It’s hard for me to like a cover or remix to a song I’ve been loving & listening to for years. But sometimes ya gotta give it a chance and it just might blow you away.
New Navy’s cover of ‘Breathe,’ originally by Télépopmusik, didn’t hook me from the start, but each listen has warmed me up more than the last. I was skeptical at first of the indie-pop persona it took ‘Breathe’ into, but now after the first drop (:34), I’m hooked.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/53334845" iframe="false" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" width="60%"]This two-piece, electro-remix EP bounces glitch heavy, but it’s not until the second remix, ‘Twitch,’ where KrossBow does just about everything right. ‘Twitch’ borrows vocals from Jay-Z’s ‘Public Service Announcement,’ but unlike most, chops ’em up just right. A good something for all you glitch fans.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/53244765" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" width="60%"]Earlier this month the timelessness of Girl Talk’s appeal was again reinforced by Houston’s OG Ron C who delivered a ridiculous chopped and screwed version of 2010’s All Day with his Purple All Day reinterpretation. For fans of the original, Purple is a must listen. But perhaps more satisfying than its syrupy sounds might be its call for fans to rediscover other works which have utilized the source in creating something unique and exciting. My memories quickly led me to a variety of video mashups that have surfaced in the 20 or so months that have passed since All Day‘s release (BDLFilms’ is rather fantastic), but the derivative project that remains a standout is the performance art piece developed by director Jacob Krupnick titled Girl Walk // All Day.
The story of how the 70+minute film was developed revolves around its position as another of Kickstarter’s many success-stories, but in brief it happened like this: In the span of about five months beginning in December 2010, the full-length feature project was conceived and the $4800 needed to produce it was fully funded (the online support following the release of a demo trailer was massive, eventually bringing in nearly $25k). The entire production was filmed and produced in the following seven months before the first chapter was released via Gothamist, with new installments coming quickly before the complete film eventually screened in its entirety at such events such as Bonnaroo, SXSW, and the Munich Film Festival […]
[audio:Oh-No-Chop.mp3|titles=Oh No (ChopNotSlop)]Moon Boots is only of a handful of disco producers who are pushing this movement mainstream, but he needs to up his original works if he plans to make a real impact. It’s not that I’m not completely smitten (yep, smitten) by his fabolous disco remixes, they’re actually some of his best work – but once you’re a legit producer such as this, it’s your obligation to dig up the very best singers of today. Alright, I think I’ve made my point, on to more positive things…
Moon Boots’ ‘Sugar’ is so.damn.good no.goddamn.title could justify it, but ‘Sugar’ is fine enough. Taking vocals from Janet Jackson’s ‘If,’ you really catch how similar her voice is to Michael’s, not just in sound but in style as well. This may just be another awesome disco remix, but that’s what Moon Boots does best (for now).
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/54088741" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" width="60%"]This first time I caught wind of K Theory’s Welcome to K Theory was on SoundCloud and I pretty much passed right over it. See, the problem with SoundCloud is I get inundated with new tracks regularly, so when I see an album release, I listen to one track and move right on. SoundCloud also doesn’t organize the multiple uploads very effectively, though I’m guessing the NEXT SoundCloud will improve on it. Thankfully, however, the good ol’ guys at The Untz highlighted one of the best tracks for me, resulting in my indulgence with the rest of the album.
Welcome to K Theory sports six breakbeat tracks that are beside the best. Wolfgang Gartner is actually who came to mind first, one of my favorites, even though he’s all over the map, style wise. The electro bass is clipped clean with a hip-hop mantra that reminded me of PL, as well. Unfortunately, not all the tracks carried the same weight, but they usually never do.
Check out my two favorites, ‘Warrior’ for it’s south-western swang and The Untz inspirer, ‘Magic City.’ Oh, and ‘Midnight Girl’ for its electro HIGHlights. Then move on to the rest, they’re well worth a one time run through.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/53252152" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" width="60%"]I found these three a week or so back and planned on featuring them separately. While deciding which one to feature first, I thought why not just throw ’em all up at the same time. But like I always do when finding three or so songs with the same theme, I started to stir up ideas on how to make it into a grand post… except this time I thought, fuuuuck that.
My back and neck are Killin’ and I’m not really up for spending hours researching the best dozen or so, so I’m gonna let these three standalone. Anyways, I think they’re best together by themselves, it just feels meant to be.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/44967136" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" width="60%"]The Indian dialect is one of the very few outside the US that I actually enjoy listening to musically. I guess it comes down to the beat and how they flow to it that gives ’em their charm.
In Bobby C Sound TV’s latest, ‘Yogi Fire’ has that Indian-style finesse with the ghetto bass Bobby C helped make so popular, at least on here. And although the vocals on the track may remind me too much of the Bollywood stereotyped song & dance, once that bass kicks in, all things go good!
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/52689920" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" width="60%"]Most of the time I’m spouting off about a track’s vocals and declaring that 99% of producers can’t pull it off without ’em. Well, Madeaux is of that very few that can, and even though there is a bit of chorus transcendence in ‘Circe,’ the beat could sure as hell carry itself alone. I also gotta point out my appreciation for the change up in style Madeaux put on here. Going for a midtempo, kick bass heavy beat, ‘Circe’ is a slight enough shift in style to keep Madeaux fresh. + I love the slight touch of brass.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/52862662" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" width="60%"]Late Nite Tuff Guy’s smooth soul reinterpretation of the Jackson 5’s ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’ starts off with a slow buildup seen in so many downtempo tracks. But unlike most, this buildup doesn’t stretch out too long and brings in MJ’s vocals at times quite nice. Things start to pick up around two minutes in, but it really gets good at just after the three minute mark. What’s really nice about this is to hear Michael Jackson’s voice at a more youthful time. I sometimes forget how different his younger year’s voice brings out a whole different set of emotions along with it.
I should point out that LNTG retitled this remix ‘Don’t Wanna Let U Go [LNTG Interpretation]’ without any reference to Jackson 5 in his SoundCloud. I believe this is so it doesn’t get taken down by those pesky copyright bots scouring SoundCloud to fuck over the remix community.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/52696858" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" width="60%"]Funk Ferret is known ’round these parts for his dirty bass ghetto funk and his new edit for Sisi’s ‘Stay’ does not disappoint. FF does lay off the dirty bass a lil’ and goes for more of a brass funkiness. All & all, it’s just nice to hear from this dude again, it’s been too long.
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