Videos of the Week August 12th

Wide range of awesomeness in this week's top five y'all. Led by the inspirational and incredibly well done video by Nike featuring Chance the Rapper. The track is called We the People and it couldn't have been any more appropriate for the Olympics. Kudos to Nike for pulling together the talent and visuals they do to produce such a well-timed video for their Unlimited Together campaign.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, lyric videos are the new low budget music video. Similar to what Thomas Jack did with Rise Up, all you need is some scenery that will amplify the tunes and you're golden. Completely switching gears from lyric videos, Gallant and Jack Garratt got to show off their skills with their in-studio performance of Janet Jackson's I Get Lonely. Gallant is such a talented vocalist, it's nuts. Speaking of talented artists, Anderson .Paak continues to do things that Hip Hop artists traditionally don't do. Like for example a three in one music video that's almost like a movie when combined together. Loved his cheesy curtains drop transitions between videos. And last but not least, your dose of comedy for the week from Seth Rogen and Jimmy Fallon. Haven't seen anyone live lip sync someone rapping before, but now I know what it sounds like thanks to Seth and the legendary Roots crew...#LipSyncBattle
Chance the Rapper Nike: Unlimited Together

Thomas Jack & Jasmine Thompson - Rise Up (Lyric Video)

Jack Garratt x Gallant - I Get Lonely (Janet Jackson Cover)

Anderson .Paak – The Season / Carry Me / The Waters (Video)

Fallon and Seth Rogen Get in a Lip Sync Battle

Photo Credit: YouTube

Rufus Du Sol's You Were Right Gets Thomas Jack'd

If every week started off with a Trop House remix, the world would be a better place. There, I said it. I've been thinking about it for a while, but today seemed like as good of a day as any to make that bold proclamation after hearing Thomas Jack's remix of Rufus Du Sol's You Were Right. Check the original for reference...

Where the original is very mellow House-y, the remix takes a much more vibrant tone. Not only is there an uptick in tempo, there's flute for days. It's a great example of transforming a song that I may not have liked in the first place to an upbeat, addicting new addition to new playlists. Now I can only hope that TJ mixes this into his set at Golden Gate park this Friday. Looking forward to seeing some of y'all at Outside Lands this weekend...#YouWereRight

Rufus Du Sol - You Were Right (Thomas Jack Remix)

"Rise Up to See, Oh Let Me Be"

As Trop continues its crash course toward Pop, Thomas Jack continues to be one of the leaders of the charge. His new one with Jasmine Thompson, titled Rise Up, is another swanky example of how infectious Tropical House can be when done well. The flutes and lively baseline will be what you remember, but the vocals succeed in getting you to sing along as you nod your head. It's not quite the awe-inspiring anthem that Rivers was, but if I'm going to compare every one of his tracks to that measure, he's in for a lot of failure. Instead, I'm cool with giving it a casual thumbs up in hopes that you give it a fighting chance of reserving a spot on your latest playlist...#RiseUp

Thomas Jack feat Jasmine Thompson - Rise Up

Rivers Gets a Vocal Upgrade From Nico & Vinz

Prior to hearing the new version of Thomas Jack's Rivers, you would have been hard pressed trying to convince me that the song could be made better. Lucky for us, the original didn't get an entire makeover, just a vocal upgrade from Nico & Vinz. I say upgrade because somehow, some way, the new vocals managed to make the already stellar track just a little bit better. For one, the spoken words are much easier to understand, but they're delivered in the same easy-going, perfect for Trop House fashion. This begs the same question I had when the original dropped - when is the debut album coming? I know a full length EP is asking for a lot, but I'm crossing my fingers that another single will be revealed by the time I see Thomas in perform at the Regency Ballroom in about a month...#ImFeelingLucky

Thomas Jack feat Nico & Vinz - Rivers

Videos of the Week July 31

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)

Key & Peele feat 2 Chainz - Absorption

Thomas Jack - Rivers (Video)

Tom Cruise & Jimmy Fallon Lip Sync Battle

The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face (Video)

Photo Credit: YouTube

"We Can Make It, Into Something Wonderful"

A year ago when the whole Tropical House movement was just starting to take off, I had high hopes for it's expansion into mainstream music. Thanks in large part to the continual stream of Thomas Jack's Tropical House mixtapes, the genre has continued to gain momentum with each new feel-good track house track. Most people will point to Kygo headlining festivals and becoming the rock star of Apple Music as shining examples of how far Tropical House has come, but I've been on the mindset that the genre needs more original singles to truly plant it's flag as a mainstay in contemporary music. Up until this point Thomas Jack has been a master of reimagining existing tracks by injecting his own Tropical House flair. Despite his growing popularity, he's been in the same place that The Chainsmokers were last year when they continued to promise new, original music on the horizon as fans kept yearning for something that originated from them to hang on to.

