Enlightened Listening for June 29

Friday's never disappoint. Whether you want the biggest names or the freshest faces, there's always something spectacular somewhere. Hopefully I've done a good job finding a combination of both, with the usual range of genres and styles. Again I've done my best to deliver a diverse yet cohesive run through 12 tracks, from punchy PC Music stylings, through techno, house, disco, and more bass heavy bangers. Check the playlist below, read the descriptions following, and grab those free downloads.

DUCKY - Headfirst
Undeniable energy amidst a furious and fantastical flow. Great for diving into the long weekend.

Boy Sim - Solid Gold Clit (ft. Pearl)
Felt equally in your face and all over your body. Massive mind-bender of an anthem that you might not want stuck in your head, but will work its way in there regardless.

Eekkoo - Punks
Lead and title track from his just released 4 track EP. Another sensational, progressive and powerful take on techno, that delivers a godly groove with warm wobs, and tantalizing twists.

The Aston Shuffle - Everything I Got
Heavenly house with sublime synth swells that plays perfectly with the vocals (chops and otherwise).

The Pharcyde - Runnin' (Petko Turner's Extended Edit)*
Another awesome offering from Petko Turner. Big throwback vibes that will serve us well this weekend.

Fatback Band - Whicky Whacky (Count Funkula 12 Inch Fierce Discko Regroove)*
Party, party, party! Groove, groove, groove! Dance, dance, dance! Just let go and enjoy.

Family Of The Year - Hold Me Down (Autograf Remix)
Autograf deliver delicious quality as usual. This is massive, soulful and fun. Stunning.

Sultan + Shepard - I Got 5 On It
More throwback vibes brought bouncing back to beautiful life. Snappy, poppy and fun.

Tom Bull - It's My Life
Brilliantly banging bass house mix of Armand Van Helden's "You Don't Know Me." Simple yet strong.

POWERCYAN - Plutocracy (Ephixa Remix)
Stunning cinematics from Ephixa, which dive in a diabolic direction. Master craftsmanship.

NuKid x Lucille Croft - Got The Flow
Dirty, dirty, dirty stuff from NuKid as per usual. Not to sound old like Randy and in turn Stan on South Park, but I often envision bass sounds as farts, and this ones hella stanky (see here).

Diplo ft. DRAM - Don't Look Back (QUIX Remix)
Head spinning stomper of a remix. I can only imagine the exorcism that must've taken place to create the sounds in the drop. Absolutely wild.

Note tracks marked with an asterisk are available for free download.

Autograf - Sleepless In NYC

Chicago based trio Autograf have a new single out on Armada Deep. "Sleepless In NYC" is the latest in a long line of original productions, following their explosive entrance on the scene with endless exceptional remixes. They've really honed and solidified their sound, keeping the cool atmosphere of a smokey club. Their synths always invoke the feeling of floating, as their productions pluck along with an incredible ease. Whereas their more recent productions "Simple" and "You Might Be" are built on a bigger bass and a foundation of funk, "Sleepless In NYC" turns to a more tropical feel. It's rather dreamy as the vocals dotingly dance along the deep waves of production. It's a chill turn from a cool trio that is sure to send shivers down your spine. Stream "Sleepless In NYC" below and buy it here.FOLLOW AUTOGRAF: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

2017's Inaugural Electronic Music Awards (Preview)

I've written about the Grammys and Junos before, focusing on their electronic categories, but always lament the lack of coverage they get, as both opt to announce those winners on their side shows. I've since wondered whether we should care about these award shows at all, since they so often leave a bad taste in our mouths (fans and artists alike). Everyone one knows about the DJ Mag Top 100 lists and the controversies they entail, particularly the so called "DJ" list that in the end is a popularity contest among producers, not DJs. Perhaps as a protest, two new award shows have arisen: The Goldie Awards (backed by A-Trak and THUMP, focusing on DJ and Beat Battles) and The Electronic Music Awards (backed by Paul Oakenfold and TV4, showcasing all that is electronic music). For the purposes of this post, I'll focus on the latter as the anticipation grows in the 3 weeks prior to the event.

Originally announced in January of 2016, as the Electronic Music Awards and Foundation Show, and set for broadcast on FOX, this seemed as large and legitimate as anyone could possibly hope. However in the following months the event was postponed for more than a year, renamed and relegated to a Twitter broadcast. The previously 7 categories have grown to 11, and the winners will be announced live September 21st starting at 7:47 PM PDT. So now let's take a look at those categories and their nominees. Note that I won't be making predictions today, but merely digging into the categories and nominations themselves. See the image below or find the direct link to the noms here.

