so beautiful. There are two remixes by Lovejet which are in a similar style as the original, but they make it a little more uptempo. Additional remixes by Tracy Young and Tedd Patterson are planned for a later release [source]. This is a great release.

-Purchase the digital single on iTunes here
Preview the digital single on Spotify:

Laura Larue & Lee Dagger - Capture Your Love

After the breakout success of "San Francisco Is My Disco" last year, she is back with a new single. She teams up with Lee Dagger of Bimbo Jones on this cute little song. There are remixes for this by Bimbo Jones, Gregor Salto, and Tracy Young. Bimbo Jones offers up a funky, piano-driven mix. Gregor Salto's mix is a harder electro-bass styled one. Tracy Young's circuit-oriented mix is a bit lighter than her usual. All 3 deliver solid mixes, however Bimbo Jones's mix is the clear winner. Overall, this one is shaping up to be another hit for her.

• Listen to the Bimbo Jones mix here
• Listen to the Gregor Salto mix here
• Listen to the Tracy Young mix here

Grade: A-

Deborah Cox - If It Wasn't For Love (Remixes)

First performed and premiered in late July, the new single from Deborah Cox will hit the clubs real soon.

Britney Spears - Hold It Against Me (Remixes)

This debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 based on just a week of sales, and has now begun to take off on radio. Remixes for this have begun to be promoted. Abe Clements, Adrian Lux & Nause, Jump Smokers, Mike Rizzo, Ocelot, Smoke n Mirrors, The Alias, and Tracy Young have remixed this so far. Since there are so many mixes, it would be a bit much to describe all of them in great detail.

The Abe Clements, Mike Rizzo, and Tracy Young's mixes are the best of the bunch. All are equally energetic, especially Mike's. Abe's incorporates the dubstep section nicely. Tracy's is dark and tribal, and her handling of the breakdown is a bit unexpected. Adrian Lux & Nause, Jump Smokers, Ocelot, and Smoke n Mirrors mixes are a bit on the busy and noisy side, and are just okay. The Alias mix sounded promising but feels a bit too metallic and is painful to listen to.

An extended version of the original is desperately needed and would be a great addition to this package.

Grade: B (for the package overall)/A- (for Abe, Mike, and Tracy's versions)

Olivia Newton-John remixed by Tracy Young

It was announced a couple of months back that a special Austrian re-release of her Grace And Gratitude album would be happening, and it would include two brand new remixes of her #1 hit classics "Physical" and "Magic". Tracy Young did the remixes. Olivia also went into the studio and recorded brand new vocals for the mixes.

"Physical" is transformed from a steamy disco romp into a full blown club-banger. There's only a slight resemblance to the original during certain portions. Olivia's new vocals sound fine on this.

"Magic" is thankfully not as frenetic and busy. It is much faster than the midtempo original. The vocals sound good here as well, but of course, the original vocals reign supreme.

These new versions are good for what they are (major props to Tracy and Joe for stepping up to the tall order of working on these classics), but the originals are such masterpieces the way they were and it's very difficult to match that level of perfection.

Grade: A-

Amy Weber - Something Kinda Ooh!

This is the latest single from the model, actress, and former WWE Diva. It is a cover of UK group Girls Aloud's song of the same name. It is a great opportunity to introduce the song to the rest of the world. Amy's vocals are pretty good, however, they lack the passion that the original had. Remixes by Tracy Young, DeMarko!, and Klubjumpers make this dancefloor ready. Tracy and DeMarko!'s are big room-oriented. DeMarko!'s is harder and just works better overall. The Klubjumpers mix has a Eurodance feel with some Rock thrown in. This is in a similar vein as the original Girls Aloud version. All are good, but the DeMarko! one is the standout.

Purchase the CD single here (Perfect Beat)
Purchase the digital single here (Amazon)

Grade: A-

Erika Jayne - Pretty Mess

This is her 4th single off of her debut album of the same name. This song is not a cover of the Vanity 6 guilty pleasure of the 80's. The song is a cute midtempo in its original version. Erika sounds wonderful on this. The remixes by Dave Aude, Larry Tee, Klubjumpers, DJ Escape & Johnny Vicious, Tracy Young, Bill Hamel, Marshall Stack, and Peter Rafelson give every dancefloor a little something. Dave Aude's version gives the song a fun edge. This version is also used in the music video. Larry Tee's is a gritty electro affair. Klubjumpers' is a bit laidback compared to their usual. DJ Escape & Johnny Vicious offer a tribal/electro mix. Tracy Young's is gorgeous big room mix. It maintains the pretty vibe of the original. Bill Hamel's resembles 80's synthpop at its finest. Marshall Stack's has an 80's feel in some parts but with some gritty electro thrown in. Peter Rafelson's is electro-ish with an 80's touch too. Some parts resemble Coldplay's "Clocks". Overall, this is a solid package. Tracy Young's is the standout.

