This is the second track by Blende that I've put up in two straight posts and if you think that's a coincidence... well.. it's not. This dude is carving out a really distinct and catchy sound for himself and it's definitely got him on my list of producers to look for to break out in 2012. This remix of Adrian Lux's recent single 'Alive' features the same sort of energizing hands-in-the-air electro that he used on his Worldwide remix, and if I had to sum it up in an analogy I'd say it's basically the type of song that if you heard it while you were driving it'd make you want to floor the gas and start singing along at the top of your lungs.. so uh, grab it below and you've been warned, maybe don't play this one around any sketchy drivers. Or do.
Download: Adrian Lux feat. The Good Natured - Alive (Blende Remix)
This Michael Woods track came out last year, but if you managed to sleep on it as hard as I did and have never heard it before then you're definitely going to want to give it a listen. I have no idea what kind of synth he's using on this, but it's retardedly dope - almost like a dubstep wobble, but with more of a big room edge to it. Certified fire fo yo ears.
Download: Michael Woods - No Access (Original Mix)
If you're not familiar with Viceroy yet, well, you are now. Hailing from Los Angeles, California, the dude has been exporting the sunshine state vibes worldwide with his party soaked remixes and originals. His tracks scream 'summer' so loud they almost feel like they were made at a pool party... for a pool party. 'Beach Bum' for instance, is a track that basically does what those corona commercials falsely advertise that drinking corona does. You know, when you open a corona and are suddenly on a beach.. honestly how many times has that happened to you? I'm pretty sure I've drinken like a million coronas and have yet to find myself suddenly in the caribbean. But try listening to this track and you will actually find yourself on a beach somewhere, even if a minute ago you thought you were in a snowstorm in mongolia. Seriously, there's a reason this guy's motto is "summertime all the time".
Download: Viceroy - Beach Bum (Original Mix)
*** After the success of our last show with Fare Soldi, we're proud to announce that we're teaming up with our homies over at Upside Sounds again and bringing Viceroy himself to EXO Lounge in the great city of St Louis. If you're anywhere near STL you're not gonna want to miss out on this one, cause Viceroy will be bringin' the summertime funk while Bright & Shiny's own PK lays down some sultry opening beats. For all the info be sure to head over to the Facebook Event page. If ya don't know, now ya know.
Our good buddy Zooash released his '6am edits' collection recently and, like you could probably guess, he's taken a bunch of already great songs and refurbished them for some serious afterhours dancefloor power. My personal favorite is this ethereal reworking of Digitalism's Stratosphere, but be sure to check out the full collection of 6am edits here. Also, if you're missing out on your daily dose of thumping techno be sure to revisit the essential mix he did for us, it's some serious heat.
Download: Digitalism - Stratosphere (Zooash 6am Edit)
Boy do those boys over at Hot Creations got it goin’ on. Here we have the Jamie Jones and Lee Foss collective, Hot Natured, giving this recent Waifs & Strays original a hot makeover. Make sure to follow their label and future releases, you will not be disappointed. Also, support the crew and purchase this on beatport. Waifs & Strays – Body Shiver (Hot Natured Remix) [Stream Only]
After hearing the Subb-Ann remix of this song off of Augustus’s earlier post and doing some research, I came across this Solomun rendition. This one has a much different feel to it; slower tempo, more pronounced vocals, and a funky beat with some fat bass. Give it a try. Noir & Haze – Around (Solomun Vox Remix)
We have come to know and love Botnek for his interesting and crazy approach to music. This song, coming off of Southern Fried Records, presents a little different style for him (not quite as insane) that has got some groove. The sounds of whistles, Panamanian percussion, and Latin-American vocals abound in what will surely get you on your feet. Buy the track here. Botnek – Panama Bass [Stream Only]
DJ T. has been in the game for a long time and I continually enjoy his music. Clockwork, however, completely inverts this song of his and throws you in the front row of the show. As the track builds, the sound of a crowd encompasses the beat and the crisp percussion, emanating the experience of a live show. Subtle, yet powerful. Dj T. Ft. Khan – Leaving Me (Clockwork Remix)
Last week my good friend, Beau, showed me this one and let me tell you, this is pure gold. As advertised, this is indeed a long ass mix, complete with a rolling beat that seemingly never ends. Top it off with some sexy vocals that will put you in a trance, and it will leave you wondering what was possessing your body for the last ten minutes. Rinse and repeat. Now go buy it and enjoy some more. Murk, Intruder – Amame ft. Jei (Long Ass Mix) [Stream Only]
I rediscovered this circa-2008 banger recently and have been playing it over and over ever since. Rap over electro beats is always a killer combo, and Kanye straight destroys it here. The bouncing groove of the first section is sooo goood. (If you're uninitiated as to who N.A.S.A. are, check out this pretty cool Creators Project segment on them... http://thecreatorsproject.com/creators/nasa)
I'm not sure what I can say about Brodinski that we haven't already said yet. The dude is a wizard, and I absolutely love him. His newest track, like just about everything he does, seems crafted for the explicit purpose of making people absolutely lose their face (most likely on some dancefloor at around three in the morning). The release of this track signifies the first record to come out on his new label, Bromance Records, while the other first track on the EP is a dope effort by fellow Frenchman Gesaffelstein, which you can check out a preview of below. Support the dudes and buy both the tracks off beatport, yo.
