Enlightened Listening for March 26

Another week down means another edition of Enlightened Listening. While I've taken a bit of a writing hiatus, that doesn't mean I've stopped listening to music, thankfully so, as this week's haul features more than 100 tracks and eight hours of music.

There's a ton of DnB, starting with perhaps my most anticipated release of the year (one I've been waiting nearly a year for), Plantium Breaks' brilliant and energizing affair Everything. They're followed by another exceptional single from Low:r, who is in turn followed by albums from Hospital, with their stacked H25PITAL compilation, and Tyr Kohout, who delivers a dynamic debut.

Mixing things up a bit, Night Bass brings some bright new talent to their roster with Hans Glader's groovy Lumen EP. Even more groovy and electrifying, Proc Fiskal's Lothian Buses will have you bristling with bass, the same way Overmono's latest "Pieces Of 8" will have you in awe. And from awe-inspiring to yawn-inducing (in a good way), we get two downtempo/chill albums from Eli Escobar and Zeds Dead.

Starting anew, the middle fifth of this week's playlist moves through progressive and melodic house, including Grigoré on This Never Happened and two EPs from FiveP, of which Quantum most captured my attention. Another highlight arises shortly thereafter as five more tremendous talents remix BRONSON. And here I have to wonder about the TSHA remix, which shares an obscene amount of the same DNA as her Gabrielle Aplin-led original "Change." I love that track, but it's a bit strange seeing it used here as a remix, no? Anyway, we're in for a whole bunch of love and life in the final seven releases...

A trio of touching originals opens this final section as Franky Wah, Dombresky and Moullinex each work with exceptional vocalists (LOWES, Camden Cox and Selma Uamusse, respectively), delivering diverse yet, equally awesome productions. Following immediately after is our final remix of the playlist, pitting legendary MGMT against legendary Metronomy. And yes, the result is as cool as you'd expect. Now, before we weep to Kele (Okereke of Bloc Party fame) and "Smalltown Boy," we're treated to a couple life-giving originals from The Magician x Wuh Oh and Dimitri From Paris x Fiorious. While the former is more of your typical 'EDM' fare, the latter is as lush and 'organic' as it gets.

Stream the weekly new music playlist below and find each individual release linked at the bottom.

Platinum Breaks ft. Eden - Everything

Low:r - Oooga

Various Artists - H25PITAL

LSB & DRS - High As She (Break Remix)

Tyr Kohout - Accelerate

Hans Glader - Lumen

Proc Fiskal - Lothian Buses

Overmono - Pieces Of 8

Eli Escobar - Lullabies For A Sleeping City

Zeds Dead - Catching Z's

Grigoré - At The Edge Of The World

Drumstone - Lost River

FiveP - Quantum

FiveP - Lockdown

Feyln & Tristan Klampert - Halcyon

Avoure - Pangea

Henry Saiz - The Untold

BRONSON - BRONSON Remixes Nº.3

Franky Wah - Not In Love (ft. LOWES)

Dombresky - Do You Remember (ft. Camden Cox)

Moullinex - Ngoma Nwana (ft. Selma Uamusse)

Metronomy - The Look (MGMT Remix)

The Magician & Wuh Oh - LIFE

Dimitri From Paris & Fiorious - Music Saved My Life

Kele - Smalltown Boy

Top 100 Tracks Of 2020: 100-76

Starting today through New Year's Eve (Thursday), I'll be revealing my list of the "Top 100 Tracks Of 2020." The following is my disclaimer, as I feel it important to preface this kind of list with some insight into its creation and the methodology behind it. While I spent a lot of time seriously pouring through this year of music, this is not really a serious endeavour. No one was polled. Sales and streams are irrelevant. This is merely my fun way of sharing the tracks and artists that made my year better, in hopes they do the same for you. The rankings are not scientific or even fair, rather they are simply a reflection of how strongly I felt these tracks and how much praise I felt they deserved. 

You'll notice the thread of disco/funk continues to run through these year-end lists, while DnB and breaks appear more than ever before. Another trend continues as we see a further diminishing amount of club-type tracks included, primarily as circumstances changed consumption and led to the vast majority of my musical enjoyment coming on my many escapist bike rides. That said, the power of some of these tracks is unavoidable as they will assuredly kill when clubs come back.

Finally, I will once again say that this is by no means an exhaustive list; there are without a doubt exceptional tunes that somehow failed to make the cut. However, onward and, in this case, downward, from tracks 100 to 76 we go. Find the Soundcloud playlist here and Spotify here.

