5

Death by dance

Pretty Norwegian songstress Annie releases a somewhat confusing single featuring 3 remixes of the track 'Happy Without You'. Quite what the song sounded like before the synth beeps were added we don't know, but I have a feeling that I'd like to find out. Having made it with indie band 'Suitcase' this synthetic pop tune is a complete change in direction, although the 'Chewing Gum' the first single from Annie's forthcoming album received a positive response with its twee, sweet vocals.

The first remix by Riton stretches brief flurries of Annie's real vocals between the electronic chirp and cheap of the bouncey backing track. Annie has a nice voice and this is a nice, summery pop tune, but you don't really get much sense of that- you could certainly dance to it though. The second remix the 'Sebastien Remix' doesn't even allow Annie to spit out a syllable before mashing her vocals with the cruel hand of overproduction; it's the slaughter of a perfectly fine track in the name of dance.

The 'Riton Instrumental' consists of more kooky synth sounds fading in and out and vocals that I don't think have ever been near Annie, although having not been able to hear the original, I wouldn't quite know. There are various intriguing sounds played about with to good effect in this trance-y tune but frankly it's just not my cup of tea.

This all leaves me with one question-why? If Annie had wanted to be a dance artist, she could have added beats to her own song. It's spiky electro experimenting for hardcore dance addicts, or computers, but doesn't really translate into something you'd choose to sit down and listen to.