Backstage with Elazion and Odesho

Thursday night marked two firsts for me as I joined Elazion on his podcast. It was both my first podcast and my first time as the guest in an interview. In the nearly hour and a half conversation we touched on several subjects, mostly around my role as a radio host and blogger, but of course we dive deeper into a wider swath. There's a fair amount of insight into my process and history, as well as a ton of recommendations which I'll detail below. Get the episode on iTunes, Stitcher, Castbox & others here.
Recommendations, in the order they arise in the episode...

DJ Flipout/Skratch Bastid/Red Bull 3Style: DJ/MC associated with both Virgin Radio Vancouver and the Red Bull 3Style DJ competition. DJ/Global Ambassador for the Red Bull 3Style DJ competition. Both great Twitter follows.

Repost-Toggle for Soundcloud: An Chrome extension I use to streamline my feed.

Nero - Symphony 2808: My first encounter with electronic music re-imagined in an orchestral/symphonic format.

Pete Tong, Jules Buckley & The Heritage Orchestra - Ibiza Prom: The start of Pete Tong's venture into the orchestral realm, with a studio album of this concert (here) and two more after (below).

Pete Tong Ibiza Classics: A second orchestral album of re-imagined Ibiza classics.

Pete Tong - Chilled Classics: A third orchestral album with a mix of original productions and classic re-imaginings.

Ed Banger 15: Orchestral versions of classic Ed Banger releases celebrating their 15th anniversary. See live concert here.

Yanni: An incredible composer/producer/etc. Countless fantastic tracks and albums, but his live The Concert Event album was the one that hooked me, even better enjoyed if you watch the live videos.

Skratch Bastid & Afiara Quartet - Spin Cycle: A brilliant experiment combining scratching and strings. Also best enjoyed with accompanying video. See full concert at Koerner Hall here.

Skratch Bastid - Kenny Rodgers Tributes: Pretty self explanatory. Turntable tributes to The Gambler. First video here and a followup here.

Porter Robinson Monstercat Showcase: My peak Porter enjoyment. One of my favourite mixes of all-time.

Knife Party Essential Mix: One of the most incredible debut sets/Essential Mixes. Peak Knife Party.

Score: A Film Music Documentary: A fantastic doc on some of the major players in "the world's most widely known music genre" with interviews from John Williams, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, etc.

Queen Of The South: One of my favourite TV shows, scored by Giorgio Moroder.

Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul: Incredible music direction. Particularly in the montage scenes. Two stand out in particular, at least in recent memory, both from Better Call Saul. BADBADNOTGOOD - Can't Leave The Night and Todd Terje - Alfonso Muskedunder.

The Wire: Every time I think back to the month or two it took me to binge it, I'm filled with nostalgia and the desire to relive what is widely considered to be the best TV show ever.

Explained - Music: Incredible, informative and logic-based mini doc on music. Narrated by Carly Rae Jepsen and featuring TOKiMONSTA.

The Nature Of Things - Sonic Magic: The Wonder and Science of Sound: Another incredible documentary, detailing the magic behind music and its multi-sensory qualities.

It's All Gone Pete Tong: The 'true story' of a DJ who goes deaf, but continues to produce through vibrations.

Daft Punk, Nile Rodgers, Pharrell, & Stevie Wonder: Perhaps my favourite ever Grammy performance.

The Night: A Nero 'side-project' between Alana Watson and Dan Stephens. Meanwhile Joseph Ray is doing solo work under his own name.

My Mixtape featuring Coldwall

DOWNLOAD MY MIXTAPE FEATURING COLDWALL

Tracklist

1. Coldwall - Meltdown
2. Kotek & Littlemore - Surface
3. Ekali & Zhu - Blame (NGHTMRE Remix)
4. Zeds Dead & Jauz - Lights Go Down
5. Coldwall - Code: Corruption
6. Coldwall - Code: Pendency
7. Kotek - Colourless
8. Kotek - Aurora
9. Coldwall - Abiosis
10. INF1N1TE - In My Head
11. INF1N1TE - Alone VIP
12. INF1N1TE & Konus - What To Do (ft. Thorbear)
13. Zeds Dead - Dimemories
14. Paris Blohm ft. Blondfire - Something About You (Conro's Ultra Miami 2016 Remix)
15. Zeds Dead - Gold (ft. Yuna)
16. Coldwall - Entanglement
17. ill.Gates x Tha Fruitbat x Mr. Bill - CTHULHU (ft. Blockboii & Goopsteppa)
18. Excision x Illenium ft. Shallows - Gold (Stupid Love)
19. Porter Robinson - Language (Ekali & QUIX Tribute)
20. Coldwall - Quantum

