Monthly Archives: September 2015

Midweek Music: Yellow@TheLight, Kasbo, Zisotto, Naderi & Soulwax!

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As the temperature drops & the hoodies start making an appearance, it’s time for another 5 tracks for your midweek music fix. A mix of up & down, but all future fresh. Enjoy!

Hang Massive is such a gorgeous track. Dropped by the globetrotting surfer/DJ Yellow@TheLight, this is one you want to put on after a long day. Pour a nice glass of red wine, light a cigar and let it just smooth you out.
The only thing better than a Kasbo remix is a Kasbo original. This one features scintillating bass and a heavy dose of feels. Smartly mastered & including a no-bullshit free download, it’s just another example of Kasbo doing exactly what he needs to as he climbs the charts. Watch him get legit festival slots next summer, you heard it here first.
Switching gears, this tune by Zisotto is one to vibe out to. Highly meditative and reminiscent of the most ethereal parts of Chrono Trigger, I’m delighted to be recommending an Overclocked Remix, as this site was crucial to broadening my aural horizons back in the 2000’s. This 9 minute sonata is a lush, complex masterwork of ambient homage. Turn this on and drift away my friends. You won’t regret it.
This Naderi remix of a Keys N Krates banger hits all the right notes. It’s got the Future Bass feel we’ve all been jonesing for recently, highlighting Katy B’s stellar vocal work. It’s dark & gorgeous, with just a touch of the edge that keeps it from getting too cutesy or poppy. Naderi’s made a great first impression on me here, definitely getting added to some playlists.
Soulwax & Tame Impala. I was skeptical at first, but within seconds, my fears were banished. Soulwax slips a funky motif into the mix and we’re all better for it. Soulwax is one of those luminaries in the field, and reworking the masterful Tame Impala was a tall order. But they nailed it.

Daft Labeouf – Harder, Better, Faster, DO IT! (Best HBFS Remix Ever!)

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Welp, we can all close the door on the Shia Labeouf meme. Put it to rest, this is the best use of the video We’ve ever seen. If you get to 1:11, you’ll see a stupendous rendition of the best part of Harder, Better, Faster Stronger. The pitch bending with the vocals are 100% on point and I would love to hear this remix pushed into a random funky house set. Bomp this loudly if you need some motivational love! It’s short, sweet and well produced. Annoy your co-workers with it on Monday. They’ll only hate you slightly for getting it stuck in their heads.

Midweek Music: Jerome Blaze, Xavier Dunn, Bonobo, Dusky & Drake!

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As summer turns to fall, so does the music spectrum & sonic landscape. Here for you, a couple of the best tracks that I thought transitioned from the shiny, sun-drenched vibe of the last 3 months, to the inevitable harvest & apple picking feels. Don’t worry, no pumpkin spice beats here, I promise.

Jerome Blaze is one of those producers I’d totally miss if it wasn’t for Stoney Roads. These masters of the Australian & NZ scene are crucial and if you’re not following them, you need to. This kind of pick up is one that will change your whole day. Heartbeat is a track that gives people hope for the future. The high energy proglectro is not to be missed. There’s a vibe in him we haven’t heard since before the Swedish Fish Mafia discovered cocaine. Don’t skip this one, it’ll make your day better, in a way we’ve not experienced since early Avicii. Yes, I went there. Hit it.

Someone needs to give Xavier Dunn a fucking medal. This is the best retro/vintage cover ever. I’m serious. In the 2-3 decades of retro covers, this is the best one that’s ever been conceived of and executed. Go ahead and play it for the old ladies in your office, or anyone who has a lady boner for Travolta/hard on for Olivia Newton John. I almost want to drop it on Webster Hall just to see how many of the kids actually recognize what they’re listening to. I say it every time I bring up Fresh New Tracks, but V-Man needs a raise.

Back in the realm of non-ironic covers & remixes, Bonobo continues to absolutely kill it. This rework of a George FitzGerald original continues to drive home the point that you do not fuck with Bonobo. The tune glides along, in a way that you’d only expect from Bonobo. It’s a relaxed but exceptionally well-produced Odyssey that doesn’t rush, but hits every mark it plans for. No beat out of place, or sound that wasn’t specifically put there. It’s these kinds of tracks that give me hope. This is some certified hipster shit, so make sure to push up your glasses while talking about it over non-cheap, locally sourced whiskey.

This one took me by surprise. Tesher comes out of nowhere with this absolutely huge mashup of Florence + The Machine & Drake. You heard me right. Delilah and Back 2 Back fuse in a way I could not have forseen if you described it to me after putting LSD in my drink. This absolutely needs to be heard to be believed because it is larger than life. I had no idea these two tracks could mash together as well as they do, and I heavily recommend it for you hip pop/top 40 DJs out there. On your standard Irish Bar dance floor, this will destroy.


