Ed Sheeran's Perfect Gets a Chill House Makeover

Over the past year Ed Sheeran's Divide album has continued to gain momentum with each new single. It started off with a bang as Shape of You skyrocketed to the top of the charts and has continued to gain speed with the most recent single Perfect. In my eyes, the book-end singles are the best of what the album has to offer and deserve to be in the classic conversation.

Further cementing that notion is Robin Schulz's remix of Perfect. It's what you'd hope for if someone said "what if someone did a chill house flip of Perfect." The vocals from the original play really well over a quietly rhythmic beat. Matter of fact, the more I listen to it, the more I'm inclined to throw it on the Trop House mix. Whatever the categorization, it's a smooth mix that I'll be zoning out to over the next week...#Perfect



Ed Sheeran - Perfect (Robin Schulz Remix)

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all

If you're like me, you're kickin' it with your fam today while taking part in whatever established Thanksgiving traditions. Part of those traditions in my fam is starting to look forward to Christmas...which is generally kicked off by a steady stream of Christmas music. If you're in that camp and are in desperate need of some god forsaken alternative to Mariah's "All I Want For Christmas is You", then give a listen to the first single off Kaskade's upcoming Christmas album. For the life of me, I can't recall a Christmas themed EDM album, so I'm going to give it every chance to succeed. I love the wobbly, deep house undertones mixed with familiar Christmas vocals on Deck the Halls (below). This along with a Skylar Grey cameo on Oh Come Emmanuel make the concept an interesting proposition. At the very least, stay on the look out for it during your Black Friday scouring of the internet tomorrow when it drops...#KaskadeChristmas



Kaskade feat Erika - Deck the Halls

"Lets Keep This Going All Niiiight"

Not usually known for smooth pop tracks, Steve Aoki is continuing to fight my attempt to put his style in a nice, tidy box. His new one, All Night, is the type of chill, vocal driven EDM that you'd expect from a Zedd or Martin Garrix. Lauren Jauregui (of 5th Harmony) did everything in her power on the track below to get on the GWDJ radar. Her calm, sultry vocals are exactly what the steady, rhythmic beat needed. Keep an ear out for this one on top 40 and join me in continuing to re-evaluate preconceived notions on the music Aoki is capable of making...#AllNight



Steve Aoki feat Lauren Jauregui - All Night

"A Place Where I Can Go, To Take This Off My Shoulders"

Over the years we've all grown accustomed to soundtracks being attached to marquee movies we go see in theaters. That model hasn't evolved much over the years, but in a few weeks we're going to see a twist to the time old model. On December 22nd a Netflix original movie Bright is going to be released for streaming. The movie stars Will Smith and it's a fantasy flick full of orcs and elves that have coexisted with humans for centuries.

I'll admit, it was a tough sell for me too. Both the Netflix only release and reeling in Will Smith for a fantasy cop movie. What makes it even more interesting is the made-for-streaming movie is going to have a full soundtrack. Not just any soundtrack either, it's going to contain tracks like the one below featuring MGK, X Ambassadors, and Bebe Rexha. Home is everything you'd want in a movie anthem. It hits you in feels with a folk hook, stellar female vocals, and a vibrant sing-songy rap vibe. Basically picture your favorite X Ambassadors track with a few awesome Machine Gun Kellly verses and a Bebe Rexha vocal assist. There's a lot to wrap your head around with this one, but if the entire soundtrack is anywhere near as good as what we hear below then we'll all be in for a treat...#Home



Machine Gun Kelly, X Ambassadors & Bebe Rexha - Home

Troyboi & Ekali Let Loose a Tour Favorite

Some of the best music we all end up hearing is a direct result of artists deciding to go on tour together. Case in point Ekali and Troyboi's latest creation Truth. If you've seen Troyboi on tour lately, this track is probably old news to you, but for many this is going to be an introduction.

The collabo hits on all the highlights of what you'd look for for the dynamic duo. You've got the melodic tones from Ekali mixing with the oriental, clangy bounce of Troyboi. It's a fresh instrumental, through and through. It skews more toward the smooth and refined front rather than a bass heavy party starter that both artists are capable of making. Not sure whether this is awesome or frustrating, but this is the type of unreleased track that may never get an official Spotify release. Still, you can't complain about a free download, so let's just say the options to consume are limitless...#Truth

Troyboi x Ekali - Truth

"Love Life, Baby Give Me Love Like"

You may have missed it, but recently Major Lazer released a documentary called Give Me Future. The doc is centered around their performance in Havana, Cuba from Spring 2015 when a half a million people ended up showing up at their show. From there, it takes a deep dive into Cuban youth culture, unearthing the impact of improving US/Cuba relations. When watching, you may even be surprised at the hoops Major Lazer needed to jump through to make a Cuban show a reality.

