HARD Summer Music Festival, Downtown Los Angeles, 8/6/2011

Patrick and Augustus of Bright & Shiny made the trek out to Los Angeles at the beginning of August to attend the HARD Summer music festival in LA, an event we were drawn to equally for its impressively diverse lineup and for the promise of legendary after parties. Join us on a chronological journey through our festival shenanigans.

The first act we made it in time to see was Gesaffelstein, the Parisian producer who recently burst onto the scene with his style of jarring future-techno that he continues to pioneer entirely as his own. We were excited and curious from the outset to see what kind of set he'd throw down, since his music is in every quantifiable way different from your average dance music: the rhythms are chaotic, the transitions abrupt and jarring, and the layering of sounds are thoroughly unique and non status-quo.

For those curious about his appearance, the dude manned the decks donning a baller-ass tuxedo and proceeded to chain-smoke cigarettes for the entirety of his set. His set bobbed and weaved through a continuous stream of his own productions, which makes sense since I'm not sure what other music could congruently fit with his mental-ass style of techno. It should be noted that his style of mixing was not that of your average DJ; rather than traditionally mixing from song to song in gliding fashion as most disc jockeys do, Gesaffelstien's transitions matched his off-kilter and bizarre approach to techno by being jagged, abrupt, and thoroughly creative. All of these elements, in addition to his wonderful selection of proprietary beats, combined to make Gesaffelstein's set one of the highlights of the night. Here are some of our favorite tunes from the performance:

Gesaffelstein - Glass (Original Mix) [Download Here]


ZZT - ZZafrika (Gesaffelstein Remix) [Download Here]


Franz & Shape - Lump feat. Shrubbn!! (Gesaffelstein Remix) [Download Here]


Gesaffelstein - Opr (Original Mix) [Download Here]


The Hacker & Gesaffelstein - Crainte (Original Mix) [Download Here]


Here is a snippet of his stellar intro:


After Gesaffelstein, we made the trek over to the DFA tent to check out what the Juan Maclean was throwing down. We quickly learned that the DFA tent was, and would continue to be, a wondrous haven of soothing and groovy sounds. While the music had an overall funk-fueled sound, most all of it was bathed in thick synths that gave it a contemporary feel. I have to say, I was thoroughly surprised by how much I enjoyed this performance. We knew the Juan Maclean was legit, but this performance really opened my eyes to the wonders and power this gray haired mix master can bring to the decks.

The Juan Maclean - Feel So Good [Download Here]


The Juan Maclean - Happy House (VHS or Beta Remix) [Download Here]


Siriusmo, putting on his first ever American show, played almost exclusively songs out of his own repertoire. We had been extremely excited to see him spin since the man very rarely plays live (reportedly due to intense stage fear, which he's just now beginning to get over). Despite all the hype, his set was a little bit underwhelming. Don't get me wrong; the music he selected was all wonderful, and the light show was enthralling.  But it was more the atmosphere; the crowd never really seemed that into it and as a novice DJ/party-starter, Siriusmo didn't do a particularly great job at attempting to increase the energy level. Regardless, we left his set glad to have heard his unique sounds blast out of festival-grade speakers, and even happier to have been able to witness the ways of this French wizard in person.

Siriusmo - Blaue Sonne

Siriusmo - Mosaik [Download Here]


Siriusmo - Feromonikon [Download Here]

After Siriusmo, we booked it over to Digitalism, an act who we were entirely on the fence about from the outset. We all knew and loved the old Digitalism sound (circa 2007 and their rookie album "Idealism").  But at the same time we were let down by their newest LP, "I Love You Dude,"  and  though it had its highlights, thought the release marked a downward trend for the group. So we approached their performance curious to see if these Germans from the hey-day of bloghouse could redeem themselves, or if they really had peaked and were just simply headed in the wrong direction. We soon knew the answer: Digitalism is here to stay. They absolutely ROCKED the stage with a hard-knocking live performance (versus a DJ set) that featured Jence and Isi working the synths, singing on the mics and performing alongside a live drummer. I cannot emphasize this enough: they absolutely KILLED IT. Probably one of the most high-energy sets of the entire night, which was a huge curve ball for us all... Definitely tied for the Bright & Shiny favorite performance of the evening.

