Well this one came out of left field. Props to Stoney Roads for the tip on this, the artist has under 25 twitter followers & isn’t even on Facebook at the time of writing. This has been on repeat all day, forcing me to track this new artist down. White Noise was a hauntingly good track by Disclosure & MNEK if you don’t remember, but this refix by Baiji is unheard of. The molasses pace, the deep, soulful honoring of the original vocals, and a general turn down to chill vibe is exactly what’s needed as festival season heats up here and the tracks get bigger and bigger. This alternative, relaxed attitude has definitely got him on my radar. And apparently, if you actually go through & adopt a dolphin, Baiji will buy you Chipotle. So, put this into your face as you finish out your 420.
Tag Archives: soundcloud
Sonic Remix Sunday! Twin Remixes by Ben Briggs & PrototypeRaptor
If you need a break from the Coachella livestream & you had a Genesis, you’re going to like this stuff. I got the Sonic the Hedgehog theme music stuck in my head so I decided to dig around and throw down my 2 favorite remixes involving the Blue Blur himself. First up, PrototypeRaptor mixing a fun Electro remix of the Chemical Plant Zone in Sonic 2. Bumping, super high energy and authentic pad work really makes it come alive. This is one of the few video game remixes that I could see making it onto a legit dance floor. This was one of my favorite downloads at OC Remix. Apparently people liked it so much he dropped a VIP/extended remix of it, which is what you just listened to. Ben Briggs needs a huge amount of props about this. This kind of bouncey modern re-imagining of the Hydrocity Zone music in Sonic 3 is a prime example of what I think modern chip & VGM DJs need to sound like to remain relevant in the era where people are playing games on their phone as often as they are on their gaming consoles. The FX are totally authentic, the squelchy bass works great & the wait to pull you into the mega-sweet breakdown at 2:15 is executed masterfully. The drop pulls in synthy perfection that throws me back into playing the crap out of Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles locked on (who even remembers lock on technology?!). The sample is from one of the Sonic cartoons and could not be more at home. Now if I could just find a chili dog somewhere.
Earworm Of The Month: Foy Vance – Be The Song (Epatage Soul Edit)
If you want a good idea of what the inside of my mind has sounded like for the last couple of weeks, just put this on repeat. This duo, made up of Alex Toni and Rodion De Charme out of St. Petersburg has created some amazing tracks, but this one is a fantastic stand out. The combination of soulful lyrics, soothing beats & perfect production is the reason why it’s been on daily repeat. They recently came out with a new track, which can be listened to here. They are able to capture a smooth, almost hopeful melancholy that you don’t hear in dance music much these days. Listen to this in the sun, or while walking in the light.
Midnight Music: Nero – The Thrill (Porter Robinson Remix)
Nero – The Thrill (Porter Robinson Remix)
Yea, this collab needs to happen way more often. The track of today could only be Porter Robinson’s stunning remix of The Thrill by Nero. The remix hits this apex when it comes to production, stupendous production values, respect of the original work & blowing the lid off of it at the same time. The arpeggio work is second to none, with Porter reminding everyone he creates soundscapes, not songs. This shimmering remix is one of the first true post-Big Room offerings that aren’t gimmicky. This type of Future Electro really has a shot at unseating the idiocy of Brolectro & Big Room. The power goes crazy, but he never loses control. Porter has shown he can be a master at the massive yet crystalline & this new release is no exception. Put it into your face post haste. At this point, it’s so good & good for you it might as well have Vitamin C in it. (via This Song Is Sick)
Mix Of The Week: Deuce Returns. Rejoice & Be Glad.
Like a crazy masked avenger, The Deuce Cake himself has reappeared on the scene. A new mix of significance has been dropped for us, so all you tech house & garage heads take note. My boy Deuce is one of the most talented sleeper agents in NYC. He was my first Hometown Fire for a reason. The first 10 minutes are some of the most crucial tech house I’ve heard in months. But the hits keep coming with clutch remixes and some stupendous transitions. I’ve watched this guy spin and even I don’t know when he starts some of these. He’s one of those DJs that will give you a taste of something and forget about it for 5 minutes. Making you think you lost your damn mind placing that sample incorrectly, then bam, it’s in your face, re-worked and grooving. I need the names of the tracks 36min in & just over an hour, as those are some of the high watermarks for me when it comes to the vibe that the combo between house & garage can be. By the time I was done with this mix I was even more sad I didn’t have Disclosure’s home phone number. This sound needs to get way bigger.
