Enlightened Listening for February 26

We've reached the final Friday of this perfectly balanced February, and that means it's time for Enlightened Listening. This week's playlist is headlined by two tremendous albums from John Tejada and Dense & Pika; the former a lighter, more explorative affair, while the latter thrives through its impenetrable sound design. There's a trio of remixes from KAYTRANADA, KUU and Claptone, who takes on a personal favourite from the 80s in Trans-X's "Living On Video." Other favourites appear as AkaMatisse makes good with his debut EP, Prospa amaze with their Rave Science Vol. 1, and Matroda goes for monumental grooves with his Insomniac offering. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't point out the barmy bass house brilliance of ToMix's GOLD DiGGER drop, God Damn. Stream the playlist, organized for maximum flow, below and find each of the releases linked individually at the bottom.

AkaMatisse - Sonata Episode 001

Jacques Greene - Promise

Busta Rhymes & Vybz Kartel - The Don & The Boss (KAYTRANADA Remix)

Prospa - Rave Science Vol. 1

Diplo & Sonny Fodera - Turn Back Time (KUU Remix)

Trans-X - Living On Video (Claptone Remix)

John Tejada - Year Of The Living Dead

Don Rimini - Ghetto Fabulous

ToMix - God Damn

Dense & Pika - Colour Burn

Matroda - When We Were Young / Gimme Some Keys

Le Youth - Colour

Enlightened Listening for February 19

It's time for our weekly feast of fresh beats, Enlightened Listening. This week's edition includes many of my favourite names, of which Oski and Vindata make triumphant returns. Oski offers up a trifecta of flames on Deadbeats, while Vindata deliver a double dose of divinity to Monstercat. Also dropping off a dynamic duo, Low:r impresses yet again with infectious affairs "Pixel" & "Well." Equally trustworthy, Polaris adds another star to his galactic catalogue with "Deliverance." But enough of burying the lede. Jacques Greene & Cadence Weapon have a new collab! Sharing much of the magic that made "Night Service" such a sensation, "SENNA" too feels like a phenomenon we'll be enjoying over and over and over again. Other standout tracks come from CloudNone, Diplo by way of his MMXX mix of KUU, and Bit Funk & Jason Gaffner, who share another collaborative single. Stream the playlist, curated for maximum flow, below and find each individual release linked at the bottom. Have a great weekend!

Purple Disco Machine - Fireworks (ft. Moss Kena & The Knocks)

Bit Funk & Jason Gaffner - Biomechanics

Ela Minus - megapunk (TSHA Remix)

CT Kidobó - Vertigo

Special Request - Compassion

Low:r - Pixel

Polaris - Deliverance

KUU - We'll Always Have This Dance (Diplo's MMXX Mix)

Cadence Weapon -  SENNA (ft. Jacques Greene)

Scratcha DVA - Razzclart (ft. Razzler Man)

Oski - ANTAGONISTA

GRiZ - Vibe Check

Vindata - Good 4 Me / Union

CloudNone - Dopamine

CRi - Stranger (DJ BORING Remix)

Sultan + Shepard - nCTRL

Enlightened Listening for April 10

This week I've whipped together a can't miss edition of Enlightened Listening. Each of the 15 releases here are exceptional and I have to recommend a full play-through from the new Gorillaz to the latest godly Local Dialect in "Perseus" to Apashe's magnum opus Renaissance and finally Nina Las Vegas' "Impossible." However, I'm not going to do the full rundown as I'm cramped for time today. Instead I'll provide a bit of a road-map through the playlist below.

Funky, disco and house grooves rule the first third with strong, sample-driven tracks from Diplo, Wax Motif and Discotron closing out said section. Turning more-tech driven, EPs from the duos of each Cowboy Rhythmbox. BSOD (Steve Duda and deadmau5) and 29 Palms (Boreta and Ooah from The Glitch Mob) are amazing, Orbital's remix of Joris Voorn is simply fabulous and, as mentioned above, Local Dialect are once again divine. In the final third, Morgan Geist leaves me agape at the utter brilliance of his Caribou "Never Come Back" mix, as does the work of both Squarepusher and Apashe. Finally X&G's EP powers us into the almost Tokyo Drift quality of Nina Las Vegas' "Impossible." Enjoy!

