Enlightened Listening for October 9

Time continues to somehow both fly and drag along, and here we are at yet another Friday. Despite being a mere nine releases, this edition of Enlightened Listening stretches over 4.5 hours and features 50+ tracks. On the album side of things, there's an insanely stacked lineup of Foals remixes, Machinedrum's highly anticipated followup to Human Energy, Mat Zo's triumphant return to Anjunabeats, and the killer collaboration of Sub Focus and Wilkinson. On the shorter side, ASHE delivers a divine EP to mau5trap, just as Amtrac, Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas, Planningtorock and Skream supply sensational remixes of their own. Dig into it all below and have a great weekend!

ASHE - Clairvoyance

Foals - Collected Reworks Vol. 3

Machinedrum - A View Of U

Amtrac - Madness To Mayhem (Amtrac's Steady Mix)

Jaga Jazzist - Apex (Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas Remix)

Zhala - Holes (Planningtorock Remix)

Paul Woolford & Diplo ft. Kareen Lomax - Looking For Me (Skream Remix)

Mat Zo - Illusion Of Depth

Sub Focus & Wilkinson - Portals

Mat Zo - Colours (ft. Olan)

The build towards Mat Zo's October 9th Anjunabeats album drop continues as we get our third taste of Illusion Of Depth today. "Colours" once again sees Zo alongside Olan, but unlike the dark, driving alchemy of "Problems" today's offering delivers a divine razzle-dazzle that straddles the line between disco/funk and trance. Especially evident in the extended mix, "Colours" can boast a brilliant organic allure through its guitar and drum play. Drifting towards trance, the track gets progressively more dreamy and whimsical as Zo sprinkles in several pinches of fairy dust, causing "Colours" to float fabulously. The end result is an equally powerful and playful production that soars sublime, making its nearly seven minute runtime a resplendent revelry. Get the exultant, electrifying affair now here.

Mat Zo · Colours [Extended Mix]

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Enlightened Listening for February 7

After an epic six hour edition of Enlightened Listening last week, we've got a tight hour this week. It features an easy-going poppy intro moving through deep-house and disco before closing with club cuts and bass/g-house bangers.

Just before going to bed last night I caught the first new Bearcubs in a while and immediate fell for its sublime subtlety, which reminded me of SBTRKT. "Overthinking" is followed by another return from hiatus in Jack Garratt's "Time." Moving and beautiful it is exactly the kind of song that recaptures the love and passion Garratt incited in his fans. Captivating vocals continue to rule the roost as Amtrac glides in with glorious glistening groove "Accountable."

Phaeleh then follows with a touch of two-step which borders brilliantly between easy-going and energizing. Much like "Unity," Rylan Taggart's EP on This Never Happened is as enjoyable lying in bed as it is in the club. Staying hot Mat Zo is back on Anjunabeats with percussion-led affair "The Next Chapter."

The page then turns as disco enters via my favourite track of the list in Alan Fitzpatrick's fantastic Fully Charged Mix of Patrice Rushen. More piano power comes in as Yuksek graces Glitterbox for a gorgeous take on Risk Assessment. Bridging the gap between the hard hitting house still to come and the aforementioned disco, GRiZ gets funky with a club mix of "Could U" on Night Bass.

Finally it's time for fire and VOLAC brings us there, even if slightly understated, with the bumpy ride that is "Baby Boy." Stumbling towards the end of this Enlightened Listening, Walker & Royce get sneaky with their sick remix of "Loaded." Finally it's time to pay the tab as BIJOU makes it rain with menacing cut "Benjamins." Find everything via playlist below with individual links at the bottom. Enjoy!

