Saturday, November 30, 2013

Music That Makes You Want to Count Stars


I've listened to Thomas Jack's remix of One Republic's Counting Stars a few times and I still have yet to find any seams. The way he's able to blend mellow rhythms into the original sample is downright awesome. Given, his remix is around 7 and a half mins in length, so you have to be a little patient with it, but the end result is super chill. Another word of caution is that 90% of the remix is instrumental, so don't expect much more than brief Ryan Tedder hook samples. Still, if you're in need of some zone out music to Bluetooth stream over the speakers during the car ride home from a Thanksgiving trip, this one hits the spot...#ThomasJack

One Republic - Counting Stars (Thomas Jack Edit)

Friday, November 29, 2013

Videos of the Week November 29th


There's nothing better than Thanksgiving break, especially when you get to spend it eating way too many delicious calories and watching way to much TV. Now that it's over, it's back to business serving up the best of what the music world had to offer this week in form of videos. I'm betting most of you have seen the new Eminem Rap God video, but you may have missed the revolution inspiring visuals from Headhunterz and Krewella. If you haven't your missing out because it's got a great message. It's points a flashlight directly at those trolls and internet gangsters that are tough as nails behind a keyboard. They may not realize it, but what they say doesn't always fall on deaf ears, so it's cool to see how they brought it to the forefront in a positive way. Beyond that, The Killers and Blended Babies new videos were pretty fun to watch. Plus, what would Thanksgiving be without a Timeflies freestyle...#VideosOfTheWeek
Eminem - Rap God (Video)

Headhunterz feat Krewella - United Kids of the World (Video)

The Killers - Just Another Girl (Video)

Blended Babies feat Chuck Inglish & Asher Roth - See the World (Video)

Timeflies Tuesday Thanksgiving Edition


Photo Credit: YouTube

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Introducing Avicii's Protege Syn Cole


For many successful artists, the logical next step after mainstream success is building their own records label. Case in point the newly anointed EDM artists of the year, Avicii, who is beginning to build up his own stable of artists through his LE7ELS record label. The first to come out of his stable is Syn Cole, a young Estonian producer who should be on everyone's short list of breakout artists in 2014.

In an attempt to kickstart that campaign, Avicii remixed his new single Miami 82. The track is a crisp, organized effort that is every bit as sharp as it is well-composed. I've got a feeling this is only the beginning, in fact, I might even post Syn's remix of Hey Brother at some point this week. Either way, heads up, he's a name you need to know...#Miami82

Syn Cole - Miami 82 (Avicii Edit)

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

"And the River Flows Inside of Me"


Staying true to form, anytime an EDM artist that I follow remixes another artist that I've never heard of, generally the result is positive. Latest case in point, Seven Lions remix of Norwegian EDM duo Röyksopp's Running to the Sea. The original features the vocals of platinum selling Norwegian singer Susanne Sundfør. For reference, peep the original chill, which offers a steady dose of relaxing electronica...

In contrast, the Running to the Sea remix done by Seven Lions is a lot heavier with a clear dubstep punch. The vocals from Susanne are still the guiding light for the track, but there's a much clear build up and drop repetition. The drop around the 3:16 mark is well worth the price of admission. I love it when great music from overseas is morphed into something beautiful that encourages me to look back and appreciate the original that I haven't even heard of. Tip of the cap Seven Lions...#RunningToTheSea

Röyksopp feat Susanne Sundfør - Running to the Sea (Seven Lions Remix)

Monday, November 25, 2013

James Franco & Seth Rogen Own Kanye's Bound 2


Usually I don't devote whole posts to videos, but when it comes to parodies of songs, it literally doesn't get any better than what James Franco and Seth Rogen did to Kanye's latest video for Bound 2. In case you missed the original version of the extremely sexual motorcycle ride where the married couple simulate a sexual act, feel free and press play below...
So how in the world could two very average looking comedians simulate such an intimate moment? How about re-enact it exactly like the first video? Yea that sounds like a good idea...
I tell you what, Seth Rogen makes one heck of a Kim Kardashian double. The looks he gave to the camera, the exaggerated hair flings, the passionate embraces...all so perfect. If I were Lonely Island, this would be game on for me because they just got outflanked...#Bound3

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Diplo Goes All Grizzly Bear on Will Calls


Yet another awesome example of how awesome things are possible when Indie and EDM collide. I've never taken a full dive into the discography of Grizzly Bear, but I do know that my boy Mikey Mike is a huge fan of theirs and he is my go-to for all that is Indie. That being said, you can imagine how excited I was to get served a plate of Grizzly Bear in a way that I can fully appreciate it (EDM).