Virtual Self - Key (Celadon City Edit)

With any new direction or side project comes a flux in support, and certainly that can be said about Porter Robinson's latest venture, Virtual Self. Some people love it, some not so much. Whatever you think, the new turn as Virtual Self isn't without its merits; it brings new music. And new music is pure possibility. Moreover, Celadon City's edit of "Key" further showcases Porter's musical brilliance.While I've heard the original referred to as DDR music, there's still a strong musicality to those kinds of tracks and "Key" certainly doesn't shy from that aspect. But whereas the original is utterly exuberant and explosive, Celadon City pulls back, refining it to a more cinematic, 80s montage. He harnesses the power of Virtual Self in such an elegant fashion while still invoking the initial roaring spirit.

Not attacking the arc as viciously as a remix, Celadon City's edit is more of a recast in time and space. This reformed version only gives Virtual Self a more scintillating sparkle than it already had. I just have to say that after dozen listens (seriously),  I'm totally swept away by this one. Maybe I meant Spirited Away. Whatever. Download "Key" for your Virtual Self absolutely free here.

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Electronic Music Awards (Predictions)

Two weeks ago I dug into the inaugural Electronic Music Awards, their new categories and the subsequent nominations. Read that article here. Today I'll be making my predictions, see noms below.

When I make predictions like this I usually make multiple picks: who I think will win, who I think should win, and make my own write-in winner. I'll be doing the same today, with a brief explanation as to why I believe my picks hold merit. I'll also be making them in reverse order, just for fun. Enjoy!

Sinden's House Line EP

Very few producers can boast the same kind of quality and longevity as Graeme Sinden. He's been a staple of the house scene since collaborating with the likes of Hervé (as The Count and Sinden) and SBTRKT nearly a decade ago. He's once again teamed up with Hervé, among other heavy hitters Bot (previously half of Crookers), Japan's Jaxx Da Fishworks and Alaska's Astronomar. The nine track collab laden EP, out now on Insomniac Records, brings bassy house tracks that, while having killer classic feels, succeeds in pushing the undeniably important genre forward. Download the EP free via ToneDen, here.The lead track brings Sinden and Hervé together again, showing off their incredible interplay. The amount of movement and instrumentation is incredible, once again proving these two work together wonderfully. Next, pay special attention to Sinden's solo track "Baby" with its classic bonking bass sound built around a grungy atmosphere. The next three tracks, all remixes, take a decisively different approach, but still one that fits into this formidable EP.

R3LL's remix relies on a piano lick and pulsating jersey club loops, definitely the most intense and energetic of the bunch. Bot brings back the bouncing bass with "Follow Me." The bed he's crafted for Aly Us' vocals makes it absolutely alluring and almost hypnotizing. It's easy to imagine several shufflers dancing all night to this one.

Next up is LO'99, who I've been a fan of ever since I heard Porter Robinson play Go Freek's remix of "My Mind" in his Monstercat Showcase set two summers ago. He's been on fire as of late (dropping remixes of Angelz and Stormzy), and continues that trend with his 420 Blog It take on "Mega." Obviously the throwback feels are strong, but the deep bass wobbles and alien atmosphere make it a worthy remix of such a classic track.

Following those remixes come three new collaborations. First "Cold Ass Flute" with Astronomar. It's eerie as can be, sending chills down your back, again with an extraterrestrial vibe and an all too evil laugh. Next is Hotfire and "Twiddle," which winds up slowly before the tension becomes too much and it turns into an all out stomper, suggesting that listeners just get stupid. The final collab comes with Marc Spence, whose "Nasty" has been mentioned many a time on this blog. "WTF" is mechanized madness. It's almost as though the two have built an Iron Giant type figure deep in the woods, and its coming to life can be heard through the panicked chirping of birds and earth shaking bass.

