Archive for November 2012

In the Past, Artists Were “Discovered”; In 2012, they Win Remix Competitions

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remix contest seven lions

     Remix competitions are nothing new to the world of dance music. It seems as though there is a new contest to enter every week, and while running through the submissions may cause one to weep for the future of our beloved genre, there are always a few reworks that are noteworthy and ultimately, good enough to launch a career. Take Seven Lions for example. No one had heard of the California native until his remix of “You Got to Go” won Above & Beyond’s competition back in 2011. Roughly a year later, he’s still remixing Anjunabeats tracks, touring with Gemini, Koan Sound and Bassex, releasing his originals on Skrillex’s OWSLA and not surprisingly, hosting his very own remix contest on Beatport. Now let’s forget Seven Lions and move on to Lindsay Lowend, who’s tweaking of “Days to Come” is undoubtedly one of the strongest submissions to this competition. The word tweaking doesn’t best encapsulate what the young songstress has done; she’s taken the original in a whole different direction, turning it from a dubstep-infused progressive house banger to a casual chill out ballad. In making the shift to the more relaxed subgenre, Lindsay has slowed the song down considerably, fitting it a captivating 3-note reverberating synth sequence, scattering hi-hats throughout the production and bending the vocals to match the faint buzzing bassline.

     For the sole purpose of using the word “literally” in the following sentence, I timed myself to see how long it would take for someone to vote for Lindsay Lowend’s remix of “Days to Come.” It LITERALLY takes 5.3 seconds to vote. Literally. The polls are open until December 10th, so don’t screw around, VOTE NOW.

Seven Lions ft. Fiora – Days to Come (Lindsay Lowend Remix)
VOTE FOR LINDSAY LOWEND’S REMIX
Seven Lions - Days To Come Feat. Fiora (Lindsay Lowend Remix) by Lindsay Lowend

     In June of 2011, Josh Gabriel and Meredith Call released an album as Winter Kills, their collaborative vocal trance project.  In late September of 2012, they brought the album back, organizing a remix competition for the 11th track, “Forward Facing.” I’m assuming the submissions were scarce, because not even a month following the contest’s announcement, 2 reworkings were chosen as winners to be released on Different Pieces. Considering “Josh Gabriel presents Winter Kills” came out in 2011, I find it odd that Group Therapy Radio has been spinning the original mix as opposed to the Walsh & McAuley remix that has been stuck in my head for a while. The duo from Northern Ireland has kept the integrity of the track alive, keeping the melody somewhat the same and instead fidgeting with the breakdown and climax. The drop is laden with synths and cymbals as a new melody then takes over, turning the track into a true uplifting bomb.

Josh Gabriel pres. Winter Kills ft. Meredith Call – Forward Facing (Walsh &McAuley Remix)
Released on November 19th on Different Pieces
Beatport


     It’s quite obvious, what with the prominence of names like Justice, Daft Punk, Fred Falke and Madeon, that France has lots of talent in disco. Joining the ranks of these future legends is Douze, with his recent remix of Henry Saiz & Cora Novoa. As if it were an episode of Pimp My Ride, the 23-year old Frenchman’s take on “Golden Dawn” is a completely different one than that of the original. The 119 BPM of the original seems to be too fast paced for Douze’s taste, so he slows it down 110, structures the track to a nu disco setting, peppers soft chords and wailing vocals throughout, places an unusually active bassline in the meatiest parts of the tune and installs a pull-out flat screen in the back seat. In all seriousness, it is excruciatingly tough to find more than one similarity between the original and Douze’s remix. Regardless, this is definitely a must have for any modern disco fan.

Henry Saiz & Cora Novoa – Golden Dawn (Douze Remix)
Released on November 5th on Natura Sonoris
Beatport
Henry Saiz & Cora Novoa "Golden Dawn" Douze Remix by Henry Saiz

     Time is running thin, so just have a listen to 4 Strings and Ana Criado’s newest vocal trance anthem.

