Enlightened Listening for February 5

With the first Friday of the month comes Bandcamp day and another edition of Enlightened Listening hosted on said platform. Sorted alphabetically and ranging from dubstep & grime to disco & DnB, this week's crop is highlighted by Skream's massive third and final installment in his Unreleased Classics series. It features two of Skream's most sought after weapons and WIPs, "Lemon" and "Requestline VIP." Staying with sonic assassins, there are further hard hitters from Abstrakt Sonance, Lunice and TRENCH FOOT. However, I have to give Laces "The Ridge" and the Nothingnice & Hayz collab "Hawkeye" their own shine as their shiver-inducing quality has led them to be stuck in my head. Taking a lighter, more lush turn, Emissive, Jesse Futerman and Aeroplane, paint with an incredible array of colours, each soulful and soothing in their own sublime style. Find each individual release linked below along with a Bandcamp stream where applicable...

Abstrakt Sonance - Deja Vu (ft. Trigga)

Emissive - City Of Rooms

Jesse Futerman ft. Beverly Glenn-Copeland - Luckey

Kraak & Smaak ft. Izo FitzRoy - Twilight (Aeroplane Remix)

Laces - The Ridge

Lunice - Run Around

Nothingnice & Hayz - Hawkeye

Skream - Unreleased Classics Vol. 3

TRENCH FOOT - FORESTVIEW

Enlightened Listening for December 11

Short but sweet and oh so awesome, this week's Enlightened Listening features 20 tracks across 12 different releases. Led by a killer Jessy Lanza remix package in 24/7, remixes are indeed this playlists' theme. One of the year's hottest producers, TEED delivers yet another incredible remix as does Planningtorock. The legendary likes of Mssingno and A. G. Cook appear as fabulous freebies courtesy LuckyMe's annual advent calendar. Headlining a Canadian heavy cast, Tiga's Colours So Bright is utterly inspired (b-side included). While the middle of this list is groovy through Hatiras, Aeroplane and Dr Packer, the final two tracks are stone-cold killers in Haus Of Panda and TIGER DROOL. Enjoy!

KUČKA - Ascension (Mssingno Remix)

Jessy Lanza - 24/7

Baauer - PLANET'S MAD (A. G. Cook RMX)

Tiga - Colours So Bright

deadmau5 & Kiesza - Bridged By A Lightwave (Tommy Trash Remix)

Hatiras - Love And Affection

Marco Faraone & Greeko - Armaghetton (Aeroplane Remix)

Dr Packer - Get Some Soul

Damian Lazarus - Holy (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix)

Godford - Can't Get Over You (Planningtogetaway Remix)

Haus Of Panda - Computerized 3030

TIGER DROOL - SABER TOOTH

Enlightened Listening for November 29

This week's Enlightened Listening features several of my favourite artists and labels. Pete Tong leads things off with his incredible new Chilled Classics album. Qrion follows as things turn more electronic with an Anjunadeep EP sure to please the senses. Terr then returns to Phantasy Sound with two ingenious versions of "Energy Sync." Turning full techno, the power of Innellea is once again on full display with wicked The World Returns EP. Breaking to remixes, TSHA and Denham Audio take on Prospa's killer single "Control The Party" before The Avalanches and Mousse T. bring love and beauty to The Chemical Brothers and Starley respectively. Finally we're graced with the return of Metroplane and a track that has both Annie Mac and Pete Tong salivating, Skream's "Ectogazm." Enjoy!


Pete Tong & HER-O - Chilled Classics

Qrion - Sine Wave Party

Terr - Energy Sync

Innellea - The World Returns

Prospa - Control The Party (Remixes)

The Chemical Brothers - Out Of Control (The Avalanches Surrender To Love Mix)

Starley - Lovers + Strangers (Mousse T. Remix)

Metroplane - Be Where I Am (ft. Daniel Wilson)

Skream - Ectogazm

Enlightened Listening for June 8

Another Friday, another massive day of releases, and another edition of Enlightened Listening. Booka Shade and Chromeo continue to bring brilliant remixes to light, Sparkee drops his Technically Impossible EP, Fraudulent Records share their second release and Skrillex returns with a classic remix. All this and more in the playlist below with descriptions at the bottom. Note free downloads via asterisk.