Diplo deserves the lions share (yea I'm gonna stick with the whole lions, tigers and grizzly bears theme, deal with it) of the credit for this coincidence of awesome. Quirky, bubbly synths mixed with bass works any day of my week, especially when it's set to a backdrop of an interesting Indie act. You better believe I'll be rockin' this throughout Thanksgiving week when I find a way to emerge from multiple food comas to do some cardio...#WillCalls

Grizzly Bear - Will Calls (Diplo remix)

Saturday, November 23, 2013

"Give Me That High, Like You Did Last Night"


Man, it's hard to argue against Pitbull's ability to churn out hit after hit after hit after hit. I'd be willing to bet that there are more than a few people who are getting tired of his hit making formula, but nobody can deny how successful he is at doing what he does. This time he teamed up with Kelly Rowland on his latest top 40 radio hit That High. Like I alluded to before, it's almost exactly what you'd expect from Pitbull, which isn't a bad thing in my eyes. Quick side note, is it me or does the Kelly's hook sound strikingly like the hook from Ke$ha's Blow?

The single will be showing up in about a week on his upcoming re-release of his seventh studio album Global Warming:Meltdown. The album will feature five new songs (one being Timber) in addition to all the tracks from the original release of Global Warming. It's an interesting trend that artists are re-releasing "deluxe" versions of albums that have a few extra new songs on them to get everything they can out of their release. Can't hate if it works, but personally I don't get it. Oh well, money talks so if you're a fan go out on Black Friday and cop it...#GlobalWarmingMeltdown

Pitbull feat Kelly Rowland - That High

Friday, November 22, 2013

Videos of the Week November 22nd


I'm going with the lead with Hip Hop, end with novelty angle on this week's rendition of videos of the week. Ever since the Rihanna twerk video, I've become fully enamored with T-Pain and B.O.B.'s new single Up Down. Twerking aside, DJ Mustard (who produced the track) is my leading candidate for Hip Hop DJ of the year. Between the beats from Headband and Up Down, it's clear that he's got a knack for getting people to shake it.

Interesting that Kanye and Kim decided to film a soft core porn for everyone to see. And that wasn't to be outdone by Lady Gaga and R Kelly on SNL either. Whole lot of affection this week y'all, buckle in and I'd even go as far to suggest that a few of these are NSFW. The good news is, for those who don't enjoy salaciousness, Disclosure and Aloe Blacc are here to save the day with a live performance and new video...#PitchforkParis
T-Pain feat B.O.B. - Up Down (Video)

Kanye West - Bound 2 (Video)

Lady Gaga And R. Kelly Perform “Do What You Want” on SNL
Disclosure Performs at Pitchfork Paris
Aloe Blacc - Love is the Answer (Video)
Photo credit: YouTube

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Bassnectar Memorializes Cheb i Sabbah


I can't say I'm familiar at all with Cheb i Sabbah or the impact of his music. Having briefly read about his life, it seems like he kept it real in the truest sense by keeping alive the sound of traditional music that incorporate sounds from Asian, Arabian, and African cultures. In the 1980s he broke onto the US scene as a DJ in San Francisco where he was highly regarded for his live shows that included a whole lot of lights and uptempo rhythms.

Cheb passed away at the age of 66 earlier this month, which prompted a Bassnectar remaster of his track Alkher Illa Doffer. The best part about the remastered mix is that if you purchase it, all proceeds will go to Cheb's family who relied heavily on his financial contributions. Bassnectar does a great job of imparting his heavy bass on the track, which augments the tribal rhythms showcased on the original track. It's an infectious track that is strikingly different from a lot of stuff you hear in the US. Different is great, especially when it helps commemorate an influential artist in music history...#ChebISabbah

Cheb i Sabbah - Alkher Illa Doffor (Bassnectar Remix 2013)

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

"I Wanna Let You Color Me In"

Winning American Idol is just as important as being top 5 on American Idol these days. Case in point, new Interscope Record signee Jessica Sanchez who you may remember as the runner up in Season 11. Check the video below of her performance with Ne-Yo for reference...