But I digress, the track below is from the soundtrack to the documentary. Love Life is bouncy Reggaeton at its best. Marked by vibrant vocals from Azaryah, the vibe of the track is infectious. Good luck trying to keep your hips from swaying back and forth to the beat too. It's one of many great tracks off the Soundtrack that is worth a dedicated listen on further review...#LoveLife



Major Lazer feat Azaryah - Love Life

"Cause I'm in Love With the Restless Sea"

I've posted so many behind-the-scenes, viral beat-making sessions by Louis Futon that you are hopefully more than a little familiar with his name by now. Side note, his latest Stranger Things inspired effort was particularly dope IMO. Beat-making sessions aside, in between opening for Louis the Child and Odesza, he's been cooking up some new material.

Yesterday he dropped Restless Sea featuring vocals from Opia. Blown away doesn't really explain how pleasantly surprised I was by the track. Everything from the slow burning, emotion dripped drops to the pleading vocals of Opia came together for a really dope track. The whiny guitar riffs and synths post-drop really compliment the head-nod worthy, steady-thumping beat. I foresee myself both rocking out to the beat and singing along, which underscores the likeability of the track. Don't waste anymore time reading these words, join me over at Soundcloud, Spotify, or iTunes where I'll be running laps all around this one this weekend...#RestlessSea



Louis Futon feat Opia - Restless Sea

VIdeos of the Week November 17th

It was definitely a performance-centric top five this week. Led by Travis Scott's memorable performance at the 2017 MTV Europe Music Awards, the week got off to a noteworthy start. Not sure about y'all, but I would be pretty hesitant to be jumping around while performing when I'm standing on top of a giant floating bird about 30 ft about the crowd. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Butterfly Effect and the performance was lit, but join me in hoping he never falls off that big, menacing bird.

On a less dangerous note, both Daft Punk and RL Grime put out tour videos this week to give everyone a glimpse of what they're missing. Having recently seen RL live, it was cool to be reminded of how hype of a show he's capable of putting on. Switching to a more calming, intimate setting, Anime did his thing on NPR's Tiny Desk stage this week. He cycled through a few Good For You favorites like Caroline, Slide, and Wedding Crashers during the short set. And of course last, but always the most entertaining, Macklemore stole the show with his Corner Store performance on Fallon. Such an uplifting track and those horns man...such a solid track...#CornerStore

Travis Scott Rode His Huge Bird Performing at the EMA's

Daft Punk Alive Tour Video

RL Grime - Nova Tour Video Part 1

Anime Puts on a Tiny Desk Concert

Macklemore, Dave B & Travis Thompson Perform Corner Store on Fallon

Photo Credit: YouTube

"You Know I'm Neva Eva Givin' Up"

I've come to expect chopped up, heavy bangers from Troyboi, but they haven't always come loaded with a positive message. That changed on Never Give Up where a slowed vocal sample preaches a relentless pursuit of success. It's a slow banger with a calming ebb and flow of steady knocking bass. For those who can appreciate the beauty of simplicity, this one's for you. Steady stream this one on Soundcloud until the single drops on the official outlets...#NeverGiveUp

Troyboi - Never Give Up

"I Will Rise and Shine, Even in the Coldest Night"

Same characters, but entirely different story. If you're thinking you're going to get another Lean On, think again. Instead, Diplo and MØ took a Future Bass turn on Get It Right. Marked by a high pitched, wobbly vocal sample, there's a steady mix of Pop vocals and energetic bounce mixed throughout. It's destined to run a train on Top 40, but it may not have quite the ceiling of their previous collaboration. Saying that isn't a slight at all either, as the former was one of the tracks that will always be remembered from 2015. Needless to say, the Random White Dude has struck again and his new one below has some serious earworm potential...#GetItRight



Diplo feat MØ - Get It Right

Bassnectar's Music Can Transport You to Other Worlds

Wobbly, deep, ethereal, and vibrant are all adjectives I'd use to describe Bassnectar's new single Other Worlds. I feel like I've used all those words to describe Bassnectar at some point, but not all on the same track. That's a testament to him continuing to expand his reach stylistically while holding on to the Dubstep/Drum and Bass style that got him to where he is now.