Gorillaz - Aries (ft. Peter Hook and Georgia)

Coucheron & Pasha - Lighthouse (ft. Soul Gem)

Kiesza - Crave

Diplo & Wax Motif - Love To The World

BSOD - No Way, Get Real

Joris Voorn - Never (Orbital Remix)

Local Dialect & Las Von - Perseus / Flote

29 Palms - Nobody Horizon

Cowboy Rhythmbox - 6AM Cowboy

Caribou - Never Come Back (Morgan Geist Remix)

Squarepusher - Lamental

Apashe - Renaissance

X&G - Losing Myself

Nina Las Vegas - Impossible (ft. Thai Chi Rosé)

Enlightened Listening for January 10

With this first edition of Enlightened Listening of the year, we've got a good mix of feels-driven house tracks (highlighted by Lane 8's new album), six sensational remixes (including two from Monkey Safari and a personal favourite in Cousn's take on Jessie Ware), the latest from trusted labels Of Unsound Mind & DFA, and more! Listen via playlist below and find each individual release after the jump. Enjoy!

Leaving Laurel - sometimes it's scary...but it's still you and me / Need Little, Want Less

Lane 8 - Brightest Lights

Nils Hoffmann & Ben Böhmer - Second Sun

Brigado Crew - Equilibrium

CamelPhat ft. Jem Cooke - Rabbit Hole (Monkey Safari Remixes)

Tensnake ft. Chenai - Rules (Motez Remix)

Reece Low - Wait A Minute

Valentino Khan & Diplo - JustYourSoul (Tchami Remix)

Christian Nielsen - Solo

Jessie Ware - Mirage (Don't Stop) [Cousn Remix]

Oh Wonder - Happy (Joe Goddard Remix)

Cold Beat - Prism

The Knocks & Kah-Lo - Awa Ni (That's Us)

Nigerian vocalist Kah-Lo seems to be everywhere lately; rising with Riton, delivering with Diplo, now she's bringing the hype to The Knocks new track "Awa Ni" which roughly translates to "That's Us" in her native Yoruba. The saucy summer-tinged track features sax and a number of African flavoured instruments and is sure to have you swaying. As with nearly all of The Knocks' productions this too enjoys an undeniable groove only made possible by the life and love B-Roc and JPatt always bring to their tracks. And it's abundantly clear that the three work well together as "Awa Ni" is an incredibly slick production. Add it to your summer playlist now here and enjoy the Soundcloud stream below.FOLLOW THE KNOCKS: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
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Silk City ft. Dua Lipa - Electricity (Leemz Bootleg)

Undeniably one of the most intoxicating pop productions of the last year, Silk City's Dua Lipa led Grammy winning single "Electricity" has received countless remixes including one from The Black Madonna, who hit the 34th spot in my year end countdown (here). Months after the original spark has subsided Jersey Club legend Leemz has brought his bounce and inimitable energy to the effusive "Electricity." The propulsive pressure of Leemz's lightning-in-a-bottle bootleg is immediately invigorating, sucking you in through the success of Silk City and Dua Lipa's lush delivery before becoming jacked up on a gallon of java. The drops are dizzying, almost disorienting, in their whirlwind of wild Jersey Club components, perfect for pushing any party into overdrive. It is this contrast of the sublime nature of the original and its smooth status in between drops that makes this such a rousing remix. Grab Leemz's brilliant bootleg absolutely free via ToneDen here and follow his socials below.FOLLOW LEEMZ: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Enlightened Listening for March 29

Just as with last week's edition of Enlightened Listening, the focus is on the future and we've got a great taste of it not just in the three diverse, yet equally awesome albums from Nömak, Maceo Plex and Plant43, but also in the trio of super-duos: the return of Dog Blood (Boys Noize & Skrillex), Anti Up (Chris Lake & Chris Lorenzo) and the newly founded Europa (Jax Jones & Martin Solveig). Rounding out the playlists are two beautiful takes on Luttrell's "Into Clouds," the killer combination of NGHTMRE & A$AP Ferg, and the versatility of Diplo as he does house. Stream below and enjoy!