Sinden's House Line then wraps up with a new Jaxx Da Fishworks production, "Don't Wait Up." It may be the best track to encapsulate the EP as a whole. It's got a great classic feel and construction to it, while still feeling fresh. The frenzied drop is like a steely stare down, daring you to dance. From Sinden and Hervé's "Body & Soul" to this fire finale, this EP is an excellent example of Sinden's impact on house music. If you've got the time, I highly suggest taking a scroll through his soundcloud page, it's absolutely littered with awesome tracks.

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Lazy Rich - Knock Me Out

For years now, Lazy Rich has been one of my favourite producers, releasing some of my most reliable, go-to, fire-me-up productions. Recently those tracks were "Opus," his collabs with Mord Fustang and Felguk "We Are" and "Dance To The Beat" respectively. He's also a master remixer, taking on the likes of Porter Robinson's "Vandalism" and Fatboy Slim's "Weapon Of Choice." But his most recent production first caught my attention when he tweeted "Never thought I'd release a trap track. I think it's trap anyway... is it?" Technically I don't think it is, but it certainly seems to be a variation from the blistering electro house that we usually get from the head of Big Fish Recordings. Rich has been experimenting as of late, departing from the 128 BPM range, most notably with the 114 anthemic stomper, "Give Me Crazy." Now "Knock Me Out," the supposed trap track, which sits at a paltry 104, yet again sees Lazy Rich getting bored with the monotony of 128 bangers. However it still fits well into the Lazy Rich library, delivering the delightful get down that we've come to expect from him.
From the foundation of the piano he lays down in the introduction to the super sexy, and ultra alluring, synthesized saxophone, the track is constructed with the kind of mastery only a seasoned veteran could muster. Like the label it is released on, it truly is Big & Dirty, and although the lyrics say the "lips are paralyzed, before I even got your name" I rather think it's our ears that are paralyzed, in utter disbelief at the sheer magnitude of Rich's production. He truly knocked this one out of the park; regardless of what genre you want to call it, this is a big time production full of fun and frivolity.

I really regret not getting it in last night's extended episode of Bump In The Hump, but will remedy that by including it in my upcoming posts on this blog, as I go through my favourite tracks from this year of Bump In The Hump, and put a cap on the year of music that was 2016.

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Madeon & Porter Robinson at Danforth Music Hall Tonight

Tonight's the night that the youthful genius of Madeon and Porter Robinson finally bring their highly touted Shelter Live Tour to the 6ix. They'll be performing at the Danforth Music Hall, alongside openers Robotaki and Danger. Of course the tour is named after their collaborative track "Shelter," but there's much more you can expect from this dynamic duo, and their live performance. If you don't mind spoilers, there's a full video of their set from their stop in Atlanta, two months ago.

If you'd rather not watch the concert twice in one day, but still want to get hyped for tonight, my recommendation would be to check out the brilliant anime Porter put together for their collab.

If that's not enough to get your motor running, I've compiled a list of my favourite five tracks from each Madeon and Porter Robinson, including some of their own remixes and remixes of their originals. Remember this is a live set at Danforth, but there is an after party, DJ set planned for The Hoxton, if that is more your speed. And to be honest, that's what caused me to really fall in love with Porter. His set for the Monstercat Showcase at Tattoo last summer, is still one of my favourite mixes of all time.Tickets are scarce for both events, but you may be able to snag one from a seller [live show] [DJ set]

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Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Future Magic x Wicka - Yeah

