If you missed my Glitch Mob, Chrome Sparks & M Machine review, here’s a little taste of what the kids from Brooklyn that make up Chrome Sparks are capable of. This is off of a neat little EP they dropped called Goddess, onthe future classic label. The indietronica vibes are strong on this one, while they keep it delightfully ethereal. I think this kind of feeling will find a great home in a more cinematic setting, especially as film continues to incorporate Brooklyn sounds into (hopefully) the burgeoning Brooklyn film industry. 4min 20 sec in the vibe fattens out and provides some interesting synth that borders on psy without getting too crazy. A great little tune start to finish, and makes me even more excited for them to get back to doing shows along the L line.
Category Archives: Midnight Music
Midnight Music: Culture Shock, Shockingly Good D&B From London!
Someone get this kid a fire extinguisher, because he’s going to ignite any minute. Annie Mac dropped a track of his & thankfully, ANDY C reposted it. This is a fantastic, truly massive sound coming out of Culture Shock, and I attached not one, but two of his remixes from his Soundcloud below. If you’re into Drum & Bass, especially the stuff coming out of Netsky, ANDY C, Metrik & what Mistajam dropped on his show, you really need to put this into your face. This is the kind of drum & bass that scares people in the suburbs if it wants to, but can be smooth as silk when it needs to. Every time this kind of stuff makes it over to Gotham, I bust ass to see it, and you should too. Check out the other tracks below and show some love.
Midnight Music: Omar LinX – Dosey Doe (prod. by Pro Logic & Zeds Dead) [Hip Hop Bass]
We’re getting closer. This Song Is Sick tipped me off to the next level of hip hop & bass fusion. We’ve been making baby steps towards fusing the two exceptionally different genres since the late 90’s. While some of the attempts have been awful (I’m looking at you Tiesto & Three Six Mafia, don’t think we’ve forgotten), this is one of the better offerings I’ve heard this year. Omar Linx isn’t too fast, smart, and Pro Logic & Zeds Dead producing this allows for a powerful Future Hip Hop sound. The lyrical work keeps pace with the bass without ever getting too hard, too gangsta or crazy for the beat, and a good time is had by all.
Midnight Music: Virtual Riot – We’re Not Alone (Cybin Quest Remix) [Synth Bass]
Remix contests are one of the best things that have come out of broadband & global DJ culture. Every time, some ridiculous unknown producer comes out of the invisible internet to put a previously incomprehensible spin on a tune. Virtual Riot does some amazing work, that’s hard to top, but it looks like it’s happened. I know that sometimes it’s hard to listen to a lot of more potent synthy stuff, because a lot of the time, even though the sound that was created “sounds” cool, it’s not used well, and the track is boring. This is definitively not the case with Cybin Quest. This DC native dropped a potent remix of We’re Not Alone last month that I’m just now able to give the attention it properly deserves. This is new sounds people, from an angle people were getting bored of. Everyone can drop bonkers Datsik/Exision/Baystep sounds, but very few can use them correctly. Listen, and enjoy. This kid’s got my attention, and he should probably have yours.
Midnight Music: Hundred’s New Music Video Of An ALLE FARBEN Tune Is Amazing.
This video seems to be one of the first true heirs to the triumph that was The Chemical Brothers music video for Star Guitar (linked below). I think this is on a train in China, but for the life of me I couldn’t tell you with any certainty (10 points to anyone who can comment ID’ing the area). The twee, indie vocals are put on top of a fun ambient midtempo melody. This helps frame the insane visuals that were captured by whoever has an insanely cool daily commute. This is a fun tune I wouldn’t have checked out otherwise so make sure to hit the video & their Soundcloud. (via Stoney Roads)
Midnight Music: Svenson & Gielen – Twisted (Jorn van Deynhoven Remake) [Trance]
Twisted by Svenson & Gielen was one of THE Trance anthems of the 2001. Yes, people were listening to Trance in 2001. Jorn van Deynhoven pushed out this tremendous remake that made its way onto ASOT 688 last week. The track is a piece of trance history, given a significant boost on the low end for the new era. If you want to know what big room sounded like before Martin Garrix was in kindergarten, this is it. There’s a good 4 minutes reminding everyone what the classic trance vibe felt like, but with the Armin-developed huge bass sound that anthem/festival trance heads have come to expect. If you don’t know who Jorn Van Deynhoven is, get this musc into your face. It’s some of the best trance out there, and his career is exploding. Get with this before you can’t afford tickets to his shows.