Yea, girl has got a voice on her, that's for sure. Kudos to Interscope for swooping her up and giving her a shot at putting her own touch on Zedd's Hourglass. She absolutely did her thing vocally on the track below. Really cool to hear the subtle differences of the original version of Hourglass with the high powered synths compared to the iTunes version. In fact, after listening to this remix I'm going to dive straight into Zedd's iTunes Session that just hit stores this week. If you haven't heard of Jessica Sanchez, she should definitely be on your radar now...#Hourglass

Zedd feat Jessica Sanchez - Hourglass (iTunes Session)

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

"We Are United Kids of the World"


I'm really enjoying the fact that Krewella is becoming a household name because they make fun music. Like for example, their new movement inspiring track United Kids of the World with Dutch DJ Headhunterz. To be fair, the track is probably more pop than it is EDM, but the energy on the track is palpable. The build up of haunting synths offer a stark contrast to the soothing vocals of Krewella and give the track a dynamic quality. It's not a stretch to imagine a whole concert venue wildin' out to this one. To put it in plain terms, if you want make good house music, your parents better be from the Netherlands...#UnitedKidsofTheWorld


Monday, November 18, 2013

"Let's Unwind Together"

Time for a little grown-folks funk to get the week headed in the right direction. Although the name value of the artists featured in the track below may suggests that the song is epic, it's more of an easy-listening, electro-funk effort. The combination of Sam Smith vocals, Disclosure's electronic influence and Nile Rodgers (of Daft Punk)'s shot of funk give the track has a lot of traction. It may not be as awesome as Latch, but it's a still a pretty noteworthy collabo...#Together

Sam Smith x Nile Rodgers x Disclosure x Jimmy Napes - Together























































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Sunday, November 17, 2013

"Pack a Punch Like Spike Palm, I'm Tai Kwon"


Man, this right here is a smooth cut. It all starts with the beat cooked up by Blended Babies that was created to be a canvas for a compelling story. Asher Roth and Chuck Inglish were given a gift to go in on this beat, but to their credit, they also brought their A game. They both put on their b-boy stance and went bar after bar weaving their own well thought out narratives. Just a whole lotta Chi-town greatness on See the World, give the quick 2 and a half minute track a listen...#BlendedBabies

Blended Babies feat Chuck Inglish & Asher Roth - See the World

Saturday, November 16, 2013

"Whatchu Know About the Kid?"


I don't think it's that big of a stretch to assume that we can all collectively be excited that Timbaland has a new album coming out. When it comes to longevity in Hip Hop, there hasn't been a producer that has consistently crafted fresh music like Timbaland. Whether he's producing for himself or others, he hasn't changed his sound that much, but it's always sounded fresh. Don't think that's tough to do? Name me another producer who has unflinchingly refused to change their style and still found a way to create inspirational music for over a decade.

I haven't been able to find a release date for Timbo's upcoming album Textbook Timbo, but I do know that Know Bout Me will be the lead single. For reference, Jay Z's name is in quotes because he literally delivers two quick lines during the intro of the track and then is nowhere to be found the rest of the track. And that's actually ok because the verses from Timbo and Drake more than carried their weight over Timbo's anchor-like 808 bass and active percussion. Even better, James Fauntleroy carried the track home with some smooth R&B vocals. Consider this as the first salvo from Timbo letting everyone know he's coming and only getting started...#KnowBoutMe

Timbaland feat “Jay-Z", Drake & James Fauntleroy – Know Bout Me (prod by Timbaland)

Friday, November 15, 2013

Videos of the Week November 15th


Definitely Hip Hop centric on this week's rendition of top 5 videos. I found it interestingly coincidental that the week Drake and Rihanna made it rain $17,0000 in ones, they also released videos for new singles. As a quick side note, the sheer fact that they were able to quantify that Drake dropped 12 racks and Rihanna 5 stacks speaks to our culture's awesome ability to parse out details during chaos. Can you imagine 17 thousand one dollar bills being scattered on a stage area? My mind exploded too, but if you're super curious how it looked, it sorta looked like this.