Booka Shade - Night Surfing (Booka Shade Rework)
The cool flowing grooves of the original become even more smooth and hypnotizing, as though upgrading from VHS to Blu-ray. Sublime swells that are sure to satisfy dance-floors and ears alike.

DAAV & Relique - In My Head*
While bass, deep and g-house are all on the rise, the vast majority of it is safe, unadventurous and all too close to tech house. This collab brings back the wild, animalistic energy that its been missing.

Sparkee - Play That Music
More free form and playful than his PINEO & LOEB collab, this could easily be confused as a Chromeo production, although keen observers will note Sparkee's inimitable bass work. The whole EP is absolutely fantastic, but because of the solos, this is the track that most caught my attention.

Aeroplane - Body (ft. Yves Paquet)
With more and more disco (and disco-adjacent) records being released these days one could become overwhelmed, however this track's effortlessness and light-flowing luminosity set it apart from the rest.

Pendulum - The Island, Pt. 1 (Dawn) [Skrillex Remix]
The first Skrillex release in what seems like forever. In true form it is immaculately designed, and necessarily so as this is a classic track. It might not be as ground breaking as some of his earlier work, but there's no denying the strength of this warm reconstruction. Expect to hear this a lot this summer.

Chromeo ft. DRAM & Jesse Johnson - Must've Been (Yolanda Be Cool Remix)
Yet another delightfully delicious and dance-worthy remix of this DRAM led track. Somehow this is able to lay claim to both the most banging and groovy of the bunch. THE ALBUM IS OUT NEXT WEEK!

Louis The Child ft. Wafia - Better Not (Attlas Remix)
The stage Attlas sets is an incredible one. It shimmers serene, while leaving room for Wafia to sing on top. And again this is where Attlas' genius comes through. His always resplendent productions bring life to each note, allowing the story to be told through the instrumental elements.

Mija - Falling ApART (Again) [Kill Paris Remix]
There's some kind of sneaky beauty not just in Mija's lyrics but the distressed and deep diving chords. The dynamics, especially the solo'd sounds and empty spaces are brilliantly bewitching. Gulp.

DLMT & Vanrip - The Light (ft. Deverano)
Opposing the title of the track this one is heavy, at least in the bass, which goes deep. Wobbly and warped, this delivery is an absolute delight, especially as Deverano's voice gets a genius call and response/echo effect with the vocal chops. Another undeniable summer sensation.

A-Trak - Sunday Afternoon Mix for The Do-Over

Coachella is still on the mind of many, with good reason, and we're still reaping the benefits of opening weekend. A-Trak was everywhere: he crashed his brother's interview on the live stream pre-Chromeo set, DJ'ed for Brockhampton, was behind the scenes for Beyoncé (read his commentary here), then played a set at The Ace Hotel & Swim Club Sunday. The latter as part of The Do-Over's Desert Sundays party (also happening next weekend), and in a rare act he recorded the set, see below.First off, it's A-Trak so obviously it's awesome, not just in selection but mixing. Second, it's tagged disco, and it indeed delivers. Third, it's got Chromeo, Steely Dan, Talking Heads, and that's just in the first half hour. Not enough for you? Perhaps Folamour's "The Power And The Blessing Of Unity," Sophie Lloyd's "Calling Out," or Aretha Franklin's "Jump To It" will get you into the groove.

Of the strings that ties the mix together perhaps Purple Disco Machine is the most prominent. It was his mix of "Juice" in the opening, his original production "Move Or Not" (which samples "Rappers Delight") shortly after, and then his collab with Aeroplane, "Sambal" about a third of the way in.

