Midnight Music: Galantis – Smile (Hyperbits & Jenaux Remix) [Summer House]

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If you’ve been keeping track, you’ve probably realized I love the Summer House sound. This tropical, rambling, slowed down groove is definitely a great creation to fight back against the brolectro & big room that has been dominant the last couple of years. Galantis & others are doing great work in the more chilled house space, and now, Hyperbits & Jenaux strike with an even Summery-er (I know, not a word. Yet) House remix. The huge Progressive hook in the track gives it this shining, euphoric feel that I can’t wait to see get played in live sets. The energy is up and it never gets too cheesy. Put it into your face when you need a pick me up, it’s good for what ails you. (via White Raver Rafting)

EZNY Prep

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Conversely, if you’re headed out to EZoo instead of BM, my girl Ravelrie wrote up this fantastic list of must-bring supplies for any of my electric animals. The extra battery, clear bottle of water & some bandaids & sunscreen are definitely things I would’ve liked the last time I was at Randall’s Island for the Labor Day weekend extravaganza. Also, make sure you remember, it’s a cashless festival this time around so fill your wristband before you get there. Also, BRING AN EXTRA PAIR OF SUNGLASSES! Trust, the ones you bring are going to break at some point over the weekend, especially if it gets as rowdy as we all know it will 😉

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Wondering what to bring to #ezny without a camelbak? No camelbak, no problem! Use a small drawstring bag or large fannypack and only pack the essentials.

My essentials are:

  • 1 set of earplugs by EarPeace – they come on a keychain so you’ll never forget them!
  • SEALED Chapstick – you can buy these in 3 packs so you have a sealed one for each day of the festival.
  • 1 travel pack of baby wipes – great for if you get dirty or the toilets run out if toilet paper!
  • A few sealed band aids for if you get a blister! You can slip them easily in your wallet.
  • SEALED and/or under 3oz sunscreen. I prefer the stick for fests and to keep in a fanny pack. Less mess, more coverage!
  • Travel hand sanitizer – you can get these on a keychain to hook onto your fanny pack belt
  • 1 disposable…

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Peter $un Has Flow & Southern Style.

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This new sound out of VA is definitely going to keep my attention. I’m liking the smooth, almost syrup’y sound that Chance The Rapper has helped make acceptable. There’s a slickness to his lyrical work (rhyming “Pokeballs” gets props from me) and his sample game is legit. The classic trumpet sample is something I think more hip hoppers need to be using, especially considering the history of Jazz being replaced by Hip Hop as the sound of counter culture in the United States.

This Organic Veggies demo not only has the best genre tag I’ve seen on Soundcloud in months (LSD on Sunday), but it does everything right.  The flow is exactly as fast as it needs to be, you get introduced to the sound without being rushed or aggressively fronted on. I hope this gets scooped up immediately, because this is an MC that could open for James Blake or something. Lots of potential and you heard it here first.

J. Cole Drops “Be Free” In Response To Ferguson.

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In case you’ve been living under a rock, Ferguson, MO is currently a war zone. While many artists have kept as far away from this controversy as possible, J. Cole has created a touching piece in tribute to Michael Brown and those who suffered police brutality. There’s some vocal sampling directly from the protests about halfway through the track. It’a powerful tune that straddles Indie and Rhythm & Blues. There’s a plea within the tune that I hope we can all heed. Let us all be free to live our lives without fear of repression by those who have sworn to serve & protect. (via This Song Is Sick)

Check this less political, but still chill as fuck hip hop tune from Dreamville Records by Cozz below as well.

Midnight Music: ODESZA – Say My Name (ft. Zyra)

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One of the things I take great pleasure in is watching artists rise from obscurity to eventually blow minds of thousands at a time. I’ve been lovingly stalking ODESZA for a year or so now, and each time the pair from out West put something out, it makes my day. In Return is no exception. ODESZA exists in this delightful space between chill trap, UK garage, deep house & indie. The vocals of Zyra add to the glittering bass work that they’ve come up with. The 2014 tour is already starting to sell out in the big cities like NYC, DC, SF and Boston, so check out the tour info here and get those tickets fast if you’re in a lucky city that hasn’t discovered this awesome sound yet. New stuff coming 9/9.14 so get excited for me to yell about how awesome they are even more 😀

Mixes Of The Weekend By Tektite, Tim The Enchanter & Illexxandra!