If you're in the mood for some substance that may be off the beaten path, I'd encourage you to check out the inspirational trailer for Shake the Dust. Long story short, it's about how kids in war torn areas of Africa like Uganda are making something our of nothing by break dancing. The documentary is produced by Nasir Jones himself and seems to showcase a few areas where roses were able to grow from concrete through the inspiration of Hip Hop. You can bet I'll be tuning it when the full documentary comes out because there's nothing cooler than when music can help create a path for kids through life...#ShakeTheDust

Drake - Worst Behavior (Video)

Kenna feat Childish Gambino - Relations (Video)

Shake the Dust (Trailer)

Rihanna - What Now (Preview)

Busta Rhymes feat Q-Tip, Lil Wayne & Kanye West - Thank You (BTS)

Image credit: Vimeo

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Baauer & RL Grime Give Out Infinite Daps


Wow...you want to talk about awesomeness personified through a beat. Holy moly, Baauer & RL Grime just woke my neighbors up with their deck rattling 808 bass and poppin' percussion on Infinite Daps. If this is what trap music is supposed to sound like, then show me where to sign on the dotted line.

This is one of more awesome tracks you might have heard on Baauer & RL Grime's summer Infinite Daps tour. In fact, they made a whole mix of music you can check out here if you're wondering what the tour entailed. I'm always apprehensive when I see two big time DJs come together on a collaboration, but it's pretty clear the two artists mentioned in this post have a whole lot of chemistry together. Not sure about you guys, but when Hip Hop and EDM combine, this DJ is one happy camper...#InfiniteDaps

Baauer & RL Grime - Infinite Daps

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Mikky Ekko's Kids Gets The Chainsmokers Treatment


Over the summer, I gave some love to a new up and comer named Mikkey Ekko when I posted his new single, Kids. Fast forward to this week when The Chainsmokers put their own spin on the heartfelt ballad. While the original version is mellow like a lullaby, the remix manages to inject a bit of energy with a cooled out progression of synths.

Dap is in order for Alex and Drew who found a way to maintain the mellow vibe, but did it in a way that amplified the feeling of nostalgia. In my eyes, you have three options, all of which I would suggest doing:
1) Give them some love on hypem
2) Like them on Facebook for a free download
3) Donate to UNICEF to help out victims of the super tsunami Haiyan

Don't be afraid to get inspired or even a little sentimental when listening to the remix below...
you're not that tough on the inside, friend...#Chainsmokers

Mikkey Ekko - Kids (Chainsmokers Remix)

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

I'd Buy Kenna's Brand of New School Funk Any Day


New school funk that compares to retro funk of decades past is hard to find theses days. That's why I jumped up out my seat when I heard Kenna's new one Relations. The Chad Hugo produced beat showcases 80s synthesizers that compliment a funkadelic beat. The sheer fact that the word relations is used speaks to its throwback nature. Check the original below for reference...

Don't expect the remix below to be markedly different, but do pay attention to the Childish Gambino verse. With his new Because the Internet album due out in a month, he seems to be rounding into tip top lyrical shape with the bars he let loose on the remix below. Do me a favor and throw this on the next mix cd you burn your dad (does anybody still burn cds? maybe cloud it to him?). You heard it here first folks, your parents might even enjoy this one...#Relations

Kenna feat Childish Gambino - Relations (Remix)

Monday, November 11, 2013

Turning a Ballad Into 5-Star Lounge Music


Despite the fact that music on this blog has been steadily drifting toward EDM, I will never hesitate to give love to music that find a way to get people movin'. In other words, it doesn't have to be electronic to make people want to dance. Case in point, Star Slinger's latest remix of Izzy Bizu's White Tiger. In case you missed the original, it's definitely worth a listen because she has a show-stopping voice...

