This delightful re-imagining of Fred V & Grafix’s Major Happy from 2012 could be a master class on how to construct a remix. The rambling beat collects a number of the elements from the original song, and adds them all back in new ways, such that the track can hardly even be called drum & bass anymore. As it shifts into the realm of almost IDM or glitch, there’s a classical or symphonic feel that sticks with you as the violin strings pluck away under the gurgling beat. Just as quickly as it appears, it’s gone, and it leaves me wondering when I get more from this Mr. Robinson kid. Time to start keeping tabs on this one.
Tag Archives: Midnight Music
Midnight Music: Netsky vs Metrik – Can’t Speak ft Stealth [Drum & Bass]
I do love when dope producers collaborate. In true grand fashion, two of my favorite Drum & Bass producers from 2014, Netsky & Metrik join up with vocalist Stealth to re-work one of his tracks in an excellent, chilled out kind of way. It’s still fast & furious, but there’s a relaxed vibe that makes me wonder when Netsky or Hospital Records is going to work with Example. This might be seen as a little softer and more commercially friendly than some of Netsky’s earlier work, but there’s a lot to like about it and I think it’s important to give people something soothing. Relax with this tonight, only a couple of days left in the year.
Midnight Music: Savant – 1997 [Trance] (Free Download!)
Savant is exactly that. A musical font, issuing forth dozens of tracks over a relatively short period, we last visited his amazingness almost 1 year ago, when he killed the opening set for Astrix & Infected Mushroom. This track that I think he did as a joke, but it’s freaking incredible. Like, this is classic trance almost to a point. The 9min track has an ominous sample and a proper multi-minute build. With stabby synths that pluck at all the right heart strings, it seems as if he just stumbled upon a hit. To be frank, it’s one of the best vintage non-anthem trance tracks I’ve heard in years, and I don’t think he meant for it to be as dope as it as. Cause it is. Super dope. This needs as much exposure as possible, if for no reason other than hearing a Savant track on ASOT 😀 Tell your friends, and get down to the crazy hypnotic beat.
Midnight Music: Usher – Yeah (Pat Lok Rework) [Future House]
Two min 30 sec in really speaks for itself. This kind of deep push and potent vibe that Pat Lok is making sure happens, really can’t be replaced, and I think that needs to be noted. This remix is amazing, in ways that neither Usher or anyone associated with the original could have predicted. This reworking has the elements that you need in a 2015 mix, that you don’t know you need until they’re not here. Pat Lok puts all the correct pieces into the puzzle the right way. The vocals are brought back in exactly the way they need to while the breakdown at three minutes in can still remain the dope break it is. (via FreshNewTracks)
Midnight Music: Blackmill & Mt. Eden – Now [Dream Bass]
I have been waiting literally years for this. Blackmill has created some of the most gorgeous, symphonic & ambient music in the last 5 years. Then one day, Blackmill went dark, so the people waited. And waited. And now, thanks to Mt. Eden (who deserve a medal for making this happen), there’s new snowy goodness just in time for the holiday season. This is on the lighter side for Mt. Eden, which speaks volumes to the respect they have to Blackmill’s vision. The chilled ambient is exceptional, and will give you a moment to come into the present moment. Don’t worry about the future, just be here in the Now. For as long as the song lasts anyway. Merry Christmas, to all who celebrate it.
Midnight Music: Hayden James – Something About You [Future House]
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.
Midnight Music: Infected Mushroom – Kazabubu
I’m 10 days late on this, so apologies are in order. I should’ve been yelling about this a week ago. To get you excited for 2015, 1/6 brings Friends With Mushrooms, their new full-length album. The 17 track juggernaut will include a couple of the highlights from their massive “Friends With Mushrooms” EPs that have dotted the release cycle over the last few years. To celebrate, Dim Mak wanted to make sure you knew what they sound like and to remind you just how dope their production values are, even to this day. This album is going to have a lot of surprises, but the quality you’ve come to expect will be there in spades. This track fuses the electro, world-beat, psy, big beat and dubby elements with the end of the tune really punching into some fun bass sounds. Pre-order the album here on iTunes & get ready for some sharp, effective mushrooms in 2015. (via Thump)
Midnight Music: LOTR Remix! Turn Down For Hobbits!
I can’t say that I’m a huge LOTR nerd, but closing the circle must feel good for a lot of people. To celebrate the end of a journey that started before Obama was a household name, my boy Will Vance over at EDMTunes whipped up a surprisingly legit remix of Pippin’s song. The bass & backbeats work really well, and I’m definitely hoping that I hear it mixed into something at some point. Oh man, can we get DJ Hodor to play LOTR remixes? Because that might actually approach the definition of epic. It’s a tumultuous track that definitely needs to be mastered and slipped onto a playlist in Peter Jackson’s jet at some point. Get at more of this one’s sound here. (Lyrics & photo from here)
Midnight Music: Redial – Work It Down [Aussie Bass]
So, Redial is no joke. This took me totally by surprise, because it’s like, circus massive. There’s this gregariousness to the bass that’s almost Falstaffian (yea, I went there). For all of my people not up on Shakespeare, it’s almost a sloppy drunk bass, with some triumphant chords sloshing around there. This is what Mad Decent would sound like if diplo was from Brixton instead of Philly. And yea, I understand the gravity of those words. Ride along and see what I mean. Short, sweet & to the point, three minutes and it’s gone, and you’re left wanting for more. Exactly what’s needed to dive into the Soundcloud page and get more into the face. Dude doesn’t even play, so get up on this before it blows up.
Midnight Music: Brass Knuckles – Water Gun ft. John Ryan (Popeska Remix) [Indie Electro]
This indie dance rework of Water Gun by Popeska is surprisingly euphoric. 30 seconds in, the chords slap you with the chorus pushing back into your awareness. Brass Knuckles provided a wonderful indie track to remix. With John Ryan providing on point vocals & Brass Knuckles pulling into some fun poppy dance, Popeska takes it and runs with it. It’s got a “Bomping it in your Camaro in the sunset” kind of feel to it, and doesn’t really try to get too heady about it. Does what it says on the tin, and I really want Popeska to get that water gun now. Or a platform for more of that smooth electro gorgeousness.
Terry Gotham 