Friday, September 30, 2016

Videos of the Week September 30th


The past few weeks have been relatively unbalanced in my eyes. When I say unbalanced, I mean it's either been mostly music videos or mostly funny/novelty videos. This week's top five got back to a nice 60/40 split between music and funny. Leading the way for videos was without a doubt The Weeknd's new video for Starboy. The more I listen to the track, the more impressed I am with the Daft Punk collabo's lyrically edgy, retro funk vibe. As a bonus, you get to see Abęl go to town on some expensive memorabilia with what can only be described as a crucifix glow stick.

In other musical efforts, you had a live cover of twenty-one pilots' Heathens from Bebe Rexha and Martin Garrix. It's crazy how much traction the Suicide Squad Soundtrack ended up getting and this collaboration is further proof of it's wide spread appeal. If you're looking for more trippy, Sci-fi stuff, you'll appreciate the zero gravity video put together by Flume and Tove Lo. Now I know what it would be like to walk on the sides of buildings with a space suit on.

In the world of funny and ridiculous, it doesn't get more extravagant than 2 Chainz's new season of GQ's Most Expensive $hit. In the past, we've seen him taste high end bottled water or expensive kittens, but this year he's expanding his tastes to coffee. So why not explore the Kopi Luwak civet coffee that cost $600 a pound? If you don't know what type of creature a civet is or even why I'd be mentioning an animal when talking about expensive coffee, just give it a watch and prepare to be slightly grossed out. If lavish isn't your bag, then you've got the good 'ole conventional funny from Jimmy Fallon and Sting who played everyone's favorite game, Textual Experience. Even though it might not have lived up to the awkwardness that Aziz Ansari brought to a previously posted episode, both Sting and Fallon brought their A game vocally, which made for a fun watch...#TextualExperience
The Weeknd feat Daft Punk - Starboy (Video)

2 Chainz Drinking $600 Cat Poop Coffee on GQ's Most Expensive $hit

Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha Cover 21 Pilots Heathens on BBC 1

Flume feat Tove Lo - Say It (Video)

Jimmy Fallon & Sting Have a Textual Experience

Photo Credit: YouTube

Thursday, September 29, 2016

"We've Fallen Apart, Still We're All Together"


Out of curiosity I went back to check when The Chainsmokers made their debut on this little-engine-that-could internet music destination. What I found was a remix to Say Lou Lou's song Julian back on May 25, 2013. Looking back, it's crazy to think that I was once *hopeful* they would be able to rise to success by making their own music rather than remixing other artists' tracks. There was something about how they were able to grab these "outlier" tracks that not many people had heard of and transform them into these stellar remixes. Having been a designer for years, I fully understand what kind of skill it takes to reinterpret someone else's work, yet make it your own by adding a unique twist that makes it work for whatever problem you're solving.

In my eyes, the problem they were solving all along was making EDM more accessible to people who traditionally enjoy vocal driven pop music. I know that's a bit of a broad generalization because they've made their fair share of uptempo party tracks, but now that they've gained a following, they're hitting the gas pedal by collaborating with artists they've always wanted to team up with to make the music they've always wanted to make. People who recently jumped on their bandwagon might be scratching their heads wondering why Alex and Drew are switching up their style. What they were doing was already working well, so what's up with their previous single (Closer) and their new one with Phoebe Ryan titled All We Know. If I were offering up advice to those new fans, I'd say go back and check out all the great vocalists that you may not have heard of that they've worked with or remixed. They consistently collaborate with great talent and could care less if you've heard of them because they know once you hear them over their production, it's going to be amazing. The fact that they're now starting to flex their writing/storytelling muscles and chip in original vocals speaks to the comfort level they're reaching as the duo who is defining pop music.

