Coming at you with a couple of massive, massive tunes this week. These are definitely get up and dance tracks, in a couple of different genres that you’re definitely not expecting. Get your hazmat suits on and get sweaty! Hybrid Minds brings out the smooth, rolling delicious liquid drum & bass, care of UKF. The meditative, leisurely build meshes with GRIMM‘s vocal perfectly, creating a lush, silky track that never rushes or gets in your face. It’s most certainly a dance track, but without the buzzsaws or aggro-feel that so much D&B presents. Dance in the sunlight to this. Your feet will thank you. The Aston Shuffle has been making an excellent name for themselves over the last couple of years. This tune has “Better Than Disclosure” written all over it. The UK Garage/House fusion Disclosure made famous has attempted by many as of late, but very few artists can stick the landing. The Aston Shuffle is a rare exception, as Make A Wrong Thing Right proves. Micah Powell’s excellent vocals add to a track that’s damn near dazzling. The wobbly house feels great, keeps you grooving, and never lets you down.
I discovered this Sim Gretina over the weekend and it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Electroswing infused with Aladdin samples need to be an entire genre of music. Can we please start dropping Robin Williams samples into as much music as possible? Because he makes everything better. Throw this on and I bet your entire family will be grooving to it. Life is your restaurant indeed.
Just A Tune came out of nowhere with this track. It’s got some of the most forward thinking sound design I’ve heard in years. The drop seems to fuse elements of electro, moombahton, worldbeat and future bass. The entire track is more massive in a way that definitely needs some attention. Frankly, I need to hear more of this and have no idea where to find the stuff.
Hey You Let’s Fight threw something at me I did not see coming, a Drum & Bass remix of the Unsolved Mysteries theme. And it’s a good one! It’s ominous and totally generates the chills that the 90’s show evoked. A fun tune, over way too soon, but I had to make sure you heard this.
Tag Archives: drum & bass
Memorial Day Music: Prismo, Petit Biscuit, Krewella, Hybrid Minds & Sarah Silverman
Summer has arrived all at once! To celebrate the long weekend, new tunes from Krewella & Hybrid Minds, two rising stars Prismo & the 16yr old rising star Petit Biscuit, and a hilarious send up of “going out” anthems by Sarah Silverman I somehow missed from 2013. Bomp these tunes in the office if you’re working, or by the pool if you’ve taken the day!
Rishty continues reminding everyone why you can’t miss his posts on TSIS. I’m really hoping the Houston native Prismo makes it out to the East Coast, as his production chops are stellar. Coexist manages to be bassy, poppy & fest anthemy at the same time. Guitar chords, strong vocals and a delicious punchy bassline make for a fantastic introduction to Prismo. Now I really want to know if the name comes from Adventure Time, don’t you?
When a producer clears 100k followers on Soundcloud, smart bloggers take notice. When a producer clears 100k before they’re 17 years old & reaches #1 on the French iTunes Electronic charts with his last single, you put down the bong and press repeat. Petit Biscuit needs to get on your radar right now. The kind of smoothness evokes some strong feelings of Kygo, but it’s distinctly not tropical. To be clear, the piano and guitar is all him, so let’s make sure we don’t think of him as a bedroom producer. A fantastic, shimmering tune that glides along in the sun, with drizzles of vocals and hopeful xylophone vibes. Is that a thing? Cause if it’s not, it should be.
Krewella’s first long-form release since the departure of Rainman made a bit of a splash recently, getting the coverage the headliner deserves from the EDM blogosphere. While a lot of sites showcased the one or two main singles, the 2nd half of the album really caught my eye. Marching On specifically. The combo of their signature vocals & post-EDM sensibility layers over a blues’y back beat. I think it’s a sleeper track that’s going to find its way into a bunch of festivals this summer. DJs will drop the almost rock, almost hymnal break into their sets to keep the energy going without laying on the cheese, you’ll see.
I fucking love Hybrid Minds. They make some of the best, smoothest drum & bass I’ve ever heard, and I listen to a LOT of d&b. Their new releases are consumed almost instantly, and Fade was no exception. Gorgeous piano work supports Katie’s Ambition, who provides excellent vocal tracking in her own right. Add onto that a drum & bass beat that has been perfected by Hybrid Minds to be as heavy as it can be without being aggro. Delightful from start to finish.
