Lido is the latest among the slew of artists paying tribute to David Bowie through song in the wake of the icon's death after battling cancer earlier this week. Today, the Norwegian producer shared a cover of Bowie's classic 1969 cut "Space Oddity," Complex reports.
Lido is perhaps better known for his production work behind the likes of Chance the Rapper, Ariana Grande, Halsey, Cashmere Cat and Alison Wonderland among others as well as a DJ behind the decks, so his decision to deliver a cover rather than a remix is worth noting. Rather than attempting to rework the arguably untouchable original, the producer celebrates Ziggy Stardust's legacy with a tasteful 21st century twist on the track.
Lido replaces the live band features--including the acoustic guitars, organic drums and symphonic strings--with arpeggiated wobble effects and interstellar synths. Like all covers, "Space Oddity (Lido's Salute)" features the producer's own appropriately somber vocals, This Song Is Sick reports.
The cover keeps the the original's melody intact and manages to evoke the same zero-gravity vibes. The producer concludes the cover with a sample of the original's goosebump-inducing symphonic saxophone outro, giving listeners a sense that it is still Bowie who is "floating in the most peculiar way" as the influential alien returns to his home planet.
The cover has already garnered close to 20,000 plays within the first 20 hours since the producer shared it on his Soundcloud, demonstrating the dance music scene's yearning for an appropriate homage to an artist who always somehow managed to transcend art itself. Listen to Lido's heartfelt salute to the Thin White Duke, below.
As much as the cover is a fitting tribute, it is also is a perfect example of what fans mean when they discuss Bowie's far-reaching influence. While his impact on the music industry and on countless individuals is undisputed, the lengths to which his avant garde, experimental stylings will continue to inspire and shape art is arguably yet to be seen.
