Keepin' it 100, the temptation was real before pressing play on the one below. Cashmere Cat's quirky electronic style mixed with Major Lazer's bounce and Tory Lanez's passionate vocals? Seems like an odd mix of styles but Miss You turned out to be a dope track. I'd call it a playful ballad with tribal percussion. There are Reggaeton undertones and heavy horns that reek of Major Lazer influence, but it's Cashmere's quiet, bubbly aesthetic that serves as the glue that holds it all together. On top of that, Tory's high pitched vocals mix well with the complimentary styles on the beat. It's already been added to GWDJ Favorites, but feel free and cop it for yourself on Spotify or iTunes...#MissYou
Cashmere Cat feat Major Lazer & Tory Lanez - Miss You
Credit Major Lazer for being the first group to blend reggae/dancehall influences into one of the more exciting sounds in EDM today. Other than speaker rattling bass, you never really know what's going to be under the wrapping paper when you press play on a new track of theirs. Their new one below prominently features vocals from Trinadad and Tobago's own Kes. Feel good doesn't scratch the surface on the vibe of Go Dung. The upbeat, booty-shake inducing beat mixed with the smooth island-flavored vocals make for a fun track all-around. There's even a Major Lazer-esque repetitive, tribal hook to contrast against the smooth lively steel drum sprinkles mixed throughout. Despite not being available on Spotify or iTunes yet, feel free to stream this one to your heart's content on Soundcloud...#GoDung
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
Tis the season for music videos! It's a rare top five full of 100% music videos this week. Led by a few heavyweight efforts from K Dot/Rihanna and Jay Z, every other video seemed to easily fit in the shadow of the first two. That being said, neither were my favorite this week. That honor goes to Major Lazer's cutting edge interactive video for Know No Better. It's an interesting feeling being able to poke around at different camera angles and experience a video from different, unique angles. I'm sure this is only the tip of the iceberg with where technology is heading, but it's a trend I hope to see continue. A close second this week goes to Macklemore and Lil Yachty's video for Marmalade. They did a really good job casting their younger selves in the video and the cameos were fun surprises. Rounding out the top five was the trailer for Eminem's new rap battle movie titled Bodied. Something tells me we've seen something like this cough, cough 8 Mile. Fingers crossed for a fresh story line in Em's foray into film...#Bodied
Kendrick Lamar feat Rihanna - Loyalty (Video)
Jay Z - Kill Jay Z (Video)
Major Lazer feat Travis Scott, Camila Cabello & Quavo - Know No Better (Interactive Video)
For whatever reason, this week was dominated by huge music video releases. It seems more like the exception than the norm for a week's top five to be so heavily skewed toward music videos, but such was the case this week. Led by the action packed visuals from Dillon Francis and G-Eazy's Say Less video, there was plenty of bottle smashing fun littered throughout. Then, Macklemore did a complete 180 on his video for Glorious where he took his grandma around town to celebrate her 100th birthday. In hindsight, the vibe of the track fits perfectly for the celebration of life, so kudos to Macklemore for sharing the moment with all of us.
