Product Description

'Versus' is a collection of rare and previously unavailablemixes all culled from the bands debut album 'Quiet Is The New Loud'. Various artists and DJ's have remixed or completely reworked the acoustic pop tracks and given them a contemporary dance sound.

Track Listing

1. I don't know what I can save you from (Royskopp remix)
2. The weight of my words (Four Tet remix)
3. The girl from back then (Riton remix)
4. Gold for the price of silver (Erot collaboration)
5. Winning a battle, losing the war (Andy Votel remake)
6. Leaning against the wall (Evil Tordivel remake)
7. Toxic girl (David Whittaker string arrangement)
8. Failure (Alfie remake)
9. Little Kids (Ladytron remix)
10. Failure (Kings of Convenience arrangement)
11. Leaning against the wall (Bamboo Soul remix)
12. The weight of my words (Four Tet instrumental remix)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24603 in Music
• Released on: 2001-10-22
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Given that remixers' recourse to acoustica is the next logical link to down-tempo electronica, it's no surprise that the Kings of Convenience's beguiling debut has undergone this treatment. Versus sees the winsome, lovelorn ditties of Quiet is the New Loud reinterpreted by the likes of fellow Norwegians Royksopp (whose lovely remix of "I Don't Know What to Save You From" appeared on the "Failure" single), Four Tet, Ladytron and Alfie, amongst others. Apart from Ladytron, who opt for their characteristic warped synth-pop, on the whole the assembled cast choose to gently tweak the songs, rather than offer any radical reworking of them. Evil Tordivel update "Leaning Against the Wall" with sprightly horns and keyboards, leaving the song less introspective, but still recognisable. Wayward folksters Alfie remake "Failure" (also included on the single), but are less successful, as its skewed lo-fi tends to overbear much of the all-important melody. Riton's remix of "The Girl From Back Then" adds gentle sprinkles of nonchalant, shuffling beats, but the highlight, is the "Weight of My Words" remix by Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet. As showcased on his glorious Pause album, he melds bubbling electronica with an organic, folky ambience, perfectly demonstrating the premise of Versus. - Suzannah Brown

Customer Reviews

Best served chilled!
I'd never heard any of their stuff
until I listened to Amazon's On-line Samples & read the reviews. I was a bit wary of the Simon & Garfunkel comparisons as I'm far from a fan, but when I played the 1st track of this remix album I just sank into a state of utter thought provoking "chill" & played the album back to back twice! The vocals are amazing & very uplifting. This is coming from a fan of Zero 7, Bonobo, Bent, Quantic, & Tim 'Love' Lee. Buy it now!

Certainly not a failure!
This is a remix album compiling some versions that have previously been available as b-sides as well as tracks that are exclusive to this disc. Eight of the Nine different titles featured on this (12 track) album, appeared on 'Quiet is the new loud', some of which are almost unrecognisable in their new forms. However, this is not a bad thing by any means. The originals were soothing and amazing in their simplicity, whereas the versions included here are much more layered, containing extra 'noises' in the mix (including the sound "of wind from the top of Sandviksfjellet" on 'i don't knowwhat i can save you from') and many more instruments. The remixers have paid amazing respect to the sound that kings have developed, retaining the delicacy of the songs, while adding depth to the melodies.
I didn't know what to expect when this album dropped through my letterbox. I was concerned it would be sitting on my shelf, next to the brilliant 'Quiet is the new loud', as the runt of the litter, but i was overjoyed to find that it will spend less time on the shelf and more time in my cd player, filling my room with its sheer quality.

Is this even better?
So far "Quite is the new loud" is the best CD of 2001. The Norwegian duo that defined the neo-acoustics with their Nick Drake meets Simon and Garfunkel diamond sharp songs managed to sound new and surprising although traveling in a well-established path. You might say this made their achievement even greater.
And now they have taken half of that CD and some other songs and managed to rearrange them and remix them so they would qualify as nu-cool-lounge. The good news: "Versus" is so good and enjoyable it puts you in a big dilemma. Where do Kings of Convenience sound better? Here or there? Acoustic and sad or electronically happy? I say you should own both. These guys really write masterpiece songs.