4 Strings ft. Ana Criado – Breathe Life In (Original Mix)
Released on November 26th on Liquid Recordings
Beatport


     For those of you looking for something to do this weekend, be sure to check out Dubfire at Stereo on Friday night. If your Saturday evening is still free, you’ve got a tough choice to make between Armand van Helden at New City Gas, Alex Metric at La Mouche and the legendary Frankie Knuckles, who plays alongside David Morales at Stereo. The next night you should set aside is Thursday December 6th, when Boys Noize brings his Out of the Black tour to New City Gas. If you’re planning on going and haven’t purchased an entry yet, test your luck by following this link to I Love Neon’s ticket giveaway on Facebook. Friday, December 7th will see Stereo attract a large crowd as the club welcomes France’s best techno export, Popof. December 8th is another extremely busy night, with shows for DJ Hype at Le Belmont, Morgan Page at New City Gas, Roger Sanchez at Stereo, Jacques Greene at the SAT and Étienne Ozborne at Circus Afterhours. Finally, two weeks from now, on Thursday, December 13th, Simian Mobile Disco will be appearing live at Club Soda. As always, if you want to plan more than two weeks ahead of time, be sure to check Montreal Nightclubs’ events page.

     Finally, here’s an insanely entertaining music video I found a few weeks back. When I introduced this segment, I made it clear that the chosen clip did not have to be specific to dance music. This week’s end of post video comes from a metal band called Nekrogoblikon, who’s short film for their track “No One Survives” is even more badass than a Chuck Norris/Tom Selleck mustache competition.



Want more? Watch the goblin shoot some hoops here

Netflix. Pornhub. Hypemachine.

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Every now and then I muster the motivation to rise from the comfort of my bed to venture the world. To say the least, the internet is quite a comfortable place. It can be tailored to your tastes and likes. You want to watch a movie? Netflix. Fancy some porn? Pornhub. Any new music as of recently? Hypemachine (also known as the mother of all blogs). In this rather brief segment I will illustrate the numerous finds that have stimulated my mind enough to keep me from falling into depression coming into finals. Cue unrelated tumblr photo (*insert shameless promotion here*).


1. Cashmere Cat:

Norwegian born producer, quite a mystery (I believe her name is Belinda, although I am not entirely certain), and most notably known for a song entitled "Mirror Maru", we note an ample amount vocal samples, and eclectic sound kits in her arsenal. She recently unveiled a 4 track EP to which the title is revealed above. Listen up, for this artist is a notable up and comer in the makes. In fact, she made it to #1 on Hypemachine a few hours ago. Pretty decent for a cat, wouldn't you say? Additionally, "Mirror Maru" was featured on Rustie's essential mix. She is on the right track. 



2. Machinedrum:

You have to hand it to the LuckyMe group, they house a wide array of artists. Machinedrum is no exception. Quite an old producer, he brings juke to an entirely different level. Also, he has seen little sleep recently; in the past month, he released a handful of tracks, opened an entirely new project with Jimmy Edgar under the collective alias "Jets", and has been destroying dance floors.




3. Seth Troxler:

An American native who simply preferred the other side of the pond, he now resides in London and has been pleasing Europe for many months now. His career started when he was rather young, and has grown into a sound which one can say is rather upbeat. Although he peaked in 2009, he is in no way out of the game; a constant flow of events and some new releases keep us wanting more.



4. Kyodai:

Kyodai is a japanese term to which the english translation is "brothers". A relatively new project from two unknown producers, the result is phenomenal. Although their musical origins remain shrouded in mystery, we can be certain that their music is reputable, and with good reason. With a string of good EPs and releases behind them, the future looks bright for these two. As well as being included in Kerri Chandler's RA podcast, they have been requested to remix a handful of songs which will drop sometime in the next few months. As of now, here is a tune off their 6 month-old EP "Breaking".



5. Ital:

The video of the week goes to a video directed by Planet Mu for Ital's piece entitled "Boi".


Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

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     Bam! I'm back once again. After having been beaten to the ground by the fine establishment of academia, I present to you this week's finds.


     First of all, Maths Time Joy has released his 3 track EP entitled Hideaway. To say the least, his Facebook page deserves much more than a thousand likes. Every single tune within the EP had me nodding my head, swaying in the layers of smooth and sharp synths, the original percussion-work, as well as the hypnotizing nature of warm vocals. Although they are all distinct from each other, each track possesses a certain progression; starting out slowly, they begin to peak and as a result produce a powerful emotional sensation within. One listen of this EP really took me on a journey, and should most definitely do the same for anyone with a sane ear.