Other Worlds and Slather are two teaser tracks that should get you excited for him new forthcoming Reflective EP Part 2 that's rumored to be dropping in December. In case you missed it, Reflective Part 1 was a six song EP that he dropped back in June. On the EP he had another collabo with Dorfex Bos that was equally as dope as the one below in Horizons. Maybe it's my current Stranger Things affliction, but there's something to these outer space sounding, eerie synth vibe tracks like the one below...#OtherWorlds



Bassnectar feat Dorfex Bos - Other Worlds

"Oh, You Take Me Higher Than I've Ever Been"

If you haven't noticed yet, I'm a huge fan of Conrad Sewell. Sure, it helps I heard about him on a Kygo collabo, but man does he have a stellar vocal range. On Cedric Gervais's new one he shows off the high end of said vocal range. Higher is a steady thumping electro-pop track that's as bubbly as it is feel-good. The vocals remind me of a 90s pop track, which isn't a bad thing to someone as nostalgic as me about that time period. My heart wants it to be seen as an energetic party-starter, but my mind is telling me the ebbs and flows of tempo will relegate it to Top 40 material. If you're as big of a Conrad fan as I am, this one will fit in nicely on your latest Spotify or Apple Music playlist...#Higher



Cedric Gervais feat. Conrad Sewell - Higher

Fly Through the Clouds With Kill Paris on Out of the Dark

Coming from a guy who went by the name Chill Harris, Out of the Dark fits in quite well with what you'd expect from Kill Paris. The somber vocal sample and steady ebb and flow of instrumentation creates a dream-like, ethereal feel on the track. It's one of those lifted, flying through the clouds in your dreams type of tracks. Having posted many Kill Paris tracks previously, I enjoy how his style has matured to a point where he's capable of telling a story without a strong vocal presence. There's plenty to latch onto if you're feeling down or just in need of a track to mellow you out. Check it out on iTunes or Spotify if you're in the mood for a more long-term chill fix...#OutOfTheDark

Kill Paris - Out of the Dark

"I Walk on Water, But I Ain't No Jesus"

After weeks of rumors circulating about a new Eminem album, we've finally got our first warning shot. Matter of fact, warning shot probably doesn't convey the epic-ness of the track below, it's more like a surprise scud missile. Featuring soulful vocals from Queen Bey herself, Walk on Water amounts to a candlelight therapy session for Eminem. It's as dramatic and introspective as I've ever heard from Em. The quiet intensity is palpable, but I appreciate his restraint in use of vulgarity. Sure there are a few f bombs, but they're intricately placed, rather than napalmed all over the track like he's been known to do.

If this track has taught me anything, it's that Eminem's style is still evolving and he's even more complex than we thought. I'll have to listen to his new single many more times to fully wrap my head around the message, but I appreciate it's depth. If this doesn't get you amped for his upcoming Revival album, then nothing will...#Revival



Eminem feat Beyonce - Walk on Water

Videos of the Week November 10th

Plenty of ComplexCon related videos to dive into for this week's top five. Without a doubt the most interesting video of the past week was the Kobe Bryant and Kendrick Lamar co-interview. It's not everyday you get two superstars from two different types of entertainment in the same room reflecting on how they each rose to greatness. Speaking of greatness, it's refreshing to see N.E.R.D. back onstage pumping out new music. I don't need to sell you on Pharrell's stage presence, but how about that ensemble of dancers on stage? Let's just say whoever decides to see them in concert will be getting the price of admission.

In case you haven't gotten your weekly mix of Dillon Francis, here's your shot at seeing him candidly answer questions submitted from Twitter. There's a reason why he's been given reality shows, even the most simple question can elicit the most interesting responses. This interview did not disappoint and there are plenty of stories to latch onto during the interview hosted by Wired. In case you're itching for an actual music video, ZHU's new Exhale/Stardust video is a characteristically weird watch. Truth be told he's a weird, artistic dude and that shows through in his cinematography too. Rounding out this week's top five is deadmau5's entertaining Aftermovie for his Red Rocks show. In case you weren't in attendance at the show, he debuted a couple tracks and can now preview them via the video. There simply isn't a better venue to take in music and that after movie further cemented that...#RedRocksCO

Kendrick Lamar & Kobe Bryant Talk About Their Evolution to Greatness at ComplexCon 2017

N.E.R.D Perform at ComplexCon

Dillon Francis Answers Twitter Questions From Wired

ZHU - Exhale/Stardust (Video)

deadmau5 Red Rocks After Movie

Photo Credit: YouTube

"Who Want It? Put jewels On It, Who Want It?"

