All of a sudden we have two brilliant new Peter Björn & John remixes that came as if from nowhere. The reason for their appearance presumably being to build some degree of hype prior to the release of their upcoming third album, Living Thing, which is set to follow their lukewarmly-received sophomore album, Seaside Rock. Here we can see just how that new-disco aesthetic can be used to such awesome effect, London’s Jesse Kanda aka Friend, bringing the funk-fuelled horns to the forefront which, together with a steady bassline, transforms the more organic, unpredictable original into a terribly slick and fluid remix. My only issue with it is that I can’t help wishing/expecting Angus Andrew’s ominous falsetto to kick in at any moment to create a kind of discofied Drum’s Not Dead reprise out of the whole thing. We can but dream.

But the real star here is New York-based Golden Filter’s remix which, as Pitchfork notes, arguably works far better than it probably should. They’ve transformed it so effectively that Lay It Down becomes just as much a Golden Filter track as it is a PB&J with its newly-blended jaunty disco strings and ice-cold vocals, all set at a creepy pace which brings the skeletal beginnings to a glittering multi-layered final two and a half minutes in this seven-minute gem.

Peter Björn & John will be releasing Living Thing on Almost Gold Recordings/Startime International and Wichita Recordings on March 31st, so visit their sites to pick up a copy.

Peter Bjorn & John – Lay It Down (Golden Filter Remix)

Peter Bjorn & John – Inland Empire (Friend Mix)

Thanks Pitchfork and Discobelle.

- bec