As you can plainly see, the list of names here is absolutely packed with powerhouse producers, deserving DJs, and awesome artists. The organizers have done a good job of separating categories from Producer of the Year to DJ of the Year, and Live Act of the Year. However I wonder about the New Artist of the Year category, as arguably every act has been big since early 2016, if not before then. But since this is the first edition, I'll give them a little leeway in what new means.

Looking through this list it's clear that the same people who would argue that award shows are mainstream, could easily make that argument again here. There are no names that I'm unfamiliar with. It's absolutely jam packed with big names, but at least to their credit those big names come from all over the place. It's not just top 40 radio wannabes or techno titans. There's deep house, hip hop, electro and of course, what continues to be the style of the moment, future bass.

As always I wonder about how these names were chosen, and further how the winners will be decided. The official statement is that "nominees and winners are voted on by sixty-seven members who were selected to represent all aspects of the electronic music community, in a two-round voting process." But who selected these members? And how well are they balanced? Now, I don't mean to claim that there's collusion or foul play, I just always advocate for more transparency. And no matter what people will bitch and moan about this or that. The positive (and value of any award show) is to showcase worthy talent. Sure you can claim that some of these artists need no more showcasing, but their impact is undeniable, and ought to be recognized as such. Now back to those categories.

Autograf - Future Sauce

Future funk fabricators Autograf have once again jumped ahead in time, designing the delicious and delectable track, "Future Sauce." Like the Sriracha bottles in the art, I fully expect Autograf's latest to be doused on everything, with its fresh and exciting flavour. The Chicago based trio, truly takes their art to heart, not just in composition, but in trying new things, pushing the boundaries and widening their base. While "Future Sauce" is a brilliant combination of all things Autograf, it has a rhythm and style unlike many of their previous tracks. The piano is played with virtuoso dexterity, that for some reason reminds me of Ramin Djawadi's "Light Of The Seven" from the Game Of Thrones finale. And while you may enjoy that kind of piano, it can perhaps be underwhelming, leaving you wondering where this track is going. Then come the 1:30 mark, the bass and drums really kick in, leading up to the awesome slamming drop with blistering bass of epic proportions. When all of the elements come together for that short stretch, Autograf's musical mastery is on full display, as the funk flies from their fingers. After having seen Autograf perform live earlier this year, I highly recommend checking out their current tour. If the thought of seeing them perform "Future Sauce" live isn't enough to get your heart pounding, I'd recommend having a doctor check on that. Autograf are playing alongside Goldroom at The Mod Club in Toronto, Thursday October 13th, tickets and details, here.

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Chet Porter & Autograf Live at The Hoxton

Last night, local Chet Porter and Chicago trio, Autograf graced The Hoxton with truly awesome and unique sets. As you likely know by now, I'm a big fan of Chet's productions, mixes and overall aesthetic, which he delivered on quite successfully. Despite Sigala's unexplained absence, which forced set time to change, I was lucky enough to have made it through the lines and have picked up my first drink at the same time Chet played his first track, the Hitmane Kokirimix of Juicy J's "Bandz A Make Her Dance." Lighting candles to amplify the atmosphere and mood, Chet's set cruised along, garnering several  cheers from the captivated crowd. Perhaps the most well received section of his set came relatively early on when he combined his euphoric "Over U" remix with the vocals of Blink 182's "Feelin' This" before mixing into San Holo's "Victory." I caught the video here:
I was able to compile a list of 17 tracks he played during his approximately hour long set, but was left scratching my head more than a couple times wondering what bootleg/exclusive/edit he dropped. If I can figure any of them out, I'll be sure to update this post but for now you'll just have to enjoy this playlist:  There was of course a break between the two sets to transition between the DJ decks and Autograf's three person live set, which included an electronic xylophone of sorts, surrounded by three electronic symbols, several drum pads and high-hat, kick combination. In the middle was a mixer and sampler, presumably for changing the tuning for each of the many tracks the played. And on the opposite side, was the synth. Having seen several different live set ups, from Duke Dumont, Keys N Krates and Lido, Autograf's was the most unique and seemingly complex. This only magnified the truly amazing artistry and interplay between the three performers. Throughout their set I was truly in awe of the unity and interplay between the three. There really is nothing like music being made live and the playful performance. That really is the key to the allure of live music the playful nature and showmanship of performance, making it that much easier to connect with the audience. Good music performed live beats great studio music everytime. The way Autograf brought their originals, covers and remixes to life was absolutely amazing, and although I was able to compile a large playlist of what the trio played it cannot do justice to the live versions they played.
Apparently DJ Mag Canada had a live stream of their set, I can only hope that it becomes available so that we can relive their truly futuristic performance. Highlights for me included their remix of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition," and their covers of the Soulwax remix of  Tame Impala's "Let It Happen," Coyote Kisses' "Ferrari" and Swedish House Mafia's "One." The trio showed incredible endurance playing for well over an hour, and playing a 4 or 5 track encore. I will definitely be attending their next show and cannot wait to relive the awesomeness of Autograf.

