Enlightened Listening for October 23

It's the weekend and once again we've got a ton of new music in this week's Enlightened Listening. While there are a few albums that you ought to check out (Gorillaz, Tchami, UZ), I've opted to keep this playlist more focused on singles, save for the incredible Caribou remix package. Said four-pack includes Shanti Celeste, Kareem Ali, India Jordan and my favourite, Logic1000's tremendous take on "Sunny's Time." But back to the singles. The opening foursome features the latest from This Never Happened, fabulous new Joris Voorn, phenomenal new Luttrell and of course, the first new Eric Prydz in four years, "NOPUS." Changing gears in the funky middle there's a groovy joint from Thando1988, Theo Kottis' enchanting take on Disclosure, and the uncanny alchemy of Hot Chip and Jarvis Cocker. Finally, we roar towards the rave with the final four singles. It starts with an injection of energy from Prospa and continues with two equally mindblowing tracks: a remix from Mura Masa and a collab from Mr. Bill and ill.Gates. Wrapping everything up is Spor's incredible remix of Kumarion "Want It." Enjoy!

Bandēs - Sightglass

Joris Voorn - Nea Skioni

Luttrell - Twin Souls

Eric Prydz - NOPUS

Thando1988 - Questions (ft. NiiON)

Disclosure ft. Fatoumata Diawara - Douha (Mali Mali) [Theo Kottis Remix]

Caribou - Suddenly Remixes

Hot Chip - Straight To The Morning (ft. Jarvis Cocker)

Prospa - Feel It 92

PVA - Talks (Mura Masa Remix)

Mr. Bill & ill.Gates - Cabbatsu

Kumarion - Want It (Spor Remix)

Enlightened Listening for May 29

Despite taking the week off both Bump In The Hump and blogging, there's been so much fantastic music released I just had to put together a massive edition of Enlightened Listening. However the weather is calling me back outside so I won't be doing a comprehensive breakdown of the 24 releases, but rather I'll simply suggest a scroll through the playlist which is chock full of all kinds of house along with a sprinkling of fat funk, several sensational remixes and EPs, and a couple epic albums to cap it all off. Personal highlights include Jayda G, Tensnake's remix of Duke Dumont, Andhim's remix of Agoria, both sides of the Solee/Parquet Recordings EP, the whole of the On The Air EP, and Henry Saiz's "Iridescent." Dig into the full playlist below, enjoy your weekend and be sure to stay safe/sane!

Hot Tub & Ben Fox - Awakening

Jayda G - Both Of Us

The Brothers Macklovitch - Give Love To Get Some (ft. Leven Kali)

Boys Noize - Mvinline

Duke Dumont ft. Say Lou Lou - The Nightcrawler (Tensnake Remix)

Eelke Kleijn - The Hierophant

Dominik Eulberg - Neuntöter (Adana Twins Funk Remix)

Chicken Lips - Goldenlips

Moonrunner83 - Lovers In A Dangerous Time

Dua Lipa - Break My Heart (Joris Voorn Remix)

Agoria ft. Blasé - 3 Letters (Andhim Remix)

Moon Boots - W.T.F. (Tinlicker Remix)

Solee - Planet Earth | March Of The Giants

Tchami - Born Again / Buenos Aires

Jay Robinson - Control

BARILAN - Resistance

Yyvng - Rock'n'Roll

DJ Q, Jamie Duggan & Booda - Sirens

End In Tears - On The Air

Henry Saiz - Appreciation

Khåen - The Quiet Life

BAILE & Nuage - Memory Pattern

Franky Wah - The Revival, Vol. 1

Yotam Avni - Was Here

Enlightened Listening for February 14

After last week's 14 track edition of Enlightened Listening we're back to big business here with 16 releases and nearly 50 tracks. This week features the long anticipated release of Tame Impala's The Slow Rush, the second ever offering from No Neon and tons of incredible techno. Enjoy via playlist after the break, find each release linked individually linked at the bottom and read brief descriptions next.

