Zedd Takes His Turn Remixing Let Me Love You

Is it me or does it feel like everyone has remixed DJ Snake and Bieber's Let Me Love You? I posted the Marshmello remix last week and that was following Tiesto's After Hours mix. Luckily for us, the folks over at Your EDM put together a nice list with Spotify links to check out all at once and pick a favorite.

Now it's Zedd's turn to add to the pool of remixes and let's just say he made his mark. Quirky doesn't do justice to the excitable chord progression that ensues post-drop. It's a jumpy, energetic blend of happy chaos. If you're a fan of Zedd, you'll nerd out over this one. Me? I'm still trying to wrap my head around the craziness, but I appreciate the hell out of it's uniqueness...#LetMeLoveYou

Justin Bieber - Let Me Love You (Zedd Remix)

Rule #1: Be Quiet in Mansionz

There's always been a quiet edginess to Mike Posner's music that I really dig. I'm not as familiar with Blackbear's music, but after a few listens to STFU, it's abundantly clear why they got together to form mansionz. Both bring to the table stellar vocals and lyrical edginess that make such a vulgar track sound beautiful and somber. The quiet frustration mixed with quiet guitar makes for an interesting contrast of moods that made me want to keep listening. Add to that the slowed, DJ Screw sounding vocals on the last verse on the track and you've got one big mix of stylistic awesomness. No word yet on when the dynamic duo will be throwing together full length album, but it's trending its way into our lives on Spotify at a rapid rate...#STFU

mansionz (Mike Posner & Blackbear) - STFU

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)

"Give 'em That Water Ride, This That Six Flags"

To this day, I have a hard time articulating why I like Fetty Wap. His whiny, hard to understand delivery is so different that it's difficult to turn off when I hear it. Somewhere in that seemingly flat harmony there's a hint of soulfulness that keeps me coming back for more. Then you throw in a bubbly, uptempo rhythm and a Nicki Minaj verse to his unique delivery and what you get is a post-worthy track. Like a Star may not be my favorite track of his (hard to top Trap Queen), but I'm cool with adding it to my growing collection of Wap favorites. Word has it this will be on Fetty's upcoming King Zoo album that will be dropping at some point in the coming months, so keep it locked...#LikeAStar

Fetty Wap feat Nicki Minaj - Like a Star

Videos of the Week December 16th

The underlying theme of this week's top five was performance. Whether it was an awe-inspiring solo acoustic performance in a cathedral from Lido, a shirtless rendition of Redbone from Childish Gambino on Fallon or seeing the behind the scenes details of deadmau5's new cube set design, there was plenty of raw talent on full display this week.

If you want a bit of à la carte, then seeing the new The Fate of the Furious trailer might be more your style. It's insane that the series got all the way to an eighth movie, but it's a credit to continually telling entertaining stories. Rounding out the top five is a dose of Hip Hop dance brought to you by Chris Brown. Clearly he, Usher and Gucci know how to party, but Usher and CB cutting a rug in the same video is not something you want to miss...#Party
Lido - Angel (Acoustic)

Childish Gambino Performs Redbone on Fallon

Behind the Scenes on the Setup of deadmau5's Cube 2.1

Fast and the Furious 8 Trailer

Chris Brown feat Usher & Gucci Mane - Party (Video)

Photo Credit: YouTube

"In 1992 I Came Out the Womb Winnin'"

Wait a minute, what the hell is a Pellican Child? Good question because I had no idea either, but the double l's should have been a dead giveaway. It's Louis the Child (producer duo Robby Hauldren and Freddy Kennett) and Pell (rapper) bundled into one glorious trio. Before you go on thinking it's some crazy Future Bass/Hip Hop mash up (I know, doesn't that sound dope in concept?), check your expectations at the door. What you're getting when you press play on Turn Me Down is a swanky Hip Hop track that might remind you on Macklemore at his best.

