Fatboy Slim’s “Everybody Loves a 303” first appeared on his 1996 debut album “Better Living Through Chemistry”, alongside now-classic tracks like “Going Out of My Head” and “Santa Cruz”.
Although “Everybody Needs a 303” was the second single from the album, it struggled in the charts, barely cracking the Top 200 in even the dance-music-friendly United Kingdom charts.
In 1997, Mr. Slim’s record label Skint released the “Everybody Loves a Carnival” remix of “Everybody Loves a 303” as its own single. It went up to number 34 on the UK singles charts. Still somehow losing to “Barbie Girl,” though 😉
The remix’s fusion of samba-house instrumentation (sampled from The Goodmen’s “Give It Up”) with the original track’s squelchy acid synths and an uplifting vocal sample from ’70s soul singer Edwin Starr lead to its becoming a bigger hit than the original.
The 2012 remix of “Everybody Loves a Carnival” by The Cube Guys and Analog People in a Digital World reworks Slim’s classic big beat track for the modern dancefloor. Updating the percussion with tighter, more pounding drums, and stripping back the busier elements to a sleeker, more concise base.
For example, the Cube Guys/Analog People remix keeps the essence of the original’s rolling bassline, but tones down the upfront wah-wah of the original riff to a more subtle bounciness. In the same way, this remix retains the original track’s anthemic chorus, but drops the acid house 303 synths, and generally pulls back the original’s whistle-driven, over-the-top carnival atmosphere.
It totally makes up for its relative minimalism with some ripping horn stabs.
Although it’s more minimal than the original, the remix’s festival horns, whooping synths, and ringing FX bring more than a bit of big beat exuberance to the track, and there’s even a tiny hint of acid house there in the breakdown.
The track’s flawlessly structured to get the dancefloor moving, and the effected are cleverly used to give some layered depth to the remix.
In the end, the Cube Guys/Analog People mix of “Everybody Loves a Carnival” is a welcome update of Slim’s original. The punchier, sparser drums are much easier to mix into a modern house music set. And the tougher, more stripped-back vibe is more suited to the 2010s-era dancefloor.
“Everybody Loves a Carnival (The Cube Guys & Analog People in a Digital World Remix)” is available as a digital download from Beatport, iTunes or directly from Skint Records.
Fatboy Slim – Everybody Loves a Carnival
Label: Skint Records
Released: September 3, 2012
Catalog-/Label-No: SKINT259D