The remix maintains the same vocal-driven sound, but Star Slinger added his own personal swanky touch of upbeat love to the beat. It transforms the track from an easy-listening ballad to a nod-your-head-back-and-forth Quagmire style experience. Tip of the cap Star Slinger, you truly are the king of five star lounge music...#StarSlinger

Izzy Bizu – White Tiger (Star Slinger Remix)

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Gorgon City is Ready For Your Love


Swanky, upbeat elevator music is what you can expect from Gorgon City's new one below. If you haven't heard of them, they are a British duo who are bound and determined to get you to moving on the dance floor with their mid-tempo rhythms. Better yet, they enlisted the help of MNEK, who might be one of the most talented vocalists that people need to know about. I feel like I'm coming up short on adjectives to describe the sound of the track, so I'll keep it simple by stating that Ready For Your Love is undeniably fresh. So much so that Zane Lowe recently anointed the track one of the hottest in the world. Unfortunately, that also means we have to hear him talking over the track in the version below. Oh well, still a dope track, give it a listen...#ReadyForYourLove

Gorgon City feat MNEK - Ready For Your Love

Saturday, November 09, 2013

"I Want To Thank You Heavenly Father"


Wow...not sure where the sound of this track came from, but I love it. The beat has a sophisticated, grown and sexy vibe to it, but don't think for a minute that means that Busta and Q-Tip didn't bring their A game to the party on their verses. The bubbly, rolling bassline will get your head nodding and the hook sampled from Alicia Meyer's I Want to Thank You breaks up the intensity of the verses well.

One word of caution, don't expect to hear much from Lil Wayne or Kanye on the track. They play a cameo role at best, which is fine because of how well the back and forth of the duet worked. Stay tuned for Busta's upcoming Extinction Level Event 2 album due out soon...#ELE2

Busta Rhymes feat Lil Wayne, Kanye West & Q-Tip - Thank You

Friday, November 08, 2013

Videos of the Week November 8th


Not a lot of interesting music videos this week, but fear not, I found some interesting tidbits to share. James Blake continues to be one the more intriguing artists in the music and he's found a way to firmly entrench himself on my concert bucket list. If you're wondering why, check the video out below.

If you have an hour to blow and want to get a thorough glimpse of Drake's life, you'll enjoy the Q interview. For quick drive-by entertainment check J Cole's inspiring performance of Crooked Smile on Letterman, some great behind the scenes footage of Big K.R.I.T.'s 4eva N a Tour and to top it off a quirky Jason Derulo video with a whole lotta trumpets...

J.Cole – Crooked Smile (Live On David Letterman)

James Blake Performs Measurements at Terminal 5

Big K.R.I.T. – 4Eva N A Tour (Behind the Scenes Pt. 1)

Q Presents Drake Uncut

Jason Derulo - Trumpets (Video)


Photo Credit: YouTube

Thursday, November 07, 2013

"Why Won't You Give Me Your Love Sweet Love"


Like clockwork, Flux Pavilion is back with another melodic dubstep anthem. This time he enlisted the help of sultry vocals Rosie Oddie. The track features heavy drops and powerful vocals that produce a easily digestible pop feel. The track is set to surface on Flux's upcoming five song Freeway EP due out on November 11th. The only real question that remains is, "why won't you give me your love, sweeeet love?"...#GoldLove

Flux Pavilion feat Rosie Oddie - Gold Love

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

"These Are My Love Sounds Baby"


Well done R&B tracks are so few and far between these days that when they come across the radar, there's little hesitation on my part to post the track. Enter Sabi, who is getting ready to release her 0 to 60: Love Sounds mixtape next week. On the track below she put on full display her vocal abilities over a Ryan McDermott beat.

Ryan deserves a gold star because his keyboard laced, subtly funky beat hooked me from the top. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't paying attention to everything Ryan McD has been putting out. There's plenty of reason why G.O.O.D. Music signed him. Keep an eye out for new stuff on the horizon from him as well as Sabi's upcoming mixtape...#LoveSounds

Sabi - Love Sounds (prod by Ryan McDermott)

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

"Call Your Girlfriend, It's Time You Had the Talk"


It's probably been over two years since I posted a new Timeflies track, but don't think for a minute that's because they haven't been releasing great music. Like friends sometimes artists come and go, in and out of playlists for extended periods of time in the same way we all lose touch with friends. Like relationships, sometimes there's no good reason for falling out of touch, it just happens. With that being said, I'm still all about the feel good Hip Hip, acoustic, electro-pop vibe that Cal and Rez got goin' on.