Yesterday, that all changed for Thomas Jack as he released his first truly original debut single, Rivers. To say that it hit the mark is an understatement. It's one of those five or ten songs I hear per year that leave me saying "WOW!" as I press play again...and again...and again. It's a perfect harmony of Newgrass acoustic guitar and bubbly Tropical House synths that will leave you shaking your hips and nodding your head. Shout out to the previously unheralded vocalists Jack McManus and Tim Woodcock for stellar vocals that will suck you in from the start. In summary, Rivers resulted in the same visceral reaction that I had on first listen of Kygo's Firestone, which is why it will firmly be planted at the top of every playlist I'll be making this summer...#Rivers

Thomas Jack - Rivers

Thomas Jack x Felix Jaehn Trop House Vol 8

The Trop House mixes keep getting better and better as more DJs continue collaborating with Thomas Jack. For number eight, Thomas Jack enlisted the help of up and comer Felix Jaehn to weave together a full house of all your favorite new house tracks. You'll hear goodies like Felix's remix of Ed Sheeran's Photograph, Oliver Heldens' Shades of Grey, The Magician's Together and Robin Schulz's Headlights to name a few. The key takeaway here is there's a lot of new House music that you probably haven't heard yet and it's delivered in a stream of consciousness that will allow you to press play and walk away. It's interesting to note that the mix is less "tropical" sounding than many of the previous mixes, but if you're unhappy about that then you're splitting hairs at this point. Whatever it is, cooking, cleaning the house or even hosting people, give this one a full hour when there's room for some background tunage...#TropHouse

Thomas Jack Presents Tropical House Vol 8 Hosted by Felix Jaehn

Videos of the Week June 26th

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

Photo Credit: YouTube

Thomas Jack's Tropical House Series Reaches Volume 7

The sheer fact that Thomas Jack has reached Volume 7 on his Tropical House series is an indication of the Trop House explosion within pop music in the past year. Having witnessed the craziness of Thomas playing on a side stage at Snow Globe, I can say with absolute conviction that Trop House deserves to be on main stage with the big boys. I'll put it in plain terms, I had much more personal space to myself watching Skrillex on the main stage than I did watching Thomas Jack on a side stage.

Rhetoric aside, consider Volume 7 as a proper introduction to Robin Schulz. He's an up and coming German producer who took the reins and ran with it on the hour long mix below. It will be really hard to top Kygo's Volume 6, but I guarantee you, if you were to play this front to back, you wouldn't have an urge to switch mixes. Maybe it's because the DJs are consistently top notch, but when Thomas Jack releases a new mix, I get little kid on Christmas excited...#TropHouse

Thomas Jack Presents: Robin Schulz Tropical House Vol. 7

"If You Could Be Back Home"

Now that more and more DJs are hopping on the Tropical House bandwagon, I'm gaining an even deeper appreciation for Thomas Jack. The Caribbean rhythms offer plenty of feel good percussion with soothing flutes and saxophone leading the way. The march of the beat always seems to give it just enough tempo to be dance-worthy, but if your drink doesn't include some sort of fruit juice when listening to this, it will taste like pineapple by the time the track is over.

The original version of Back Home was MYNGA and Cosmo Klein is surprisingly more uptempo than the remix. Check it below for proof...
The chill vibe started before the remix, but the original just doesn't sound right without the saxophone on the hook. When the new version has a key component that the original lacked, you know you did something right. Do you boy Thomas Jack a solid and give him an up vote on hypem so that he continues to get the credit he deserves for leading a new segment of dance music that is abundantly enjoyable...#BackHome

MYNGA feat. Cosmo Klein - Back Home (Thomas Jack Remix)

Tropical House Starts With Thomas Jack

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Tropical House starts with Thomas Jack. His new strain of EDM is so relaxing and chilled out that I wouldn't recommend taking a vacation without it. Case it point the first track off his latest Tropical House mixtape, his remix of Calvin Harris's Summer. Don't take that as a green light to skip over the whole tape, though. It's 53 minutes chalked full of feel good rhythms that could brighten anyone's day. Much love to Klingande for hosting the latest Tropical House package of goodness...#Klingande

Thomas Jack Presents - Klingande - Tropical House Vol.4

Thomas Jack Creates Another Golden Remix

And the streak of awesome music from Thomas Jack continues. For his latest slice of chill, easy-going EDM, he took a swing at Gabriel Rios's Gold. Check the original below for reference...