Bearcubs - Overthinking (ft. narou)

Jack Garratt - Time

Amtrac - Accountable

Phaeleh - Unity

Rylan Taggart - Sail

Mat Zo - The Next Chapter (ft. GQ)

Patrice Rushen - Haven't You Heard (Fitzy's Fully Charged Mix)

Risk Assessment ft. Jemeni G - Remember Me (Yuksek Remix)

GRiZ - Could U (Club Mix)

VOLAC - Baby Boy

Destructo & Yo Gotti - Loaded (Walker & Royce Remix)

BIJOU - Benjamins (ft. Wifisfuneral)

Enlightened Listening for January 17

It's only our third Friday of the year and already we're getting some big releases both building towards and culminating in awesome albums. This week's Enlightened Listening includes the release of two albums we've been looking forward to for a while, Mura Masa's sophomore full-length and Holy Fuck's first in four years. Following the 20 tracks from the aforementioned LPs, the closing third features a handful of hard hitting stuff as well as a brilliant slice from No Mana on mau5trap.

A turn from his divine self-titled debut, Mura Masa's R.Y.C prominently features the guitar and a tighter, angst-driven theme. It's not exactly for everyone, at least as far as his previous productions go, but it's not without musical merit or catchy cuts (see tracks with Clairo, slowthai, Georgia and Ellie Rowsell). Turning more electronic, Holy Fuck's Deleter can boast the same cohesiveness as Mura Masa, and almost as much guitar. It's full of groovy, cool cuts and is an incredible mixture of electronic and organic elements.

A sublime single from No Mana follows the albums and leads us into an electronic escape. Botnek follow up their epic and incredibly powerful "On Planet Z" with an equally dark and deep, rattling cut. Next up are a pair of killer remixes of the legendary DJ Zinc, where Neon Steve delivers a dope get-down and Le Duke a brilliant bass-line. Speaking of brilliant bass-lines that what we get next with the first taste of forthcoming Mad Zoo compilation This Is MAD TOO. Also high in energy, we get a taste of acid from Text Chunk and Hood Joplin as they gear up for their LP Bank Account which is set to drop on the 31st. Oft known for his acid, Djedotronic returns to Boysnoize Records with a scary three-track EP. Finally, we get another unreal single from Apashe ahead of his forthcoming album. Enjoy!

Mura Masa - R.Y.C

Holy Fuck - Deleter

No Mana - Strangers (ft. Jantine)

Botnek - Wassup

DJ Zinc - Super Sharp Shooter (Neon Steve Remix) / Let's Get Together (Le Duke Remix)

Mat Zo - Blessed Be Thy Name

Text Chunk & Hood Joplin - Concrete

Djedjotronic - Boish

Apashe - Uebok (Gotta Run) [ft. Instsamka]

Enlightened Listening for November 22

This week's edition of Enlightened Listening hits the epic standard once again. It's full of legendary names and extended cuts. With that in mind I'll aim to keep the descriptions short so you can just get right into the music which ranges from deep and progressive house to out and out bangers, especially heavy on the DnB. Skip ahead if to the playlist if you like or catch highlights in the following paragraph.

Ben Böhmer leads it off with a brilliant album, which is then followed by perhaps my favourite All Day I Dream EP, which is made up of four fantastic fable-like tracks from Volen Sentir. Friendly Fires bring in a couple brilliant remixes as well as a couple album extras in Offline, while Goom Gum take on a Depeche Mode classic. Joy Orbison and Overmono unleash brilliant b-side "Still Moving," which leads us into a bunch of banging bass tracks starting with a sensational Sable Valley pairing. Mat Zo and Doctor P deliver a couple genius cuts, reminding us of their revered status throughout the scene. However it is the future in Kryojen and WE ARE FURY, who cap the playlist with sensational soundscapes and a dark dystopian future. Enjoy all that and more below, and have a great weekend!


Ben Böhmer - Breathing

Volen Sentir - Cloud Atlas Map

Durante - Restless (ft. Tuff Ghost)

Friendly Fires - Offline

Goom Gum - It's A Lot

Gorgon City - Roped In

A-Trak & Loods - What Can I Do

Dombresky - Trust The Process

Destructo - Twisted

Wax Motif & Matroda - Lose Control

Joy Orbison & Overmono - Still Moving

RL Grime & Juelz - Formula

Squarepusher - Vortrack (Fracture Remix)

John B - Pressure 2019

NCT - Astrophyiscal (ft. Skyelle)

Mat Zo - Games

Doctor P - Voices

Feed Me - Nothing Hurts Like You (ft. Sam Calver)

Kryojen - Divided

WE ARE FURY - Echoes (ft. Micah Martin)

Enlightened Listening for October 11

This week's edition of Enlightened Listening delivers a wide range of house records, highlighted by an ingenious album from Chris Lorenzo, from which we've already heard a number of singles but whose breadth truly makes it a masterpiece (see the likes of "Memories Fade," "Here Kitty," "Take Me As I Am" and "City Traffic"). There's also a couple exceedingly cool originals from the legendary likes of Flux Pavilion and Mat Zo, the former straying from his usual dubstep fare while the latter offers up an extended DnB joint.