#100: Weiss & Harry Romero - Where Do We Go?

An early summer earworm. Makes masterful use of the sample from Alan Parsons Project "Games People Play." Not overly inventive or banging, but rather slick, smooth and altogether enjoyable. The first of many house tracks in this list that captured my heart this year, even if only for a moment.

#99: HAIM - I Know Alone

While it's been half a decade since I spent day after day with HAIM and Days Are Gone, the sisters and their work with Ariel Rechtshaid and Rostam Batmanglij remain close to my heart. A toss-up as both this and "Now I'm In It" are perfect for 2020, I landed on this garage joint thanks to its catchy, crisp and crackling production and overall atmosphere.

#98: MERCER - Lemonade

Fabulous French filter disco house. Almost too slick. Undeniably good and groovy. The kind of track that has you tapping your toes uncontrollably and later leaves you humming its magnificent melody.

#97: Nikki Nair - 3XL

An acid-induced fever dream. Propelled by Nair's potent percussion and scintillating synths. Like so many of the tracks in this year's list, "3XL" is all about the journey. There's no skipping ahead to a dope drop or sick section, rather one has to ride out this rolling wave of resplendence.

#96: SBK. - One Man

Perhaps the most ominous and irksome track in this list. Spine-tingling strings, all kinds of ingenious percussive hits and of course the equally screwface and shiver-inducing sub-bass. Truly diabolic dubstep.

#95: Soda State - Midnight

Among the year's most fun and funky productions. I know nothing about Soda State, nor had I ever heard them before this, however their inclusion in Magic Tape 98 made for an incredible introduction. An awesome mix of pop sensibilities alongside retro dance resplendence.

#94: SOSA - The Sax

A track so infectious that I can turn a blind eye to its misleading moniker. The trumpet (not sax) top-line is awesome, as are its babbling vocal bits, but it is the way those two elements play with the rollicking percussion that makes this track one of the year's best house offerings. Like many on this list, I expect this would have ranked much higher were clubbing possible in 2020.

Enlightened Listening for July 17

It's the weekend and that means mountains of new music for your ears. Coming into this week there were a few releases I'd had bookmarked, but little did I know just how much amazing content was on the way. Running 20 releases deep, this week's Enlightened Listening features an insanely long list of my favourite artists.

ATTLAS leads things off with a sublime single, which we first heard a demo of in September of 2018. Jim-E Stack follows that with the kind of soul-snatching quality we've come to expect. Building the energy back up, a Dombresky remix of TOKiMONSTA and a Lane 8 collab follow, each with captivating dance vibes. In a stunning turn, I just learned that Alex Metric, Riton and Shungudzo have combined under the KUU moniker and today they delivered their sensational debut single "How Could I Ever?," which follows a fabulous remix of Madonna (here). Turning towards disco we get an awesome run of my favourites in Late Nite Tuff Guy, Purple Disco Machine, Yuksek and Aeroplane remixing PNAU, Gaga & Grande, Dimitri From Paris & Aeroplane and Horse Meat Disco, respectively.

The remixes continue as Amtrac scores four equally alluring offerings from Grum, David Jackson, Francesca Lombardo and Panteros666. Qrion bookends this run of remixes with yet another slice of stunning craftsmanship. As things turn epic, Above & Beyond lead the way with a powerful, emotional trance cut ahead of a trio of EPs from GIGEE, 8Kays and Brassica. The former is exceptional tech house, the middle the kind of mystifying deep house that makes it a perfect fit on Booka Shade's Blaufield, and the latter an awe-inspiring odyssey through synths - a perfect fit for Feel My Bicep. And while we're on perfect fits, how does Soulwax and LA Priest sound? Amazing. That's how.

Tiga remains in top form as he follows his HudMo collab with another familiar face in Audion. This Is A Dream is classic Tiga, lively and life-giving techno. Next up is a nine-track compilation from Boysnoize Records featuring all kinds of awesomeness; a club killing comp that is sure to remind us all of the good old days in a sweaty club. And speaking of club killing stuff, thook drops off a triple-shot of sickness that one friend described as an "assassinating a pharaoh type beat." Finally, we walk off with an explosion at our backs as QUIX and Vincent join forces for TIGER DROOL, a massive new project full of promise. For those hoping Vincent would return to his XVII origins, this is your Superbowl.

