NYC’s @AndyxSuzuki @AndTheMethod continues with diverse sophomore rock album “The Glass Hour”

andysuzukithemethod

ANDY SUZUKI & THE METHOD, The Glass Hour

After previewing two outstanding singles “Fight” and “I Need You More (The More You Leave)” in earlier blog posts, Andy Suzuki & The Method’s sophomore album The Glass Hour has arrived.  

You can generically label it a Rock album if you wish, but it’s a complimentary fusion of styles which lead through the guitar wizardry of John Mayer through the story-telling of Joshua Radin through softer R&B ballad tones of John Legend, and then inject some gospel flavour that Kirk Franklin fans would appreciate.  It’s all well-connected together through Andy Suzuki’s committed vocals and passionate guitar work, and Kozza Olatunji-Babumba’s drum and percussion work is totally on the same level.  

The album to me is at its best when it’s skewing R&B on “Shelter” and “Overtime” as well as the tight, danceable pop of “I Need You More”, likely the most radio-friendly song.  But then there’s the power and urgency of “Fight” and “Come Forward”, as well as the deep sentiment of “Mama Told Me”.  

All in all, The Glass Hour has a vibrancy and zeal for tantalizing your musical taste buds with variety plus, and it all works. You can hear it all in a show coming near you, so be sure to check out their website for tour dates.  Give The Glass Hour a listen below and then be sure to pick it up at any online digital store.

Those guys in @theDiscoFries have a soulful house banger for ya with “My World” featuring @imDeeRoze

THE DISCO FRIES featuring DEE ROZE, “My World”

Riding high with songs on their own Liftoff label like Eric Sharp’s “The Thirst” and following up pulsating songs for the nightlife like “Born Ready” and “Day By Day” are NYC duo Nick and Danny aka The Disco Fries with another original,  “My World”.  And like the latter, “My World” is another fierce banger, this time featuring a stunning male vocalist, Atlanta’s Dee Roze, whose voice has a lot of similarities at times to Ne-Yo.  Great production highlights that vocal when the music stops and a catchy drop immediately follows, allowing the song to percolate along and keep you grooving until the guys bring it down… just for a smattering… and the song wraps on a high.  “My World” is a contagious and soulful deep house track that’s bound to keep you busy in clubland.  Give it a listen at the link above.

“Heartbeat” by @Autografmusic gets a post-disco workout by @Cloudchord and @FrancisPreve

https://soundcloud.com/cloudchord/autograf

AUTOGRAF, “Heartbeat” (Cloudchord x Francis Preve remix) (free DL)

You never quite know what to expect when a new Cloudchord remix arrives, and this time he’s paired up with fellow Austin denizen Francis Preve, the noted wizard of synths and sounds as well as remixer of songs by Dragonette and Sander Kleinenberg, for a retooling of “Heartbeat” by Chicago trio Autograf.  In the best of worlds, all sub-sub-genres of dance music fuse and merge to become new sounds, and Cloudchord and Francis take us on a time trip where disco was evolving and a new wave of punk-inspired rock music and dance music was gelling.  Thus the remix of “Heartbeat” has numerous classic disco flourishes with late 70’s, early 80’s progressive, electronic synth sounds, which when combined with today’s technology and retro early 2000 house rhythms, vocals, and melodies doesn’t quite sound like anything else out there.  This remix of “Heartbeat” will definitely give club DJ’s pause for thought – how to make it stand out in a set with its engaging six minute length as it rightly should.  You can check out all the fuss I’m trying to say in so many words by clicking on the link above and downloading it for free 🙂

Minimalist feel-good indie electropop from @PhilsGoodmusic with “Growing Up”

PHIL GOOD, “Growing Up”

L.A.’s Phil Good is currently off to a great start with the vibrant “Sleeping In”, particularly when Sean Turk worked his remix magic on it.  The follow up is “Growing Up”, simple lyrical slice-of-life feel-good indie electropop that will help keep Phil’s minimalist style in clubs, particularly suited for early evenings.  His knowing vocal is spot-on and this song reminds me of what might happen if Joshua Radin traded in his whisper-rock for synths. It’s an engaging delight that comes to a quick end, leaving you wanting more. Be sure to have a listen to “Growing Up” up top.