Luttrell - Into Clouds (The Remixes: Part 1)

Diplo - Hold You Tight

Jax Jones & Martin Solveig Present Europa - All Day And Night (ft. Madison Beer)

Anti Up - Concentrate

Dog Blood - Turn Off The Lights

NGHTMRE - Redlight (ft. A$AP Ferg)

Nömak - 128 kbit/S_My_Love

Maceo Plex - Mutant Series

Plant43 - Three Dimensions

A-Trak - Hollerboard Redux Set

There's no debating A-Trak's spot on the Mount Rushmore of DJs. You could literally spend days, if not weeks, enjoying his wide range of sets and mixes. Back in October of 2015 he dropped his "Bloghaus Revival Mix," with the followup coming about about six months later, here. While he didn't directly reference the Erol Alkan forum, it no doubt played part in the track selection as a hub for electronic music aficionados from around 2007-2009. Last night he released a recording of a September 28th set in Philadelphia entitled "Hollerboard Redux Set."

As he mentions in the description, this Hollerboard Redux party arose from the message board of the same name, based around Diplo and Low Budget's Hollertronix parties. Before Soundcloud and EDM, it was message boards and forums like Erol Alkan's and Hollerboard where DJs and fans alike shared mashups and "lesser-known regional styles," bringing incredible creativity and experimentation to DJ sets. The result below, a mix of tracks from the Hollerboard Era and new songs with the same spirit, is one of the widest ranging sets you'll ever hear. Where else are you going to get Billy Joel pitted against A$AP Rocky & Skepta in the same hour as Justin Timberlake, Parliament, Bloc Party and Kraftwerk.
The back and forth in the mix is incredible. One minute you're popping off to Cajmere "Percolator" the next your gliding across the floor to A-Trak's ABBA aided "Voulez-Vous" or pumping up the jam before releasing the beast on Hall & Oates. That said, A-Trak's made all of those transitions fit together better than PB&J. Like Kid Sister's "Pro Nails," which he helped write, this mix is dressed to the nines, "toes done up with her finger nails matchin'." Just one look at the massive tracklist, almost as wide as it is tall, and you'll realize what kind of treat you're in for. It's some serious "Laffy Taffy" as A-Trak's journey is sure to leave your head spinning.

Finally, as writing this A-Trak tweeted out a list of his DJ sets from Hollerboard to Bloghaus to Rap and Cut It Out (here). If you've missed any of these, make sure to save or download for your holiday parties!

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Silk City ft. Dua Lipa - Electricity (The Black Madonna Remix)

Much has been made about the combination of Diplo and Mark Ronson as Silk City, and justifiably so. They're two of the world's most recognized producers, and they've capitalized on a resurgent sound in disco. Starting with "Only Can Get Better" through to their most recent and greatest commercial success "Electricity," they've pulled in some of the hottest talents: behind the scenes (Alex Metric, Nitti Gritti, Riton and others appear in the production credits), behind the mic (with Daniel Merriweather, Desiigner and Dua Lipa leading) and with remixers (Claude VonStroke and Le Sauvage so far).

Today they've added another powerhouse to the legendary list of talents around the super-group that is Silk City, with The Black Madonna taking on the aforementioned "Electricity." Putting a potent piano in the fore and letting Dua Lipa's love soaked vocals sit in this more hardened house pocket, gives an extra gravity to the already groovy production. The spark of "Electricity" still sends shivers down your back, especially so with the crackling hi-hats, as this lateral move from disco to house maintains the magic of the original. Get this re-energized remix from your favourite digital outlet here.FOLLOW THE BLACK MADONNA: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

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.

Shakedown - At Night (Purple Disco Machine Extended Remix)

There's no doubt disco is on the rise as of late with Chromeo's Head Over Heels looming large, Diplo joining the fray with Silk City, and A-Trak spinning a disco set during Coachella weekend. All that said, there is perhaps no better indication of disco's latest revival than seeing Purple Disco Machine atop both the Beatport and Traxsource charts. At this very moment the German's remix of classic 2002 Shakedown track "At Night" looks down on all other tracks, regardless of genre. I'm not sure I've ever seen this before, but after a full stream and further thought it's easy to understand why.

