Audien is an up-and-coming DJ who we were lucky to get a visit from during Paradiso. Like many of us, he grew up listening to the late great Michael Jackson. The King of Pop’s music had a profound influence on the young music prodigy, paving the way for his career as a producer and DJ.
When asked to update Michael Jackson’s classic Slave To The Rhythm, Audien jumped at the opportunity. Updating and remixing classic MJ songs has been a project for more than one DJ recently; we’ve seen remixes from Fedde Le Grand and others, bringing new life to classic tunes. The remix comes as the producer’s first commercial remix since the chart-topping success of his remix for Bastille’s “Pompeii.”
Audien gives Slave To The Rhythm a contemporary electronic twist, while maintaining the integrity of Michael Jackson’s original. Gently building the former with a sweet and upbeat string melody, Audien approaches the climax with surmounting kick drum and laser synths before dropping an epic breakdown (!) that embodies the spirit of the legend himself.
Though there have been many Michael Jackson covers and remixes, Audien is the first artist commissioned to remake Slave To The Rhythm. The record was originally written and recorded in 1989, but was recently performed by Michael Jackson in a magical live appearance at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards. Due in part to Billboard’s streaming of the performance, the song debuted at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Jackson a posthumous 50th entry on the highly regarded music charts. You can check out a live performance of MJ’s original mix here, and then experience Audien breathing new life into the song:
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