Critics gave mixed reviews for the album, with their general complaint being that the release was unnecessary. Most of them, however, complimented The Weeknd, Twin Shadow and Guéna LG's remixes. It earned an overall score of 57 out of 100, on review aggregator site Metacritic. Commercially, Born This Way: The Remix achieved minor success, entering the charts in ten countries. Its highest peak position was attained in Japan, where it reached number 14. It also peaked at number 105 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States.
Most of the remixes had been available in the remix EPs released alongside each single from Born This Way. The first remix commissioned was the Twin Shadow remix of "Born This Way", released in March 2011.[4] This was followed by the Goldfrapp remix of "Judas" in May 2011, which was released to Gaga's YouTube channel.[5] The Wild Beasts remix of "You and I" was released in August 2011, and the proceeds from the sales helped to raise awareness to the ways people can support independent labels that lost stock in the PIAS Recordings UK warehouse fire.[6]
Regarding the inspiration behind the remix, Hayden Thorpe from Wild Beasts group told The Guardian: "The unlikeness of this match was perhaps what compelled us to take it on. Gaga in many ways is the epitome of what we are not. She is the butcher to our butter knife. The essential thrill is always to keep eluding what is expected of us and what we expect of ourselves."[6] The last of the remix to be released was The Weeknd's take on "Marry the Night" which featured Illangelo, thus earning him a co-producer credit on it.[7]
Composition
Goldfrapp remixed Born This Way's second single, "Judas".
The album opens with the Zedd remix of "Born This Way" which begins with some minimalist beat followed by loud synths, and consists of a techno breakdown.[3][8] The Goldfrapp remix of "Judas" follows as the second track; the remix consists of industrial music and Gaga's vocals are converted to a slow, low-key moan making it almost like a man's voice.[3][8]Foster the People remixed "The Edge of Glory" and introduced a new break down from the 3:20 time sequence.[3] Producers Abel Tesfaye, known professionally as the Weeknd, and Illangelo kept the overall feel of "Marry the Night" intact, but introduced vocals by Tesfaye and a steely looping drum machine.[8] Jason Lipshultz from Billboard described the addition as "directly conflict[ing] with Gaga's M.O. But like so many of these remixes, the Weeknd marries his vision of the song to Gaga's gorgeous voice without losing the original's integrity."[3] Tesfaye's voice can be heard in spots on the song, adding an occasional "Ooh yeah" and a moan; ultimately at the 2:20 mark, the song collapses on itself and ditches the percussion for infrequent piano notes.[7] The remix of "Black Jesus + Amen Fashion" retains the most of the composition of its original counterpart, although it introduces a new synth by Michael Woods, thus turning it into a rave-trance track.[8] The Horrors remix of Born This Way album track "Bloody Mary" consisted of Gaga's vocals fading in and out of sequence.[3] "Scheiße" featured influences from The Knife song "Heartbeats" (2003) as well as Vengaboys' "We Like to Party" (1999).[3] "Electric Chapel"'s composition is completely changed by Two Door Cinema, altering the dark mood of the song to a fun and engaging one.[3] The Metronomy remix of "You and I" varies little from its original equivalent, while dubstep is introduced in the Hurts remix of "Judas", with a different conclusion.[3] Sultan & Ned Shepard's remix of "The Edge of Glory", the last track on the album, features pumping drums and slinking synths.[3]
After its release, Born This Way: The Remix received mixed reviews from critics. It earned an overall score of 57 out of 100, on review aggregator site Metacritic.[9] Jason Lipshultz from Billboard commented that the album did not re-invent anything new in terms of remix composition, but instead "gives less recognizable artists a platform to tinker with these complex pop schemes." He added that the album is not essential listening for non-Gaga diehards, "but electronica fans who have yet to drink the Mother Monster kool-aid will find plenty of pristinely produced club tracks to groove to. The album is a great avenue for fans to digest new versions of their favorite songs of the year, as well as discover artists that are trying to command audiences the way Gaga so masterfully does."[3]Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic gave the album three out of five stars, commenting that "some remixes take considerable liberty, ditching verses or hooks, whatever catches their fancy. So, it’s a remix album not for fairweather travelers but rather the hardcore Little Monsters, the kind who love every gesture grand or small from Gaga, but it also displays enough imagination to appeal to those listeners who fall into neither camp and are only looking for some darkly elastic dance."[10] Harley Brown of Consequence of Sound website was impressed with the diversity of remixes on the album, prompting him to comment that "just in time for the holiday season, there’s something for everyone on Born This Way: The Remix. And, unlike many remix albums featuring one song reworked again and again, this Remix comprises a diverse tracklist to match the diverse list of remixers."[12]
Jody Rosen from Rolling Stone gave a mixed review of the album, wondering why the remix album was necessary to be released in the first place. She nevertheless added that "[t]he album has some diverting moments. Goldfrapp's down-tempo 'Judas' is less a remix than a smart cover, and the Weeknd and Illangelo re-imagine 'Marry the Night' as a strobe-y, atmospheric R&B epic. But there are two or three duds for each winner—like the bludgeoning 'Scheiße', a gratuitous exercise that strives to make a dance-floor thumper out of a song that was born that way."[13] Rosen's view was shared by Paul Schrodt from Slant Magazine, who gave the album a rating of two out of five stars. Rice's main complaint was that "[c]ertain artists cry out for the remix treatment more than others, usually those whose vocal talents are relatively straightforward and could benefit from the extra fuss." He added that Gaga was not such an artist and that the original Born This Way album "in particular, is too big and untamed, full of too many of its own references and styles, from Springsteen to Madonna. As such, it's best enjoyed on its own flawed, bombastic terms."[8] Nick Levine, reviewing the album for BBC Music felt that most of the tracks are already available as digital downloads and CD singles, "so it's easy to dismiss Born This Way: The Remix as inessential and, yes, a cash-in. But taken as a whole, this release offers enough revelations to suggest the original album is worth revisiting. That additional purpose, whether intentional or not, feels at least partly fulfilled."[11] Levine complimented The Weeknd and Twin Shadow's remixes, while criticizing Foster the People and Sultan & Ned Shepard for their predictable remixes.[11]
Commercial performance
In the United Kingdom, Born This Way: The Remix entered the UK Albums Chart at number 77, for the issue dated December 12, 2011.[14] In Japan, the album sold 12,120 copies in its first week, and debuted at number 14 on the Japanese Albums Chart.[15] In its second week, the album fell down to number 19 while selling 6,650 copies.[16] It has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipment of 100,000 copies.[17] In the United States, the album debuted outside the top 100 of the Billboard 200 albums chart, at number 105, while debuting at number three on the Dance/Electronic Albums chart.[18] As of April 2016, Born This Way: The Remix has sold 62,000 copies in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan.[19] Other nations where the album attained top-100 positions included Italy, France and Spain.[20][21][22]