One highlight of their performance was their live rendition of their classic party song 'Homezone,' during which instead of singing the original lyrics ("I have the biggest party ever at home / we have the biggest party eva") they switched it up to make it location appropriate, jumping around like a couple of crazies with the crowd, which was totally into it, shouting "LA, WE HAVE THE DANKEST PARTY EVA"... Mad props for that. Another highlight was their live rendition of Blitz, a song that is equally serene and beautiful as it is hard-hitting and energy-packed. Overall, a truly awesome performance. We walked away surprised and impressed.

Digitalism - Home Zone [Download Here]


The live version they played actually sounded closer to the Proxy remix than to the original above, so we're including that, too.

Digitalism - Home Zone (Proxy Remix) [Download Here]


Digitalism - Blitz [Download Here]


Digitalism - Zdarlight [Download Here]




Next up was French DJ/Ed Banger label boss/badass extraordinaire Busy P. This was hands down the performance of the night. His unique style and creative transitions were seamless and tasteful in every way, demonstrating the sonic maturity we've come to expect from the French tastemaker. We weren't sure what to expect out of his set, but after seeing him at last year's HARD Haunted Mansion, we learned that if there was one thing we could count on, it was for Busy P to bring a party like no other. In typical BUSY P W.T.F fashion, he arrived on stage wearing a pair of white overalls splattered with copious amounts of colorful paint and donning this really awesome Cool Cats hat that I've been thinking about buying for quite a while. He was fashionably late to his set, explaining to the crowd that he was off watching Duck Sauce...

This was no ordinary Busy P set. This show was billed as Busy Pictionary, meaning a collaboration between Busy P & So Me (The graphics designer for all things Ed Banger and Cool Cats). We weren't exactly sure what this would mean at first, but we quickly learned it was something incredibly innovative, something way cooler than we could have ever dreamed of. For the entirety of Busy P's set, So Me was set up five feet away on-stage with some sort of electronic tablet and pen which was connected to the massive screen behind the DJ booth where generic visuals would normally be played. Instead, So Me spontaneously drew stuff along with the music throughout the entire set. It was absolutely incredible; this man is a genius.

Mister P opened his dazzling set with a song that gave the crowd a much needed and appreciated breather from the relentless electro destruction that had just been mercilessly rained down upon them by Digitalism:  the delightful and airy remix of Breakbot's 'Fantasy' by Video Village.

Breakbot - Fantasy (Video Village Remix) [Download Here]


Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You [Download Here]


Busy P - To Protect and Entertain (Crookers Remix) [Download Here]


Daft Punk - Aerodynamic [Download Here]




Busy Pedro then threw together a consistently groovy and thoroughly awesome collection of classics and new, unreleased gold, including the new Justice single, 'Audio Video Disco', and the new Mr. Oizo track, 'Douche Beat'.

"You want some new Ed Banger Shit or what???"
Mr. Oizo - Douche Beat


Then, all of the sudden about halfway through the set, Busy P completely cut off the music and in his characteristically French way, yells, "EY, LOS ANGELES, WHERE ZE FUCK ARE WE AT? ARE WE IN NEW YORK? PARIS? TOKYO? I DONT ZINK SO... WHERE ZE FUCK ARE WE AT?" Slowly, the sirens of one of the most famous California rap songs ever, 'Straight Outta Compton', crept out of the speakers. Gradually, as the crowd realized what was happening, people started screaming and cheering until finally he asked one more time, "LA WHERE WE AT?" and then the track dropped in perfect timing… people went nuts as the legendary track blared at full force. I can't find a video of Pedro visiting such destruction upon the City of Angels, but if you have one or know of one on youtube, be sure to leave it in the comments.