I don't need to tell you how awesome their new single is because you'll know it when you listen to it. The folk/acoustic vibe blends perfectly with the nostalgic storytelling adventure that Drew and Phoebe hold your hand through. It's one of those tracks whose lyrics are universally relatable, celebrating that one special bond we all share with someone that has survived the best and worst of times. All We Know is yet another continuation of the unstoppable amount of momentum that The Chainsmokers have right now. And we haven't even gotten to hear their collaboration with Chris Martin of Coldplay yet...#AllWeKnow

The Chainsmokers feat Phoebe Ryan - All We Know

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

"Driftin', I'm Driftin' My Way Back Home"


Time for a trip off the beaten path to highlight a stellar blues collaboration between GRiZ and Son Little. As a quick caveat, you're not getting the uptempo, electronic version of GRiZ that you've grown to love tonight. Instead, you're getting mellow guitar, quiet horns, and soulful vocals. While the EDM fans may regard this as a filler track, I see it as more of a standout on his recent Good Will Prevail album. The fact that GRiZ was able to pack so many different tempos and styles into one album is definitely worth noting. I've already posted his previous singles Gotta Push On, Can't Hold Me Down, and Before I Go. If you still need more incentive to give his full album a listen, you're nuts...#GoodWillPrevail

GRiZ feat Son Little - Drifting

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

"I Turn it Way High, I Don't Even See Y'all"


No matter what happens from now until the end of time, I'll always appreciate the buck wild energy Redman brings to the table every time he gets on the mic. That Method Man and Redman Blackout album has to go down in my top 25 favorite albums, hands down. Knowing that, it's been a bummer he hasn't released a lot of noteworthy music since the Millennium. Maybe it's because Hip Hop has started to take a back seat, maybe it's because I haven't been paying attention to Hip Hop or the fact that Redman released a new album back in 2015. The fact that I just learned that speaks volumes about how in tune I am with Reggie Noble's career.

But I'm not here to take a stroll down memory lane. I'm here to hype his new collaboration with 1000 Volts that showcases the same raw energy, but in a much more electronic setting. Led by the production of Jayceeoh, there's a bouncy trap vibe that will have you double taking. It's like a mash up of the past two decades with 90s Rap and Trap mixing together in an audio molotov cocktails of sorts. If you're ready to "let the dogs out" and like free stuff, then hop on over to theartistunion.com for a free copy of the fiery one below...#BitchImLit

1000 Volts feat Redman - B*tch I'm Lit (prod by Jayceeoh & B-Sides)

Monday, September 26, 2016

Zedd's League of Legends Theme is Lit


It's pretty crazy how massive E-gaming has become around the world. For one, it wasn't until recently that I learned there are dedicated play-by-play people who call the League of Legends World Championships battles. Here's a snippet of how it all goes down in a video that showcases a few stories that inspired the new track below...
Pretty cool to see neutral people calling battles who are so in-tune and know all the players and teams by name. And what's even better is how Zedd stepped up with Tim James to create a theme for the latest World Championship. Stylistically, it's as thumping and melodic as you'd expect. There's a palpable thump that leads the tempo, balancing out the mellow vocals and soft initial build up. I'm not a gamer, but that isn't stopping me from appreciating everything about this track...#Ignite

Sunday, September 25, 2016

"Oh Baby, Don't Call Me, Don't Call Me No Mo'"


Admittedly, I've been down on Hip Hop for a while now. For about a decade, the genre was lit, evolving daily and fueled by rampant creativity and one-upping. For about the past five years Hip Hop has more or less coasted without getting that much needed re-up. During that time EDM stole the flame and has enjoyed a similar one-upping from countless artists, which has resulted in the genre being pushed and pulled a million different ways.

Lately, it feels like Hip Hop is starting to branch out more with artists like Anderson .Paak and GoldLink being more live instrumentation and jazzy sounds back into the fold. I've posted countless Anderson .Paak tracks, but nipping at his heels is his fellow freshman. There's a unique, formulaic diction that GoldLink brings to the mic that is just plain different. I dig, but more so because anytime he gets on the mic I immediately know its him. Like for example his new one Rough Soul featuring the vocals of April George. It's more smooth than attention grabbing, but that seems to be the MO of these new jazzy Hip Hop tracks. If you dig the track, go ahead and cop it free joining GoldLink's mailing list...#RoughSoul

GoldLink feat April George - Rough Soul (prod by Kintaro)

Saturday, September 24, 2016

"Cause Baby I'd Kill for You"


