Enlightened Listening for December 11

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

KUČKA - Ascension (Mssingno Remix)

Jessy Lanza - 24/7

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

Tiga - Colours So Bright

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

Hatiras - Love And Affection

Marco Faraone & Greeko - Armaghetton (Aeroplane Remix)

Dr Packer - Get Some Soul

Damian Lazarus - Holy (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix)

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

Haus Of Panda - Computerized 3030

TIGER DROOL - SABER TOOTH

Greg Wilson - Live At WOMADelaide Festival

Somehow Mondays continue to be a difficult as ever, so instead of forcing myself to find a new release to write about I've decided to return to the always awesome and reliable work of Greg Wilson. The legend's mailout arrived in my inbox today showcasing his "Last Festival 'Til When?" blog post and what may end up being both his first and last festival set of the year. Just over two months ago, immediately before the global lockdown took hold, Wilson took the stage at WOMADelaide Festival in Botanic Park in Adelaide.

Spanning nearly two hours, the set is full of upbeat and uplifting disco, funk and soul classics as well as its fair share of more recent releases in said sphere. The likes of Poolside and Todd Terje lead the mix to the tune of their "Harvest Moon" and "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes," respectively. Even more trusted names follow as the mix really starts to soar with Late Nite Tuff Guy, Psychemagik and Dr Packer waiting in the wings. The latter appears a couple times, but I'm most drawn to his seemingly unreleased take on The Spinners "I'll Be Around," which appears around the 47 minute mark. As always with Wilson's mixes, there's gems like that galore and who couldn't use an extra shot of Prince, the Gibson Brothers or Chic in their life? Treat yourself to the effortless ease and glorious grooves of this mix (along with free download) and follow Greg Wilson through both his socials and blog below.FOLLOW GREG WILSON: BLOG FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Top 100 Tracks Of 2019: 25-1

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. Soundcloud playlist here and Spotify here.

#25: London Elektricity - Final View From The Rooftops (ft. Cydnei B.)
I still remember the first time I ever heard London Elektricity. A friend showed me "All Hell Is Breaking Loose" and I lost my mind. While it took a touch longer for this track to send me into such a tizzy, I was indeed left in awe. Of course it's incredibly crafted, showing off Tony Colman's exceptional aptitude, but more than that it's immersive, building an uber cool and ridiculously detailed world around you. Its magic is like the scene in Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince when Dumbledore rebuilds Slughorn's house.

#24: Peggy Gou - Han Pan
Another year, another incredible couple of tracks from Peggy Gou. While it seems most prefer "Starry Night," once again I'm drawn to the b-side. Really either could make the cut but there's just something about "Han Pan" that tickles my fancy a touch more. The driving quality of its groove, the propulsiveness of its percussion and the gorgeous, almost regal, quality of its overall mixture is truly magical. It's got Gou's genius written all over it, and I for one can't wait for next year's batch of brilliance.

#23: Polaris - Kessel Run
My favourite DnB track of the year, this one is utterly wondrous. Its atmosphere is euphoric, dazzling through its diverse and long list of instruments. It roars and purrs, sprints and spins, floats and flails. It has and does it all. Sax solo? It's got that. Disco strings? That too. Its brilliance is simply unavoidable, uplifting and energizing each listener five minutes at a time.

#22: Dua Lipa - Don't Start Now
Easily my favourite pop track of the year. You know it's good when it gets remixes from the likes of Purple Disco Machine, Dom Dolla and others, yet none come remotely close to the captivating and seamless quality of the original. I had a fight with a friend on NYE when he said there must be a ghost producer (he mentioned Calvin Harris), but whether it's Ian Kirkpatrick alone or not it's one of the best productions of the year. There's endless details and it flows ridiculously well, oh and how about that bass line? My god.

#21: Daphni - Sizzling (ft. Paradise)
Dan Snaith is back in a big way. We've got a couple new Caribou tracks already and there's an album right around the corner. However his Daphni output has been the winner. Growing out of a DJ tool, this one is an instant sensation. Its energy is ridiculous, just like its catchiness. Pressing play is like setting the dance-floor on fire causing each dancer to stomp out the flames in glorious unison. A wicked original from Paradise, Snaith has added the perfect electronic touch and wound up with an unstoppable weapon.