Then things got a little trippy on Travis Scott's Butterfly Effect video. Don't care what the critics say, that track goes hard and I have a really hard time skipping past it when it plays. In case that first dose of Travis Scott wasn't enough, he made an appearance in the dance heavy video for Know No Better. I'm not exactly sure what story is trying to be told other than kids that are picked on can still get girls too through their dance moves? Last, but most expensive was literally everything about deadmau5's new studio. Such a cool behind the scenes look of all the bells, whistles, nobs, and keys the make up his arsenal of music making equipment. Not sure about y'all, but I was impressed by the amount of analog based sound machines and old keyboards he had. If you had an inkling that he cares about his craft, your perception should remain unchanged...#deadmau5Studio
Dillon Francis feat G-Eazy - Say Less (Video)
Macklemore feat Skylar Grey - Glorious (Video)
Travis Scott - Butterfly Effect (Video)
Major Lazer feat Travis Scott, Camila Cabello, & Quavo - Know No Better (Video)
Just when you thought it would be an average Thursday, Major Lazer drops a new 6 song EP out of the blue. That news alone is exciting, but when you add to it a title track featuring the likes of Travis Scott, Camila Cabello and Migos' own Quavo, it gets much more exciting. It may not be the tribal, booty-shake anthem you were hoping, but it is a fun mish-mash of styles and deliveries. Led by Travis Scott and Camila's sing-songy vocals and some auto-tune mastery by Quavo, the beat finds a way to take a back seat to the talent on the mic. Like any self-respecting release, the song's release came equipped with a fun lyric video too. Check it out, as well as iTunes or Spotify if you're like me and eager to see what the other five songs on the EP sound like...#KnowNoBetter
Major Lazer feat Travis Scott, Camila Cabello & Quavo - Know No Better
This week was a special week in that it brought with it a clear candidate for video. Unsurprisingly, Lil Dicky was the mastermind behind the near 11 minute short movie that ended up being the crown jewel of this week's top five. I can't even really do justice trying to describe it, but I will warn that the first minute or so has a bit of nudity, so be mindful of the NSFW tag. Let's just say the video is a slow paced, non-linear train of thought style conversation that will take your imagination and sense of humor on a roller coaster of emotion. There's literally too much comedy gold in there, so feel free and reference the lyric Genius link as you watch.
On a whole different top four list, there was a slew of new music videos that were worthy of note. Let by Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar's haunting, CGI infused video for Goosebumps and Wale and G-Eazy's new spiffy visuals for Fashion week, Hip Hop ruled the roost on the music tip. An honorable mention goes to Major Lazer, Nicki Minaj, and PARTYNEXTDOOR for their house party with FaceTime themed video for Run Up. Closing out this week's top five was The Chainsmokers who made their SNL debut last weekend. Playing a small, quaint venue like Studio 8H isn't exactly what they're used to, but they found a way to deliver a solid performance. They won't be mistaken as rock stars stage presence wise, but Drew especially is coming into his own vocally, which is fun to watch. I for one am stoked to see them live in a few weeks when they come to Bill Graham. I'll see y'all there...#MemoriesDoNotOpen
I fully understand you're probably sick of seeing me post every possible version of Ed Sheeran's Shape of You. Despite it's universal pop appeal, this is one track I bit on hardcore after the first listen. And of course, out of all the remixes and live performances I've shared, this one takes the cake for being most impressive.
I don't need to tell you how well Major Lazer's reggae trap vibe fits with the bubbly, dancehall sound of Shape of You. Then, you add in some stellar vocals from Nyla, which turn it into somewhat of a duet, and now we're talking. It's basically all the awesomeness of the original with more bass, some complimentary female vocals, and a sick drop. If you're not completely sick of the original by now, join me in heading on over to Spotify to do a couple laps around it...#ShapeOfYouRemix
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You (Major Lazer Remix feat Nyla & Kranium)
Well...it looks like Major Lazer is taking no prisoners with their onslaught on pop music. Truth be told, their off-the wall, trappy tribal music is what I like most, but I can appreciate their forays into the radio friendly variety. Their new one with PARTYNEXTDOOR and Nicki Minaj isn't quite on the level of Cold Water in terms of replay-ability, but it's catchy enough. If I were to offer one critique, I'd say the hook runs the risk of being overly repetitive, but that's probably what makes it successful.
Another unsurprising, par for the course move for Major Lazer was their lyric video for the song below. Their uses of vibrant color and playful typography is always on point and fun to watch. Make sure and check that out below or iTunes and Spotify for all you hoarders...#RunUp
Major Lazer feat PARTYNEXTDOOR & Nicki Minak - Run Up
What better way to start off the year than a memorably embarrassing performance? If you haven't seen Mariah's memorable technical mishap with the lip synching during Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, I'm not sure I can even recommend watching it in good conscience. It's that hard to watch. But since I'm a purveyor of pop culture, it's my duty to share. Besides, it opened up the door for Colbert to spoof it, which added a bit of levity to the situation that hasn't lost steam with all the negative publicity it created.