Dig into the playlist below and find each individual release linked at the bottom. Have a great weekend!

ATTLAS - The Night Air Was Cool

Jim-E Stack - Note To Self (ft. Empress Of)

TOKiMONSTA ft. VanJess - Come And Go (Dombresky Remix)

Lane 8 & Kasablanca - Run

KUU - How Could I Ever? (ft. Shungudzo)

PNAU ft. Vlossom - Luck (Late Nite Tuff Guy Remix)

Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande - Rain On Me (Purple Disco Machine Remix)

Dimitri From Paris & Aeroplane ft. Leela - Can't Get Enough

Horse Meat Disco ft. Kathy Sledge - Jump Into The Light

Amtrac ft. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Radical (Remixes)

Trivecta ft. Rico & Miella - Everyday (Qrion Remix)

Above & Beyond - Jam

GIGEE - Minotaur

8Kays - Rolling

Brassica - Crystal Sea

LA Priest - What Moves (Soulwax Remix)

Tiga & Audion - This Is A Dream

Various Artists - Wet Floor, Vol. 1

thook - THE MIRROR FILES

TIGER DROOL - Tiger

Enlightened Listening for February 21

This week's Enlightened Listening runs through smooth grooves before heading through the house trifecta of deep, disco and bass. There's two killer compilations, an unreal album from Claude VonStroke and a sublime single from Bullion. Enjoy via playlist below, read brief description next and find each individual release linked at the bottom.

Fun, synth-driven singles from Jessy Lanza and Bullion will have you swooning before Sultan + Shepard's Kochi EP thrusts you towards the dance-floor. The next two releases really help you explore the floor as A-Trak & Ferreck Dawn collab "Coming Home" speaks to your soul and Jaded's Ounces inspires eccentric moves. Things turn euphoric and upbeat with the next two as Kiesza conquers another top-end and Will Easton whips up a ravey remix of Duke Dumont's "Therapy." Remixes rule the next two as a trio take on Dombresky (while adding a new original of his own) and legends Kenny Dope and Mat Zo offer up uniquely powerful mixes of Moon Boots. Staying legendary, Freaks & Beaks marks the triumphant return of Claude VonStroke fresh off an excellent Essential Mix last weekend. Finally it's all bass and house as dozens of artists combine over two compilations from Dr. Fresch's The Remedy Vol. 2 (standouts from Cloverdale, Pretence and the doctor himself) and Koos' blanc sur noir, Vol. 3 (standouts from Bellorum, Castion, GODAMN, CYMN and Koos himself).

Jessy Lanza - Lick In Heaven

Bullion - We Had A Good Time

Sultan + Shepard - Kochi

A-Trak & Ferreck Dawn - Coming Home

Jaded - Ounces

Tom Ferry & Kiesza - I Think That I Like You

Duke Dumont - Therapy (Will Easton Remix)

Dombresky - Trust The Process Remixes

Moon Boots ft. Steven Klavier - Tied Up (The Remixes)

Claude VonStroke - Freaks & Beaks

Various Artists - The Remedy Vol. 2

Various Artists - Blanc Sur Noir, Vol. 3

Enlightened Listening for November 22

This week's edition of Enlightened Listening hits the epic standard once again. It's full of legendary names and extended cuts. With that in mind I'll aim to keep the descriptions short so you can just get right into the music which ranges from deep and progressive house to out and out bangers, especially heavy on the DnB. Skip ahead if to the playlist if you like or catch highlights in the following paragraph.

Ben Böhmer leads it off with a brilliant album, which is then followed by perhaps my favourite All Day I Dream EP, which is made up of four fantastic fable-like tracks from Volen Sentir. Friendly Fires bring in a couple brilliant remixes as well as a couple album extras in Offline, while Goom Gum take on a Depeche Mode classic. Joy Orbison and Overmono unleash brilliant b-side "Still Moving," which leads us into a bunch of banging bass tracks starting with a sensational Sable Valley pairing. Mat Zo and Doctor P deliver a couple genius cuts, reminding us of their revered status throughout the scene. However it is the future in Kryojen and WE ARE FURY, who cap the playlist with sensational soundscapes and a dark dystopian future. Enjoy all that and more below, and have a great weekend!


