Some of our favorite songs to come out recently, in case you missed them.
Been waiting for this one to get released in full quality for a while now, and thankfully it's finally here. This remix is typical Gesaffelstein: brash, strange, and simply bangin'. (it's also lightyears better than the Duck Sauce original).
Download: Duck Sauce - Big Bad Wolf (Gesaffelstein Remix)
More Gesaffelstein for your ears. Some Halloween music if I've ever heard any. Off his recent Variations EP released on Turbo Recordings.
Download: Gesaffelstein - A Lost Era (Original Mix)
Dillon Francis' new IDGAFOS Ep is a perfect example of the sound that's made him so popular recently: varying between sweet, catchy melodies and pounding dance-inducing bass. Awesome.
Download: Dillon Francis - I.D.G.A.F.O.S. (Original Mix)
This little video is a lot of fun if you haven't already seen it:
We got sent this AutoErotique remix of our favorite Australian twins, Nervo, in the mail a week or two ago and I must say, it's quite large. You guys already know how we feel about AutoErotique: they really pack a punch. Nervo, on the other hand, are bringing their dj skills around the globe presently and touring a number of the world's best clubs from Vegas to the UK. We saw them open for Chuckie a while back, and they're fully Bright & Shiny approved. These girls are as skilled behind the decks as they are beautiful (read: extremely), so make sure you get a chance to see them if they stop by your town. Head HERE to check out their tour dates and see if they're playing near you.
Download: Nervo - We're All No One (AutoErotique Remix)
Speaking of Chuckie, our favorite party starter from the Netherlands has taken Calvin Harris' latest single and given it a big room makeover . Not so heavy on the bonkers dirty dutch influence here, but still plenty to love. Is this a sign of a new direction for Chuckie?
Download: Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris - We Found Love (Chuckie Extended Mix)
Now that we're in the middle of the summer, I've noticed a strange phenomenon taking place. The more pool parties I go to and long days at the beach that I spend (with subsequently longer nights) the more and more addicted I find myself getting to the big room, hands-in-the-air house sounds of artists like Avicii and Swedish House Mafia. Everyone's already heard every song by either of those a million times though, so today I'm gonna focus on a couple newer, lesser known jams that still fall into that same category. All of these songs are selected to be the soundtrack for any summer situation, be that a sun soaked pool party during the day, the depths of a bumpin' dancefloor in the middle of the night, or some sort of festival setting like the picture above. Enjoy.
We're a little late on this one, but you know what they say right, better late than never? Anyway, this track 'XOXO' is a ridiculously massive BOMB from Russian house group Swanky Tunes. Listen to the drop at the 1 minute mark to see what I mean. This is straight up the catchiest song I've heard in a long while. Show the group some love and grab it off beatport HERE. Swanky Tunes - XOXO (Original Mix)
Every part of this song just shouts 'fun in the sun' to me. The vocals from CSS are so darn catchy, add that up with the magical stylings of Californian producer Dillon Francis and you have yourself a summer anthem. Keep your eyes out for the official release sometime this week. CSS - Hits Me Like A Rock (Dillon Francis Remix)
It should be no surprise to anyone that Laidback Luke absolutely crushes this remix.. So I'm going to take this opportunity to talk about the artist behind the original, GTA. They're a duo based out of Miami who are relatively new and completely unheard of, but mark our words within a year or two they'll be one of the biggest names in house. Everything they've done so far is completely massive, I was talking to Sir Real one time and he even went so far as to say they're gonna be the next Swedish House Mafia. I honestly wouldn't be that surprised, have a look at their soundcloud here to see why: http://soundcloud.com/wearegta. Check the release for this remix on beatport here too GTA - U & I feat. Zashanell (Laidback Luke Remix)
This mashup manages to take the new Britney Spears single and transform it into something that's not only listenable, but actually ridiculously catchy and huge. I know it's hard to believe, but have a listen for yourself below: Britney Spears - Till The World Ends (DJ Dan Liu 'Troucid' Mashup)
I know this track is waaaay old and most of you already have it. But recently I've sort of rediscovered it and completely fallen in love with it all over again. Why doesn't deadmau5 make music like this anymore?? We may never know. For those of you who don't have it already, grab it below before you do anything else, this is a straight up classic.. Medina - You & I (Deadmau5 Remix)
These last three are more on the downtempo side, perfect for lounging around by the pool or straight relaxing wherever you may be..
