James Blake, the young english heavy bass mellow electronic musician released his second album, "Overgrown" yesterday. His first album, "James Blake," was wildly successful, especially in the indie/ underground music scene. The reason he hit such success was because he developed a new sound. Mellow electronic music has been around just as long as the ability to make electronic music has. However, it's never really been done quite like this. James Blake, takes extended synth melodies and gently layers a strong back beat, usually ranging from 120-140 bpm and playing it in triple time, creating a very trap style drum line. Where, it stands out however is in his bass. James Blake, when he goes on tour, actually brings his own subwoofers with him because most venues do not have strong enough speakers. The bass, is subtle enough that you would not be able to recognize or appreciate the fine levels of music editing through most earbuds, headphones and speakers. It's the kind of bass that makes your entire body vibrate, the kind that isn't obnoxious when played louder than necessary. It's very tasteful, if it were food, you could enjoy it with a fine red wine. The single that has been blowing up is Retrograde, the entire album is worth listening to just for this song. Musically, it's one of the single most impressive pieces of musical interpretation i've heard in a long time. However, the most under rated, and in my opinion most pleasing song on the record is the song which the album is named, Overgrown. With a lot of clear influence from other music styles, it fits any occasion, setting the mood back to a relaxing "fuck being stressed." Also being the first song on the album, it sets the tone for the rest of the record. While the rest of the album is well balanced, the other songs just come off as filler. While there are definite highs and lows to the album, its still enjoyable as a whole. Check it out.
In October 2012, the Neo-Psychadelic band, Tame Impala, released their second album, Lonerism. Needless to say this post is incredibly late. Tame Impala really picked up interest when they released their single, Solitude is Bliss, in 2010. Since it's release in 2010, they had been leaking hints and sounds to the media making it clear that they were working on a whole new album that would make Innerspeaker, their first album, look like a joke. They have certainly followed through. The band isn't different, and it still has the same electronic, 70's psych appeal, but they have brought up their game tremendously. The singles from Lonerism, which were dropped weeks before the official release of the album are still on the top charts of music blogs everywhere; singles such as Elephant, Feels Like We Only Go Backwards, and Apocalypse Dreams. However after listening to the album countless times over, it seems as if the highlights of the production are in the lesser known, shorter songs. Music To Walk Home By, is one of my favorite tracks and it rarely gets any mention anywhere. The strong point of this album are in the music's production. The vocals complement the instrumentals perfectly, however the reason why it stands out is because the actual skill involved in playing the instruments is uncanny. Tame Impala incorporates the usage of a huge pedal board for a wide array of effects, making each performance sound like your first acid trip over and over again. Even if trippy post protest rock isn't your thing, this album is absolutely worth a listen.
Now that we've all seen the end of March and the very beginning of April, I'd like to take some time to reflect on what some of my favorite/most listened to songs have been over the past month. Through some quick retrospective musical analysis, I've conjured up a personal playlist of the month and narrowed it down to 10 songs (in a sort of countdown style). And while this certainly doesn't include every important/relevant song that's either been released in March or has recently seen a rise in popularity, I think that this list should sum up the past month in music pretty nicely.
10. Alesia & DJ Snake- Bird Machine
Hot off the Mad Decent music distribution machine, Alesia & DJ Snake's "Bird Machine" offers what, in my opinion, is the most unique EDM track to be released so far this year. With a drop featuring a sample of chirping birds and a hint of dutch synth, it sounds unlike anything else I've ever heard, really.
As a side note, it was surprisingly one of the more played songs at Ultra Music Festival this year.
9. Dinosaur Jr.- Entertainment (Phoenix Cover)
Back in February, Phoenix released "Entertainment" as the first single off their upcoming album Bankrupt! Strangely enough, Dinosaur Jr. has taken it upon themselves to give the world their take on the new track. Their version of "Entertainment" features some serious guitar solos and scruffy vocals from J Mascis. No synths or drum machines here. This cover has taken a fast once-fast and upbeat track and slowed it down to something more melancholy and serious. Love it or hate it, it's a really interesting listen.
