The electronic duo Crystal Skies is slated to release the ‘Not Since When (Remixes),’ a staggering 22-track remix LP of their debut artist album on Lost In Dreams Records from earlier in the year.
At the start of 2022, the East Coast-based production pair poured their heart out over their first-ever full-length, ‘Not Since When.’ The 13-track effort cemented their status among the elite creators from the melodic bass and electropop realms.
Centered around the core themes of ephemerality and holding onto fond memories from one’s youth, the album dealt with a heavy dose of nostalgia through its pop-punk meets electronic music ensemble. The credits were stupendous beyond belief, including features and collaborative works alongside marquee names such as MitiS, JT Roach, Mazare, Luma, Micah Martin, and Diandra Faye, to name a few.
Almost half a year down the road, Crystal Skies are taking the spirit of reminiscing one step further, as they round up a lengthy roster of like-minded and emerging talent to bring those memories back to the surface in the form of the official remix album.
All of the standout tracks are being given a fresh coat of polish, with a stacked roster of Lost In Dreams affiliates (N3WPORT, if found, and Friendzone) and label newcomers (Cubicore, Nick Ledesma, and Outcry) stepping in with their own unique interpretations, pulling the songs into a myriad of directions spanning dubstep, melodic house, electronica, future bass and plenty of shades in-between.
In honor of the release, a handful of the remixers in question share their thoughts on being tapped for the occasion.
Bentley Montes, the man behind the digital-savvy Pixel Terror project, tackles “We Got It,” the second single that arrived with the distinct vocal work from Micah Martin. The rocktronic essence of the original is amplified, pairing metal-leaning guitar riffs with ebullient melodies and grumbling talk-box synth slams.
“I love the direction Crystal Skies have been taking their music blending punk/alternative and future bass, and when they asked me to remix the album, I knew it had to be one of the songs featuring Micah Martin,” explains Pixel Terror. “The message in this song really captures a feeling I have been personally undergoing lately, but the song felt like it needed more grit, so I brought some heavy guitars and grinding basses to fluctuate alongside some tasteful melodics, and even added some of my own vocals to the bridge and the final hook. I had so much fun taking this already epic song to another dimension and really feel like I went all out across the board.”
New Yorker and self-professed nature lover Skybreak also chose to hop on “We Got It,” but the clear distinction separating his remix is the splashes of Midwest emo he weaves into the mix. The genre’s defining guitar play and twinkling piano keys play nice with his signature glitch-powered sound design.
“Outside of the EDM realm, I take a lot of inspiration from math rock artists and bands, like Covet, Chon, Hikes and Polyphia,” Skybreak shares. “Usually, subtle hints of the ethereal math rock sound tend to seep into my writing, but this remix was my first time consciously using math rock guitars in a song. I felt the sun-kissed guitar tone complimented Micah Martin’s rock-EDM vocals well, and I had a blast writing this remix!”
L.A’s emerging dubstep producer Chassi takes a stab at another Micah Martin-assisted number, “All To You,” the album’s closing cut that bolstered an appearance from Fairlane. His version takes its sweet time transforming from a subdued alt-electronic vibe into the restrained melodic dubstep grind that slaps without overwhelming the senses.
Chassi speaks on his rework: “For this remix, I decided to make the drop super melodic that hit on all emotional levels, and then a switch up to a heavy dubstep drop. I also wanted to add my own twist to this remix, as well, so in the intro & drop, there’s instances of some rock and guitars.”
Salt Lake City-native Francis Derelle gets his hands on the same track, which finds him building around the main melodic motifs while beefing up the energy through the blistering dubstep wobbles that he wedges smack-dab in the middle.
“When asked to remix a song from the Crystal Skies album, I choose ‘All To You’ because of the pop punk and melodic elements the song already had,” states Francis. I wanted to keep the melodic parts of the song but also add a new spin with heavier drops.”