Opening this epic 4 hour 21 minute journey is of course Tame Impala and his increasingly electronic album The Slow Rush. A perfect place to start if I do say so myself. Murtagh follows the psychedelic LP with a couple moving cuts before No Mana transports us his sensational Secret Level. Diverse in its delivery, there's a lot to like in this album as its power grows progressively stronger. The robust roll-out continues as Mathame make massive waves with For Every Forever on Afterlife. Staying supremely strong, we're then treated to two new Marc Romboy multitudes (something I'd been craving and searching for as recently as yesterday).

This year has already offered up some ridiculously awesome tunes and the basis of this next EP is yet another. Market Memories' "Rain Dance" is beyond brilliant and both ABSOLUTE. and Doppel deliver dope remixes. Like I said last month I'm already excited about this year's best of list and you better believe one of these three versions will make this cut. It is that cool.

Turning more epic in their arc and delivery (as if that were possible), the next two releases are masterclasses in movement as No Neon welcomes Craig Williams & Pantheon and Glenn Morrison taps Petar Dundov for a resplendent remix of his already divine "Tangerine Dream." Yotto and Colyn then take us on two equally alluring journeys through Joris Voorn's Four. Moonwalk then have me hyperventilating with "Salem," my favourite of the awesome 3 track Alba EP.

After the dark burn of "Phoenix," Luttrell and Dusky bring the playlist back into the light with "Some Other Time" and Life Signs Vol. 2, respectively. The fun and funkiness of the latter then lead into an absolutely brilliant and slick Botnek production "Take Me Higher." The acid get-down of that leads very nicely into a jaw-dropping version of all-time classic "Sweet Dreams" courtesy Average Gypsy.

Finally, the playlist closes with yet another incredible Peggy Gou production, "Jigoo" with Maurice Fulton, only to be followed by an utterly euphoric take on Myd's "Superdiscoteca" from nit.


Tame Impala - The Slow Rush

Murtagh - Windswept / Close To You

No Mana - Secret Level

Mathame - For Every Forever

Marc Romboy - Speicher 114

Market Memories - Rain Dance

Craig Williams & Pantheon - Division

Glenn Morrison - Tangerine Dream

Joris Voorn - Four Remixes Pt. 1

Moonwalk - Alba

Luttrell - Some Other Time

Dusky - Life Signs Vol. 2

Botnek - Take Me Higher

Average Gypsy - Sweet Dreams (ft. Silver)

Maurice Fulton & Peggy Gou - Jigoo

Myd - Superdiscoteca (nit Remix)

Enlightened Listening for December 6

It's the end of the year and everyone's busy so I'm gonna keep the write-up to a minimum for this edition of Enlightened Listening. We open with the first single from ATTLAS' forthcoming album, before turning to two epic compilations from EMERCIVE and fabric respectively. They're followed by two of my favourite artists in Jessie Ware atop Franky Wah and another new Caribou cut. Next up Purple Disco Machine tries his hand at taking on Dua Lipa's fantastic "Don't Start Now." Staying funky, Friend Within hits Toolroom for "Space Jam" and GotSome sends us some Chicago grooves with "The Message." Finally we close with an ingenious take on Joris Voorn's "Messiah." Enjoy and have a great weekend!

ATTLAS - Sinner Complicated

Various Artists - Converge, Vol. 3

Various Artists - 20 Years Of fabric

Franky Wah - Time After Time (ft. Jessie Ware)

Caribou - You And I

Dua Lipa - Don't Start Now (Purple Disco Machine Remix)

Friend Within - Space Jam

GotSome - The Message (ft. Chuck Roberts)

Joris Voorn ft. HÆLOS - Messiah (Dark Science Piano Mix)

Enlightened Listening for November 15

This week's eclectic edition of Enlightened Listening ranges from disco and jazz to bass house and techno. It features the legendary Pat Metheny, who while not really an obvious fit on this blog is perhaps the epitome of what I mean by Enlightened Listening - someone you may have never heard, but who in turn opens your eyes and ears to something new and undeniably interesting. Of course there's a handful of the more typical fare from some of my favourites in Eli Escobar, Joris Voorn, the Night Bass crew and HUNTER (Siegel).