After playing out Daft Punk's Aerodynamic, he prepped the crowd for the new unreleased Justice track that he had promised everyone: [skip to about 2:00 if you don't feel like waiting]

After Busy P, Carte Blanche, a duo comprised of DJ Mehdi and Riton, took the stage and continued the amazing vibes that Busy P had doused over the crowd, throwing down yet another monstrous set. DJ Mehdi was dressed in all white, while Riton donned a black on black attire (see what they did there?). They transitioned from great track to great track, all the while dancing and visibly having a great time up there. Check out the video below and some of the great selections they played:

Carte Blanche - Politrix As Usual [Download Here]


Scissor Sisters - Any Which Way (Carte Blanche Remix) [Download Here]


DJ Mehdi - Pocket Piano (Brodinksi Remix) [Download Here]


Carte Blanche - In The Mixxxxxxxx [Download Here]

CARTE BLANCHE - WITH YOU by Riton

Our last show of the night was legendary DJ set from DFA label boss James Murphy and  ex-bandmate Pat Mahoney in the DFA tent. This was one of the funkiest disco parties that I have ever been a part of and we consider ourselves truly lucky men to have witnessed it. To be honest, we recognized almost nothing they played seeing as it was truly a 70's disco fiesta, so download the songs we did manage to find, watch the video below, and reminisce on (or be jealous of) one of the best sets of Hard Summer LA 2011.

Love Committee - Just As Long As I Got You (Re-Edit by Dimitri from Paris) [Download Here]


Motor City Drum Ensemble - A Raw Cut #2 [Download Here]

Bonus highlights:

After Gesafflestein's set, we ran into him and Fool's Gold label boss A-Trak walking through the crowd. We were lucky enough to be able to strike up a conversation and impart unto them some Bright & Shiny stickers, which they hopefully took home and cherished.

Boys Noize:


Now just because we didn't catch very much of Boys Noize at the festival itself does not mean that we didn't get an earful of this beautiful man's mad techno sensibilities at the Hard afterparty. Stay tuned for our next post, devoted to the amazing warehouse rave stylings of The Well and the surprise appearance from everybody's favorite German man, Boys Noize.

Love,

Patrick and Augustus

Mondo Grab Bag: Mega Post

Sorry for the weeklong absence from posting! Wish we had a good excuse for you, but really it's just the middle of the summer and we're all overly distracted with enjoying ourselves. But fear not, for I think I have a way to make it up to you all. That's right: A Mega Post. After a couple less than multi-faceted posts from yours truly - meaning, I've been posting lots of straight big room progressive house - not that there's anything wrong with that, but, today I've decided that you all are deserving of a more thoroughly varied selection of tunes. So, I've brought with me a smattering of bangin' jams from all across the musical spectrum and assorted them accordingly, starting with the progressive sounds, moving into some deeper stuff, and rounding it all out at the end with a tasteful selection of thumpin' techno and electro-house (and even a little french rap thrown in there to mix things up). Enjoy.

The Progressive
GTA's latest single can be classified as nothing less than a straight up bomb. We posted the monster Laidback Luke remix a while ago, but today I have for you the original mix from the Miami based duo. U & I features gorgeous vocals from Zashanell, and a thumping electro-style of progressive house that seems fit to destroy any and all dancefloors. Check it below, and be sure to grab the release on Beatport.
Download: GTA feat. Zashanell - U & I (Original Mix)


The good people from PIE Artists also sent us over this promo recently, featuring a sneak peek of Van Toth(1/2 of GTA)'s newest single. The drop on this one is absolutely mental.. look for the release coming Aug. 9th
  DJ DLG - Visions Of Love (Van Toth Remix Sample) by VanToth


For those of you not in the know, allow me to introduce: Max Vangeli. A member of Steve Angello's Size Record Label, Vangeli has been steadily making a name for himself as one of the more promising up-and-coming superstars in progressive house. I personally have a special appreciation for him since he was at one point a student at UCSB, the college which I currently attend. You might remember him from his part in the world dominating Steve Angello & AN21 & Max Vangeli Remix of The Island.. Anyway, check out this well put together and informative mini-documentary of him, anything else I could say about him is pretty comprehensively covered in this short film:



Here are a couple bombs Produced by Vangeli himself. You'll notice a couple of them involve AN21. AN21, for those of you not in the know, is Steve Angello's little brother, Antoine Angello. Anyway, he and Vangeli seem to have a really good creative and working relationship, because they've teamed up for a fair amount of anthems. Check some of them below, starting with their recently released remix of the Swedish House Mafia single, Save The World. The Zedd Remix is pretty dope, but I'd say right now for me this Vangeli & AN21 mix is definitely the best out there.
Download: Swedish House Mafia - Save The World (AN21 & Max Vangeli Mix)