Purchase the digital single at Amazon: Club Mixes | Radio Edits | Dub Mixes and at Masterbeat

Dangerous Muse - I Want It All

This is their highly anticipated new single. It's electro/dance/pop track. Their underlying rock sound can be found on this song too. The vocals are pretty good. There are remixes by Tracy Young, Jake Shananhan & E-Marce, DJ D-Major & Lindsay Luv, Apres Garde, and Ian Nieman. Tracy's is a nice, laidback big room mix. Not as hard as her usual, but still good. Jake & E-Marce's feels like a souped up version of the original. DJ D-Major & Lindsay Luv and Apres Garde's are both electro/house-oriented. Ian Nieman's is circuit oriented with a nice hint of electro. The whole package is really good. Tracy and Ian's are the standouts.

Buy the original here (Juno)
Buy the remixes here (Juno)
Watch the music video here (YouTube)



Grade: A

Kim Zolciak - Tardy For The Party (Remixes)

Some love her, some hate her. She is best known for her outrageous behavior on BRAVO's Real Housewives Of Atlanta and this song which came out last year. The original was Dance/Pop-oriented and could be thought of as a poor man's "Don't Stop The Music" at best. However, "Tardy For The Party" is turned into a floorfiller with the recently completed remixes by Tracy Young. Tracy takes an otherwise blah track and actually make it pleasant. The production is solid. It's big room, circuit-oriented while remaining accessible. Kim probably won't be conquering the music industry anytime soon, but at least she'll be remembered for this little ditty which was improved upon tremendously by Tracy.

Purchase the digital EP featuring the original plus radio edit, club, mixshow, and dub mixes by Tracy Young here (iTunes), here (Amazon), and here (Juno)

Grade: C- (for the original), A- (for the remixes)

L2 - Boys Or Girls

"Boys Or Girls" is a campy, humorous song about a woman wondering whether a potential love interest is gay or straight. The description may make this song seem a tad off-putting, but it's done tastefully. There are remixes of this by Mike Rizzo, Tracy Young, Almighty, and Lenny Bertoldo. Mike's mixes are electro-pop oriented, easily fitting in on Pop radio. Tracy's mix is suited for a big room environment, but it's mild enough for house sets too. Almighty's mix is funky house-oriented, with a light euro nrg undercurrent. Lenny's mix is in-between and would fit into a wide variety of sets. All versions are well-done.

Purchase the digital single here (Amazon)

Grade: A-

Kaylah Marin - On The Floor (Oh Baby Please)

This is the sexy new single from rising star Kaylah Marin. She sings about how she wants her potential suitor to take her on the dancefloor. Her vocals are quite good on this track. The original is a midtempo and would work well remixed. There are remixes by Mike Rizzo, Tracy Young, Rod Carillo, Josh Harris, and The Perry Twins. Mike Rizzo's is a simple dance/pop mix. Tracy Young's is her usual big room, circuit mix. Rod Carillo's is electro-oriented. Josh Harris' mix has a nice 80's synthpop feel to. The Perry Twins go in a simple dance/pop direction as well, a bit of a departure from some of their other work. The package is really great overall.

Buy the digital single here (iTunes)

Grade: A

Jimmy D. Robinson - A Tiny Shoe

A poet, Jimmy D. Robinson's poem "A Tiny Shoe" form his latest collection Timewarp has been turned into a song. This is not the first poem of his that has been transformed in this fashion. Recordings of the spoken words were given to various remixers and they created productions to match. The first set of mixes by Tracy Young, Josh Harris, and Bruno Linares has already been released. A second set of mixes by DJ Paulo & Todd Dutkevitch, Twisted Dee, and Rafael M will be released soon.

Overall, Tracy's mix works the best from package 1. The hard, but melodic production is perfect. The spoken words just float over the production in an unusual but effective way.

While this may not be for everyone, this is definitely something different. It's really worth checking out.

Grade: A-

Madonna - 4 Minutes (Remixes)-Review

The much-awaited remixes of "4 Minutes" have finally been released through the various digital outlets. There's definitely something from this package for everyone.

Junkie XL provides two versions which are his usual best. Liquid synths and rock guitars soar over the thumping beats. However, very few of the vocals are used. These mixes would be better with those added vocals. The dub feels like something Switch would do.

Tracy Young's mix is a lot housier than some of her recent offerings. Those expecting a tear-your-shirt-off anthem will love the Peter Saves New York mix. It's a dark, twisted epic that calls to mind some of his early 2000's material. It also bears a striking resemblance to Offer Nissim and Yinon Yahel's recent work. The Peter Saves Paris mix is a bit more electro oriented. The Peter Saves London mix is sort of the best of both mixes. The New York one is the best though. There is also the newly promoted Madonna's Pjanoo Rauhofer Mix which is a mashup with Eric Prydz's "Pjanoo". The song has some really atmospheric piano loops and goes well with the Madonna vocals. Not enough vocals used from the original but that's a minor detail.

Bob Sinclar's mix is in the disco-house direction. It has a lovely retro feel.

And last but not least, there's the Rebirth mix. This one is an electro-house mix. Lots of layers of synths and other filtered elements.

Overall, the remix package for "4 Minutes" was totally worth the wait and is a great start to this amazing Hard Candy era.