The premieres are coming fast and furious to Bump In The Hump. After last week's exclusive premiere from friend of the show Cosella, and his collab with FromDropTillDawn "No Boundaries," another hallmark of Bump In The Hump, Future Magic has gifted us with a brand new original. Truth be told I had a different Future Magic production already cue'd up but when he messaged me this morning proposing I premiere his collab with Wicka, "Yeah," of course that was my response, "uh yeah." This latest production from fellow Muskokan and Rochester's Wicka, sees a departure from their raucous trap flip of Flosstradamus' "Mosh Pit." "Yeah" is far more delicate and subtle in its style, playing with vocals and anime-esque soundtrack feels, surrounded by warm uplifting chords that would fit perfectly in any Porter Robinson track. This is affirmative future bass, not too hard hitting, but firmly fun and heartening. Like the vast majority of Future Magic's productions, it is available for free download.
Hear "Yeah" as a part of an hour of the best new Canadian electronic music on Bump In The Hump, live from 6-7 PM EST on Radio Humber. I've also got brand new tracks from Internet Daughter, Vincent, Adam Pearce, Dom Dias, AGNO3, and another exclusive premiere from WWRD as our #WeekendWarmup, ahead of her set Saturday at Studio Bar (details here).

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9 new tracks from the long weekend

Whether you're Canadian and celebrated Thanksgiving, you're American and celebrated Columbus day, or you're neither, you may have missed some fresh new tracks from the likes of Bring The Noise, Lost Kings, and Skylar Spence among others. Classics from Nero and Porter Robinson/Madeon received bootleg remixes, but of course that's not all; I've highlighted 9 tracks that range from light and bubbly pop to dark electro bass. The first, and perhaps most disturbingly underplayed track of this weekend comes from Bring The Noise. Despite their near 15k followers on Facebook, "West Side" has only 23 plays at the time I write this. This is a travesty as it is an absolutely awesome production, dripping with dark vibes, playing with old school rap motifs while warbling bass throbs beneath, giving the impression that something immense is about to happen. It sets us up perfectly for the rest of the tracks to come. Obviously I'm a fan of Nero's "Crush On You," after having written about Animal HÖuse's remix of it last month. Now DJ duo DIV/IDE has put their own touch on the classic, relying on a piano driven lead and an awesome bass house drop. The groove is strong with this one, freely flowing, and utterly enjoyable. Changing course drastically, the next track is from one of the brightest duos in the game right now, Lost Kings. Their latest, "Phone Down" continues their tropical tilt alongside divine piano chords, and a powerful and poignant message from vocalist Emily Warren. Maybe the most alluring track in this nine pack (knowing my love for hyperactive bubbly pop tracks), comes from gupi, in the form of "Great Day." It's like if the Teletubbies took speed, went to Tommorowland, and this is the soundtrack to the montage video. "Wow, what a great day..." As deep and dark as the infinite abyss that is outer-space, where Moonzz and her track "Wonder" emanate from, this mix from DNMO ups the ante, injecting the original with rocketfuel. It refills the stasis chambers allowing the interstellar vehicle to travel further than ever imagined. Bursting at the seams, Pierce's track "What We're Looking For" is absolutely explosive. There's no way you can hear this track without feeling it's tremendous power, while brilliantly combining a number of sounds and styles. Like many of the above tracks it too can be downloaded for free. After seeing Skylar Spence at Bestival this summer, I knew I'd found someone special. The uplifting and groovy disco vibes he delivers are simply sublime. His latest, released on Carpark Records, maintains that delightfully dance-worthy energy and sentimentality. Of course Porter Robinson and Madeon's collaborative effort "Shelter" has been firmly entrenched in the minds of their thousands of fans, but save for Luca Lush's lift, there hasn't been a truly fitting remix. That is until now. soupandreas and Soflex seem to have been able to get into the mindset of the two veteran producers, reimagining "Shelter" as a more necessary reality, a hideout in an apocalyptic future. The last track in this collection of new, fresh productions comes from Ryan Hemsworth's Secret Songs collective, courtesy Rytmeklubben member, DJ Karaoke. His superb and saintly synth work soars with brilliant beauty alongside an angelic, ethereal choir. It too is available entirely free.

Bestival Recap

Via Bestival Toronto Facebook Page

My body is worse for wear, but my mind has never been so satisfied. This year's edition of Bestival exceeded even my grandest expectations. From Maddmon's opening set under the Big Top Saturday, to The Cure closing down the Main Stage Sunday, and all of the surprises in between, the ethos of Bestival Increase The Peace rang true throughout. I've never been to any festival that can rival Bestival's family-friendly inclusiveness, genius curation and undeniably loving atmosphere.