London based produced Blende, who you might remember from his ferocious "Worldwide" remix with Adrian Lux (chex it here), recently sent over this unreleased Skrillex remix to us and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised when I heard it. I was expecting something dubsteppy and Skrillex-like, but Blende completely twists the track around and turns it into an almost Daft Punk-like feel good track with a real groove. Quite good.
New Laidback Luke out on his label Mixmash. I will say I'd been unimpressed by some of the stuff Luke had been putting out over the past year and the way that his live sets have gone in a poppier direction, but this track is completely off the chain and shows the Dutchman getting back to his roots. So retardedly massive.
P.S. Washington, DC, if you haven't checked out our most recent post you is straight loafin'. We're giving away tickets to Danny Daze's show at U Hall this Saturday (!!!!) so click here to learn how you can be entered to win this incredible prize. The show also features the stylings of Tanner Ross (Wolf + Lamb/No. 19) as well was Outputmessage (of Volta Bureau) and our friend Lxsx Frxnk (Blisspop). This is NOT a show to be missed so get involved and get down.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- This Saturday, Danny Daze (Hot Creations) is coming to U Street Music Hall, and he's bringing that funky Miami sound that we love so much with him. I had the pleasure of witnessing such a cataclysmic event in Chicago just two weeks ago. Daze had Augustus and I dancing 'til the club closed, dropping jam after jam until we couldn't dance anymore. So bring your dancing shoes, and come close out your Thanksgiving break Bright & Shiny style to the bouncy sounds of Danny Daze. Oh yeah, and up-and-comer/total boss Tanner Ross (Wolf + Lamb/No. 19 Music) is gonna be there, plus hometown heroes Outputmessage (1/3 of Volta Bureau) and Lxsx Frxnk (Blisspop). In other words, DC is about to be shakin' like it's the War of 1812. Shit is real.
Did I mention we have the hookup? Grab yourself a pair of FREE TICKETS, as well as some bonus tracks you're liable to hear this Saturday, after the jump.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Listen up. Tomorrow night, dirtybird Records takes over U Street Music Hall with some of those bouncy, bass-infused house sounds that have made the San Francisco based label so famous. This is the beginning of a beautiful union, as tomorrow night inaugurates a quarterly dirtybird residency at U Hall: something we here at Bright & Shiny have been incredibly excited about since its announcement. Beats come courtesy of house heavyweight Justin Martin and recently-signed whiz kid Ardalan. [Dirtybird head-honcho] Claude Von Stroke's set at U Hall this past summer was one of the best nights in recent memory, and I assure that tomorrow night is not to be missed. Details and bonus bass after the jump.
Today I bring you Parisian duo, Paradis. Their debut releases came out this past September on Beats in Space Records and I must say, I am impressed. Apparently this duo submitted a demo to Tim Sweeney's label in hopes they he would take interest in their productions and were lucky enough to snag a spot on the label. The group is comprised of Simon Meny & Pierre Rousseau, two young men that have both been trained and born out of a variety of genres from classical, to jazz, to hip-hop.
