My Education/Dälek, My Education vs Dälek

On this single, Austin space-rock band My Education takes a piece of music originally written for piano and strings in the late 1970s and puts their own, updated — albeit somewhat traditional — spin on it. The result, “Spiegel im Spiegel,” is a peaceful, melodic song that ignores the traditional quiet-loud-quiet formula of modern post-rock and instead meanders along quietly and ends way too quickly. If the single’s title is indication of an actual competition, My Education easily wins. Dälek’s take on My Education’s version of “Spiegel im Spiegel” is a monotonous blunder that plods along far too long. In comparison to My Education’s soft viola, pedal steel, and piano blended with low-key basslines and guitars, Dälek’s repetitive beats overpower the beauty of the original track and ruin what could have been an interesting remix. Sometimes it’s best to leave well enough alone.