File under: Songs, non-scientific. (Not quite remixing Pocket’s “Sampo”)

You may or may not have heard about Pocket’s 2009 Singles Project, which involves Pocket remixing original songs from a list of indie all-stars (including Robyn Hitchcock, Tanya Donnelly, Dave Smalley, etc etc etc). When an opportunity to remix the remixes came along, the temptation was irresistible.

I’ve never been a remixer, but I thought I’d give it a try. I was drawn to Yuki Chikudate’s song “Sampo,” possibly because I couldn’t understand what exactly she was saying. What came out was interesting (I hope):

“Don’t Follow Me” is an original song that heavily samples Yuki Chikudate’s vocal track. It also features me saying, “I don’t understand Japanese,” in Mandarin. The song is kind of a parable about misunderstandings.

That wasn’t a proper remix, though, so I thought I’d try again. And, based on my deep love for Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, I wound up creating something else:

Chas Van Masters in “Sampo! A Pocket Mystery.”

Which isn’t a remix either. It is, however, a thrilling, action-packed 12 minutes of radio drama.

Go, listen to Pocket, listen to these, enjoy Yuki Chikudate’s gorgeous voice, and make something.

Tags: remixes