The A side of the record features "Parfait Tirage", an extremely relaxing ambient piece of music. Compelling vocals add a lot of texture to the bouncing bass line that seems to lull you in to a state of meditation and the percussion is subtle and tasteful, much like every other aspect of the track. Listen below.
The B side features "La Ballade de Jim", a wonderfully deep techno track that once takes your mind to a far away place. This utilizes samples from a 1980's track by Alain Souchon. Expect more beautiful synth leads and even more soothing vocals.
We're a little behind on this one, but it's still worth sharing with you guys. The Duck Sauce single 'Big Bad Wolf' gets the Dada Life treatment here. You can probably guess what that means... lots of champagne and bananas. Forreal though, this one is hard hitting and party rocking as per usual from the crazy swedish duo - another festival anthem. I'm also excited to announce that Sir Real and I will be interviewing Dada Life this Saturday in Chicago.. so get stoked for that. If you guys have any burning questions that you want us to ask them, leave it in the comments section and we'll try to fit them in. As always, the more ridiculous the better.
Download: Duck Sauce - Big Bad Wolf (Dada Life Remix)
Subb-an dives way off the deep end on this one. This remix tools around a thick, delirious beat that weaves in and out around an addictive bassline. The perfect stomper for a dark dancefloor somewhere around 5am.
Download: Noir & Haze - Around (Subb-an Remix)
I thought the Alvaro remix of this song couldnt be topped, but Joe Maz proves otherwise. This remix is straight up bonkers and ludicrously catchy. By far the best version of this song that I've come across. "Johnny, la gente esta muy loca... what ze fuck?"
Download: Sak Noel - Loca People (Joe Maz Remix)
Young producers are always particularly interesting. Even more interesting is coming across a young producer who barely appears above the legal age to drink, yet seems to have an incredibly refined and mature sound. Such is the case with Bristol based producer Bowksi. While many young artists can seem content to stay within the predictable bounds of genres like progressive house and electro, Bowski has made a name for himself with his refreshing take on all things from the deeper end of the electronic spectrum. Despite their sometimes minimal tendencies, his songs are all laced with a quirky, bouncy feel that makes them 100% party-ready. Moreover, something about the way they hop along has almost hypnotic effect, like they're pulling you towards a dancefloor at the edge of your mind - one that's at once familiar and unknown. This remix from Disco of Doom's Invader Ep is a perfect encapsulation of that sound. Disco of Doom - Doomsday (Bowski Remix)
Part of what makes Bowski so interesting is that his sound seems as retro as it is fresh. Elements as disperse as UK bass music and old school German minimal techno seem to poke through his productions. And some of the biggest names in the game are starting to take notice. Last year, after hearing one of his songs, the legendary french group Cassius personally asked him to remix their hit 'I <3 U SO' alongside dance music titans like Skream and L-Vis 1990. Fake Blood recently signed Bowski to his own label, Blood Music as well. Cassius - I <3 U SO (Bowski Remix)
Considering all of this along with the incredibly unique sound that Bowski continues to craft as his own, it seems as though the sky is the limit for this dude. It's safe to say we're excited to see what he comes up with next.
To keep up with all things Bowski be sure to follow his Facebook and Twitter.
This past Halloween weekend, I attended Moogfest in
Asheville, NC and was graced with a constant barrage of quality shows for three
debaucherous nights. Due to the
permanently unprepared nature of my group of friends, I ended up missing the
first couple rounds of shows on Friday, and much to my chagrin had to accept
the fact that Little Dragon cancelled on me and did not in fact make their 8pm
scheduled appearance at the Civic Center.
Below is a brief recap of my Moogfest experience, some of my favorite
performances of the weekend, and of course, some relevant tracks that you’d be
foolish not to add to your library.
We started off our Friday night with Moby at the Asheville Civic Center. I was rather excited for a repeat of his
Electric Zoo 2010 performance in NYC where he provided a pulsating crowd with
an onslaught of glitchy house music and captivating LCD visuals, but I was
sadly let down by what transpired.
Instead of his usual arsenal of a mixer and cdj’s, Moby brought with him
a live band comprised of a vocalist, a violin player, a live drummer, a bass
player, and himself on guitar, vocals, and … conga drums. Maybe he was trying to prove something about
the legitimacy of his musicianship? But
alas he merely sounded like a poorly arranged 80’s cover band… cheesy guitar
riffs accompanied by lackluster vocals, oh yeah and conga drums. Anyways, I’ll stop being mean to Moby.