But my favourite part? That's a tough question. The triple shot from Justice's "Pleasure" to Oliver and Thee Mike B's remix of Blondie's "Heart Of Glass" and Parliament's "Flash Light" is bloody brilliant. The fact that it's followed by an unidentified track which may be new Chromeo, is just a little too much to take. Then again I'm a sucker for The Pointer Sister's "Automatic," and the move to Anderson .Paak's "Am I Wrong" is wild. Oh and how about the section from Marcus Marr, Tiger & Woods, Talking Heads, Luke & Jimmy to Steely Dan? You quite simply cannot go wrong with this mix. Find the tracklist here.

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Flying Themed Tunes

Today I'm off to see my mom's side of the family in the settlement of Thunder Bay, the remote head of Lake Superior. Thankfully I'm flying, but that leaves little time for bloggin (although I believe I'm achieving that offline, as I cruise above the clouds). So while I jettison towards my destination I'm going to compile a list of tracks including keyword fly. And for fun I'm including tracks electronic and otherwise. (Compiling offline and will update with links when I get the chance). Spotify playlist below.

Unauthorized Sax Remix of Aeroplane and Purple Disco Machine

Whether you like it or not an artist's creation is their own, and they can do with it what they see fit. This means they can request any remix, bootleg or otherwise, that they see as "bad use" of their work to be removed, even if the world absolutely loves it. A classic example of this situation arose when Lido remixed Disclosure's "Latch." Despite being one of the best and most well received bootleg remixes ever (obviously my opinion), the Lawrence brothers were not pleased with Lido's take and went to work removing every trace of it from the internet. Of course they weren't entirely successful; it's nearly impossible to completely eviscerate something from the web once it's been there. But the fact remains that an artist and their handlers have final say as to who can remix and use their intellectual property.
Another such scenario has caught my attention, starting yesterday when a London based saxophone player, Abi Rose, posted a "funky house improvised sax line over 'Sambal - Aeroplane, Purple Disco Machine'." She then tweeted about it tagging Aeroplane who responded, "Yikes. Please take it down."

Being curious, I always follow links like this. Was he joking? Was it really that bad? I had to know. It certainly didn't seem egregious or bastardizing of the original, but this is the crux of this post, it is his content and he is entirely in the right to have it taken down. That being said, part of what makes the electronic music scene so enjoyable and so much fun is the rate in which official remixes and bootlegs are produced. There's an immense amount of sharing and collaborating within the scene, and given the internet age, fans have an unprecedented ability to interact with artists. This can be a good thing, but it can also turn nasty rather quickly.

That's just what happened this morning when Aeroplane responded to a twitter account xRiotPrincess and the conversation quickly devolved into a full-fledged twitter feud. Long story short, Aeroplane refused to back down from his stance that the track was an unauthorized use of his work and whether people liked it or not is irrelevant, while xRiotPrincess (and a few others) went at Aeroplane calling him "rude," "obnoxious," and "an absolute snob." Abi Rose has kept the track up, stating "You don't see anyone big being nasty when you cover their songs, Will wait for it to get taken down!"
Purple Disco Machine has remained mum on the topic. The whole thing is rather sad, but brings up an interesting issue, especially since Spotify and Apple Music are moving to allow unofficial remixes. I would assume this still means the original artist has final say whether they believe it is a misuse of their material, but it may be more complicated than that. The question I struggle most with is, at what point does a remix no longer belong to the original artist and simply becomes a new track entirely? Music is just a collection of sounds in a certain pattern, and can you really own a sound or a pattern? That's up for the courts to decide, but in the particular case, it's quite clear that this is in fact Aeroplane and Purple Disco Machine's property and they are in the right to request such use of their work be removed.