8. Smith Westerns- Varsity
"Varsity" was released as a sort of preview for Smith Westerns' upcoming album Soft Will (out June 11), and it's yielding some good signs that we will not be disappointed. They've certainly come a long way from the lo-fi bliss of their self-titled debut album, and have increased their production value by incorporating some electronic elements into their new single. However, the lighthearted ambience of their music is one thing that appears to be here to stay. Because of that, "Varsity" just might be the feel-good song of the season.
7. Drake- 5AM in Toronto
From listening to his most recent single "5AM in Toronto" we can gather that Drake is beginning to show his rougher side. Not having a chorus, this track showcases Drake's true ability to maintain his flow from start to finish while still dropping boast rhymes like, "Bitches love my drive, I never give it a break...That's why every song sound like Drake featuring Drake." Some are skeptical of the new path he's taken to change his image and style, but I think I like the new Drizzy.
6. Wavves- Demon to Lean On
Wavves have showed a nice progression in their sound with their new LP Afraid of Heights. They've expanded on their signature surf-rock sound and seem to be moving away from their noisier sound that was so prevalent on King of the Beach. This particular track is receiving a lot of attention, and for good reason too. It's pleasant, guitar-driven vibe makes it easy to listen to, plus it shows their lyrics have taken on some more serious subject matter. Overall, it's great song to take with you into the later spring months.
5. Trinidad Jame$- Females Welcomed
Yes, Trinidad Jame$'s album Don't Be S.A.F.E. was released back in late January, but I think this track is still on it's way up the hip-hop/rap charts. After you listen for the first time (if you haven't already), you'll most likely feel urges to walk around, chanting the chorus repeatedly. But the memorable chorus isn't the only great feature of this song. About halfway through, the beat takes a dramatic turn and plunges into a dubstep ballad of sorts, featuring vocals from Reija Lee. It's almost like two songs for the price of one!
4. Vampire Weekend- Diane Young
Earlier this month, Vampire Weekend surprised us by releasing two new songs ("Step" and "Diane Young"), and while they both exceed expectations, "Diane Young" is the one that really stuck with me. I was skeptical the first couple of times I listened to it, but I learned to love it. It's upbeat, throwback-style guitar riffs make it a really fun song to listen to.
Even Steve Buscemi is digging it
3. Major Lazer- Watch Out For This (Bumaye)
I know that I've posted a lot about Major Lazer recently, but I can't help it. The hype is just too big to handle for their upcoming album Free The Universe. Early in March, they released this moombahton track to satisfy their patient fans, and I haven't stopped playing it since. It's catchy horn section and dancehall vocals (provided by Busy Signal) make for an interesting combination of sounds that works really well.
2. The Strokes- 80's Comedown Machine
Of all the songs on The Strokes' new album Comedown Machine, I'd have to say that this one stands out among the bunch. It has a sense of genuine sincerity that's not very common in the band's typical sound, showing that their soft side is alive and thriving. The Strokes have gone full-on mellow with this one.
1. Rihanna- Stay (Branchez Bootleg)
This is, with out a doubt, the most addicting track I've heard all month (maybe even all year) and it seemed to pop out of nowhere. After hearing it in a couple of different DJ mixes on BBC Radio 1, I couldn't get it out of my head and had to download it immediately. The way that Branchez speeds up the vocals and adds a stronger snare to the track makes this remix even more heartfelt than the original song in a way that I can't quite understand. But I like it. This one will definitely be on repeat for awhile.
¡¡¡SPOILER ALERT!!! Before you read this, understand that this article will dive into the conflict and plot of the newly released album Wolf, in detail. So If you want to figure it out for yourself, this may not be the right thing to be reading. Wolf, Tyler's third album is confusing. Bastard (His first album) set the tone for Tyler's career, a "Fuck the Rest" mentality. Then, he released Goblin (His second album). Goblin was genius, released with several singles, the listener followed one of Tyler's alter egos, Sam, through his therapy sessions with Dr. TC. It had a direct story line and the eerie conversations between Sam and Dr. TC matched his content. Wolf is different.
