Anything Box

The American synthpop band Anything Box, of which I was already a big fan, held a remix contest to remix the song “Clean” in 2003.

They were a huge success there and also in South America, although strangely they didn’t have any success here in Brazil, perhaps due to the Information Society craze that was happening at the same time. Despite this, I occasionally find some of their CDs for sale here, including my first album by the band, which I bought in a regular store here in Rio.

After their third album, they became more and more rock, and with less and less synths. At that time, the band was more into pop/rock with hints of synths, serving more as decorations, very different from their origins. You can listen to the original song “Clean” here, and you’ll see that it’s much more rock compared to the band’s previous work.

So my idea was to make a version that would remind me of their old sound, which I like the most, while adding modern elements. The result was really cool and was approved by Steve B.

“Very nicely done. You’ve done a great job. It’s an excellent remix, and definitely the kind of stuff we’re looking/hoping for.”

Steve B

Later, my remix was chosen as the winner of the Remix Contest by Claude himself, with an incredible comment on my MySpace.

“Your mix put faith back in remixes… We loved it!”

Clause S.

But time went by and it had never been released, and then the opportunity arose to put it on my remix album. With Claude’s approval and even more compliments, I was very happy.

“Your remix is ​​still my favorite of all the ones submitted! No BS.!!!”

Claude S.

My remix was first officially released in 2005 on Synthphony REMIXed! Vol.2.

  1. Virtual Server “Why (Would I) [Hajas 2K4 RMX]”
  2. Droom “Blood Culture [Hajas Arena Mix]”
  3. Real Life “Painless [Hajas 5T4T3 RMX]”
  4. Opium “Faked Emotions [Hajas Vladivostok Mix]”
  5. Tristraum “I’m Under No One [Hajas SWOS Mix]”
  6. New Concept “Station Man [Hajas NER Mix]”
  7. Anything Box “Clean [Hajas Hope Mix]”
  8. !Distain “Sex’n’Cross [Hajas Universal Mix]”
  9. Project David “We’ll Go On [Hajas Dark Mix]”
  10. The Dignity of Labour “XRV [Hajas Rio Mix]”
  11. Color Theory presents Depeche Mode “Sweetest Perfection [Hajas Sloth Mix]”
  12. Will Loconto and Steve Paul “The Last Good Day [Hajas Lost Mix]”

In 2007, Anything Box released the Future Past EP, an EP with several new versions of “Carmen” and other exclusives, and to my surprise, a shortened version of my remix, edited by Claudehimself exclusively for the EP.

  1. Carmen (English Revisited)
  2. Carmen (En Castellano)
  3. Carmen (El Mix Rosarino)
  4. Carmen (Pipeloop Mix)
  5. Soul On Fire (Heartless Dub)
  6. Clean (Hajas Edit)
  7. Living In Oblivion (Chicago Haus Edit)
  8. Where Is Love and Happiness (Ultraviolet Edit)
  9. Interlude Movement 26
  10. Every Distant Sigh
  11. Untitled

My version had a huge impact, with many radio plays and praise from fans. I even believe it was the spark that made the band return to their roots, making incredible synthpop that everyone was eagerly waiting for them to make again one day.

My remix was so important that it was included by Spotify in the automatically generated compilation called This Is Anything Box, with more of the band’s most played and best rated songs on the platform. It is the only remix by the band on this list.

In 2013 Claude S. was a special guest to play a DJ Set at the Eighties Club for Autobahn, a famous 80s themed party in São Paulo, Brazil. He produced a music video to promote the party, and used none other than his edited version of my remix. That was awesome!