Premiere: Neil MacLeod - Viscera (Brainwaltzera Remix)

Mysterious modern IDM master flips the cinematic pop original into an atmospheric, downtempo epic

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After unveiling the remix project of his We Have Known Last Days EP last year, Pōneke/Wellington-based purveyor of vivid alt-pop Neil MacLeod is nearly ready to unveil the full remix EP, out February 24, with the Brainwaltzera remix of Viscera premiering on Pilerats today ahead of release!

A dramatic & cinematic, almost industrial-leaning cut of electronic alt-pop, enigmatic producer Brainwaltzera took a few elements from the original for their sonic palette and more than doubled the original’s runtime, with the result an eight minute plus enchanting remix.

Catching the attention of Aphex Twin with their Soundcloud uploads in 2016, Brainwaltzera have shot to prominence in the electronic underground with two acclaimed albums to their name while still remaining anonymous, fuelling speculation as to just who Brainwaltzera is.

Regarding the remix, MacLeod recalls "Listening to Brainwaltzera’s remix for the first time was a surreal and emotional experience for me. The production, the sonics, the arrangement… all of the elements worked together so naturally that you could really feel the human and the emotional experience behind them. It’s both strange and beautiful to have someone reinterpret your work like that and I’m deeply grateful for what Brainwaltzera brought to this remix EP, he’s a truly inspiring artist who I hope to work with more in the future."

Alongside the Brainwaltzera and already released 2XM, Throwing Snow and Proteins of Magic remixes, Second Self, Leaping Tiger and Amamelia round out the list of renowned producers from New Zealand and Europe who contributed to the We Have Known Last Days Remixed EP.

Speaking of his new release, Neil details “It’s really hard to summarise my feelings about this remix EP. As a fan, it’s just totally mind blowing to me that all of these artists came on board in the first place. I’m so honoured that they’ve been willing to contribute. They’ve all reinterpreted the originals with such vision, mastery and care… It's been a real trip for me!

It was like Christmas every time a new remix would come in - the experience of hearing them for the first time was a profound mixture of feeling entranced, excited and intensely grateful all at once. It took me a while to actually process each track properly to be honest.

Now, it’s over to the audience... I hope that they find the listen as stark and rewarding a journey as I do. I feel that we’re actually presenting much more than a collection of remixes; that we’re really presenting a new record entirely; with new meanings and emotional potency for every song. I think for those who’ve already spent some time with the original this is going to be a magical experience, and for those who haven’t, I hope it might inspire them to do so!”

Give the Brainwaltzera remix of Viscera a spin today before the full EP drops March 24!