Ben Böhmer - Breathing

Volen Sentir - Cloud Atlas Map

Durante - Restless (ft. Tuff Ghost)

Friendly Fires - Offline

Goom Gum - It's A Lot

Gorgon City - Roped In

A-Trak & Loods - What Can I Do

Dombresky - Trust The Process

Destructo - Twisted

Wax Motif & Matroda - Lose Control

Joy Orbison & Overmono - Still Moving

RL Grime & Juelz - Formula

Squarepusher - Vortrack (Fracture Remix)

John B - Pressure 2019

NCT - Astrophyiscal (ft. Skyelle)

Mat Zo - Games

Doctor P - Voices

Feed Me - Nothing Hurts Like You (ft. Sam Calver)

Kryojen - Divided

WE ARE FURY - Echoes (ft. Micah Martin)

Enlightenment Listening for May 3

May blooms bring a beautiful mixture of disco, house, trance and techno. This week's Enlightened Listening includes many of my favourites. Louis La Roche, Yuksek, Dombresky, warner case and Röyksopp get us started with some warm tunes and intoxicating dance numbers. Next up is the second such compilation from TOKiMONSTA's label Young Art Records with the likes of RYAN Playground, Soul Clap, L-Vis 1990, Robotaki and more. After that comes Nathan Micay's incredible Blue Spring album. Finally we close with two top notch techno EPs from mau5trap and Afterlife. Enjoy below.

Louis La Roche & Mylo - Lovers (Mylo Edit)

Yuksek - Cadenza (ft. Polo & Pan)

Dombresky - Simple Hit

warner case & Vin Damato - right with the groove

Röyksopp - Church (Lost Tapes)

Various Artists - Young Art Sound II

Nathan Micay - Blue Spring

i_o - Death By Techno

ROD - Brighten Up Bunny

Dombresky - Soul Sacrifice

Dombresky sure knows how to get people grooving, whether it be with his smart selections behind the DJ booth or when he's in studio making his own beats. Following the space-bound, synth led "Futurmastic" and acid rolling tech-house collab with Noizu "Rave Alarm," Dombresky delivers yet another spin on house, this time letting organic instruments take charge in "Soul Sacrifice." While the saxophone is the fulcrum of this track, the simple strength of the guitar and the dance-ready drums make it a spirited sensation. It takes very little imagination to see that this will certainly have people flying across the dance-floor, shuffling along to the sax lead. While it is certainly repetitive, it is an integral part of the lifeblood of the production, playing perfectly with the walking bass-line, giving a genius swing to the nearly four minute groover. Pick up "Soul Sacrifice" via Process Records now here.FOLLOW DOMBRESKY: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Enlightened Listening for October 19

Gotta love the life Fridays bring through all the new music that comes with it. This week's Enlightened Listening sees some new names (C.O.Z, Parametric and more) alongside some old favourites including a handful of fantastic remixes. There's the likes of Tennyson, Hudson Mohawke, Justin Martin, GTA, TroyBoi, Dombresky and more. Stream below, find brief descriptions after the playlist and enjoy!

Tennyson - Face The Night*
Always inspired, Tennyson craft some of the coolest and most unique pop productions. Such a vibe.

Kito - Pamplemousse (ft. Hudson Mohawke)
The night Tennyson were getting us ready for. More potent percussion. Beautiful and mysterious.

Nick Monaco - River (Mija Remix)
Magical breakbeat mystery. Sublime, stunning soundscape. The voices, bass guitar and sax, just wow.

Strafe - Set It Off (Justin Martin Remix)
Cannot stop listening to this genius. The long version is the best of the 3 mixes, and it may be one of the best tracks of the year. Not sure why but I'm reminded of Erol Alkan's "Forever Dolphin Love." Its just got such a unique, undeniable allure.

EDDIE - Spiritual Contraband
The first of two mau5trap EPs in this list. The more typical of the two, in that its progressive, beautifully crafted techno. The whole EP is definitely dance-worthy, but man is the title track ever good.

Antic - Turncoat
An awesome offering from Anjunadeep. Wandering wonderment with a glitchy groove.

C.O.Z - Back & Forth
Expansive, line blurring blend of bass house/techno. Turn up the sub and let it do the dancing for you.

DJ Zinc & Chris Lorenzo - Gammy Elbow (Dnb Mixes)
I've never seen a remix package like this. Both artists offer their own DnB mixes of their collaboration. Really cool to hear Chris' version compared to Zinc's, his bass house background works wonders while Zinc's consistent quality continues to shine strong.

