Friday, April 06, 2018

Enlightened Listening for April 6

IT'S THE WEEKEND! As if that weren't enough to get you excited, how about an onslaught of amazing new music to fill it? Back with another edition of Enlightened Listening comes EPs from Peggy Gou and AC Slater; singles from Attlas and Chromeo; albums from Booka Shade and Daniel Avery; and remixes from MK and Akira Akira & Hikeii. As is seemingly always the case, house is represented in all shapes and sizes, with a fair amount of funk, plus a killer club cut to round it out. Stream all the new music via Spotify below, and read brief descriptions after the jump. As always, enjoy!

Peggy Gou - Hundres Times
Finally the EP is complete. As free and fun and its partners, this one pulsates with a classic club sound.

Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons ft. Chela - Five Moons (Jamie Jones Igazu Remix)
The strength of subtly is on full display. Brilliant bass and prodigious percussion weave wonderfully around Chela's vaporous vocals. Check Jamie's Liquid Dub for an even darker delivery.

Tom Misch - Disco Yes (ft. Poppy Ajudha)
My favourite from his groovy album Geography. It could succeed as an instrumental, but the interplay between vocals and strings is simply sublime. Check "South Of The River" for more magic.

Chromeo - Must've Been (ft. DRAM & Jesse Johnson)
More fantastically funky fun from Chromeo. Another salacious singalong that has me melting at the thought of hundreds joining in when they bring their tour to The Danforth Music Hall, July 3rd and 4th.

Daniel Avery - Song For Alpha
The kind of quality that we've come to expect from Phantasy Sound and Daniel Avery. Almost orchestral in its arc, running from techno and house to chill and ambient. Adding to the all around epic brilliance, it has its own full length visuals, which you can lose yourself to here.

Attlas - Treehouse
I'm always astounded by the colour and quality of Attlas' productions, particularly the more techno tilted tracks like this. This one tickles, teases and downright pleases. It's hard not to lose yourself.

Armand Van Helden vs. Butter Rush - I Need A Painkiller (MK Extended Mix)
Another big time floor filler from the master. Downright gorgeous groove that I could listen to for days.

AC Slater - I Wanna Show You
The title track will win you over by bringing the piano back to bass house. "Amen Tribe" may lead to the floor spontaneously combusting as shufflers set it alight. The little extra effects and punctuations only further the fantastic groove of "Can't Come Down." This Young Lyxx track may be the best of the bunch.

Booka Shade - Cut The Strings
The thought of a new Booka Shade album is appetizing in itself, and having already covered "Night Surfing" here, saying I was excited for its release would be an understatement. I absolutely love "EMS Love" and "Confessions," and the deeper we get in the album the more impressed I get. The run from "And You?" through "Tyrell" makes this one of the early front runners for album of the year.

Ross From Friends - Aphelion
Beautiful and chill chords of all kinds mixed around masterful drum work. I hadn't been big on Ross From Friends, but the live stuff from Maida Vale last week had be hooked. Find it here.

SG Lewis - Dusk
Downright delightful depiction of the most beautiful time of day. So fantastically full of groove that despite the sun going down you'll be energized to dance all night long. My personal favourite: "Aura."

Cashmere Cat & Major Lazer ft. Tory Lanez - Miss You (Akira Akira & Hikeii Remix)
The club recasting this track desperately needed. Delicious drumline and brilliant bounce.