Essex-born singer-songwriter Ruti released ‘Monster’ in the popular 2025 EP Maybe I Got It Wrong. Once again teaming up with electronic musicians, the singer has shown the genre-bending abilities of their songs through collaborations with Mala and Larimae. The Monster Remixes are a compilation of the three versions.
‘Monster’ – Ruti
Typical of their signature styling Ruti’s original ‘Monster’ is a soul-fueled ambiguity of major and minor aesthetics. The complex melody adds to the depth of the singer’s voice highlithing their emotional tones alongside beautiful definition and clarity even in the higher pitches.
The acoustic guitar perfectly complements the delicacy of Ruti’s voice, while the legato strings emphasise and soften the chorus. However, the backing vocals form a lovely nod to the singer’s modern tastes with rhythmic sections reminiscent of their personal inspiration, Bastille.
‘Monster’ – Mala Remix
Prominent electronic producer Mala puts his own swing on ‘Monster’ with typical upbeat club style. His emphasis on the accompaniment is clear from the start with drums and synth entering the mix early, quickly followed by the rhythmic backing vocals from the original. While synth strings also give a nod to Ruti’s creativity, the busy accompaniment gives the impression of a speed increase compared to the original.
As a club anthem, Mala has mixed this ‘Monster’ into a classic; however, personally, the lack of use with the lyrics and heavily autotuned vocals gives a too polished feel that takes away from the point of the song.
‘Monster’ – Larimae Remix
New to the UK electronic scene is ambient and house duo Larimae. True to their style, the duo takes Ruti into a new blend of folk and electronic music. Foley sounds combine with panpipes alongside emphasis on rhythm with the drums and backing vocal; the result, an eclectic atmosphere as intricate as it is intriguing.
While we still hear the typical heavily autotuned vocals, Larimae’s delicacy keeps them on the verge of authenticity with clever use of crescendo (increasing volume) to keep some of the expression Ruti is so known for.
Overall, my personal preference is the Ruti original, creating excitement for their next album due this year. According to the singer:
“All my influences have come together in a way that makes sense […] This is the most consistent and cohesive I’ve ever sounded – I just feel like I’m really coming into my own”.
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