Tiesto Flips Pink's What About Us Into Chill House Gem

Full disclosure, when I first listened to Tiesto's AFTR:HRS remix of Pink's What About Us, I was convinced I was listening to his remix of John Legend's all of me. The background piano is strikingly similar, which isn't a bad thing at all. The common thread between the two remixes is a stellar vocal performance. And yes, Pink shined so bright that she deserves to be in the same conversation as John Legend.

Like Tiesto has been known to do, he channeled the emotion of the original and flipped it into another chill house anthem. The remix treads a rare line between mellow and powerful, which isn't an easy thing to do. In addition to the obvious Top 40 appeal, I could see it igniting a festival crowd too. Credit to Tiesto for taking the track up a level, but it couldn't have been done without the emotional tone that Pink created in the first place. Cop it on iTunes or Spotify if you dig it as much as I do...#WhatAboutUs



Pink - What About Us (Tiesto's AFTR:HRs Remix)

Illenium Finds Peace in Violence With Marshmello

Pretty cut and dried with today's post centered around one artist I really like remixing another one of my favorites. Two months back I posted the original version of Marshmello's Silence with Khalid. It was an interesting foray into R&B flavored, Chill House for both collaborators.

Fast forward two months to this week where some big names stepped up to the plate and took a crack at the track. To their credit, SUMR CAMP, Slushii, Illenium, and Tiesto all flipped the track in their own unique way. While Tiesto's Big Room remix was fun and Slushii's mix was as playful and vibrant as usual, Illenium's version emerged as my favorite. His ethereal style fit like a glove with the vocals of the original. It's that whiny, love making drum-and-bass that gets me every time. There's a little bit for everyone on the four song remix EP, so don't be bashful about copping it on iTunes or Spotify...#Mellogang



Marshmello feat Khalid - Silence (Illenium Remix)

Snakehips Gives Some Luv to Tory Lanez

As someone who has made it a habit of writing about music daily, my job gets a lot easier when an artist I like remixes another one of my favorite artists. Take for example Snakehips latest remix of Tory Lanez summer hit hit Luv. I gushed about the original back on June 11th and now six months later it gets the Febreze treatment by Snakehips who added some bounce and snap to the original. Relying on the strength of the original vocals, the remix serves as a smooth re-interpretation that succeeds in reminding me how much I liked the original, while giving it a bit more thump on the back end. It's a perfect addition to the weekend cool out mix, so follow me on over to Spotify to toss it into whatever bin of music you see fit...#Luv

Tory Lanez - Luv (Snakehips Remix)

Ed Sheeran's Photograph Goes Deep House

Riding high on the success of his most recent remix of OMI's Cheerleader, Felix Jaehn is back with another cooled out Deep House remix. This time he transformed Ed Sheeran's Photograph into a melodic, lounge quality hit. If you missed the original version from Sheeran's modern day classic album X, here's a quick recap...

Whether it's Deep House or Tropical House, the over-arching "chill" House movement is getting better and better. The bubbly chord progression on the remix below is about as relaxing as it gets when combined with the lethal vocals of Ed Sheeran. If you're on a beach somewhere celebrating Father's Day weekend, then this will be a perfect addition to that poolside playlist...#Photograph

Ed Sheeran - Photograph (Felix Jaehn Remix)

Tropical House x Indie Are Two Peas in a Pod

One of the biggest things I'm learning to admire about the EDM movement is it's ability to fork off into different, distinctly likeable directions. A year ago, Tropical House would have been laughed off as upscale resort music. Then deep house started to make a comeback and we all needed a bit of a break from the intensity of progressive house and dubstep, so Tropical House didn't sound so bad anymore.

Now, it seems like the Tropical House sound is starting to more consistently team up with Indie acts like Jose Gonzalez because combining both styles has the ability to appreciate the value of both. This week Sam Feldt and Chris Meid found a way to take Jose's Stay Alive and twist it into a dreamy, feel good track that you'll remember for the it's mellow synths and subtle saxophone samples. I know it's the end of the weekend, but there's no way Monday can be that bad when you've got this track to cool out to...#StayAlive

Jose Gonzalez – Stay Alive (Sam Feldt & Chris Meid Remix)

Kill Paris Delivers a Silky Louis Futon Remix

When I see the words "Kill Paris Remix", there's an assumed amount of smoothness I look forward to when I press play. Calming bass and a steady dose of funk what I've learned to appreciate about his style. Add to that the added intrigue that comes from not recognizing the artist (Louis Futon) that one of my favorite artists decides to remix and you've got yourself a potentially awesome track.