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My Musical March Madness

What I'm going to look like March 26

After a February free of shows, each of my weekends in March is fully booked with events, setting the stage for my craziest month ever. Starting this coming Saturday (5th), I'll finally be back in the club and out of the basement, losing my hearing, enjoying Chet Porter, Sigala and Autograf. If you've ever heard any of my Bump In The Hump episodes it's highly likely that you're familiar with my passion for Chet Porter's productions, so it should be no surprise that my musical hiatus comes to a screeching halt when he returns home to play the Hoxton. Whether it's his originals (Aluko River, Awakening or tbh ily) or his remixes (Over U, It's Strange or Do You Remember) his library is full of simply sparkling magical music that is sure to invoke euphoria. He's easily my most anticipated set of the whole month; what a way to start the madness that is my March. Expect his set to sound something like his mix for Too Future, below. CLICK HERE FOR THE FACEBOOK EVENT. The fact that Chet isn't the headliner makes the 5th that much more exciting. While I can't say I'm that familiar with Sigala, it's quite clear that love is their main inspiration for their music; 4 of the 5 tracks on their soundcloud account include love in the name. The only track that doesn't, is their forthcoming single with Imani and DJ Fresh, "Say You Do."  The headliner, Autograf, has been on my radar since early 2014, when they began dropping remixes of classics like Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" and Swedish House Mafia's "One." Since then, they've captured worldwide attention with their futuristic productions with massive originals "Dream" and "Running." They've even released the first two tracks from their forthcoming EP, Future Soup.  The following weekend (11th-13th), is the CDJ Show at The Hilton. While I'm still unsure about many of the details. I do know that it will feature seminars, roundtables and VIP style events. It will undoubtedly be a great opportunity to mingle with many of the elite DJs and behind the scenes brains. So far the highlights as I see them include Vekked and Brace's live turntable seminar, a massive exhibit hall with booths from Ableton to GoPro and KRK to zipDJ. CLICK HERE FOR THE FACEBOOK EVENT.

While the CDJ Show is going to be a busy weekend, it might not be as busy as the double dose of debauchery due for the 18th and 19th. Firstly the Friday night kicks off with Haywyre, San Holo and Grabbitz at the Hoxton. Monstercat's Grabbitz is slated to open up the night in the middle of his spring tour supporting his December album, Better With Time. 

The second part of this three-headed Monstercat beast is San Holo, who will be making his Toronto debut. Expect to hear a full compliment of his now infamous Don't Touch The Classics series, which features "The Next Episode," "Lose Yourself" and "In Da Club." Combined with his swirling and sparkling originals and his bitbird label, there aught to be no shortage of awesomeness in his time on the decks. I can only hope that it somewhat resembles his mix for Annie Nightingale. Finally, the headliner, Haywyre hits the Hoxton stage in support of his masterpiece, Two Fold Pt. 2. Expect his unique live performance to showcase his unbelievable artistic ability. EVENT INFO HERE.While following up that finely curated lineup is incredibly difficult, Hunter Siegel's No Neon night is set to return the following night (19th) complete with locals Booshay, RYME and Autoerotique with the deep and dark Drezo making his No Neon debut. Booshay is quickly making a name for himself with his ever growing list of free downloads, including his latest "Rave Weapon." Veteran duo RYME are always primed and ready to go. Their vast musical knowledge and mixing skill make them some of the best opening acts you could ask for. Expect them to have their set loaded with exclusives from their BADLQQK label. As a matter of fact they just released their own remix to Sinden's "Step Back." There is no one out there that can rival the sheer amount of new bass blasting tracks that Autoerotique is pumping out. It seems like he's been dropping at least one new track per week for months now. Fresh off his Kids Don't Care EP release, you can expect to hear those and more exclusive new content, including his forthcoming collab with Hunter Siegel "On The Floor."  The only out of town DJ, Drezo, has been busting his way into playlists and mixes alike, with remixes of Snails, Jackal, Lil Wayne and Dr. Dre and massive originals "Guap" and "Heaven." Expect the No Neon aesthetic to reach its darkest when Drezo drops his Drowning Pools, "Bodies" remix. Tickets are sure to go fast for this fan favourite, find the link and more on the Facebook event page.  The last weekend, is the one that I've had tickets the longest for. Keys N Krates make their triumphant return to their hometown following the massive Midnite Mass tour. The energy of their live show is incredibly infectious. Each time I've seen them they've impressed me more and more. There's no doubt in my mind that their homecoming performance will amaze. Expect some special surprises in store as the trio have been tight-lipped and have yet to announce any supporting acts. Once again expect tickets to go quickly as the appetite for Keys N Krates always seems to be at an unbelievable level. Tickets and more at the Facebook event here.