A classic by AN21 & Vangeli that was featured on Steve Angello's Size Matters 2 Compilation.
Download: Max Vangeli & AN21 - Swedish Beauty (Original Mix)



Also here's a great Late Night Alumni remix that showcases Vangeli's prowess at making spacious, gorgeous progressive house. This is a track that, as the original artist's name would suggest, is perfect for late nights.
Download: Late Night Alumni - Finally Found (Max Vangeli Extended Remix)



Next up is a recently released bomb from dutch star Hardwell. The World EP was released on his own label, Revealed Records. The track progresses from a techy intro into a nice borderline-trancey breakdown around halfway through and then back again to the techy, dutch beats  Hardwell's become known for. The result is a really well rounded club monster. Surgeon General's warning: For maximum effect, play at full volume.
Download: Hardwell - The World (Original Mix)


The Deeper Side
Maya Jane Coles, as you all are probably aware by now, has quickly become one of our favorites here at Bright & Shiny with her irresistible brand of mystically-layered deep house. The track I have for you today further demonstrates why she's one of the artists worth looking out for right now, since it seems like everything she's been putting out these days is consistently phenomenal. Buy the release on Beatport: HERE
Download: Maya Jane Coles - Little One (Original Mix)



This Tensnake Remix is, without a doubt, the grooviest and most undeniably catchy retro-house track that I've heard in a long time. It should be no surprise to anyone by now that Tensnake is responsible for yet another track that can be described as nothing short of amazing. Every time I hear this one  though, I get struck by a memory from a week or two ago when me and Sir Real were cruising around NYC on a gorgeous and sunny day absolutely blasting it out of my car speakers with all the windows down. We pulled up to a stop light in SOHO and happened to look to our left, at which point we noticed a bookish, reserved looking girl on a bench next to us. She picked her head up to look around, clearly confused by the loud noises suddenly invading the air around her, the look on her face conveying that she was puzzled by what exactly it was that she was hearing. As soon as she realized  what she was listening to though, she instantly instantly started bobbing her head with a huge grin on her face (she even gave us a thumbs up! hahaha). A perfect testament to the fact this track is absolutely incredible, something anyone with a mild taste for good music can feel within one listen. Just wait for the masterfully groovy drop around the 3:00 mark. Play this one as loud and with as much bass as possible to really feel it. [Beatport Release]
Download: Johnny Dynell - Jam Hot (Tensnake Remix)



Next up is a thumpin' track that falls on the deeper end of the tech-house spectrum. Deetron, the genius producer out of Switzerland who you may recognize from his various collaborations with detroit techno madman Seth Troxler, is back here with Starblazer,  a beautifully melded concotion of sounds that centers itself around an awesome tribal beat coupled with with a soothing selection of exotic samples. Have one listen and you'll understand why this gem is currently sitting pretty at number 5 on Beatport's top 100 chart.
Download: Deetron - Starblazer (Original Mix)


The Assorted
For the assorted section, I'm going to start things off with some absolutely mental techno, since I think that's something I've gotten away from giving you guys recently. Gesaffelstein's newest EP, Conspiracy pt.2 is, in my mind, one of the most forward thinking and impressive EP's to drop in a long time. He takes the bpm as low as the 100-110bpm range on some of these tracks, and still manages to pack them with more energy, emotion, and sheer power than most songs that pound along at way faster paces. Opr and Viol are both simply insane, but in the best way possible. Keep an eye out for Gesaffelstien's upcoming USA tour in the fall, starting with his performance at HARD Summer on August 6th, which Bright & Shiny will most definitely be in attendance for. Be sure to cop the whole EP off of Beatport: HERE
Download: Gesaffelstein - Opr (Original Mix)



Download: Gesaffelstein - Viol (Original Mix)



Next up is an awesome slice of electro from Santa Barbara based producer Sam Luria, better known as Charles I. You may recognize the gorgeous voice of Gold Lamay from the other Charles I anthem, Simple State of Mind. The two of them make quite the team together if you ask me.
Download: Charles I feat. Gold Lamay - Out Of This World (Original Mix)