Frankie Knuckles said it best, calling house disco's revenge and while people are still ravenous for the likes of dubstep, future bass, trap and other genres, house will always be the heartbeat of electronic (dance) music. "At Night," and Purple Disco Machine's updated version more specifically, blurs the line between the two brilliantly. It has all the hallmarks: a groovy syncopated bass line, glitzy guitar riffs, sublime string swells, intoxicating vocals, and a playful pluckiness that in this extended mix allows for effortless all night dance enjoyment. It is abundantly bouncy, keeping your body vibing from your head to your toes, filling each four-on-the-floor bar with a feeling of freedom and confidence to groove in whichever way you want. And in the end this is exactly what makes disco, house and truly all of electronic music so special; it works on such a visceral level, both singularly personal and as a shared community. There really is no better feeling, so try it for yourself via Defected Records, here.
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Enlightened Listening for May 25

It may only be May 25th, but it sure seems summer is in full swing. It's warm, people are busy and music keeps coming fast and furious, at least in its delivery. Sonically however, the music is getting funkier, groovier and more laid-back allowing us to enjoy it more leisurely. That said there are still a handful of more banging, club style tunes, but the majority (even Diplo) falls under the ever growing 'nu-disco' moniker. Enjoy 20 tracks (singles, remixes, EPs and Hoodboi's brilliant Breathing Room), as part of an hour and a half of music in this week's edition of Enlightened Listening. Stream/read below.

David Guetta & Sia - Flames (Aazar Remix)
Holy Flashdance vibes Batman! Sia's voice soars as always and Aazar's groove glows like a polished bar of gold. The final minute makes my heart flutter, if only it ran five times as long. I'm in love.

Louis La Roche & Mylo - Lovers
Definitely nu-disco, but bigger and bolder than most of the others in this list. However that doesn't mean this is without a caring caress. The bright backing that bolsters the bass and the little touches like the loon imbue this paramour with all the power of nature.

Pilo - Relax/Requiem
Twin Turbo continues to conjure up incredible club cuts. "Relax" takes little time to leave you lost in the haze, lurching around like a disembodied spirit. "Requiem" shows off some supremely smart drum work, building the whole track around an onslaught of earth shattering drums, as though emanating directly from the earth's core. Call it a coincidence, but we first heard it around the same time Kilauea started erupting.

Silk City (Diplo & Mark Ronson) - Only Can Get Better (ft. Daniel Merriweather)
Premiered by Annie Mac yesterday, I can think of no more evidence that disco is back than Diplo jumping on the bandwagon. While it's not likely the best you'll hear even in this list, it's a strong pop production, and will likely get a lot of play throughout the summer. It only gets better when you find out that both Alex Metric and Riton helped with additional production. Nice.

Botnek & Aylen - Future Of The Underground
The last time we heard these two (who are perfect for each other) was when Botnek retouched "Quack Attack," one of the wildest tracks you'll ever hear. This one definitely feels underground, especially in that's where all of its sounds seem to stem from; rising from the floor, as you writhe on it.

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Sylvia Says (A-Trak Remix)
I like to imagine this being played at the royal wedding reception. There is just such a strong air of European excellence that plays perfectly with the unfettered fun the groove and bounce brings.

Chromeo ft. DRAM & Jesse Johnson - Must've Been (Mercer Remix)
Chromeo's hottest single so far receives yet another remix, with Mercer working his magic this time. Whereas the original was a jam, this is a jam session, adding more elements and a little more oomph for good measure. A genius recasting that is sure to draw people to the dance-floor in droves.

Element - You (ft. Khamari)*
One of my favourite rising stars yet again shows his range. After the unreal banger "Needles," he's gone for a more chill wavy approach, and this one works wonders especially with Khamari's smooth vocals.

Booka Shade - Easy Drifter (Claude VonStroke Remix)
Doesn't get much bigger than this, both in names and sound. Like the single "Night Surfing" this one grows in ebbs and flows, with wonderful finishing flourishes from Claude. Easy yet supremely strong.

Kramder - Funkastic
I absolutely love that CONFESSION is getting more into the French touch and this EP nails it. It's nicely filtered fun, that while oozing with old-school vibes still brings a contemporary kick. The effects and aforementioned filtering remind me of early Louis La Roche and that might be why I feel so strongly about it. If you want to kick your party up a notch throw on some "Pure Gasoline."

