Monkey Journey To The West Remixes and Vinyl Drop Tomorrow

It seems that despite the fact that he's knee deep in Blur-reunion hype, Damon Albarn's Monkey: Journey To The West is still continue to wring out a fair dose of relevance. The much-lauded crossover project has received considerable attention, ranging from the BBC to the Olympics, and now it's been subjected to the remix treatment.

Ubiquitous remix-master Diplo, along with Kwes, are the driving forces behind two remixes of "Monkey Bee" that drop tomorrow as a digital single. Diplo's remix (we haven't heard the Kwes remix yet) is a drastic take on the original that travels from downtempo reggae, through some arcade analog synths, and straight on to some hip hop beats. "Journey to the West", indeed.

In addition to the remixes, the record has also been released on vinyl in what appears to be an intricately assembled box set featuring a hardcover book, lithographs, and 200 gram (!) vinyl of the record. The package looks amazing, but with a 255 UK Pound price point, we have to say it's a little rich for our blood. If you find yourself in the market for a copy, however, The Vinyl Factory is where it's at. We'll be green with envy.

mp3: Damon Albarn - Monkey Bee, Diplo Remix (YouSendIt, click through)