Welcome to camp Flog Gnaw! Camp FG is where the album takes place. Dr. TC, Sam's old therapist from Bastard and Goblin re-appears as no longer a therapist, but rather the camp counselor. The main conflict is between Sam and Wolf. Wolf is Tyler and the majority of the album is walking through his consciousness dealing with issues of love and loss and specifically growing up without a dad. It's not the first time we hear music about Tyler growing up without a father (one could argue his first album, Bastard, was entirely about that) but this is the first time we see him argue about the conflict back and forth between characters. Since most of the characters that appear in this album are products of Tyler's own mind (exceptions being Jasper, Earl and Domo Genesis) we see this conflict from several points of view. Much of the arguing however, is over Sam's alleged girlfriend Salem. Wolf starts hanging out Salem, and Sam, who sees this as a threat, reacts violently. In an attempt to scare away Wolf, Sam kills Earl. Then briefly after, the album closes with Dr. TC talking to Wolf about Sam. Dr. TC tells Wolf that Sam is looking for him, and Wolf says if he saw Sam, he would kill him. Perhaps a strong statement on his own personality? Having the character that most strongly represents his own self say that he resents another product of his own mind could be a hint at the idea that as much as Tyler hates this product of himself he has no control over it. If he did, he would finish it. That's why this album is here, it's a platform for Tyler to argue with himself over conflicts of his own that he cannot express from just one side. By ending the album on such a strong and direct comment, it leaves the listener on a huge cliff hanger, maybe to be tackled in later work. Regardless however, whether you are listening to the album for the story or not, I would absolutely recommend at least listening to the album. The complicated drum lines, and masterful beats influenced heavily by jazz roots are enough to be listened to alone. The fact that they have the odd future collective rapping over them only adds to the experience.
Day three was definitely a quality over quantity kind of day. As opposed to the the eleven DJs I saw on day two, I only saw four acts on day three. However, they were all amazing and each offered something different that made day three my favorite day of the whole weekend.
Major Lazer
If you know me at all, then you probably know how borderline-obsessive over Major Lazer, the DJ duo of Diplo and Jillionaire. I think that their reggae dancehall-infused brand of EDM is absolutely genius and that they have a sound that's completely their own. As per usual, their awesome, 90 minute set was not to be missed. Here's the duo opening up their show with their remix of Rihanna's "Stay"
From there, they moved right into playing some new tracks from their upcoming album Free The Universe as well as some old favorites like "Pon de Floor" and "Original Don." But they didn't stop at that. Major Lazer shows are extremely interactive and get the crowd to actively participate in the experience. Their first round of antics came along when Diplo went crowd surfing inside some sort of inflatable hamster ball.
Then as another surprise for the audience, Sean Paul made an appearance to provide vocals for Congorock's "Bless di Nation."
Shortly after Sean Paul's appearance, Diplo grapped the microphone and said that he needed "about a million girls" up on the stage. Shortly afterward, chaos ensued as just about every girl within 10 feet of the stage tried to climb over the barricades and join the party on stage.
For one final onstage feat, Diplo called for one guy from the audience to come up on stage. The Major Lazer dancers then proceeded to twerk on the volunteer to the tunes of "Hold The Line" and TNGHT's "Higher Ground." I think at this point, it's safe to say that it's nearly impossible to get bored at a Major Lazer show.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg was probably the most random act that was booked for this year's Ultra fest, however despite his lack of big connections with the EDM scene, he offered up a surprisingly energetic and eclectic set. Featuring some of his recent and buzzworthy reggae tracks as well as covers of popular rap songs like 50 Cent's "P.I.M.P" and DJ Khaled's "All I Do Is Win," Snoop's set really got the crowd going.
Knife Party
Knife Party is known for their brand of hard, grimey electro-house/dubstep. Their sound is more aggressive than most, and because of that mosh pits and fights have been a notorious element to many of their shows. This particular show wasn't as pleasantly out of control as I had hoped (the crowd grew smaller as their set went on. I suspect people were moving out to get a good spot for Swedish House Mafia), however it was still, as always, loaded with Knife Party's signature sound that is sure to make just about anyone want to go crazy (for better or worse).