Prior to the remix, I had never heard of Gabriel Rios, which is a shame because he's a talented vocalist. As illustrated by the original song, his mix of acoustic guitar and harmony will draw you in. At this point it's a toss up between the original and remix, but I'll give the nod to Thomas Jack's upbeat version of Gold. I've mentioned it a few times before, but his Tropical House Vol 2 is a great listen and better yet, it's free. Without a doubt, he's on a short list of artists I'm really excited about in 2014...#ThomasJack

Gabriel Rios - Gold (Thomas Jack Remix)

"Be Careful What You Wish For When You're Young"

I've always valued EDM artists that have the ability to expand my own boundaries of music. Nobody has been able to do it better than The Chainsmokers, who continually shove an up and coming Indie act into my face and say, "This new artist is awesome, you need to like them and here's why in a way that you will appreciate." Now, it seems that Thomas Jack is stepping up to the plate by providing me an introduction to Benjamin Francis Leftwich. Snowship is such a well put together acoustic/folk track. Give a listen to the original below...

Now that you have an appreciation for the acoutic/violin combo from the original, how about adding in some Tropical House flutes and some deep bass? Yessir, you can sign me up for that business and I will continue to trumpet the Tropical House movement until the cows come home. Also, while you're in the mood, you may want to check out Thomas Jack's Topical House Mixtape Volume 1. There are plenty of hidden gems in that mixtape and you'll be surprised how many artists there are making this type of EDM...#TropicalHouse

Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Snowship (Thomas Jack Remix)

This is Tropical House

I'm still not entirely sure what Tropical House is, but if I were to put my finger on what it sounds like, I'd point right at Thomas Jack's remix of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Although I wouldn't dare take a stab at pronouncing Israel's last name, I do appreciate his soulfully calm vocals over the feel good beat. Yea, this one will make you reminisce back to that time in Cancun or Cabo where the drinks were aplenty under the umbrella shielding you from the tropical sun. I'm just appreciative that someone is taking a growing genre of dance music and trying to form another arm that is just as novel as it is weird...#TropicalHouse

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Thomas Jack Remix)

Music That Makes You Want to Count Stars

I've listened to Thomas Jack's remix of One Republic's Counting Stars a few times and I still have yet to find any seams. The way he's able to blend mellow rhythms into the original sample is downright awesome. Given, his remix is around 7 and a half mins in length, so you have to be a little patient with it, but the end result is super chill. Another word of caution is that 90% of the remix is instrumental, so don't expect much more than brief Ryan Tedder hook samples. Still, if you're in need of some zone out music to Bluetooth stream over the speakers during the car ride home from a Thanksgiving trip, this one hits the spot...#ThomasJack

One Republic - Counting Stars (Thomas Jack Edit)

Thomas Jack Uses EDM To Tell Stories Without Words

Telling a story through music without using any vocals is not an easy thing to do. I'm starting the post with that claim because Thomas Jack did a really good job of putting together an electronic track with layers of complexity and no real vocals. When I say no real vocals, I mean he uses a sample from John F. Kennedy's monuments inaugural speech in 1961, but there's no harmony or vocals to be heard on the track. The first chapter of the track is centered around JFK, but it gives way to a brilliant saxophone piece by Adrian Symes. If you're a little ADD and just want to get to the most interesting part, fast forward to the third chapter around the 2:51 mark where the rolling electronics blend seamlessly with this pan flute chord progression that is outta this world. The 3:54 mark is the subtle drop where all three chapters come together in one beautiful harmony. It's inventive, creative and downright awesome. Folks feel free and send the up and coming Aussie some love because the story he told on Symphony is just awesome...#Symphony

Thomas Jack - Symphony (Original Mix)

A Relaxing Marriage of Folk and Electronic Chill

As EDM continues to extend it's seemingly never ending tentacles into other genres like Hip Hop, Pop and Indie music, I'm still getting the impression that there's much more cross-genre collaborating to come. With folk music's resurgence into pop music with the likes of the Lumineers, Mumford and Of Monsters and Men, the genre as a whole is becoming that band chick in high school that all the sudden became really attractive when you ran into her after college. Oh how the tables have turned, EDM used to be the cool kid in high school, now they're trying really hard to find ways to stand out since their popularity has worn off.

Quirky analogy aside, Thomas Jack managed to turn an inspiring folk track into a super chill track with the subtle use of electronics. On the remix, he chopped up the original vocals a bit, but didn't take away from the storytelling essence that made the original what it was. As a side note, I appreciate that his cover art matched the mood of the track. It's those little things that people who pay attention appreciate depth. Cool out to this one over the weekend y'all...#LittleTalks

Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks (Thomas Jack Remix)