Mr. Oizo provides a rare, raunchy remix for Chris Lake’s ‘Operator’

by: Will McCarthy Jul 15, 2017

An official Mr. Oizo remix is a rare honor for any producer to receive. With his propensity for bizarrely innovative electro, the legendary French producer has a distinct way of transforming songs into engaging revisions that stand apart entirely from their original counterparts. Oizo’s formidable take on Dog Blood’s “Chella Ride” and computerization of Chromeo’s “Over Your Shoulder” come to mind as particularly compelling examples of this trend.

In his newest remix, the Ed Banger veteran inverts “Operator (Ring Ring),” from UK house mainstay Chris Lake. The original song, which seemingly builds upon the influence of Green Velvet’s Cajmere alter-ego, was a hit for months prior to its release on OWSLA’s Howsla compilation in May. Dances With White Girls‘ recognizable vocal sample and Lake’s frenetic tech house synthesis led the track to be unofficially dubbed as the “soundtrack to Holy Ship 2017.”

Mr. Oizo’s interpretation, which comes as part of the OWSLA-backed remix package for Chris Lake’s assisted singles “Operator” and “I Want You,” takes the form of invigorating, glitch-laden electro. By modulating the vocals into a cerebral synth arrangement that coexists alongside Lake’s own production, Oizo manages to shift the single into an entirely new piece, while retaining the essence of the original.