I wonder why more artists don't release remixes of their own tracks. You'd think the modular approach that many artists employ with samples couldn't be used more freely to create alternate versions of songs. Like for example, Nero's new, "Reopened" version of their classic Innocence. For full context, check out the original below..
Where the original was very heavily soaked in Dubstep, the new version embraces a much more thumping, progressive house vibe. Sure, the vocal samples are the same, but that's about it. You still get the dark, haunting chords mixed throughout, but the heavy, wobbly drops are nowhere to be found. In a lot of ways it shows how their sound as a group has evolved over time, which I can appreciate since it has coincided my ever changing EDM tastes. Join me aboard the hype train for their upcoming new album?...#Innocence
😳 <--- being able to press play on brand new ZHU and Nero collabo. Both are overlords of the dark, haunting synths, which make their styles a match made in heaven. The only thing more perfect might have been releasing their new track, Dreams, on Halloween.
Timing aside, the track is as aggro as you would have imagined. Armed with a repetitive, trudging beat, ZHU added enough falsetto to keep it from getting too monotonous. The track is being released as part of ZHU's newly released four song stardustexhalemarrakechdreams EP and it coincides with the release/rebranding of the electroNOW playlist that will now be known as mint. It's another creative, buzzy release from one of the most mysterious artists in EDM. I for one am now a follower of the mint playlist, so feel free and join me if you've done enough circles around GWDJ Favorites...#Dreams
It's been almost two weeks now since Prince passed away and there's still just as many questions as answers surrounding his death. One thing's for sure, no one really truly knew Prince, yet everyone loved him. From his music to his secret philanthropy, the world was a better place because of him and I'm looking forward to his life being celebrated more and more as we get to know more about his life.
Given that Prince's music was so funky and unique, he makes for a tough cover. What I like about Nero's choice to cover Prince was that they chose to remake one of his unreleased tracks. For reference, the live version below from 1983 at First Avenue in Minneapolis may have been the only time Prince played the track Electric Intercourse...
Nero knew they weren't going to be able to layer on the sexual goodness that Prince is able to bring, but they did justice to the original with their own drum unique synths and drum patterns. The fact that they conquered this demo in a few hours is pretty legendary. It's a bummer that this cover had to come to light after Prince passed, but mashing old and new and crossing genres is literally music to my ears...#ElectricIntercourse
Overall a fun and crazy diverse top five this week. I can safely say that all videos not including Lexy Pantera will be fighting for the runner up spot this week. No words are needed to set up Lexy's twerkfest to DJ Snake's Middle. I mean even ladies gotta slow clap to her ability to dance and put on a show, right?
In the land of music videos, The Weeknd went all artsy on us with his In the Night video that featured his girlfriend Bella Hadid. Speaking of the night, Nero blessed Into the Night with some animated, futuristic visuals. Then Baauer blew all of our minds with what appears to be free falling car sex? Not sure about all that craziness, but what I am sure about is Jim Gaffigan's ability to produce gift ideas. Needless to say, this week's top five ends on a lighthearted note...#HolidayGiftGuide
Lexy Pantera Twerk Freestyling to DJ Snake's Middle
Any day of the week, count me in on whatever new track Nero is releasing. It's been painfully awesome getting fresh new tidbits from their upcoming Between II Worlds album over the past year. I enjoyed Satisfy and Dark Skies, but after hearing Two Minds, I have a new favorite.
