Hypnagogic States (The Cure)

Hypnagogic States is a remix EP released by The Cure as a stopgap for their delayed studio album, due near the end of October.

I wrote a review for a friend, so I'll just be appropriating that for this purpose.

Tracks:
1. The Only One (Remix 4 by 30 Seconds to Mars)
I don't like this remix at all. I think it completely changes the mood of the track for the worse. In fact, it's almost as if the new elements are working against the vocal track. I can't find anything to recommend about this track.

2. Freakshow (Wolves at the Gate remix)
I don't think this improves on the original, but it's enjoyable. It adds some club-friendly elements. Worth a listen. It's not likely to wow.

3. Sleep When I'm Dead (Remix 4 by Gerard Way and Julien-K)
This is probably my favorite of the remixes. For whatever reason, I find that this mix does a better job of bringing out the lyrics than the single mix did. Perhaps that's partially because I know them better now, but I don't think that's entirely why I found that to be the case. Anyway, I think this one works very nicely.

4. The Perfect Boy (Remix 4 by Patrick Stump / Pete Wentz)
This is another where the mood seems changed a bit, but unlike the remix of "The Only One," it's not completely killed. As with the "Freakshow" remix, it doesn't really improve on the single version, but it's still pretty good in its own right.

5. Exploding Head Syndrome (4 Single Remix by 65 Days of Static)
This is an interesting beast. It tries to be an epic composition that takes elements from all four songs. It's best appreciated if you can let your mind turn off a bit and just listen and drift along as it goes through its moods and phases. In parts, it succeeds, but "Exploding Head Syndrome"'s ultimate downfall is its transitions. There are a few that just aren't convincing and could just as easily have been breaks between tracks. However, if a little more care had been put in the transitions, then this would have been a must-have track that would have made the EP essential. Despite not being the great track it could have been, I do think this is pretty cool and would rank it my second favorite offering from this EP behind the "Sleep When I'm Dead" remix.

So there you go. It's an interesting, but ultimately inessential, release.