Newly formed, Washington DC based group Volta Bureau have come up with a chunk of pure auditory gold on this track. No joke, I've listened to it like 10 times today already. Summer vibes if I've ever heard them. For everything you'd ever want to know about the group, check this article (definitely recommend reading it, it's quite interesting): The Washington Post on Volta Bureau Volta Bureau - Love Cubed
We posted a Fred Falke remix of this track a little while ago that was pretty great. This is probably one of the few instances in the world though where someone else's remix actually manages to top the Falke effort. Newcomer producer out of LA, Baby Monster (funny ass name..) completely takes this track to a new echelon. See for yo' self below Wolf Gang - The King And All Of His Men (Baby Monster Remix)
On a different note, I wanted to quickly let you all know about a really cool website/company that one of my good friends is working for and helping to develop. It's called Findthebest.com and basically it helps you compare the prices and qualities of different things so you can find the best one. You might be asking yourself, "Augustus, what does this have to do with me?" Well, if you're in the market for any number of music related things this site is really great for helping you find the right stuff. For instance if you're trying to become a producer but aren't exactly sure which music software to get, you could use the service to compare the best music editing softwares (click the link to check it out). Or if you're in need of good headphones (this is aimed at all of you out there who have been listening to today's post out of your laptop speakers, shame on you) you could go there to find the Best Headphones. Have a look, I promise you'll find it helpful.
Last but not least this one is for all of the Radiohead fans out there. Radiohead will always have a special place in my heart because they were one of the first bands that really pushed me to be embrace music off the beaten path and often electronically inspired, which probably ultimately led to me being able to love house music so much. Genius producer Gigamesh takes the classic 'Everything In Its Right Place' and subtly twists it into a total dancefloor beast. Listen to it from the very beginning, the first drop is soooo satisfying. Radiohead - Everything In Its Right Place (Gigamesh / DiscoTech Remix)
I won't waste your time with a lot of words. I'm on spring break and I'm stoked. There's been a crazy amount of good music coming out recently, and every one of these songs is absolutely dirty. You're welcome.
We'll start things out at a bit of a slower pace here. This Kaskade remix of J Boogie's Dub Science doesn't sound like the typical big room progressive Kaskade you're probably used to hearing. It's more like a hearkening back to his roots with the San Francisco based lounge-house label Om Records, where he used to make some seriously chilled out tunes. This sexy downtempo effort is reminiscent of that older stuff, except for it's more refined and shows hes clearly still growing as an artist almost 15 years later. Bump this one drinking mojitos poolside. J Boogie's Dub Science - Raining (Kaskade Remix)
Sticky K's long awaited Prince of Persia EP came out on itunes the other day, with the full release on beatport set for march 22nd, and it's absolutely MASSIVE. This sounds like what would be played at some futuristic desert rave outside the pyramids in egypt or something. Check out the 192 below, but be sure to grab the high quality on Itunes now or beatport next week. Also, be on the lookout for our interview with the Californian youngster himself coming later this week. Sticky K - Prince of Persia (Original Mix)
I just stumbled across this progressive BOMB by 24 year old Norwegian Funkin Matt today and its a huge high energy beast that's been featured in sets by everyone from Laidback Luke to Bart B More recently. Be sure to grab the release on matt's own label Fjordin. Don't miss out on this one. Funkin Matt - Anywhere (Original Mix)
Off of the Miami Noize 2 compilation, which came out earlier this month on Boys Noize Records, this Strip Steve original is a maddeningly catchy house stomper. The song is centered around an awesome jumbled up synth/piano-stab melody that pulses along with an upbeat, relentless sense of purpose (i.e. makes you want to dance). Be sure to grab the Miami Noize compilation off beatport, as it's stacked from top to bottom with some really quality tracks. Strip Steve - The Freaks (Original Mix)