It literally doesn't get any better than when Eminem and Skylar Grey collaborate. Whether it's I Need a Doctor, C'Mon Let Me Ride, Twisted or Skylar writing Eminem's hit Love the Way You Lie, there's a long history of great work they've done together. Their newest addition to that list, Kill For You, is an accurate portrayal of both their dark sides. There's an undercurrent of devotion, anger, and violence that bleeds through the lyrics, creating a powerful tone for the track. Sure, the gun shots mixed in at the beginning and end provide the dramatic flair, but it's a rare instance where the over-the-top sound effects actually fit the drama of the track. The best news out of all this is that Skylar has a new album coming out tomorrow. If Natural Causes is even half as good as the performance she put on at the Regency Ballroom on Friday, it's going to quickly become one of my favorite albums...#NaturalCauses

Friday, September 23, 2016

Videos of the Week September 23rd


Normally I'm a Jimmy Fallon guy, but kudos to Jimmy Kimmel for bringing the heat this week with performances from Usher and Desiigner. Both brought the heat with brief sets and they did it their own way. On one hand you had Usher doing his usual dance routine while spicing it up with videos of fans around the world dancing to No Limit. And on the other hand you had the raw energy of Desiigner performing his hype new single Timmy Turner. To be blunt, I'm still on the fence about Desiigner as an artist. He walks the line between hype and over-the-top, which is why I want to like him, but in manageable doses.

If you have five minutes and have to choose one video to watch this week, there's no doubt that it should be Elton John and Gallant performing Weight in Gold. It's an awe inspiring performance by a legend and an up-and-comer whose voice is on another level. If escaping reality through animation and adventure is more what you're looking for, then you'll dig Zeds Dead, Diplo and Elliphant's collabo on the video for Blame. And last, but not least, there was the time Hillary Clinton went Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis. If you've seen any of the episodes in the series, there's a level of awkward situational humor that always ends up being surprisingly funny and this one did not disappoint...#BetweenTwoFerns
Elton John & Gallant Perform Weight in Gold

Desiigner Performs Timmy Turner on Kimmel

Zeds Dead & Diplo feat Elephant - Blame (Video)

Usher Performs No Limit on Kimmel

Hillary Clinton Goes Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis

Photo Credit: YouTube

Thursday, September 22, 2016

"We Don't Pray for Love, We Just Pray for Cars"


Well...feel free to file this one under the "set the internet ablaze" variety of hyped singles. It doesn't get more buzzy than a collaboration between one of the hottest vocalists (The Weeknd) and a legendary EDM duo (Daft Punk). Still, Starboy manages to stare those lofty expectations in the face and live to fight another day.

The first thing I noticed was the "Kanye-like" kick on the drums that seems to punch and keep punching with increasing intensity throughout the entire track. Like most Weeknd tracks, it rides the fence between soulful and edgy with pleading vocals and unapologetic lyrics. It may not be as "electronic" as you'd expect from a Daft Punk collabo, but I was pleasantly surprised given how it all came together. As it stands now, this one will be the lead track on Weeknd's upcoming album due out on Thanksgiving. I find it entertaining that two of the tracks have names so far with the rest being shrouded in secrecy by being labeled as generic track numbers...#Starboy
The Weeknd feat Daft Punk - Starboy

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Soul, Sax, and Synths Will Keep You Pushing On


As if we didn't have enough incentive to go out and immediately cop GRiZ's upcoming Good Will Prevail when it lands in our digital lives this Friday. The sax man went and recorded a track with a freaking church choir for his latest release! With the help of Basstracks and Eric Krasno, GRiZ's new one succeeds in its ability to capture the resilience of soul music. It'll take a minute or so for the energy to permeate your headphones, but from then on out its smooth sailing. Yes, it has breadcrumbs of EDM throughout, but my favorite part of the track is when all the electronics are stripped away and it's nothing but a piano, clapping, and choir vocals. It's a four and a half minute track and one third of the track is dedicated to a graceful, unplugged landing. Such a cool twist from GRiZ who continues to blaze new trails for a genre that needs more creative producers who aren't afraid to venture off the conventional path...#GottaPushOn

GRiZ feat Brasstracks & Eric Krasno - Gotta Push On

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Baauer Always Knows When a Track is Ready for Release