GTA & Tisoki - Botellas (ft. Godwonder)
Need to bring back TWRK's mix series just for this. Unreal energy, cannot help but wile out to this.

Tails & Inverness - Skeleton (ft. Nevve)
TWRK, Girl Trapz or Get Right Radio, this one has that Benzi stamp of approval as the first release on his new label Parametric. One hell of a get down with vocals that lift you back up every time.

ODESZA - Falls Remixes
TroyBoi, TOKiMONSTA, and Photay all in one remix package? Oh and that's without mentioning Kaskade and The Glitch Mob. STACKED. Jaw dropping work from TroyBoi as per usual. TOKiMONSTA applies a pop polish perfectly, and Photay freaks it out in fantastic fashion. Something for everyone.

Dombresky - Futurmastic
There is no version of Dombresky I enjoy more than the melodic, chill, groovy version. This bright bounce number just feels like the perfect finale to any set or playlist. Exceptionally easy listening.

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Drainpuppet - dark water

One of the great pleasures of hosting Bump In The Hump is discovering new artists. It happens every week, nearly every day. Often times these are mere stumble upon moments, and because of the all-new focus I don't necessarily play these discoveries right away. I'll log the name in my continually growing database, follow their socials, and hope I reestablish the connection when I see their name again. That was the case yesterday when Hamilton's Drainpuppet dropped the lead track "dark water" from her forthcoming third album aether light, which closes out the elements trilogy of Firewater and AIR_EARTH. Due out August 28th on one of my favourite labels, DESKPOP, if this lead track is any indication the album will be expansive, inventive, delicate yet powerful and beautiful. Intelligent dance music indeed, catch it in the mix on Bump In The Hump tonight and pre-order/stream here.After the long weekend you might expect a lack of shows this weekend, however that is not the case as I've got tracks looking ahead to sets from Kontravoid, Dombresky, Shiba San, Sydney Blu, Hot Chip, Dustin Nantais and more. Attlas, Memphis, Pusher, Slooze, and STUND stay hot in the summer with yet more new music. Finally, fresh off Veld there's new releases from both Lukav and Rezz. Don't miss all that and more live from 7-9 PM EDT via Radio Humber or cataloged via Mixcloud here.

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Nerf Me - Dumb

After seeing Dombresky and Chris Lake last night you'd think I'd have had enough bass house but no, I haven't. The latest release from Imperium Network, and debut production from new artist Nerf Me, "Dumb" would've worked perfectly in either of last night's sets. It's got all the necessary elements of  banging bass house: a wild woofing bass rattle, a nasty break down and a gritty slashing synth. Even the subject matter is an easy fit; the drops last night had the crowd (and admittedly myself) making screw faces aplenty, and boy did we look dumb, but that's kind of the point. Tracks like this hit on such a visceral level affecting body and mind, turning your brain into mush as you throb with the four on the floor bass banging pattern. Make your own screw faces for free by downloading "Dumb" via Tuneboost.FOLLOW NERF ME: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Van She - Idea Of Happiness (Robotaki Remix)

The Weekend Warm-up returns to Bump In The Hump tonight. Each week I'll feature a variety of tracks from shows happening in and around the area the coming weekend. This episode features Robotaki, who brings his double billing tour with Manila Killa to Velvet Underground tomorrow, Oct. 19 (RSVP/Tickets). We've had new Robotaki tracks the past two weeks, so I figured I'd go for the trifecta with his beyond beautiful take on Van She's "Idea Of Happiness." The early release is genre tagged as "excitement" and it is just that. It's jump for joy dance quality and some kind of incredible radiance, as big as the sun, and just as warm. And if it's not the best tease for a weekend, I don't know what is.This weekend also has Chris Lake coming to CODA (RSVP/Tickets), with support from Dombresky, who you'll also hear from in tonight's episode. The two hours of new Canadian electronic music includes the usual fire finale with trap, dubstep, DnB and is capped by a fresh remix of a Deadmau5 classic. There's also techno, house, future bass, RnB and just a touch of everything in between. Listen live here from 6-8 PM EDT on Radio Humber or anytime after the fact via Mixcloud here.