Midnight Music: Vauns – Sidelines EP [Dark Drum & Bass/Chillstep]
This Sidelines EP is one of the more high quality offerings I’ve heard from the darker ends of the chillstep universe as of late. Circles by Vaun is a smooth, vintage feeling track that makes excellent use of noir trumpet. I didn’t think noir trumpet was a genre, but after this, I may need to reconsider. That moody, retro trumpet seeps into the lush, almost steamy tune, that would be at home in any darkened lounge around 3 AM. Into The Night features seductive vocals by Animai, accompanied by UK bass & step’y beats that I’d definitely prefer to the remaining bastions of Michael Baystep at parties. Kismet solidifies Vaun’s position as maestro of dark, alluring, yet mysterious bass that I really want playing during the scene transitions in the eventual movie that’s going to be made about Gotham underground nightlife. There’s a potent focus to the sounds, without any sense of rushedness or aggressive bro bullshit. One Touch rounds out his solo offerings on the EP & does so in hushed, Burial-like tones, that we’re all better for hearing. The more artists doing this kind of quiet, garage’y bass, the better I think
Knowledge finds Vaun accompanied by Ill Chill, and as expected, the collab adds a layer of spoken word flow to the relaxed, irregular bass. I can’t wait for chillstep to ally with spoken word & hip hop to unseat trip hop as the genre of choice for rhymes that doesn’t involve gold chains & gun violence. The finale is where the EP gets its title, with Sarah Zad adding some ethereal humanity to the broken bass that Vaun lays down. Her stellar voice is a perfect match for the production choices Vaun adds into the mix, especially 90sec in. This tune screams for dance videos & pop/lock demonstrations. So, b-boys & liquid dancers, get on this. Your YouTube page will thank me.
Midnight Music: BANKS – Drowning (Stwo Remix) [Moody Vocal Indie Gold]
“You’re so bold when you’re watching me moan.”
This smooth, sexy, chilled out reworking of Drowning by BANKS showcases exactly what about Stwo, coming out of Paris, excites me so. There’s a morose, but sly & alluring sound coming from this track, and Lorde fans will enjoy the content & backend on this one as well. It’s something that pop could very well absorb. This kind of indie sound, mixing soulful vocals and the future bass sound I drool over is still under-represented in the industry currently, especially because it’s not so good at driving mainstage traffic. However, this kind of mood music is perfect for lounges, movie soundtracks and other environments less conducive to raging. I don’t mean to be glib, because as the EDM bubble finally oversaturates, people are going to want music for doing things other than fist pumping. Cuddle beats for the win, as it were.
Midnight Music: Katy Perry – California Gurls (Matt DiMona Remix) [Tropical House]
Since it was officially 40ish degrees this weekend here in NYC, here’s some tropical house from Matt DiMona to remind you of the 3 month complain-fest your friends had over the summer about the heat. The heavily-modified vocal work is surprisingly effective, especially when Snoop Dogg is made to sound like a kidnapper in an action flick. This is one of the better attempts at convincing me to pay attention to Katy Perry, as the sun-drenched vibes radiating from this mix are undeniable. DiMona does some good work, it’s a Free Download, and hat tip to David Rishty who tipped me off to the track. (via EDMTunes)
Midnight Music: TastyTreat – Up Late ft. Father Dude [Future Bass/Chill Trap]
This Hebinomichi compilation must be crazy, if this is what it sounds like. This stellar duo from Cali, TastyTreat collabs with Father Dude (a Gothamite) to push out a shimmering future bass track, steeped in chill trap elements. The playful chord progressions, stuttering bass and soulful call out vocals do a great job of solidifying the non-rave ground that some of the newer funky/indie tunes have been trying to capture. This is a new world and we’ve got R&B vocals hanging out with trap beats, running into some fun little irregular low end. Stuff people never thought of pushing together even a few years ago (hipsters I know, your favorite group was doing this in a basement in 2009, I know), and it’s slowly showing up in a selection of places around the globe. Can’t wait to see how this vibe injects itself into the Western Hemisphere festival scene, especially outside of Mad Decent parties. (via Stoney Roads)
Terry Gotham 