We left after about 20 minutes in order to make the half-mile trek over to the
Orange Peel to catch Zomby. This was one
of those shows that I attended on relatively blind faith on recommendation from
a friend, and it turned out to be one of the better shows of the weekend.
Hailing from the UK (like most great producers these days…), Zomby began
producing music in 2007 and has since garnered releases on labels such as Werk Discs and the notorious Hyperdub Records.
With his own genre bending style of smooth dub/dubstep/bassmusic, Zomby
had the entire house moving from the moment he turned on his equipment. With not much time to spare before Flying
Lotus, we were only able to stay for about 40 minutes, but it was a 40 minutes
well spent.
We made it back to Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, a strangely seated venue, just in
time to catch Flying Lotus. This show
was something I have been looking forward to for quite some time and it turned
out to be everything I wanted. I was put into a trance by his genius mixing techniques and impeccable taste.
After closing with Astral Plane, the crowd would not give up. We cheered him into an encore performance,
and in typical FlyLo fashion, he opened with Hard in Da Paint by Waka Flocka
Flame… which in any other context is rather absurd… but made absolute sense
considering who was on the decks.
Saturday
Saturday was quite a joyous day indeed.
During our pre-festival activities, we donned our half-assed Halloween
costumes (except Kat.. who really went hard in the paint with her Catwoman
costume) and headed for the Civic Center to catch SBTRKT and Sampha.
SBTRKT and Crystal Castles performed during
the same time slots and it was a tough call to make, but in retrospect, I am
confident that I made the right decision.
Their stage setup was complicated and intimidating. SBTRKT was seated at a drum set that was
partially live drums including hi-hats, a kick drum, and cymbals, in addition
to a myriad of drum kit pads that he utilized throughout the set. Sampha was on the other hand was equipped
with simply a mic and a keyboard.
Between them was a long table filled with laptops, midi controllers, and
a bunch of other machines with lots of knobs and dials… Needless to say the show was a great
success. Maybe not as wonderful as I was
expecting/hoping for, but what really made the performance for me was Sampha’s
vocals. He has a miraculous voice and
sings with passion on every song. He
controlled a portion of the vocal effects and synths in addition to getting in
a little dancing here and there. For me,
Something Goes Right, featuring godlike Sampha, stole the show
Honorable Mentions: After SBTRKT we went over to the Orange Peel to see Twin
Shadow before heading to the outdoor venue, Animoog, to catch The Flaming Lips
throw giant balloons filled with glitter and confetti into the audience…
Amon Tobin was our next stop. This was
one of the most remarkable live shows I’ve seen in a while. The display, which absolutely incredible, was made up of a bunch of white cubes stacked
up at the back of the stage and a giant HD Projector. From start to finish he played a seamless set
of bizarre sound effects, crushing bass, and abstract pieces of tracks that I’d
never heard. It was truly a cinematic
experience. Check the video below for footage.
Kode9 was the last show of the night, and to be honest, it was my favorite show
of the entire weekend. Kode9 is (you
could have guessed) a London based producer and owner of renowned Hyperdub
Records. His set included a whole slew
of different styles from dub, to old-school jungle, two step garage, drum and
bass. This man is an extremely
knowledgeable musician and professor. In
2009, he released his own book, Sonic Warfare, which entails essays on the use
of sound in terms of politics, government, and fear. It explores our subconscious relationship
with music/sound/noise and attempts to depict how sound can be used with
extreme effectiveness to control behavior and influence moods.
Now if you happened to read our review of HARD Summer in LA, then you
already know that James Murphy & Pat Mahoney put together the most soulful
deep disco dance sets that anyone has ever heard. This show was a religious experience. James nonchalantly stole my heart that night.
For more tracks from James Murphy and Pat Mahoney's Special Disco Version sets, visit this website for a comprehensive tracklist and free download.
