BLVRS & Torq - Mars (Back In 1983 Remode)

Italian collaborators BLVRS and Torq have taken their month old, hard-hitting house track "Mars" and reworked it into a groovy disco number. It's been recast in the lens of a 1983 neo-future landscape. Shining with real instrumentation it runs into the intersection of live, organic sounds with the usual automated precision of digitized house. With the funky bass standing strong as the backbone the rest of the instruments follow suit playing along with the groove, giving in to the anything goes ethos of disco. It could easily soundtrack a racing video game or anime. It's a fun, funky and carefree track that I'd be equally happy playing in my car or during my morning routine. Make it yours for free, here. FOLLOW BLVRS: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
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Throwback Thursday: Passion Pit - Little Secrets (Jack Beats Remix)

For this installment in my Throwback Thursday series, it is with great pleasure that I re-introduce the world to one of the grimiest, sneakiest, most twisted, wobbliest, pulsating and jacking electro tunes, ever released, the Jack Beats remix of Passion Pit, "Little Secrets." I first came across Jack Beats, through the Boy 8-Bit discography I had downloaded, that included both their mix of his "Fogbank" and his mix of their "What," both pillars of the electro sound of the time; tossing bodies from side to side, with their tremendously mixed, wobbling synths and ebbing and flowing basslines. However, it was the Jack Beats remix of Fake Blood's rave weapon "Mars" that solidified Jack Beats as one of my new favourite artists. I was so lucky, in that the duo, of Niall Dailly and Ben Geffen, had done their first essential mix, just months before.

Mere minutes into said essential mix, came a track that was quite clearly a Jack Beats production, but one that I wasn't yet familiar. Aided by Passion Pit's signature vocal style, the ridiculously intense, jacking and tension building lows take control of your heart and leave you breathless awaiting the endorphin laden release of the drop. One cannot help but feel freed and lose control of all bodily functions, simply being overtaken by the euphoric majesty of Jack Beats' sub-harmonic production. But perhaps the key to the tremendous power of the "Little Secrets" remix lies in the high register. Passion Pit's vocals, combined with the bright and beautiful percussion create a stupendous disparity and contrast that you need to hear to believe.

This essential mix remains one of my favourites, and truly every promo mix or club set they release is simply incredible. I've seen them multiple times live and they do not disappoint. They are part of my greatest weekend ever, having seen and met them after their first show in Toronto, chatting about going to see the Lakers play while they were in Los Angeles. A few weeks ago I was showing my friend, Kayj, some music and Jack Beats came on, which he instantly was in awe of, requesting more "like that." They're catalog is literally overflowing with five star tracks, and cannot be cut down to a top five or even a top ten.

I can still remember getting in trouble during my time at CFBU, claiming different Jack Beats tracks at different times were "simply the best productions ever." I'm not sure it's an overstatement when I say their productions are unparalleled. I've yet to find any producers who can do it all, the way they do; each sound is so finely crafted making even their minimal tracks sparkle, and when getting complex and layered, they fit each piece together so perfectly. The last time I saw them at Tattoo, they became celebrities by the end of their set, even signing autographs for their ravenous fans.

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