Tracks like the Baauer's new one below with CZ reminds me that I'm not quite ready to be "old" yet. When I say old, I mean that "turn it down it's too loud" or "that's the music the kids are listening to" types of sentiments we've all heard from our parents. Nope, I'm not there yet because I'm still very entertained by rowdy, experimental Trap tracks like 'How Can You Tell When It's Done?'. I gotta be honest, I don't quite get the song title, but that's not preventing me from appreciating it's rugged likability. It's equal parts horror music and intense high speed chase music. It'll get your adrenaline pumping with the rigid synths and heavy bass. It's exactly what every Tuesday needs, a shot of energy to help you get through the week. I hope it provides you with the same type of audio energy that it did to me on this nondescript mid-September night...#HowCanYouTellWhenItsDone

Baauer x CZ - 'How Can You Tell When It's Done?'

Monday, September 19, 2016

"Everything You Do, Oh When You Do It (Just Like This)"

Y
Maaaan everything Anderson .Paak touches lately is so fresh! I don't need to tell you how awesome Malibu is since you've hopefully went through that a few times over the past nine months. But what I will tell you is how he recently teamed up with Knxwledge to go halfsies on a new album that's going to be released under the name group name NxWorries.

NxWorries has already released a couple new singles over the past few month in the form of Suede and Link Up. What you can expect when you press play below is a smooth, bluesy, R&B track. There's an undeniably grown and sexy vibe to the track that manifests itself through the lyrics. There's soul to spare on Lyk Dis, making it one of the more likable chill R&B tracks I've heard in recent memory. Keep an eye out for the full length collaboration appropriately titled YES LAWD!...#LykDis

NxWorries (Anderson Paak & Knxwledge) - Lyk Dis

Sunday, September 18, 2016

"Why Wait, To Say, At Least I Did it My Way"


In a crowded genre of DJs and producers, Calvin Harris always seems to rise above them the rest by consistency churning out great music. Sure, he's a bit of a unique case because of his ability to chip in vocals on his tracks, but the clean and triumphant style of his music is hard to ignore. I'll put it this way, he's able to maintain his trend setting, pop defining status by never releasing a disappointing single.

Speaking of which, here comes My Way. It travels down the usual path that you'd expect for a Calvin track, but there's clearly nothing wrong with that at this point. The vocals are easy to latch onto and it has that echoing, Coldplay likeability. The gradual build up of tempo and gentle drop eliminate any friction from the listening experience. It's pop, but as someone who plays/shares a lot of music with people, you need tracks like this that have a high floor to be the bridge between other tracks that might be less known. Call a spade a spade, it's a solid single...#MyWay

Calvin Harris - My Way

Saturday, September 17, 2016

"You're Like a Part of Me, That Only I Can See"


Man, is it me or did it start raining top notch EDM single near the end of the week? During that rainstorm of synths, you may have gotten wet by a fresh new one from Dillon Francis and Will Heard. Anywhere is about a poppy as you're going to hear from Dillon and that's in large part due to Will's stellar vocals. Gently funky and melodic is the best I can come up with when describing the track as I listen to it right now. The mix of bubbly rhythms and repeatable vocals are why you'll be humming along to yourself long after the track ends. Do yourself a favor and add this guy to whatever new Spotify playlist you're rocking of late as you look forward to reaping the benefits over the next few weeks...#Anywhere
Dillon Francis feat Will Heard - Anywhere

Friday, September 16, 2016

Videos of the Week September 16th


A little bit of this and a little bit of that is the theme of this week's top five. If novelty is the name of your game, then you might enjoy Michael Phelps pulling his best Eminem impression when he lip synced Lose Yourself on Lip Sync Battle. If you'll allow me to be critical for a minute, I was expecting a bit more raw energy. Where's that gold medal effort Phelps?!?!