The new Dillon Francis Westside EP, out now on Mad Decent, is completely outrageous. It features a blend of tribal-sounding dancehall music that sounds reminiscent of Portugal's J-Wow in a lot of ways and demonstrates that Francis is definitely one of the most talented young artists emerging on the scene right now. Check out two of the tracks below, but be sure to grab the whole EP since it's full of a bunch of other awesome tracks including a good moombahton collaboration with DC's own Dave Nada. Diplo & Dillon Francis - Que Que feat Maluca (Original Mix)
This comes off of Brodinski's Best of Everything vol 2 unofficial compilation, which was a project where he asked his various favorite producers to remix random rap/r&b songs. Djedjotronic completely kills it here, twisting this Young Money track around and making it into a crazily funky and futuristic hip-hop jam. Young Money - Bedrock (Djedjotronic Remix)
Steve Aoki really impresses on this new Klaxons remix, showing that he's equally adept at making beautiful melody-driven house as he is at pumping out crazy party anthems or running his label Dim Mak. Speaking of which, if you're in Miami during Ultra be sure to check out the Dim Mak afterparty on friday, the lineup is stacked, we'll definitely be making an appearance. Klaxons - Echoes (Steve Aoki Remix)
This new rework by Erol Alkan is completely gorgeous and shows why he's considered one of the most respected producers in the game, cause this is hardly the average hard-hitting house he's normally affiliated with. This and the MGMT rework he did a while ago are two of my favorite pieces by him, maybe this is signalling a new, more acoustic direction for him? Either way, this one is awesome. Connan Mockasin - Forever Dolphin Love (Erol Alkan Rework)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
A-Trak may be a DJ of legendary stature, but the man rarely puts out original productions in either of his spheres of influence: hip-hop and electro/house. This, however, is one of those rare and fortunate occurrences. The beat is super dope with some clear electro production tricks as inspiration, and the raps are fire, courtesy of CyHi Da Prince who recently signed to Kanye West's label, G.O.O.D. Music. A-Trak - Ray Ban Vision ft. CyHi Da Prince
BONUS!! This is a track produced by Bright & Shiny longtime friend and collaborator Adam Boulesbaa with MF Doom vocals are laid over top to deter all you punk-ass, biters out there. Adam may or may not have a track coming out with CyHi (for those of you in the hip-hop game, you know how it is...) so we'll be sure to keep you updated. MF Doom - Vomit (Adam Boulesbaa Remix)
The Squatters made their first impression on the Bright & Shiny crew with their track "Monster" and boy, was it a strong one. The diversity of sound and simultaneous quality of the Squatters' productions is astounding, and they're still on the up and up. This track is a kind of goofy, electro blast of fun. And for our UK readers: they're on tour! The Squatters - Fluffer (No Organ Original Mix)
I knew Tinie Tempah had talent from his collaboration with Swedish House Mafia, but I must admit my general knowledge of the Tempah was straight lacking. This guy is accessible, flows like a motherfucker, and knows exactly what beats he sounds good over. If this track ever makes it to the US mainstream it will become an anthem. Mark my words. It's got all the necessary ingredients: swagger on swagger, "The Hills" references, and a hook about everyone's favorite activity, drinking. Oh and I forgot to mention, the beat fuckin' knocks, play it loud. Thanks to Abboud's french ass for showing me this gem. Tinie Tempah - Pass Out
the Clubhaus
Dillon Francis, GDD crew member and Masta Blasta extraordinaire, burst onto the scene earlier this year and made a name for making absolutely filthy dubstep. We're talking positively disgusting. But you all know that dubstep just isn't for us here at Bright & Shiny, although we recognize and appreciate it. Recently, Francis has made a few electro tracks in which he favors an afro-latin beat instead of his go-to dubstep studder, and they've all been absolute cash. Check out his reinterpretation of own his track with DJ Ammo, "Westside." I can just imagine dropping this track in a set at a slightly higher bpm to absolutely devastating effect. Dillon Francis & DJ Ammo - Westside (Dillon Francis Moombahton Edit)
Zedd is making some moves and they're aimed at the throne of frenetic electro/house king, Wolfgang Gartner. Freaky, pounding progressive beats beneath sing-a-along vocals make this track a great success. Be sure to pick up the original mix on beatport. Dan Thomas, Mad - This Year (Zedd Remix)
Also, be sure to look out for my upcoming review of Jamaica and the Bloody Beetroots - Death Crew 77 in 4 days!