I was disappointed to leave the island venue, in spite of the frustrating ferry service, but Woodbine Park actually ended up being as good, if not better than last year. The stages were significantly closer than last year, with a little bit of sound bleeding from the Big Top to the Main Stage; enough to cause Robert Smith to have his headphones at maximum volume, so he could stay on beat. The Bollywood stage was a brilliant reprieve, removed from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the venue. Even further removed, in a quiet, wooded corner of Woodbine Park, the Sunday Best Balearic Beach Bar was the ultimate chill zone for people to relax, lie under the shade of the trees and refresh your soul with therapeutic, ecstasy inducing vibes. Rounding out the Bestival atmosphere were a Dr. Suess-esque bicycle with dozens of drums and noise makers for people to play, the infamous Inflatable Church and Cosmic Commune, which hosted plays and other intimate performances. Standing on the hill that held the I<3BESTIVAL sign, you could take in all three stages with Toronto's skyline in the distance.

Via Bestival Toronto Facebook Page

The sound system under the Big Top was quite simply bonkers, and although there were less 'bass acts' and less room under the tent (than the previous year), the lineup utilized it to the fullest with standout sets from locals Maddmon, Thugli, Shaun Frank, HRMXNY, and Pusher, legendary live performances from Porter Robinson and Madeon, banging bass from Smalltown DJs, 4B, Malaa, Unlike Pluto and Tchami, welcome changes of pace from Giraffage, Skylar Spence, Classixx and Thomas Jack.  But the standout performance from the Big Top came from Reeps One, who absolutely blew me away with his unfathomably awesome beat-boxing skills.

The Bollywood Stage's visual marvel was only surpassed by its monstrous musical magnitude. Throughout the weekend I found myself going back to Bollywood more often than I had planned; its open air allure was led by an anything goes, never-ending dance-off. On my first journey around, exploring the festival grounds, I caught the end of Jonathan Rosa's set and the beginning of Rob Da Bank's which, apart from Lee Foss dropping MK's "Reverse Skydiving" remix, was my Bollywood highlight. Welcoming the early crowd, the Bestival founder led off with Prince's "I Wanna Be Your Lover," in perhaps the most fitting set starter possible.

What sets Bestival apart from other festivals, is its unwavering commitment to fostering rising and local talents, and showcasing acts that otherwise would not play Toronto festivals, especially alongside electronic acts. The Main Stage saw alternative, rock, new-wave and cross over acts from Tame Impala, Odesza, Jamie XX, Grimes and The Cure. It would be nearly impossible to put together a lineup that so perfectly bridges the gap between the sounds of the Bollywood and Big Top stages, while maintaining a slightly more rock focus. I don't know that the real EDM heads would venture from their bubble, but I can say that those five acts mentioned above strike me as the perfect stepping stones, to a wider appreciation for music and art as a whole. For in the end that is what Bestival does best, showcasing the infinite possibilities of art in all its forms, and expanding your mind.

I went to Bestival to see The Cure, among a number of electronic acts, but came away having rekindled friendships, met dozens of like-minded music lovers, and sharing in the experiences of a lifetime. I cannot wait for next year's edition of Bestival; if there were such a thing, I'd buy a lifetime membership.

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.

Bestival Lineup Annoucement

Screen-grab from www.bestival.ca approx. 2PM March 14

Bestival's Canadian cousin returns for a second Toronto edition with it's new Woodbine Park location, June 11th-12th. Friday they announced The Cure and Tame Impala as headliners, while the additional 33+ were named today. Once again Bestival can boast one of the most forward thinking, cohesive combination of progressive, boundary pushing artists, spanning a number of genres, while managing to cultivate an exquisite overall aesthetic. Last years engrossing aura tied everything together in it's omnipresence and is the only thing I think may suffer from this mainland edition. Crossing to the island last year was a rite of passage, inevitably invoking an unconscious suspension of disbelief as one stepped off their boat onto the island. The lineup however remains a draw for many different musical subcultures, yet again rivaling any other festival in Canada.

