A good remix can do a lot for an aspiring producer’s career, and Gryffin knows from experience. The San Francisco-based musician made big waves with his take on hits from Maroon 5, Tove Lo and more. Gryffin found himself onstage at Coachella only a year after releasing his debut original material, and much of that is owed to the remix profile he was able to create.
He’s grown into a strong musical storyteller, a man who pushes himself toward broad concepts of audio/visual exploration, but it all started with these humble beginnings. Today, we honor Gryffin’s remix work with 10 of our favorites.
Years & Years – “Desire” (Gryffin Remix)
British synth-pop band Years & Years laid down a killer groove to begin with. Gryffin takes its bright and bouncy sing-along hook and draws it out with a slow build. The hook is just as funky, but the whole experience feels cool and elongated. It’s more a straight-up house experience, and can we just say, the trippy visuals in this remix music video are so on point.
BANKS – “Beggin for Thread” (Gryffin & Hotel Garuda Remix)
Gryffin teamed up with future baes Hotel Garuda to put a little pastel into the red light of Banks’ biggest hit. Light and airy electric guitar leads into a club-ready hook that’s fit for losing yourself on the dance floor or strutting down the sidewalk like the world’s a fashion show.
Tove Lo – “Talking Body” (Gryffin Remix)
The original was a Hot 100 hit for Tove Lo, a modern love song that fits sex-starved attitude into perfect bubblegum pop aesthetics. Gryffin’s take hones in on that sensuality but keeps the mood bright and summery. A slower tempo gives this remix a little more bounce while the bassline brings it into house-pop territory.
Maroon 5 – “Animals” (Gryffin Remix)
Gryffin’s music lives in sunny fields on cheery days, but he follows in Maroon 5’s minor key footsteps for this remix of a pop-rock sing along. He still finds ways to let the sunshine in. He sped up the tempo just a hair and fills in the dark spaces with shimmering synth textures and soulful piano chords.
CVRCHES – “Clearest Blue” (Gryffin Remix)
CHVRCHES singer Lauren Mayberry has one of the most recognizable voices in modern music. It’s high-pitched but powerful, ringing fairy-like and clear as crystal over this tune’s pushing rhythm. Gryffin softens this song’s sonic edges but leaves Mayberry at the center of its new electro-pop feel. There’s also a lot of fun guitar work at play.
Sigrid – “Don’t Kill My Vibe” (Gryffin Remix)
Norwegian singer-songwriter Sigrid is a pillar of emotional strength on “Don’t Kill My Vibe.” She soars over a minimal beat. Gryffin keeps stays true to that energy while adding his own future flair to the ballad. Synthetic handclaps and Sigrid’s big wall of sound make us wanna blare this remix in a crowded stadium.
Bipolar Sunshine – “Daydreamer” (Gryffin Remix)
With a name like Bipolar Sunshine, anything can happen, but “Daydreamer” leans way into the sunshine half. This is one of those Gryffin remixes where he brings heavier atmospheres to what’s already a pink, paisley-painted affair. This remix shines in blues and whites with a cool club-centric house hook built around soulful guitar.
Ellie Goulding – “Burn” (Gryffin Remix)
It was hard to avoid this 2013 Goulding hit. It’s big, bright electronic mood took “Burn” to No. 13 on the Hot 100. Gryffin lets that fire smolder into a mess of red-hot ashes and steamy rooms. The four-on-the-floor pulses into a steady rhythm that almost never breaks stride.
Years & Years – “King” (Gryffin Remix)
Another collaboration between the synth-pop trio and our Bay Area hero. They make a great team, and “King” becomes one of Gryffin’s most feel-good remixes on the list. It’s just as bright and bouncy as the original with a housier vibe. Once again, the guitar work gives it that edge of originality.
Josef Salvat – “Open Season” (Gryffin Remix)
We finish our list with a synth-heavy remix of a big pop ballad. “Open Season” has a touch of the tropical in its build, but the hook is as sexy and raw as anything Gryffin has created before. It’s perfect for day or night, but it definitely brings a sense of sunset whenever it plays. There’s adventure on the horizon, you just have to find it.