While Silk didn't have the usual ingredient of funk, I liked the fruity woodwinds mixed throughout. It's a super chill track that fits the easy-listening dubstep style I've grown to enjoy. The best part about it, it's available for free download if you like it as much as I did...#Silk

Louis Futon - Silk (Kill Paris Remix)

A Midweek Dose of Audio Sunshine

For those in need of a positive energy boost to get you through the mid-week doldrums, I got you. With the help of UK producer Slinger, all of you worries will melt away after a few listens of his remix of Pharrell's Brand New. Sure, it helps that Justin Timberlake's vocals play well on a funky dance track, but I have no problem admitting that this little slice of modern disco eclipses the original version. Between the vibrant bassline and cheery cover art, you might as well start getting in a good mood before pressing play below because it's a forgone conclusion. In case you missed it, Pharrell's album GIRL is pretty dope and deserving of your attention too...#BrandNew

Pharrell - Brand New (Slinger Remix)

Guy Sebastian's Like a Drum Gets Chainsmoked

Here's a rare one, The Chainsmokers remixing a Pop/R&B track. Staying true to form, they picked an artist that should be more well known in the US. I say that because the only exposure I've had to Guy Sebastian so far is on Lupe Fiasco's track Battle Scars. Long story short, Guy won Australian Idol back in 2003 and has since earned 46 platinum certifications spread across his seven top ten albums. He's a big deal down under, which is strange because he isn't a very big name in the US. Feel free and check out the original version of his latest single, Like a Drum (below)...

On first glance, the pairing of Guy with The Chainsmokers seems to be odd, but it ended up sounding pretty good. You better believe it's 100% pop, but the mix of R&B and uplifting sythns sound different. The chord progression is interesting and it sounds light compared to a lot of the deep and progressive house beats The Chainsmokers have put together. Maybe it sounds novel to me because R&B has taken such a back seat that it may as well be in the trunk now. Whatever the case, the remix is filled with happy rhythms and we'll forgive Alex and Drew for the typo on the cover art, so if you're in need of an early week pick me up, give it a listen...#LikeADrum

Guy Sebastian - Like A Drum (The Chainsmokers Remix)

Baauer Rolls Up Some Flosstradamus

Staying true to the timeless trend of EDM DJs mixing other EDM DJs music, Baauer took a stab at Flosstradamus's recent single Roll Up. The track recently landed on Floss's new four song Wake & Bake EP. If you missed the original track, have no fear, it's also on the EP and you can appreciate the heavy bass below...

The remix is a bit more upbeat and bouncy than the original. In short, it's traptastic, repetitive and catchy as hell. Pro tip, get on over to 420.flosstradamus.com and cop Floss's new EP before it stops being free in a week...#RollUp

Flosstradamus - Roll Up (Baauer Remix)

Love Drunk with a Diplo Twist

Maybe it's because this week was Valentines Week, but has anybody else noticed the fixation on remixing R&B songs about love? Yesterday it was Mike Posner mixing a classic, now Diplo took a swing at Beyonce's Drunk in Love. To put it simply, it's as traptastic as you'd expect with plenty of bass and repetition of the original lyrics.

Unlike Kanye's remix of Drunk in Love, Jay Z's verse didn't make the cut for this mix. I'll leave it like this, where 'Ye added some creatively explicit bars, Diplo provided value in the beat, proving there are many different ways to get Drunk in Love...#DrunkInLove

Beyonce - Drunk in Love (Diplo Remix)

Avicii x Diplo You Make Me Remix

Man, it doesn't take much to get excited about Diplo remixing an Avicii track. After a few listens, I'm all about the trap twist that the Mad Decent leader imparted on the original version. It's more than a bit wild and significantly heavier on the back end, which always adds to the excitement. Where the original was tame and radio friendly, this one caters more toward a live, in concert delivery. The only thing that could make more more excited than hearing this is getting to hear the studio quality version of Pharrell's new track with Major Lazer...#HolyShip

