Showing posts with label Kanye West. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kanye West. Show all posts

Monday, April 20, 2020

Mike Dean - 4:20

Whether you know the name Mike Dean or not, you've definitely heard his productions. With credits ranging from Kanye and Jay-Z to 2Pac and Nate Dogg, the Grammy winning producer and multi-instrumentalist has a catalog that can rival just about anyone. Today however he shares more in common with Jean-Michel Jarre than his dirty south roots.

Spanning 28 tracks and 93 minutes, Dean's debut solo album 4:20 features seven distinct sections or themes, each assigned a day (and/or night). Like the aforementioned Jarre, Dean delivers each section as a seamless series of parts (with as many as 10 combining to create one epic idea or mood). Also à la Jarre, 4:20 sees Dean's fingers dance across a synth, often soloing or with minimal backing.

The soundscapes created here are often psychedelic; perfect for today's festivities. As far as recent releases go there is no better album for playing from front to back, either lying on your bed in complete darkness or walking through the park - 100% guaranteed to take you places. Of course 4:20 is even more powerful while social distancing, as it further pulls you into your own consciousness, full of unfettered thoughts and feelings. So, like drug of the day, be sure to consume safely. Do so now here.
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Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Hurlee - Favorite Jazz

At the end of last month Spanish producer Hurlee shared a three track EP entitled La Touche on Suol Records. As its name suggests, the EP has a funky French touch throughout as the Spaniard puts his spin on GQ and Billy Ocean. The latter appears with Kanye through sampled interviews as Ocean's "Stay The Night" lays the brass-punctuated bed of "Favorite Jazz." It is indeed the sublime sample of Ocean that drives the track, but Hurlee's work around is not without merit. He lets it lead while still coaxing it towards a more, cool jazzy feel that still thumps through its house beats. It's this smartly situated position that allows it to be easily consumed as beautiful background beats or more upfront in an all-night disco set. Stream "Favorite Jazz" below and get the La Touche EP now here.FOLLOW HURLEE: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Thursday, June 20, 2019

RIP Philippe Zdar

You likely know by now, as news broke late last night, one of electronic dance music's most influential people has passed. Philippe Cerboneschi, more widely known as Philippe Zdar, fell from a building in Paris, dying at age 52. However, his presence will remain with us forever. A true pioneer, he was perhaps best known for his part in the duo Cassius, but his masterful mixing skills and undeniable ear sent his musical fingerprints in seemingly infinite directions. His production credits range from Franz Ferdinand and Kanye West to Chromeo and Phoenix. And while his time on this plane of existence is complete, we can expect more new music from him as two albums lay in wait for tomorrow as he contributed to Hot Chip's A Bathful Of Ecstasy and indeed Cassius' first album in three years, Dreems.

While waiting for those final bits to be released, I did a little Throwback Thursday by retracing some of my favourite Zdar in the playlist below. I'll leave you with that, encourage you to read an insightful piece from Laura Snapes on The Guardian here, and, if you feel compelled, do some digging of your own - the reach of Philippe Zdar is, as I said, seemingly infinite. RIP Philippe, thanks for everything...

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Point Point Live at AccorHotels Arena

I've gushed about Parisian supergroup and Record Record founders Point Point a number of times, both here and on FUXWITHIT, but I'm not sure I've been as in love with them as I am today with the release of their sublime live set from this past weekend. Recorded at AccorHotels Arena in the French capital; Aazar, LH4L, Devoted To God, and Nömak have illustrated exactly what it is I love about them. I knew that their unique brand of 'future bass' spoke to me, whether it be as individuals, as Point Point or in their releases on Record Record, but I see now why it does with this mix. It hits on so many classics and staples of the club, trap, jersey club, hip hop, and even funk scenes. The hour long set really has some of everything: it goes hard, it gets emotional, it features a number of their own tunes and so many of the tracks and artists that they draw inspiration from. Let me now do a quick run-through, below.

