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SALT LAKE CITY — A local violinist with a nontraditional style made a complex and layered mashup of two Michael Jackson hits.
Rob Landes knows his stuff. He’s been playing the violin since he was 3, and it shows within his past and present experience with different orchestras and groups, not to mention his awards.
But playing the music he was classically trained to play isn’t Landes’ only musical outlet, he also covers pop and rock songs using his twist. He uses a looper to stack percussive sounds and melodies into complex harmonies, and the results are polished and beautiful.
“Give me a violin, an amp and a hit song, and I'll give you a killer video,” Landres says on his YouTube channel.
On this, the sixth-year anniversary of the death of Michael Jackson, Landes released a new mashup of “Billie Jean” and “Thriller.” If you can believe it, everything you’ll hear in the song is made by Landres with his violin or a kick drum, all stacked beautifully in the moment with a looper.
Sit back, relax and listen to appreciate the genius that is the King of Pop wrapped in this new velvety cover mashup, complete with a nod to Jackson’s sense of style.
If Jackson isn’t your thing, check out Landres’ cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” or Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive.”
Courtesy Rob Landes