Embarrassing performance aside, there was a lot of new music that graduated into videos this week. Led by DJ Snake and crew's dance party video for The Half and Big Sean's very purple, glow in the dark video for Moves, music was the main course this week. But by far the most impactful video of the week goes to Showtek and Major Lazer for Believer. Like most, they were touched by the photo of Omran Daqneesh who has become the visual personification of the crisis in Syria. In their own way, Showtek and Major Lazer found a way to preach hope through their music story, which was one of the best uses of video I've witnessed in quite a while...#Believer
That Mariah Carey New Years Performance Everyone Was Talking About
Stephen Colbert Having a Mariah Moment
DJ Snake feat Jeremih, Swizz Beatz, & Young Thug - The Half (Video)
A big reason why Major Lazer's music is so damn addicting is due to their ability to mix Reggae into EDM. There's something about the mix of laid back, soothing vocals with balls to the wall drops that will always be novel when I hear it. Maybe it's because nobody else has been able to find the right mix like they have, whatever the case, it wins.
Their new collabo with Bad Royale represents the best of all that I just described above. My Number is a whole lot of chill bundled into a firecracker of energy that slowly gets lit as song progresses. The tranquil guitar and steel drums eventually give way to a rapid tempo and speaker rattling bass that serves as a not-so-subtle reminder you're not at a Bob Marley concert, you're listening to Major Lazer. This deserves a spot on the kick the weekend off playlist, so iTunes or Spotify it if you're in agreement...#MyNumber
When I think of Major Lazer, crazy tribal beats with high pitched synths and a whole lotta bass is what comes to mind. Add to that a steady dose of reggae vocals and dancehall vibes and you've got a party damn near every time you press play. What's ironic is that their new single with Showtek isn't the tribal anthem you'd expect given their previous releases. Instead, Believer delivers much more of chill trap vibe with a few racy build ups mixed in. The reggae vibes are still in the mix, reminding you that you're not too off the usual path, but it's a track that will run the gauntlet of tempos to keep things interesting. All in all, it lived up to the high expectations I had prior to pressing play, which is no small task...#Believer
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
If you're looking for a hyped up single, it does get much more buzzy than a Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber single. If you're a Belieber, then you might remember reading him hyping new material back in early July...
Well...that track finally came to life today in the form of Cold Water. It's about as slow of a tempo you'll find for a Major Lazer track, but it has enough Dancehall rhythm to eliminate questions. Along with some soothing Bieber vocals, you'll also get a nice verse from Diplo protege MØ near the end of the track. All that being said, it's tailor made for top 40 radio, so enjoy it quick before the masses get to it...#ColdWater
I always have a tough time coming to terms with whether not to post ID tracks. If it's a concert version of a track and the artist is trying to generate hype for an upcoming track, I get it. If it's a situation where the artist is waiting to get their ducks in a line and someone not within their inner circle decides to share it with the world, that's when I start wondering whether it's a good decision to put an internet billboard up endorsing it. Keepin' it 100, not sure where this one lies on the moral spectrum, but I was moved enough to feel like you needed to be warned of its arrival.
Before you get all pumped for another Major Lazer club banger, consider yourself forewarned that this one is much more of a mellow, melodic track. Knowing that, it's still about as smooth and catchy as it gets for dance music in 2016. Can't say for sure who to credit on the vocals, but we'll know soon enough when this gets its official time in the limelight with a legit release. Until then, feel free and wear out the Soundcloud tires on this somewhat HQ version...#MajorLazer
Given the events of the last week in Orlando, it was legitimately hard to find fun, inspiring, non-political videos. Luckily artists like Bassnectar were there to save the day with tasteful, creative visuals. His video for Reaching Out was a carnival of illusion wrapped in mellow bass. If you were to watch one video this week, it would be that one.