I don't know what the appetite for french rap is amongst the readership of Bright & Shiny, but recently I was reading one of the Cool Cats blogs and amongst the tons of really interesting stuff was a little blurb about a french rap group called 1995. I checked out some more of their stuff, and stumbled upon this next song which I've really taken a liking to. Despite taking like 10 years of french in school, I can still only understand like 1/3 of what they're saying hahaha. But I still find it super enjoyable, and I think you will too. This is a really chill summer jam.
Download: 1995 - Je Brille (feat. Sabrina)



Shinichi Osawa seems to be pumping out a lot of bangers right now. This collaboration with Beautacue is absolute lunacy, have a listen for your self. Also peep the video below for a preview of Shinichi's forthcoming Singapore Swing collaboration EP with Paul Chambers (who you may remember for his epic track Yeah, Techno). The EP dropped today in Japan, look for the North America release coming this week.
Download: Beataucue feat. Shinichi Osawa - H.O.W.L.





Wait for the drop after the 3:20 mark on this one. Only one word to describe it. HUGE.
Download: Grum - Fashion (Dolby Anol faux pas Remix)


We recently received this awesome EP Promo from Australian indie-dance outfit All The Lights. While I think all the tracks on the EP are pretty great, for me it's the Ian Carey Remix that steals the show. The progressive drop after the 2:00 minute mark really does it for me. Check out the original as well as all the remixes below, and be sure to look out for the official release on Ministry of Sound August 12th.
All The Lights - Chasing Colours by AllTheLights


One more Bangin' promo we received in the mail, check this preview for Tate Strauss' upcoming remix. This track is, uhm, how do you say.. MASSIVE. Apparently It's already received support from heavyweights like Tiesto and Tristan Garner. I don't think there's an official release date slated yet, but definitely keep an eye out for this one.
Mobin Master - In My House (Tate Strauss Remix) by Tate Strauss

Just in case you haven't had enough promos of unreleased stuff, check this brand new unreleased Alex Metric track. This one is, for lack of a better word, a monster.  The name 'Raveageddon' is pretty fitting. Can't wait for the official release. Via GottaDanceDirty
Alex Metric - Raveageddon by GottaDanceDirty



Last but certainly not least, be sure to grab this jackin' and straight bonkers Bingo Players mix of the Spanish House maestro Wally Lopez's recent release, Welcome Home. This one sounds simply unreal flying out of a proper soundsystem. Highly Recomended. [Beatport Release]
Download: Wally Lopez - Welcome Home (Bingo Players Remix)




Stay Classy,
Augustus

Summa, Summa, Summertime

After a prolonged absence from posting due to my computer being broken, I come back to you, the Bright & Shiny nation, today on the day that my summer officially starts, and I've brought with me an appropriately boss soundtrack designed to gear you all up for the ensuing period of r & r (rage and relaxation) that's about to come up in these next couple months. A couple of these tracks I've been sitting on for the past few weeks while I waited to get my computer fixed, and while I feel slightly irresponsible for not getting these wonderful beats to you all earlier, I'm also filled with a ton of joy that I finally get to bring 'em to you today. Enough of the words; let's get on to the music.

We'll start with the newest single from (in my opinion) the most talented and consistently original young dutch producer out there right now, Bart B More. 'Traction' is a beast of a track that lures you in with a smooth and catchy melody that sounds like it could have been hijacked from a Calvin Harris song, only to suddenly take off and drop into a pounding electro beat so packed with energy its practically bursting at the seams. Truly massive, expect to hear this track all over the place this summer. Of course, be sure to show the kid some love and grab the full release off of beatport.
Bart B More - Traction (Club Mix)



Next up we have the long anticipated, absolutely bomb, Kaskade remix of the Skrillex hit Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites. We brought you guys a preview version ripped from the radio a while ago, but I'm proud to present you all today with the full version in all its  high quality glory. Kaskade really orchestrates a masterpiece on this one, using his unrivaled skills at making gorgeous progressive house to stretch out and elevate the progressive portion from the original, only to ditch Skrillex's dubstep stylings in favor of a jackin' electro-house beat at the drop. The result is truly awesome, and further underscores why Kaskade is one of the biggest and most widely loved names in dance music today. [Beatport Release]
Skrillex - Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Kaskade Remix)



