Throwing the rapper of the moment on the remix to an R&B track is pretty standard practice in the record business. However, we would have never expected a cappella group Pentatonix to mix a little hip hop into their barbershop quintet sound. And of all rappers, Timbaland protege, Tink, no less. PTX already wowed us with the multi-layered use of their vocals and harmonies on the original version of “Can’t Sleep Love.” Will the addition of Tink add just the right amount of hype to the festivities or will it disturb the groove?
In short, our girl doesn’t disappoint. On this remix of "Can't Sleep Love," the Chicago native rides the groove created by PTX’s talented voices like an old school rap break beat, her sing-song flow fitting in perfectly with the a cappella vibe of the quintet. While some of the vocal gymnastics the group creates are lost during her verse, their beat boxing and heavenly harmonies are still intact.
Tink is a refreshing addition to Pentatonix’s “Can’t Sleep Love,” adding just enough of her own swag to the mid-tempo song, but not detracting from the vibe of the slow-burning jam. We’re not sure which version will end up on Pentatonix's self-titled album when it drops on October 16th, but we don’t think we’ll be disappointed either way.