Some tracks are one trick ponies, this one happens to offer quite a bit to sink your teeth into. For starters, the beat lays the groundwork with bright, carefree percussion and bright piano sprinkled throughout the track. Then comes Pell with some head-nod worthy verses and finally finish it off with a hook that will burrow it's way into the deepest crevices of your mind. You're going to remember this track, so don't feel bad about singing along y'all. Oh and pick you poison while you're at it, iTunes or Spotify...#TurnMeDown

Pellican Child - Turn Me Down

"If It All Goes Wrong, Darling Just Hold On"

When I think of the craziness of Steve Aoki's music, dance ballads don't usually come to mind. That being said, his new collaboration with Louis Tomlinson (of One Direction) is straight fire. It's squarely targeted at Top 40 radio, but that's more of a testament to how incredibly catchy it is. Between the Soca rhythms, chanting, and steady release of good vibes, Just Hold On has plenty to latch onto. You won't get the mind-numbing drops or speaking rattling bass, but there's good reason for the track already ascending to #1 in the U.K....#JustHoldOn

Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson - Just Hold On

"Your Love Kills Me Like a Homicide"

All I really need as consumer of music is a Diplo beat mixed with some type of vocal talent. I say some type of vocal talent, but that doesn't begin to describe the star power on Bang Bang. Featuring a soulful pre-hook by Selah Sue, chorus from R City, and a drop the mic closing verse from Craig David, there's more than enough star power to carry the track. You'll notice hints of reggae (I see you Diplo), some horns, and a stop and go-tempo to keep you on your toes. It's going to sound cliche, but this is the type of track you'll find both your little cousin singing, as well as your parents. It's not easy to produce a track that has the potential to be so universally well-received, but DJ Fresh and Diplo may have found a way to do it...#BangBanghttps://twitter.com/hashtag/BangBang?src=hash

DJ Fresh vs. Diplo feat R. City, Selah Sue & Craig David – Bang Bang

"I'm From West Side California, We the Realest State"

It's sad that attention worthy Hip Hop beats are so few and far between nowadays. I long for the days of Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Scott Storch, and Polow Da Don. Whenever their names were on the production credits of tracks, you couldn't hold me back from pressing play and nodding my head along. It didn't even matter if the track was for a rapper, R&B singer, or a random pop artist, there was a good chance I was going to like the track regardless as to whether or not it had words.

Fast forward to present day where Boi-1da and T-Minus continue to wreak havoc on the barren wasteland that has become Hip Hop beats. Sure, the Lil Tunechi verse is 100% fire leading off the track below, but Trill shines because the beat goes hard and takes no prisoners. Mad love to Redbull Sound Select for reeling in YG's new one and including it in their 20 tracks before 2017. Honestly, I need tracks like this to prevent me from going full on EDM and getting too jaded about the state of Hip Hop. Enjoy this one y'all, it's a rare standout production from two of the best...#Trill

YG feat Lil Wayne - Trill (prod by Boi-1da & T-Minus)

"I Don't Need a Crown to Know I'm King"

Has it seemed like over the past year Krewella has been somewhat of a lightning rod? Whether it was their much publicized group breakup with Rain Man or subsequent lawsuit, there's been a lot of attention thrown toward the Yousaf sisters. Breakup aside, a lot of people have been wondering what their music is going to sound like sans a group member.

Well...after hearing their latest single, any concerns about whether they're taking a step back should start fading away now. Team is a statement track. It's a proud affirmation of moving forward as a group without a care in the world about what the rest of the world thinks. That type of IDGAF attitude mixed with on-point vocals and a post-drop, party starting chord progression is why this one deserves a look on your newest playlist. It's more of a weekend starter track than a weekend ender, but timing aside, it's the type of heat you expect from the unstoppable duo...#Team

Krewella - Team

"It's Not Eeeaaasy, Breaking Your Heart"

Feel free to file the track below under tracks that slipped past the goalie. About a month back Alex Da Kid released Not Easy and I must have been asleep at the wheel because it's without a doubt one of my favorite tracks of 2016. If you're arriving late to the part on Alex Da Kid, let me catch you up. He's the one who first believed in some of your favorite acts like Imagine Dragons, X Ambassadors, Jamie N Commons, and Skylar Grey to name a few. It's a little known fact that everything Alex produces, he also writes, which is why I'm so stoked about his debut single as a solo artist. Check the video below before I gush about how much I dig it...

