Mas Ysa‘s original “Arrows” was fascinating for its constant shifting. Beginning as a mid-tempo, soulful ballad highlighted by his unmistakable raspy howl of a voice and transforming into a fist-pumping nightclub anthem by the end, the single succeeded in showcasing the Canadian musician’s versatility.
With You., the electronic supergroup who recently made waves with their ominous drug anthem “Ghost,” take “Arrows” and substitute the more contemporary electronic notes for their own vintage house sound. Where the original burst into EDM technicolor at its heights, With You. substitutes those moments for ’90s helter-skelter break beat drums and a more muted sensibility.
The remix is just as lively as the original, and has a dizzying trip-hop quality. Mas Ysa’s voice also proves to be a powerful tool for the producers to sample and distort; its distinctness works both as the central aspect of a record and in a more secondary role.
With You.’s take on the record ultimately stands to highlight both the collective’s talent and the strength of their source material, a feat that is easier said than done in modern remix culture.