Monday Music: AlunaGeorge, Shlohmo, Brig, Mall Grab, Hight

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Terry Gotham

truck-secured

This week, like the truck hauling the truck, I’m bringing you a quintet of sleeper hits. Some from artists you know, some from those you’ve never heard of, all quality. Let’s get this show on the road!

AlunaGeorge is one of those eternal talents that you’re glad you’re alive to experience. The swaggering, effective bass saunters along, making room for the soaring vocals that take center stage early on. The tune lurches into some Future R&B that is liberal with notes of hip hop, big beat swing, and some vintage jazz that I’m really digging. This tune speaks for itself as it walks across the dance floor. Enjoy it!
I’m so pleased to be able to bring this to your ears. An unreleased Shlohmo track from 2010 has been uploaded by the maestro himself, and it is a masterpiece. It’s stunning in its dreary beauty and I’m so happy it’s been released. The sloping, syncopated indie bass is something only Shlohmo could make and frankly, your day will be better for it. It’s a B-side to Bad Vibes, an old hit of his, and I can’t wait to know what he called it.
I don’t know where Brig came from, but they’re perky as fuck. Since many corners of the music internet are up to their necks in synthwave, Brig brings a fresh push forward from those decidedly 80’s roots. Extreme is dancey, scintillating bubblegum electro pop, with a little Outrun and space lasers feel. The synth twangs and slaps are effective, while being fun as hell. Not the most cerebral tune, but honestly, it’ll wake you up better than that oppressively bubbly co-worker. Someone called this Pirate Bass, and I’m kind of ok with that.
Switching gears entirely, Mall Grab slaps. That’s it, in a nutshell really. This is one of those white label records both old school & noob DJs will like. Honestly, if you’re spinning House, you need this track. The classic rhythms roll over the impressive, potent House bass beat so well I had to check to see if I had grown an afro. This is likely to turn a lot of heads on the dance floor, no matter how many people are dancing. It’s a supremely effective mid-set tune, with a bunch of in/out mixing points to ensure you showcase your favorite part of the song. I’m a huge fan, and it takes a lot for me to throw out something so simple on this here blog. Get down to it.
Yo, Hight, is tight. Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, this sunny, almost-too-late single by Hight is my favorite of their first releases. The dance pop vibe is nothing revolutionary, but it has fun with itself, and does quite well at what it sets out to do. The odd tonal shifts in the chord progressions kind of make it feel like I’m walking along Venice Beach on cough syrup or something. And oddly, that’s not a bad thing. Vocals piercing through as I push forward…sounds like not the worst day. Enjoy the tune and big ups to VMan for the looks on this.

Memorial Day Music: Prismo, Petit Biscuit, Krewella, Hybrid Minds & Sarah Silverman

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Terry Gotham

Milpool 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.

Midnight Music: Hayden James – Something About You [Future House]

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Terry Gotham

There’s something about this track. The soothing, shimmery yet upbeat track by Hayden James caught my ear and it’s exactly what you need to get the family you’re staying with relaxed and not talking about how wacky the year was. The lyrics are issued forth competently & soulfully, while the house’y beat glistens along. It’s a fine offering from the upstart from Sydney. I’m getting into a lot of the indie bass acts out of Australia & New Zealand these days. There’s this distinctly non-EDM feel to a lot of these artists and I’m looking forward to when they breach the gates here in the USA. I’d certainly see this in a Brooklyn warehouse. And the next track on the Soundcloud “related” is Miss You Most At Night, which is le dope, so it’s got that going for it as well.