Afterlife – Breather 2000 (Origin Story)

Afterlife Breather 2000 is a track that’s very special to me, and it all started with a remix by my good friend Eric Wolkoff. Eric headed up NRK radio, the national radio station in Norway. He is known as the “Pete Tong of Norway” because of his love for electronic music.

Eric and I had met a few times at different music festivals, and we hit it off immediately. One day, I shared the original version of Breather with him, which had a deep trip hop vibe. Eric loved it and asked if he could remix it.

Eric started working his magic on a big SSL desk, using the best collection of vintage mics you’ve ever seen. He also had the top guitarist in Norway, Tom Lund, on board. Tom played the most exquisite guitar and created a bossa nova vibe that was both soothing and captivating.

Eric played me the remix over the phone. I knew right away that it was going to be a hit.

What happened next…

The original version of the Simplicity album had sold out within a week. Hed Kandi immediately deleted it and asked for some remixes to make a double album release the following year called Afterlife Simplicity 2000. This subtle renaming differentiates between the new version and the 1999 original. The album features remixes by Chris Coco, Brown Bear, Lenny Ibizarre and Spoon Wizard, along with some additional bonus tracks that had been created in the interim period.

Breather 2000 is one of those tracks that just has a timeless quality to it. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration in the music industry, and I’m so grateful to Eric and Tom for helping to bring it to life.

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One Love

Steve Miller