Swedish House Mafia
As you probably know, Swedish House Mafia played their last show ever on the last day of Ultra's second weekend. And while Crystal Castles and Wolfgang Gartner were both playing during the Swedes' final set, I think that is was almost an obligation to watch them perform for One Last Show. This was, without a doubt, the headlining event of the whole festival. I'd say that the vast majority of Ultra-goers intended to at least get a glimpse of this farewell party.
I'm 90% sure that the Swedes played one of their notorious pre-recorded sets, but nevertheless it was a great time. All of their songs (including songs individually remixed or produced by Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso or Steve Angello) are huge and were meant to be played in front of audiences of this impressive size. In addition, the show's production (including lights, pyrotechnics, confetti, etc.) added an extra energy to the show that's hard to come by. The whole show was executed flawlessly, so while I've never been the biggest Swedish House Mafia fan, I can say that I genuinely enjoyed their final performance. I think this was the perfect way to say goodbye to all of their loyal fans.
Okay, so coming off that first post, I thought I would share share with you my "most-listened to" CD's so you maybe can get a better sense of me through a range of albums that I, for some reason, love.
Disclaimer: This is not, at all, a list of my favorite albums, but rather the the CDs that always seem to end up in my stereo or my car, and I never get sick of listening to them. I'll share a few with you- In my opinion all of these are fantastic albums, though they vary in years and style. Since I can't post the full-album links (I gotta figure that out!), I'll just post the first track off each.
1. Shame, Shame by Dr. Dog
One of my hometown favorites (Philly!), Dr. Dog is musically compelling, catchy and fun. This is fun album that I know practically every word too, and this CD travels with me almost everywhere.
2. On How Life Is by Macy Gray
Ugg, Urban and Cool. Macy Gray has such a distinctive and powerful voice. Occasionally singles like "I Try" are still played off this album, but all the songs are worthy of listening. This makes me want to drive down through the city with my windows down on a hot day. One of my parents CDs from back in 1999 when it was released, I've probably listened to this CD more than any, ever.
3. Is this It? by The Strokes
I'm sure you are all super familiar with this album. One of the best of the 2000s no doubt. So retro grunge sounding, but also so new. This CD case is battered as hell.
4. Santigold by Santigold
On this album, Santigold blends so many influences to create a genre-confused group of songs that get me, and any listener pumped up for whatever. I still am shocked this album, and she didn't become huge. This is one of the first four CDs I bought back in Middle School, and its still listened to more than almost any of the others I've bought since.
5. Midnite Vultures by Beck
Don't quote me on this, but Beck may be my favorite artist, ever. He blends so much cool shit into his music, weird noise samplings, rapping, brass choruses. This is my favorite Beck album and the CD that take of the shelf at least 2 times a month. Really odd songs on this album like "Hollywood Freaks". Beck is just so fun. His falsetto in the album-ending track "Debra" is awesome.
________ So, I'm not promising you that YOU will love all these albums, but if you haven't checked one of them out, definitely do! If you are ever in the car with me there's a high chance I'll pop one of them in-- sooo good
My name is Andrew Pasquier. I'm 18, and like music. Warning: I tend more in the Indie direction. Here, I'll share some of the new music I am listening too, and my thoughts/opinions on it. Also, I'll share experiences I have in the Philly music scene, and maybe the occasional crazy theory about music or culture in general. In this post I'll share my thoughts on a couple new albums.
1. Afraid of Heights by Wavves
Okay, so Wavves needed to mature, maybe clean up a little. Tracks off 2010's King of the Beach, like "Post Acid", ranged from catchy and compelling to downright annoying, all at the same time. When I saw Wavves at the Tower Theater (Philly) two years ago they could barely function on stage, drugged out to an embarrassing level where their already rough-produced songs became just noise. Speaking to their love of drugs, it was also the only concert I've been at where band representatives went around selling weed grinders, "Wavves"-labeled. I can't quite say they've "matured" on this album in all-senses, but the music and production is much-tighter, and has lost a lot of the whining qualities of King of the Beach. This album is grooving throughout, I think it's great chill-out music, even with some string-parts and whistling (on "Cop", video above). My Favorite track is probably "Dog".