Sia ft. Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills (John J-C Carr Remix)

Fresh off the press, come seven new remixes of Sia's collaboration with Sean Paul, "Cheap Thrills." With mixes from the likes of RAC, Le Youth and Nomero, this package can boast a tremendously diverse collection of artists, sounds and styles. Being a big fan of Cyril Hahn, I immediately went to his mix, and was pleasantly surprised with how deep, dark and heavy it was. It's awesome to hear artists push their boundaries and step outside the norm. Cyril's mix would likely fit perfectly into his DJ sets, as they seem to skew more towards this sound than his light and ethereal productions, especially his Begin EP. But let's return to the topic of this post, John J-C Carr's remix.

Both in the Spotify playlist and in my iTunes, Hahn's mix leads into Carr's. Immediately the styles contrast, in an actually pleasing way, which is often not the case in remix packages. The light and strident synth work in Carr's remix fills me with comfort, calling back Aeroplane's remix of Gypsy & The Cat "The Piper's Song." The warm and energizing synths somehow dissipate into an absolutely turnt, Tchami-style bass drop. But fear not, the soaring synths triumphantly return bolstered by Sia and Sean Paul, coercing us with the lyrics "I don't need no money, as long as I keep dancing." The incredible contrast of the shining brightness and brutish bass drop make John J-C Carr's remix, my favourite of the compilation. Listen to it below, and check out the full EP here. SUPPORT JOHN J-C CARR: FACEBOOK TWITTER
SUPPORT SEAN PAUL: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
SUPPORT SIA: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Throwback Thursday: Friendly Fires - Paris (Aeroplane Remix)

For this week's installment in my Throwback Thursday series, it gives me great pleasure to reintroduce the world to one of the catchiest and most beautiful melodies, situated around some of the most infectious vocals and bumping basslines, Aeroplane's remix of Friendly Fires' "Paris." Simple soaring beauty propels Aeroplane's remix right from the start, with its subtle disco percussion and sprightly synth plucks. Add the depth of the bassline, and the track really starts to take off. The lightness and ethereal quality of Au Revoir Simone's vocals shoot "Paris" into the stratosphere, imbuing the track with a heavenly essence. The sheer magic of Aeroplane's mix seems to be utterly endless, whether it's the progressive playfulness of the melody and percussion, the sweeping atmospheric movement, the manipulated madness (starting at about 4:17), or the slow but steady release of tension with the final, exalted flourish (at about 6:34); everything Aeroplane puts into his remix exudes lush and rapturous elegance. If you are at all familiar with Aeroplane's catalog, this will come as no surprise to you, his productions are quite simply aesthetic beauty in their most concise and profound form.

I first came across his remix of "Paris" when he was the 500th DJ to do an Essential Mix back in 2010. In that mix (which lives up to his incredible standards of beauty), it was mixed with Flight Facilities' "Crave You" to create one of my favourite mashups ever. Find both (available for free download, courtesy the man himself), the full Essential Mix, and the recreated mashup, below. If I may further add two more suggestions of Aeroplane tracks that you simply must hear, I highly recommend his remixes of Gypsy & The Cat's "The Piper's Song," and The Human League's "Never Let Me Go." Get on board the Aeroplane of awesomeness and travel to a simpler, more beautiful time. SUPPORT AEROPLANE: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Throwback Thursday: La Roux - Quicksand (Boy 8-Bit Remix) [Review]

This is the first in my TBT series, in which I'll review the most influential tracks from my past. What better place to start than with the most played track in my iTunes, my favourite track of all-time and arguably the most influential for me in many ways. Flashback to 2009 when I was still just learning about the vastness of the world electronic music (not yet called EDM). I had just returned to school after summer break, armed with a new secret weapon, Fake Blood; thanks to my guru who had shown me Fake Blood's killer remixes (Any Way You Choose To Give It, I Want Your Soul, Stuck On Repeat). I then showed my friends at school and we agreed to go see Fake Blood when he came to town. And unbelievably he was coming just a couple months later, with the biggest crew I've ever seen at Sound Academy; Aeroplane, Annie Mac, Boy 8-Bit, Calvin Harris, Fake Blood, Laidback Luke, Nero, Toddla T, and to top it off locals Zeds Dead and my boy Meech. Since it would be a waste to go only to see Fake Blood, I set out to familiarize myself with the rest of the lineup and the one that immediately caught my ear, was Boy 8-Bit. His combination of video game inspired sounds and progressive and playful electro style was everything I wanted in a producer. I was lucky enough to find a discography torrent, complete with a large number of mixes he had done for various radio shows. I was particularly enamored with the following video in which Annie Mac gives the first play to Boy 8-Bit's remix of La Roux, Quicksand.