Statik Selektah STAND UP! Talk about providing EL-P and Killer Mike with a perfect playground to do lyrical gymnastics all over...give a listen to Put Jewels On It. Both lyricists from RTJ dropped stellar, machine-gun flow style verses over a forceful, grimy beat.

It's a beat DJ Premier would listen to and smile because of the cuts and samples seamlessly mixed throughout. I'll put it this way, anyone who has been listening to Hip Hop since the 1990s will appreciate this track. It's an homage to East Coast style, stream of consciousness style rap that seems to have vanished over the years. Luckily we have Wu-Tang and Nas to keep that alive, but it's a fact that you just don't hear this style of track much anymore. For those of you anxious for more, I'd encourage giving Statik's new 8 album a listen when it drops in early December. On the album you can look forward to cuts featuring Prodigy (RIP), Raekwon, No Malice, The Lox, and Juelz Santana...#PutJewelsOnIt



Statik Selektah feat Run the Jewels - Put Jewels On It

"Oh, Dear Parachute Parachute, Ya"

Yet another tip of the cap to Skrillex for continuing to produce great music and collaborate with really talented vocalists. This time NSTASIA dialed up Sonny for a steady knocking, tumbling Hip Hop beat on Parachute. Her angelic vocals play up really well with the steady dose of bass and dreamy samples she finds herself surrounded by. It's a pretty down-tempo track for what Skrillex usually puts out, but at this point, I'm beyond trying to put the type of music he's capable of making into a nicely packaged box. The truth is he's blown past the title of DJ and at this core, he's really just a talented music producer. If you're a fan of the one below I'd encourage you to give a listen to NSTASIA's upcoming New Religion album that will be hitting stores next Friday on November 17th...#Parachute

NSTASIA - Parachute (Produced by Skrillex)

"Come on Spend That Dirty Sexy Money on Me"

The track below is another reminder of how woven into pop culture EDM has become. If you listen to the track below, you'd have to wait a full 45 seconds to have a clue that David Guetta or Afrojack produced the track. The soft keys to open the track and vocal lead in by Charli XCX would lead you to believe Dirty Sexy Money is a ballad. Unsurprisingly it's anything but that with a high energy drop and steadily increasing tempo throughout the track. Unfortunately there's a half minute of filler courtesy of French Montana around the two minute mark, but his presence doesn't entirely sink the potential of the track. It's still a fun track that has some Top 40 potential, so hopefully it leaves a more lasting taste in your mouth than Big League Chew...#DirtySexyMoney



David Guetta & Afrojack feat Charli XCX & French Montana - Dirty Sexy Money

"4 Million on Gold Chains 10 Million on Bottles"

Here's another one that admittedly slipped through the GWDJ cracks. Given the novelty of Steve Aoki, Ma$e, and Big Gigantic getting together on a track together, I have no idea how I missed it. Generally Steve's brand of EDM is hit or miss with my tastes, but this one kicks a whole lot of a$$. That sax breakdown post-drop from Big Gigantic alone is worth the price of admission. Beyond that, it was dope hearing some vintage M-A-$-E on the mic. His buttery smooth delivery hasn't changed a bit over the years and it's kind of crazy how well it works when layered on top of the craziness that Steve Aoki put together on $4,000,000. Chances are you've already seen this ebb and flow out of your playlists, but in case you're like me and missed it, don't let this one slip by any longer...#4000000



Steve Aoki & Bad Royale feat Ma$e & Big Gigantic - $4,000,000

"Let's Get Lonely Together, A Little Less Lonely Together"

For the life of me, I can't figure out why more EDM artists don't make acoustic covers of their music. They all collaborate with really talented vocalists that can at times get drowned out by the energy of the synths. A perfect illustration of the potential lies in the comparison below. Before we get into the acoustic version of Avicii's Lonely Together, check out the video for the original version of the track...



