Odd Future vocalist Frank Ocean’s mixtape Nostalgia/Ultra includes several catchy pop gems, but none as moody and ominous as the grammatically-incorrect standout “Swim Good.” Picking up on the darkness in the song, Providence, RI native Gavin Castleton just released what he calls a cover/mashup/remix of the track, using a newly-recorded vocal track and samples from “Roads” by Portishead as well as Lee Oskar’s “Our Road” and Ananda Shankar’s “The Ocean.”
The added production elements of this track capture the feeling of the original, adding more texture and complexity. Castleton’s vocal performance is impressive and nuanced, living up the the standards set by Ocean’s album version. The windy sound effects and samples add nice programmatic touches, emphasizing the natural imagery of the ocean and beach as slightly intimidating, cleansing forces. Download the track below.
MP3: Gavin Castleton – Swim Good (Frank Ocean cover)
[audio: News0711/14SwimGood.mp3|artists=Gavin Castleton|titles=Swim Good]
Check out more from Gavin Castleton on his Facebook page.