Simply put, find me a more powerfully emotional, heart wrenching ballad. The steady beat and hymm-like vocals throughout the track create such a soothing vibe that you almost forget what the track is about. Serious credit goes to the X Ambassadors and Elle King for their vocal contributions. I'm still deciding whether Wiz's verse seems tacked on at the end, but I'll concede that you won't find a rapper who can carry a harmony as well as he does. Hang with me y'all it's gonna be tough for me to hold my expectations in check for Alex's new solo album...#NotEasy

Alex Da Kid feat X Ambassadors, Elle King & Wiz Khalifa - Not Easy

Videos of the Week December 9th

This week's top five skewed toward music videos, but there were a few interesting debuts that deserved some love. This week started off on a high note with Jimmy Fallon debuting the new Nintendo Switch on his Tonight Show. Imagine how nerve wracking that must have been to play the game on live tv in front of the game's creator? After the type of pressure, it was fun to turn a page with Party Favor and Dillon Francis's revenge of the nerds montage with their Shut it Down video. If you take away one lesson, it's to not mess with nerds, they'll always find a way to get back.

Then came one of the most exciting trailers I've watched in a long time. The original Guardians of the Galaxy far exceeded my expectations, so seeing Baby Groot teeter on the atomic bomb launch button while being yelled at by Rocket did nothing but pour even more excitement for Vol 2. Then came the weird music videos, led by Childish Gambino's trippy VR video for Me and Your Mama. I'm still trying to wrap my head around whether or not attending the Pharos concert at Joshua Tree would have been a good move. Either way, I'm stoked that he's back to releasing new music. And finally, ending the week on an animation high note, Borgore and Juicy J released some equally trippy visuals for Magic Trick. It's hard to visually match the craziness of the beat for the song, but somehow they pulled it off in a kaleidoscope of color and craziness...#MagicTrick
Jimmy Fallon Debuts the Nintendo Switch

Party Favor and Dillon Francis - Shut it Down (Video)

Guardians of the Galaxy Teaser Trailer

Childish Gambino - Me and Your Mama (Pharos VR Video)

Borgore feat Juicy J - Magic Trick (Video)

Photo Credit: YouTube

"Something About You Turns Me To a Savage"

I'm gonna be honest, I'm still trying to figure out whether I like the song below. There's something about it that I can't turn away from, but it's on the periphery of what enjoy EDM wise. The abrasive guitar riff progression post pushes my tolerance for abrasive, aggro beats. That being said, the contrast between the seemingly vocal R&B beginning and the pedal to the metal electro-drop is downright enticing. Like anything strange and alluring, with every lap around Savage I'm liking it more and more. Kudos to Whethan for bringing in Flux Pavilion and MAX to create such a unique track. It's big news that Whethan is headlining his first 15 city tour, so if you're a fan, check out the seventeen year old phenom when he comes to town...#Savage

Whethan feat Flux Pavilion & MAX - Savage

Every Weekend Should Start With This Song

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

Major Lazer & Bad Royale - My Number

Alan Walker Knows You're Not Alone

There's something about Alan Walker's mix of wobbly synths that makes his music bleed emotion. Taking it a step further, he always finds vocalists who can match the level of intensity that he brings to the table with his chord progressions. I haven't been able to find any credit to vocals on his new one Alone, but it's every bit what you expected and then some from Alan Walker. Check the newly minted, inspirational visuals below...

I'll put it this way, in a world that's seemingly as divisive as ever, it's nice to see someone preaching acceptance. That's exactly what the underlying message is in Alan's new one that may not have the crazy high ceiling of his previous singles, but that's more of a reflection of how successful his previous singles have been. At this point, I'm getting hoping more than anything that he launches a tour soon because he's made countless contributions to GWDJ Favorites and deserves to be rewarded for that...#Alone

Alan Walker - Alone

"Don't Let This Be Our Final Song"

As a daily consumer of music, I like being surprised. When I say surprised, I mean a lot of things. It's surprised that someone finally released a song, or surprised that two artists collaborated. Or, like the song below, it could be hearing the original version of a track after being introduced to the remix and realizing it sounds nothing like it's predecessor. For reference, check the original version of MØ's Final Song...