Eli Escobar opens the playlist with new album Last Summer, which leads into equally excellent endeavor Four from Joris Voorn. They're followed by the first of two new duos in this playlist: C.Y.M. who is Mike Greene of Fort Romeau and Chris Baio of Vampire Weekend. After that is Oliver Koletzki's epic album Fire In The Jungle, which in turn leads us to our second new duo. The incomparable Joy Orbison has joined forces with Overmono and together they've unleashed "Bromley," the a-side to forthcoming "Still Moving." Singles continue as Dirty South dazzles with Marion Amira, and MJ Cole brings a brilliant bounce to Flume and Vera Blue. The Funk Hunters then follow with a groovy get-down, before Golden Features and The Presets send us into incredible house EP Raka. Finally it's banger time as Night Bass celebrate their 100th release with a compilation of some of their most trusted names. And speaking of trusted names, Hunter Siegel has ditched his often misspelled last name and opted for a new sound in "I Don't Forget." Enjoy via playlist below and find individual links at the bottom.

Eli Escobar - Last Summer

Joris Voorn - Four

C.Y.M. - C.Y.M.

Pat Metheny - America Undefined

Oliver Koletzki - Fire In The Jungle

Joy Orbison & Overmono - Bromley

Dirty South - All I Need (ft. Marion Amira)

Flume ft. Vera Blue - Rushing Back (MJ Cole Remix)

The Funk Hunters & A.Skillz - Body Move

Golden Features & The Presets - Raka

Various Artists - Night Bass: One Hundred

HUNTER - I Don't Forget (ft. Roshin)

Enlightened Listening for March 8

We've got an extra funky Friday full of releases for this week's edition of Enlightened Listening. There's a couple cool albums of the groovier house variety, opposed by the despair driven darkness of Gesaffelstein's first album in over five years. There's also excellent EPs from Jon Gurd and Joe Goddard, as well as some sick singles from Don Rimini and Juelz, plus a couple sublime remixes from Folamour and Joris Voorn. Stream via Spotify playlist below and find descriptions at the bottom. Enjoy!

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Energy Fantasy (Folamour Remix)
Fantastic opening track. The drum work dazzles beneath bright and beautiful, soaring synths.

Birdee - Then Came The Sun
There are no holes in this album. Full on funky fun with awesome vocal driven and instrumental tracks alike. Big bold beats like "Love" and "Rumours" and more spacious, slow-burning sensations like "Meant To Be" and "Don't Give Up Your Love."

Locked Groove - Sunset Service
A lot like Birdee above, the funk is strong with this one; however, the energy is kicked up a notch, as immediately noted in "Pudding." Verging on classic rave vibes, there's no shortage of dance energy at the core of these tracks. They can be dark and dirty like "Zillion" or bright and ethereal like "Out Of Orbit."

Yotto - Walls (Joris Voorn Remix)
The typical top notch brilliance of Voorn is on full display here. As always, the extended offering allows the ease of "Walls" to breathe its beauty into your soul.

Jon Gurd - After It All
Like Folamour above, the drum work throughout this EP lays a fantastic foundation for the swirling synths to dance around. While it opens skyward in its projection, After It All gets deeper as it progresses.

Joe Goddard - Pull The Plug
My most anticipated release of the year so far. Each track is exceptionally designed, delivering some seriously sick grooves. "Sacred Heart" is both hypnotic and brilliantly bumping. "Max De Fool" builds on this hypnotism, turning further towards techno before Kool Keith cuts the chord with a wild get-down and fulsome flow on the title track. Finally, the fire inducing, furious drum opening of "Broken" will have you on your ass when the beat finally drops. Unreal.

Don Rimini - Homeboy
Bleepy shuffling brilliance. Not an all time stunner, but a surefire party starter.

