Enlightened Listening for August 21

Yet another week has come and gone and what a legend-laced edition of Enlightened Listening it left for us. Kölsch, Four Tet, Cerrone, Frankie Knuckles, Boys Noize, Skream, Keys N Krates, Netsky and DJ Zinc all released new tracks. Yes, you read that right; basically everything in this week's wrap up is from a legend. And even those whose names don't quite carry the same weight have delivered laudable productions. While I obviously recommend each release included in the playlist below, I'd be remiss if I didn't specifically shout out the awesome ATTLAS remix package, which gives four equally inspired takes on "Half Light." Dig into this week's Enlightened Listening below and have a great weekend!

Anderholm - Delirious

Kölsch - While Waiting For Something To Care About / Now Here No Where

Tame Impala - Is It True (Four Tet Remix)

ATTLAS ft. Alisa Xayalith - Half Light (Remixes)

Duke Dumont ft. RY X - Let Me Go (Cerrone Remix)

Frankie Knuckles - Carefree (I Am A Star)

Frustra - Southbank

Willaris K. ft. WaveIQ - Chapel (Boys Noize Remix)

Franc Moody - Flesh And Blood (Skream Lockdown Autonomic Remix)

Keys N Krates - Double Dutch

Netsky - Mixed Emotions (ft. Montell2099)

DJ Zinc - Out Of Control (ft. Kudu Blue)

Frankie Knuckles ft. Jamie Principle - Baby Wants To Ride (Don Rimini Refix)

Bunkaball boss, Don Rimini opened up his vault this weekend sharing a refix of the legendary Frankie Knuckles track "Baby Wants To Ride." Compacting the eight and a half minute Chicago house epic into a tight five and a half minute affair, Rimini leaves the sexy soul of the original intact while of course adding his trademark mix of acid tinged techno and ghetto house. While the original 1987 Trax Records release plays out more like a sweep you off your feet story, Rimini's 2019 update is more focused on the dance-floor and keeping you moving, calling it "not a remix, just a refix." Even if it's just a reminder of the brilliance of the dearly departed Frankie Knuckles or an excuse to inject a little nostalgia into your day, this update is indeed laudable. Get it free via Bunkaball's Bandcamp here and follow Rimini below.FOLLOW DON RIMINI: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

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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Gusto - Disco's Revenge (Wonder K Remix)

Classic 1996 house track "Disco's Revenge" from American producer Gusto, just received a reinvigoration from London's Wonder K. The original track and its title are themselves homages to an earlier time in music, sampling Harvey Mason's 1979 track "Groovin' You," and named after a Frankie Knuckles quote in which he refers to house music as "disco's revenge." And while this track was re-purposed and released yesterday, it says true to its roots, maintaining a healthy house groove.

"Disco's Revenge" glides along effortlessly filtering in and out guitar riffs, booming bass, and classic DJ effects. Although it's rather simple and not overly alluring, it's the kind of track that would fit flawlessly in any house set, keeping the groove going while not calling too much attention to itself. And that's exactly what I love about true house music and the way electronic music came about. It's about dancing and having fun, not focused on being showy, cool or trying to outdo other producers with big bass or dumb drops. It just is. It's simple quality, nothing more, nothing less. Hats off to Wonder K for keeping it real. Get your copy of "Disco's Revenge" free from The Artist Union, here.

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