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Sevla debuts SevSquad Mixtape series

Toronto "TRVP GOD" Sevla, still riding the high of bass house banger "Bandits," has a new treat in the form of a curated mix series. SevSquad is set to play host to some of the producer's favourite tunes including fire from his friends, and some exciting new edits. He takes no time at all establishing the edits, with a killer combination of Woolymammoth's "Cult" and Mura Masa's "Lotus Eater" kicking off the mix. There's familiar names like CRaymak, Joyryde and Dombresky, alongside bad ass bootlegs of Kendrick Lamar and Migos. If hard hitting, drop for drop destruction is what you crave, Selva and the SevSquad Mixtape series ought to satisfy. No download available at the moment, so stream below. FOLLOW SEVLA: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Koos - Bolt

There's just something about how the French do house music. Whether it's legends like Daft Punk or more recent upstarts like Malaa, Tchami or even Dombresky, their understanding of and ability to create club worthy house tracks is uncanny. The latest example comes from Koos, whose track "Bolt" rumbles so relentlessly that you may not be able to scrape yourself off the dancefloor. It reminds me a lot of what CastNowski is doing, utilizing a variety of sound effects, while playing with the incredibly potent bass. I'm not sure you even have to voluntarily move, the subwoofer should take care of that. From the percussion, the synths, the bass, the vocal samples and overall atmosphere, Koos hits on all cylinders. "Bolt" is available 100% free, here.

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Dombresky - The Cookout Guest Mix 053

Earlier this week French producer Dombresky graced SiriusXM's Electric Area for a guest mix on The Cookout. Now, I've been a fan of his for a while now, and with tracks like "Be Real," "Hardcore," and his DJ Snake "The Middle" remix, how could you not be? My only beef is that he's not been to Toronto, but that's also changed this week when he was announced as support for Chris Lake's October 21st stop at CODA during his Lose My Mind Tour. While it's nearly impossible to predict what anyone might play on a given night, this mix for The Cookout is at worst a great introduction to the rising talent. So don't sleep, press play below and RSVP/buy tickets for the 21st, here. Check here for the other tour dates. What I like most about Dombresky is on full display here: his versatility in both production and mixing. He dabbles mostly in house, but as we've seen the the last year or more, house has really become multidimensional, with bass, deep, tech and other subgenres blowing up. He drops a little bit of all of that in this set, from the delightful open of Boston Bun's "Missing You" to Eli Brown "Got The Power" and the Oliver Dollar, Daniel Steinberg collab "Perc It Straight," there's so much to dance to. However, I'm particularly taken with the way he's used Eli Brown's "3am," not just because it's such top notch tune, but the way it sets the mood before transitioning the mix into a more brighter after-hours vibe.

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Top 100 Tracks of 2016: 33 - 1

Continuation of the list started Wednesday: From 100 - 67, which also includes my disclaimer/preamble. The middle third of the list can be found here: From 66 - 34.
Soundcloud playlist can be found at the bottom.

#33: Maduk - Got Me Thinking ft. Veela
(As featured on EFYE) From those first strides of warm synths, and the accompanying bass grooves, the track picks up and continually gets steamier. It almost feels like a real band could play this, although they'd have to be operating at an incredibly high rate of speed. And boy would I love to see it played live. From Veela's strong yet ethereal vocals, through the endless groove, fabulous drum fills and playful progression, this track has everything. It gets me going and makes me hella happy.

#32: LDRU ft. Paige IV - Keeping Score (Cut Snake Remix)
(As featured on EFYE) When I wrote about the remixes of "Keeping Score," I called Oski's my favourite, since then I've changed my mind. Cut Snake have absolutely crushed and perfected the original (which too is brilliant). The foundation laid out by LDRU and Paige IV is beautiful, but the additional piano and fluid movement Cut Snake have injected is simply sublime. It's become the kind of all night party track that takes listeners through the gamut of emotions. It's smart, groovy and enchanting.

#31: A.G. Cook - Superstar
This track is built for lists like this, it literally has everything: beautiful vocals and lyrics, brilliant production, all wrapped together in an epic 5 minute journey of emotions. It's no secret how I feel about PC Music and their aesthetic, so clearly I'm a fan of the sounds their leader A.G. has used in this track, despite not being your typical PC Music track. Leaning more heavily on piano, live instrumentation, and Cook's voice, this track is an ode to true musicianship, that often seems absent in electronic music. Its beauty will have you reaching for the sky, hoping to grab a ride into the cosmos.