If you're like me, you've done your best to tune out politics, but when Hip Hip artists want to make a statement, they know how to get peoples' attention. The black and white aesthetic with the colored flag was tastefully done in the FDT Part 2 video from Macklemore, YG and G-Eazy. If spontaneous is what you want, it doesn't get more freestyle than Donald Glover riffing on stage with Late Late Show's Reggie Watts. A little bit of funk and some harmony is all you need to get people dancing. If an actual music video is what you're looking for then enjoy some tribal dancing in exotic scenery during Major Lazer and Bieber's Cold Water video. And last, but not least, the whole gang showed up on stage when Chance the Rapper performed on Ellen. Lil Weezy and 2 Chainz joined him on stage to perform their hit No Problems with a whole lot office destruction happening in the background. Can anyone say, 352 paper pickup?...#NoProblems

Michael Phelps Lip Sync Battles Eminem's Lose Yourself

YG, Macklemore & G-Eazy - FDT (Part 2) (Video)

Donald Glover and Reggie Watts Freestyle on The Late Late Show with James Corden

Major Lazer feat Justin Bieber & Mo - Cold Water (Video)

Chance the Rapper Performs No Problems with Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz on Ellen

Photo Credit: YouTube

Thursday, September 15, 2016

"Heaven Must Be Somewhere in California"


As I continue to lament about the lack of R&B artists that are worth following, it's still refreshing to have a breakthrough artists every now and again. Def Jam has a solid track record of finding talent, so the fact that they placed a bet on young JAHKOY says something. Back in May, JAH made his GWDJ debut when he released a stellar track titled Wine. Now, with the help of Schoolboy Q, he's got an official debut single in the form of California Heaven.

I'll put it this way, if you're from California or currently live in sunshine state, this is gonna be your jam. Coming from someone who currently resides in the state of CA, the laid-back vibe of the track fits the aura of the state quite well. As I keep listening to it, his style reminds me a lot of TQ, which is a good thing. Shout out to Schoolboy Q for chipping in a much needed boost of energy midway through the track. Take it for what it's worth, it's rare nowadays that a slow jam keeps my attention, so I'm going to be keeping an eye out for JAHKOY's debut Foreign Waters. If you're liking what you hear, head on over to hypem to give the up and comer from the T Dot some love...#CaliforniaHeaven

JAHKOY feat Schoolboy Q - California Heaven

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

"Violence Only Creates Confusion, It Ain't a Problem Solver"


Hopefully you know Stephen's name by now through tuning into the GWDJ blog over the past year, but in case you haven't here's another reason. You remember Stephen's single from late last year titled Crossfire? Pretty dope track, right? Well, I must not have been the only one who got stoked about it because Hip Hop legend Talib Kweli and remix extraordinaire KillaGraham flipped a remixed/part II version this week. While Crossfire II is being dubbed as a continuation of the original version, Stephen's vocals carry on a similar vibe from the original. However, the new version is much more Hip Hop, adding a bouncy beat to the original instrumentations. There aren't many examples of Hip Hop being tastefully blended with real instruments, so I'm comfortable calling this one a diamond in the rough. Check the newly minted video for Part II below...

If you're as intrigued as I am when I first heard the type of music Stephen is capable of producing, give a listen to his latest album, Sincerely, while you're at it. Oh and if you're into leasing, rather than buying follow me in adding it to your latest Spotify playlist...#Crossfire

Stephen feat Talib Kweli & KillaGraham - Crossfire II

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

"You Just Don't Know How Beautiful You Are"


Is it me or has Mac Miller significantly evolved his music? This whole live band, funky routine he's been sticking with of late is a good look! Between his previous single with Anderson .Paak (Dang!) and his new one below, he's providing all the motivation necessary to check out his new album, The Devine Feminine. Sure, it helps that the apple of his eye is now chipping in stellar vocals, making his music that much more interesting, but Mac has always been able to spit. Maybe his style just needed a little time in the wine cellar to appreciate over time. Whatever the case, I'm picking up what he's putting down in a big way.

Oh and in case you're into celeb gossip and such, it would appear Mac and Ariana's friendship has organically morphed into something much more. Aren't they just adorable?...#TheDevineFeminine

baabyyy

A photo posted by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on


Mac Miller feat Ariana Grande - My Favorite Part

Monday, September 12, 2016

"I'm Under the Influence, Don't Trust Every Word I Say"


Last week I touched on how many artists The Chainsmokers have introduced me to and how it's the gift that keeps on giving. Well, that gift gave again with Tove Lo's new single Influence featuring Wiz Khalifa. You might remember Alex and Drew remixing Tove Lo's Habits back in early 2014 and me gushing about it when I heard the track. Since then, I've continued to keep tabs on the young vocalist and she's rewarded me by continuing to put out noteworthy singles.

