The EQ Remix of Too Cool by 9 o’clock Nasty is a thrilling, genre-bending journey that reimagines the band’s track while maintaining the core energy and biting commentary that made the original so magnetic. As an embodiment of sonic evolution, the remix takes a bold leap from the rock-infused indie of the original into a pulsating, cerebral world where drum and bass collide with jungle rhythms, yet it keeps intact the spirit of the track’s subversive message.
The remix opens with the sharp ring of a school bell – a deliberate call back to the “too cool for school” ethos of the original. Almost immediately, there’s a sense of disruption, as the classic bell chimes are soon followed by the scratch of vinyl, recalling a vibe akin to the iconic Freestyler by Bomfunk MC’s. This juxtaposition of nostalgia and forward-thinking production signals that we are about to enter a space where genres blend and time periods collide.
The mood is set with a dense, hypnotic bassline that seems to pull the listener into a world of shadows and strobe lights. It’s an aggressive yet refined manipulation of sound, drawing influences from drum and bass, jungle, and punk, yet with a distinctly cerebral twist. The initial shockwave of bass rumbles through your chest, pulling you deeper into a labyrinth of warped frequencies, while the subtle elements of the original track still flicker in the background, like distant stars guiding us through the night.
Where the original Too Cool presents itself as a stripped-down, gritty anthem, the EQ Remix throws all caution to the wind, building something chaotic and intoxicating. The drums hit with savage precision, a relentless force driving the track forward at 175 bpm. The rapid-fire breaks and sub-bass throb evoke a sense of rebellion, but it’s not the messy, unrefined punk of yesteryear – it’s an intellectual, calculated take on an otherwise raw genre.
It’s here that the remix draws its most interesting contrast with the original: while Too Cool in its first form was raw, its message fiery and defiant, the remix is more cerebral, its rhythm section punishes us with deep sub frequencies while the rest of the track dances in a whirlwind of fragmented textures and relentless speed.
What’s impressive about Too Cool (The EQ Remix) is that while the soundscape is warped, the essence of the song remains firmly in place. The irreverent, defiant message about societal coolness, individuality, and questioning norms still pulses at the heart of the remix. The chorus, with its snarl of “He’s the low fat Jesus, the indie king, he’s too cool for school,” retains its cutting commentary, but now, it’s delivered through a filter of fractured electronics and jittery drum hits, as if the words themselves have been processed through a lens of digital distortion.
In a way, the remix heightens the introspective aspect of the original, “Can you be TOO COOL? Probably. We keep pushing the limits, we haven’t found the edge yet.” Where the original may have felt like a sneer or a challenge, the remix makes you feel like you’ve been pulled into a fever dream, where the boundaries between coolness and absurdity blur.
The remix also retains the chaotic energy that 9 o’clock Nasty is known for, but in a completely new form. The band’s work has always been about pushing boundaries, but in this case, the remix brings out the grotesque beauty of that experimentation. It’s a feverish, dizzying ride where we are “punctured and bruised on the dance floor,” as the remix description suggests, but it’s one that leaves us thrilled rather than disillusioned.
The collaboration between Mark Yorath (EQ), Phil Haywood, and DJ Mastersafe feels like a meeting of musical minds with a shared vision. These “savants of the lowest frequencies” fuse multiple genres together, each bringing their own unique flavour. Mark Yorath’s vision for the track takes us on a journey, balancing a subtle blend of chaos and order, like a dance between the brain and body, pulling us into its rhythms while our mind tries to catch up. The result is a sonic landscape that feels both alien and welcoming, frenetic but strangely cohesive.
The EQ Remix of Too Cool serves as an expansion. It’s a reinvention of a song that was already brimming with attitude, and it takes that attitude into a darker, more experimental space. It invites us to feel the beat deep in our bones, to lose ourselves in the madness of the remix while still retaining the message of the original. It’s cerebral, yes, but it’s also a visceral experience that pulls us into its thrall.
As the final beats fade away, leaving a silence in their wake, it’s clear: this is music that lingers in the mind long after the track ends, a soundtrack to the lost hours spent chasing the highs of rebellion and the thrill of the dancefloor. The EQ Remix of Too Cool isn’t just a remix. It’s a statement, and we have added it to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and TRIPPY playlist!