#30: Courts - Feel My Love
Right from the groovy pickup, Courts have crafted an absolutely captivating track. While it's a true electronic dance track, it (like many of the others on this list) features a ton of live instrumentation. That live element is so incredibly powerful, it's infectious from the fingers to the toes, and the head to the heart. It's one of the most fun tracks in this list, it has me grabbing for my air guitar and hairbrush microphone just to be a part of the band. It's impossible not to feel the love Courts are sharing.

#29: Stormzy - Scary (Slumberjack Edit)
(As featured on EFYE) This Slumberjack production is light years away from their other track on this list. Where "Open Fire" is kind and insightful, "Scary" is merciless and blunt. It absolutely hammers away at your senses, in the best way possible. It takes Stormzy's grime original and turns it into one of the most fire bangers of the year. It's diabolic is its delivery, leaving you stunned, stupefied and floored.

#28: Vera - Eeva (Sketch)
The beautiful tranquility of the flowing water in the opening, lays the foundation of this fresh and fully alive future bass track. It's at once like nothing I've ever heard before yet also so familiar. What would seem to be a cacophony of sounds couldn't be further from the fact. Vera is able to incorporate so much into one track, crafting unbelievable harmonies. Imagine Lido, Cashmere Cat, Ryan Hemsworth and Tennyson all worked together on a track, even then it might not match "Eeva."

Top 100 Tracks of 2016: 66 - 34

Continuation of the list started yesterday: From 100 - 67, which also includes my disclaimer/preamble. Soundcloud playlist can be found at the bottom.

#66: Meroshi - Summer Friends
It's hard to believe we made it this far into the list without some drum and bass, but here we are. Meroshi's genius is on full display here. His sound design impeccable, crafting instruments that feel so real, imbuing them with life and passion. The subtle effects and progression he works throughout, give the track an incredible energy. It's horny, groovy and those vocal samples get me every time.

#65: Stephen Walking - It Came From Planet Earth
2015 was the year I discovered and fell in love with Stephen Walking. This year marked a change in his productions, leaving behind the bass of "One Man Moon Band" and "The Difference Between Us And The Aliens," in which he explored different BPMs and styles. However, sticking to his interstellar, future disco/funk disposition, "It Came From Planet Earth" exudes awesomeness.

#64: Cashmere Cat - Trust Nobody (ft. Selena Gomez & Tory Lanez)
The rise of Cashmere Cat over the past two years is a testament to his nearly unrivaled ability, not only to produce around vocalists, but to craft truly divine sounds. While his recent work skews further from the kind of beautiful bangers of Mirror Maru or Wedding Bells, "Trust Nobody" shows off his smooth touch and delightful decorum. This further establishes Cashmere Cat as an paralleled producer.

#63: Jadu Heart - Late Night
Fittingly, I first heard this on a late night coming home from the club. That first flourish hit me like a magic spell, utterly alluring and beautifully breathtaking. And while it worked so magically in that hazy atmosphere, I now use it whenever I need a pick-me-up. It holds a special power in its easy flowing sound, so organic and raw as though it were recorded in one take. Heart rending harmonies through truly insightful and emotionally evocative lyrics, it's always on my mind.

#62: Jameston Thieves - Hypnotic
This certainly doesn't sound like a banger for the first 45 seconds, that is until it dives into a deep house beat. Torquing up the tension Jameston Thieves quickly turn "Hypnotic" in to an all out thrasher, banging the bass with massive strobing throbs, that contrasts so brilliantly with the brighter leads. The sound design of the bass in the drop may be the key to the track's quality, but it truly excels and finds itself in this list because of the drums fills leading into the drop as well as the supporting production.

#61: Justin Jay & Friends - Karma (JJ's Late Nite Dub)
Hearing Justin Jay play this at The Hoxton was one of the highlights of the year; I feel too many DJs are scared to play something out of the ordinary, something that doesn't bang, something not designed for the club. This is the kind of uplifting, yet downtempo, track that I could listen to any time of the day. It's built upon a beautiful premise ("You get what you give") and simple yet sublime instrumentation.

#60: Machinedrum - Angel Speak (ft. MeLo-X)
While I've called Machinedrum's Human Energy my album of the year (in my Grammys post), I decided to include only one track from it in this is (though many are deserving). The problem is the album stands as a cohesive collection, so separating tracks seemed wrong. The exception, and stand out track from it is this, "Angel Speak." For me it encompasses all that makes the album so magical. It it full of life, bringing humanity to the the synthesized sounds, begging listeners to move their feet. Like the album itself it also bounces around from different rhythms, instruments and grooves, truly coming alive.