This album is warmth. It is such beautiful expanse of slow folk-ballads that gets you swooning and dreaming of relaxing summer days. The group is really just the work of Matthew Houck, a signer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia (surprising music powerhouse, home of The B-52s, Danger Mouse, Neutral Milk Hotel). I actually find it good studying music, though not because its boring, but because it's propulsive and oddly motivating. Single "Song For Zula" off the album is above.
Day two of Ultra's second weekend consisted of 12 non-stop hours of music from all seven stages. And because of all of the 11 acts I saw on the second day of weekend two, I've decided to do n abbreviated recap and share only the highlights. Again, I took some videos to document the experience for all of you. So without further ado...
Here's day two!
Chuckie
Chuckie put on a set at the main stage that was loaded with his signature brand of "dirty dutch" house music. He relentlessly went from drop to drop without any signs of stopping and kept the crowd engaged and dancing.
Here's his take on Hardwell's "Spaceman" from the beginning of his set
Later on while he was premiering a brand new track, Chuckie surprised all of us in the audience, bringing out one of the most random guests I can ever think of: Guns N' Roses' lead guitarist, Slash. The whole setup of this appearance was interesting to say the least and I'm still not sure what to make of it... but here it is:
Fatboy Slim
Despite being almost 50 years old now, Fatboy Slim still knows how to wow a crowd and stay relevant. Featuring some of the most consistently creative sampling I've ever heard a DJ use live, his set was the definitely most original and creative one I heard all day (maybe even all weekend).
Calvin Harris
By the time Calvin Harris came on stage, I was pretty worn out. My physiological needs took over my urges to stay in the front of the crowd, so I missed a good chunk of his set to get food, water, etc. However, I was really impressed by what I managed to catch. Clearly, his popularity has not impaired his ability to put on an interesting an unpredictable set.
Baauer
Having seen Baauer twice before, I was already pretty aware of what his set would be like. But due to the recent attention that he's been receiving over his song "Harlem Shake," I wondered whether he would change his set at all to appeal to a wider audience. Low and behold, Baauer has stayed true to his original style. He's still the same old trap producer/DJ that his fans know and love. It's good to know that the fame hasn't gotten to his head. He put on a really fun set at Ultra's new Trapped stage, featuring some of his own tracks like "Harlem Shake" and "Dum Dum."
Flosstradamus
Chicago DJ duo Flosstradamus have been making and playing trap music for years, and they are definitely one of the reasons for its recent rise in popularity. With bangers like "Total Recall" their remix of Major Lazer's "Original Don," they put on an extremely bass-heavy, energetic set that the crowd loved.
Dillon Francis (w/ surprise guest Diplo!!!)
Dillon Francis is a real one-of-a-kind DJ. His library of original mixes translates to many different genres including house, moombahton and trap, so there's something for everyone in his set. He's also a genuinely hilarious person (check out his Facebook page). Anyway, he started out playing hits like "Bootleg Fireworks," "Masta Blasta" and "IDGAFOS."
Then, the unthinkable happened...
Dillon Francis picked up the microphone about 20 minutes into his set and announced that he had a special guest with him, and sure enough, famed producer/DJ Diplo made a completely unexpected cameo on the stage. After giving the crowd an enthused greeting, Diplo got right to business and started working with Dillon to put on an absolutely amazing set. They played favorites from both of their music collections including Diplo's "Set It Off" and "Express Yourself" and Dillon's remix of "Hulk" by Clockwork.
Music Dump Month One. This article is to highlight the best releases of the month and what was hot on blogs over the entire cyberspace. As for this month, March was big for music, despite having possibly the biggest EDM conference on the planet, releases were being dropped all over the music spectrum. With these releases, the return of some thought to be dying DJs are coming back.
