Stepping away long enough to have missed Sophie Ellis-Bextor‘s 2014 album, Wanderlust, a surprising departure from her disco-influenced pop, the English singer-songwriter returned last month with Familia, another eclectic set of tunes. However, the set was heralded in July with a first single, “Come With Us,” that found Ellis-Bextor spinning under the mirrorball once more.
Even better, she quite wisely wrangled her “Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)” collaborators Russell Small and James Wiltshire to remix “Come With Us” to absolute perfection. Of course, I nearly missed this magic since it’s not credited under the production duo’s usual Freemasons moniker but rather F9, the name of Wiltshire’s professional audio hardware and software business, launched in 2015.
Maybe the “Come With Us” remix package is a Wiltshire-only production? In any event, Ellis-Bextor’s original track arrives pre-prepped for Freemasons’ reliably delicious disco embellishments — horns, handclaps, bass, and chimes — all present and accounted for here. F9 takes us on a trip through the land of Blondie (“Heart of Glass”), Chic (“I Want Your Love”), and even Michael Jackson (“Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” lifting the track’s iconic breakdown).
Whether Freemasons or F9, you better believe I’m still coming with them:
Stream Sophie Ellis-Bextor – “Come With Us” (F9 Remixes) via Spotify, Apple Music.