And now, for something completely different. Sarah Silverman employs Will.i.am and drops a send-up of “Shit’s Gonna Be Epic” anthem tracks that I cannot believe I missed in 2013. This shit is kind of hysterical, with Sarah littering the music video with her signature gross-out, snarky & profoundly true opinions. I’m not going to spoil any of it, so get at it, then shout her out on Twitter. Don’t ping Will, cause he can stay in 2013.
Monday Music: Saiph, GANZ, Wasted Penguinz, Soular Order & Leon Vynehall
It’s May! It’s Monday! Time for the music! This week, I went all out, looking hard for tunes you won’t hear anywhere else. A couple of new hits, a couple of old treasures I just dug up, all quality. Break on through to the other side with this quintet!
I stumbled across Saiph when I went searching for new drum & bass I’d never heard before. This Japanese starlet creates some of the most frenetic yet controlled tunage I’ve heard in years. There’s a “Porter Robinson on Adderall” feel to Ultramarine, one step away from being part of the Sonic & Knuckles vg soundtrack.
Hermitude & Flume, reimagined by GANZ. The Amsterdam stunner has an EP coming, but to keep us satisfied while we wait, we’ve been provided with a quiet flip. The sunny, shimmering bass is a great example of what’s coming from the Future Bass scene with the Aussie summer over, while ours has yet to start. Trust that the festival season is going to see quite a bit of this stuff, so get your Aviator sunglasses ready.
This one is a bit out there, so if you’re not a fan of the harder end of the spectrum, you may want to skip it. For everyone who is a fan of euphoric hard trance & hardstyle, you’re gonna eat this shit up. It’s so positive & hopeful it almost qualifies as Christian praise music. Wasted Penguinz are not only in the running for best producer name of 2016, but also the track that goes the hardest without getting prickly. Hardstyle is almost impossible to do gently, yet, here we are. This is a track drenched with high production values & oxytocin, great work from the Swedish duo. Send this to your loved ones who can’t sit still.
Soular Order can do no wrong, having been repped here repeatedly over the years. His new hotness is nothing short of breath-taking. A voyage of ambient, bass-driven delight, the sonic perfection that Soular Order delivers is simply awesome, and I do mean that in the traditional sense of the word. Throw it into some expensive headphones and take it on a nature hike. Your tears of joy will thank me. There’s even an additional alternate tape rework on a separate 2 track EP & it’s pay-what-you-want, so don’t stop, get it, get it. Leon Vynehall has hit my radar a couple of times in the last couple of months, with this track really solidifying my opinion of him. The lush, jazzy tune called Kiburu comes at you with an expansive vision of what funky house can be. Guitar riffs, brass support, bass & some wacky percussion really fill out the vibe. Gotta give the credit to Stamp The Wax on this one. They’ve continually pushed the fresh sound into my face, so go show them some love.
Monday Music: Ed Thomas, Free-N-Losh, Black Tiger Sex Machine, Strife II & Kidnap Kid
Welcome to February! New Monday, same dope offering! Let’s get right into it!
Can’t say I’ve heard of EdThomas before, but the UK seems to be able to do no wrong these days. The moody vocal driven soulful delight impresses, but never overperforms.
Free n Losh are not your run of the mill production outfit. Hailing from Toronto, the syncopated, low-key track pushes into a melancholy indietronica crooner. These neo-soul & indietronica entries get better by the month. Great work from a group I’d only heard whispers about on the internets.
Kidnap Kid is one of those rare, precious artists that you are forever changed after listening to. His most recent release, Birds That Fly, is the first release on his new label of the same name. The smooth UK house vibe is perfectly produced. The ebb & flow of the energy allows for an alternating intensity that is so difficult to do well. Jamie XX & Submotion Orchestra are two of the only other artists I can think of that hang in this tier of understated dopeness.
If you were at Black Tiger Sex Machine‘s Webster Hall appearance this Friday, you probably got a better performance of this track than most. But even just the studio version is exquisite. The heavy electrostep is definitely not my usual cup of tea, but BTSM go out of their way to produce their way into excellence. The breakdown almost feels chippy, while the build is transcendent & crisp to the point of being progressive. The drop is grinding electro that I’ve not heard in months. Great work, and watch out, Black Tiger Sex Machine is going to take the 2016 festival season by storm. You’ll see.