EDM:
Of course this month was going to be heavy on EDM. With the music gods blessing us with Ultra, it was only fair to assume that we would be seeing huge sets being dropped, exclusive singles released, and lots of high energy music.
Dillon Francis, possibly the current biggest troll in the music industry finally released a new single. He's currently been doing "rebirths" of his songs including Bootleg Fireworks, and Masta Blasta. Even though we love these songs, it's nice to finally hear some new material. Check out Messages feat Simon Lord.
The possible biggest release this month, was Flatbush Zombies new single No Religion. Zombies took off when their recent EP D.R.U.G.S. dropped. Since then, they've been selling out shows all over the country and are currently on tour in Europe.
Some really good Indie music came out of March. My personal favorite track of the month is La La La feat. Sam Smith by Naughty Boy. The song has a lot of contrast between very strong vocals and a powerful chorus, to a very childish hook. The way the song is set up, it takes the listener by surprise. You aren't expecting the light melody to transform rapidly into the fast paced verbally impressive song that it is.
Trinidad James. Otherwise known as the Rapper that said "Pop a molly I'm sweating, WOO!" Is getting a lot of attention. His recent Album Don't be S.A.F.E. (Sensitive as Fuck Everyday), is becoming everyone's anthem. Females Welcome and All Gold Everything are being played all over the radio and are getting mad attention on huge blogs. It was only a matter of time before someone would turn James into a dance champion as well as the rap superstar he has turned into. Check out DJ 21azy's Mashup of Trinidad James, Martin Solveig and Torro Torro.
Remix of the Month:
Brillz is a young artist who is in my vicinity as the DJ's to watch. He's been taking off with his work with ETC!ETC! and Diplo. He showed his talent in the trap game with his remix of Zedd's Clarity, and has since been more impressive work. A few days ago he dropped a remix of a song by a small band called Hundred Waters, who have been opening up for Alt-J on their current An Awesome Wave tour. An unexpected band to remix but he absolutely did the song justice.
Set of the Month:
Ultra is always a huge event. Notorious for having the best names in the EDM industry come out for two weekends to put on one of the greatest possible concerts. This year, the headliner was Swedish House Mafia. While I personally find their music over played, they have absolutely inspired a generation, bringing EDM to a whole new level. Both weekends, SHM played the closing sets, but unlike other headliners at Ultra, the second weekend they played was the last show they will ever play together. So please, if you haven't heard it already, listen to the live, last set of SHM, and appreciate that which will never be again.
There's no denying that Ultra Music Festival is the Mecca of EDM. Every year, all of the world's greatest DJs all come to Miami to give those of us who make it down there one of the greatest weekends of our lives. This year, I'm lucky enough to be able to experience Ultra's sold out second weekend (it was expanded to two weekends this year due to an extremely high demand for tickets last year), so I thought I'd share my experiences with you all via a day-by-day breakdown.
Throughout the day, I took a bunch of DIY videos with my iPhone of all the DJs and live acts I saw. And while the videos are kind of shaky, the sound quality turned out to be really good so I thought I'd post them here to give you a better idea of what the performances were like.
R3hab
I didn't know all that much about R3hab before I saw him perform, and I wasn't really sure what to expect from him given that he's a younger and relatively new act. But in the end, I was pleasantly surprised by his high-energy, electro-house set. Here's a video of him playing what is, in my opinion, the anthem of the festival this year: "Cannonball" by Showtek & Justin Prime.
Martin Solveig What I love most about Martin Solveig is that when he plays a DJ set is that he's not afraid to step outside his own pop-house genre. Today, he rocked the main stage playing crowd favorites like "The Night Out" and "Hello," but he also played an eclectic mix of dubstep, electro and an unexpected series of trap songs such as RL Grime's remix of "Satisfaction" and Gent and Jawns' remix of "Express Yourself."
Eric Prydz
Eric Prydz's sets are known to be amazing experiences that feature long build-ups with rewarding drops and climaxes. Also operating and making music under the aliases Pryda and Cirez D, Prydz had a sizable catalog of music to play for us. He really brought his A-game last night, mixing together his unique style of semi-minimalist house and completely exceeding my already high expectations.
