Figgy always gets me in a mood, a relaxed one at that. His music is meant for the tropics and it’s the closest thing I got right now. ‘Do It Like Us’ not only has the sound, but keeps the vocals fresh — which is where most producers fall off.
We’re actually trying to put together a mix of these tropical electro songs. Figgy’s got a few, Goldroom & Viceroy a handful more. But we need your picks to make it a collection.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/150969276" iframe="false" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" /]We’d love to cover all good beats like ‘This Means War,’ but usually don’t. This song gives off a good sound, but lacks the variance and strong vocal presence we look for in most songs worth remembering. However, dat bass is something to talk about.
This is the best intro with a bass I’ve ever heard. It may not be the best track for the peak of the night, but it’s good one to start it off right. This song is set for any occasion worth an introduction. Definitely playing it for my first kid’s birth, though I don’t think I’ll have much say in the matter.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/137901920" iframe="false" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" /]Zhu’s Nightday is the first album to come out in 2014 that I’ve even liked. Most music I like these days are released as singles, which honestly work best for many artists, but it’s nice to get a hold of stuff like this when I can. Great albums are far more rare than great songs.
I’ve already featured Zhu’s Superfriends track off of Nightday and in it I hoped dearly he was a she (there was alotta mystery going around at the time). But now we’re pretty 100% he’s a man, especially while finding something interesting in our inbox.
While going through our email to find some info a PR guy sent out about Zhu — oh, and how do you people find my email? ******! — I found a gentleman named Steven Zhu hit me up about a few of his remixes almost three years back. Now most likely they’re not connected and I’m just becoming my own little gossip blog, but they do both claim to live in Los Angeles …Steven Zhu has taken down his YouTube & SoundCloud links and…
Never mind. Just found proof. Zhu’s first name is Steven. Hello, Steven :P
Deja vu.
… except Zhu does his own production.
Wave Racer layers his vaporwave classic with something new every time I hear it. With rap samples to Nintendo bits, ‘Streamers’ is as intricate as it gets and I can’t get pass this new electro sound from Japan. Even though technically Wave Racer is from Sydney. I just can’t imagine this sound originating from anywhere else.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/133188263" iframe="false" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" /]Odesza is going from the duo with a song that I love to the duo that I love. Even most good artists fall off after a few good hits, but Odesza is on their way to making the next stage in dance music. At least in my ears. But that’s more about their sound, lyrics is a different story.
I’m never one to pay too close attention to lyrics, I usually make up my own. And that’s exactly what I’ve done with Odesza’s latest, ‘Sun Models.’ Let me know what you think the chorus is singing and I’ll let you know what I made up, but my version is really just a well popularized phrase of three words. Odesza’s music, however, pictures it in a new light… even though they’re not even the right words.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/145961334" iframe="false" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" /]I don’t like throwin up previews, but someone won’t release their full ‘Instinct,’ so I’m gonna be all whiny about it. And I’m gonna praise Jade Blue on something I’m sure she like any female producer doesn’t really want to hear, but that’s what happens when you tease with previews!
I’ve gotta confession to make, I haven’t posted a female producer in a while. Ill-esha was probably our last. I know bloggers get too wrapped up in trivial things like this, but good female producers are rare. Good producers are rare.
And I wouldn’t be spoutin all this shit, let alone post it, if she wasn’t amazing. Just when I think Lxury is topping the best in the UK electronic scene, Jade Blue may be upping it one more. But we’ll have to see how the full version turns out first.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/106002744" iframe="false" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" /]So I’ve got a running playlist of what I want to talk about next on here and these three tracks were coincidentally placed one after the other on it. All of which subtly use “baby” beautifully. They’re all good individually, but better as our baby trio.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/143303784" iframe="false" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" /]I need to see this in a much more massive way. Whether it’s at a huge festival or on a movie that depicts it better, this one has bigger than ballroom potential. Luminaire doesn’t change it up much in his remix of GOLDSTAR, but a little bit in a lot of ways and really flips shit towards the end.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/142070198" iframe="false" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" /]The first comment that pops up on this song’s SoundCloud page is “deep.” I had my doubts at first, but Jade Blue & Frequency get pretty heavy with the textured bass.
Vocals sound like they’re coming from Disclosure’s infamous ‘White Noize,’ or more specific the one word lyric “lately.” Mind you, this rendition as well as Disclosure’s ring too well in my ear not to be from the same singer.
The world may never know (and I don’t want to).
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/138373718" iframe="false" params="player_type=tiny&font=Arial&color=292929" height="18" /]When I post a remix it’s usually because I’ve found the most impressive vocals in a sound more my style. In Lxury’s case though, this ‘Benediction’ remix is more about his sound than Ali Love’s borrowed vocals. Lxury’s take on London’s new style in house blended with Japan’s vaporwave sound is rich, bold & a nice step forward for EDM.
Make sure to check out Lxury’s collab with Disclosure as well – a top number in our favorite EDM of 2013.
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