Tag Archives: electronica

@Manseofficial’s stunner “Freeze Time”(featuring @AliceBergswe) gets gritty courtesy of @officialMAXR

https://soundcloud.com/maxrmusic/freeze-time-feat-alice-berg-maxr-remix

MANSE featuring ALICE BERG, “Freeze Time” (MAXR remix)

Swedish producer/DJ Manse has such a Kool song with “Freeze Time”, featuring fellow Swede Alice Berg on vocals, that it’s already being hyped in advance of its April 13 release date through Revealed Recordings by a number of remixes.  MAXR wisely keeps his distance from the pristine, deep-down-affecting original and gives it gritty, progressive house edge instead, in what sounds like what might happen if Foxes and Martin Garrix teamed up.  There is so much innovation to be found in dance music right now and “Freeze Time” is a classic example of how an original which is so beautiful on its own can be adeptly reinterpreted while retaining its essence.  Like Dzeko & Torres and Hellberg’s recent “Care For Me”, “Freeze Time” is one song I will be playing for months ahead.  Download MAXR’s remix above but pick up the original on Beatport too.

@iamtheElephante’s “Closer” is a rich, tantalizing club hit featuring @helloBishop

ELEPHANTE featuring BISHØP, “Closer”

The prolific Elephante continues a succession of fresh-sounding club zingers with “Closer”.  This is a particularly rich, joyous earful featuring the distinct, commanding voice of rising Portland, Oregon singer Bishøp.  You want to get couples up on the dance floor?  Just play Elephante’s “Closer” back-to-back with Tegan & Sara’s “Closer” and see what happens.  Both are equally good-natured ear candy that will generate a filled club floor and fare equally respectfully on dance music radio.  “Closer” is a natural progressive house follow-up to Elephante’s recent Top 20 Billboard Dance Club Play hit “Age Of Innocence”.  Download it for free at the link above.

Smooth soulful house music courtesy of a @TwoFriendsmusic remix of “Way Back Home” by @weareMako

MAKO, “Way Back Home” (Two Friends remix)

The follow up to the long-lasting dance radio hit “Smoke-Filled Room” by LA-based duo Mako is “Way Back Home”, which in its original form is a lovely, slow-ish progressive/alternative EDM track that will crawl into your ears and stay there.  These guys know how to write a great song, which makes it easy for any producer/remixer to adapt it to something suitable.  It may seem unlikely, but Matt and Eli, aka Two Friends, turn “Way Back Home” into an effortless-sounding soulful deep house track with so much going on in its 3 minute rework.  They’ve taken the yearning and desperation of the lyrics and made them equally urgent through bassy, buoyant rhythms.  You can pick up the EP with the original, as well as the Two Friends remix and others, on iTunes.  Ultra Music has another winner for Mako in whatever version you hear!

@officialKoni remixes “Burn Fast” by @BryceFoxed into deep house bliss

BRYCE FOX, “Burn Fast” (Koni remix)

I enjoy finding fine new original songs through remixes, just as much as I like hearing songs that are transformed by remixes.  The former is the case with “Burn Fast” by L.A.-based singer/songwriter Bryce Fox.  This is a cheery, tropical-tinged, very visual song with a convincing, enthusiastic vocal by Bryce that is given a wicked deep house treatment courtesy of Germany’s Koni, who also works with (the recently blogged-about) Saxity among others.   Bryce’s voice has a slick ‘n soulful edge reminiscent of Conor Maynard, Brandyn Burnette and others and is perfectly suited to this genre.  “Burn Fast” in Koni’s remix will stick in your head and become a contender for repeated plays.  Download it for free at the link above.

@KatKrazymusic’s “Run Run” featuring @JohnnyStimson is the complete EDM/pop package

https://soundcloud.com/katkrazymusic/run-run-feat-johnny-stimson-radio-edit

KAT KRAZY featuring JOHNNY STIMSON, “Run Run”

UK producer/DJ Kat Krazy follows up his fine remix of Sigala’s “Stay” with a striking original “Run Run” that is nothing short of the complete EDM/pop package that dance music fans will simply love.  The contemporary, memorable, and soulful vocal performance by Johnny Stimson (a Dallas native with a strong following in Europe) is on par with the earnest tones of Mako’s recent hit “Smoke-Filled Room”.  But what’s best about “Run Run” is that it does not let up, and the piano break is a major wow that will leave you wanting more.  Already released in the UK, “Run Run” should perform very well once it receives full international release soon.