     Moving over to the wonderful Jacques Greene, I must say he has been impressing the masses over the past year. Although still with LuckyMe, his decision to create his own recording label with Joseph Coghill was a rather bold move. However so, Vase is seeing a growing amount of attention from listeners around the world. This is most probably due to the niche in which they place themselves. Their music is extremely unique, and never ceases to sustain interest. This being said, Jacques Greene was unknown to me up until earlier this year when I saw him perform at Piknik Electronique. His set was ravishing, and I have been loving him ever since. He recently released a remix of a song by Jesse Boykins III & MeLo X entitled "The Perfect Blues". Oh, and it would also be important to note that the EP "Another Girl", released last year, has been on repeat my entire week.





     George Fitzgerald has been up to some pretty cool stuff as of recently. A remix of JessieWare's "No To Love" has been stirring up the internet, and with reason. His signature sound seamlessly accompanies the foundation to JessieWare's song, and creates something new and captivating. Featured in Scuba's Fact mix in late October, it has been officially released approximately a week ago.



     Also, Baikal has remixed Ian Pooley's "CompuRhythm", and it is quite a piece! Seeing a release november 19th through Innervisions, this song is most definitely worth the listen.


     Lastly, I would like to direct your attention to global warming. You all knew where I was going with this post, save me the conspiracy theories. Do you like ice? I know I do! To be more specific, Geiom's "Row2Land" music video displays a vast array of glaciers and ice crystals, all with the sole purpose of educating us on our effect on the planet. All jokes aside, reduce reuse and recycle.


P.S.: You know trap music has gone mainstream when Lady Gaga is in on it. For those who aren't aware, she came out with a trap track, to which the video will be directed by the infamous Terry Richardson. Check it for yourselves! I refuse to tarnish this blog!

Excuses Excuses

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     I’m not going to bore you with the elaborate reasons why there was no post last week. Instead, let’s dive right in to this week’s tracks. Time constraints, bla bla bla, short post.

     New track from Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo, teaming up with vocalist Greta Svabo Bech to give life to some great electro house. Notice how big a contrast the chorus makes with the rest of the song, giving listeners the chance to rest in between fierce head-bobbing and roof-raising arm movements.
The Bloody Beetroots ft. Greta Svabo Bech - Chronicles of a Fallen Love (Original Mix)
Released on Ultra Records on October 22nd
BeatportiTunes


     Chris Malinchak brings forth a soothing and catchy tune on French Express. Synths are great, vocals are fantastic (love the background work) and the melody is simply blissful, resulting in an track worth the free download.
Chris Malinchak – So Good to Me (Original Mix)
Free for download below (Click the down pointing arrow on the right edge of the SoundCloud clip)
Chris Malinchak - So Good To Me by FRENCH EXPRESS
  
     Played during TATW 447, then chosen as the web vote winner for 448, Vintage & Morelli’s bootleg of “Ashes” by Above & Beyond’s Oceanlab project is a clear favorite among trance fans. Fitting the original with some extra percussions and a stealthy bassline, he brings an oldie up to 2012 speed.
Above & Beyond pres. Oceanlab – Ashes (Vintage & Morelli Bootleg)
Free for download below (Click the down pointing arrow on the right edge of the SoundCloud clip)
Oceanlab - Ashes (Vintage & Morelli Remix) by Vintage & Morelli

     Last offering this week comes in the form of a mix from David La Melza, a.k.a. Tropicool. Somewhat similar to the Zimmer Summer Tape from a few weeks ago, Tropicool’s Dopamine Dreams is a chilled out, disco-infused hour of funky beats perfect for an afternoon of hammock lounging. Transitions can sometimes sound weird, but this is still worth a listen.
Tropicool – Dopamine Dreams
Free for download below (Click the down pointing arrow on the right edge of the SoundCloud clip)
Dopamine Dreams by Tropicool (official)
 
     Quick events update, legend Danny Tenaglia is at Stereo and Max Vageli & AN21 and Junior Sanchez are at New City Gas on Saturday night. Dennis Ferrer comes to Muzique on Tuesday (pay at the door) while Birdy Nam Nam and Kill the Noise take the Telus Theater on Thursday. Friday the 16th is Cosmic Gate night at Circus and the following evening is Victor Calderone’s at Stereo and Sky Blu and Sidney Samson’s at New CIty Gas.
     Last, but certainly not least, here's a video to get you through that treacherous last weekday and start your weekend off on the right foot. This week, the clever clip from Duck Sauce’s follow-up to Barbara Streisand, “Big Bad Wolf.”


     I can’t even begin to imagine how awkward it must’ve been to film this.