3BE featuring Kelly Barnes - Rewind

As the theme to the third installment of the disturbing film series The Butterfly Effect, Kelly Barnes created a haunting and emotionally compelling rock anthem. 3BE, under SeaToSun Recordings, has morphed it into a club-ready anthem.

The task is a difficult one. How does one translate a song as emotionally charged as "Rewind" into a club track without it eliciting suicidal tendencies on the dance floor? The lyrics in "Rewind" speak of death many times, whether accidental (driving off a mountain) or self-imposed (needles) and about the extreme initial urge to put someone's broken body back together, or turning back time, so they can live again. That desperation that comes with utter, utter loss. The original track handles these themes admirably, soft piano accompanying the verses while the heavy rock slides in for the emotive chorus. When translating a song like this into a club track, recognizing the track's strengths and maximizing them is always a bonus. Karmatronic knocks "Rewind" out of the park in every aspect. Kelly's vocals are vulnerable on top of Karmatronic's signature dark synth style, her pain is apparent at every wrenching vocal moment. And they are the only remixer that I feel "got" the original and understood how to adapt it. Sted-E & Hybrid Heights do a decent job but the tech-y undergound feel to the mix detracts from the message. Loverush UK! maintain the piano, which sounds nice with their psuedo-swing beat. Timothy Allan's mix is more circuit than the rest, voiding the emotional content in favor of a mainstream club appeal. I feel this same concept applies to Speakerbox's mix, which also maintains the original piano melody. The instrumentation in the Authorized Future mix is interesting and appealing but ultimately too "poppy" and happy for the content.