EFYE - May 3, 2013

Tracklist for show original air date: May 3, 2013 from 18:00 to 19:00.

• Futurecop! - The Movie (Kiez Beats)
• Dreams
• Gypsy & The Cat - The Piper's Song (Independent)
• The Piper's Song (Aeroplane Tape Remix)
• Sharam f Anousheh Khalili - Fun: FTDK Mixes (Yoshitoshi)
• Fun (Quintino Remix)
• Redlight - Lost In Your Love (Polydor)
• Basscone
• Sound Of Stereo - Unicorn EP (Dim Mak)
• Narwhal
• Lazy Rich - Breakfast Of Champions (Big Fish)
• Breakfast Of Champions (Rabbit Killer Remix) cc
• Charlie Darker - Bustah (Burn The Fire)
• Bustah cc
• The Black Ghosts - Forgetfulness (Southern Fried)
• Forgetfulness (Fake Blood Remix)
• Nom De Strip - Clouds EP: Vol 2 (mau5trap)
• Techno Saturday cc
• Dzeko & Torres - Hurricane f Sarah Mcleod (Next Plateau)
• Hurricane cc
• Daft Punk - One More Time (Independent)
• One More Time (Candyland's OG Remix)
• Showtek & Justin Prime - Cannonball (Independent)
• Cannonball (Carnage & Victor Niglio Festival Trap Remix)
• Jacques Green & Tinashe - Painted Faces (Independent)
• Painted Faces cc
• Crystal Castles - Sad Eyes (Independent)
• Sad Eyes (Huoratron Remix) cc
• Major Lazer - Free The Universe (Mad Decent)
• Keep Cool (f Shaggy & Wynter Gordon)

Next show air date: May 10, 2013 5-7 PM

EFYE - June 15, 2012

Tracklist for show original air date: June 15, 2012 from 18:00 to 19:00.

• Obie Trice - Got Some Teeth (Animal Factory)
• Got Some Teeth (Switch Vocal Mix)
• Benny Benassi - House Music (D:vision)
• House Music (Autoérotique's Explode The Club Remix) cc
• ZZT - Vulkan Alarm (Turbo)
• Vulkan Alarm (Proxy Remix) cc
• Platnum - Signals (All Around The World)
• Signals (Champion's Gassed Up Mix) cc
• Surkin - USA Club Mixes (Marble)
• Never Let Go (featuring Kevin Irving) [A-Trak Remix] cc
• Beyoncé - Countdown (Columbia)
• Countdown (Jack Beats Remix)
• Gesaffelstein - Bromance #1 (Bromance)
• Control Movement
• Theophilus London - Last Name London (Reprise)
• Last Name London (Brodinski Remix)
• Screendeath -  Packback (Southern Fried)
• Packback
• Joe And Will Ask? - Clubber's Guide To 2010 (Ministry Of Sound)
• The Rusty Pig
• Vandroid- Master & Slave (Independent)
• Master & Slave (Boy 8-Bit Remix)
• Fake Blood - Fix Your Accent (Southern Fried)
• Fix Your Accent
• Friendly Fires - Azuli Presents Future Disco (Azuli Back Catalog)
• Paris (Aeroplane Remix)
• Martin Solveig & Dragonette - Big In Japan (Mercury)
• Big In Japan (featuring Idoling!!!) [Denzal Park Mix] cc
• FM - Surveillance (Passport/Arista)
• Rocket-Roll cc

Next show air date: June 22, 2012 6-7 PM