Next up is a track that's my personal favorite track out of this whole post, and it's also one that I'm sure 50% of you will hate and 50% of you will love. Gessafelstein's recent release, Hatred, is a monstrous, almost diabolical techno track that practically jumps out of the speakers at you and compels you in some alien language to dance like a total loon. Gessafelstein has been slowly building a reputation around his refreshing and original approach to pounding techno music, and recently he's received lots of attention from big name djs all across the spectrum and rightfully so. Turn your speakers up to full volume and blast this song to understand why. [Beatport Release]
Gesaffelstein - Hatred (Original Mix)



On the more mainstream club side of things, the new Afrojack and David Guetta track, Sweat, is a total bomb and it shows a return to form for Guetta, who at one point before becoming the face for mainstream cheesy sounding house music was actually a moderately respectable forward thinking producer who, among other things, helped pioneer and push the dutch sound behind the scenes that would later go on to  achieve widespread fame through artists like Afrojack and Chuckie. 'Sweat' features an almost irresistible panty-dropping vocal sample and a perfectly executed combination of big room progressive house with dutch-flavored pulsing beats that make it perfect for the sole purpose of demolishing huge crowds. Possible summer anthem? I think so. [Beatport Release]
David Guetta & Snoop Dogg - Sweat (Afrojack & David Guetta Dub Mix)



DJ Mehdi cranks the funk up to 11 on this remix of The Krays (a collaboration between Brodinski and Yusek).  It's been stuck on repeat on my ipod for days recently, probably because it's the perfect compliment to the sun soaked days and bodacious babes that are becoming increasingly common as we delve further into  the summer months (I'm sorry, for some reason I felt compelled to quote Spicoli right there). Can you say jaaaammmmm? [Beatport Release]
The Krays feat. Ebony Bones - We're Ready When You Are (DJ Mehdi Remix)



Even a couple years after its release, Lemonade by Boys Noize & Erol Alkan is still one of my favorite tracks across any genre for the raw, creative, and authentic-feeling energy that seems to burst through every facet of the song. There have been few to no attempts to remix it, probably because the original is so flawless in and of itself. With that said, my good friend slash producer extraordinaire, Ekstra, has managed to take Lemonade to a new echelon of energy and power that I'm sure even Boys Noize himself would find impressive. He keeps all of the elements intact that make the original so loveable and awesome, while managing at the same time to give the track a fresh feel, one that's techier and harder hitting than the original. Ever since he sent me a copy, this track has been a staple in my dj sets for its pure energy and awesome reglossing of a classic. Grab it below and see why I think Ekstra is one of the most underrated producers out there right now. Mark my words, this kids gonna blow up.
Boys Noize & Erol Alkan - Lemonade (Ekstra Remix)



We've been pouring a lot of love on British producer Lone recently, but not without good reason. The dude has been churning out musically gorgeous and unique house at a prolific and impressive pace. This new remix of the Chilly Gonzales track Knight Moves is a serene, elegant song that sews together a beautiful acoustic piano melody with tribal drums, a reoccurring sample that seems to be birds chirping in a tropical jungle, and various ambient synths to form a truly stunning piece of music. It's a further exploration and reaffirmation of the sound that Lone continues to pioneer on his own, and a perfect example of why he might be one of the most forward thinking producers around at the moment. [Beatport Release]
Gonzales - Knight Moves (Lone remix)



Last, but most certainly not least, comes a track that I first heard amidst an excellent dj set by detroit wunderkid/enigma Seth Troxler, and later found out its name when Brodinski put it on his facebook page declaring it one of his favorite tracks. If support from artists as different and equally awesome as Troxler and Brodinski hasn't convinced you yet, consider that Resident Advisor declared it "a song so damn catchy it obliterates any questions about where it came from, who it might be for and why those things might matter." Forward Motion by Hot Natured is a true house track that is pure goodness any way you slice it. Check it below, but if it ends up stuck in your head for the next week don't say I didn't tell you so.
Hot Natured - Forward Motion (Original Mix)



BONUS DUTCH HOUSE:
Calvin Harris - Bounce (R3HAB Remix)



Bingo Players - Cry (Just A Little) (Kids At The Bar Bootleg Remix)



Stay Classy,
Augustus

Catching Z's

As mentioned on our facebook page and twitter, we're looking for talented graphic designers to join the Bright & Shiny team and help us out with our next project. If you or someone you know would be interested or would like to know more, shoot us an e-mail at admin@brightshinymusic.com. And now for the music.

