When the versatile producer, vocalist, and DJ Harrison was asked to remix Free to Love, Duran Duran’s new song with Nile Rodgers, his answer was simple:
“It’s Duran Duran and Nile Rodgers. You don’t say no to that.”
While both of those artists made their mark in the 70s and 80s, their sound and style have resonated throughout the decades. Rodgers put his mark on Daft Punk’s sensational final album Random Access Memories (2013). Duran Duran have been consistently putting out material as they embrace new sounds, such as on their rave-ready Tove Lo collaboration, GIVE IT ALL UP (2021). They’ve also been reinvigorating classics with their funky flavour, as they did on their cover of The Specials’ GHOST TOWN (2023).
Free to Love is a white-hot anthem to honest inner expression that combines all the danciest elements of both artists. Read on to dive into how a slew of other dance stalwarts brought their identity to the new track:
Harrison
What’s your gold standard for remixing — a track, a rule, or a general thought process you tend to follow?
Don’t fight the original. If a track’s worth remixing, something about it is already great, so the job is to protect that and then put your own fingerprint on top. The gold standard for me is when someone can hear the remix and instantly know it’s mine, but the original artist could hear it and feel like nothing they loved got lost.
That thick synth part in the intro really sets the tone for the remix. Tell us how you made it?
That intro sound is two patches: a pluck and a pad, both built in Serum 2. They’re saw waves with the pad heavily filtered. The character comes from frequency modulation. I used the noise oscillator as an FM source to modulate the main saw oscillators, so as you push the FM amount up, the noise crackles into the waveform and gives it that gritty, crunchy texture.
There are big nu-disco/future funk vibes here. What elements create that atmosphere, and how did you know that’s where you wanted to take the remix?
Honestly, the original does a lot of the heavy lifting. You’ve got Nile Rodgers on guitar, so the funk is already baked in. My whole approach was to stay in that same lane, because I love that sound, and then put my signature spin on top. That’s where the leads and the plucks come in.
Duran Duran’s vocals remain a primary feature in your remix. How much processing & mixing did you have to do to make the vocals sit so nicely?
Processing-wise, they only needed some light EQ and compression, then I rode the vocal level against the plucks and the bass. Every time the pluck hits, the vocal lifts slightly and never gets lost in the mix. The other big thing was restructuring. I moved certain vocal phrases into different sections, especially around the drops, so they’d hit harder and work in a club context.
Were there any effects, instruments, or synths you used for the remix that it wouldn’t be complete without?
The Moog Sub 37 handles the sub bass, sitting underneath a bass pad built in Serum 2. On the mix side, FabFilter Saturn was essential on the drum bus. Each drum part got its own EQ and light compression, then everything was bussed together and hit with Saturn. I love it because it’s multiband, so you can distort specific frequencies without wrecking the rest. The API 2500 glued the drum bus together, and I used it again on the synth bus. I also ducked the mid-high range with FabFilter Pro-Q, so the vocal always pushes through when the synths hit.
Trixie Mattel
It feels like this song was begging for an up-tempo dance remix. Did you know immediately which direction you wanted to go with it?
I knew I wanted to go very up-tempo and disco, and I figured when I watched the music video, the references are so disco vibes that I knew it would match up with what I think the group’s original intention was with the song.
I love the sustained synth line that carries the song’s danciest moments. Can you tell me about what mood you wanted this part to establish, and if it’s evocative of another era or artist in dance music?
Two of my idols are Purple Disco Machine and De Soffer. They both are masters at really simple, driving basslines with very intentional but restrained synths. I dream of even channelling a tiny bit of their magic.
The drums are obviously a big part of this remix. What kind of processing/effects did you use to help them cut through the mix?
I’m really into very metallic and sparkly top lines, and I love very processed retro hi-hats, especially when they play off a very simple, driving kick.
Is there anything you learned from doing this remix that you’ll now incorporate into your own projects?
Remixing is so weird because you go from being at home on your computer to an artist as big as Duran Duran. Sometimes it’s hard to believe. It’s very validating, and it reminds me to go for it. Plus, the source material was great for a remix because the main hook from the chorus is basically an arpeggiation of a minor chord, which is so easy as a starting point.
Alissia
What’s your gold standard for remixing a track, a rule, or a general thought process you tend to follow?
I don’t actually do remixes often, but when I do, it’s because I genuinely connect with the artist or the music. For me, a remix should preserve the heart of the original while offering a fresh perspective. I also love making edits and remixes for my own DJ sets. It’s a fun way to reinterpret a song and make it work for the dancefloor while still respecting what made it special in the first place.
You’ve made a name for yourself in the world of funk, soul, and R&B. How did you get connected with a new wave band like Duran Duran?
Last year I released my single Hypnotic Night featuring EarthGang and Nile Rodgers. Nile and I have become good friends and collaborators. He reached out to me about this collaboration with Duran Duran and asked if I’d be interested in creating a dance remix. I immediately said yes!
Stylistically, your remix deviates a lot from the original. Was this the intention from the beginning, or was there something that inspired you and sent you down that path?
Definitely intentional. My goal was to create something that DJs could play in their sets that felt dancefloor-driven and club-friendly, while still keeping enough of the original song that fans would instantly recognise it!
Talk to me about the swells and pads in the remix. What are your go-to instruments and techniques for giving these so much presence?
I’m a huge fan of analogue gear. On this remix, I used my Prophet-10, Moog Voyager, and Roland vocoder VP-330!
You’ve used the guitar and the vocal as the main callbacks in this remix. How did you determine what original material stayed in your version?
Since it’s a collab song of Duran Duran and Nile Rodgers, it felt important to preserve the elements that immediately define the record. Nile’s guitar is so iconic, and Duran Duran’s chorus is instantly recognisable, so those became the anchors of the remix.
You are a revered bass player — can you give a few quick tips for getting your favourite bass tone, with this remix as a reference?
I always try to get the sound before I even hit record. A great bass tone starts with the instrument, your hands, and your pickup selection/setting. If it already sounds great plugged straight into the DI, you don’t need to do much afterwards. I’ll usually run it through a little EQ and some compression, but I try to keep processing to a minimum. I like hearing the natural character of the instrument.
Were there any other effects, instruments, or synths you used for the remix that it wouldn’t be complete without? How did you use them?
I had a lot of fun experimenting with some of my favourite gear. I ran a few elements through my Furman RV-1 spring reverb, which has an amazing character. I also used my H-Delay, which is one of my go-to delay plugins.
Harry Levin is a freelance journalist with credits in SPIN, Billboard, MusicTech, Grammy.com, Los Angeles Magazine, and more. His musical journey began 20 years ago with a Led Zeppelin CD. He played jazz trombone through college, produced large-scale electronic music events, and now spends his professional time writing and editing.