#20: Citizen Kain - Indigo
Speaking of weapons, here's the first of two from Tale Of Us' Afterlife Voyage Mix to make this closing section. An obvious and epic banger, everything about this track screams power. The drums and bass absolutely hammer away, while even the brighter, top end percussive bits deliver a crisp metallic crack. The synths are ridiculously sick, made even better by the banging bottom end. The build is beyond big and with it the drop must be even bigger, and Citizen Kain has certainly delivered. It'll leave your head spinning, jaw agape, while you pick up your teeth with a broken arm. Techno doesn't get much better than this.

Top 100 Tracks Of 2019: 100-76

Starting today through Friday (with a break on New Years Day), I'll be revealing my list of the "Top 100 Tracks Of 2019." 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 a 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 from last year, as once again it dominated my consumption. But once again you'll notice I touch on a variety of genres, while sticking to the brand of this blog, which is indeed a reflection of my personal preferences and ideals. There's a lot of pop music, but the list is largely electronic and dance dominant.

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: Robotaki - Quasar
As so often seems to be the case I'm called most strongly to the b-side of a release. Here "Quasar" captures my attention with a truly dizzying display of musical craftsmanship. Robotaki rifles off a resplendent mix of electronic and organic instruments that reminds me of both the extraordinary quality of early future bass and the indie rock energy of Erol Alkan, specifically his "Forever Dolphin Love" remix.

#99: High Contrast - Going Up
The first in a long line of DnB tracks in this year's countdown. The consistent quality of High Contrast is on full display here with this crisp, crackling cut. It's both exceedingly beautiful and seemingly simplistic, while somehow still feeling fresh and exciting after a plenitude of plays.

#98: DROELOE - Only Be Me (Duskus Remix)
Immediately heavy on the heart, this one is actually brilliantly buoyant. The swinging nature of the drop is sure to leave you swooning while the whole thing oozes poppy positivity. While a few years ago I would've said bitbird is one of my favourite labels, I can no longer say that. However this mix seems to have found the perfect balance between their sappy saccharine ethos and sharp, catchy synths.

#97: Nelly - Air Force Ones (Klutch Remix)
While I don't often get into tracks primarily for a single sound, this remix and its rattling bass is so banging that I cannot help myself. The drops are stupid dope and the rest of the track is built with enough ear catching punctuations that it deserves recognition in a list like this. It would be a banger with the first drop alone, but a progressive second drop and its sensational use of Nelly make it a can't miss.

#96: Sub Focus - Solar System
With a name like "Solar System" you'd expect some serious magnitude and Sub Focus did not disappoint. This one hurdles along at light-speed and if you go along with it, you're apt to burn up like a supernova. A lot of electronic music has an outer-space, futuristic feel and this is most definitely one of this year's best, most banging examples.

Michael Gray ft. Shelly Poole - Borderline (Dr Packer Remix)

Few can churn out remixes and edits the way prolific disco dealer Dr Packer can. In the last week alone he's satisfied our dance desires with a take on Haywoode's debut single "A Time Like This," an edit of Barbara Mason's "Another Man" as well as both a remix and dub version of Michael Gray's Shelly Poole led single "Borderline." The latter, out now on Altra Moda Music, is a sublime stomper. Its energy is sure to set the dance-floor ablaze, especially through its already driving original groove. That said the additional elements the genius that is Greg Packer adds to this extended mix bring a previously absent sheen. The strings, horns and percussion combine to set the weapon that is "Borderline" to stun, allowing listeners to strut with a crazy cool confidence. Like Hifi Sean's "Lost Without U," a track with which it shares many similarities, "Borderline" is an undeniable earworm worth countless listens and playlist additions. Stream now below and get it via Traxsource here.FOLLOW DR PACKER: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW MICHAEL GRAY: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Enlightened Listening for July 19