Rounding out this week’s post is the new EP from Strife II. Strife II is one of my most favorite artists, so every time anything new from him gets released, I absolutely have to mention it. He’s my favorite liquid drum & bass producer by far. He pairs with a bunch of dope talent on the EP, featuring Identified & vocals from Rachel Jones. The trio of tracks feature his signature euphoric and symphonic vibe. The classical meets liquid meets euphoria is a feel I think the rest of the planet needs way more of. Only Truth has an almost-Rameses B thing going on, and Collide is an exceptional example of how smooth, rounded & flowing liquid can be. Infinity Saws, a clear inside joke to his own style of production, finishes out wonderful release on Subsphere Records.
Midweek Music: Otic, Dylan Reese, EDEN, Scott Bond & Kaskade!
This sleeper hit from Otic is exactly what your pre-holiday jitters need. This low-key drum & bass is great to travel or prep to. Whether you’re heading out on the town or over to the parental situation. It’s unassuming and definitely not aggressive. Not a whole lot more to say except, let it smooth you out.
Dylan Reese blindsided me with this one. It’s a strong offering, not what I expected, especially given the look and production. Everything clicks together, with Dylan providing good flow and making the right choices about where to go hard, where to tune and where to push the melodic breaks back in. He’s got a tune coming out on Dec. 1st, so here’s to hoping he keeps the hit streak going.
EDEN can do nothing wrong. How many artists do you know that cover Billie Jean without embarrassing themselves? This Future Pop tune does a couple of things correctly. First, EDEN doesn’t try to outsing MJ, which is the dumb thing most artists try. EDEN wins on production here, and secondly, it feels a bit differently melancholy, as opposed to the pop anthem the original will always be. Splendid work, can’t wait to hear about live gigs.
I’ve written about Scott Bond before, but this most recent 138 trance anthem is welcomed during this week of family & traveling great distances. It’s got the energy you don’t hear very often anymore, with the 138 space being crowded by the bro-y end of electro & progressive. This racing build breaks into exactly the pumping, driving trance drop us hard house enthusiasts can’t get enough of.
Kaskade decided to take a walk through some legit house done by Thomas Sagstad ft. Wildo. This Burned remix has the signature positivity Kaskade brings to all of his work, taking great parts of the original and shuffling them around, adding a healthy dollop of anthem. The tune feels sun-drenched, which is definitely needed this Thanksgiving weekend for us Northern Hemisphere residents. Hope it gives you a minor urge to dance around in your chair during Thanksgiving feast. Or afterwards to help work off them calories! See y’all next week!
Rudimental’s New Clip On The Global Refugee Crisis Is Incredible!
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: Collin McLoughlin, Tarro, Blackmill & More!
Another week, another Midweek Music! This week we’re mixing it up again, bringing you highlights from a couple of different genres. Mostly new, but one classic favorite of mine.
So, this is wonderful. I’d been wondering where my favorite multi-genre artist had gone. Collin McLoughlin is one of the most versatile & talented producers out there right now. To prove it, he put the decks & launchpad controller away, sat down with a guitar and knocked out a fantastic cover of Trap Queen. You heard me right. The Fetty Wap hit has been reworked, with Collin’s honey voice not only elucidates lyrics I never actually understood listening to the original, but is also a really legit cover. Can’t wait to hear the dance remix & some more general awesome from Collin. Go encourage him on Twitter. (via Fresh New Tracks)
Tarro, brought to us by MrSuicideSheep, serves up some wavy chill trap for your day. This is total hammock music. Tarro’s remix of IDFC by Blackbear works on a couple of levels. It’s relaxed, true to itself, and not trying to prove anything. Great work and this kid’s definitely got my attention now.
Feint‘s back with something incredible. I’ve come to love the inventive and heart-amplifying drum & bass that Feint seems to brush off his shoulders. There’s an effortlessness to this that makes me want to go fly a kite this weekend. It makes me hopeful for a better world. Yes, it’s that good.
Blackmill is finally back! He was a legend 3 years ago, for his unmatched melodic dubstep skills & he hasn’t missed a step. The ethereal, soaring melodic wobble vibe that he puts out makes you wonder when someone introduced Sigur Rios to Skrillex. It’s such an authentic, unique sound, that’s been copied, but never duplicated. Turn it on, sit back and let it wash over you.
This one is my favorite hard trance track ever. Seriously. I heard it in 2005 and nothing has come close to surpassing it. The hard house feel to it provides a level of brutality that you just can’t find in Trance anymore. This was back during the era where Sensation was actually 2 parties. Sensation White & Sensation Black. 3:40 provides the high water mark for electronic builds in the entirety of my listening history, with the break at 4:15 being what drops sound like in my fondest dreams. This is not for the faint of heart, or for people who think that trap remixes of Lean On “go hard.” This is one for the record books kids, blast it at high volume and watch those electrostep punters melt away.