The epic arc opens up with sweet strings, easing our ears in slowly before the bright, bleepy vibes burst over the skyline like the first beams of morning light. The energizing opening is the first of dozens of flawless transitions, this one in particular plays into San Holo's "We Rise." Then as if writing this piece for me, the cinematic arc becomes blatantly clear as we get the now classic "Cinema Slasherr" edit from Benzi & Elephante. Following that we get the first of multiple Kanye cuts, this one coming as their own remix of "Power." The flurry of nostalgia stays steady with Sam Smith's vocals from "Latch" leading into the lap of power that is Freekill's remix of Aazar's "Gyal." Minutes later we're treated to the classic Run DMC/Bob James sample, which then transitions into an ungodly edit of KC & The Sunshine Band's "That's The Way (I Like It)," before slipping into Chicago's "Street Player" and then MERCER's "Satisfy." Just writing this has me hyperventilating. Someone get me a paper bag! This is too good.

The first third of the mix concludes some classic grooves from Armand Van Helden before giving way to the gritty genius that is Pyramid's remix of "Utopia." And then here comes your answer as to whether the mix could get better, and astonishingly the answer is yes, as in comes The King with "Beat It." I wish I could line this article with GIFs and emojis to better illustrate just what Point Point is making my face do. This is just crazy and quite simply one of the best mixes I've ever heard. It is incredibly enjoyable and while it leaves me wanting more, it keeps feeding me like Homer Simpson being fed donuts on a continuous loop. And if you thought I was done with the insane play-by-play, how about this transition from the Spice Girls aided "Oooops" of Drippy Dolphin into SOPHIE's "MSMSMSM" and then Carmada's remix of "Right Here, Right Now."

As we round into the second half of the mix we get more of Point Point's own productions including "All This" and "Korean BBQ," before a flurry of San Holo, Galantis and Jack Ü. These classics are then followed by a bit of a new music jam session, that neither I nor Shazam are able to identify. We're then beckoned towards the finale with a foursome of Point Point tracks "Life In Grey," "Serious Mood," "Part Of The Game," and "Hands." The grand finale comes in the form of a whistle aided live version of M83's "Midnight City." You're likely left both a shadow of your former self and a more fulfilled, actualized version. I for one know I'll be coming back to this mix many times in the coming days and months, and am grateful to be able to download it absolutely free. Do so here, and follow Point Point below.FOLLOW POINT POINT: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Fractal Fantasy Hits Toronto

After unofficially entering club season with TroyBoi two weeks ago, the onslaught of awesome club shows continues as Sinjin Hawke and Zora Jones of Fractal Fantasy fame make their way to Toronto this week. First they'll be at Cooper Cole for a pop up shop & interactive installation Thursday evening (RSVP), then they take to the decks Friday for what promises to be an exceptional show. The location for the show remains a secret to those without tickets, but you can get tickets/details here.

Right from the "Onset" it was clear Sinjin Hawke's album was going to live up to it's lofty title, First Opus. While I'll leave it for my end of year wrap up, there's no question it's on the shortlist for album of the year. The epic journey he was able to craft is one thing, but the fact that it consists nearly entirely of "150 Kanye West Demos," makes the "Wolves" producer's dynamism even that much more inspired. But not only is his album all kinds of awesome, he's been busy working with Zora Jones remixing "Bodak Yellow," linking up for several cuts on Fractal Fantasy compilation Visceral Minds 2, and playing a brilliant, bass heavy and excellent experimental set for Boiler Room. Watch below.
Expect the combination of Jones' stunning sound design and captivating animations to make not just the pop up installation an eye opening experience, but the following set a can't miss affair. Adding to the already awesome bill is Toronto's own Eytan Tobin who never disappoints with his chameleon like abilities to blend into whatever lineup he's on. Just last week he opened for Jonah Baseball and Skylar Spence. So yeah, if you're not sold on any of this I'm not sure what more I can do, because I've been anxiously awaiting this night for months. Both Sinjin and Zora are masters of their crafts and truly have catalogs of nothing but quality. See their socials below and take in Fractal Fantasy this week.

UPDATE: The lineup has been expanded with Bambii x Paul Souljoyce and Nick Lazerface x Sunclef. The location has also been revealed to be 191 Geary Avenue.

FOLLOW FRACTAL FANTASY: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW SINJIN HAWKE: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW ZORA JONES: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW EYTAN TOBIN: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Kanye West - Love Lockdown (Moji Bootleg)

Melbourne based duo Moji are rather new on the scene, but their bootlegs are making waves. Two months ago they dropped a dirty flip of Lil Jon's "Get Low." Now today they've done the same for Kanye West's "Love Lockdown." Both bootlegs bump the bass with a wicked grit, pushing polish to the side in favour of a feisty and almost barbaric burnish. It's perfect for Kanye who is the epitome of brash. His raw, in your face nature fits perfectly with the fat, IDGAF design Moji have made. I can only imagine the screw-faces this one would inspire in the club when the flatulent bass fires off. Download the full version free (only a sample below) from The Artist Union here, and be on the lookout for more Moji.

