Enlightened Listening for January 22

After what I thought was an incredible haul with last week's Enlightened Listening, this week's harvest is more than three times the size! Of course, there are a few releases we've been building towards here with early singles from Bicep's Isles and Logic1000's You've Got The Whole Night To Go, but there's so much more than that! There are two Tim Reaper EPs, including his fabulous and incredibly hyped (deservingly so) Special Request remix EP. There are two other solo albums as bass legends DC Breaks and Flux Pavilion drop DCXV and .wav, respectively. In other shorter offerings, there are seven incredible EPs from the likes of Kessler, Low Poly, Apashe and Tiefschwarz. On the other side of the spectrum, Afterlife offers up an epic 25 track, nearly three-hour compilation in Unity Pt. 2. Showcasing high octane tech house, Cloverdale's rounded up a half-dozen tracks for his label Vibrancy's first compilation, Exhibits Vol. 1. Rounding things out, there's a handful of singles and remixes, including CamelPhat's take on London Grammar and Undercatt's take on Robert Mills' "Children". Stream the new music playlist below and find each individual release linked at the bottom. Have a great weekend!

Bicep - Isles

Kessler - Ambivalent

Tim Reaper - Teletext

Special Request & Tim Reaper - Special Request & Tim Reaper

S9 - Get It Right

DC Breaks -  DCXV

Low Poly - Dreamstate

Dr Meaker - Atoms

Apashe ft. Tech N9ne - Insane (Remixes)

Flux Pavilion - .wav

London Grammar - Lose Your Head (CamelPhat Remix)

BAILE - Visage

Logic1000 - You've Got The Whole Night To Go

Robert Miles - Children (Undercatt Remix)

Dennis Ferrer & Disciples - Whisper (with James Yuill)

Bob Moses - The Blame (Helsloot Remix)

Tiefschwarz - Dance Tili You Popo #1

Various Artists - Tale Of Us Presents: Unity Pt. 2

Modul Kollektiv & Gespona - Viebar

Various Artists - Vibrancy Presents: Exhibits Vol. 1

Top 100 Tracks Of 2020: 25-1

The conclusion of the list started Monday from 100-76, which also includes my disclaimer/preamble. The middle sections can be found here: from 75-51 & 50-26. Find Soundcloud playlist here and Spotify here.

#25: London Grammar - Baby It's You (Kölsch Version) [Extended]

When I first saw that Kölsch had remixed London Grammar, this was what I was expecting. Instead, I saw a tight four-minute affair, that while good enough to make a list like this, felt entirely underwhelming. Glorious and gargantuan, this is the perfect track to take us into our final tier. It showcases both Hannah Reid's vocals and the original instrumental beautifully while extrapolating on their excellence. As with so much of London Grammar's catalogue, it is best when given time and space to breathe. It's stunning in its simple beauty, standing resolute against the abyss. A tempered touch from Kölsch, this is a masterpiece and yet another example of the power of the extended mix.

#24: Edu Imbernon ft. Mordem - Underwater Breathtaking (Innellea Remix)

While not technically an Afterlife release, I first encountered this epic in a mix of theirs. It's got everything I want from a track like this: big dramatic movement, spellbinding synths, killer sound design and a riveting vocal to tie it all together. The massive movement throughout this seven-minute affair is all too enthralling. Innellea immediately grabs you by the hand and pulls you into his underwater inferno, brandishing you with his scalding sorcery and abysmal black art. It is another one of those epics whose infectiousness leaves you powerless to its unearthly energy and uncanny charm. Just tell me you don't get swept away by those synths...

#23: Armand Van Helden & Riva Starr - Step It Up (ft. Sharlene Hector)

While there are still house tracks left in this countdown, this is without question one of the greatest iterations of the foundational genre. It reminds listeners of the two producers' legendary statuses, especially as every element in it tickles the senses. The piano, the strings, the diverse drums, the vocals, the bevy of effects; they all combine in crazy infectious fashion, each sparkling and gold-plated. It really is a diamond-clad delivery that hits on every single note. It's no game-changer, it's just a gloriously good time, especially as we're wowed by the barking vocal chops.

Enlightened Listening for June 26

While I said I was going to take the week off Bump In The Hump and blogging, I figured today was as good as any to break said 'promise.' However I will keep pretty close to it by simply listing this week's Enlightened Listening below, with no additional commentary. As usual it runs from generally lighter to heavier tracks, from rock/pop/disco to ever more banging house and DnB. Have a great weekend!

HAIM - Women In Music Pt. III

Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure?

Breakbot - Be Mine Tonight

The Shapeshifters - Finally Ready (ft. Billy Porter)

DSK - What Would We Do (The Reflex Revision)

Midas Hutch - Freeze

Motez & Qrion - Slow Down

Amtrac - Stratego (Mindchatter Remix)

PRAANA - Samasta / Quiver

Howling - Lover

Hot Since 82 - Eye Of The Storm (ft. Liz Cass)

Djumba Soundsystem & NenaHalena - Sagas Of Iziki / Chapter I

Various Artists - Odd Ones, Vol. 1

The Juan Maclean - Here In The Twilight

T.Raumschmiere / Voigt & Voigt - Speicher 111

Jaded - Bounce (VNSSA Remix)

Dr. Fresch - It Don't Stop

Flume & Toro y Moi - The Difference (High Contrast Remix)

Izo Fitzroy - Red Line (Dr Meaker Remix)

Metrik - Ex Machina