That takes care of the final two releases in the playlist below, while things start with a fantastic remix from Bit Funk who once again showcases sublime sound design. That is followed by the latest David Penn/Defected release and just like like his "Big Love" remix this one is certain to get rinsed out endlessly thanks to its incredibly catchy craft-work. After that comes Phantoms' remix package for "Say It," which delivers dance-friendly energy on each of the three offerings. And that's exactly what we get with Max Styler's "Echo Over Me," a beat so powerful that your body will move uncontrollably.

In another unreal onslaught of power, YYVNG's debut on Botnek's World Famous Headquarters is sure to leave your head spinning. Finally, Syn Cole's "Cool With That" has captured my attention with simple, understated craftsmanship, particularly with the little bass riffs, but even more so the way it it all meshes with Golden Age's vocals. Stream via playlist and click through to individuals releases below. Cheers!

Dance Yourself Clean ft. Lollies - Your Love (Bit Funk Remix)

David Penn - Stand Up (ft. Ramona Renea)

Phantoms ft. Anna Clendening - Say It (Remixes)

Max Styler - Echo Over Me

YYVNG - WYNEHOUSE

Chris Lorenzo - Late Checkout

Syn Cole - Cool With That (ft. Golden Age)

Flux Pavilion - I Will Stay (ft. Turin Brakes)

Mat Zo - Emotion Sickness

Top 100 Tracks Of 2018: 75-51

Continuation of the list started yesterday: from 100-76, which also includes my disclaimer/preamble. Soundcloud playlist here and at the bottom.

#75: Cloverdale & OSOTYT - Funky Junky
Where disco was the biggest riser in my listening habits in 2017, that title goes to funk in 2018. That said, house is still my bread and butter, so the combination of the two here is an obvious fit. The drops are solid to say the least (with some special stank on the second), but for me it's the sections around the drops that propel this track into the countdown. The funky scratching in the conclusion nails my tastes so much so that I had to include it in my new intro for the 8th season of Bump In The Hump.

#74: Moullinex ft. Georgia Anne Muldrow - Say It Slow (Wild & Free Remix)
A bright and beautifully bouncy number right from the get-go, but once those shimmering synths join the action, I'm hooked. Add in some slick little solos and flourishes and you've got a truly divine disco number. It is fabulously full of life and brilliantly buoyant, and while it's supposedly slow, it hits on all cylinders pumping out one of the more pleasurable pieces you'll hear all year.

#73: Hoodboi - True Colors
Hoodboi showed us a new side of his artistic abilities with Breathing Room, and that title track could very well have been in this spot. However, "True Colors" makes the cut as a result of its restrained, uber smooth roll out. It is like waking up to the world with new eyes, seeing shapes and colours with a renewed, childlike wonder. Full of heart and feeling it may not dazzle with banging bass or an overwrought melody, but rather it kind of floats down into your consciousness like a feather in the wind.

#72: RealMind - Actif (ft. Billboard)
Some tracks leave you speechless, and I knew this one was going to do this to me, but I could not let it go uncovered. So here's my go at it. The levels or acts as "Actif" progresses are incredible, and the fact that these two have tied them together so seamlessly is even more so. The opening build is beautiful, but boy is the punchy push into the second section some kind of special. And really that's the key for me. The way it kind of clicks and stomps and wobbles is stunning, especially as it kicks back in following the obsidian third section. And yes, if you're getting deadmau5 vibes you're not alone.

#71: Chromeo - One Track Mind
With Head Over Heels firmly in the running for album of the year, I think back to the first time hearing it in full and the laughter and joy it brought me as I drove to that night's baseball game. I'll say that this isn't the only album cut on this list, and for a bit this was the one. Actually I still go back and forth, but here we are at forth. Smooth grooves, cool call and response, and one hell of a build towards the triumphant final frame that is sure to send shivers down your spine. I can't help myself, I'm obsessed.

#70: Benny Bridges - Are You Okay?
As a part of Justin Jay's Fantastic Voyage Facebook group I got an early copy of Benny Bridges' EP and this came on in my car without proper attribution. I had to know who it was because it bumped so good. The drums and bass combine brilliantly, but it wouldn't be half as good without the extra little effects further punctuating the already punchy affair. Simple yet strong, there's no denying this delivers.

#69: TroyBoi - Frustrated (ft. Destiny)
No one does it quite like TroyBoi. Sick with strings, wicked with wobbles, vicious with vocals and top notch with twists, he really does it all. And it's all here in perhaps his best work to date. The intro teases perfectly and you know you're in for something special, but like "Do One," his other single released on that very same day, there's no way of predicting the warped genius in store. Scary good stuff.

Enlightened Listening for October 26

What's the allowance on special Fridays for releases? Seems like we've hit our quota, but boy is this one wicked. It marks the returns of Robyn, Handbraekes and Mat Zo to Anjunabeats. On top of that there's incredible albums from Savant, Adriatique and G Jones, and superb singles from Erol Alkan, SG Lewis, Krafty Kuts/Dynamite MC and Plump DJs. Finally a remix from Yung Bae rounds out this week's Enlightened Listening. Enjoy it all via playlist below and individual released linked at the bottom!

Robyn - Honey

Savant - Slasher

Mat Zo - No Words

Adriatique - Nude

Booka Shade - Sacred / Cyril's Garden

Erol Alkan - Silver Echoes (Shorter)

Handbraekes - #3

The Knocks ft. Method Man - Goodbyes (Yung Bae Remix)

G Jones - The Ineffable Truth

SG Lewis - A.A.T (ft. Drew Love)

Krafty Kuts & Dynamite MC - Light It Up

Plump DJs - Big Apple

Enlightened Listening for July 6

There's really nothing like waking up on a Friday and filling your coffers with new music. This week has some particularly strong releases with Four Tet, Kraak & Smaak, Dimitri From Paris and Mat Zo dropping off some wicked remixes. The trio of CastNowski, Bjorn Torske and Folamour join the party with awesome EPs, and more than a handful of fantastic singles from SG Lewis, Damian Lazarus, Hunter Siegel & Wax Motif, and Justice. Stream below, read descriptions following and happy Friday!

Wavedash & Quest - Adagio (Mat Zo Remix)
The kind of mastery you can only get from Mat Zo. Subtle and beautiful beginnings eventually get twisted with wicked movement and spectacular sound design.

Folamour - Club Degli Esploratori
Quickly becoming one of my favourite, most trusted providers of disco grooves, Folamour's four track EP is top notch. As usual he offers up smooth flowing fun. Watch out for "Girl With Attitude."

Xinobi - Skateboarding (Kraak & Smaak Remix)
Light and bright take from Kraak & Smaak with some sensational soaring synths and bleepy grooves.

SG Lewis x Clairo - Better
Always tugging on the heartstrings with tremendous sound design, SG Lewis lays down a wonderfully warm groove against which Clairo's cute crooning comes as a beautiful breeze.

CastNowski - The Factory
CastNowski stays hot with his second EP in as many months. It too hits hard with deep, dirty and grinding house numbers that will leave even the most sure footed dancer feeling weak in the knees.

Ron Hall & The Mothafunkaz - The Way You Love Me (ft. Marc Evans)
Two absolute epic remixes from Dimitri From Paris and Tom Moulton. All I can say: "I'm Lovin' It."

Daniel Avery - Quick Eternity (Four Tet Remix)
Another absolute stunner. Ringing resplendence and undeniable excellence. But how about that turn in the second half? There really is nothing like a Four Tet remix. Sheer and utter brilliance.

Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons - Fly Away
Clean, cool and deep, Damian Lazarus does it all with ease. The vocals suck you in and the instrumental does the rest. Musical majesty especially with those sublime strings.

Wax Motif & Hunter Siegel - Wassup
I'm just mad it took so long for these two to work together again after "All Night Man." Already a certifiable club killer after hearing it at the recent No Neons, expect this to go off all summer long.

Proxy - Shake It
Proxy with the hot hot heat. Fantastic rapid fire wobs and potent progression make for one hell of a win.

Bjorn Torske - Byen
A wondrous, expansive, electronic soundscape that is absolutely perfect for summer - whether cruising, laying by the beach, or having a backyard bash. It is inventive, playful and beautifully put together.

Justice - Randy (WWW)
My favourite Justice track (which I've never seen performed live), gets a remix for their forthcoming 'live' studio album, Woman Worldwide. Pure electro prevails before the intoxicating vocals arrive in the second half and things get twisted like the old days of Cross and Audio, Video, Disco.

Krayysh - Running From Death

To say Krayysh has come on strong in the last few months would be an understatement. After essentially starting from scratch six months ago with "Underthinking Things," he's since released an official remix for Mat Zo and Kill The Noise then proceeded to break brains with the aptly titled 132.86 BPM track, "13286." He returned today with a wild and animalistic release on Mad Zoo. Apparently inspired a dream in which a demon chased him through a forest, "Running From Death" really does depict a chase scene that might fit perfectly in Baby Driver or whatever movie Tom Cruise is running in at the moment. However, I might argue that instead of a demon, it's producers that are chasing Krayysh in an effort to steal his creative juices. The energy is enough to make your brain explode or at least your chest heave involuntarily. But it's not just random dissonant destruction, it's actually quite ingeniously crafted. While the drums pummel, and the synths screech, Krayysh has woven a wicked connection that creates an incredible unease throughout. If you're not faint of heart, hit the the play button and prepare for raw power to haunt you at every turn. Stream below and download if you dare here.FOLLOW KRAYYSH: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Kill The Zo - Part I (Krayysh Remix)

After a week devoted entirely to house, Bump In The Hump is back with an all new hour of Canadian tunes with just about everything but house. There's dubstep, drum and bass, trap, future bass, techno and this gritty, stomping electro number from Krayysh. After wiping his socials clean and finally reappearing with "Underthinking Things" in March, Toronto's Krayysh is back again with a major splash. Remixing either Kill The Noise or Mat Zo is a tremendous accomplishment, but to be tapped to take on their collaborative effort Kill The Zo's "Part I," is quite the coup. As we saw with his previous production, this one is nearly impossible to define, it's a touch funky, definitely dark and dirty, and shows a strong affinity for futuristic electro feels. Despite its short runtime, it's clear why Kill The Zo's called on Krayysh.As promised above, I've got a host of hard hitting tracks from the likes of Lunice, Rezz, Rene LaVice, Vincent and ANGELZ. There's also some strong summer cuts from Thugli, Conro and CRaymak. Don't miss Bump In The Hump live Wednesday from 6-7 PM EDT only on Radio Humber.

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Drum and Bass Playlist (April 4/16)

As I said in the previous post (Maduk - Got Me Thinking) I've been really into drum and bass lately. So I thought I'd put together a playlist of some of the drum and bass tracks I've been listening to lately: This one isn't on soundcloud but without a doubt deserves to be on this list:

Fan Fiction - NEST HQ Resident Mix 004

NEST HQ co-founder Fan Fiction just dropped the fourth edition of the monthly resident mix series. 

It basically runs the gambit in genres ranging from trance to dubstep to nightcore and everything in between. Lots of the tracks can be picked up for free download including Mat Zo's latest "Don't Say The T Word," Henrik The Artist's flip of Diplo & Liz "Set Me Free," and Tennyson's "Like What?" Stay tuned to Fan Fiction as he's got his finger firmly on the pulse of the industry, with what I believe to be good predictions on what 2016 will sound like: "this year will be a big one for trance, n moombah, n dubstep." Curl up or wil' out in your own personal nest while you pump this 25 minute monster.

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