Friendly Fires - Love Like Waves (Riton Remix)
Seems as though Riton and Alex Metric have been running in the same circles lately, as the latter has already released his remix and of course they both backed "Only Can Get Better." Friendly Fires almost always offer up excellent tracks for remixing, and this certainly follows suit. The synths will have you head spinning in one direction, while the drums another. You'll be all twisted up on the dance-floor while onlookers stare in awe.

Hoodboi - Breathing Room
In the past five or so years, Hoodboi has released several of my favourite records. That said we haven't heard from him for a while, but that appears to have paid off as this beautiful seven track sensation is pure poise and polish. Right from the opening number Breathing Room is nothing short of stunning, showcasing incredible amounts of instrumentation that is sewn together with mind-blowing mastery. There's sublime songs like "Tip Of My Tongue" and "Drowning," fresh funk in "Long Distance," genius get down in "Tunnel Vision" and one of the most exquisite pieces of electronic music, "True Colors."

* denotes free download

Enlightened Listening for March 23

Fridays never disappoint and this has got to be the best ever we've ever seen. I've compiled a list of 28 singles, EPs, and albums for this week's edition of Enlightened Listening. There's literally everything from techno and trance, to house, club, disco, DnB, and more. Big names like Diplo, Noisia, Benny Benassi and newcomers that are sure to impress. Unlike previous weeks everything here was released today and today only. The playlist is absolutely massive, running 145 tracks, and over 10 hours. But you've got all weekend to check it out, so take your time or skip through, but as always enjoy!

My Mixtape featuring Haus Of Panda

DOWNLOAD MY MIXTAPE FEATURING HAUS OF PANDA

Tracklist

1. The Bucketheads - The Bomb (Haus Of Panda Rework)
2. Grandtheft & Sleepy Tom - Hold On 2.0
3. ANGELZ - Devils
4. Autoerotique & Max Styler - Badman (Torro Torro Remix)
5. Sub Focus - Close (Grandtheft Remix)
6. Ephwurd - Vibrations
7. Diplo & Autoerotique - Waist Time
8. Haus Of Panda - Catch My Breath
9. La Musique D'Ordinateaur & Zeskullz - Ravemachine VIP (ft. Mikey Ceaser)
10. Pegboard Nerds & Quiet Disorder - Move That Body
11. Lektrique & Autodidakt - Shots Fired
12. Ephwurd - Pump The System
13. Drake & Gucci Mane - Both (Borlini Remix)
14. Autoerotique & Hunter Siegel - OTF
15. JVST SAY YES - Switch (ft. Ephwurd)
16. Haus Of Panda - Time
17. Autoerotique - Run For Cover
18. Apashe & RIOT - Fire Inside
19. Tchami & ANGELZ - Love Language
20. ANGELZ & Slatin - Supafly (ft. Hanz Gable)
21. DJ Mustard ft. Travis Scott - Whole Lotta Lovin' (Grandtheft Remix)
22. Corey Hart vs Ephwurd - Shades Of Grey At Night (Haus Of Panda Mashup)
23. Nightcrawlers - Push The Feeling On (Haus Of Panda Remix)
24. Haus Of Panda - My Way
25. Drake ft. Giggs - KMT (Haus Of Panda Remix)
26. Haus Of Panda - Rewind Selecta

Henrik The Artist Set Recreation

I was pretty sure seeing Henrik The Artist for the first time would not be a disappointment,  in spite of my incredibly high hopes, and thankfully he blew them out of the water. If you're interested in the play by play, head to my twitter and have a laugh. But I'm sure you really only care about the music, so I'll do my best to show off what I remember from the sublime set here. Tracklist above is of course incomplete, and not entirely attributed (although those without artist names are either Henrik's or some kind of remix/bootleg). So here you go, enjoy and don't be afraid to turn all the way up, it's worth it.

I will end by saying that while I don't think this is the version of "All I Do Is Win" he played (his was more internet/meme friendly, especially in the vocal treatment), but it's an enjoyable version nonetheless.

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.

