PREMIERE: The Minimalist sounds of #FrankOcean’s “White Ferrari” lead @Vastamusic’s inspired and careful remix

https://soundcloud.com/vastamusic/frank-ocean-white-ferrari-vasta-remix

FRANK OCEAN, “White Ferrari” (Vasta remix)

I wouldn’t be writing about a remix of a song by Frank Ocean – especially one from his smash Blonde album – whose music now courts emotional debates and undying loyalty, unless I thought fans would dig it.  A few weeks after we got to know Miami-based producer/remixer Vasta through a slick reinterpretation of T-Pain’s “I’m Sprung” comes this valiant, careful retooling of “White Ferrari”.  What was important to retain was the minimalist ambiance of the original, while of course adding to it.  Like too much salt will ruin an entire pot of broth, too much bass or overburdening this deep house remix with more synths could have played havoc here.  But instead this mix is both chilled out and taut, with slight clever synths and bass that knows when it needs to stand up and be counted.  Frank Ocean fans will love hearing this in a club setting as his music would otherwise be disconnected from that scene.  Vasta is in a reinvention process, and has much more to come in the next few months including collaborations with – wait for it – Todd Terry and Armand van Helden 😀 Download “White Ferrari” for free at the link above.

San Diego’s @Zumadotwav and @Nsolomusic tantalize with progressive, chilled out “Haste”

https://soundcloud.com/zumadotwav/haste-ft-nsolo/s-Dl71I

ZUMA featuring NSOLO, “Haste” (free DL)

Call it the beauty behind the sadness 🙂 San Diego producer Zuma was a DJ in Tokyo for a few years, and that may have contributed to his refined look at the past through his new song “Haste” which features fellow SD denizen Nsolo on vocals.  It’s a chilled out but progressive slice of EDM with an added touch of rich soul in the vocal that a number of performers are finding appealing these days.  The result is a complex, lush song that tells an intricate story but is also meant to tantalize your senses and emotions while giving you a grooving rhythm backdrop.  “Haste” is one of those records that may not appeal to everyone, but the percussion flourishes in the melody and strong vocal make it memorable.  Listen to “Haste” and then download it for free above.

With a fierce story and powerful melodies, UK duo @Kovenuk break through the “Silence”

KOVEN, “Silence”

Look elsewhere if you want a quiet song about silence.  UK duo Koven – Katie Boyle and Max Rowat – are out to make you remember those moments of silence when you feel absolutely shattered, and have concocted a fierce story and powerful melodies with a heavy but emotional production.  The lead up for the first minute draws you in, and then Katie’s 80’s-styled vocal – recalling Pat Benatar-meets-Sam Brown to me – seals the deal and by the time of the drop about 30 seconds later you are committed.  The song doesn’t let up and sustains its length with another well placed drop.  “Silence” by Koven will be especially appealing to you if you like Florence & The Machine.  Give it a listen at the link above.

“Over You” is @SoupAndreas’ unique and cathartic #EDM release

SOUPANDREAS, “Over You”

Massachusetts artist SoupAndreas is someone you should get to know right away if his new song “Over You” is any indication.  Like Crywolf’s recent “Slow Burn”, “Over You” seethes with anguish in the aftermath of a breakup and therefore becomes perfect and cathartic release through music 🙂  The arrangements shifts on focus between the singer, song, and both percussive and deep bass breaks and drops, which are like the rollercoaster of emotions one faces in these situations.  Dance floor patrons will relate and the production is unique enough to turn heads, so you can give it some attention yourself by listening at the link above.

“Rivers” by UK singer @AllmanBrown in a low-key but memorable mix by #ConKi and @offRAMI

ALLMAN BROWN, “Rivers” (ConKi x RAMI remix) (free DL)

The world is sometimes an awfully close place together when remixers from as disparate places as Poland and Beirut can join forces as ConKi and RAMI have done for their remix of Allman Brown’s “Rivers”.  It’s a beautiful, languid folk songs with memorable verses that in turn is shown through a different lens as the remixers maintain the folk elements and highlight them with a chilled out deep house mix.  It may seem a bit too subdued for even an early evening deep house track, but Allman’s gentle performance is the key.  Think of this as Jamie Woon meets James Bay.  Download it for free at the link above.

Way more than just big beats and drops,@iamtheElephante’s debut EP is a #Dance and #EDM jewel

elephante3

ELEPHANTE, I Am The Elephante (EP)

As of yesterday, if there’s any record that the Dance and EDM worlds should be paying attention to in 2016, it’s I Am The Elephante by of course L.A.-based Elephante (aka Tim Wu).  It’s the culmination of a huge amount of growth during the last year from a talented guy on the rise with a fine mix of original songs that just might send him over the top.  

The 9 songs are full of rich and layered synths (and probably more instrumentation) and production, and it rarely lets up (i.e. no downtempo!).  What I’ve discovered more about EDM over the last year is that there’s lots of room for heartfelt emotion to pour out, and Elephante embraces this, so in some ways the songs play out like theatrical pieces.  We’ve already been predisposed to “Black Ivory” (the instrumental I call his theme song), the powerful “Hold” (featuring Jessica Jarrell), “Catching On” (featuring Nevve), and of course the beautiful song which seems to be transcending 2016, “Closer” (featuring Bishøp).  And the new songs are equally diverse, alternately progressive and futuristic.