Turbo Recordings ZZAfrika Remix compilation drops digitally in two days. Featuring remixes from the likes of Lightyear, Tomas Andersson, Crowdpleaser, and many more, you're not going to want to miss it. The leaked Gesaffelstein remix seems to be getting the most attention, with Busy P already calling it the remix of the year. I've got Julio Bashmore's re-work today as well: a much more melodic, down-tempo lick to lounge to.

ZZT - ZZAfrika (Gesaffelstein Remix)

ZZT - ZZAfrika (Julio Bashmore Remix)

Now, it seems to me it's been a bit too long since we've posted some quality disco-inspired funk. I hope to fix that problem with the next couple of songs, starting off with a classic french house sounding remix from Broke One.

Funkabit - Blue Moon (Broke One Remix)

Digitalfoxglove (DFG) first came to my attention with his slick remix of Louis La Roche's "My Turn". As mentioned in his bio, he's very much into those more mysterious, dreamy, and melodic sounds, something that is evident with "Someone Else". The track grips you right from the beginning with a steadily building intro and continues to hold on with an intricate blend of 80's style synths and vocal effects.

Digitalfoxglove - Someone Else

Aeroplane dropped this number from Rex the Dog when Patrick and I saw him on Wednesday to great effect. With those captivating chord progressions, it's easy to see (*hear) why. Speaking of Aeroplane, we had the fortune of catching up with Vito after the concert for an interview, so be on the lookout for that very soon!

Aeroplane - My Enemy (Rex the Dog Remix)

Broke One's Stop Making Sense EP dropped pretty recently, featuring his original "Go Go Go" along with a slew of remixes from house heavy hitters like Treasure Fingers and Evil Nine, whose re-workings I have below. They're both highly enjoyable, though I'm partial to Evil Nine's quirkier interpretation. Check out the full release on beatport here.

Broke One - Go Go Go (Treasure Fingers Remix)

Broke One - Go Go Go (Evil Nine Remix)

Bonus Trax:

Neoteric, Wax Motif - Go Deep (Extended Mix)

(Thanks to Jeremy Abbott for the heads up on this one)

Fenech Soler - Demons (The Giraffe the Pelly and Us remix) Vocal edit by giraffepellyus

-PK

Megapost - Stairs

(think about this)

The good people over at RiotMaker Records were cool enough to send us this bad ass Fare Soldi remix the other day. We posted a streaming-only version of this song a while back, but here's the whole sh'bang. Fare Soldi continue to impress us with the versatility of their production skills; in contrast to their typical disco-fueled stlye, this track feels like straight badass electro with a fat bassline and vicious synths reminiscent of some earlier Boys Noize (a compliment of the highest order).
Herr Style - Jack (Fare Soldi Jackette Remix)


If you don't know about Dillon Francis yet, consider yourself warned. Recently signed to Mad Decent, mr Francis has a fresh style that seamlessly blends bass heavy, but still melodic, electro with slurred down, almost hip-hop beats. I'm not surprised this kid caught Diplo's eye. This particular track is a perfect representation of the style Francis continues to establish as his own.
DWNTWN - Transition (Dillon Francis Remix)


I'm too big of a Soulwax fan not to post this next one. LA Riots take a classic off of Nite Versions and give it a slick dancefloor polishing here.
Soulwax - Miserable Girl (LA Riots Simple Edit)


Highbloo has been on my radar ever since Brodinski included My Sitar in his monstrous set at this year's HARD Haunted Mansion. Time To Change Part 2 has been getting a lot of attention on the blogosphere, so here's Part 1. It's a relentless electro tune centered around an almost baroque-esque fugal synth line. I could see this one being worked into a darker themed dj set to devastating effect.
Highbloo - Time To Change Part 1 (Original Mix)