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Angelz - Devils Remixes

The quality content coming from Quebec continues to fill Bump In The Hump. One of that province's most promising producers, Angelz is quite simply blowing up. He's been identified by boss-men Tchami, with releases on Confession, and Diplo with a Diplo & Friends mix, April 30th. His most recent enterprise is an expansive 8 track remix EP. "Devils" is remixed by the likes of LO'99, Noise Frenzy, and label mate Volac, as well as another I'll be playing tonight. Stream the remixes below & buy here. Along with Angelz, tonight's episode of Bump In The Hump is built up of some of the most moody, wonkiest, and bassiest tracks in its six season history. Among numerous artist debuts from across the country, you'll hear Internet Daughter & Eytan Tobin's latest collaboration, which was crafted during their still ongoing tour of Asia. There's also new Neon Steve, CYMN and Autoerotique. You can stream the hour of new Canadian music that is Bump In The Hump, live 6 PM EDT on Radio Humber here.

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Tropkillaz, Oski, Dom Dias & Sevla to set The Hoxton ablaze

Since summer has begun, I don't think I've set foot in a club. Don't get me wrong, I've seen dozens of artists, but seemingly exclusively outside, enjoying the unprecedented warmth and lack of rain. That all changes tonight, as I finally find myself hitting up The Hoxton once again. I was immediately intrigued when I saw Tropkillaz were coming to town, and when Oski was added to the billing I knew this was going to be an event I'd do my darnedest to get to. But it was when Dom Dias, truly one of my favourite producers in the game, was announced as the local support that I knew I'd break any previous commitment to take in one of his rare DJ sets. So in honour of tonight's lit lineup, I'm going to take you through a number of my favourite tracks from each of these artists, in an attempt not just to build the hype but to also rebuild part of my now lost library.

First we start with the opener, Sevla, who I've unwittingly been aware of for almost a year. Last summer as Diplo and Sleepy Tom's track "Be Right There" was bouncing through the clubs, Sevla and Maliboux were at work crafting one of seemingly dozens of remixes of the massive collaboration. Their ever so slightly pitched up, frantic future bass, and soaring synths take "Be Right There" to a level unheard even in the six track remix package.
Damian Alves, 19 year old, self-proclaimed "TRVP GOD" is truly a master of fire-starting bootleg remixes taking on the likes of Porter Robinson, Deadmau5, Wiwek, Eptic and Habstrakt. His productions with Blvk Sheep, Crankdat and GRMN suggest that he's ready to explode in a ball of blazing hot fire. Expect his opening set to be jam packed with raucous remixes, cranking up the temperature in preparation for the white hot heat of Tropkillaz, Oski and Dom Dias.

While the majority of tonight's lineup focus on lit, trap productions, Dom Dias stands out as perhaps the most versatile and well rounded producer. He may even have the most productions to his name. I'm having a hard time coming up with an accurate prediction as to what the Sinhalese sensation is going to drop. Following the philosophy of "no genres" I expect Dom to bounce around through his endless library of remixes, stoking the fire of the crowd, filling the room with a hazy humidity, that might just explode in a thunderstorm like the opening of his latest production, a hard hitting remix/mashup of Red Hot Chili Peppers.

After back to back Canadians, The Hoxton will play host to two international act from the Southern Hemisphere. Hailing from Sydney, Aussie producer Oski will undoubtedly capitalize on the firestorm Dom Dias has created. Expect to hear a lot of Oski's productions with his tag, "Oh shit, is that Oski?" and a number of exclusives and unreleased tracks. Personally I'll be holding old for his twisted trap remix of fellow Australian L D R U's "Keeping Score," but if we're lucky we'll get to hear ItsUFO's bootleg of perhaps Oski's most lit track, "Keep It Going." It's still not released but you can hear it in fan fiction's NEST HQ Resident Mix 010.

