New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Whereas the original recording speaks to serious socio-political themes of love and tolerance, the Traveler Remix entirely lifts the mood to dazzling highs and turns the song into a hands-in-the-air party.
Music can provide hope in the darkness.
Music can bring light and joy. As iconic recordings go,
Queen &
David Bowie's "
Under Pressure" (EMI) is one of the most brilliant songs ever recorded. Paying homage to the original, Southern California-based Traveler have updated the song for a new generation of house music lovers. The Traveler Remix of
Queen &
David Bowie's "
Under Pressure" is out now.
The original recording of "
Under Pressure" is perfect. Traveler manages to do the impossible with a melodic, house music interpretation that kicks-off with the "give love" refrain from the outset, and rather than that verse cutting with poignancy and sung in glorious desperation, Traveler tweaks it into a percussive pattern that becomes a call-for-celebration when married with a heavy 4/4 house beat. The Traveler Remix goes immediately to the chorus and the tight construction of their edit propels the song to modern-day pop radio sensibilities. Delicate synth progressions tinkle like melodic rain, lending an effervescent quality to the Traveler Remix that nonetheless maintains the integrity of the original. Whereas the original recording speaks to serious socio-political themes of love and tolerance, the Traveler Remix entirely lifts the mood to dazzling highs and turns the song into a hands-in-the-air party. The warm, booming 4/4 beat throughout helps listeners fall breathlessly in love with the song all over again and reminds us how stunning and spectacular music can be.
Traveler is a live-electronic duo who play guitar, drums and keys in their live shows which consists of entirely original music. Traveler's shows take listeners on a journey of emotion through sound and cutting-edge visuals. Established in 2011, Traveler has opened for major headlining acts such as The Chemical Brothers, Flume,
Seven Lions, Odesza, Autograf, Emancipator and others. What sets Traveler apart is that they straddle the worlds of live music and clubland with their unique performance setup. The duo uses a combination of DJing, keyboards, guitar, drums, and keys to create a unique soundscape at every event. Their music has a distinct pop sensibility that's highly danceable. Traveler has performed at key festivals including Beyond
Wonderland in San Bernardino; Lucidity Festival in
Santa Barbara; and Envision Festival in Costa Rica, as well as at nightclubs including Avalon in Los Angeles.
Said Traveler of the decision to remix "Under Pressure," "Music has been a part of my psyche since as long as I can remember. 'Under Pressure' by
Queen and
David Bowie is just one of those all-time great songs that make you thankful you're alive. That song has impacted just about anyone who's ever heard it! We actually decided to do this remix before Bowie died, simply because we loved the song, and it's even more special now. We hope listeners will realize that it's meant as a tribute to those two truly remarkable artists and human beings." It's tough to box Traveler's sound into one confining category and their live sets can veer from house music to pop, from classic funk to disco, from chillout to soul and R&B, and from dubstep to glitch with a touch of psychedelic disco in between. One thing's for certain at Traveler's shows: bodies move.
Listen to
Queen &
David Bowie, "
Under Pressure" (Traveler Remix), here:
For more information on Traveler, Andrew Rayel,
Thomas Gold, MaRLo,
Giuseppe Ottaviani, Sylvia Tosun, Lil Nate Dogg, Armada
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