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One of my very favorite party groups here in NYC, Vitamin B, has decided to bust out a bunch of mixes to get you through August. They’re planning something huge for their anniversary this fall, and decided to tide our breaks-related thirst over. Tektite is flying high off his Stanton Sessions set (found here) and has just dropped a new mix on The Armory, a funky West coast podcast that keeps it quality when it comes to eclectic beats, breaks and bass.

Tim The Enchanter has put together a minor Public Service Announcement for all you kids out in radio land that may not be too familiar with Breaks as a genre. His mix, from the Essential Breaks radio show has a bunch of new stuff in addition to some classics that you may have heard a DJ at one of the smaller stages at EDM fests play while you were getting a drink. Trust that there’s a lot of good in this genre and put it into yo face. I say that a lot, but it’s true quite often 😉

Ms. illexxandra has blessed us with a VIP recreation of her Transformus 2014 set. There’s a bunch of twerk, breaks, house, future bass and soulful bounce in this hour. Is Soulful Bounce a genre yet? If not, she’s making it happen. This is some of the funkiest mixing you’ve heard. Can’t wait to see her again when she gets back from the Playa.

Enjoy the weekend and take it easy!

Just Dan Pushes Some Mixed Greens Onto Your Plate!

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My boy Just Dan out of Illadelphia has put out a fun little mix for the summer sunset that you’re going to love. There’s a slow build from 110bpm to ~180, pulsing through genres and mixing effortlessly. There are a couple of transitions that are just stunningly good, exactly the technical skill I’ve grown to expect from Just Dan. The Prodigy, the bass, fidget and a bunch of breaky ridiculousness make for a wild ride that you will love. Great weekend jam, or perfect to pre-game your Saturday night shenanigans if you’ve not left for Burning Man.

Chaka Khan In NYC! Saturday Only & For Charity!

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I don’t usually throw out events that aren’t sweet rave parties, but anyone who knows the roots of dance music knows where it came from. Funk, Rhythm & Blues, Hip Hop, Gospel, Disco & Jazz inspired the artists you hear every day. You may not know it, they may not even know it, but it’s there. Chaka Khan, Queen of Funk, has been topping charts and singing since your before your parents met. There’s a lot of house that can be traced to her & the work of her colleagues in the Funk era.

There’s a charity called Lend a Hand and Foot that’s sponsoring a VIP friends & family area inside of the Hammerstein Ballroom show. Funds will go to benefit ongoing projects in Haiti (Remember Haiti? That place still needs help.) and Bed Stuy, because again, that place still needs help too. The Facebook invite is here and there are links to tix and media/press contacts there as well. This is a great cause and a timeless artist, so if you’re looking for something to do with your family, this might be a cool way to spend Saturday night. Keep it funky y’all.

(Picture from Radio Facts All Rights Reserved)

Midnight Music: Cazzette ft. The High – Sleepless (Steve James Remix) [Progressive House]

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Ah, August, the kids are going back to school. And in this case, also making awesome progressive remixes of a hot Cazzette track. Not exactly the standard story you expect when someone tells you about their Summer vacation. The shimmering chopped up beat is playful and shows that Steve James isn’t slacking. There’s a chic vibe to the tune but it still pushes into the anthemic territory and rides around up there. The track is easy to like and I’d be surprised if I didn’t hear this in the sets chasing the summer sunset. The original Cazzette mix is potent and this gives it even more festival recognition and viability. I’m hoping this results in greater exposure for both Steve James and Cazzette. There’s a lot to like about this progression in sound and I for one am delighted it’s happening. Big Room is dead, long live Progressive.