UPDATE: The track has once again been removed, but remains available for download above.
>FOLLOW MOJI: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Monday, July 10, 2017

San Holo vs Kanye West - Lights (Nitti Gritti Remix)

There's remixes, DJ tools, edits and mashups, and then there's what Miami's Nitti Gritti has done here. "Lights" combines the epic brass arc of Kanye's "All Of The Lights" as covered by Alexander Lewis and Brasstracks, while managing to maintain the indie electronic sparkle of San Holo's "Light." To have the horns rise in revelry from out of the ethereal chorus of "I just wanna see the light" is one thing, but to have Rihanna join in is sheer magic. Even when the two tracks are most oppositional (1:17ish), their mixture actually seems strong. Especially towards the end of the track, Nitti Gritti's mixing mastery shines through. He's able to flip back and forth between the two ingredients, whipping together an entirely new and appealing original. Brighten up your day with "Lights," available free via Hive, here. FOLLOW NITTI GRITTI: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Monday, May 01, 2017

Sinjin Hawke - Onset

We've finally got our first taste of Sinjin Hawke's highly anticipated album First Opus. Posted today on Fractal Fantasy's Souncloud, "Onset" sits in the 11th spot on the 14 piece tracklist. For those familiar with Hawke's catalog, it's a welcome return to his trademark epic sound design, and for those only finding the Jersey born producer now, there may be no better introduction.

I first came across Sinjin Hawke in his production "Yea Hoe" alongside Gangsta Boo, which may be the only better indication of his colossal creative ability. That awesome artistry lead Kanye to tap him as a producer on "Wolves," which after hearing "Onset" or "Yea Hoe" oozes with the inimitable Hawke at it's heart. But now we've got Sinjin doing Sinjin for Sinjin, which is exactly why people are so excited for First Opus, his first original release since "Prom Nite" on Pelican Fly back in 2013.

"Onset" heralds the return of his eminence, not just because it's our first taste of First Opus, but quite literally through the revelry of the horns in the intro. They are tuned as well or better than any trap horns I've heard, instantly cementing "Onset" as a force to be reckoned with. But the way Hawke builds around those utterly epic blasts with tuned toms, sub-bass resonance and a smattering of vocal clips makes this one of the most intricate masterpieces of production the world of electronic music has seen in years. It is on par with the most original and ear catching tunes I've ever come across, TNGHT's "Acrylics," RL Grime's "Core," and fellow Kanye collaborator, Cashmere Cat's "With Me."

I'm not sure I've got anything left in my vocabulary that can properly quantify just how massive a production "Onset" is, so I'll just leave you to hit the play button over and over. I would however suggest pre-ordering First Opus now, because you'll get "Onset" immediately, with the rest due out May 10th. FOLLOW SINJIN HAWKE: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Kanye West x Flume - Ultralight Wall Fuck Beam (Den Solo Live Remake)

A few months ago I had the opportunity to premiere Den Solo's "Mana Mountain" with VDG (read it here). In fact I first wrote about Den Solo when he combined two Flume tracks "Insane" and "Heater" (check it here). This time the German producer has pitted Flume's "Wall Fuck" with Kanye's "Ultralight Beam." Having heard it in a Madeon set, Den Solo searched the internet but couldn't find a version worthy of playing out, so he took matters into his own hands, remaking it himself. He's uploaded the DJ tool available for free download, so pick it up and give your own mixes that Madeon flavour.FOLLOW DEN SOLO: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Tuesday, April 04, 2017

Grandtheft on Diplo & Friends (Jan 29, 2017)

At the end of January Grandtheft graced Diplo and Friends for another guest mix, just over a year since he made his last appearance on, arguably one of the best mixshows in the world (a set I also covered here). A lot has happened since last year, but we can still count on Grandtheft to deliver a dope mix with a bunch of new and forthcoming records as well as his trademark edits.Just in the first 10 minutes we're treated to a slew of genres and styles, all mixed together not just in a fluid manner, but almost so as to tell a story. From the rap intro of "Pull Up Hop Out" and "Gang With Me" to house with "Prophecy," "Rude Boy," and "Devotion" mixed with the vocals of "House Work," Grandtheft shows off his mixing chops beautifully. But for me the way he goes from his collab with Sleepy Tom to the instant singalong of Mr. Fuzz's "Bel Air" is what really gets me. And that's only the first 10 minutes.

