The last Dead Science album was released in 2008 but that hasn't stopped former frontman Sam Mickens. Mickens and fellow bandmate, Jherek Bischoff, have been working closely on various projects that range from solo albums, collaborations and, most recently, remixes. Mickens released Slay & Slake, his third release on Shatter Your Leaves, at the end of November. Various artists such as Craig Wedren from Shudder To Think, Zac Pennington from Parenthetical Girls, and legendary New York underground rapper MF Grimm, all contributed to the album. Slay & Slake was recorded from January to May through many manic yet magical late nights at Crazy Cat House in Brooklyn. </p>
The Slay & Slake remix companion, Stitched Wives, features all 10 original songs remixed by Deerhoof, Former Ghosts, MF Grimm, and of course, Jherek Bischoff and Parenthetical Girls. Through a recent interview with Zac Pennington about Kate Bush (which you can read here), I learned about the close relationship between Bischoff and Pennington. To see these three guys, plus many more equally talented artists, create such original and creative music is a beautiful thing. Parenthetical Girls remixes “Goodnight Human Torch/There Must Be More to Life Than This”, a smooth ballot on Slay & Slake that feels like traveling through a space tunnel. The remix adds drums, rhythm, and quite an epic build up at the end to the already soothing track. Bischoff takes the closing track “The Will To Live” and adds beautifully orchestrated strings instruments. The song quickly reaches a much deeper place. You can hear Mickens' plea, “hold on to the will to live”, desperately and sincerely.
You can listen to the two remixes below and download Slay & Slake at shatteryourleaves.com.
Goodnight Human Torch/There Must Be More to Life Than This by Sam Mickens (Parenthetical Girls RMX) by shatteryourleaves
The Will to Live by Sam Mickens (The Long and Winding Road Version by Jherek Bischoff) by shatteryourleaves