Produced by Simian Mobile Disco, the combination of Beth Ditto's silky vocals with precisely orchestrated drums and a funky bassline make this one an absolute winner.
Beth Ditto - Goodnight Good Morning (Original Mix)


Beyond relaxing, this one feels like soothing drops of gold being poured over your soul. Tim Fuchs has crafted a piece of absolute beauty here. Play this one if you're ever feeling stressed out.
Miami Horror - I Look To You (Tim Fuchs Make Out Remix)


Another piece of relaxing minimalism here. This one's a calming deep house track that achieves the exact ambience of the song title (something seen far too scarcely in electronic music).
J. Philip , Julio Bashmore - Midnight At The Aquarium (Original Mix)


The remix release of Cassius' I <3 U SO EP came out the other day, and it's stocked from top to bottom with really quality remixes. We already mentioned the awesome effort by L-VIS 1990 & The Neon Dreams on our comically underfollowed twitter, so I'll mention two others here. The Gessafelstein effort is a techy, bizarre, Siriusmo-esque piece of electro that'll suck you into some form of hypnosis if you listen to it for long enough. The Bowski remix is similarly deep, featuring a meticulous build and subtle yet huge percussion.
Cassius - Les Enfants (Gessafelstein Remix)


Cassius - I <3 U SO (Bowski 2AM Remix)


More Deep/Tech House here (don't worry, I promise after this song we'll pick up the energy big time). Chris Lake and Marco Lys have been doing some serious damage recently between their edit of Hey and this track. Thumping, irresistible grooves here. More big things to come from these two? I certainly hope so.
Mind Electric, Max'C, Denmark & Manna - Wild Out (Chris Lake & Marco Lys Remix)


I grabbed this one from our homeboys/fellow Washingtonians over at Vacay Wave. Cyberpunkers live up to their high energy electro reputation here with a simply ferocious remix. Blast this one when you need to wake up in the morning.
Cerebral Vortex - Fly By Night (Cyberpunkers Remix)


Another vitamin, this one reminds me a lot of what Pretty Lights might sound like if his productions were jacked up big time in BPM. The first drop on this one should have you jumping around like a mildly retarded baboon.
Cassette Culture - We Once Had An Empire (Jungle Fiction Remix)


Avicii has managed to hijack the classic by Eurhythmics and proclaim it as his own, and then release an EP with 3 versions that sound virtually identical. If that doesn't mean he's on top of the game right now, then I don't know what does. Nonetheless, bump this one like it's 1995.
Avicii - Sweet Dreams (Avicii's Sweeder Dreams Remix)


I was looking through some older tracks in my Itunes recently when I stumbled across this one. Classic Spencer & Hill here: a perfect blend of airy progressiveness and stomping electro-house.
Dave Darell - Freeloader (Spencer & Hill Remix)


A close friend of mine named Matt once wisely explained to me that the true power of dubstep lies in the sharp contrast between lightness and darkness that it can often provide. The hyper-polarization of themes, often played out between a beautiful woman's voice and dark, floor-crunching basslines, can, when done correctly, present a spectrum of emotion seldom seen elsewhere in music today. This Bassnectar remix is a perfect example of that.
Ellie Goulding - Lights (Bassnectar Remix)


His Majesty Andre has been tearing it up recently, and his recently released Battle of The Spurs EP is an energy packed french house showcase that keeps up the intensity from start to finish. BBQ Sauce, starting with the name, is a track that makes no pretensions about being serious in any way shape or form. It's a fun filled french house track that shows why Andre is definitely one of the names to watch in 2011.
His Majesty Andre - BBQ Sauce (Original Mix)


Released today, this one is typical Angger Dimas between the huge progressive synth lines and crazy electro breakdowns. For some reason I never feel like his tracks are mastered properly though...
Kaskade - All You (Angger Dimas Remix)

 Last but most certainly not least, we posted a radio rip of this track a couple weeks ago before it was released. Here's the original in all it's 320 glory.. (buy it here)

Tiesto & Hardwell - Zero 76 (Original Mix)

 Stay Classy,
Augustus

(ps we're using a new file hosting site, so let us know if there are problems with any of the songs)