When it comes to her latest single, it's all about that smooth rolling bass line. It's a mellow track, but the bubbly bass line makes it downright grown and sexy. Sure, the sultry vocals help too, but the quiet percussion creates an chill house vibe that's dope. Ironically, Wiz decided to go 100 mph on his verse, which goes against his usual flow and the vibe of the track. It's a strange and stark difference from what I expected, but if attention grabbing was the goal, it succeeded. You know the drill, iTunes or Spotify if you want to add it to your collection or feel free to wait patiently for Tove Lo's upcoming Lady Wood album out in late October...#LadyWood
Tove Lo feat Wiz Khalifa - Influence

Sunday, September 11, 2016

"I Feel the Love, I Want to Get to Know You"


Whenever I hear the word Tritonal, I think melodic, ethereal progressive house music. That image is continuing to evolve as they put out more great music with the release of their new album Painting With Dreams. Their latest single fits their usual progressive house style, but amplifies the good vibes with the help of Ross Lynch's vocals. It's a track squarely aimed at top 40 radio with the sing-along vocals and excitable drops. There are at least four standout singles on their new album, which is why I'm making it a priority to do a few laps around the duo from Austin, Texas's latest effort this weekend...#PaintingWithDreams

Tritonal feat Ross Lynch - I Feel the Love

Saturday, September 10, 2016

"Take Me to the Heaven I Know"


As I continue to try an figure out how my tastes in music have drifted so far away from Hip Hop toward EDM, it's songs like the one below that shed some light on why. EDM as a whole has introduced me to so many new vocalists that it's becoming an added incentive to stay up on new releases. I don't need to go into the laundry list of talented singers that The Chainsmokers have introduced me to over the past two years, but they're not the only ones who have opened the door to new talent.

Enter Nicky Romero who I associate with a mostly progressive house vibe, but this week decided to bring Colton Avery into the mix on Take Me. Here's a taste of Colton's music featuring Danny O'Donoghue and Mark Sheehan from The Script - The Weatherman. What's interesting about the song below is the Newgrass sound it takes on when you combine the guitar lead in and soulful vocals. There's a folk undertone that I really dig and it gets even more interesting when those vocals are layered over a melodic chord progression post drop. Definitely one of the more interesting contributions I've heard in a while, which is why it was quickly added to GWDJ Favorites...#TakeMe

Nicky Romero feat Colton Avery - Take Me (Written by The Script)

Friday, September 09, 2016

Videos of the Week September 9th


Variety is the name of the game in this week's top five. There was some music, a cross-genre cover, a lyric video, and a premiere of a much awaited show. Normally novelty and comedy lead the way, but this past week was the Drake and Beyonce show. Let me ask you this, how many time are you going to get to see Tyra Banks shove cheesecake in Drake's face and then douse him with red wine? And how many times are you going to see Beyonce's sexy self in a frilly dress taking a baseball bat to a chevy? Yep, that's why they led the way.

Then, there was that time Usher did a live cover of The Chainsmokers Don't Let Me Down. Didn't see that coming, but it speaks to how multi-talented Mr. Raymond is and how big The Chainsmokers are now. In an effort to keep up with the new trend of creative, lower budget videos, Kygo and Julia Michaels put together a fun video for Carry Me. Picture an in-studio performance with a live orchestra and lots of fun, whimsical lyrics painted on the screen narrating the entire thing. And then there's the premiere of Donald Glover's new show Atlanta. I've posted a few trailers for the show and now y'all get the full 26 minutes in all it's glory...#Atlanta

Drake - Childs Play (feat Tyra Banks) (Video)

Beyonce - Hold Up (Video)

Usher Covers The Chainsmokers Don't Let Me Down

Kygo feat Julia Michaels - Carry Me (Lyric Video)

Atlanta Full Episode 1

Thursday, September 08, 2016

Knife Party and Tom Morello Step It Up on Battle Sirens


There's kicking ass and then there's this. I'll put it this way, if you wanted to write the book on Tom Morello's career, you should probably hold up for a few minutes as he continues his branching out into every conceivable genre of music. Recently, he's been putting in work with Hip Hop/Rock super group Prophets of Rage and now he's moved onto making music with Knife Party out of all groups. In hindsight, the collaboration isn't a huge surprise given how deep into rock music the Knife Party guys were with Pendulum, but hearing a sick drop after a Tom Morello lead guitar build up is next level.

