The Magician - Magic Tape 85

If you enjoy a mix of all things funky and electronic The Magician's Magic Tape series is always worth a listen, with this latest edition a prime exemplar. Magnificently mixed, this hour long 85th iteration sees the whiz bring an incredibly keen focus on current releases alongside the awesome alchemy these tapes are known for. Most every track is released in the last month with a few still forthcoming in an A-Trak remix of "In Arms" and originals from Dom Dolla and Boston Bun (via 1001tracklists).

More than the nuts and bolts, The Magician picks tracks that fit perfectly together, combining in a powerful progression. The steps each track change signifies is part of the greater movement that he is authoring. It's all too easy to get swept up in Jengi's vital spirit in "Ice Tea" and move to an even more scintillating substance in Cavego's "Vår I Øyer." The twisted takeover of the beyond brilliant "Beulah Loves Dancing" puts takes the mix back down to earth, but boy does the dance spirit remain, as it does throughout. That three track opening is a microcosm of this Magic Tape, especially as it begins to rebuild immediately with the massively funky march of Jarami's "No Chance."

The ups and downs come and go, but all the while the big picture moves ever forward. Huge, full bangers hit in the middle of the hour as Prospa and Cousn slam the speakers. In perhaps the best move of this whole mix The Magician moves from "Juggle" to the Weiss dub of "Missing U" dragging the tape out of the dark by the light of Robyn. That is all to say the following four tracks are unreleased, ending finally with the Moon Willis remix "Hear The Music." So truly whatever your appetite, Magic Tape 85 has the funk to fill it. Enjoy and follow The Magician's socials for more below.FOLLOW THE MAGICIAN: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Midas Hutch - I'll Go There (ft. MAAD)

My first exposure to Midas Hutch came a few years back with his love-drenched, loungy, funk mix of TeeFLii's "24 Hours." Ever since then his output has been firmly on my radar, delivering get-down groove tunes that will melt even the coldest curmudgeon's core. Earlier this month that heartrending heat came in the form of another remix, that of Jengi's "Good Good." Now today the magnificent Midas puts his touch on an all new original, with the magisterial MAAD providing some polished vocals.
Seeing the name Midas was a sell, but I was fully bought in a mere 20 seconds into the sublime song. The bass bumps and the guitar glides so effortlessly. And speaking of effortless that's where MAAD comes in. She brings a beauty and power that adds so much to the mix, while feeling inextricably tied to it. The whole thing is just so much fun and plays along perfectly, but hats must go off to the second half of the track where the progression and playfulness kick up a notch. The synth shimmers just that much more, and MAAD becomes just that much more magnetic, especially after the instrumental is drawn back. Truly these two, and the elements they provide, are another example of the whole being greater than the sum if its parts (all good music is). Watch the video below and stream/purchase here.

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Enlightened Listening for March 2

It's Friday which first and foremost means new music. So here we are again with a compilation/playlist of new music for your weekend. As usual we range from club cuts, house (bass, disco and otherwise), and funky groove numbers. There's names we've seen on this blog before: Pied Piper, Henrik The Artist, Aylen, Amtrac, and Night Tempo; and new names like Calli Boom, Swill, and Mansa '91. Stream this week's Enlightened Listening and read brief descriptions below. Asterisk indicates free download.

Nathaniel Knows - Hungover (ft. King Tutt)*
Fall in love instantly with that flittery bass groove, then have your heart ripped out by that ratchet drop.

Calli Boom & Swill - Impact*
Tripped up trickles of percussion send your eyebrows upward while the drop leaves you floored.

Samba Soul - Mambo #5 (A Pied Piper Jumpy Club Regroove)
The expansive excellence we've come to know and love from Pied Piper. Don't be surprised if you start dancing involuntarily as if you were in the classic "Cuban Pete" scene from The Mask.

Henrik The Artist - Everytime We Touch (Drippy Dolphin Remix)
Henrik's refresh gets a jumpy jersey club-eqsue recast. Perfect for freaking out a dancefloor.

Wuki & Wax Motif ft. Earlly Mac - Buns (Aylen Remix)*
I always bow to Aylen's bass design and while this one isn't groundbreaking it's undeniably groovy. Certainly capable of commanding a crowd, getting pairs of feet aplenty flying across the floor.

Mansa '91 - Hollah*
While the image and title give it away you might not catch onto the cheeky "Hollaback Girl" changeup until the whole horn lick comes through. Like the Drippy Dolphin above, the jumpy chaos of this track makes for a fun and screw-face filled dancefloor.

Amtrac - Old Times (ft. Anabel Englund)
Talk about a perfect pairing, finally a true collab between these two. Fans of Anabel's work with Lee Foss and MK will certainly love this. Her line "There's magic in the air" takes on extra meaning.

Night Tempo - Just Be Yourself
I first came across Night Tempo exactly a month ago today, so it's only fitting there's more music, and from the still forthcoming Moonrise album. Seriously, is there anything cooler than this combination of genre tags? Vaporwave, synthwave, disco, dance, chill, deep house, and french house. I think not.

Jengi - Good Good (Midas Hutch Remix)
It's named twice because both the vocals and the instrumental are good. Midas is one of the smoothest operators out there. His stuff always slithers into your soul, satisfying with sublime sonics.