To cap off a busy 2016, in which she released and toured behind her sophomore effort Oh No, Jessy Lanza dropped the Oh No No No Remixes EP. On Oh No, co-produced with label mate Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys, Lanza explored a breadth of genres from pop to new wave on the way to establishing her own neatly curated sound—one that thrives in the overlap between electronica and R&B. She explored the angst of romantic entanglement usually associated with the latter genre, but her penchant for vibrant synthpop melodies and stuttering drum patterns transformed anguish into a danceable incentive. Just as it says on the tin, this EP puts a new spin on three tracks from the album: “I Talk BB,” “Could B U,” and “Going Somewhere.” The remixes come courtesy of former collaborators and tourmates DJ Taye and DJ Spinn of Chicago footwork crew Teklife, Morgan Geist aka Storm Queen, and Leon Smart as DVA [Hi:Emotions].
While Oh No leaned into the chaotic musings about a budding romance, the EP soundtracks the left-brain, logical analysis. Geist adds a light touch to “I Talk BB,” brightening up the album version with synths and a drum machine. Lanza’s breathy falsetto from the original serves as an instrument on the remix, blending in with the beat rather than standing apart. This holds true when “Could Be U,” the ambient outro to Oh No, is given the Teklife treatment by DJs Taye and Spinn. There are brief hints of Lanza’s voice over a subdued but frenetic drum pattern, which is similar in tone to the original despite the slight increase in tempo, but it seems like she’s not necessarily the star of her own EP. The remixes don’t pounce at the chance to celebrate the upper reaches of her voice—used often, instead of the modal register, to express uncertainty and anxiety on the originals.
This point is hammered home on the final track, DVA [Hi:Emotions]’ take on “Going Somewhere,” one of the more upbeat compositions on Oh No that also highlights Lanza’s range, removes her vocal almost entirely. For seven and a half minutes, the track plays out like the audio from some kind of immersive art installation, interpolating snippets of Kim Kardashian’s voice with haunting synth lines and R2-D2-esque droid sounds that mimic most reality shows' warped relationship with the truth (“I just wanna impress you,” Lanza repeats, a relatable impulse that can turn psychotic if it becomes a compulsion).
The Oh No No No Remixes EP makes for good ambiance, but they don't say much on their own. They set a relaxed mood, and they function as a mellow, cohesive mini-supplement to the album. But the EP is more of a showcase for Lanza’s collaborators and less a celebration of her voice and everything that made Oh No so good. It’s likely that fans of the latter record, where her songwriting and vocal talent take center stage, will stick with it instead.