The next phase of @Axwell /\ @Ingrosso begins with @Garmiani_’s remix of “Dream Bigger”

AXWELL /\ INGROSSO, “Dream Bigger” (Garmiani remix) (Free DL)

It couldn’t be better timing with the duo of Axwell /\ Ingrosso announcing the start of new shows with their first one to be in New York City.  Fellow Swede Garmiani launches his remix of A/\I’s 2015 track “Dream Bigger”.  If you’ve waited for one progressive slamming EDM banger to come your way during this past month, you cannot go wrong with “Dream Bigger”.  Its ultra-positive anthem to be bigger/better/best is just the kick we needed especially for those of us in colder climates.  And in its melody and power you can hear a lot of what has inspired other EDM artists since A/\I became a duo in 2014.  Let Garmiani’s remix of “Dream Bigger” lead the charge and watch the dance floors ignite as A/\I stage their next phase.  Download “Dream Bigger” for free at the link above.

The Evolution of @DiegoGomesmusic begins with “Understand Me”

DIEGO GOMES, “Understand Me”

Long a fan himself of hip hop, dance music and big trap beats, Toronto’s Diego Gomes begins his evolution with a foray into dark, emotional hip hop with “Understand Me”.  The need to be wanted and taken seriously in the lyrics is put into stark contrast with a beat-heavy, bleak melody, which is given context by the video, where the singer met the wrong kind of gal, is stuck in awful place, and seemingly has no way out.  While this is hardly anything new – obviously influenced by the classic likes of Eminem and Akon, but probably some newer young turks as well – it’s well done enough to gain some respect from fans of this style of hip hop.  It will be a stretch for the singer’s long-time Canadian fan base of his pop songs, but stick with Diego as he evolves because he has much more to offer coming up this year.  Check out the video for “Understand Me” above.

L.A.’s @Christofimusic amps up @Elohimmusic’s “Hallucinating”

ELOHIM, “Hallucinating” (Christofi remix)

Over the past year I’ve throughly enjoyed Michael Christofi’s ventures into classic deep house particularly with songs like “Don’t Need You”.  On the remix tip, he’s opted for a bright, playful sound to amp up “Hallucinating” by fellow L.A. artist Elohim, who concurrently is the vocalist on the much-praised “Love Is Alive” by Louis The Child. Christofi puts a fun, breezy 1920’s Broadway flavour into “Hallucinating”, and keeps adding elements and pace changes to keep you hanging till the very last night.  This all spells very well for club DJ’s who sometimes just need to let the song take over and conquer the crowd.  Give a listen above and download it for free.

“Don’t Leave” by @Snakehipsuk and @MOmomoyouth in a fun @Throttle next level dance remix

SNAKEHIPS featuring MØ, “Don’t Leave” (Throttle remix)

The UK duo of Snakehips score a personal best with “Don’t Leave”, featuring an equally impressive vocal by MØ, which should soar to the top end of the pop charts soon following the UK Top 5 “All My Friends” (featuring Tinashe and Chance The Rapper) as well as their collaboration with Zayn on “Cruel”.  While the original is just gorgeous, Australia’s Throttle takes “Don’t Leave” to a fun, danceable place which complements the urgency of the vocal, transforming the ballad into a dance rave-up.  You simply cannot go wrong with this one if you are fans of both pop and dance music.  Listen above and pick up the remix at your favourite digital music store.

Bust it: “Move” by @SaintMotel gets a funk-fueled makeover by @Jenauxmusic

SAINT MOTEL, “Move” (Jenaux remix)

I’ve been following the progress of L.A. quartet Saint Motel since 2010 and more so after seeing a set in front of a small crowd back in about 2012 at the time of their indie album Voyeur.  Now with the revised Elektra label, Saint Motel have broken through the alternative scene and continue to attract the attention of the dance crowd that has known them since the Sam Sparro remix of “Dear Dictator”.  NYC’s Jenaux provides a funk-fueled, but not overpowering, official remix of “Move” that definitely has a club setting in mind at a high point in the evening when everyone should be on the floor moving.  There’s no reason why dance music radio or clubs can’t support this one and bravo for allowing Jenaux to work his magic with it.  Give it a listen above… you can dance if you want to!

Austin’s @Renat_music puts some twists in a future bass remix of @DVBBS & @real_CMCS “Not Going Home”

DVBBS & CMC$ featuring GIA KOKA, “Not Going Home” (Renat remix)

“Not Going Home” is perhaps one of Canadian duo DVBBS’ more straight-forward pop-dance songs in collaboration with Dutchman CMC$ and with a sultry vocal by Gia Koka.  Austin’s Renat (formerly Neevo) puts a few twists and turns in his future bass remix, which takes it to another place and may add to some fun dancing after a few drinks if you try to stay on rhythm.  There’s an accent here also on high end, which is not so present in the original, and I think club DJ’s will have fun with this one, particularly towards the end of an evening.  Check it out at the link above.