To me, a successful cover contains two basic components: staying respectful to the bare foundation of the original and adding unique brush strokes that complement the original's legacy. It should simultaneously raise feelings of nostalgia and novel curiosity. Furthermore, an exceptional cover should not only cover the first two components, but also increase the reputation of the original. Arima Ederra checks off all boxes on her cover of "Prototype," the single from Outkast's fifth studio album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. (Side note: I remember thinking that the video for the original, with Andre 3000 as a white-haired, "extra, extra terrestrial" was a very interesting use of four minutes of my life.) Arima's "Prototype" is bright, sensual and smooth. Her convincing vocals add the essential ingredient of genuineness. The bouncy production by Al B Smoov is not only rich, but brings the track from 2003 to 2012. The song reminded me of both Conya Doss and The Floacist and their latest releases this year. Arima continues with her unique brush strokes towards the middle of the song with a spoken word verse where she describes how she appreciates her lover's "mental process" and "aura." The only disappointment is that she deviates from the original's classic use of the phrase "stank you, smelly much." I highly recommend this track and hope that Arima continues to put as much thought and creativity into her future original releases as she has with this remake.
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