As a quick recap, they just released a solid four song Warning Signs EP last month. You won't find their new cover of Robyn's Call Your Girlfriend on the EP, but the good news is they are back to their normal #TimefliesTuesday shenanigans. That can only mean good news for us if they find a way to keep cranking out great songs like the one below...

Monday, November 04, 2013

"You Said You Want Devotion, Look No Further"


I never knew how much I appreciated drum and bass until I heard Sub Focus. His mix of D&B with mellow synths, a bit of dubstep, and harmonic vocals are what sucked me in from the start. I'll be the first to admit, I dropped the ball on posting his most recent single Turn it Around feat Kele Okereke. Forgive the tardiness and check out the month old visuals of the track below...

While we're on the top of Sub Focus, I was a little let down by his album Torus. Take that with a grain of salt because I he has three of my favorite D&B tracks of all time on the album in Tidal Wave, Falling Down and Endorphins. Having such great singles spread out over months can be good and bad. The good is obvious, it keeps building momentum up to an album release. The bad is that I expected that level of awesomeness on all the other tracks. Honorable mention goes out to the track below and Until the End with Foxes. Five out of 13 tracks being above average is more than enough to carry just about any album these days, so don't let me dissuade you in any way from checking out #Torus.

Sub Focus feat Kele Okereke - Turn It Around

Sunday, November 03, 2013

Thomas Jack Uses EDM To Tell Stories Without Words


Telling a story through music without using any vocals is not an easy thing to do. I'm starting the post with that claim because Thomas Jack did a really good job of putting together an electronic track with layers of complexity and no real vocals. When I say no real vocals, I mean he uses a sample from John F. Kennedy's monuments inaugural speech in 1961, but there's no harmony or vocals to be heard on the track. The first chapter of the track is centered around JFK, but it gives way to a brilliant saxophone piece by Adrian Symes. If you're a little ADD and just want to get to the most interesting part, fast forward to the third chapter around the 2:51 mark where the rolling electronics blend seamlessly with this pan flute chord progression that is outta this world. The 3:54 mark is the subtle drop where all three chapters come together in one beautiful harmony. It's inventive, creative and downright awesome. Folks feel free and send the up and coming Aussie some love because the story he told on Symphony is just awesome...#Symphony

Thomas Jack - Symphony (Original Mix)

Saturday, November 02, 2013

Colin McLoughlin Fixes Up Some Coldplay


It's always refreshing to hear a new take on a classic track. It seems like everyone and their mom has taken a shot at Coldplay's classic Fix You, but that didn't dissuade Colin McLoughlin from putting his own spin on the track. Maybe it's because enough time has passed since the last person remixed it, or it could be that Colin's version is that calm and electronically refreshing. Whatever the case, the chopped up vocals over the ever so sweet dubstep beat made this version memorable to me. If you're in need of some new, fresh EDM I'd suggest you check out Colin's debut Tears of Tempo EP. Non-Coldplay fans, I dare you not to like this one...#GreatRemix

Coldplay - Fix You (Collin McLoughlin Remix)

Friday, November 01, 2013

Videos of the Week November 1st


Anytime Justin Timberlake makes a video, it's a big deal. That didn't change a bit this time around because Riley Keough also starred in the video for TKO. For those of you at home who aren't familiar with who she is, you may know her better Lisa Marie Presley's daughter or Elvis's granddaughter. The video definitely did a solid job of selling the lyrics through the visuals of a love story gone way wrong. Like the Drake quote, "Sometimes the hottest love has the coldest end..."

Aside from that cinematic gem, Game put together a chill video for All That with Jeremih and Big Sean. Lil Wayne was unexpectedly absent from the video, which was odd. If you're in the mood for some EDM, give the Major Lazer and Krewella a look. Oh and this just in Drake is big time, so big time that The Raptors now have him on payroll. You'll see why below...#Raptors
Justin Timberlake - TKO

Game ft. Big Sean, Lil Wayne, Jeremih & Fabolous – All That (Lady) (Video)

Major Lazer - Jet Blue Jet (feat. Leftside, GTA, Razz & Biggy)

Drake Toronto Raptors Promo

Krewella Performs Live For the Night on Good Morning America

Photo Credit: YouTube

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