Enlightened Listening for April 24

And just like that it's Friday again. This week's Enlightened Listening features 25 new releases ranging from emotional James Blake to banging DnB, new Duck Sauce and some top notch tech house. Of course 25 releases are too many to tackle individually so instead I'll do a quicker rundown here, but you can still find each release logged after the Spotify playlist below and I still suggest exploring the full thing before settling in on a section you enjoy. Have a great weekend and stay safe!

Things open easy with a couple cool cuts: 1) the aforementioned James Blake and 2) the classic Clams Casino/Imogen Heap joint "I'm God." We then turn dreamy and expansive with the latest ADID offering which is then followed by a little more buoyant EP in Agony. Matt Fax then dazzles with an incredible album that 1) lives up to its title and 2) does an amazing job transporting listeners through its massive hour long journey. Another epic, yet slightly more minimal sonic voyage, Rodriguez Jr.'s Blisss too lives up to its beatific title. Turning even more techy, Kompakt boss Michael Mayer finally releases on his own imprint and it does not disappoint. Next up is perhaps my favourite release of the day Fort Romeau's Fantasia whose title track captured my attention faster than any other in this playlist.

Approaching the midway point, the legendary Booka Shade's latest single gets a big, brilliant and dramatic remix from Casper Cole. Progression rules the roost with the next two EPs as La Fleur and Port Manteau offer a couple intriguing tracks each. Taking a groovy turn, Tensnake offers up his hot hand with a trio of takes on Kasper Bjørke's cover of The Alessi Brothers. After that it's the highly anticipated Duck Sauce single "I Don't Mind" which sees Dave 1 join the writing team. Two sublime singles from SG Lewis and Jessie Ware follow that, each getting us excited for their larger forthcoming releases. Finally, closing out this section is Jacques Greene whose genius extends to a remix of Nicolas Godin's cool creation "Catch Yourself Falling," led by the always awesome Alexis Taylor.

In this final section there's a ton of DnB and we get it started with an extended mix of Flume and Toro y Moi's "The Difference" (ie the only way it could get better). Next up it's an incredible Sub Focus and Wilkinson collab, only made more amazing by the fact that the breakbeat drums are done live by the latter UK legend. Friction and Raineman (by way of his two remixes) follow that with three fantastic flourish driven DnB joints. Turning a touch darker, Cyantific's tumbling track leads us into another monstrous René LaVice release, this one in support of the NHS. Bookending the DnB is "Oculus" a vivid and colourful cut from Jack Mirror and Champion. The penultimate release in this list comes from the consistently killer Izzy Vadim who drops two inspired and unique bass tracks. Finally, Cozway makes his Deadbeats debut with the absolutely sick sensation "Camouflage" featuring Laura Hahn.

James Blake - You're Too Precious

Clams Casino & Imogen Heap - I'm God

Slow Hearts - Melanda

Michael & Levan x Stiven Rivic - Agony

Matt Fax - Progressions

Rodriguez Jr. - Blisss

Michael Mayer - Higher

Fort Romeau - Fantastia

Booka Shade ft. Kaktus Einarsson - Perfect In A Way (Casper Cole Remix)

La Fleur - Ravenwaves

Port Manteau - Faded/Pyro

Kasper Bjørke - Seabird (Tensnake Remix)

Duck Sauce - I Don't Mind

SG Lewis - Chemicals

Jessie Ware - Ooh La La

Nicolas Godin ft. Alexis Taylor - Catch Yourself Falling (Jacques Greene Remix)

Flume ft. Toro y Moi - The Difference (Extended Mix)

Sub Focus & Wilkinson - Just Hold On

Friction - Yesterday (ft. Liam Bailey)

Rob Made - Perfect Motion (Raineman Remix)

Cyantific - Falling

René LaVice & A Plus - Lockdown

Jack Mirror & Champion - Oculus

Izzy Vadim - Vacation

Cozway - Camouflage (ft. Laura Hahn)

Enlightened Listening for September 14

Another Friday, another top notch day for releases. This week's Enlightened Listening includes EPs and album we already enjoyed singles from (Bob Moses, Dizzee Rascal, Aphex Twin, and Djedjotronic), remixes of tracks we love (Djemba Djemba, Gerd Janson, Babert, Sultan + Shepard, and Friction) and some of our favourites artists in (Harrison, BIJOU, Masayoshi Iimori and Sub Focus with Dimension). Once again I've attempted to curate the 46 tracks and 3+ hours of content into a flowing movement while obviously albums break that up. Individuals releases below along with short descriptions.

Bob Moses - Battle Lines
Fantastic follow up album. Not a collection of singles but a brilliant story led by Tom Howie's lyrics. Worthy multiple listens, done easily through the wonderfully woven, chill connective tissue.

Harrison - Your Girl (ft. Ralph)
Beautiful, chill funk with just enough snap to keep you coming back for more. Harrison's album is really starting to take shape.

Kiesza - Phantom Of The Dancefloor (Djemba Djemba Remix)
The Stuart Price (Jacques Lu Cont) produced single enjoys an update from previous Kiesza collaborator Djemba Djemba. Sparkling, spritely, futuristic fun this one warms my heart.

SG Lewis ft. AlunaGeorge - Hurting (Gerd Janson Remix)
Would not have guessed that "Hurting" would be this good as 118 club tweeker but here we are thanks to Gerd Janson who continues to stay hot. ICYMI check out his "Neutron Dance" mix from last month.

Purple Disco Machine - Dished (Male Stripper) [Babert Italo Disco Remix]
My favourite of the new remix package. Stay closest and is in my eyes the most well suited to the original. A wonderfully, warm bouncy ride that you never want to end.

Aevion - Wild Safari
The most feels from whatever is making that oh so safari sound, and I don't mean the elephant-esque horns, the bird cries, or the tribal chanting. Wreaks of wide open spaces and wild energy.

Fatboy Slim - Gangster Trippin (Sultan + Shepard Remix)
The duo keeps updating the past and keeps doing it well. The energy and allure of the original stays strong while this new version pops off with an extra ounce of oomph.

BIJOU - Super Phat
One of bass/G-house's finest artists on arguably bass/G-house's best label. Four equally intimidating and mean banging bass tracks with just the right amount of swing to leave the crowd in the lurches.

K+Lab - I Can't Wait (ft. Phonik Ops & Jakeda)
Westwood comes through again with stanky sax and gritty glitch hop grooves. Fire funk.

Dizzee Rascal - Don't Gas Me
Big productions in the title track and "Money Right," which is immediately one of my favourite tracks of the year, two legends atop a sick beat. Skepta has one hell of a production ear.

Masayoshi Iimori - Flow
Masayoshi is like a mad scientist, when his monstrous creations come to life they can bring worldwide destruction and this one does some serious damage.

Aphex Twin - Collapse
There is no one quite like Aphex Twin and we're reminded of that fact again. Where working with seemingly ethereal synths or their darker dirtier counterparts he always crafts something of uncommon value. Tweak out to these five tracks and feel your brain collapse in on itself.

Sub Focus & Dimension - Desire (Only on Youtube in Canada)
Every time these two legends meet up magic is made. Screams of the good old days especially when you have to watch on UKF's youtube.

Tom Grennan - Found What I've Been Looking For (Friction 'Back To 92' Mix)
Another nostalgia laced DnB track. Friction has absolutely nailed the raw energetic ethos of those days.

Djedjotronic - R.U.R
I've never encountered a techno album quite like this one. Djedjotronic is an absolute wizard, authoring some of the most enticing and electrifying releases of the year. There are no holes, only puzzles pieces of a greater whole that is all kinds of awesome.