Avicii - You Make Me (Diplo Remix)

Icona Pop Gets Chainsmoked

What happens when you combine irresistible pop with loud, club echoing electronics? Well...in short, you get an upbeat song that you can openly wild out in the club to like The Chainsmokers remix of Icona Pop's Girlfriend. It's impossible not to appreciate the sassy, in your face lyrics, but the loud, show stopping synths drive home the wild and free spirit of the track. Pretty cool that nowadays folks are getting so creative with synths that they can have the power to be just as catchy as a spoken hook. It's like having catchy elements sprinkled throughout the track so the listener never wants to turn it off. Novel idea, isn't it? Cop it ---> Beatport

As icing on the cake, Alex and Drew put together a video for the track. Anyone who has ever been young and absolutely went HAMilton Boulevard on a knapsack full of Halloween candy after trick or treating will appreciate the video. It's like when your mind asks you, "wouldn't it be awesome if you ate all of that candy?" and the rational part of your brain happens to take a moment off, so your mind answers back "yes, yes it would" as you headfirst dive into the land of sugar. Like the video insinuates, never lose that urge to be a kid and go wild every now and again...#StayAKidForever

Icona Pop - Girlfriend (Chainsmokers Remix)

Nero Takes MJ's Speed Demon to 6th Gear

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

"I'll Swallow That Pearl, Tongue Like I'm Havin' A Seizure"

About two weeks ago I came across an interesting @DJCosmicKev interview with @RealWizKhalifa where Wiz claimed that @Drake and @liltunchi were going to be on the remix for Work Hard Play Hard. My first reaction was "hmm that would probably be cool if his "rap powers" came through and the remix came to fruition." Now that the remix dropped, I'm left only mildly impressed because Drake was swapped with @YoungJeezy. I've said it before, there's some Jeezy stuff I really like, but as a whole, not my cup of tea and definitely not a suitable Drake fill in.

The real question remains, will Drake tack on a verse for the remix that will land on O.N.I.F.C.? What has me most excited is that he's only let loose with one single so far and his albums are known for being chalked full of single worth material. For example, on Rolling Papers he had 2-3 tracks that were good enough to be singles, but he didn't release them as singles. When I'm Gone, Wake Up and Cameras could have all very easily been #1 singles, but other equally solid tracks were picked instead. To me, there's nothing more gangster than knowing you'd got single quality tracks on the album and you don't even need to release them to push the album to gold status. That's not easy to do these days and I sure as hell don't need two hands to count the number of albums that have been THAT littered with great singles in the past two years.

O.N.I.F.C hits shelves September 18th, which means I'd take 10 to 1 odds saying that I will post at least two more Wiz tracks in the next month...#BetDat

Wiz Khalifa feat Young Jeezy & Lil Wayne - Work Hard, Play Hard (Remix) (prod by Stargate)

"It Feels Like I Just Kissed the Curse"

To be honest, this has been the most exciting week of new music for me in 2012. It seems like every night there is a new track that finds a way to out-do last night's track that was my new favorite. Feel free and apply that last sentence to the track below, which combines an artist I wish we'd hear more music from (@EricTurner)and a DJ who consistently churns out great music (@avicii).

To this date, Eric has been known for delivering great hooks and he didn't disappoint on the track below. Sure, Avicii found a way to jettison the track to a level it never would have reached without his crisp and bouncy synth beat. Someday Avicii's sytle will get old because his beat patterns are so alike, but that day is nowhere close because I for one am going to continue to eat it up like it's my last meal. #GodWouldBeProud

Eric Turner - Dancing In My Head (Avicii's Been Cursed Remix)
|Beatport

Linkin Park x Killsonik - Lost in the Echo (Remix)

One thing I've learned over the past year is that Dubstep, as great as it is, doesn't always mix well with other forms of music. At it's very core, the genre as a whole is as energetic and electric as any form of pop music. Knowing that, it's easy to understand why the high powered vocals from @chesterbenn of @linkinpark sound stellar over a Dubstep beat.