Things then get more clubbed out as he hits up Jersey, before heading back to the 6ix with "Fake Love" followed by his "Heroes x Feel It" edit and Shaun Frank flip of "Easy Go." And while this is a really nice touchy feely section. it quickly devolves into too turnt trap with back to back Slumberjack, followed by Ekali and KRANE then his gritty "Waiting x Keep It 100" smash edit.

As if that weren't enough, we get a glimpse of his remix of "Let You Get Away" (hopefully forthcoming) returning the favour for Shaun Frank. Then it's more of the dudes Keys N Krates and their KRANE collab, followed by two more fire edits. Like really, who doesn't love the vocals to "In For The Kill." But still we're not even close to being done.

One of the things that makes Grandtheft so great is his ear for new talent and willingness to support it. His last Diplo & Friends mix introduced me to Dom Dias, who has become one of the most played artists on Bump In The Hump and made one of the most musically sound sets for My Mixtape. This time I notice Grandtheft has gone to the west coast to feature Juelz and while he's not new to me, I still feel he's incredibly underrated. His "Whine & Kotch" is fire and works perfectly with Grandtheft's set, but it's only one of many dope releases under his belt.

Of course the way the mix is rounded up further shows off Grantheft's expertise. He goes back to back with two of my favourite tracks of 2016 Jackal's "Ice" and San Holo's "Light" before letting us down gently with Francis and The Lights "Friends." Of course having Kanye doesn't hurt, but it is the combination of Benny Blanco and Cashmere Cat that really seals it for me. This kind is the kind of quality I've come to expect from Grandtheft, and truly I've never been let down. Both live and pre-recorded the man is something to behold. Enjoy the stream above and check out the tracklist here.

FOLLOW GRANDTHEFT: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Sliink Drops Jersey Club Remixes of Kanye West and Ariana Grande

Jersey Club king Sliink has finally dropped his Kanye West "Wolves" remix. Entitled "Love You" and featuring Gutta, the track was first heard last March in a guest mix he did for Thump (here). It's a classic Jersey Club cut with relentless bouncing, clapping percussion and old school rave vibes. His treatment of the vocals is as strong as ever, not only maintaining much of the integrity of the original, but commanding enough to have the dance floor in a full on frenzy. Like the lyrics the mix is "too wild," and you can pick it up completely free "right now" with a direct download here. Eleven minutes after sharing the Kanye flip, he uploaded his mix of the Cashmere Cat aided Ariana Grande track "Be My Baby." This too has been around for a while (here), although we're finally gifted with the full version. This one is crazy beautiful. From the get go, we're treated to an awesome display of vocal and percussion interplay. It really shows why Sliink is perhaps the premiere Jersey Club producer out there. From the bed squeaks to the drum fills and the vocal chops, everything is on point, proving impossible to avoid Sliink's pulsating power. "MY BAE" is also available for free download, here.With Trippy Turtle making a comeback earlier this week, remixing 50 Cent and Nate Dogg, it seems Jersey Club is back in the forefront. Stream "21" here.

FOLLOW SLIINK: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Premiere: Den Solo - Mana Mountain ft. VDG

Earlier this week I posted about, Cologne based producer, Den Solo's remake of a popular mashup Flume's been playing live, one I've dubbed "Insane Heater." Now he's enlisted fellow German, VDG, to craft an electronic orchestral piece called "Mana Mountain." Den Solo says the inspiration for the track came from a combination of two of music's most demanding personalities, Kanye West and deadmau5.

With Kanye, it was a clear vision for the production, reaching out to the best producers in the desired field to bring his vision to life. VDG served that role for "Mana Mountain," as Den Solo had him play countless melodies, until he found the perfect five bar foundation to build upon. Add to that, Solo's recently honed sound design, courtesy deadmau5's Razer tutorial series, and you've got the uncompromising production that is "Mana Mountain." And the deadmau5 connection doesn't end there.

