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Remaking 1901 by Phoenix to Learn Why It’s So Good

Ego Dip

105,408 views

I rebuilt 1901 by Phoenix from scratch to figure out what makes it so good.

My Keyboard: https://novationmusic.com/launchkey?u...

Phoenix built 1901 out of a handful of parts that all lock together so tightly you can't change one without changing all of them. In this video I rebuild the whole song from the ground up — the gritty unison synth bass, the soft guitar it rubs against, the ghostly bell buried in the intro, the hybrid live-sampled drums programmed by hand — and take apart what each piece is doing, all the way to the one moment in the chorus I really wanted to get to.

Along the way: why the bass hits on the upbeat instead of the downbeat, why the verse drops that bass note down from the F to the D (and why every other instrument had to follow), the snare pushed forward an eighth note that keeps you permanently off balance, and the compression-and-release trick in the chorus that makes it feel like a box shrinking around you until it breaks open.

Also, I've been mishearing the last line of this song for years.

Leave a comment with anything you know about 1901 that I missed — or whatever this song reminds you of.

MY MUSIC: https://hyperfollow.com/egodip

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V I D E O S T O W A T C H N E X T

Young Folks by Peter, Bjorn and John: This Song Is Basically Inception

*Sleepyhead by Passion Pit:* Sleepyhead is... Weird.

**Midnight City by M83**: Remaking Midnight City by M83 to Learn Why...

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00:00 It Begins

00:42 Intro pt. 1

03:54 Intro pt. 2

05:58 Novation Launchkey MK4

07:24 Back at it baby!

09:02 First Verse pt. 1

11:08 First Verse pt. 2

13:09 Chorus

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Follow me on Spotify and Apple Music!

https://hyperfollow.com/egodip

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Inquiries: Brennan@egodip.com

20 Comments

@DrMarmalader 2 months ago (edited)

Bro loves his indie bangers. I remember how cool it felt hearing this song for the time. I admire your appreciation to the work.

@MichaelpMandel 2 months ago

Once again deconstructing my playlist. great work.

@robertkrbashyan713 2 months ago

gotta hit two door cinema club next! their early guitar work chef's kiss

@Its_Ottersy 2 months ago

Insane accuracy to the original song, great job man!

@fewpoundcory 2 months ago

this is the greatest channel in the history of sliced bread.

@colebrenkman5084 2 months ago

The hi hat in this song was so crispy that when I first heard it on a summer night in 2009, I became an audio engineer due to it. I was so captivated by this song, I had to learn how to re-create it. This vid is so sick to watch and reminds me of when I did the same thing years ago. I hope these types of deconstructions and curious explorations inspire people to listen more deeply and create cool stuff.

@Klokomotivet 2 months ago

Would love to see you cover Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap at some point!

@OoNIGHTWINGoO1 2 months ago

YOU COOKED WITH THIS ONE 🤯 that intro almost sounds one to one with the original

@princesssyntheia 2 months ago

babe wake up, new ego dip video is out

@speaksoslightly 2 months ago

i love this song so much but your recreations help me appreciate the songs I like even more. love ur channel, keep it up :)

@sofaBucket 2 months ago

Could not find this song for years because I also was convinced the lyrics were “falling, falling, falling, falling”. Only reason I finally found it was when I started listening to Daft Punk recordings, in one Phoenix and them performed together at Madison Square Garden. I was never so excited to hear a song again.

@user-nh4kv1ly5o 2 months ago

2010s indie bangers ftw

@mortilent 2 months ago

Any shot you'd do Weird Fishes/Arpeggi by Radiohead next (or any Radiohead for that matter, if there's a track that better fits your format)? Love your content!

@LeeJDo 2 months ago

19:16 I do want to watch another…but I’ve already watched them all! 😢

@MALICIOUS_Music 2 months ago

Less than a minute into the video, I can already clock that bass tone is exactly what Tyler used all over his Igor album. I knew there was something about that project that reminded me of Pheonix, Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club and MGMT. Thanks for helping me put my finger on it.

@MrHumanBeats 2 months ago

Dance yrself clean by LCD would be really great

@brodymacfarlane3202 2 months ago

These videos are so well done, man. I'm sure they're a lot of work, but they're super fun and never cease to give me new perspective on a lot of my favorite music growing up.