Now here’s somebody to keep your eyes on. Jonathan Kane, who goes by Shreddie Mercury, is a relatively unknown persona right now, but he is destined for big things with production quality like this. While I have been watching him for a little while, his debut release, titled “Balla Deen,” came out on Beatport yesterday, and the track gets me very excited to hear more from Shreddie in the future. Styled in the 8-bit electro house that is becoming popular these days, Shreddie makes excellent use of multiple elements to create powerful builds and breakdowns. Starting with a baseline that is both crunchy and soft at the same time as the backbone of the track, Shreddie continuously builds until the final drop that brings it all together. Buy the track now on Beatport and watch for more tracks from Shreddie on SoundCloud.
We’ve assembled a couple tracks that don’t fit into any specific genre but have serious groove and will probably be some of the weirder tracks in your playlist.
Modeselektor – German Clap
I can vouch for the fact that this track captivated the entire Mojave tent at Coachella last weekend. Check out their visuals in the video below and you can see why.
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Now here’s something that’s really out there. Bobby Tank, who describes himself as a “maximalist,” will be releasing a 4-track EP under MofoHifi Records, and the titular song of the EP, “Afterburn,” is a fresh track unlike anything out there right now. Drawing from a wide variety of influences including dubstep, glitch hop, funk, and 80′s boogie, “Afterburn” blends an eclectic mix of samples, whimsical synths, and deep bass lines to create a unique style. In the meantime, you can score a slowed down but similar styled song from the EP titled “Circles” on SoundCloud for free.
I stumbled upon this great little track recently and thought I had to share it. VanGuard, an up coming nu disco/funk house duo from Cardiff, Britain, produced the track, titled “Loving Someone Else.” The song itself is an upbeat nu disco piece with a small electro funkness to it, featuring a lighthearted and twisty melody with catchy vocals to make an infectious dance floor killer. You can buy the track now on Beatport and hear more tracks from VanGuard on their Soundcloud.
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Unfortunately, finals week really hits my music collecting time hard, hence the long break between posts. Thankfully I’ve now had some time to relax and catch up on some good tunes the last couple of days. It’s been raining nonstop since I’ve been on break, and for rainy days I love chilling out to some groovy tech beats. These are a few tracks I’ve grabbed in the last couple days that really hit the spot.
Hector Couto & Cuartero teamed up to create “Juke Box,” a track blending a warm bass line with an excellent saxophone riff. I’ve always been a sucker for saxophones and trumpets in house songs, and this track nails it.
Lastly, we have Redondo’s remix of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know.” Despite the multitude of remixes for this song, I’ve felt like none of them really match the tone of the original that well. That was, until I found this gem. Redondo’s chill tech vibes really accentuate the vocals well, and the change up in the middle keeps it fresh.
Our friends over at Dynamics recently released a new track titled “Vienna” that I have been loving of late and I think more people need to hear. The San Francisco based duo, consisting of Avi Jhingan and Christian Lee, has been a rising presence in the Bay Area electronic music scene, opening for acts such as Dada Life, Designer Drugs, Treasure Fingers, Grum, and many more. Known for their upbeat productions and high energy sets, I expect them to continue to rise in fame for the long haul.
Taking a different direction from the group’s uplifting electro-house styled songs of the past, Vienna has a much funkier french house/nu-disco feel to it. The song has a sexiness that is infectious to listen to as the light french house synths effortlessly bounce off of the rolling bass line, using small breaks and changes in the beat to keep the song interesting throughout. I’m looking forward to hearing more tracks from these guys in the near future. The song can be downloaded for free off their Soundcloud so go and grab it asap.
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Rising bass music visionary Opiuo released his new EP “Butternut Slap” this past Thursday, and it does not disappoint. The release is the first part of three to be released in 2012, after which they will be combined to make a full length album. Opiuo, who classifies his music as “BROKEN FROG STOMPING FUNKADELIC HIPPO HOP MONKEY CRUNKS,” shows he’s ready to take 2012 by storm with this release, living up to his words with an eclectic mix of tracks that showcases his impressive production skills. I’ve chosen my two favorites of the EP to share here. “Bill Bro Baggins” is a monster of a track that is hard to describe, mixing many different musical elements and samples into a funky-break-glitch-hop work that you need to hear to understand. “Devil In The Dark (Opiuo Remix)” is a deeper break-beat track, combining the vocals of The Nomad with gurgling basslines and synths to create a much more atmospheric track. You can pick up the full EP at Beatport and Additech Records.
New release by TJR last week, titled “Funky Vodka,” and it’s one that’s sure to get your dance groove going. Featuring a funky, rolling bassline and samples from Toots & The Maytals, this track captures some of that old-school house groove. One shot of this song and you can’t help but bob your head along to the beat. Released on Chris Lake’s label Rising Digital Records, the track can be picked up now on Beatport.
We had to post this classic downtempo jam from a true pioneer in the San Francisco house scene, Mark Farina. Its one of our favorite songs. If you’ve never checked out his Mushroom Jazz compilations on OM Records your in for a treat!
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Holy Ravioli! Get ready for something fresh! Curt Cameruci and Josh Young are the master minds behind the booty-shaking, underground sound of Flosstradamus! DJs-first and producers second, the Chicago based duo are known for being high-octane in energy and never ending in creativity. The variety of genres (rap, hip-hop, Chicago “Juke”, electronic, etc.) presented in their productions make it hard to put them in a specific category. So, to sum it all up, it’s safe to say that they’ll make you dance! While Flosstradamus have taken significant strides in their musical career, a big milestone would be their signing to A-trak‘s very own, Fools Gold Records (which fits to their style PERFECTLY). Upon being signed, they have released a phat EP, Jubiliation (available on Beatport), as well as begun work for their first, full-length album. From the one time I was lucky enough to catch them live, the experience was like a soul cleansing, rebirth. Nothing like I had ever heard; I was floored. Flosstradamus strays from the commercial electronic movement and stays true to their music, performance, and being real ass mawfuckas! Now get a flavor and be reborn!
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Now here’s somebody to keep your eyes on. Jonathan Kane, who goes by Shreddie Mercury, is a relatively unknown persona right now, but he is destined for big things with production quality like this. While I have been watching him for a little while, his debut release, titled “Balla Deen,” came out on Beatport yesterday, and the track gets me very excited to hear more from Shreddie in the future. Styled in the 8-bit electro house that is becoming popular these days, Shreddie makes excellent use of multiple elements to create powerful builds and breakdowns. Starting with a baseline that is both crunchy and soft at the same time as the backbone of the track, Shreddie continuously builds until the final drop that brings it all together. Buy the track now on Beatport and watch for more tracks from Shreddie on SoundCloud.