Their new one is as boomy as you'd expect and it continues their unique style that walks a thin line between dark and melodic. Whatever you do, don't give up on the track after listening to the first minute. Around the 1:07 mark, there's a speaker thumping drum and bass chord progression that will absolutely have you shakin' your ass. It's absurd, but we all still have to wait until late August to hear Nero's new album in it's entirety. Can't wait to hear the eight or so songs that still have yet to be released...#TwoMinds
I already closely associate Nero with deep, dark, haunting electronic music, so hearing their new single title was about as surprising as seeing ice in Antarctica. Dark Skies seems like a perfect track for a black and white animated movie like Sin City. The police sirens in the background are a perfect compliment to the aura of the track as you could picture a detective driving through a rain soaked city to investigate the latest crime. If you like Nero, you'll like this track because it's exactly what you'd expect from them stylistically. They make music that suits a given mood and they do it really well. Their new one will surface on their upcoming album, Between II Worlds, due out on August 28th. By my count, that leaves nine more tracks to get excited about until then, which means plenty more Nero features to come this summer...#DarkSkies
This week's top five is a bit EDM centric, but managed to be diverse. Led by new videos from Martin Garrix/Tiesto and Nero, it was fun to see visuals that captured the fun of The Only Way is Up and the intensity of The Thrill. We also had a Trop House sighting in the form of a new video for Sam Feldt's bubbly Show Me Love.
The clear standout of the week in my eyes was Kygo and Parson James's live cover of Tove Lo's Habits. I'm appreciating the stripped down piano work by Kygo because it shows more than just your average ability to manipulate electronic synthesizers. Add to that Parson James who absolutely knocked the vocals out of the park and you've got yourself a stunning cover. To wrap up the week, I had to include everyone's favorite new song performed on Fallon. Maybe I'm a bit late, but Fetty Wap seems to be the talk of Hip Hop lately...#TrapQueen
Martin Garrix & Tiesto - The Only Way is Up (Video)
Kygo & Parson James Cover Tove Lo's Habits on BBC 1 Radio Show
From what I've heard, Coachella is an awesome festival to attend. Despite having the clear path toward a ticket this year and being within a few hundred miles of the venue, the festival still remains on my bucket list. Despite not being able to attend, I'm loving the immense amount of stories and new music that is coming from the festival. A few days back Ratatat debuted a new single and now we have ourselves a soothing, vibrant and bass heavy remix of Nero's The Thrill from Porter Robinson.
To put it bluntly, the remix doesn't sound at all like the original. Other than the vocals, Porter took the original and added a shot of pure electronic jubilation. The new version of the track takes on the thematic sound that most of Porter's music embodies. The high pitched synths are intense, but all in all I appreciate the different take on a track that was starting to grow on me. If you're heading to Coachella for the second weekend, do what you can to make it for Friday so you don't miss Porter's set...#Coachella2015
There are few acts that have a big enough sound to make an outdoor festival seem small. Nero is on that short list because their combination of drum and bass with pop vocals is second to none. It's hard to explain, but I find their sound to be loud, but calming. There is a clear force to their music, but at the same time their brand of rhythmic dubstep is soothing to me.
Word has it their sophomore album is almost ready to come out of the oven. The Thrill is the latest indication that another epic album is on the way. It's a bit tame, but will remind you a lot of their first album. Chalk it up to another potential Top 40 single and hop on the hype train because it just gained some steam tonight with the release of this goodness...#TheThrill
I can't say enough good things about Nero. I loved their debut album and I'm anxiously anticipating their sophomore album. I can't say for sure whether or not the rough demo below for their track Touch You will be on their next album, but that doesn't make it any less awesome. The rolling drum and bass they feature on almost every single track has this irresistible "drive fast" affordance. Unfortunately, since it's a non-finished version, there are no vocals, but the crisp rhythms carry it well beyond the dopeness threshold. Their streak of greatness continues, let's all collectively hope there's more where this came from...#TouchYou
When it comes to unique styles within EDM suited to my personal tastes, you won't find a closer match than Nero. Having grown up idolizing Outkast's ability to mix drum n bass into Hip Hop, I've always been fond of the heavy and repetitive drum rhythms. Having shifted my focus toward EDM over the past year or so, I've grown fond of what artists like Skrillex, Rusko and Diplo have crafted in the name of dubstep. When combined altogether, you get a mix of all my favorites, which is why Nero is hands down one of my favorites.