More than just the sound design screams deadmau5, truly the overall structure, the manipulation of each five bar loop, and each lilted note, is reminiscent of the masterful mau5. Not a bad comparison for an upcoming producer. Den Solo is able to imbue his track with an analog warmth and playful, yet refined, liveliness throughout. This is only amplified by the track's sweeping, atmospheric movements. It is strong and unyielding in its presentation, giving off an aura of security. As "Mana Mountain" rises out of the technological turmoil, it stands proud jutting above the clouds, courtesy through Solo's thunderous drop. That is until the end of the track, where it becomes obfuscated in the effervescent twinkling of the clouds and snow capped peaks, beautifully illustrated by delicate piano in the outro.
Get the energy "Mana Mountain" is giving off for free via The Artist Union, here, and stream it via Apple Music and Spotify.

FOLLOW DEN SOLO: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW VDG: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Wednesday, January 04, 2017

A-Trak - Cut It Out!: A 74 Minute DJ Mix

It's always a treat when we get a mix from one of the world's greatest DJs, A-Trak, but this 74 minute session comes at just the right time for me, as he'll be hitting Toronto's new club jewel, REBEL, Saturday January 21st. I've spoken and written at length about A-Trak's mixing abilities both technically, but also from a taste-making perspective. His fingers fly across the decks, guided by his ears' intuition, selecting the perfect tracks. This 50+ track mix shows off just that, incorporating choice cuts like Sunni's cover of "Black Hole Sun," Mumdance's remix of Mura Masa and A$AP Rocky's "Lovesick," and NT89's remix of Rogerseventytwo's "You Take Me Higher." Then there's mind-blowing mixing through the astounding additions of Jean-Luc Ponty & Kanye, The Blackbyrds, Paul Simon, Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against The Machine, Eagles Of Death Metal, and Korn. They just prove that anything goes in an A-Trak mix, and he can make anything not just work, but prosper.

I doubt this is the kind of set we're going to get from A-Trak when he hits the stage in the renovated Sound Academy, but if you're looking for a finely crafted chill mix this one will surely satisfy your needs. Of course there are tons of other A-Trak mixes that I'd recommend - For turntablism: his Mixmag Asia set, for throwback electro: his Bloghaus mix (part 2 here), for feels: his Music Heals mix, for his most recent club set: NYE at San Bernadino. Tickets are still available for the 21st, RSVP and info, here. FOLLOW A-TRAK: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Kanye West - Touch The Sky (Josh Pan Rehab)

Enigmatic producer, Josh Pan just dropped what could be his best bootleg, in what he's calling his 'rehab' version of Kanye West's "Touch The Sky." And that's saying something, considering Pan's prolific "It G Ma" opus remix. This one may be a mini-opus; a higher concentration of thoughtful production, perfectly suited to the manipulated lyrics. From the atmospheric opening with Yeezy testifying "Imma touch the sky" and the following vicious explosion, the track oozes with an ominous intensity. It's no surprise that Kanye and Josh Pan would be a perfect pairing, as they are both consummate artists, and unique personalities. "Touch The Sky" is the symbiosis of music and lyrics, amplifying each other. If a track could truly make someone fly this would be it.Get your free piece of sky here.

FOLLOW JOSH PAN: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Kanye West ft Frank Ocean & Caroline Shaw - Wolves (Jesse Slayter Remix)

Early this morning, a soundcloud account called 'mi305tL' posted its first track, an alleged Jesse Slayter remix of the Cashmere Cat produced Kanye West track with Frank Ocean and Caroline Shaw, "Wolves."
Evidence does point to it being a Jesse Slayter production, as he's reposted it on his official soundcloud and it's currently pinned on his twitter. This is what the world of soundcloud has become, when artists create entirely new accounts to release bootleg remixes, for fear of having their official account (followers, plays and tracks) deleted. I wonder when soundcloud will grow wise to this and strike back accordingly. It's obvious when artists like Lido, publicly decry soundcloud's policies, then create another account, clearly under the same name 'lidogotclouds' or explicitly calling them bootleg accounts, that they are subverting the system. Don't get me wrong I'm glad these accounts exist, it's important that music has a place to be shared, but it seems to have reached epidemic proportions. The number of people creating new accounts just so they can download fan-gated tracks without reposting to their official account is insane, which brings us full circle to Jesse Slayter's "Wolves."