Austin producer/DJ @Cloudchord puts the dance/funk into “Need You” by @EmberIsland_

EMBER ISLAND, “Need You” (Cloudchord remix)

Swedish trio Ember Island, who recently visited the U.S. for SXSW among other venues, have a beautiful could-be-hit with “Need You”.  But Cloudchord’s funky dance remix could put it on the club map with ease.  Following up his engaging remix of Jamie xx’s “Loud Places” (currently on my personal chart), “Need You” is heavily influenced by the classic sounds of yesteryear R&B and disco which when mixed up with today’s flavours results in progressive nu-disco that will stand out in a club mix.  What I dig most about this one is the slick and crunchy guitar work which can hold its own against and be mixed with records by Nile Rodgers/Chic, Scissor Sisters, and more.  Don’t pass up this remix of “Need You”, be sure to download it for free using the Soundcloud link above.

#Toronto’s @DzekoandTorres meet @Hellbergmusic for arpeggio-filled delight “Care For Me”

https://soundcloud.com/dzekoandtorres/dzeko-torres-and-hellberg-care-for-me-radio-edit

DZEKO & TORRES AND HELLBERG, “Care For Me”

If you love arpeggios and high end as much as I do, then you will be swooning over “Care For Me”, a Canada-meets-Sweden collaboration of Julian Dzeko & Luis Torres and the red hot Hellberg!  It’s progressive house at its best, taking lots of cues from popular emotional EDM over the years by the likes of Hardwell, Swedish House Mafia and Avicii.  The affecting vocals and gentle melody get spiked up by a chorus and hook in a post-relationship song that just won’t let go of you.  “Care For Me” is a major contender out of the gate – the BILLCS Top 30 awaits! – and you can download it for free using the Soundcloud link above.

Young Aussie @JustAGentdj’s “Heavy As A Heartbreak” (f/ @Lanksmusic) gets a futuristic makeover by @XanGriffin

JUST A GENT featuring LANKS, “Heavy As A Heartbreak” (Xan Griffin remix)

Just A Gent is actually 19 year old Aussie DJ/producer Jacob Grant, and his rock-inflected EDM of “Heavy As A Heartbreak” (featuring fellow Aussie Lanks) is attracting some international notice after he acquired a following in his own country.  Among various remixes, Californian Xan Griffin’s shines by stripping away the rock flavour and accentuating the dubstep vibe of the original, taking it much further into the realm of a chilled out futuristic bass track.  In either version the song stands out as unique and not necessarily one that you can get into on the first listen.  But stick with it; like ARIZONA’s recent “Let Me Touch Your Fire”, there is much to be said for production by toning the core of the song down only to watch it explode at the hook.  Listen above and get “Heavy As A Heartbreak” for free using the download link.

#NYC duo @SofiTukker get funky with “Hey Lion”

SOFI TUKKER, “Hey Lion”

One of Sofi Tukker’s more memorable songs from their opening set for The Knocks on their most recent tour was “Hey Lion”.  Leaving the intriguing Portuguese lyrics in the dance craze-worthy EDM of “Drinkee” and “Matidora” for an English track this time, the duo (who are Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern) opts for some soothing, chant-like funk which immediately brings to mind the sneaky rhythm of 80’s classic “White Horse” by Laid Back.  Groove along to this one and roar on the dance floor 🙂  You can pick up “Hey Lion” on iTunes along with Sofi Tukker’s other recent songs.  A longer play release is in the works (and ongoing touring – this week they are at SXSW) as the pair are signed to The Knocks’ own imprint Heavy Roc.

@iamJakeBarker gets his dance groove on with “Bump”

JAKE BARKER, “Bump”

Jake Barker’s recent choices of new material and cover songs are proof in the pudding of the diversity he showed as an underdog favourite who conquered his stage fright on Season 6 of “The Voice”.  “Bump” is one of those new originals, and for the first time it throws Jake into dance music territory, to which his voice is amazingly suited.  Somewhat ironically, the last post I wrote about Jake was about his cover of Usher’s “You Make Me Wanna”, and “Bump” also treads into Usher dance music territory similar to great songs like “More”.  More power to Jake to continue and lay everything out for listeners to hear and find what might resonate for his upcoming full album of Trip.  Watch the video above.