EP Of The Week: CMA – Dreams [Chill]
This week, drift away with CMA. This tight little EP is made of clouds. The excessive talent of CMA is on display as this sextet of relaxing sonic snowflakes float down upon you. Dream Away gets us off to a winking, almost uptempo start, before Caught In Out Thoughts pulls us back into that chillstep vibe. Don’t Look Back brings in some atmosphere that you wouldn’t find out of place in a Rameses B track, which given how much I love that dude, is high praise. The arpeggio work is solid and it never gets too intense. Moving Forward manages to both be heavy & soaring, while still keeping in the feel of the EP. So, an oppressive giant made of clouds. Or someone screaming but the only thing coming out is sparkles? Not sure if that metaphor is decidedly positive enough. Without You showcases CMA’s piano skill, which is on point. I am glad to see more and more producers coming from strong piano backgrounds, as I find it to be tremendously helpful to production. This gives a flexibility that we see throughout the EP, that other producers should take note of. Friends brings it back to the chillstep vibe we all showed up for. Great work by CMA & it’s a Creative Commons licensed EP, so go put it into your student film so people discover CMA.
Midnight Music: LunchMoney Lewis – Bills (Leah Haxhi Cover) [Indie Cover]
Stupendous. Leah Haxhi needs the highest of fives for creating this. Not only do we have another strong lady taking on covering hip hop, but it’s got gospel & violin in it! This kind of soulful re-working with the gender flip is always going to get some words from me. It’s a fun, well composed indie tune that should both give Leah Haxhi some needed exposure, but signal boost for Lunch Money Lewis in places he may not be heard. The original is below for you to compare & enjoy as well, because, why would I set you up like this and not provide you the comparison right? The take home message here is, I say more ladies with stringed instruments covering hip hop. Can we get a hip lady from Brooklyn to cover Puffy’s discography so we can take back some of that territory? (via Fresh New Tracks)
Album Of The Week: Perfect Getaway by Flexstyle
Flexstyle continues in his quest to make enough amazing music such that I can replace my entire soundscape with stuff that makes it sound like I’m in a game from the Mega Man X series. And I love him for it. This album was something I mentioned a while back, but I hadn’t had time to sit down and give it the nerdy listen it deserves. The entire album is freaking gorgeous, but my notes on my favorites from it The Chilloniq mix of Neck Deep is a sprawling, ambitious remix project that wildly succeeds. The future bass & breakbeat fusion not only works, but needs to be a new genre. But of course, if you’ve been playing the home game, you know I think Flexstyle’s created more than 1 new genre of music by now. Stand With Me has a great little synthy retro feel to it. The vocal work is definitely a highlight here, especially if it means he comes out of his shell & sings more.
The Oasis remix is big, and reinforces the idea that this dude has the composition & remix chops to stand outside of the convention world. Solar Eclipse keeps that rambling vibe going with a plucky, uptempo melody that would probably be good for speed run practice. Revolution is a dope little jam that speaks to a developing sense of authentic signature sound, so again, more please! Perfect Getaway brings in some turnt up guitars and is totally the title track of the album for a reason.
Summer Silence pulls the energy down a bit and gives us a nice little ambient tune that makes me think of Kyoto. Which is weird as I’ve never been to Japan. Fluid Motion ends up being some fun liquid drum & bass, which y’all know I’m a fan of, so frankly, the 5min the track weighs in at isn’t a bug, it’s a feature. Which is why he follows it up with some buzzsaw-infused D&B that sounds quite a bit harder than the previous track. Boh Boh indeed.
The rest of the album is a sweet little collection of originals, heavy guest featuring & a couple more remixes that are totally worth your time. Any time Flexstyle remixes Ben Briggs, sit up in your chair & pay attention please, as his Methods remix could get dropped at a side stage at Ultra today and I wouldn’t even blink. A super positive bompin electro track, plus a couple more for your trouble. AND A FREE BONUS PRIZE FOR YOU!
Bonus Mix! The more Flexstyle plays out live, the more I need to hear him. This is one of my favorite mixes of 2015 so far. Playful, bomping ridiculous vgm beats that I could dance to forever. At some point I’m going to be cool enough to throw my own convention party and if it gets him doing more vocal work, I’ll shout it from the rooftops. The build is no slouch either, and I can’t wait for him to team up with Rameses B or get a release signed to Monstercat.
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: St▲rs ▲re De▲d – Where Is My Mind
This takes the cake for most inventive Pixies remix ever. This chillwave/melodic remix of the track is almost not there. If you ever needed a Sunday morning comedown or hangover track, it’s right here. The airyness & ethereal backing is so perfect I feel like I might just be imagining half of it. The pianos feel like they’re being strained through a chemical fog, but still strongly evoke the best parts of the original Pixies track. This is a masterful reworking by Berlin native John Laudani. I hope The Pixies hear this. Possibly when they’re in the spa or something. Because this is everything a remix should be. Totally different, but still worthy of the original.
Terry Gotham 