See you next week!
Midweek Music: Avicii, Ferry Corsten, Wyclef Jean, Delta Heavy & More!
Between July 4th & Labor Day, people check blogs less, they vacation more & need tunes to move to. For the summer, instead of doing music at night, I’ve decided to try something different. I’m going to try and put together a weekly set of tracks, most new, but the occasional oldie/goodie, for you, my faithful readers. Let me know if it’s a good idea. Ferry Corsten remains one of my most favorite DJs, though he rarely gets to spin the music I love him for. Even though when he headlines mainstages, he does a lot of electro house & progressive, in my mind, he will always be a pure trance DJ. With this release and his recent new Gouryella track, it’s as if he has been reading my mind. The break at 3:19 is one of the best in the world and has been for years. This is a staple in his sets across Europe, but I’ve definitely been privileged enough to hear it on our shores on more than one occasion. Mixmag premiered one of the better remixes of Giorgio Moroder’s new track “74 is the new 24.” Yes, that’s actually the name of the track, he’s really getting down and funky at 74. The tune has some interesting little guitars and some “I clearly listen to Daft Punk” vocoding effects which are totally welcome. It’s got a vintage, funky feel, while keeping the energy up in a 90’s dance kind of way. Kris Menace & Lifelike have grabbed my attention with this track, so y’all should keep an eye on them with me.
Avicii is back, and he brought Wyclef Jean & Matisyahu with him. It’s a strange departure for Avicii and I wonder who wanted this deal to come together most out of the trio. Matisyahu & Wyclef Jean drop perfectly capable/dope rhymes, and the reggae vibes on this are strong. Avicii brings in the bluegrass & country influences from his previous work, as you can hear in the builds and lead up to the chorus. This is definitely a step in a new direction so definitely let me know if it’s something you’re feeling. Bringing the energy down entirely is Glo. This downtempo/chill artist has studied at the School of Burial and we’re all better for it. I cannot get enough of this kind of sound. Do not play this for people on drugs, but if you’re sad, you just got dumped, or if you’re just walking in the rain, this is your jam. I know it’s mine, and if you want more, check out glo’s album saknad here. The list of tracks is fantastic, and it will get you through. Last but certainly not least, Delta Heavy‘s got a new jam that’s out July 17th. This is no bullshit Drum & Bass. Classic, perfect Delta Heavy, like only he can be. Delta Heavy is able to use female rock vocals in a way I don’t think anyone else in the space besides Flux Pavilion can touch. And now I want to see a Delta Heavy/Flux Pavilion b2b set.
That’s it folks, leave a comment if you liked this format & want to see it again, or if I should get back to a track a day. I live to serve.
Midnight Music: B-Complex – Beautiful Lies [Drum & Bass]
I don’t know who this Random Globe character is, but they know what they’re doing and have earned a spot in my “bored on YouTube” subscription rotation. This new channel, featuring some of the better liquid D&B that usually slips through my radar is still in the formative stages folks. But the 14 songs up already an the D&B list are solid as are the ~60 video chill list. This B-Complex track is everything you need to punch through the early week slump. A dope breakdown after a full 3:40 of regular drum & bass song? Especially considering most tunes in this genre are only that long, it’s gotta be something you sit up and appreciate, when you’ve got a 45sec legit breakdown in the tune. This is some old school Planet of the Drums vibe, pushed into an “almost” liquid track. The result is a gorgeous two hump track that feels like a classic. The vintage taste combined with the modern production values makes for a wonderful vacation in the middle of the week. Head on over to Random Globe if you agree.
Ten Questions With Terry Gotham: ph10 [Live D&B – The Oriental, Denver 6.20.15]
(I was lucky enough to chat with the mad scientist behind one of my favorite acts of all time, ph10. A force of nature in NYC back when the word rave meant something, ph10 has taken up residence in Denver, giving his fans an epic show this Saturday at The Oriental. Here’s to hoping everyone who reads this will help me convince him to keep the brutally majestic live d&b train going.)
