Shura – “Touch” (Four Tet Remix) (Singles Going Steady)

Evan Sawdey: Credit goes to Four Tet, who has gone from cut-n-splice folktronica go-to to a grade-A dance and indie remixer. His style has morphed and changed in fascinating ways but here, with this Shura remix, he is going straight for the heart: a skittering-but-propulsive backbeat, plaintive-yet-effective synth pulses, and a warmth that has faint echoes of peak-era Annie. It’s not an out-and-out masterpiece, but Shura’s lovely, plainspoken vocals seal the deal, turning her original into a basement valentine delivered right to your pleasure center. [7/10]

Pryor Stroud: At her most expressive, Shura releases open-ended syllables — “Why”, “mind”, the encoded “I” that yokes them together — that stall somewhere indeterminately between sound and air; they’re exhalations infused with melody, particles of falling carbon dioxide that cling together and cry, desperately, for the lungs that engendered them. Four Tet wisely recognizes this talent and draws it out further, taking these syllables from the chorus and using them as the centerpiece of his production. While retaining the original version’s widescreen sensibility and synth-centric ’80s aesthetic, he cranks up the tempo markedly, implanting a sense of urgency — to touch you or not to touch you — that was present but not as perceptible before. [8/10]

Emmanuel Elone: Four Tet really did a number on this one. From the shuffling synths to the soft chimes that serve as the introduction, this song is as smooth and laid-back as a baby’s bottom. Shura’s vocals are light yet emotive, and the electronic notes that float in the background accentuate the beauty of the vocals. The bass and drums also ride along, bouncing to the rhythm of the synth above. “Touch” Remix could easily have become boring, and it does start to become so by the end. Nevertheless, Four Tet brought his signature color and vibrancy, and the result is as great as any of Four Tet’s solo work. [7/10]

Chad Miller: The music is beautiful, and the pulsing rhythm gives the track a new color. My only complaint is that the lyrics don’t match up to the rest of the track. There’s just nothing to ponder in that department nor is there a hard-hitting concept of any sort. [8/10]

Chris Ingalls: I don’t know anything about the original mix, so I can’t tell you what Four Tet adds to the equation. It’s glossy, it’s harmless, and I guess the chorus has a lovely hook. If you need a stock dancefloor shaker, this’ll do the trick. But I’m not quite ready to add Shura to my Twitter feed or anything. [5/10]

SCORE: 7.00