Gesaffelstein - Hyperion
Expectations are dangerous. Expecting an artist to craft the same kind of tracks they did nearly a decade ago is foolhardy. No, this is not Variations, Conspiracy or even Aleph, but yes, it is still Gesaffelstein. His genius is still there; just like any of us, he's changed/evolved/grown over the years. Admittedly, I was not big on any of the singles, especially after the first few listens, however they've grown on me and now I'm quite the fan of both of the features. Of course I'm here for HAIM, and The Hacker/Electric Youth collab is incredibly intriguing, but the three track finale is perhaps the best bit of this whole endeavor. It's a bit soundtrack-ish, but hey, he's always had those proclivities and if you're not a fan of quality soundtrack stuff like John Williams, Wendy Carlos, Alan Menken and others, you're kind of missing the point...

Juelz - Closure (ft. Ruby Chase)
Finally, Juelz gives us our first taste of his Shanghai Nights EP, due out May 3rd on Fool's Gold. His club capabilities are on full display as he blends trap and future bass better than I've hear in a while.

Top 100 Tracks Of 2018: 50-26

Continuation of the list started Friday: from 100-76, which includes my disclaimer/preamble. The second quarter of the list can be found here: from 75-51. Soundcloud playlist here and at the bottom.

#50: ATLiens - Interstellar (ft. Sara Skinner)
One of the heaviest and most beautiful productions of the year. As many twists and turns as the Christopher Nolan film of the same name. Deft design leads the two unique drops with plenty of room for the organic instruments to play in the other sections. And while the drops will leave your jaw on the floor, their power would be nothing without the bristling bass guitar and hollow drums, especially noticeable in the final 30 seconds.

#49: David Guetta & Sia - Flames (Aazar Remix)
Easily one of the most upbeat and dance-friendly tracks of the year, it also brought about some of my biggest smiles of the year. Picture your favourite 80s film, now throw this in its soundtrack. Perfect fit, right? It could replace "Take On Me" or maybe better yet, Flashdance. Aazar let it all hangout with this one. The drums slap, the groove kicks ass and the solo at the end takes no prisoners. Fabulous fire!

#48: Iglooghost - New Vectors
Some geniuses can be a little much for some ears and sometimes that brilliance can simply miss our simple minds. That is not the case here with the seemingly alien intelligence of Iglooghost and "New Vectors," which has the ability to speak to us a whole new plane of existence. The wild, rapid fire, never ending list of ingredients combine and coalesce in one of the most inspired tracks of the year. It dazzles and uplifts especially through the angelic vocal samples and resplendent bells. True brilliance.

#47: MIST - Wish Me Well (ft. Jessie Ware)
Right in the midst of my latest love affair with Jessie Ware, as I awaited the chance to see her live (definitely in my top 5 shows of the year) this dropped and there was nothing that could pull me away from its crazy catchy, super smooth bounce. I can't get enough of the contrasting timbres of the two voices or the way they play atop this heater of a beat. Easily one of my favourite pop tracks of the year.

#46: Marcus Worgull - Love Song
Again my true colours are on full display as I just cannot find my way out of the 80s. The Cure's original, and its accompanying album, one of my favourites, Disintegration came out nearly a month after my birth so maybe that's why it holds such a special place in my heart. Or maybe it's because Robert Smith saved us from Mecha-Streisand... But seriously, this new version is simply sensational. The brilliant bass-line remains intact and is alluring as ever, while the expanded electronic soundscape sweeps you off your feet, like you're home/whole/young/fun/free/clean again.

#45: Sébastien Léger - Lost Miracle
(As featured on EFYE) An epic expansive, exquisite production that thrives off subtlety. A warm wanderlust, it feels more organic than it does electronic, and that is the brilliance of Seb Léger, an uncanny ability to breathe beautiful life into his synths. Do yourself a favour and check out his Youtube/Instagram for videos of him doing this live. And don't bother with the 4 minute version, the 10 is more than twice as a good, and really gives you time to grow with the genius grooves he lays down.

#44: Mixhell & Joe Goddard - Strong & Wrong (ft. Mutado Pintado)
Sound the alarm, it's the end of the world! Just like the #5 track I cannot help but hear Mutado Pintado's voice as a part of the 'Shut Up And Dance' episode of Black Mirror. And of course the Mixhell, Joe Goddard backing plays perfectly to that dire, helpless feeling. Brilliant brooding apocalyptic production from Mixhell with the right amount of bounce and funk from Goddard to make it easily consumable. Gotta give a nod to the Craig Williams remix which really digs into the funkiness. Awesome.

