More about: Lady Gaga

Ever since rumours of a Lady Gaga and SOPHIE remix surfaced back in 2018, fans have been hotly anticipating Gaga’s hyperpop era. Whilst Chromatica delivered throwback disco and house fun, the Dawn of Chromatica remix album offers a sneak peek into the Gaga that could have been: deliciously dramatic pop insanity.

Gigwise ranks all of the remixes from worst to best:

14. 'Enigma (Doss Remix)' 

The original track features a languorous background for Gaga to howl and emote to the best of her abilities; the Doss remix suffocates her signature powerhouse style under generic EDM breaks. It’s not terrible, but compared to the other creative ideas on this album, this ranks as forgettable. 

13. 'Babylon (Haus Labs Remix)'

I’m not sure why the two remixes of 'Babylon' were included, but this version drags the energy of the song instead of providing a steady backbeat and robs it of its original anthemic qualities. Much like ‘Enigma’, it’s not an awful rendition, but when you’ve got guests who are willing to take Gaga’s sound to the edge, the Haus Labs remix seems pale and uninspired. 

12. '1000 Doves (Planningtorock Remix)'

This remix exaggerates the gentle shakers in the background into a wonderfully jittery rhythm that pulsates throughout the entire track; sadly, it butchers what little vocals survive, taking away from ‘1000 Doves’ and its original theatricality. This take fails to match the energy of the original version, turning it into something much more stable but muted. 

11. 'Stupid Love (COUCOU CHLOE Remix)'

COUCOU can do so much better than this—her dark, freaky, rubbery sound is diluted into something way more conventional. It’s not quite the right approach for a song like ‘Stupid Love’, which is unabashed in making bad decisions to the point of cheese. The remix does take an interesting turn towards the end, but overall there could have been more artistic risks taken.  

10. 'Alice (LSDXOXO Remix)'

As an album opener, ‘Alice’ is false advertising: the heavy beat isn’t quite representative of the psychotic highs this album has in store. Admittedly, I like this remix more than I predict fans will: that chord progression and those weighty kick drums are so delectable that I could dance to it all night. Unfortunately, that energy remains disappointingly static, and it betrays the desperate, almost deluded hope that the original ‘Alice’ contained.  

9. 'Plastic Doll (Ashnikko Remix)'

No matter what, Ashnikko brings bags of fun to every track she’s on. On 'Plastic Doll', she weaves in and out of Gaga’s soaring chorus with the bouncy confidence she’s known for. Her verse is bright and poppy, with a nice Heathers reference, but there isn’t much else to the song post-chorus. I enjoy the more uptempo approach, but clocking in at two-and-a-half minutes, it feels lacking.  

8. 'Free Woman (Rina Sawayama & Clarence Clarity Remix)'

This remix doesn’t sound too dissimilar from the original, preserving much of the original vocal line and the song’s energy. That being said, it’s very hard to compete with Gaga’s legendary pipes, and Rina Sawayama delivers a killer second verse with some of the best vocals she’s ever done. She sounds nearly indistinguishable from Gaga herself – her vibrato is so warm and beautiful, her delivery fluid and free. Although there weren’t too many liberties taken, the fact that Rina and Gaga stand as equal opponents makes this remix worth listening to. 

7. 'Rain on Me (Arca Remix)'

It wouldn’t be Arca without some bold decision that would make one guffaw – and the decision to make all of ‘Rain on Me’ high-strung and tense with no resolution was certainly a big choice. After Kick I, I was expecting something completely off the walls, but Arca lets the track simmer and steam, never letting up. I respect the intentions more than the product – it’s not a song I personally would come back to a lot, and I predict other fans might have the same mindset. Regardless, Arca’s guts makes this remix rank quite highly, demonstrates the kind of risks artists were willing to take for this album. 

6. 'Sour Candy (Shygirl & Mura Masa Remix)'

Now this is a song where you can make it more lowkey and make it work. Shygirl is the perfect addition to this given her track record of dark, freaky, underground house music, and Mura Masa is an unexpected but welcome name into the mix. Shygirl and Mura Masa turn this into something more sour than candy, ridding the pop pleasantries and making it even more sultry and smoky. The little metallic whizzes are also a subtle, quirky addition that really cements it as a fun remix. 

5. 'Babylon (Bree Runway Remix)'

Is there a way for a verse to serve face? If so, it’s Bree’s verse in Babylon, which retains the infectiously confident stance against gossip. Bree makes little Gaga references and raps some amazing lines (‘face card on and it never declines’), all in her buttery vocal delivery. Bree elevates Babylon with style, grace, and flair, managing to do so in only in eight lines!

4. 'Fun Tonight (Pabllo Vittar Remix)'

This took me aback at first, but after listening to some electronic forró, a northeastern Brazilian genre, I can appreciate what Pabllo has done for this track. It expands the definitions of what we consider electronic music, and once I got used to the accordion, I was impressed with how easily they fit Gaga within the style. Pabllo’s voice is gorgeous, too – compared to Gaga’s, her timbre is a lot more gentle, but this contrast interacts very nicely with Gaga’s cries.  

3. '911 (Charli XCX & A. G. Cook Remix)'

Charli stans were blessed with this remix, which takes a lot more ethereal approach thanks to PC Music head honcho A. G. Cook. It transforms the rigid, robotic original into something way more chaotic, but tense. The overly distorted chorus transitioning into Charli’s feature is stunning, and I appreciate her performing more in her vocal style instead of conforming to Gaga’s standards. The entire song delivers high drama, Charli and A. G. style, all whilst sounding utterly transcendental. 

2. 'Replay (Dorian Electra Remix)'

Dorian Electra is one of the most exciting artists to come out of the hyperpop camp. It’s strange to think that their work is about deconstructing the gender binary when they sing about being an edgelord (tongue firmly in cheek, of course). They certainly don’t disappoint in this remix, taking Gaga to dizzying new heights that you couldn’t imagine herself doing. In the blink of an eye, Chris Greatti and Count Baldor take this from grainy club banger to heavy metal breakdown to fractured hyperpop madness. It’s an absolute clusterfuck, and there’s no one better to steer the helm than Dorian. 

1. 'Sine From Above (Chester Lockhart, Mood Killer and Lil Texas Remix)'

Chester Lockhart, Mood Killer and Lil Texas do some incredible work turning the balladic ‘Sine From Above’ into a track way out of the realms of imagination. From the moment the thunder strikes and those menacing synths declare their presence, ‘Sine From Above’ warns you about the rollercoaster you’re going to take, like a haunted house on acid.

From the stunted vocals to the blaring sine wave that replaces the word, there’s some memorable flourishes that helps this remix to stand out. But it’s the effortlessly breakneck speed at which the song switches faces which really solidifies its status as the best remix on ‘Dawn of Chromatica’. You’ll hear pianos, wailing horns and saxes interject at random points, only for it to devolve into some throwback nightcore nightmare. This remix is so expressive, experimental, and ballsy, straining Gaga and Sir Elton John’s vocals to the very limit, until it all comes crashing down. It’s Gaga like we’ve never heard her before.

Dawn of Chromatica is out now.

More about: Lady Gaga