The Silent Servant remix of Liars’ 2013 single, “Mess on A Mission” is an undeniable propulsive, attention-grabbing track. While it struggles to find that sweet spot and become the dance track is might strive to be, it still is successful in adding a more energetic, free-wheeling take on a song that was originally fairly calculated and tightly wound. Yet much of Silent Servant’s remix is subtraction by addition. While there is more sound and energy here, the busy sound of the song dilutes the song’s original effect. This remix has every right to be judged on its own as an entirely separate track, yet its hard to get over the remix’s absence of contrast that was so prominent on Liars’ initial single. The skirting between potent synth and then fairly vocals-driven minimalism never has a chance to harness control amid the chaos of the mix. In the end it’s a remix that ultimately fails to move out of the shadow of the original mix.
by Mark S.