VENUSIA
The Man Who Sold The World
Basel, Switzerland
The Swiss-based duo known as Venusia are back with their cover release of 'The Man Who Sold The World'. The group released this song on the of 11th October this year, marking a unique and captivating rendition of 1970 original by David Bowie. There have been many versions of the release by the original artist that range from haunting and unsettling to acoustic but this rendition by Venusia consists in a realm of its own accord through one standout difference - The vocals.
Through their craftmanship, Venusia has produced a vocal performance which moves away from the panned and wired velocity of the original release and into a consistently crystal clear vocal. The vocals are frighteningly similar but make more use of the space through a subtle use of reverb.
The overall distinction between the 1970 original and Venusia's latest release lies in the clarity of the mixing and mastering alongside the historical futurism that rests in the robotic vocals of the time. Furthermore, the modern developments of Digital Audio Station Software has meant that this group have been able to master the art of freshness!
In terms of the arrangements, there seems to be minimal divination from the original other than a possible slight shift in tempo as well as the key plugging of a Cello bassline.
This is a great, fresh take on a classic track. Well done!
- TAMARA JENNA