Joris Voorn - Goodbye Fly 2K17 (KiTT Remode)

Joris Voorn's 2012 classic "Goodbye Fly" just got a groovy update from Czech producer KiTT. Where the original eased into the epic bouncy bass, amidst Voorn's trademark tech talent, KiTT keeps it at the forefront nearly the entire time, only allowing for brief breathers before the booming returns.

This is really a wicked club tool, signifying the times where (at least in my purview) extended tech pieces have fallen out of favour. The crowds demand more and more and faster and faster; and this track delivers just that. It still maintains the brilliance that made the original so iconic (the drums, the vocal samples, and the shimmering synths), just more compacted and bigger. It's a perfect fit for those DJs that want to pay homage to the classics of yesteryear, but need to still need to satisfy the swarms. Now, I don't mean to say that this makes for lesser or inferior productions, just a different delivery, and in the case of "Goodbye Fly," I'm more likely to seek out this version. Maybe I'm just like the impatient millennials, but I'll push back by professing my love for extended/12" remixes and edits. Whatever the case, you can most certainly get your groove on by yourself (pun intended as "Goodbye Fly 2K17" is hosted by The Groove Cartel), or dazzle on the decks with a free download from The Husk here.FOLLOW KITT: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW JORIS VOORN: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Top 100 Tracks of 2016: 100 - 67

Starting today through Friday, I'll be revealing my list of the top 100 tracks of 2016. The following is my disclaimer, as I feel it's important to preface this list with my methodology. I thought long and hard about this list, what and who I should include, where each track should fall, and how to go about doing that. Should I include multiple tracks from one artist? Am I trying to make a point/statement with my placement of each track? How do I deal with the recency bias, and the counter-effect of that on older tracks? The reality is, this blog is mine and mine alone. It is one man's opinions and despite my claims, that these are the "top" or "best" tracks, they are more truthfully my favourite, and what I believe to be tracks/artists that deserve further praise. I did not conduct any surveys, base the ranking on plays or popularity, but rather I went with my heart.

As you'll see I did include multiple tracks from my favourite artists, as they are, at least in my mind, deserving. You'll also notice a hell of a lot of future bass tracks, as is only appropriate for 2016. I also tried to include a variety of other genres, but it will be clear what my tastes, and therefore favourite genres are. However, I certainly feel like this list ended up hosting very little "club" music, despite spending countless hour of 2016 in the clubs. That being said there are dozens of worthy tracks that I either forgot or excluded. Finally, I'll be posting a soundcloud playlist at the bottom of each post, as best I can, assuming each track is still online. So here we go with the first 34 tracks.

#100: Photay - Trophy
(As featured on EFYE) I had to choose one track from Photay's Sadie EP and as I wrote previously, "Trophy" is bold and beautiful. It's the kind of experimental track that I cannot place into a single genre, save for the catch all category of 2016, future bass. The synth work is brilliant and full of feels. And as you'll see, the progression and movement it boasts is the key to many of the tracks on this list.

#99: Cowboy Rhythmbox - Mécanique Sauvage
This techno joint takes be back to the days when the likes of Gesaffelstein, Justice and the classic Boys Noize and Erol Alkan's collabs dominated my playlists, so it's fitting that it was released on Phantasy Sound. The genius of "Mécanique Sauvage" is its raw hammering style, contrasted beautifully by subtle tweaks and progression. This would absolutely destroy a club.

#98: Terror Danjah - All I Need (ft. Dot Rotten)
I got scared for a second when I saw that this song was on soundcloud 3 years ago! However, it still qualifies for this list as it was only released in August of this year. This is one of the deeper more beautiful tracks on this list. Terror lays down a brilliant beat and Dot displays his vocal prowess in more ways that one. His flow is fire and his words will have you wiping away tears.