1. How have you been preparing for the show? What can Denver attendees expect? Mostly focusing on promotion, it’s a tough town to get more than a couple hundred people at a show like this and we’re shooting for 400 at the Oriental. Beyond that, Pete and I have a brand new track to debut and I’m bringing some older tracks, some unreleased tracks including some hot fire from Clark of Saturn as a tribute. There’s a handful of people coming all the way from NYC and I’m trying to make it worth the trip.2. For everyone who missed your performance in 2013, Do you think you’d ever put out a set online? Brutal drive that was. I was stuck in Kansas for two days because a snow storm closed I70. You know what’s funny about Kansas? As bad as you assume it’ll be, it always finds a way to be worse. Sure I’ll put out a set online. You want to help set that up? Let’s do it live. (ed. You bet your ass I will)
3. Have you kept up with drum & bass these days, are you a still fan of what’s going on in the space? Honestly, I wish I could say no. I wish I could say “oh i’m way past that, I listen to Hungarian pan flute music exclusively now” but i still love DnB and it still gets me going when i need it to. My favorite artist right now is Amit – especially tracks like The Hunted / Killer Driller / Survivor / Daaku and Human Warfare. Brilliantly simple, minimal, dark and just so well produced – pretty much the opposite of pH10.
4. Right now, it’s all about the DJ and the fireworks. What is it all about for you when you’re up there? Really? Fireworks? That’s cool. I love pyrotechnics. I used to have a helmet with two flash-paper guns that i fired at the audience. People hated it. Venues really hated it. What’s it about when I’m up there? Sound. There’s nothing more important to me than filling the room with a full, rich auditory experience. Secondarily I mix everything live and like to tweak all the synths to give a semi-live experience to the fans that might know the records. Beyond that, I just bang my fat head up and down and try to have fun. 5. Do you partake in the Denver scene at all? Would you ever consider showing up and mixing records or messing around with some live production somewhere just for your local fans? Not as much any more but when anyone i know ask me to get involved in a show – even if that just means showing up with a computer and dropping samples into a metal set – I rarely decline.
6. Do you keep in touch with your fans? Are they clamoring for unreleased tracks? I’ve never had anyone clamor for anything from pH10 to be honest. If anyone wants unreleased tracks (and there are a few good ones) just ask.
(ed. – You bet your ass there are a couple I’ll be asking for :D)
7. As someone who was there before, any thoughts on what Brooklyn & the NYC party scene has become? I go back to NYC a lot and I stay in touch with the promoters that I used to work with – what I hear is that shit is pretty flat right now. I can’t confirm as I’m not in the scene every day but the guys that I looked up to doing parties every month just seem burned out on NYC and have moved on. Having said that, the last time pH10 played there was the aforementioned show at House of Yes in 2013 and it was an incredible experience – so emotional for me. Many of our NY fans came out to greet us, the venue was very well run and the sound was incredible. I do miss NYC.
8. With the explosion in commercial festivals, where do you think we go from here? What’s a club kid to do? Yeah those parties look terrible to my jaded eyes but if those kids are having fun, good on ’em. What I hope happens is that they are inspired by that scene and start to find indie spots to throw their own parties. All we had in the 90s and 00s in NYC was about 5 good crews, filling venues like Wonderland, Rubulad, Frying Pan, Lunatarium etc. That’s all it took – one of those crews throwing a genuinely good party every week and lighting up the city. I hope we get back there some day.
9. Knowing how it all turned out, do you have any nuggets of wisdom or insight for people just on the precipice of what you created? You know what, It’s finally been long enough to look back and be proud of what we accomplished rather than wonder would could have been. Regardless of the fact that some of the stuff with Pete Miser did pretty well on college radio and commercially with licensing and placements – we’ve sold a couple thousands records total, across our entire catalog over our entire history. Not exactly setting the world on fire. But the shows that we’ve performed – putting us in a position to look down off of a stage and see pleasure and pure joy in someone’s face because of the goofy shit that we’re playing – that’s what I’ll always treasure about this project. pH10 is silly but we fucking rock at the same time – that’s a great combination and all too rare these days. I like to think of pH10 as the electronic Murphy’s Law. 10. No chance we could convince you to keep it going huh? Even maybe just mastering some unreleased material or mixes of your favorite classic tracks? I didn’t expect anyone to bat an eye at the ‘last show’ declaration but it seems that there’s more interest than I expected – especially in doing live shows. The show hasn’t even happened yet so it’s a bit early to renege but fuck it. If someone in our family comes along and asks us to participate in something good, I might not know how to say no. As for releasing new stuff – that’s inevitable. I just need some help making it happen. Hit me up.
(Tickets, if you’re in the hood, can be gotten here, once again)
Terry Gotham 