Planningtorock's "Heroes"

remixes, cultural daydreams, meaningless meditations

Well, this song’s pretty goddamn delicious! Just to get this out of the way, I harbor no ill will towards Moby for effing up his first attempt at David Bowie’s “Heroes” on his latest release, Reprise. Messing with perfection, like covering a masterwork, takes giant balls given the likelihood of hardcore failure, but things actually start to turn around for Moby when he hands the “Heroes” track off to Planningtorock on Reprise Remixes. With signature Planningtorock vocal distortion, this rehashed translation is glimmery dream pop wrapped in a dark dance tune that calls to mind Pet Shop Boys reworks like “Always On My Mind” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” Pretty much a total departure from the “Heroes” we all know and love, the song feels like it sprung from the same glittery primordial soup that spawned androgynous alien rock star Ziggy Stardust. Planningtorock’s remix is distinct. It’s Bowie, but not Bowie. It’s “Heroes,” but not “Heroes.” It’s Moby, but not Moby…and when I first heard it—out of the blue on a Saturday afternoon—I did an auditory double take, followed by a series of gentle little shoulder shimmies in honor of this repurposed edition of a classic I never considered would become a banger for the dance floor.