Once again I'm overwhelmed by the amount of music this Friday (and the rest of the week) brought. So, just as with last week's Enlightened Listening I've got to keep it short and simply draw focus to a few of the 16 releases showcased in the playlist below. Early on there's a couple cool orchestral and orchestral-adjacent cuts, each incredibly well produced. Later on we get Baltra's brilliant and massive album Ted which I believe would play perfectly as you cruise the streets at night. Directly following that we get funky with Sparkee and Tuxedo, the former being absolutely fantastic through all four parts. "The Kids" has already become an anthem of mine this summer, and I totally foresee "Want Your Love" doing the same. After those two funk fiestas come three jaw droppers. "Heaven" is instantly one of my favourite tracks of the year, and why not, its got everything. The same goes for "No Price" which can boast Chromeo and Dr Packer on a single track. Rounding out that trio, Madeaux comes through with perhaps my favourite production of his in "I Want You." Once again he absolutely slays the sub-bass, sending shivers down my spine. After that is an unadulterated foursome of fire progressing from the power of Dillon Nathaniel through to X&G's electrifying design. All that and more below.

Throwback Thursday: The Shapeshifters - Lola's Theme

Fifteen years ago this month the then duo of The Shapeshifters unleashed the undeniable majesty of "Lola's Theme" on the world." In fact tomorrow marks the 15th anniversary of its immediate chart topping success in the UK. Jacking up a Johnnie Taylor sample from the 1982 track "What About My Love," Simon Marlin and Max Reich added vocals from Cookie and one of the world's most played disco house tracks was born. Not only was its success sweeping, but its groove certainly could be described as such as well. It is a spinning in ecstacy type production and has spawned countless remixes and recastings, in large part thanks to the captivating quality of its epic orchestra-like allure. In fact as I write this I'm listening to Spotify's playlist of tracks named "Lola's Theme" and I barely noticed a difference as Pete Tong, Jules Buckley and The Heritage Orchestra's version played.

Watch the original video and find a few of my favourite versions (minus Prydz) in Spotify playlist below.

Melba Moore - You Got Me Loving You (Dr Packer Rework)

Perth power player, Dr Packer remains one of the hottest commodities when it comes to nu-disco and jackin house. Currently laying claim to two tracks in the top 30 of Traxsource's main chart, the good doctor just upped his disco dosage with a take on Melba Moore's "You Got Me Loving You" from 1980 album Closer. As always, Dr Packer delivers a reinvigorating rework instantly ready to hit the decks and get the party started. The funky grooves of the original remain largely intact, however they've been built up bigger, longer and stronger, filling the now six and a half minute delivery with a fat, four on the floor, house heartbeat. The drums, sweeping risers, sublime strings and brilliant brass flow fantastically together giving the track an exceptional ease and heartening warmth. At the time of writing there is no indication as to where one can acquire this cool creation, but I will update if/when it becomes available. Until then, stream to your hearts content and follow Dr Packer's socials below.FOLLOW DR PACKER: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Inner Life - I'm Caught Up (Dr Packer Rework)

Disco edit extraordinaire, Greg Packer just shared his rework of Inner Life's 1979 brilliant boogie number "I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair)." As Jeff Webb and Mark Beshai mention my interview with the LeBaron James boys, the key to disco edits is honing in on the little nugget of gold and building around its eminent glory. That's certainly the case here with Dr Packer keying in on the quality of the original, but rather than limiting himself to the vivacious vocals, the funky bassline, string swells or even the dance-ready drums, he's recast each of those awesome elements, jacking the whole track up a notch. And this is really the best part of not just what disco edits do, but what Dr Packer does so well. Certainly one could just go back and listen to the original, but edits like this 1) allow for DJs to play and share the record more freely, and 2) in many cases, acts as a remastered version, further highlighting all the originals' qualities. At the time of writing, this seems to be the only version online, so until there is another link for download/purchase, enjoy the stream and follow Dr Packer below.FOLLOW DR PACKER: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

New Mixes from Dr Packer, Erol Alkan, Late Nite Tuff Guy and The Magician

Last week I saw the legendary Late Nite Tuff Guy's name above an hour long track entitled "Soul Mix 3" and got really excited. The recording from 2009, features the likes of Barry White, Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye and many more. While it's a super cool insight into the mind of LNTG, its more about selection rather than transitions and easy flowing enjoyment. That said, today's search led me to 3 other mixes that bridge that gap better, so I've decided to showcase these live sets/mixtapes both for selection and mixing quality. They're all on the funky, disco end of the spectrum so if hard hitting stuff is what you're looking for you're out of luck. However you'll surely find some favourites, new and old. So let's get started, working back towards Late Nite Tuff Guy. Stream below and grab free downloads.

