Carlos Serrano has been killing it for years, putting out mashup after remix, all quality. My first favorite of his was a mashup of Adele & Daft Punk that is linked below tonight’s track. Kanye & Smith are definitely not sounds I thought would go together but Serrano proves he knows what he’s doing once again. The mashup is soothing even with Kanye thrashing lyrically as he does. Carlos Serrano really does need way more attention than he’s getting. He creates these almost symphonic jams that really hit and has been doing so for a while. Here’s to hoping this soulful mashup gets some more press than I can give it. Check it out, and his previous tune below.
Broke On Holiday: Turkey Football Hate Family Weekend!
That’s right, the holidays are upon us again, and hundreds of thousands of people will be coming home for the weekend. To spend time with family, get uncomfortably close to barfing up that 3rd helping of mashed potatoes and then hate the people they’re surrounded by so much, they need to get to a freaking party as quickly as possible. To that end, I’ve rounded up some of the fairer bargains that ensure you have a good night instead of playing the “argue with Uncle about immigration” game with your cousins.
The Best Mash-Up Of ALL TIME
Welp, this is amazing.
You’re welcome.
I don’t know who Daily ReHash is but I owe them a cookie bouquet because I haven’t seen anything that has made me this nostalgically happy in months. Guardians of the Galaxy is the film that made me the happiest in 2014 and Land Before Time scared me for life but it’s also one of the best cartoons of my childhood. So here you go internet, I hope it makes your Monday a little bit easier.
Midnight Music: Willow Smith ft. SZA – 9 (LMC Remix)
Willow has done slightly better creatively than Jaden as of late. While The Karate Kid remake remains wonderful, Jaden’s twitterstream is…messy, to say the least. Willow seems to have done a little bit better, with her soulful, respectful music career getting off to a great start. This remix from a young kiwi by the name of Liam Mcalister. This is a smooth remix that definitely makes me want to listen to both Willow and Liam. What a proper remix should inspire of course. Let it swish around and see that you can use trap for the forces of good as well as evil. (via Fresh New Tracks)
Mix Of The Weekend: Above & Beyond – Robot Heart Yoga – Burning Man 2014
This is the stuff that dreams are made of folks. A full hour of AnjunaBeats infused Yoga music from the playa, at Robot Heart, at sunset. Every single Yoga studio in NYC needs to just get Elena Brower’s permission and play the hell out of this. The collective blood pressure of NYC would go down. Not a whole lot to say about music like this, it’s kind of stuff that’s hard to put into words.
Tracklist
1 Jon Hopkins – Abandon Window [DOMINO]
2 Peter Gabriel – The Nest That Sailed The Sky
3 Jon Hopkins – Immunity [DOMINO]
4 Ólafur Arnalds – Only For The Winds (Ryan Davis A Letter From Far Away Variation) [ANJUNADEEP]
5 Ólafur Arnalds – Near Light [ERASED TAPES]
6 Andrew Bayer – Let’s Hear That B Section Again [ANJUNABEATS]
7 Above & Beyond – Small Moments Like These [ANJUNABEATS]
8 Above & Beyond – Sun In Your Eyes [ANJUNABEATS]
EP Of The Week: Allume – 3 [Soulful Vocal Bass]
This week, I’m really excited by the EP I found digging around on Stoney Roads. The pop vocal + indie bass pairing is something I’ve been going on about for months, and it seems with the Australian summer almost upon us, we’re about to get an earful of that sound. This 3pack by Allume & 3 Aussie producers, by the names of Valleys, Oscilla & Souda, makes for some fun, dance poppy listening. I really do hope this gets the attention of LA talent scouts, because this kind of vibe is totally necessary at bars, clubs & lounges all across the country. Plus I’d say this kind of sound has huge potential for marketing, cinema & television soundtracking.
Valleys mixes in some fun backing to the dance pop that Allume rolls through with, creating an almost indie feel that introduces the concept delightfully. Oscilla keeps the party going at a medium pace, keeping the vocal work and the beat almost restrained, letting the emotion ooze out from it in a masterful way. Control, ft. Souda, finishes out the trio of Allume pairings wonderfully, using a broken beat backing her melancholy vocals, given a vintage feel this time. It ends out the EP in an old school way, making me excited to hear more from everyone associated with this project. Definitely keep an eye on these producers coming in from the land down under. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Ten Questions With Terry Gotham: Menno de Jong
In anticipation of his upcoming massive event Dec. 12th at Slake, Menno de Jong & I had a brief conversation about my favorite topic: TRANCE!)
1. Is Trance back now in 2014? Did it ever leave? No, it never left. People’s idea of what is popular changes with time but Trance has been around for 2 solid decades now. It may fluctuate between 140, tech, uplifting, prog and psy but it’s been one of the more consistent genres if you think about it, largely due to the very loyal fanbase!
2. Do you regret not being a label boss anymore? Intuition had some amazing gems on it. It was a golden era and a pleasure to work with guys like Jonas Steur and Airbase. Although I don’t own a label anymore I’ve been helping Black Hole Recordings out with the A&R for In Trance We Trust, where I’ve recently started to release my own music. All I can say is watch that space, some amazing artists are bringing their music to the label!
Oxfam, Simon Pegg & Eclectic Method Team Up To Talk Inequality.
Almost 1/2 of the world’s wealth is now owned by just 1% of the world’s population.
I know, not exactly the subject matter you were expecting on this Thursday morning, but Eclectic Method got about 18,000 people to send in videos of them making songs & dances. It seems that when you give this guy literally days worth of footage, he can make a beat using anything. Hand claps, kazoos, Simon Pegg (not kidding, he’s totally a core part of the backbeat I swear), and a whole lot of jolly good fun seem to be where this tune comes from. Eclectic Method is known for his bonkers mashups and this one is for a great cause. So give it a listen and learn more about Oxfam International & their fight against poverty worldwide.
Midnight Music: Zeds Dead – Lost You ft. Twin Shadow & D’Angelo Lacy (Kove Rmx)
While I’ve spoken about Kove a couple of times here on le blerg, this is the first time he’s hit my radar for house. This shift in gears for him is a stunning reminder that talent is talent, with DJs mixing it up more and more these days. This deeper, almost Chicago house offering is a fantastic re-imagining of the Zeds Dead track that’s not due out until Jan 2015. The track premiered on Annie Mac over the weekend, so I knew I needed to get it to you as quickly as possible. Kove shows that he can pull into a much groovier, funky end of the dance spectrum with this track. It’s all fun and games, especially with the pull back 90 seconds in. The build back into the groove goes without a hiccup and you’re shaking without realizing it once again soon after. Hit up the rest of Kove‘s work, especially if you’re a fan of that drum & bass sound like I am.
Earworm Of The Month: Submotion Orchestra – Swan Song (Kidnap Kid Remix)
Truly a masterpiece of our time. Kidnap Kid‘s reworking of Submotion Orchestra is a triumph. The soothing beats melt into the soulful vocals, mixing together in an almost melancholy way. Submotion orchestra recognized the quality of this remix immediately, with MrSuicideSheep joining in to get the word out. I’ve been listening to this tune for weeks, and it always seems to lift my spirits, even though it may not be the most anthemic or euphoric of what’s out there these days. The Kid had a great night at Verboten a few weeks ago, and I’m hoping he comes back to NYC soon, as a talent like this needs recognition in Brooklyn. Put this track on and let the subtle vibes wash over you.
Terry Gotham 