#97: Bob Moses - Like It Or Not (Joris Voorn Remix)
(As featured on EFYE) Of the Bob Moses remixes that could have fallen on this list, I decided to go with the Voorn version because of its truly epic nature. The journey Joris takes us on is absolutely breathtaking, it gives the feeling of flying with its soaring synths. At the same time it dives to an unknown abyss, with its dark, almost alarming, bass throbs. Buckle up for the brilliance of Joris Voorn.

#96: Solid Groove & Sinden - Din Da Da (Yolanda Be Cool Re-Jiggle)
This is another one of those tracks that take me back to the "good old days," specifically 2006/7 when the original was first released. I first heard this when RYME played it this summer, ushering in one of my most stanky, screw faces. On a proper system you'll be making the same oo's and ah's as the vocalist, thanks to the nonstop bouncy bass. This is a confirmed club killer.

#95: FrankJavCee - Pop Song (ft. Marionismagical)
(As featured on EFYE) I couldn't do this list without including this brilliant indictment of pop music, as you'll see there aren't many, if any, pop songs on this list. Not that there's anything wrong with them. And that's exactly what this song is about, how can you hate on pop music when you make an awesome pop song. Music is about enjoyment, and I thoroughly enjoy this and all tracks on this list.

Bob Moses - Like It Or Not (Joris Voorn Remix)

Anytime Joris Voorn releases a new record it's best to pay close attention. His latest, a remix of Bob Moses "Like It Or Not," is a stunning example of the Dutch house-head's unparalleled production ability. The way Joris Voorn is able to so smartly move from sound to sound while maintaining the forward movement and melody is a breath of fantastically fresh air, bringing to life the distinctly digital house vibes. The contrast of the dreamlike, bright synth sparkles, and the dark depths of the nightmarish bass throbs, makes the ethereal vocals even that much more powerful. The strength of Voorn's production is his ability to keep the same repeated sounds and vocals sounding ever so fresh, never losing steam or sounding stale. It's incredibly easy to get lost in "Like It Or Not," feeling it all inside of you; you know it's true.

FOLLOW BOB MOSES: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW JORIS VOORN: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Bestival: Plan Of Attack

My most anticipated weekend of the summer has finally arrived. Ever since Bestival announced their day splits, the buzz has been all about the Saturday lineup, and I plan on taking advantage of every second of it. I'm hoping I can manage to get up and arrive at Woodbine Park for the opening set, as I've been wanting to see Maddmon for some time, and his forthcoming BADLQQK track "Diagnose That" has cemented his status as a must see. Obviously I'll be spending a lot of my Saturday under the Big Top, only leaving for Joris Voorn and a touch of Bestival founder Rob Da Bank's set. Following Maddmon, one of my favourite duos Smalltown DJs have been on fire as of late, and I wouldn't dare miss them. My love for Thugli is also well established and I'm tremendously excited to see how they handle the festival atmosphere. Following a brief respite with Rob Da Bank, I'll be taking in Giraffage in hopes he'll be this years surprise act, energizing us with a second wind. Having already seen Shaun Frank, I've made the tough decision to take in Joris Voorn in his stead, in part because of latest remix of Florian Kruse & Hendrik Burkhard's "The Ground." I'll be back under the Big Top for the three-headed monster of Malaa, Madeon and Porter Robinson. I've also got my fingers crossed that I'll be able to catch one of those three at The Hoxton's after-party, specifically Porter as I hope to relive last year's Monstercat Showcase DJ set (the last track in the playlist below). Of course the Sunday can also boast a number of big names, Dubfire, Tchami and The Cure headlining their respective stages, but after the most jam-packed day of likely the whole summer, it's going to be interesting to see how early I can get back to Woodbine Park. I hope to start my day once again under the Big Top, with either HRMXNY or Pusher, two great Toronto talents that are poised to explode. After that I'll be looking to the Bollywood stage for some Catz 'N Dogz and Lee Foss. But if you've read my post when the lineup was first announced, it is The Cure, ahead of all electronic acts that I'm most excited for this weekend. Once again I leave you with a playlist, and The Cure's full set from Bestival on the Isle of Wight back in 2011.