On Regularfantasy’s newest EP, Free Britney, the Vancouver-based artist and DJ remixes Britney Spears in a house-inspired mix that could play at any warehouse party (if they were still allowed).
Britney Spears takes up so much space in our collective consciousness. With The New York Times’ documentary series Framing Britney Spears on Crave now, as well as the ever changing enigma that is Britney’s Instagram feed, Regularfantasy’s Free Britney is maybe the timeliest EP I’ve heard in a while. Consisting of three tracks, each a remix of some of Britney’s biggest hits, Regularfantasy’s reworking of “Oops!… I Did It Again,” “Hit Me Baby One More Time” and “Slumber Party” deliver some Berlin-esque dance tracks that feel familiar for the genre, but completely new for Britney’s sound. With additional production from Priori, Regularfantasy’s remixes feel like something from an alternate universe where Britney Spears took the place of Sofia Kourtesis.
Each track is laid down with classic drum tracks and bouncy synths, with Britney’s voice crooning over them almost unchanged from their original recording. The result is that each song is infectiously fun, bringing a slight groove to my shoulders regardless of where I’m listening to it or whatever I’m doing. It made me wish that this EP could be played the way it feels like it was meant to be: in some warehouse or club filled with Britney fans all looking to get down to some 2000’s pop club remixes. From the repetition of the sampled lyric “Oops!… I,” to the sparkling synths across the EP, there’s a definite love for Britney that is unmissable. Described as “Britney fan content” in the notes on Bandcamp, it’s clear that Regularfantasy knows Britney’s music and what to do to make it sparkle in a new environment.
Overall, Regularfantasy’s newest EP doesn’t feel as much like a collection of remixes, but three grooving house tracks that sample Britney’s most iconic lines. While maybe just a sliver more of original Britney could have added to the camp of the EP, I have zero actual complaints about the complete joy that is this EP. Through the poppy production and house-like beats, Regularfantasy doesn’t just remix Britney, but frees her from that all-too-familiar sound that we’ve grown to love and transforms it into something truly delightful. —Nathan Chizen