- Bryon Harris
Mr. Slade - "Call Me" (Blondie)
Reviewed by Aaron Cloutier & Staff
Electro alternative artist “Mr.Slade” reimagines Blonde’s classic dance hit “Call Me” into 2021 with a refreshing industrial tinged rock style.
Though not straying from what makes the song instantly recognizable, Mr. Slade gives the song a sonic makeover complete with drum machines, thumping bass lines, and guitars that are so tucked in the background that they almost give off a subliminal-like quality. Upon first listen, I mistook them for keyboards but the fact that they’re EQ’ed to such an extreme makes for a nice texture in the mix.
The vocals are no doubt the highlight of this track. Full of attitude and dynamics, Slade’s delivery goes to both ends of the spectrum. From sinister whispers subdued in the background to a full voiced performance that brings me back to bands like Dope, Marilyn Manson, and Orgy. This version has it all.
Sonically, everything is very mid to high range with a lot of low end trimmed off to give the overall mix a slick sheen. Most industrial tinged rock music isn’t really known for having a considerable amount of low end so this doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Every instrument is very clean and balanced throughout. With tons of reverb to round out the atmospherics and create tones of space, this is a version you can lose yourself in.
In short, Mr. Slade pays homage to an old classic while leaving his unique stamp. If Electro Alternative Rock is your thing, dial up Mr. Slade because you will love this newly imagined version of "Call Me."
Stream on Spotify
Follow on Instagram For more information on Mr. Slade, please visit his website.
About Mr. Slade Music as a whole generally evolves and finds its way forward through unexpected collisions, left-field genre-splicing and half-planned creative fusions. Some are the obvious merging of music which has long been easy travelling companions, other times opposites attract, meld, battle, blend and give creative birth and what emerges from the sonic wreckage is a totally new and unexpected form. That is exactly what is happening on the latest release from Mr. Slade.