The original is a soft, snappy, singing ballad. Then Diplo and Jauz got ahold of it and turned Final Song into a uptempo, Trop House banger. The vocals find a way to maintain that sing-along quality, while the increase in tempo dares you not to dance. If you were to bottle up the word fun and play it on full blast, it would sound exactly like this. I don't like to wax poetic, but I'm going to wear out this Soundcloud link until it's officially released...#FinalSong

MØ - Final Song (Jauz X Diplo Remix)

"When You Need That Fiyah, I'm Your Messiah"

It's been a while since some new Alison Wonderland came across the radar, so you can imagine how stoked I was to press play on her new one Messiah. Staying true to form, she came correct with some stellar vocals and a hype beat cooked up with her partner in crime, M-Phazes. I'd characterize it as dramatic trap that has a distinct ebb and flow, but plenty of bounce. The verses lure you in with steady grace, only to sock you in the face with the hook. Speaking of the hook, if you're not singing along by the second go-around, you're not listening to the same track as me. Simply put, this did nothing but pour gasoline on my growing affinity for A-Wonder-DJ's music and I'm excited as hell to utilize Spotify for re-hashing the tracks that got my affinity to where it is now...#Messiah

Alison Wonderland X M-Phazes - Messiah

Let Me Love You Gets Marshmello'd

As someone who moves on quickly from music created for Top 40 consumption, I'm already tired of hearing DJ Snake and Bieber's Let Me Love You. Yes, it's catchy af, but I'm more than ready for a reinterpretation already. Thankfully Marshmello came to the rescue this week with a characteristically vibrant mix of the original. The way he can chop up vocal samples into tones and use them as samples to spice up a track never fails to entertain. It's like adding some sriracha or hot sauce to leftovers, you still get the taste of the original, but now it tastes a little better than it did when you first made it. If you dig it, you know the drill, iTunes or Spotify to rent or buy...#LetMeLoveYou

DJ Snake feat Justin Bieber - Let Me Love You (Marshmello Remix)

Videos of the Week December 2nd

There wasn't really any rhyme or reason to this week's top five, so without further organization, here goes. Leading the way are visuals from everyone's favorite radio hit from DJ Snake and Bieber. Sure, Let Me Love You is catch af, but something tells me you might see an even better version of the track posted on here tomorrow (#foreshadowing). Moving along, someone finally managed to corner The Weeknd in a studio long enough for an interview. Hearing Zane Lowe interview Abel made me realize how my perception of him as some cracked out Starboy isn't entirely accurate. Sure, there has to be loads of talent in deck to get him to where he is now, but hearing about his process of making music and how his new album came together was an interesting watch. Mad respect Weeknd.

For a bit of concert porn, mau lovers got themselves something to get all excited about when Joel unveiled a new cube design for his live set. Knowing how much he nerds out over technology, I'm sure no expense will be spared in making it nothing short of awesome. For a bit of novelty, we got to see Flume re-imagine Ghost Town DJs My Boo live in studio with Vince Staples. Dude is a wizard on the MPC, so you could imagine how interesting his choppy, instrument driven remake sounded. And last, but never the least, MGK came through with Camila Cabello with some love/hate visuals that bring to life the story told on Bad Things. All I can say is, find me a more sexy and catchy hook out right now...#BadThings
DJ Snake feat Justin Bieber - Let Me Love You (Video)

Zane Lowe Interviews The Weeknd in Studio

deadmau5 Reveals His New Cube For Live Performances

Flume Covers Ghost Town DJs - My Boo With Vince Staples Live

Machine Gun Kelly feat Camila Cabello - Bad Things (Video)

Photo Credit: YouTube

"When I'm Not With You, I'm Not Me"

There's an assumed level of quality every time I press play for the first time on a Martin Solveig track. It's hard to explain, but in my mind there are artists that I'll always appreciate for their consistency, but never be a die-hard fan of their music. When I say that, there's no disrespect intended because songs like Places are really catchy and deserve a listen. The ode to that special someone has a smooth house vibe that gives Ina Wroldsen plenty of room to shine vocally. It gets plenty quirky post drop, but those who like funky house music will dig it. All in all a solid track, so feel free to rent or buy if you feel so inclined...#Places

Martin Solveig feat Ina Wroldsen - Places