Both “Shake The Earth” (featuring Lyon Hart) and “Goliath” (featuring Jody Drake) are riveting, where big things happen and melodies win out over the aggressive backdrop.  I could picture Florence Welch singing “Shake The Earth”!  I’ve got a really soft spot for the new single “Plans” (below) which features the ever-amazing Brandyn Burnette in a romantic story that is the core of this EP, and I expect “Plans” to blow up similarly to “Closer” so watch out!  The record is rounded out with “Dynasty” (with Mila) and another track with Nevve that crushes it called “Sirens”.  There is not a mediocre song within I Am The Elephante!  When does that ever happen?

So I’m very enthused, happy, and inspired for Elephante and this debut EP, as well as for Dance and EDM.  When you need to make a huge calling card, you make a record like this.  BRAVO!  

Listen to “Plans” featuring Brandyn Burnette below.

L.A.’s @Mahalo_music puts an unexpectedly splendid spin on “La La Land” by @DVBBS @Shaun_Frank and @iamDelaneyJane

DVBBS & SHAUN FRANK featuring DELANEY JANE, “La La Land” (Mahalo remix) (free DL)

The song has been out for many months, but what could prompt me NOW to listen to and write about “La La Land” by my fellow Canucks DVBBS, Shaun Frank and Delaney Jane?  Why an inventive remix like no other, that’s what!  I can’t say I was keen on the laid back original mix of “La La Land”, but L.A.’s Mahalo’s rich deep house remix is quite impressive.  It brings out the darker nighttime side of L.A. to replace the sunny days and beaches that you have in your head.  The chugging rhythm plays on the relentlessness of a big city, and Delaney Jane’s vocal so suits the mix in a more forlorn, distant way than in the original.  It may not have been what the performers have in mind but my overall reaction by the end of it all is for dance clubs to dive deep into it.  Folks who know the original will appreciate this alternate version, and it will plug into sets where the original previously did not fit.  Congrats to Mahalo for deservedly creating another side of “La La Land” that is getting great reaction.  And you can download it for free at the above link.

More new music from @Tritonal brings us @officialR5’s talented Ross Lynch (@RossR5) on “I Feel The Love”

TRITONAL featuring ROSS LYNCH, “I Feel The Love”

So if you thought it was a surprise for EDM duo Tritonal – who are Austin’s Chad Cisneros and David Reed – to get Adam Lambert to sing on “Broken”, the first single from their new album Painting With Dreams, then finding R5’s Ross Lynch on “I Feel The Love” may seem even more curious.  But I’ve written about Ross and have seen R5 in concert, and of course he is the real performing and vocalist deal beyond being in TV’s “Austin and Ally”.  Versatility is the name of the game here, and while “I Feel The Love” is fairly heavily produced and doesn’t have a lot of rough edges, Tritonal lets Ross’ boy-next-door appeal shine through.  “I Feel The Love” is more dance/pop oriented than what many clubs will look for, which makes it as perfect for radio as “Broken”.  Hearing all of Tritonal’s music like “I Feel The Love” will be such a treat on their tour, now in progress!  Check out this song for the win at the link above.

Tritonal brings their tour to Toronto at Uniun on Friday, October 14.

The gorgeous R&B/pop ballad “Rainbows” by Atlanta’s Victor Perry (@perksofbeingvic) becomes a dance floor raveup in the hands of L.A.’s @Wookie_official

VICTOR PERRY, “Rainbows” (The Wookie’s  remix – Radio edit)

It started in the 90’s with ballads that were transformed into dance anthems such as Toni Braxton’s “Un-break My Heart” and Whitney Houston’s “My Love Is Your Love”, so the tradition continues with Victor Perry’s totally gorgeous “Rainbows”.  The song is riding high on the BILLCS Top 30 at #13, and while the song stands well enough on its own, The Wookie’s remix is incredibly complimentary and can bring it to the attention of an entirely different audience.  Victor’s voice is perfectly suited to the dance genre and can keep his own favourite singers great company there as a result.  This remix is so inspiring and people will ask about it, and club DJ’s will have no problem fitting it into any uptempo set.  I had a bit of a hand in this one – I merely introduced the two artists, who then ran off and did something better than I could ever have imagined and it makes me love the song even more!  Bravo and three thumbs up 🙂  Download it for free at the link above.

 

Double dutch dream: @Voidmuzik and @NoMondaysmusic team up for original “Chemistry” featuring @ClaraMaemusic

https://soundcloud.com/voidmusik/steve-void-no-mondays-chemistry-ft-clara-mae

STEVE VOID & NO MONDAYS featuring CLARA MAE, “Chemistry” (free DL!)

If there’s any song that you might want to call the companion to Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha’s “In The Name Of Love”, it’s “Chemistry”.  It happens to be an original by Dutchmen Steve Void and duo No Mondays, featuring Swedish singer Clara Mae (who previously sang with none other than Ace Of Base!).  This is solid and memorable pop-flavoured deep house that easily transcends the EDM genre.  If I was a pop performer I’d be wanting my single to be tinged with flourishes from this kind of record.  Classy and brimming with high quality, you are very lucky that “Chemistry” is available to you as a free download at the above link.  Kudos to all involved for this one.

Steve Void plays Uniun in Toronto on September 23 supporting Matoma.