The Magician - Magic Tape 82
Finger firmly on the pulse, The Magician always has the hottest commodities in his show. He's got two of the new Disclosure tracks, his own remix of The Chainsmokers and the killer collabs of SG Lewis/AlunaGeorge and A-Trak/Todd Terry. The vibes are very laid back and groovy, before things pick up in the second half with FISHER's smash "Losing It," Riton's raucous "Up & Down" followed by Angelz "Yeah Yeah." While I'm sucker for disco, this deeper darker section may be my favourite.

Dr Packer Live @ Downtown Disco [25.08.18]*
So much great stuff in here. Dr Packer's ear is extraordinary, always finding the best edits and grooves. Strings and bongo stand strong throughout, while bass riffs beckon your feet to the floor. The extended nature of this set allows for longer more subtle transitions, and like the strings these swells are oh so sweet. Of course there's a number of his own productions, while other highlights include Late Nite Tuff Guy's "Startin' Somethin'," Todd Terry's "Love Sensation" and the Deep&Disco rework of "Stomp." If you're looking for pure pleasure look no further than the final half hour.

Erol Alkan (Disco Set) @ Homo Electric [25.08.18]
While only the final hour of Erol's "disco/italo/hi-nrg" set it's better than nothing. Funky, groovy and gritty, it is Erol through and through with his penchant for powerful records. Going for the classic killer "Right On Target" early, sets the stage for more high octane heat. There's a ton of bleepy brilliance in this more electronic-tilted disco mix with the likes of "Remember" and "Cybernetic Love." Hearing this hour gives a greater appreciation for the evolution of electronic from disco to house.

Late Nite Tuff Guy - Soul Mix 3
A considerable cool-down from the above sets, but still sublime. It is the opposite end of Erol's mix, the foundation from which those artists built upon. You don't have to look far to find the love at the core of this mix, as it emanates not just through the lyrics but the music that later inspired the edits used above. It's just so incredibly powerful to hear these tracks together especially after the other mixes. Watch out for the section of Prince, Roberta Flack and Minnie Ripperton: it's too nice.

* asterisk indicates free download

Chicago - Street Player (Dr Packer Mash Up)

Legendary disco designer Dr Packer made DJs and fans alike happy by releasing his wildly popular edit of Chicago's "Street Player." Becoming a sensational staple of his sets in 2016 he held the brassy brilliance close, keeping its VIP power all to himself. After another year of yanking our chains with its captivating reconstruction, he's now unleashed its awesomeness to the masses. Available for free in lossless WAV, the good doctor has filled your disco prescription. Stream below and get it here.FOLLOW DR PACKER: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Greg Wilson @ Glitterbox, Hï Ibiza (15.09.17)

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love disco. Not just because it's where DJing started, nor merely as a result of it's light and fun nature, but also that it's efficient and reliable (a line I'm borrowing from Kyle Kinane, who last night claimed German Techno is not good music but rather reliable).

A disco groove is an easy one to fall into with its four on the floor backbone. It's always there and while each second may not be utter excitement, it's truly epic long-form dance music, the kind you can rely on whenever you need a pick me up. It can serve as a subtle background beat or a groove guaranteed to get you moving.

Now, I try not to focus too much on disco because there's just so much of it that I could tie up all my time sharing it, but as I'm busy preparing a new season of Bump In The Hump in between attending comedy shows for JFL42, I've decided to showcase a mix I just came across: the legendary Greg Wilson's live set at Glitterbox. It kicks off with a killer Chic sampler in Chewy Rubs "Future Freak," before getting deep with strings and things from First Choice with "Doctor Love." We might have to start calling Greg Wilson, Doctor Disco because the medicinal vibes continue with Dr Packer's rework of Oliver Cheatham tune "Friday's Enemy." The blessed beats continue to churn with Cordycep's "7 PM" and Babert's "Boogie Oogie." The fun filled hour then finds its finishing line with the majesty of Marshall Hain's "Dancing In The City." You too can dance (where ever you want), as the full mix is available for download, absolutely free here, and be sure to check out more of Mr. Wilson's work below.FOLLOW GREG WILSON: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER