Northern Exposure: Drake, 'Unforgettable' (Keys N Krates remix)

At this point, nobody needs an introduction to Canuck rap sensation Drake, but Toronto "live remix" crew Keys N Krates may cleverly be doing themselves a favour by turning their attention to a Drizzy track for their latest reinterpretation, as their electro-flavoured take may very well turn ears their way in the process.

The trio of champion turntablist DJ Jr-Flo, keyboardist Matisse, and drummer Adam Tune have been steadily garnering accolades and a growing fanbase across North America through their canny party-ready mix of live instrumentation, turntablism, and live sampling that takes classic and current hip-hop and pop hits and filters them through their own DJ sensibility.

In short, these guys know how to get a dancefloor moving without sacrificing brains for bounce -- while they may be working with tunes listeners already know and love, they're still able to hold their own to the point where they've been featured in URB magazine's 'Next 100' list alongside the likes of Drake himself.

KNK's unique approach has also seen them play alongside the Roots' Questlove and rising star K'naan, and land showcase slots at festivals like CMJ and SXSW over the past year. As the trio readies their debut album of original material, they continue to release remixes and mixtapes online, such as the forthcoming 'Almost 39 Minutes' mixtape.



When they're not busy touring (the group played over 150 shows around the globe last year alone), KNK keep turning their attention to reinventing hits both new and old, so it was inevitable the trio would put their own spin on a Drake joint. Certainly nobody will mistake their version of 'Unforgettable' with Drizzy's heavily Auto-Tuned, machismo-laden lament -- KNK flip the script to turn it into something a bit more feminine, drawing out the indelible Aaliyah sample and bringing it to the forefront, looping her haunting "Let me go" refrain over a heavy boom-bap electro beat and squelchy synths.

And lest anyone accuse the upstart trio of riding a hot celeb's coattails, KNK's remix goes one step further by completely jettisoning Drake and Young Jeezy's verses entirely, instead focusing on building a house-inflected electro melody around the basic framework of the tune, creating something far moodier and complex -- not to mention dancier -- in the process.

Bonus: the accompanying video is highly evocative, boasting a nicely cinematic aesthetic and emotional narrative that underscores the remix's almost pensive vibe.