Thanks to @KillSonik's wizardry, Linkin Park's newest single has been taken to another level you may not have thought it could reach. This isn't your run of the mill, overlay some electronics over a track to make it Dubstep remix either. It fully represents the original version of Lost in the Echo by capturing the ebb and flow of the track while maintaining the high energy throughout. Consider this a pick me up, Monday morning coffee to start your week...#DubstepForBreakfast

Linkin Park - Lost in the Echos (Killsonik Remix)

Afrojack Feels the Love

Might as well call this @djafrojack and @evasimons week with the love they've been getting on the blog of late. If you're like me, you're probably appreciating the timing of this track because the original was well past it's prime and it needed a second life. Afrojack provided that and then some with a little dubstep and a lot of club friendly tempo transitions.

As a quick aside, I am learning more an more to appreciate good cover art. You want to get me excited about featuring a song, then throw together a crisp png that will make the decision for me to post the song even easier. Case in point the cover above. It's pretty simple, but well thought out and screams high-res. I know I'm preaching to the A&R choir, but I design is a big part of the experience of visiting a web page, so if you want readers to associate a track with a positive visual experience, it matters...#CoverArtIsUnderrated

Will I Am feat Eva Simons - Feel the Love (Afrojack remix)

"Drama Bout to Make it Rain on Mary Poppins and Her Friends"

Call it a remix or version 1.5 of We in This Bitch, either way it's got the same instrumental from @KANEBEATZ, so don't expect much different than the original. What you can look forward to are new verses from @drake and @1future who are both running a train on FM radio at the moment. It's been a minute since Drake dropped a new verse, so his 16 was a welcome addition to the track. There weren't the usual amount of quoteables that he usually comes through with, but his jubilant tone was a good sign.

Maybe I'm a little late to the bus stop, but I have yet to hear a verse or song from Future that's really stood out. I know he's being touted as one of the big new up and comers (I see you XXL). Maybe similar to newly minted G.O.O.D. Music signee @2chainz, his style will grow on me because he's rubbing shoulders with a lot of my favorite artists. For now feel free to get with his Twitter sweepstakes by tracking this...#SameDamnTime

DJ Drama feat Drake & Future - We in This Bitch 1.5 (prod by Kane Beatz)

Think Twice Moment: "A Parent-ly I'm an Unfit Father"

It's a new day, which means there's probably a new Hip Hop artist you haven't heard of that has released a relevant song that you should now know about. I say you should know about because @mrdontrip is immediately noteworthy because of his cosign from the legendary production duo @COOLANDDRE. With the help of Cool and Dre, the Memphis native signed onto First Family Records/Epidemic Music/Interscope Records with the help of his powerful track below. In case Cool and Dre's cosign isn't enough, the Good Doctor (Dre) went out of his way to mention Don Trip in the same sentence as @JColeNC as far as new artists who he is a fan of. I decided to post a song he wrote before becoming noteworthy called Letter to My Son and for added listen-ability, I chose the remix, which features @ceelogreen on the hook.

Before I get into the particulars of the track, it'd be worthwhile for you to see Don Trip in studio recording the track. I'll always have respect for someone who can go into a studio and knock out an emotional track the way he did below...

Man you want to talk about a raw track. Just listening to it will make any man or woman think twice about the potential collateral damage that having a child could cause. It's sad that nowadays with baby mamas and divorces becoming so frequent that it's common for kids to be used as pawns in disagreements or litigation. This is as real as it gets in depicting the potential pitfalls that go along with the responsibility of parenthood, so anybody who is thinking about being careless about who they hook up with, give the track below a listen...#UseProtectionYall

Don Trip feat Cee-Lo - Letter to My Son (Remix)

|iTunes

Ricky Rozay Talks That Talk

Keeping it simple tonight since I like to add to the populace of men who are both 1) Not very adept at thinking about Christmas presents until the week of and 2) really into sports. We've got NFL, quality college basketball (Go Illini!) and a bowl game where Boise State is gonna beat the breaks off ASU. So much to watch all at once, probably going to need to go to a bar where all three can be viewed at once...#LadiesDontUnderstand + #ButWeStillLoveYall

Anyways, @rickyrozay did his part in furthering the hotness of Talk That Talk. Decent remix worth a listen and in case you missed the original @s_c_ sells out arenas...#CallsItGettinDome

Rihanna feat Jay-Z & Rick Ross - Talk That Talk (Remix)