Porter Robinson – Sad Machine (Darren Styles & Gammer Remix) [Free Download]

by: Will McCarthy Jan 24, 2016

As a genre, happy hardcore can be as polarizing as the conflicting notions of its own name suggests. One might suspect that a happy hardcore remix of Porter Robinson‘s wistful electronica ballad “Sad Machine” would be further polarizing still. The pairing of British hard dance heavy hitters Darren Styles and Gammer with Robinson’s single, however, works surprisingly well.

Premiered by Skrillex’s Nest HQ, Styles’ and Gammer’s remix leaves Robinson’s original vocals and instrumentation largely intact, but enlivens it with an increased tempo and buoyant essence. Though the playful energy of their remix contradicts the concept of anything remotely sad, Styles and Gammer manage to attract opposites, ultimately producing a fitting complement to “Sad Machine” through an unlikely avenue.