#59: Torro Torro & Aylen - Designed 4 U
(As featured on EFYE) 2016 blessed us with one of the best collabs the bass community has ever seen. Torro Torro and Aylen are perfect for each other, as clearly evidenced in this track. Everything screams sheer brilliance as the synths never stop moving or progressing, and those vocal riffs, while leading the track they also support and play perfectly into the utterly insane and diverse drops. There really is nothing better than drop by drop progression, and these three take that to the next level, making the first, already awesome drop, pale in comparison to the callous second coming.

ValyMo & Broady - Get Funky

As part of Gold Digger's We Are Bass House year end compilation, ValyMo and Broady have teamed up to drop French bass track "Get Funky." As part of the explosion of both bass house and French artists (Malaa, Slowbody, Dombresky, LH4L, etc), we've seen a surplus of copycat producers trying to live up to the likes of those mentioned above. But there's really no questioning the quality of ValyMo or Broady; ValyMo can boast productions for OWSLA, UKF and Ultra, while Broady cannot match that list, he's released numerous quality tracks ranging from "Hunnid For The Quarter," "Go The Farthest," "Kush World," and "Never Say Never." Considering his account is only 8 months old, Broady is a fast rising talent, and this collab with ValyMo will only hasten that. "Get Funky" stands out from the aforementioned surplus of bass house tracks, with well thought out layers of production working together brilliantly. From the vocal samples, through the ratcheted bass synth and throbbing subs, the overall design of "Get Funky" leaves little to be desired. The fills are fire, its atmosphere intoxicating and the continuous progression ensures it never gets stale. If this track turns your crank, you'll likely enjoy the other 14 tracks in the compilation, but first, get "Get Funky" for yourself free, here. FOLLOW BROADY: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
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Anna Lunoe - Hyperhouse Tour Megamix

The number of quality tours going around this fall is perhaps unprecedented. Whether it's Mija's FK A Genre, Destructo's Renegade, or Anna Lunoe's Hyperhouse, the slew of DJs on each is absolutely awesome. In anticipation of her tour starting next week, Anna just dropped a 35 minute mega mix, overflowing with some of the hottest tracks from her incredibly deep roster of DJs, including Vindata and Sliink who will both be at The Hoxton, Saturday November 5th. Of course the mix also includes Lunoe's latest, "Radioactive," Sleepy Tom's breakout banger, "Be Right There," and their collaborative effort, "Pusher." Then there's some magical Mija, including her remix of A-Trak and Tommy Trash's "Lose My Mind," Vindata's "Own Life" and their smash hit collab, "Better." The 12 city tour starts October 13th in Santa Barbara and works its way up the west coast through Vancouver before restarting in Washington DC, November 3rd, with a few east coast stops before heading to Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas. The line up varies for each stop, so check out www.itshyperhouse.com to see who of Cray, Sliink, Dombresky, Ducky, Madeaux, Mija, Nina Las Vegas, Rickyxsan, Sleepy Tom, Uniiqu3, Vindata and Wuki will be joining Anna. I've linked the facebook event for the Toronto stop, here, if you want more details and/or tickets.

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Pusher ft. Mothica - Clear (Shawn Wasabi Remix)

The second official remix of Pusher's track "Clear" with Mothica, dropped today, one week ahead of the full remix EP's release on Black Butter Records. First Graves upped the intensity with rattling future bass slaps, now Shawn Wasabi has added his trademark kawaii sensibilities. Like the beyond brilliant lyrics, these remixes are great combinations of "so dark but delicate" and "rough around the edges" production from the original that lends so perfectly to both Graves and Shawn Wasabi's styles. I had thought Henrik The Artist's remix of Shawn Wasabi's "Burnt Rice" was the best combination of producers, but Wasabi's remix of Pusher and Mothica might just have upped the game. Pitting artists and tracks against each other is actually the opposite of the ethos of these tracks. These artists share the same taste and often share each others tracks. Most recently I caught Pusher pressing play on Henrik The Artist's "Lose You" during his set at Bestival. In fact my dream lineup would feature those three alongside Mija, Vindata, Mura Masa, Flume, Ryan Hemsworth, Chet Porter, Lido, LH4L, Danny L Harle, Dombresky, SteLouse, and Wave Racer. If only I had to power to bring all these people together; that's the dream. Anyway, get excited for next Friday, as there's sure to be even more exciting remixes of the already incredible "Clear."

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