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"Leave it to the David Crowder Band to name its new remix project Sunsets & Sushi: Experiments in Spectral Deconstruction. The band wisely didn't go the typical remix route of simply adding a hip-hop beat or a techno thump to their songs. The word ""remix"" is nowhere to be found, even. Rather, they took eight songs from Illuminate and made them into an entrancing, contemplative collection of electronica-based devotionals.
Like Apt.Core and Andy Hunter before it, Sunset's sonic citations are multiple. ""No One Like You"" is given a minimalist, Postal Service-like reading in the verses, only to explode into a joyous '80s synth party reminiscent of new wave greats New Order later in the chorus. After an all-too-electronic false start, ""O Praise Him"" quickly takes on ominous symphonic elements becoming a cathartic, moody piece of grand proportions. Even more impressive is the Dirty Beats mix of ""Open Skies,"" which rebuilds the fun little ditty into a pensive, minor-chorded dirge adorned with elegant cello garlands and an eminent, plodding beat.
Elsewhere, ""Intoxicating"" is stripped of its funk tendencies and is transformed into a futuristic, spatial number. In its transition, ""How Great"" didn't lose any of its serious attitude, but it did adopt a danceable, acoustic pop vibe. By the time you reach the dark and haunting ""Deliver Me"" or the lovely, prayerful reinterpretation of ""Stars,"" it becomes clear that Sunsets & Sushi is truly a creative exercise in song deconstruction."
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