Nick Bertke isn’t just a remix artist. The 23-year-old Australian creates alternate soundtracks, using samples and clips to make whimsical pop songs. They’re curious works of warm nostalgia that put a fresh spin on familiar subjects.
Chances are you’ve heard Bertke’s work in some capacity.
Under the alias of Pogo, he’s posted roughly 30 remix videos that have collected more than 50 million cumulative views on YouTube, covering everything from Lord of the Rings and Snow White & the Seven Dwarves to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Dexter. He was even commissioned by Pixar to create a tune for animated classic Up.
Last week, Pogo released two need videos—and they might be his strongest work to date.
The first, “Boo Bass,” is a reworking of Monsters, Inc. that opens with a sequence that suggests Pink Floyd’s “Money” before unfolding into a summery collage of sounds that’s closer to James Blake’s early avant-dub work. Likewise, “Sugarella,” a commissioned tribute to the 1960 Disney staple Cinderella, comes off like a more sedated version of France’s Delorean.
That’s the secret to Bertke’s brilliance. Much like contemporary John Boswell, the Symphony of Science maestro, his remixes are interesting and compelling to listen to—even outside the confines of YouTube. In fact, you can download the audio trackss on his website and even more remixes can be found on his Tumblr.
YouTuber mosdopest put it best in a top comment to the “Sugarella” video:
“pogo is literally a genius.”