Jamie Smith of The XX has remixed XL Recordings-labelmate Gil Scott-Heron's album I'm New Here, and the result, entitled We're New Here, is due on February 22.
Scott-Heron's album was categorized as being dark and brooding, adjectives that are often heaped upon The XX. Given the layers of stop-start rhythm and cold melodies that Smith adds to “New York is Killing Me,” it's easy to see how he connected the dots. But whether We're New Here is a successful reinterpretation of the poet's recent bid for relevancy, or a superfluous flash of a legend's badge remains to be seen. Though this most recent revolution won't be televised, it will be available on vinyl, pink vinyl, and green vinyl in a boxed-set.
Listen to Smith's version of “New York is Killing Me,” followed by Scott-Heron's, below. (And note that Nas has been here before.)
