Pitchfork: Castanets, Tim Sweeney to Remix Grizzly Bear

Castanets, Tim Sweeney to Remix Grizzly Bear

Things get strange when large forest animals wind up in metropolitan communities. Prone as they are to campsite raids and erratic bursts of violence against humans, grizzly bears of the wild radiate a certain kind of nobility by virtue of their power. By comparison, NYC's Grizzly Bear make sounds of urban mishap, like the poor animal that wandered from the foothills and wound up in your back yard, tranquilized, and laid out as a vulnerable, inert spectacle. The gentle vocal harmonies and bizarre arrangements from their debut Horn of Plenty are at once disconcerting and utterly captivating, which, of course, make perfect source material for remixes.

As a tip provided to us from Josh at www.uncommonfolk.net, Kanine Records is rereleasing Grizzly Bear's first album with an bonus remix CD on October 11. Frontman Ed Droste confirmed this via email, elaborating that he originally approached the Soft Pink Truth's Drew Daniel to do a one-off remix, and the project snowballed into a full-length re-release as other friends and musicians found out. Artists include a whole lotta Brooklyn: producer and DFA-affiliated DJ Tim Sweeney, Hisham Bharoocha (Soft Circle, formerly of Black Dice and Lightning Bolt) & Rusty Santos, UK composer Simon Bookish (who remixed "Michael" for Franz Ferdinand last year), Ariel Pink, and the Castanets. Confirmed tracks:

"A Good Place" (Soft Pink Truth remix)
"Fix It"/"Service Bell" (Tim Sweeney remix)
"Eavesdropping" (Simon Bookish remix)
"Fix It" (Solex remix)
"Campfire" (Hisham Bharoocha & Rusty Santos remix)
"This Song" (The Double remix)
"Disappearing Act" (Ariel Pink remix)
"Deep Sea Diver" (The Bomarr Monk remix)
"Shift" (Circlesquare remix)
"Alligator" (Y.A.C.H.T remix)
"Showcase" (Phiiliip remix)
"La Duchess Anne" (Safety Scissors remix)
"Alligator" (Mixel Pixel remix)
"Fix It" (The Fawn remix)
"Campfire" (Efterklang remix)
"Don't Ask"/"Service Bell" (Black Moustache remix)
Track TBA (Final Fantasy remix)
"Deep Sea Diver (Castanets remix)

As if that wasn't enough, Grizzly Bear are also gearing up to record their second LP later this summer. Droste suggested that their sophomore effort will reflect the live transformation of songs taken from Horn of Plenty, which sound considerably more lush as a four piece, including original member Christopher Bear and two new full-time members Chris Taylor and Daniel Rossen. Said Ed: "...the songs will be significantly more dynamic. Won't be quite as sleepy as the first record." What's wrong with sleepy?

They've got shows coming, too. Go Bears!

06-16 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
06-25 New York, NY - East River Band Shell
07-10 New York, NY - Rothko