A few years back when I saw Nero in concert at the Electric Factory in Philly, my face nearly melted with their high energy set. They played all their best music from their now classic album Welcome Reality. Keeping all that in mind, my day was made yesterday when they released a new lead single in the form of Satisfy. On the track, Alana Watson provides her usual eerily seductive intro that gives way to a rolling bassline that would be appropriate for a police chase scene. Such an awesome example of drum n bass. If this track is any indication of what's to come from Nero, they just might have a shot at equaling their last album's success...#Satisfy
The Great Gatsby Soundtrack just got a little bit greater with Nero's new track below. We still haven't gotten a full version of the Beyonce and Andre 3000's track off the album and it's already one of the more interesting compilations in recent memory. The craziest part about Nero's contribution to the soundtrack is that it established a new level of mellowness for the usually rowdy group. The melancholy and ethereal tone the track takes on is a little out of the ordinary, but interesting nonetheless. In my eyes it shows their ability to play to different audiences, but I could see how their fans could be like WTF? Regardless, the real take away is, Jay-Z did an excellent job at putting this soundtrack together...#TheGreatGatsby
I'm going to be completely honest and say I don't even remember Michael Jackson's original version of Speed Demon. The only thing that I somewhat remember is the video/short animated movie that went along with the track (below):
It's almost like seeing a technology time capsule watching the original video. It's crazy to see what cutting edge animation was like 23 years ago back in 1989. Anyways, I'm not sure how @NeroUK ended up getting the nod to remix Speed Demon for that 25th Anniversary re-release of Bad that was released two weeks ago, but we're all better off as a result. Hype is the best word I can use to describe the remix below. If this doesn't make you go HAM and/or drive fast, then you're listening to the wrong track...#EDM
Michael Jackson - Speed Demon (Nero Remix)
|iTunes
Let's get one thing straight, there is no such thing as low-intensity music from @NeroUK. In the realm of EDM, their music is the most "stadium" ready, meaning their sound could fill a small county in Africa if you gave them the chance. Epic, extravagant, magnificent are all adjectives that describe the caliber of raw energy their music is consistently packed with.
With a re-release of Welcome Reality on the way, Won't You (Be There) will be a perfect addition to their already top-notch electro-dubstep masterpeice of a debut. I'm looking forward to their other upcoming trace Etude, which will be the second addition to the re-released Welcome Reality +. If it's anything as good as Doomsday, which it's set to replace as the opener on their set list, it should be pretty damn awesome...#PeepUsTourDates
With all the hype I've been giving Dubstep of late on the blog, I figure it was about time I practiced what I preached by attending one of these high powered, electronic shows the kids are going to nowadays. Basically my decision came down to two choices: @nerouk at the Electric Factory or @bassnectar at the Liacouras Center. I know, I know, why don't you just go to both you ask? Well, the thought of me not being as thrilled with the genre as a who popped into my mind pre-concert, so I decided a dip a toe in to check the temperature before jumping in.
And so after my traditional delicious pre-concert meal at Silk City Diner, I decided to go with Nero over Bassnectar. As a quick sidebar, I really don't like diners in general, but Silk City is more of a foodie ho tspot than a diner. Where else could you get a delicious Pan Seared Lamb Burger?? #MouthWatering. Anyways, truth be told, I probably couldn't have gone wrong either way, but Nero's event was not only scheduled before Bassnectar, I also wanted to try something different saw European electronica as the perfect deviation from the norm. Little did I know, I'd also get to see a pretty solid and well known act in @DILLONFRANCIS.
There were a couple things that I learned right off the bat when I walked into the @efactoryphilly before Dillon's set. For one, I confirmed that Dubstep/EDM/Whatever you want to call crazy electronic music there days is a genre of our youth. When I pulled up to a parking lot that was completely empty, I first thought there was something wrong, then learned real quickly that it was because most of the concertgoers were too young to drive. There's always going to be a form of music that's young and rebellious and it just so happens Dubstep has earned that stigma in 2012. It truly is fascinating to see so many under the influence teens just trying to have a good time tripping out on flashing lights everywhere you look. Another thing I learned is that college age is the cut off for the floor/pit. I had the patience to stick out being shoved and bumped for the whole hour and a half of Dillon's opening act, but me and my kinfolk were not going to endure another hour and a half of that noise. Sure, Electric Factory requires you to be of age to be upstairs, which partially accounts for the age differential, but I don't think it would be much different if they allowed the youngsters upstairs.
