Decided to get a jump on the new year by shifting the schedule around yet again. Figured everyone can use a burst of new music Monday morning, so here it is folks.
Skrillex picked up Tennyson (previously mentioned on the blog here) and pulled together an amazing song & music video. While the song speaks for itself, the music video is truly out there. It’s almost as if Skrillex decided to round up a couple dozen street kids (are there even street kids anymore?) and throw an impromptu Christmas dinner for them. Which includes blowing up a car and liberal use of fire works. There’s something very raw to the emotion in the song and the video. I hope Skrillex is feeling loved and that he’s able to care for people this holiday season. He seems like a Peter Pan to OWSLA & Diplo’s Lost Boys. Though, that video looked hella dangerous to shoot.
What So Not is one of the production aliases that Flume takes part in, so keep an eye on it. TheGemini EP release is the closest we’re going to get to some new Flume before 2016, so check it out. The quintessential Future Bass groove is in full effect. Featured vocal work of KLP and the impressive, almost LA-infused bassline will keep your attention and grooving in your chair.
The new Wavewhore hit two weeks ago and I’m so glad I didn’t miss it. Classic breaks with modern production values, there’s a hipness to it that you can’t find with a lot of EDM. Breakbeat is the unsung hero of dance music, and artists like Wavewhore are keeping it going. The breakdown is heavy, synthy & almost too future. But, he brings it back for y’all and drops a “funky ass bassline” to quote the song itself. And, unlike a lot of music, the song is right!
V-Man made sure I didn’t miss this tune from a totally unknown producer named Egzod. It’s like a combination between a Souza march, a movie soundtrack and a festival set that involves a harpsichord & an orchestra. The Soundcloud has fewer than 650 followers, so let’s change that. The rest of their page is epic as well, so let’s thank Fresh New Tracks for the tip and blow up this producer’s page.
Funkerman’s Coming Home gets a fresh coat of paint from Crazibiza. Not only does Crazibiza win the contest for cleverest DJ/producer name of the month, it’s a dope tune. Funky house with no pretenses to any of that future garbage out there being pushed by overzealous younglings. The tune is catchy, jazzy and uses the vintage elements from Coming Home excellently. It’s a sunny little tune, kudos to CYFI Recordings for letting it fly.
Monthly Archives: December 2015
Midweek Music: Shirk, Arbitraire, Snoop Dogg, Dark Sky & More!
While the holiday season bears down on us, that doesn’t mean the tunes have to freeze over. 5 more tunes, and not a cold shoulder in sight!
You don’t hear glitch hop like this much these days. I’m a huge fan of the orchestral feel that the track gives off. It’s almost got this mad scientist feel to it, as electro clashes with glitch and everyone wins. Definitely not something I’ve heard in some time, so even though I’m a year late to the party, Shurk got followed like woah.
Arbitraire showed up from nowhere with this winner of an indietronica tune. There’s a pretty high level of moodly dopeness here, with the track wandering into London Grammar territory at times. It’s hard to keep this kind of production under wraps so watch for this group, wherever they’re from, to start making digital waves in 2016.
Stamp The Wax is one of my favorite UK blogs & for the holiday season, they’re bringing out the Advent Calendar. A whole month of music leading up to Christmas, with all the proceeds going directly to the artists, with mastering, hosting and all of the trimmings being comped. This tune comes from Dark Sky, a hugely talented London trio. This 8:25 epic journey feels like it’s halfway between the worlds of techno, garage, minimal and topped with just a dash of Latin. It feels very Barcelona during Sonar Festival, with the tune oozing character but not in a hurry to get anywhere.
A tune from 2004 by a group called The Real Tuesday Weld, this is about as random as it is chill. The genre was dubbed Antique Beat, but this was 3 years before Beats Antique showed up, so it’s managed to be its own thing. The video is what happens when you let a YouTube producer loose on the Internet Archive. The track is as close as you can get to a modern iteration on the classic Steamboat Willy vibe of vintage jazzy lounge music.
This is one of those remixes you’ve heard over and over in tiny pieces. I kept hearing it on forums and had to track it down. It’s about 3 years too late, but if you’re legit looking for a celebration anthem for 420, a way to test out new speakers, or troll straight edge friends, I got you covered. Just don’t tell Dr. Dre.
Midweek Music: Viticz, Milwin, Varien, Mr FijiWiji, BLNDSGHT, Dan Thompson & Ron Alperin!
Production from artists all over the world today! Lots of great stuff coming in, so let’s get right to it!
Viticz did something special with this tune. While Electro as a genre has been pretty stagnant over the last couple of years with the Big Room genre wilting, the producer from Singapore has pushed it in a totally needed direction. It’s got a touch of future, a touch of garage, a dash of chip and two scoops of anthem. This is a great effort by Viticz I’d never heard of but will definitely be keeping tabs on in the future.
Jumping from Singapore to Uddevalla, Sweden, Milwin pulls us into that Future House territory with a soothing tune. I have a pretty low tolerance for most Future House, but this one silences the usually annoying throbbass while featuring Blest Jones. This focus on a soulful, blues-oriented vocal line gives the track a more of a melancholic, autumn feel. Surprising, but great work from Sweden & Milwin as always!
Varien & Mr FijiWiji are two of the best knights in the court of Monstercat Castle. They’re production geniuses in their own rights and this collab could not have come at a better time. They can learn a lot from each other as the melodic bass shows. A truly future tune, they’re able to make even a rift of sexy sax work in the context of this chilled out, starry-eyed 4min. Silky, progressive, with just a dollop of euphoric above and bass under it. Really great work gentlemen, can’t wait for the next one & the Monstercat tour.
And now for something completely different.
BLNDSGHT is some wavy shit. Well produced, with some eccentric choices that the Cali producer has ensured almost have no choice but to work together. It’s got this groovy, spacey feel to it. Can’t say it’s dancey, but it manages to be downtempo without being too minimalist or droning. The low end is surprising and it would fit nicely into a side room or fucked up afterparty set.
Finishing out with some great trance. I’m going to make a concerted effort to post at least one trance tune a week, because I think the genre still deserves ears. Some cool stuff happening in it even outside of the juggernaut of quality that is A State of Trance. Coldharbour Recordings is Markus Schulz’s label & it’s been growing on me. Classic trance vibes & deep/energetic modern tunes from artists I’m not familiar with as an American trance family member. Have I ever heard of Dan Thompson & Ron Alperin? Nope, couldn’t pick their music out of a mix if you paid me. They sure can make a good mid-set trance track though. Go swim around in it & I’ll see y’all next week!
Terry Gotham 