When you're listening to Battle Sirens, it'll sound like it's 100% alt rock at first. Then, around the minute and a half mark, you'll get that Knife Party kick in the pants drop. It's rawkus, it's tumbling, it's heavy, it's what we all like most about what the duo brings to the table. I can't over-sell the amount of novelty I felt when listening to the track. Whoever made this track possible, thank you very much, we're all benefitting greatly from it's existence...#BattleSirens

Wednesday, September 07, 2016

"I'm Free to be the Greatest, I'm Alive"


Normally I wait until the end of the week to post videos, but Sia and Maddie Ziegler take it to another level, which makes them deserving of their own mid-week post. This time they chose a spooky, jail setting for Sia's new single featuring Kendrick Lamar. Before you get all excited about a K Dot verse in the video, temper those expectations because you'll be listening to it a few times before you discover his verse missing on the visuals. You'll need to fast forward two minutes on the Spotify or iTunes version of The Greatest to get another tastefully scripted 16 from Kendrick.

Kendrick verse aside, the track is pretty awesome in it's own right. Sia's unique vocals always play well in an inspirational setting. Sure, it's pop, but it's forceful in it's positivity to a point where you'll find yourself nodding your head and looking forward to singing along with the hook. All in all, it's one of the more energetic, catchy singles I've heard in a while, so enjoy this one before top 40 chews it up and spits it out for the next six months...#TheGreatest

Sia feat Kendrick Lamar - The Greatest

Tuesday, September 06, 2016

"Timmy Timmy Timmy Turner He Been Wishin' For a Burner"


Over the past decade, XXL has done a pretty stellar job at showcasing who is next in Hip Hop. For reference check their list of the top freshman (breakout artists) in Hip Hop since 2007 (via Wikipedia) and you'll understand what I mean...
One thing is for sure, they were only getting started in 2007 with names like Crooked I and Lupe Fiasco.

Fast forwarding to present day and their latest crop of 2016 freshman and one name in particular is beginning to stand out. By now you know about Anderson .Paak and Lil Dicky, but despite the Kanye co-sign you may have written off Desiigner as a one hit wonder with his breakout hit Panda. For me, the track was interesting in a lot of ways because of how grimy it sounded, but I wasn't convinced yet. This week, that sentiment changed a bit when I listened to his freestyle turned full track, turned remix with Kanye called Timmy Turner. The unexpected harmony from a rapper that I had written off as nothing special is where it all changed from me. It's really hard to understand what he's saying, it sounds like straight gibberish. Yet, it's so well executed that you feel like you have to sing along with your own made up words. All I know is you need to see his 45 second version of the freestyle, then listen to Kanye's verse on the track to get a full appreciation for it. Respect Desiigner, I get it now...#TimmyTurner

Desiigner feat Kanye West - Timmy Turner (Remix) (prod by Mike Dean)

Monday, September 05, 2016

"Baby, Don't Let it Fade Away"


When someone nails a chill House playlist, it has the potential to make or break a party. Seeing that it's Labor Day, you're probably out grilling with your closest friends or family. If that's the case, give Simon Field & MAYE's new one a listen on Soundcloud. Fade drifts between Chill House and Deep House with a slow vocal sample and soft piano that mixes with soothing synths throughout. If I were to summarize the vibe, it's the opposite of distracting. It's one of those tracks that blends with the ambiance in a way that you probably wouldn't notice it unless it was turned off, which would immediately make it seem like there's something missing. This will be one of many tracks I'll be listening to while preparing food tonight.