Ending this update out with some new hotness from Global Communication. That’s the first time this moniker has been used since 1997. That’s right, you’re getting music from someone who was in the game just about 20 years ago. This remix has eight minutes of almost any genre you could look for at the moment. With a half dozen genres of music being represented and several breaks/beat builds to speak of, I don’t even want to keep wasting your time with you reading this. Hit play & go about your day citizen!

New Eazy-E Video! For Serious, 20 Years Later.

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W0w. A legit new Eazy-E video. From Marty Thomas, the new director’s cut of Real Muthaphuckkin G’s. I had no idea this existed, and I don’t think most of the internet did either. Not a lot to say here, but if you’re a fan of Eazy E, whether you picked up the fandom from Straight Outta Compton, or you’ve been kicking it with NWA since way back into the day, this is a must-watch. It’s prime Eazy-E and the Director’s Cut is everything you love and just a little bit more. For all of my hip hop fans who are maybe a little younger, definitely take a look at this. Take notes. This is where a lot of the flow comes from, and some of it is going back to.

Midweek Music: Global Edition ft. Stromae, Maitre Gims & Saad Lamjarred!

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Been doing a little traveling recently and one of my favorite things to do when I travel is listen to local “Hits.” Sometimes it’s the same crap you hear on every radio station in the USA, but occasionally you come across stuff you would never hear. So here are three of the dopest non-English tunes I’ve heard in a while!

Stromae is incredible. I’ve not been following him as closely as I should have, so this track slipped under my radar. The lyrics are translated, which is super important because they’re absolutely crucial. Stromae tells the story of our lives being carried away by social media, and how followers become more important than connection. The animation is top notch as is the production on the song. Put this into your face ASAP and check his most recent video here!

Maitre Gims is a perfect example of how good a poppy dance track can be with zero lyrical recognition. This is a peppy, summery tune that stands on its own, with the video showing the star balling, but balling in the Middle East. If I had a choice between watching this or another Flo Rida track where he’s stunting on some bullshit for the millionth time, I think you know which one I’d choose.

 Saad Lamjarred is a baller. There is no other way to describe the utterly amazing style, fashion, bass & shot choices in this video. I have no idea what they’re saying, but I can tell that Saad gets all the ladies, his boys can break dance and the old dude got some Beats headphones. This is the perfect example of a culture modernizing and entering the global worldbeat stream. Honestly, this track wouldn’t be out of place in a diplo set. Someone tell Mad Decent, they need to pick this guy up.

Rudimental’s New Clip On The Global Refugee Crisis Is Incredible!

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Rudimental – I Will For Love ft. Will Heard

I love Rudimental. I yell about how dope they are every chance I get. But this video really does blow the rest of their work away. As the immigration debate in America reaches white hot levels of racism & hatred, and the Syrian refugee crisis floods Europe with people just trying to escape Assad the madman, Rudimental has done it again. I don’t usually get into politics on this blog, but this is one of the most compelling 5 minutes of cinematic music I’ve seen in a very long time.

There are no words to describe the humanizing force that this video could have if it was seen by the greater world. Please, take the time to watch it and to remember that the people you spit on & call illegal immigrants are running for their lives sometimes. Other times they’re simply trying to build a better life for their families. I Will For Love features the impressive vocal work of Will Heard and the video is a heart-wrenching portrayal of the dangerous journey across the Mexican-American border. See everyone at Webster Hall on the 29th for their latest live show.

Hey Trump, this family full of rapists & drug dealers too?

Midweek Music: SAFIA, EDEN, GRiZ, Lemaitre & Mos Def!

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summerLabor Day is Sunday ladies & gentlemen. How’s it feeling? Any last adventures? Crazy nights to spend out? Here’s five tracks to bomp as September rises.  SAFIA is so good. This trio makes some of the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard, and I am terribly mad they are thousands of miles from my shores. This soothing, soulful indietronica track does work and makes me think of that 40min just before the sunset. Great job SAFIA, you’ve got so much more to show us.
EDEN hit it out of the park on this one. The vocals on this are stupendous, with Leah Kelly joining in to push it to the next level. This is track 2 on a 9 track EP that’s surprisingly good from someone I’d never heard from until they showed up on my feed. I highly recommend Nocturne by him as well. HIGHLY.
 GRiZ has become the institution that we all knew he could be. Feelin’ High is quintessential electro soul that proves just how established the genre has become. When you’ve got so many haters you drop a track reminding people to leave em behind, you know you’ve done something right.
Lemaitre takes a tune from Madeon and cranks it up a couple of notches. The Bubblegum electro feel here is the quick pick me up we all need on this September Wednesday. The energy is infectious, with the vocal work from Passion Pit adding to the delight. It’s a great remix, taken from Madeon’s excellent source material. Definitely dance around in your chair kind of stuff!
 Last, but certainly not least, the new hotness from Mos Def. He’s rapping under his old name, giving all the upstarts a reminder why he’s one of the undisputed kings of flow. There is a lot to dive into here, so I’m just going to say that you probably need to listen to it multiple times to pick up on all the lyrical genius he’s crammed into the 3:40. This is his first in years, so don’t miss this, your hip hop brain will thank you.