Berlin Remix Contest

Message from Terri Nunn

Winner

 

Also:

 Ian worked with Terri Nunn to create this new version of his remix.
To read a note from Ian on his remix, click here.

Prizes

ACID PRO 4.0.
SOUND FORGE 6.0.
Five loop libraries.
A Berlin prize package from ARTISTdirect.

About the Contest

Voyeur was produced by keyboardist/writer/producer Mitchell Sigman and Peter Rafelson (whose writing credits include tunes penned for Madonna, Stevie Nicks and The Corrs). They brought their diverse influences into the mix to join those of Terri Nunn, who has also spent the last 10 years working at times on solo efforts and collaborating with an impressive range of artists. Musical and writing partners have spanned from Karl Hyde of British electronica super-group Underworld and Concrete Blonde's Johnette Napolitano to Tool's Danny Carey and the one and only Sisters of Mercy.

The inspirations on Voyeur run far and wide, traipsing across multiple genres of dance music (from downtempo to trance), often threading them with more traditional rock. Blink of an Eye's combination of club beats and Nunn's hypnotic vocals are sure to capture both radio and dance floors. Bring your own inspiration to Blink of an Eye, and see what you come up with.

About the Artist

Before No Doubt, Garbage, and dozens of other similar bands, there was Berlin - the American Progenitor of electro-pop and sexy provocation fronted by the enigmatic Terri Nunn. And while many bands that had tremendous success in the Eighties are the recipients of tributes today, few have had as far-reaching an impact or grooves nearly as timeless as those of Berlin.

After releasing Pleasure Victim in 1982, Berlin signed with Geffen, where they produced hits like like No More Words, Now It's My Turn and Take My Breath Away, the Giorgio Moroder-produced love song that propelled the sales of millions of copies of the Top Gun soundtrack. Take My Breath Away also spawned an international number-one single, a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award.

After a few line-up changes and many years spent performing countless live dates, Berlin wound down in the late Eighties. But after years of being encouraged to revitalize the band, Terri Nunn conceded in 1998.

Voyeur, Berlin's first studio effort since 1986's Count Three and Pray, is no Eighties reunion rehash. Not content to do 'greatest hits' tours, Voyeur is the sound of a fresh and confident band that knows the strength of their new material is as good or better than any other electronica act today. Berlin's now got a more multi-layered sound rhythmically, and Terri Nunn's voice sounds more mature than ever before.

ACIDplanet is excited to offer the lead single, Blink of an Eye, for remixing. Another great opportunity for original electronica innovators to meet the next wave of electronic musicians.

Get your copy of Voyeur here.

A Note From the Winner, Ian Armstrong

There is an email circulating on the internet about being a "child of the 80's"; it hits my inbox three or four times a year. Each time it is received, I review this email for new nostalgia regarding my childhood and memories. Well folks, I've got something to add. You're a child of the 80's if you remember the look your parents got when you started dancing to "Sex" back in 1982-83—not long after video killed the radio star and MTV was born. Every kid dreams of being a rock star and a few of us never let go of that dream—so it is with great pleasure that this DJ, former rock guitarist, and upwardly mobile dance music producer was given a chance to work with Berlin and introduce the band to a generation that will follow in our footsteps. At just 26 years old I've built my first bridge, not like my sister the engineer but instead like my mother the writer. It would seem we stand poised on the brink of an 80's revival in music (god help the fashion industry) so to all my brothers and sisters in arms, hey, I'm just doing my part.

This remix consists of a number mostly non-contest loops, however, I wanted to showcase the "best of the 8Packs" when I built this track. Dig through a couple of years worth of archives and you'll have better than 60% of the materials required to attempt a similar undertaking. The key to making the beat drop lay in a single MIDI drum sequence I designed called "3-4 Booms"—which lets me move from a house beat to a break-beat almost imperceptibly throughout the progression. Matching the chorus to this rhythmic progression was a bit of a trick—I had to offset on the backbeat then flip back to regular time on the verse. Pay attention next time you listen—you'll notice that shift. Finally, what got Terri Nunn's attention regarding this remix were the hooks created using the supplied background vocal tracks. Rather than use the ever-popular "shake your money maker" line to hook the listener I used an overlay of the background arias and "I Believe" one shots. As a DJ, I wanted to be able to drop the track during a set, so I needed to get it up over 126bpm's at a minimum or it wasn't going to stand much of a chance in a night club. What you've heard is the end result of this logic.

Contrary to the opinions of some, a lot of planning went into this remix. There is a line existing between the art of music and the business of music that most of the producers on Acidplanet either lack the experience to recognize or are too cynical to pay attention to. As a veteran of the industry, regardless of my short tenure in electronic music production, it is a line that I was able to distinguish the first time I heard the song. Often the best production from a market standpoint is the one that left alone what worked and paid respect to the artist's original vision. Remember that whether or not you like the original product you are given, it represents someone's dream. That someone will eventually decide whether or not to produce your work.

On a closing note I want to commend Sonic Foundry on the remarkable achievement that is ACID Pro 4.0. I started using another producer's computer (including their copy of ACID 4) about half way through production on this track and was suddenly able to control the sound on a level that rivals my experience with industry leading tools. The difference between ACID and the competition is something akin to flight school... in that ACID Pro 4.0 does not require several man months of training and practice to operate. Having won the competition, I now have my very own copy of ACID Pro 4.0—and I couldn't be happier. Thanks to everyone who believed in me these last few roller coaster years. My friends, with several mixes about to hit production, it would seem I have found a niche.