As a side note, if this is your cup of tea, head on over to hypem to give it some love. If it isn't your cup of tea, give head on over to Spotify to give MAYE's Backyard Cool playlist a spin. Every good plan has a solid backup plan, so feel free and deploy at your own discretion...#Fade

Simon Field & MAYE - Fade

Sunday, September 04, 2016

"And Everything I Do, I Do It Three Ways"


If you haven't figure it out by now, I'm a big fan of this heavy, sing-songy, auto-tune style that Travis Scott is rocking. The methodical, layered instrumentation always sucks me in and makes me forget about the generally dumbed down lyrics. If you're tuning in for some thought provoking stories, this style of music isn't going to be for you. But if you're in the mood for some heavy bass and an instrumental that sounds like the majority of what Kanye puts out, then you'll enjoy 3 Wayz. Speaking of the production, shout out to Hit-Boy for laying the ground work on the beat to set up Ty Dolla $ign and Travis for success. If you're digging this, it will be surfacing on Ty's upcoming Campaign album later this month. Play it loud if you're also someone who enjoys things in threes, like days in a weekend...#3Wayz

Ty Dolla $ign feat Travis Scott - 3 Wayz (prod by Hit-Boy)

Saturday, September 03, 2016

Cash Cash's Millionaire Gets an Alan Walker Upgrade


Another week, another reason to mention Alan Walker's name. This time, he put together a feel good mix of Cash Cash, Digital Farms, and Nelly's Millionaire. I feel like the remix is below is where I'm starting to see more of his personality as an artist as he ventures from his tried and true formula of EDM power ballads. Rather than the long, vibrant chords, his remix of Millionaire takes on more of a sing-along vibe that is marked by a fun, horn led post-drop breakdown. It's as pop as pop comes, but it fits the EDM fusion trend that artists like Big Gigantic and GRiZ are leading. It's already a fun party track, but Alan took it a much more chill direction. If you like what you hear head on over to iTunes or add it to the that fresh new Alan Walker Spotify playlist you've been curating...#Millionaire

Friday, September 02, 2016

Videos of the Week September 2nd


Keeping it 100, this was one of the tougher weeks to narrow down a top five videos list. That was mostly there were so many stellar performances at MTV's Video Music Awards (VMAs). There were many more performances deserving to be posted like Rihanna and Ariana Grande's, but my personal favorites were The Chainsmokers/Halsey and Britney Spears/G-Eazy. Chalked full of sexual tension and energy, there were a lot of similarities between the two that made them an entertaining watch. Can we give it up for minute for Drew of The Chainsmokers for his effort as a vocalist? At this point, it's abundantly clear that there is little the duo can't accomplish.

In the land of real music videos, Lupe Fiasco was a clear standout with his video for Pick Up the Phone. The song was already powerful, but when you add visuals to it, the story gets even more vivid. Addiction is a terrible thing and the video shows exactly why it can be such a sad story. If you've been itching for some new Kygo, I don't have anything fresh to offer except that he's got a new clothing line called Kygo Life now. For the debut of the clothing line, he put on a fifteen minute, piano only concert where he weaved in and out of many of your favorite instrumentals from his new album. I almost list my sh*t when he led off with my personal favorite, Piano Jam. And rounding out the stacked top five was a really in-depth deconstruction of Kanye's vocals by Vox. As someone who loves the in-between the lines stuff, I ate up all nine minutes worth of that. Hate on him if you will, but there's plenty of craft to what he does...#Kanye
The Chainsmokers and Halsey Perform Closer at the VMAs

Britney Spears & G-Eazy Perform Make Me Move and Me, Myself, and I at The VMAs

Lupe Fiasco - Pick Up the Phone (Video)

Kygo Performs Solo on Piano to Launch His Own Clothing Line

Kanye Deconstructed: The Human Voice as the Ultimate Instrument (by Vox)

Video Credit: YouTube

Thursday, September 01, 2016

Zedd and Grey Get the Juices Flowing on Adrenaline


Seeing that I've made it my daily hobby to categorize and reflect on music, I've found that giving context to place and mood of where I'd listen to a track is important. For example, Zedd's new single with Grey would be a perfect fit for my latest workout playlist. It has a consistently energetic rhythm and even when the beat seems to take a minute to breathe, it's right back in your face. That's what I love about Adrenaline, which as a side note is a perfect name for the track. It'll get you going and provide the spark needed to ignite a party if that's what you're looking for. Whether it's listening to it during a run tomorrow morning or a party I'm hosting this weekend, you can bet the track below will be invited to join...#Adrenaline

Zedd & Grey - Adrenaline

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