“Promises” is Calvin Harris’ 20th Billboard Hot 100 hit. It’s a staggering achievement, to be sure, helped in no small part by a breathtaking performance from soulful heartbreak kid Sam Smith. It’s a boppin’ love song for all of us whom love forgot, because everyone needs to feel a little warmth sometime, even if romance grows cold by the morning.
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Harris is one of the best hook writers on the scene, while he delivers a smooth hitter on “Promises,” it’s worth exploring the alternatives. For instance, David Guetta tried his hand an anthemic version, and MK gave the tune a clubby rinse. We’ve got seven sweet remixes you can try on for size. Who knows? Maybe one of these is “the one.”
Promises (David Guetta Remix)
Cop a vibe from the famous Frenchman’s big room take. He’s been on a mission to get back to house club roots, and this one sits firmly between the festival blasters and late-night grooves of his split personalities. It’s intimate in moments, but the drop is definitely designed to get those effing hands up.
Promises (MK Remix)
If straightforward club feels are what you want, MK bastes the beat with solid four-on-the-floor. It’s rhythmic and hypnotic. Close your eyes, let your hips take the lead and get totally lost in the steamy rhythm. When some stranger draws toward you on the dance floor, see what kind of moves they’re making.
Promises (Sonny Fodera Remix)
Once you’ve given the stranger the okay, things get a little hot and heavy. The bass rumbles a little deeper. The vocal gets a little more suggestive. Your heart beats in time with the rhythm, and Sonny Fedora comes through with this dirty-minded “Promises” remix to inspire your worst behavior.
Promises (Mousse T. Remix)
Mousse T. calls this his “disco shizzle” remix, and it’s definitely got some mirror ball shimmy and shine. It’s got the feel of a French Touch groove, with a repetitive style and undercurrent of botty-movin’ bass line. A little bit of strings and electric guitar strums give it a cocky coolness that earns the “shizzle” for sure.
Promises (OFFAIAH Remix)
In the mood to sweat? OFFAIAH’s “Promises” remix takes things to a tropical place. We can’t help but picture bare feet dancing on sandy beaches, the taste of fruity drinks on our tongues. Salt is in the air, and so is bad romance. Let the moon be your spirit guide to greatness.
Promises (Illyus & Barrientos Remix)
A similar rhythm to our last one, Illyus & Barrientos bring a Balearic swing to this progressive house beat. It’s the kind of misty magic that’ll put you in a trance. The tension builds, time stops, we get some wonderfully ’80s drums, if only for a moment. It’s an exotic, intoxicating feeling.
Promises (Franky Rizardo Remix)
One more time for the dancers who want to feel it in their guts. This one is as bassy as the best of them with a droning sort of spirit that inches toward the acidic. The hook is where things get really wild. There’s something untamed about its danceable darkness, something very noir in its style. It’s mysterious in all the right ways.