INTERVIEW: Avi Sic remixes Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero”

Avi Sic is surely pushing boundaries and showcasing her talents with each release she shares with the world. She keeps finding ways of creating hew own sonic world, whether through her original productions or by making her versions of popular releases by other artists; Avi Sic’s reach is matchless and her skills unparalleled.

This time, she shares her take on Taylor Swift’s hit track ‘Anti-Hero’, a powerful remix that takes the best elements of the original and gives it a new twist with Avi Sic’s exclusive sound and flavor.

Avi Sic shared with us the process behind the scenes of this matchless remix, check out our interview below.

Hey Avi Sic, how are you?

Thanks for having me. I’m Good.

Your take on Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” is out now, what led you to produce your own remix of this track?

This track exploded as soon as it was released and I wanted to have a club friendly version for myself and other DJs to play.

How did the production process begin?

I worked on the acapella first. It was so new that there was no studio acapella available so I created one from the original and used that in the final mix. Next came warping the vocals. I didn’t want it to seem too sped up but had to make it fit the Dance genre. I built the remix around the vocals essentially.

What plugins or VSTs did you use to create this track?

I used Serum the most. I found a great bass patch and played with the dynamics until it fit. Omnisphere presets helped create the pads and background effects. Found some cool drum one shots and created midi patterns for the drums, hi hats, claps, etc. I played the notes of the melody using my Komplete Kontrol. Plenty of other VSTs sprinkled in for mixing purposes.

Which part of this remix is your favorite?

I like the drop. It’s different but works well. Has a good bounce to it.

Did you have to overcome any struggles while working on this remix?

I really wanted to be one of the first to put out a playable Dance remix for myself and other DJ’s to play. But I also didn’t want to rush it too much so that was my main struggle. A battle against time.

How would you like people to feel when listening to this track?

I want the listener to feel comfortable and safe in the nostalgic elements. It should be an easy listen at the intro, not too brash or out of character for a Pop song. The focus is a combination of the story being told, the fairy-like atmospheric sounds, and the subtle melodic synths. But as the story and sounds build, the intensity rises. The goal was to then give the listener a break from all the ‘prettiness’. So at the drop it goes to a deeper, dirtier, darker place.

What would you like to achieve with this release?

Aside from having a club worthy version of the song for personal use, I want to share it with other DJ’s/creatives, Taylor Swift fans and my listeners. Just a little something to mix it up.

How does your own style and sound show up in this remix?

It’s a clash of several styles that ultimately work together which is exactly the Avi Sic style – it maintains elements of Electronic Pop and House but then switches to something deeper and rhythmic on the drop. Rather than going for a classic Future House rendition of a Pop song, I took it in the opposite direction. I didn’t want Big Room synths – I thought it was more interesting to create a drop in a Deep House style with Bass elements.

What other tracks or artists would you like to remix in the future?

So many ideas for remixes! I’m working on an official remix for Chicago southside rapper Baha Banks (worked with Chance The Rapper) right now. I like to remix songs that were not originally intended to be in the Dance genre and give them a unique spin.

Listen to Anti-Hero (Avi Sic Remix) below