Opting to work around “Moonlight”—which carries the lush vocals of Florida’s Ashley Apollodor—bubbling producer L I F E / L I N E creates a soft electropop glow around the track. He adds in militant drum lines and stretches out the vocal chops from Ashely’s humming phrases to create a lead that’s pleasing to the soul.
In his own words, L I F E / L I N E breaks down his approach: “Lost In Dreams focuses on the beautiful intersection of electronic music and sincere melodic songwriting – an intersection that I hold close to my heart. Crystal Skies obviously perfected this style of production throughout their latest album, and the track “Moonlight” is no exception. Putting a L I F E / L I N E spin on this song was a real treat – I’ve always loved writing melodic songs that tell a story, and I felt right at home crafting a production that complimented Ashley Apollodor’s captivating vocal performance.”
Lastly, High Zombie—the metal drummer turned bass music brain feeder—sinks his teeth into the glistening offering “Gold,” which glimmered on the strength of a stunning topline from the one and only Luma. Her lovely voice glides smoothly until a futuristic trap beat pushes the euphoria off the charts.
“I have been a big fan of Crystal Skies for some time,” says High Zombie. “When I was asked to remix ‘Gold,’ I was eager to work on the stems and see what I’d come up with. Being a part of Lost in Dreams / Insomniac has been a huge goal. Being a part of this release certainly means a lot to me.”
The initial experience of listening to the ‘Not Since When’ LP felt like taking a stroll down memory lane, relishing the highs and lows of life with longtime pals Crystal Skies. On the remix album, however, there’s an air of déjà vu that stirs up familiar feelings yet somehow coming across as something altogether new and exciting.
‘Not Since When (Remixes)’ Album Track List
01 MitiS, Crystal Skies – Gone ft. Linney (N3WPORT Remix)
02. Crystal Skies, Micah Martin – We Got It (Pixel Terror Remix)
03. MitiS, Crystal Skies – Gone ft. Linney (if found Remix)
04. Crystal Skies, Fairlane – All To You ft. Micah Martin (Fransis Derelle Remix)
05. Crystal Skies – Crazy While We’re Young ft. JT Roach (Danny Olson Remix)
06. Crystal Skies – Gold ft. Luma (Cubicore Remix)
07. Crystal Skies, Mazare – Cruel Summer ft. Bertie Scott (Caslow Remix)
08. Crystal Skies – Moonlight ft. Ashley Apollodor (Fells Remix)
09. Crystal Skies – Right Before We Fall ft. KnownAsNat (Nick Ledesma Remix)
10. Crystal Skies, Micah Martin – We Got It (Skybreak Remix)
11. Crystal Skies – Crazy While We’re Young ft. JT Roach (Friendzone Remix)
12. Crystal Skies – Right Before We Fall ft. KnownAsNat (DREAMOIR Remix)
13. Crystal Skies – Moonlight ft. Ashley Apollodor (L I F E / L I N E Remix)
14. Crystal Skies – Gold ft. Luma (High Zombie Remix)
15. Crystal Skies, Fairlane – All To You ft. Micah Martin (Chassi Remix)
16. Crystal Skies, Micah Martin – We Got It (Outcry Remix)
17. Crystal Skies – Crazy While We’re Young ft. JT Roach (Highlnd Remix)
18. Crystal Skies – Right Before We Fall ft. KnownAsNat (THE HOTEL LOBBY Remix)
19. Crystal Skies, Micah Martin – We Got It (GAINCHANGER x StaiR Remix)
20. Crystal Skies, Mazare – Cruel Summer ft. Bertie Scott (Hollows Remix)
21. Crystal Skies – Crazy While We’re Young ft. JT Roach (Sean Lafayette Remix)
22. Crystal Skies – Moonlight ft. Ashley Apollodor (Sunset City Remix)
Crystal Skies new remix album ‘Not Since When (Remixes)’ is available on all platforms via Lost In Dreams Records.
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