Whenever a classic is reworked by a remixer, the reactions from listeners will vary. There are those who’ll listen with an open mind and then there’s the die-hards who will rally hard about how a cherished song has been permanently ruined.
As a longtime Roberta Flack fan, her legendary hit, “Killing Me Softly With His Song”, is a forever favorite of mine. Having gone through three copies on 45 and a couple pressings of the similar-named LP, I would not be truthful if I didn’t look at a remix with a serious side-eye.
Known for his remixes of works by Phil Collins, Salt-N-Pepa, TLC, Sting, Bill Withers, and the Doobie Brothers (among others), the Deutschland’s Ben Liebrand can add Roberta’s timeless hit to his list of remixes. What started out as a mix created for his international radio show, Liebrand’s treatment of “Killing Me Softly” got the attention of Rhino Records, the longtime reissue label owned by Atlantic Records – Ms. Flack’s home for now 55 years. After a few refinements and an added bass track by Sasha Liebrand, Ben’s remixed version is now available in single, radio and extended renditions.
What I do like about this remix of “Killing Me Softly” is while there is an uptempo drum and rhythm track accompanying Roberta’s sweet vocals, the groove is completely low key and very chill. Liebrand is smart to keep his track within a mellow pocket and not let it override the vocals. It is indeed quite pleasant to my ears and would make a nice addition to the dance floors around the world.
Look, some of y’all may like this and some will probably want to visit Liebrand’s studio with tiki torches (please don’t do the latter, though…just agree to disagree and keep it moving). This groove-driven remix should make several summertime playlists as we approach that season. A huge thank you to Ms. Flack for her timeless gem and kudos to Ben for a fine remix. Well done.
By Kevin Goins
