“Lean On,” the monstrous Major Lazer track featuring DJ Snake and Mø, has been inescapable this year. You can hear the hook and chorus blaring from every party, soundsystem, and taxi cab in the world. The single has gone platinum in the U.S. and the culprits have even performed it on morning TV shows. It’s not only the song of the summer, it’s a candidate to become the song of the year.
I’m not sure how much it factors into its success and/or how much it just reflects it, but “Lean On” has become one of the most remixed songs in recent memory. It seems like not a day has gone by without a new version of the track posted on SoundCloud or any music blog. I guess it’s too early to call it but it has a pretty good chance of becoming the most remixed song in history. Luckily for us at Remezcla, many of those covers are done with Latin rhythms in mind and many of those are brilliant.
The original version borrows more than a few musical aesthetics from moombahton, and Major Lazer is no stranger to Latin American sounds, so it only feels natural that many DJs and producers from this side of the culture give it their own spin in their language. So with that in mind, we braved the deep waters of SoundCloud and other sites to dig the best Remezcla-approved remixes. Drop them at your next set or party and see the fireworks explode.
Cumbia Drive
This one has already been featured on Remezcla. Our own Marcus K. Dowling noted the more traditional cumbia beat and it works amazingly well. Add timbales and cheesy synths to the mix, and you have enough elements to drop it at the next wedding you DJ. Seriously, your salsa-loving uncle will rocket to dancefloor and polish off his dancing skills when he hears it.
ADDONDEBASS
This one is another cumbia edit, this time from Mexican producer Alan Santana. It adds a grainy quality through the dubby voices, as well as an adventurous, scrambled arrangement that will keep you on your toes and moving the whole time. It’s oddly very in line with the vibe from the original, even if it steers away from doing anything straight out of the main version.
Ponce
This is not a remix, per se, but this previously covered track is delightful in its darkness. There’s a gothic ambiance to the spare arrangement and Ponce’s voice gives it a new shade of pale, proving that it can work at other levels. It’s a pretty bold move to take this song away from the dancefloor, but it works like a charm.
Yelram Selectah
https://soundcloud.com/yelramselectah/major-lazer-dj-snake-ft-m-lean
Cumbia rhythms apply to the song in question like butter to bread, so it’s natural that many try to give it a makeover beginning with this kind of beat. Yelram does this and then goes to town. This is a chopped and screwed version that puts the “lean” back into “Lean On.”
DJ LoBiTo (Reggaeton)
This one is an out-and-out reggaeton reimagining, in the most classic sense of the word. It even manages to include verses by urban flow merchants J Balvin and Farruko. This one is what you could call a perreo riot.