Florence + The Machine – Shake It Out (The Weeknd mix) [stream]

Ever wonder what it would sound like if you sucked all the warmth and joy out of a Florence + The Machine song? Wonder no more. Canadian R&B revivalists The Weeknd have given Flo’s newest track, the unabashedly anthemic ‘Shake It Out’, the early hours, post-high remix treatment and the results are as twisted and weird as you’d expect.

Flo’s famous golden pipes are distant and distorted, underpinned by a kick and snare beat, while the echoes of her words provide a cavernous sense of space. The chorus is stripped of its uplifting qualities as the vocals are pitched down and the beat is never allowed to rise above its cluttered, stuttering rhythm. Probably not a track to best appreciated before noon, unless of course you’re still up.