A general way of referring to creative appropriation techniques that are focussed on removing elements from the original to create a new experience of it.
Dub often begins with a subtractive process, removing the lead vocals and various instruments from the mix – often to focus on the drums and bass – before bringing up and distorting or playing with other elements.
Some jazz appropriation explores this kind of technique as well, exploring the accompaniment track rather than the main melody, or messing with and opening up some element of the melody or some isolated riff from the original.
An example outside of music is Dan Walsh’s web comic Garfield minus Garfield, featuring versions of the comic strip in which the titular cat is removed from each frame, leaving his master Jon alone with his dreary thoughts. The result is a bitterly funny bleak existential experience in each comic.
This subtractive remix has been blessed by the comic’s creator, Jim Davis, and has been made into books which have sold well on Amazon and in bookstores.
Garfield minus Garfield