Ill-esha’s remix of The Morning by The Weeknd captures the smooth sexiness of the vocals and adds a downtempo, soulful beat. I especially enjoy the electronic synths that fayde in and out giving the song that airy feel. And her bassline for the chorus is amazing! In the hands of many other dubstep producers, The Weekend’s soft vocal would be drowned out by the dubstep wobbles, but Ill-esha puts her own sounds in harmony with the vocals [...]
Appo has redone this classic to a newage/downtempo vibe. It’s a fresh take that’s perfect for a nice warm/sunny day. My only criticism is its long intro, lasting for just around four minutes. However, the beat is still a chill & relaxing set up for Bread’s beautiful vocals.
Also had to point out how much it reminds me of something DJ Frane would sample. Make it about 5x trippier and it could (puff puff) pass.
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When I first started obsessing about Pretty Lights earlier this year, I went and downloaded anything I could of his. One thing I forgot to do was actually listen to them all. Fortunately, I’m becoming more organized (in one way).
What I unearthed was a 5-track EP titled Electro City that Derek Vincent Smith (Pretty Lights), apparently, never released. The version I found were unnamed tracks, but I did a little digging around and found what their names were (well, 4/5 so far).
The first track I present to you is “Better Than I’ve Ever Been” featuring Kanye West & what sounds like Prince. Make sure to check back in, they just keep getting better from here. Start preparing for the New Year :)
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I don’t know why, but recently I’ve been finding a good amount of music to make love to – maybe I’ll compile it all for y’all sometime.
The most recent of these baby makin’ songs is “Velocity of Love” by D-Pulse. What makes it so damn sensual is that brass vibration – it sure leaves the heart wondering. I just wish it wasn’t so hard to find more shit like this.
Enjoy with a loved one.
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Just around this time last year I came across a DJ that would change my life forever! Alright, maybe I’m being a little dramatic, but it’s true. He was one of the main reasons I started this site. In fact, he was the first feature on it. This DJ I am referring to is none other than DJ Frane. Unlike most artists I’ve come across, when I started listening to Frane I couldn’t stop; each song after another was a rich & robust set of samples ranging from hip-hop to rock. I had heard of trip-hop before, but to me this is what defined the genre. After I was familiar with his music, I wondered when (or if) I would ever come across another DJ as gifted & prolific as him. Well, that day has come… I present to you: Derek Vincent Smith’s Pretty Lights…
Scanning over some blogs a friend of mine suggested, I discovered Pretty Lights on a clever & comically titled blog, Aurgasm. I was looking through the site’s hip-hop section when I came across this beaut. It was actually the first post of theirs that I listened to the samples they provided, and let’s just say I’m glad I did. Pretty Lights currently has three LP’s and one EP out, and I have listened to each album… twice! A lot of ‘em caught my ear, but only a handful really blew me away, though that number is growing on the daily.
The feature I decided to go with, “Solamente”, was actually not my first choice, but I have a reason for saving the best for later (not gonna explain myself, though). “Solamente” is a comforting dreamscape of a song with a nasty bassline. It, along with the rest of Pretty Light’s works, are freely available on their website, PrettyLightsMusic.com. Check it out, it’s a gorgeous site and there’s free music!
One other thing, if you really want to figure out my next posting of Pretty Light’s, i’ll give you two clues: it’s on the same album & features a beautiful, female R&B voice. If you post it in the comments section, i’ll give you mad props. Enjoy!
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I consider Bonobo a rare talent. Not only does he resonate such an affective sound, but he is consistent at it. With a lot of musicians I come across, their albums usually consist of a fair amount of good tracks, but a greater amount of mediocre, unmemorable ones. Reasons for this vary, but it usually has to do with the record labels attempt to hurry and/or manipulate the album for monetary reasons (I love to blame them). But I’m not here to criticize “big business”, I’m here to commend unrecognized talent (or what I consider to be), so let’s get to it…
Nightlite features Bajka who appears on four other tracks from Bonobo’s most recent album, Days to Come. I wouldn’t necessarily consider her a singer, nor a rapper, but possibly something in between. Whatever you call her, she’s a poet (maybe that’s what you call her) that can harmonize with Bonobo’s beat beautifully. Some of my favorite tracks on Days to Come include her vocals (this being one), and I’m sure I’ll feature a few others in the near future. As for Bonobo’s beat, it’s a cool, 8) downtempo night in Paris (or reminds me so). Wonder if it’s inspired by classic French music?
I also just downloaded Eyesdown off Bonobo’s website, which is the new single from his upcoming album, Black Sands. The expected release date for the album is March 29th of this year. Check it out if you’re into Bonobo’s sound; I’m guessing it’ll be something worthwhile (like everything else of his). Let’s just say it’s the most anticipated album (for me) in March. Well, actually Plastic Beach by Gorillaz is, so I guess it’s second.
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DJ Deckstream is a well established producer in Japan that has worked with several well-known emcees including Moka Only, Pep Love, Mos Def and Talib Kweli. His album, “Music Castle”, is a stretch from his usual upbeat, hip-hop style to a jazzy, chilled-out set of covers. The album covers such classics as Tom’s Diner, Just the Two of Us, Sweet Child o’ Mine and a few others from genres in classic rock to rap.
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With the release of his final installment in the “beats to blaze to” trilogy, Frane once again creates a beautiful masterpiece. Each track is a well-crafted composition that should definitely be blazed to!
Gravitational Communications: The journey begins with a downtempo intro, but really starts to shine with the second track, Gravitational Communications. The guitar rift is absolutely phenomenal in it! This, along with Visions of U, are the stand out tracks in the album.
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