Commendably, Jesse's given away this remix truly, 100% free. He's not fan-gating, you don't have to share, follow or comment, just grab the download from mediafire. The sad part, is that we've made it this far and haven't even talked about the quality of Slayter's music, but if you're here in the first place, it's likely because you're already well aware of Slayter's production prowess. He's flipped Kanye's original, into a jam session of sorts; a funky get down, that while utilizing much of the original, transforms it into a stalking predatory production. Must say it's an impressive undertaking from Slayter, who continually dazzles with his wide array of skills and next level artistry.

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Thursday, April 07, 2016

Lido premieres "Crazy," first track from new album

After gracing the world with his genius revision of Kanye's The Life Of Pablo, last week, Lido's guaranteed that he stays firmly in the spotlight dropping a magical video, "Crazy," the first track from his forthcoming debut album. After having seen his live show, back in November, I can attest that this song and accompanying video perfectly encapsulate his unique and truly inimitable style, both in production and performance. While he didn't actually conduct his gospel inspired tracks, his live play and orchestration was as magical as Mickey Mouse in Fantasia.

This video perfectly showcases his Harry Potter-esque, the chosen-one, level of wizardry alongside bright and sparkling visuals reminiscent of iTunes intergalactic, battling stars. Furthermore "Crazy" as a track in itself, is easily Lido's most complete and mature production to date. His shrewd utilization of all of the best Lido sounds combine with just the right touch of his Trippy Turtle temperament, for the Norwegian wunderkind's most powerful production yet. The vocals and incredible lyrics propel "Crazy" into a category of its own, filling producers around the world with incredible envy. It's hard to believe that Lido can continue to top his already seemingly infinite library of prodigious productions but there seems to be no stopping his genius.
SUPPORT LIDO: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Friday, January 08, 2016

6 Reasons To See NGHTMRE, Thugli and LUKAV Tonight

Tonight is the highly anticipated debut of NGHTMRE at the Hoxton, with support from locals, Thugli and LUKAV. Here are six  reasons why you simply need to brave the cold to embrace the heat, the speakers of the Hoxton will be blasting tonight, lighters optional.

#1 NGHTMRE's music elicits this kind of response:
A video posted by Casey Frey (@dancerface) on
#2  He'll have longer on the decks to play a set like this:



Happy New Year 󾓷
Posted by NGHTMRE on Thursday, 31 December 2015













Thursday, January 07, 2016

Throwback Thursday: Gesaffelstein - Variations

For this installment of my Throwback Thursday series, it is my pleasure to reintroduce the world to one of the most influential, genre destroying, face melting, wall of sound, crunchiest, warbling, synth slaying, powerful popping percussion, insanity inducing, "Variations," from French revolutionary, Gesaffelstein.
I can still remember the first time I heard the track, I was scrolling through the, now defunct, Erol Alkan forum, specifically an endless thread labelled something to the tune of "show off your hottest new tracks" and everyone seemed to be going on about this guy with a weird, unpronounceable name and some track called "Variations." Upon first listen, I was blown away, it was like nothing I'd ever heard before, so in your face and intense; seriously ear popping. The at once, subtle yet jarring progressions throughout, move the track in such a powerful way, and are only the first pieces of the genius that is Gesaffelstein's production.

There is no questioning the beyond brilliant production value on each of the sounds, that come and go at seemingly random intervals, but this is the beauty, Gesaffelstein, who is knowingly setting us up for what's ahead. The transitional effects (at 1:13, 2:03, 3:56, 4:29, etc) act as though they are the beat/melody devolving but it's really his sneaky way of adding movement and setting us up for what can be seen as a drop, changing the sounds and samples. Those sounds, as mentioned above, are clearly chosen and produced with care, in an effort to create the most impact. There's no doubt that he achieves this feat with flying colours.

"Variations" is full of attitude and intensity, and lays a foundation for his future productions, "Control Movement," "Viol," and "Hatred," (among countless others) and paved a path for other producers such as Rezz and Drezo, even becoming so popular that Kanye West had Gesaffelstein produce some of the tracks on Yeezus. Gesaffelstein will always hold a spot in my heart, as I'll always remember literally laughing all the way home to my New Years Eve party, after dropping my family off at the airport, listening to the full Variations EP, as well as seeing him DJ alongside Brodinski at Wrongbar, chanting "Mehdi, Mehdi, Mehdi," when they dropped Carte Blanche's "Gare Du Nord."

SUPPORT: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER