The heat accompanying global moistness had given the city a sweaty, rainy feel, but the new week is upon us, so that means new sweltering tunes! A mix of old and new this week, dope trance from MitiS, chilled vibes from haven off the new WaveMob compilation, a surprisingly good tech house banger from SREYAS off an OverClocked Remix compilation, and two gems from Submotion Orchestra. Put this ish in your face, and if you get a chance to see Submotion Orchestra live, DO SO.
#MyBoyMitiS continues his meteoric rise from club kid to headliner, dropping a quietly epic Trance tune on Soundcloud yesterday. His signature attention to detail and innovative production choices shine here. MitiS delivers a trance tune that would find a home at FSOE, ASOT, Pure NRG or a dozen other Trance DJ podcasts or live sets. When you shazam it at Dreamstate later this year, you’ll know where it came from.
I cannot say enough good things about Haven. He’s one of those rare gifts of a producer that make you feel amazing things and never abuses the privilege. His latest off of WaveMob‘s new compilation is a stellar example of what WaveMob is capable of, and I highly recommend checking out the entire playlist. If you can’t get enough of this stuff, check out my interview with Haven & other chill DJs here.
I was jamming on a compilation of video game remixes over the weekend when I came across this remix. SREYAS really blew me away with this one, as I am not used to hearing tech house bangers that make me want to play Super Mario Brothers. This tune slaps honestly, the bass is exceptionally well produced, the original VGM material is used expertly, and the mastering is second to none. We’d expect nothing less from OverClocked Remix, so I encourage you to put the whole playlist on when pre-gaming this week, and show them some love over at www.ocremix.org
For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been obsessed with Submotion Orchestra & their album Alium. The 6 piece organic band manages to fuse elements of jazz, pop, indie, electronica, house and R&B, creating a gorgeous, unique sound that feels exceptionally modern. The complexity of the album allows for a sonic journey that I’ve been missing from traditional electronic releases, while the moody goodness keeps me grounded while playing the album on repeat. Awakening is a triumph, even more so than the rest of the album, so don’t miss it.
SeeMore managed to do an exceptionally difficult thing. Remix another one of my favorites from Submotion Orchestra, giving it some future bass oomph without getting in the way of the original source material. The fusion between old and new is one of the finer remixes on the Submotion Orchestra Spotify page, and has definitely turned me onto SeeMore.
Tag Archives: pop
Jae Jin’s Album “Kairos” Is A Stunning Soulful Success!
Jae Jin – Kairos
I spoke to Jae Jin a little while back, during his last stint of NYC performances. Easily one of the most electrifying new voices of my generation, I think there’s a certain explosive potential in this kid. He’s put it all on the line and if you were one of the chosen few who helped him crowdfund (with a hefty chunk going to charity no less) his debut album, you have not been disappointed. For everyone who wasn’t smart enough to get in on that action, you can grab it here, which I highly recommend.
When It Finds You is one of the best vocal tracks I’ve heard in years. This has pop/rock anthem written all over it. It delivers with hints of gospel, a heaping dose of soul & just a dash of euphoria. The call & answer section is a wonderful throwback & the tune reels you in and doesn’t let you go. Expertly arranged, it busts the door down for the album.
Running pulls a little more in the indie direction, showcasing Jae’s range and ability. The mastering & additional elements added in to support his buttery vocals are the right choices, with the track gliding along. I’m surprised I haven’t already heard it on the radio. Ain’t About Love brings it back down to almost a blues vibe, but the ditty uses piano & snaps to emphasize just how good Jae Jin is at this.
Don’t Fall Too Late is a rambling, relaxed soulful meditation, but by this point, you should be expecting that. It harmonizes & blends well, giving Jae Jin another chance to knock it out of the park. Which he of course does. The guitar & piano are front and center, but neither dominates. Everything is necessary and it all works. Moon & Stars modernizes that soulful vibe, centering on some soaring chords. It has almost a country vibe, feeling like it could be played at an indie show or even a NASCAR race. It feels very American, if that means anything anymore.
Honestly, I could keep going on, listing each track and telling you how good they are, but that’s just taking time away from you listening to & buying the album. Each track is expertly arranged and continues to show new sides of Jae, ones I didn’t even know he had, and I knew the guy years ago.
I want to wrap this up by saying that this guy’s sound is screaming to get paired up with DJs & producers here in NYC. This guy’s vocal work is beyond compare and any producer or label that picks him up will be lucky. He’s pulling his weight in gold, to quote Gallant, and Ed Sheeran has nothing on this kid. Pick the album up here and enjoy!
Midnight Music: Huntar – Autumn [Future Garage]
Huntar – Autumn
Starting the week off with some fire from Annie Mac. A 21yr old named Huntar pushed out this crazy good track, a mix of pop, indie, future & garage elements coming together in a moody gorgeous way. I’m thinking “producer & vocalist” is going to become the new “singer/songwriter” when it comes to the way we’re going to describe things in the future. It’s a fun, bobbing tune from an up & comer that I totally wouldn’t have heard without Ms. Mac giving me the scoop on this. It’s got a great UK garage’y house feel, with some more of an early Disclosure vibe than I thought it would. It definitely holds up on repeat listenings, so make sure to hit up the page for your free DL. Huntar is young, but the tune hit #1 on HypeM, so don’t count him out just yet. This track surprised me, and it may just surprise you.
Midnight Music: Jaymes Young & Phoebe Ryan – We Won’t [Vocal Indie]
Jaymes Young is the He Man to Phoebe Ryan’s She-Ra in the Eternia that is Indie Soundcloud. Now that we’ve put that exceptionally tortured metaphor behind us, this track is exquisite. Phoebe Ryan joins Jaymes for one of the best duets since that summer we were all singing about “now you’re just somebody that I used to know.” This skill when it comes to lyrical genius and tonal perfection from both singers is second to none, and I really do believe both of these artist need solo pop careers. Each has been featured on this site before, Jaymes earning an Earworm of the Month tip, with Phoebe being my Valentine’s Day release. The mastering is second to none as usual, so I really hope this goes le viral.
Midnight Music: Shawn Wasabi – Marble Soda [Mashup]
153 sounds, songs & samples were used to construct this, which blows my mind. You can hear all of it among the stupendous technical competence of the track. This live mashup is in the vein of Madeon, Araab Muzik & the others who drop insanity on midi controllers. This kid got his hands on the first 64-bit midi fighter and made this with it, Marble Soda.
Midnight Music: Hummingbird – Fool
A little while back, I brought y’all this cool EP by an artist named Allume. Thankfully, she’s kept the work going, including with one of her compatriots Souda. This new group is called Hummingbird, and they’ve got the indietronica sound down pat. This almost mournful, yet potent track is a winding delight. The soothing vocals and the soft, but persistent synthy bass got into my head and hasn’t left. So now it’s in yours. It’s good for one of those moody days where you want to feel good, but you can’t deal with sunshine & lollipops in your ears. Great work from down under. I really need to get to a festival in Australia.
Midnight Music: Coleman Hell – Thumbalina
Tonight, I’m keeping the indie presence here going with this fun little ditty out of Mr. Coleman Hell from Toronto. While I really expected leather, this guy’s got a great sound and so much energy. This kind of upbeat, hopeful, optimistic sound is exactly what you need on Monday night. The lyrics are smart, romantic and may give you a reason to think that you’ll find someone after that last trainwreck. It’s effervescent and that is coming from the old, cynical grumpy Gotham cat himself. It’s entirely difficult to get me to smile this much, so props to Mr. Hell. Can we please get Mr. Hell to be a metal/emo/brutal side project? I mean, probably for my own amusement but it could work? (via Fresh New Tracks)
Midnight Music: Anneliese – Singed Spots [Soulful Indie]
This is a wonderful surprise. Anneliese was sent to me by one of my contacts in VA. I’m really happy he did. Her EP is a great offering from some fresh talent down south & this track is a highlight off the EP. The choices when it comes to the pacing, synth work & a no-nonsense attitude work perfectly. The German native that’s landed in VA seems to have picked up exactly what she needs to. The lyrical work is sophisticated ,but she still has chops where she needs them. Anneliese is already punching above her weight class. Show her some love and tell her Terry sent you.
Midnight Music: SAFIA – Counting Sheep [Aussie Dance Pop]
I’m switching things up for tonight’s Midnight Music. This was a group that I’d been following for the last year or so, after their jaw-droppingly good Paranoia, Ghosts & Other Sounds blew me away 11 months ago. This kind of ethereal dance makes me think of Scissor Sisters and a bunch of distinctly non-American bands that keep it uptempo while not slouching on the vocals. That may or may not be Vincent Price midway in the track, but I really want to focus on the ridiculously excellent vocals that were laid down in this century. There’s an outrageousness that is also creepy at the same time that makes me want more. Frankly, next time I can’t sleep, I have a feeling this is going to get put in my face. Give it up for SAFIA ladies & gentlemen. (via Stoney Roads)
Terry Gotham 