I'll take this space as an interlude to share this gem from my Main Stage experience with you...
Sleigh Bells
I missed most of Sleigh Bells' set so that I could see the majority of Eric Prydz's performance on the main stage, but I got there just in time to see them play crowd favorites "Riot Rhythm" and "A/B Machines." And despite the somewhat smaller crowd they drew due to the fact that they're not DJs, Sleigh Bells managed to crank out mass amounts of energy in their guitar and bass fueled anthems that kept their audience engaged and dancing.
Boys Noize Soon after Sleigh Bells ended their set on the Live Stage, the Ultra stage crew wheeled out a massive skull that was soon to become the DJ booth for German producer Boys Noize. He played an incredible set that lasted for nearly two hours and managed to make every second of it interesting and filled with his signature brand of hard electro. This was easily one of the best performances of the whole day.
The Bloody Beetroots (Live)
Closing out the night on the Live Stage, The Bloody Beetroots played a completely live set instead of their recently more customary DJ set. Words cannot describe how hard the Beetroots went last night. They give it absolutely everything they had, and the crowd got really into it. And with bangers like "Warp" and "Rocksteady" to deliver to an audience of devoted fans, The Beetroots definitely gave the most hyper-energetic performance of the night.
(Sorry that this video's especially shaky. The crowd was going nuts.)
So that's about it for day one! Until next time...
For some of us, spring break starts today, which means there's a lot of fun times to catch up on. Whether you're going somewhere exotic or staying home, it's important to have the right soundtrack to go with your responsibility-free days away from your regular workload. I recently mixed together some songs that I've been listening to lately to get me in the mood for my long-awaited vacation, and I thought I'd share it with all of you. Hopefully, there's some good tunes in here to go along with whatever you're up to over the next couple of weeks. Enjoy!
Today Diplo released his remix EP for Express Yourself via his own Mad Decent record label. The original EP, which came out just last year, was his first purely original EP release since Florida, in 2004. Diplo is one of the most notorious DJs in the trap/moombathon/dancehall scene, and this release was one of his most successful to date. The push for a remix album came almost immediately as a craving for it was recently stressed all over twitter. 2012's Express Yourself, despite having some of the most colorful tracks Diplo has ever produced, had an incredible flow between tracks that kept the listener hooked. It sounded more like a long song or set than an album, and if you were to zone out it would be nearly impossible to detect that one song had ended and a new one was beginning. I think that the ability to craft music like that has been taken for granted by many music fans all over the world, and it's a rarity in new music today. However, this newly released Express Yourself Remix EP has this same sense of flow as the original even though the genres included on it range from electro house to hip-hop and dubstep. Featuring input from artists including DJ Mustard, Sleepy Tom, The FatRat, CRNKN, Expendable Youth, Krusha and Bot, this EP offers a variety of takes on "Express Yourself," all offering something different. It's available today on iTunes, Beatport, and Amazon.
So much good, new music has surfaced on the web today that it was impossible for me to resist the urge to share.
The Strokes
First and foremost, The Strokes' highly-anticipated, fifth studio album Comedown Machine (out March 26) is now available for streaming online at Pitchfork Advance from now until March 25. Listen HERE
Vampire Weekend
It's been more than three years since Contra was released in 2010, so it's about time Vampire Weekend shared some new tunes with us. Two new tracks from their upcoming album Modern Vampires of the City (out May 7)have been floating around on the internet today, titled "Diane Young" and "Step." Check 'em out below!
Kendrick Lamer + Jay-Z
Kendrick Lamar released a brand new remix of Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City's "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" featuring a solid, fast-paced verse from none other than young H.O./rap's Grateful Dead.
Daft Punk
And last, but certainly not least, it was announced today that Daft Punk is set to release 13 new songs later on this year via Sony Records. And while no new music from them was released today, just the sheer thought of new album and another world tour (hopefully featuring their infamous light pyramid) within the next year gives me goosebumps. For the time being, check out their mysterious, 15 second TV spot on SNL from earlier this month:
