It may only be May 25th, but it sure seems summer is in full swing. It's warm, people are busy and music keeps coming fast and furious, at least in its delivery. Sonically however, the music is getting funkier, groovier and more laid-back allowing us to enjoy it more leisurely. That said there are still a handful of more banging, club style tunes, but the majority (even
Diplo) falls under the ever growing 'nu-disco' moniker. Enjoy 20 tracks (singles, remixes, EPs and
Hoodboi's brilliant
Breathing Room), as part of an hour and a half of music in this week's edition of
Enlightened Listening. Stream/read below.
David Guetta & Sia - Flames (Aazar Remix)
Holy
Flashdance vibes Batman!
Sia's voice soars as always and
Aazar's groove glows like a polished bar of gold. The final minute makes my heart flutter, if only it ran five times as long. I'm in love.
Louis La Roche & Mylo - Lovers
Definitely nu-disco, but bigger and bolder than most of the others in this list. However that doesn't mean this is without a caring caress. The bright backing that bolsters the bass and the little touches like the loon imbue this paramour with all the power of nature.
Pilo - Relax/Requiem
Twin Turbo continues to conjure up incredible club cuts. "
Relax" takes little time to leave you lost in the haze, lurching around like a disembodied spirit. "
Requiem" shows off some supremely smart drum work, building the whole track around an onslaught of earth shattering drums, as though emanating directly from the earth's core. Call it a coincidence, but we first heard it around the same time Kilauea started erupting.
Silk City (Diplo & Mark Ronson) - Only Can Get Better (ft. Daniel Merriweather)
Premiered by Annie Mac yesterday, I can think of no more evidence that disco is back than
Diplo jumping on the bandwagon. While it's not likely the best you'll hear even in this list, it's a strong pop production, and will likely get a lot of play throughout the summer. It only gets better when you find out that both
Alex Metric and
Riton helped with additional production. Nice.
Botnek & Aylen - Future Of The Underground
The last time we heard these two (who are perfect for each other) was when
Botnek retouched "
Quack Attack," one of the wildest tracks you'll ever hear. This one definitely feels underground, especially in that's where all of its sounds seem to stem from; rising from the floor, as you writhe on it.
Charlotte Gainsbourg - Sylvia Says (A-Trak Remix)
I like to imagine this being played at the royal wedding reception. There is just such a strong air of European excellence that plays perfectly with the unfettered fun the groove and bounce brings.
Chromeo ft. DRAM & Jesse Johnson - Must've Been (Mercer Remix)
Chromeo's hottest single so far receives yet another remix, with
Mercer working his magic this time. Whereas the original was a jam, this is a jam session, adding more elements and a little more oomph for good measure. A genius recasting that is sure to draw people to the dance-floor in droves.
Element - You (ft. Khamari)*
One of my favourite rising stars yet again shows his range. After the unreal banger "
Needles," he's gone for a more chill wavy approach, and this one works wonders especially with Khamari's smooth vocals.
Booka Shade - Easy Drifter (Claude VonStroke Remix)
Doesn't get much bigger than this, both in names and sound. Like the single "
Night Surfing" this one grows in ebbs and flows, with wonderful finishing flourishes from Claude. Easy yet supremely strong.
Kramder - Funkastic
I absolutely love that
CONFESSION is getting more into the French touch and this EP nails it. It's nicely filtered fun, that while oozing with old-school vibes still brings a contemporary kick. The effects and aforementioned filtering remind me of early
Louis La Roche and that might be why I feel so strongly about it. If you want to kick your party up a notch throw on some "
Pure Gasoline."
Friendly Fires - Love Like Waves (Riton Remix)
Seems as though
Riton and
Alex Metric have been running in the same circles lately, as the latter has already released his remix and of course they both backed "
Only Can Get Better." Friendly Fires almost always offer up excellent tracks for remixing, and this certainly follows suit. The synths will have you head spinning in one direction, while the drums another. You'll be all twisted up on the dance-floor while onlookers stare in awe.
Hoodboi - Breathing Room
In the past five or so years,
Hoodboi has released several of my favourite records. That said we haven't heard from him for a while, but that appears to have paid off as this beautiful seven track sensation is pure poise and polish. Right from the opening number
Breathing Room is nothing short of stunning, showcasing incredible amounts of instrumentation that is sewn together with mind-blowing mastery. There's sublime songs like "Tip Of My Tongue" and "Drowning," fresh funk in "Long Distance," genius get down in "Tunnel Vision" and one of the most exquisite pieces of electronic music, "True Colors."
* denotes free download