The last noteworthy show of the night was Ghostland Observatory. The lead singer has a ridiculous amount of
energy and runs back and forth across the stage waving his flowing locks and
screaming into the mic. It is really
quite a special sight. This performance
was much less focused on the vocals and guitar than on the digital
release. Instead, they cranked up the
bass and the volume on their electronic accompaniments and turned the place
into a straight up dance floor. The
lasers were a nice touch as well… I thought I was going to have a seizure. Anyways… Great weekend, great festival, great
shows. See y’all there next year.
If you haven’t heard Oliver $’s Doin’ Ya Thang, get out from under that rock and check it out on Sir Real's post from back in the day. That track sampled vocal cuts from some performances by Detroit’s own, Moodyman, who is probably the realest dude you’ll ever come across, and an iconic figure in the world of house. This first track samples his Red Bull Music Academy interview and is quotable as hell and it meshes perfectly with this dope beat that Homework produced (remix courtesy of Andre Crom & Martin Dawson). If you have the time, I highly suggest you check it out; It’s actually less of him being interviewed than it is just him preaching to the crowd about life and music (word is bond). This second piece of Homework, I came across on youtube of all places and is probably one of the most aptly named songs I’ve heard in a while. If anybody can identify the original song they’re sampling I would be forever indebted to you. Let those dreamy synths wash over you.
To my chagrin, this Danny Daze jaint hasn’t been posted yet, so here it is in all its glory. Probably my favorite song by the man from Miami, it pretty much defines his sound in my eyes (err.. ears). Also, check this hilarious video that features this song and make sure to support him by purchasing it on Beatport. If you find yourself in the D.C. area over Thanksgiving, make sure to pay a visit to U Street Music Hall on the 26th to see this guy drop some knowledge.
Danny Daze - Your Everything feat. Louisahhh! [Stream Only]
I actually happened upon this while searching for the original version. I decided to give it a chance and ended up liking it more than the original so I guess this Katorski guy knows what’s good. It takes a while to develop but wait for the real rhythm to creep in after the two-minute mark.
Needless to say, the Dewaele brothers don’t fuck around. This promo for Radio Soulwax pretty much sums up how we envisioned this project being created. Be sure to look out for Augustus' detailed experience of them and many other stupid-good artists in his upcoming Hard Haunted Mansion review.
This first one is the type of song that just seems made for those intangible moments in life where you find yourself staring out over a sunset or reflecting on the deeper side of things. Everything about it from the perfectly layered bells and bassline to the dreamy vocals that float over the track combine to make it one of those songs that listening to it strikes an emotional chord. At least it did for me. One of my favorite tracks of the moment. The remixers responsible also have just about the coolest name ever, thunderlust. Yeah, thunderlust. Fuck with it.
Download: Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (thunderlust Remix)
I got this next one from the halloween post by our homies over at GDD, but this track has way more playability than being simply a hallows-eve jam. Hervé gives Beyonce his signature big british fidget house sound here and it straight kills as always.
Download: Beyonce - Countdown (Hervé Remix)
The latest from our boys Keljet. They take the Wynter Gordon hit 'Til Death' and mold it to their trademark disco synth-electro sound and it works like a charm. You might recognize this bad boy from the awesome mix they did for us, which if you somehow managed to miss you can listen to here. For all things Keljet be sure to head over to their soundcloud too.
Deetron doin' his thang and predictably smashing it here. There's two versions of this remix, the original remix and the Dub, I personally think the dub is waaay better. The only difference is the other remix contains the full vocal track but in all honesty I think the song breathes much better by itself without the vocals cluttering it up. Deetron seems to be on fire lately though, everything I come across by the swissman is pure deep house gold. Soothing, groovy vibes on this one.
Download: Miguel Migs - Close Your Eyes feat. Meshell Ndegeocello (Deetron Dub)
Finally I leave you guys with this behind the scenes look at Crooker's recent Dr. Gonzo project...
It's been a while since we put up some really funky French shit up here, but I think I have just the thing to satisfy all your french house needs, at least for the time-being. UK based Ridney, responsible for the uplifting summer jam "Always With You", went ahead and mixed up a tribute to Thomas Bangalter's (ever heard of that guy?) Roulé imprint, responsible for releases from such legends as Alan Braxe, Dj Falcon, and Bangalter himself. The mix ranges from classics like "Together" to songs that have never been released digitally (and most likely never will), all sourced directly from vinyl. Check the set below for some serious French education. Couldn't think of a better soundtrack to my day.