I'm not sure if you caught what I said a couple sentences ago about the length of the opening act too. Never have I witnessed such a long set from an opening act! Maybe it was a harbinger of things to come and an indication of my age, but when I looked at my watch and it was 10:30 with the opening act still on stage, I was a little concerned. Still, I can't hate one bit on the set the Dillon provided that was chalked full of drum and bass samples to go with the high powered Dubstep/Electronics.
Finally, just before 11 PM, Nero hit the stage to one of the more powerful concert intros I've ever witnessed. You wanna talk about a hype entrance that will make your eyebrows stand and your eyes glaze over! The sensor input alone is comparable to being 3 inches away from a computer while watching a kaleidoscope screen saver going 150 mph. Compliments to the sound guy too because when the music is so synthesized and electronic, it's easy to over-do it and border on causing hearing damage. Evidence of the quality sound was exhibited when the beautiful @alanawatson was able to deliver her high pitched vocals on their hit Promises without getting completely drowned out by the electronics.
My two favorite songs the entire night were without a doubt their performance of Must Be the Feeling(below):
Reaching Out was far from my favorite track on Welcome Reality, but when you mash it up with one of their best songs, you might as well hit the elevator to the top floor.
When the concert finally starting wrapping up around 1230 or so, I felt pretty numb. And since I was driving it had nothing to do with booze or that Molly the kids are talking about. I truly wasn't conditioned to endure the 4 hours straight of electronic music with maybe 30 words being spoken and no breaks in between songs. I can appreciate good bass, which is why Dubstep is growing on me, but damn man, I felt old trying to stick out the craziness. Maybe it would be been a different story had I gone all ham sandwich like I wish I could have, but I probably still would have been feeling the effects of waking up at 6 AM, working 9 hours then having 4 hours of electronica pelted at me with a bass cannon. All in all, it was an eye opening, enjoyable rush of energy that I was happy to have experienced first hand. Next up @Skrillex...#Bamboozle
As I'm starting to immerse myself into the electronic/dubstep revolution that is starting to infiltrate popular music, I'm finding it interesting how some groups are setting themselves apart from others. In other words, it's has to be hard to stand out when the music your genre is known for is characterized by high octane electronically synthesized noise. Maybe I'm missing the mark on that since I'm sort of new to the in-your-face rhythms that have become the norm these days, but when everyone is working with synthesizers and bass, how do you come off as unique?
Well...the answer in the case of @knifepartyinc, modernize your message by including a dramatized, computer generated Facebook down-spiral. I can't say I've heard heard the phrase "You blocked me on Facebook and now you're going to die" before in any form of music. That's the type of subtly humorous edge that got me listening to Knife Party's new track Internet Friends. If you haven't heard of them, the group consists of Australian rock band Pendulum's band members @rob_swire and @garethpendulum. Their brand of electronic dance music is heavy on the jumpy, high pitched synths sort of like @deadmau5. Speaking of which you may remember hearing Ghosts n Stuff featuring none other than the aforementioned Rob Swire...#FullCircle
What's even more kick ass about Knife Party is that they take the liberty of remixing other awesome tracks like @swedishousemfia's Save the World Tonight, @nerouk's Crush on You and most recently, @labrinthda1st's track Last Time. You can expect the remix below to surface on iTunes March 11th, but feel free to preview below or check out their new-ish unreleased track with @skrillex titled Zoology.
Labrinth - Last Time (Knife Party Remix)
I feel like I've learned a lot in researching Knife Party and, in the process, gained a lot of upbeat new music to listen to. Hopefully you are in the same boat and if you're not and would like to buy a ticket to that boat, feel free to cop their new 100% No Modern Talking EP on iTunes for starters.