Aside from that, Major Lazer chipped in a fairly typical Hip Hop video with an incredibly original cash, cars, and women theme. On the other hand, it was really cool to see the 2pac biopic starting to finally come to life. There have been rumors about it for a while, but a teaser trailer should ignite that movement. In the world of late night, both Fallon and Colbert found a way to inject some mindless comedy into an otherwise harsh week. Like only Fallon can, he teamed up with The Rock for an extremely awkward promo scene, while Colbert found an entertaining way to explain Net Neutrality in layman terms. I'm not sure I was able to keep up with a lot what the guy was saying on the roller coaster, but hey, kudos for the attempt to make the topic more exciting...#NetNeutrality
Bassnectar - Reaching Out (Video)
Major Lazer feat Travis Scott, 2 Chainz, Pusha T, Mad Cobra - Night Riders (Video)
All Eyez on Me (2pac Biopic) (Teaser Trailer)
Jimmy Fallon and The Rock Are Awkward Prom Dates
Colbert Explains Net Neutrality on a Roller Coaster
Creating rowdy electronic music seems like a relatively easy thing to do these days. All you need is a catchy chord progression and a bass heavy drop to do the trick. Not so fast! There's another level of organized madness that AutoErotique and Major Lazer just came through that will make you question those preconceived notions. While The Sound does share a lot of the cookie cutter characteristics outlined above, the ghetto blaster grittiness and tribal rhythms are what set it apart. Yes, it definitely goes hard in the paint like your boy Waka Flocka would say. It's rave quality and sure to get the attention of any listener within a block radius. That's the type of power you hope for when two heavyweights like AutoErotique and Major Lazer team up on a track. Chalk one up for the good guys, this one delivered the mail...#TheSound
This week's top 5 trends toward music videos, but it features a solid dose of comedy for variety. Led by the talented wedding singers from Phoenix, AZ, Key & Peele opened up our imagination with the help of 2 Chainz. By open up our imagination I mean provided new lyrics and incredibly sub-par vocals, which was more train wreck entertainment than anything. On a similarly silly note, Fallon and Tom Cruise continued a trend of really entertaining Lip Sync Battles. It's tough to top Jimmy's showmanship, but Tom Cruise has been around the block a few times and knows very well how to play to a crowd.
Tough to pick a top video of the week, but seeing that Thomas Jack's new single is my current infatuation, I'll go with Rivers. Bonus points for the tropical scenery as I'm currently blogging from the Baja peninsula and soaking up similar cliff diving experiences in crystal clear water. Following close behind is The Weeknd's addictive new single that I can't seem to turn off anytime it comes on. Despite being decades behind on hits and number one singles, you can't deny he has a similar MJ-esque skill set. And in case you were curious how powerful love can be, check out the super powers that Ellie Goulding and Tarrus Riley put on display in Major Lazer's new video...#Powerful
Major Lazer feat Ellie Goulding - Powerful (Video)
Have you ever listened to someone cover another artist and thought to yourself, "I never would have ever imagined liking this track as much as I did the original." Especially when you're talking about one of the best R&B vocalists in the game like Frank Ocean, as the covering artist you've got a snowball's chance in hell to match the original. BUT MØ, with the help of Major Lazer, did exactly that. Together they flipped Lost into a dreamy, reggae ballad, offering a complete 180 degree shift in sound from the original while maintaining the same quality. To put things in context, the song has been posted on Soundcloud for a few days and already has well over 700,000 plays. Again, no small feat and further confirmation that they did everything they could to give Frank's version a shiny new take...#LostCover
It's been a long while since I've gotten as much novel entertainment out of one week of videos. I found it extremely hard to narrow down a top five, which resulted in a list filled to the brim with quality. Like for example, when are you going be privy to watching Katie Couric interview Skrillex for 15 mins? Or how about watching NBA prospects dramatically read Drake lyrics and try to keep a straight face? Or how about the icing on the cake, how about Jimmy Fallon finishing Arnold Schwarzenegger's sentences? Nothing is greater than watching the Terminator giggle like a school girl.
If you were wondering how much Thomas Jack loves his dog Manny, you're absolutely in luck. Yes, Manny can sing too, so don't miss out on that. Finally, if you've every wondered what MØ looks like or how well Diplo plays the guitar, we've got some of that this week too. Such a chill vibe on Lean On, I'm not sure I'll ever get sick of that one...#Fallon
Katie Couric Interviews Skrillex
Thomas Jack & Manny the Frenchie More Than Colleagues Documentary
Major Lazer, DJ Snake & MØ Perform “Lean On” on ‘The Tonight Show’
2015 Draft Prospects Dramatically Read Drake Lyrics
Jimmy Fallon and Arnold Schwarzenegger Brainstorm Together