Our other international headliner is the Brazilian 808 bass duo, Tropkillaz. And now that I take the time to really think about it, there are very few producers on the planet that can boast a larger library, in the same amount of time. I still remember my friend first playing "Deixa Eu Dizer" back in 2013. That was my introduction to Tropkillaz, and although it is one of their lighter tracks, it serves as a terrific taster, whetting your appetite for Tropkillaz unique blend of Brazilian Bass. By the time these two take the stage, I expect The Hoxton to be like a scene out of Jumanji with the roof dripping sweat and all sorts of vines and other jungle growth overtaking the dancefloor. Tropkillaz will look to take advantage of this jungle-esque atmosphere, only increasing the humidity and heat, with their blazing bass. They've got a new EP on Mad Decent, Braza Attack Vol. 1, and seemingly endless amounts of booty shakers, both literal bootlegs and twerk inspired tracks. Get a taste below.
As per usual I went a little bit overboard with the taste tests, you won't be able to listen to everything I've posted and still be at the show in time, but at least you'll have these playlists to listen to afterwards and you'll be able to pick out some of your favourite tracks they actually played. Tickets are still available tonight, and I'm sure you can get some at the door, as there's always some held back for first come, first serve. So check out the facebook event, cop the tickets from there or take your chances showing up at King and Bathurst.

SUPPORT DOM DIAS: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
SUPPORT OSKI: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
SUPPORT SEVLA: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
SUPPORT TROPKILLAZ: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Throwback Thursday: Jack Beats - All Night ft. John B

This Throwback Thursday, it gives me great pleasure to once again revisit one of my favourite DJ duos, Jack Beats and their ever extraordinary production value. As a two part post, I'll first look back at their collaboration with vocalist John B, in "All Night," and second, still to this day, one of my favourite mixes ever, that just happens to start with that very track, a live recording of their 2011 set from Bang Bang night club in San Diego, listen and download here. This post once again takes me back to the glory days of the Erol Alkan forum, which at the time led me to their live set, which hosted a number of then IDs, which turned out to be classics like their collaboration with Diplo, "War" and the incredibly hyped, aforementioned set starting track, "All Night."

It was immediately clear to Erol Alkanites that it was a forthcoming Jack Beats record, as it featured their trademark synths and subharmonic vocal manipulations, however it was the genius progression and perfect mood setting that had the forum followers drooling. Without a doubt "All Night," and the accompanying mix are quintessential Jack Beats; the duo's combination of incredible production value and songwriting from a single track perspective, and their unparalleled ability to combine tracks, and curate a top notch set that hits on all cylinders.

In the same way "All Night" combines incredible movement and depth, from the blithe and bouncy intro, through domineering and deep bass wobbles, to gyrating progressive drops, Jack Beats have crafted their set with the same transcendent touch. The tracklist is the perfect combination their own material (including ""Out Of Body," "Deep," "Shutterbug," "I'm Not Your Toy," and already a TBT, "Little Secrets") established hits ("Babylon," A-Trak's "Heads Will Roll," "Avalanche," Boys Noize's "Swoon," Afrojack's "Cool,""Innocence," Sub Focus' "Hold On," and Herve "Together") throwbacks (Outlander's "Vamp,") and underground bangers (Boy 8-Bit "Yard Birds" and Boris Dlugosch "Bangkok").

Listening back to this hour and half mix, gets me so excited to see Jack Beats, in just less than a month at The Hoxton, June 4th. It will be at least the 5th time I've seen them and I can honestly say that they never disappoint. Their mixes are always incredible, and as I look through my iTunes, I see at least 10 incredible mixes that never get old, whether it's their Essential Mixes (2010 & 2011), Promo mixes, for MixMag or their own EPs (Evolution Mix & Fabric Live), and even their live sets (Ultra 2013, Electric Zoo 2013 & Night Bass NYE 2015), there's hours of bass music to be enjoyed. Once again I've uploaded the 'Bang Bang Mix' for your listening pleasure, and remind you that tickets are still available for their show, here, while the facebook event is here.

SUPPORT JACK BEATS: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Juno Nominees

And the nominees are... #JUNOS pic.twitter.com/z3XLhz9aMs

— The JUNO Awards (@TheJUNOAwards) February 2, 2016

Tonight on Bump In The Hump I'll be celebrating yesterdays Juno nominees for Dance Recording of The Year, playing all five of the tremendously deserving nominees. I can't remember the last time the Junos, or any awards ceremony, nailed a category full of exemplary nominees, each and every one. Hear the nominees and more of the best new Canadian music, live 6-7 EST, later on mixcloud, or Friday on 96.9 FM Radio Humber. I'll be looking back at Black Tiger Sex Machine, Apashe & Dabin's show and looking forward to Rezz & Cosella joining Destructo and Justin Martin Friday night.