Pretty dope song where Rita Ora shines vocally, but at times takes a back seat to the fun, engaging drops crafted by Avicii. Now listen to the remix and appreciate how the star roles flip. Instead of competing with wobbly synths and energetic drops, Rita takes the lead from the start over gentle guitar riffs. It's the same music, just with different people stepping into the limelight. The upside is that it creates the feel of two different song that have the potential to appeal to two different audiences. Hoping more EDM artists take note and grasp the clear opportunity of stripping out the synths to make two versions of singles...#LonelyTogether

Avicii feat Rita Ora - Lonely Together (Acoustic)

"Bouncin' Around, Bouncin' Around, Bouncin'"

Those of you itching for a new Pharrell album may feel like a new album is long overdue. The good news is he, Shay Haley, and his main squeezes Chad Hugo just rolled out a bouncy new single with Rihanna, so there's a chance your itch may be scratched with Lemon. Between the speaker rattling bass, swaggy raps, and quirky samples, the track is pretty damn catchy. I can't say with complete confidence that this means a new album from N.E.R.D. is on the way, but the rumors are abound. The mysterious No_One Ever Really Dies posters is the strongest indication of an album name I can offer...

NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES @NeRdArMy pic.twitter.com/5ic6b5Dy8G

— SHADEZ THE MISFIT (@shadeztm) October 29, 2017

Time will tell, but color me excited for more bangin' singles like the one below...#Lemon



N.E.R.D. feat Rihanna - Lemon

Videos of the Week Novmeber 3rd

Lots and lots of fun live performances in this week's top five. Leading the way in that category was Odesza who put together a stunning rendition of Line of Sight. Having recently seen them live, I appreciate how they adapted their amphitheater sound to a more intimate setting. Keeping with the late night vibe, Maroon 5 and SZA delivered a fun rendition of What Lovers Do on Fallon. I'll admit I haven't seen much of SZA, so to see her sing live gave me a better feel for massive ceiling as a vocalist. Rounding out the late night trio was Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) of Stranger Things spitting a fiery summary of season one. Having now plowed through the first two seasons, it was enlightening to see the more authentic, raw side of young Eleven.

Pivoting off late night slightly with The Roots in a slightly different context than usual on Fallon. If you've ever seen them perform classroom style on Fallon, then you won't be surprised at how well they handled the space constraints on Tiny Desk. And last, but always the best is a second episode from Odesza's A Moment Apart Tour. I've said it many times, but if you're a fan of electronic music and wish there was more authentic instrumentation mixed with the synthesizers, then Odesza is your answer...#AMomentApart

Odesza Performs Line of Sight on Kimmel

Maroon 5 feat SZA - What Lovers Do Performance on Fallon

Millie Bobby Brown Raps Stranger Things Season 1 Recap on Fallon

The Roots Tiny Desk Concert

Odesza - A Moment Apart Tour Episode 2

Photo Credit: YouTube

"Take Her Place Tonight, I Need Somebody in the Morning"

Call me smitten with everything A R I Z O N A has put out of late. Maybe it's Zach Hannah's vocals or their bubbly, Indie-pop sound. Whatever the case, I'm bought in, hook, line, and sinker.

Prior to the track below with Don Diablo, I'd characterize their music as chill electro-pop. Take Her Place amps up the electro in electro-pop to new heights. Sure, there's the soothing vocals, but this time with a bit more tempo and even some synthesized vocals to boot. It's not entirely different, just different enough to plat up to the EDM audience. Give it a listen on iTunes or Spotify if you're like me and gobbling up all that A R I Z O N A is putting out of late...#TakeHerPlace

Don Diablo feat A R I Z O N A - Take Her Place

"We Looked For Stranger Things...That's Just Who We Are"

As Kygo's new album slowly leaks out one song at a time leading up to the album release on November 3rd. While it's been damn near impossible to keep up with his steady stream of releases, his collaboration with One Republic allows me to cross off a bucket list collaborations. Just the thought of Ryan Tedder and Kygo being in the same room together making music is mind numbing.

It seems merely coincidental, but releasing a song with the title of Stranger Things this weeks takes on a whole new meeting. Those expecting a spooky tropical vibe may be disappointed, but I'm in awe of the Coldplay-esque smoothness of the track. Maybe it skirts dangerously close to adult contemporary, but this is a mellow sandwich with extra chill sauce. The chopped up vocal samples sprinkled throughout make use of Tedder's all-around stellar vocals effort, accentuating the calming vibes on the beat. The releases so far haven't yet reached Cloud 9 hype, but there's plenty we haven't heard off Kids in Love yet, so I'll continue to roll through the tracks that have dripped out until Friday's release...#KidsInLove



Kygo feat One Republic - Stranger Things