The combination of artists fills every box you could possibly check off. Massive, time-tested, legendary headliner (The Cure), incredibly hot, uber hip, legend makers (Tame Impala), progressive live acts (Odesza, Grimes, Porter Robinson, Madeon), genre leading DJ/producers (Tchami, Dubfire, Thomas Jack, Joris Voorn, Lee Foss, Giraffage, etc), trusted taste-makers (Anna Lunoe, Rob Da Bank) and swath of the best local talents (Art Department, Shaun Frank, Thugli, Pusher, HRMXNY, etc.).

After TRC made their predictions Thursday, I was determined to buy tickets if The Cure were announced. Despite being woefully unaware of The Cure, apart from what local radio and Hollywood had pushed, (Friday, I'm In Love and of course Robert Smith's Not In Love with Crystal Castles) I found I couldn't get enough of "Halo" after hearing it in a car one fateful afternoon. "Halo" seemed to strike a chord with me and quickly became one of my favourite songs, but for some reason I didn't venture any further into The Cure's massive library, at least until South Park suggested it. 

Taking Stan's word I listened to Disintegration one night on the bus ride from St Catharines to Toronto, and despite being between waking and sleeping it instantly became familiar and spoke to me through its incredible arc. It's become my go-to, after-the-club, come-down music, as I ride the red vomit comet home. So obviously I'm dead excited to see The Cure live in person; fingers crossed they play some amount of Disintegration.

Despite not going to Digital Dreams, one of my favourite sets from last year was Porter Robinson at the Monstercat showcase at Tattoo. I was moments away from going to bed and shutting down my computer when the my final twitter check discovered a live stream from inside of Tattoo. I ended up raving to the light of my computer screen for the next hour and a half, assaulting my keyboard, punching in the endless tracklist of awesomeness Porter dropped deep into the night. And although Bestival says he's doing a live set this time (see here), you can relive last year's rainy-day respite below.

Another act that I'm excited to see for the first time is Giraffage, I've only heard great things about his sets and love what I've heard specifically "All We Need" and "Lionhearted" from fellow Bestivalers Odesza and Porter Robinson, as well as "All Hands On Deck" "Impression Of You" and "So Cute!"


Then of course are those that I've already seen but know play amazing sets, Madeon, Tchami, Anna Lunoe, Shaun Frank, Thugli, Pusher and HRMXNY. Much like last year I'm sure I'll have to make tough choices as to who I see when, and bounce between stages. If the comparison to last year holds true, I can only hope the weather is more like the second day, not the first. That being said, as long it's not cancelled in some way, it will have beat both Veld and Digital Dreams. I sense there will be more names added to the list and since the price of tickets never go down, the earlier you act, the less of a financial commitment you'll have to make. I'd be surprised if word hasn't got out about how good last year was, and if the biggest headache (the ferrying) is out of the way, tickets will likely be moving quickly.

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Displaced - Rugged

Every once in a while I stumble upon an essentially brand new artist, with only a few productions to their name, and very few Facebook/Soundcloud/Twitter fans/followers. While scrolling through Soundcloud's new charts, I came across Displaced, who fits that bill perfectly. Their track "Rugged," with it's slap bass drops and soaring space age sections, has already garnered over 10,000 plays surely meaning Displaced's following will grow substantially.

I've been watching ridiculous amounts of X-Files this weekend (as I'm sure many of you have as well), and the extraterrestrial introduction seemed to glide effortlessly into my ears, only truly piquing my interest on the second listen after being awoken from my slumber by the awesome slap bass drop. Upon re-listening to the intro, the brilliance in the production comes from the bent and finely tuned, almost Porter Robinson-esque synth work. Aided by perfectly placed percussion, the transition into the build up comes about so organically and when stripped down to the bare bones, sets up the percussive bass laden drop, rollicking in 'rugged' chaos. It's not the hardest hitting or most life changing drop, but it is Rugged's beyond infectious and tremendously playful nature that makes it so alluring. The combination of the percussion of the drums and bass is so enticing that I cannot believe that I haven't heard anything like it before. I sincerely hope to hear more from Displaced. But for now I'll just have to be appreciative of the two tracks up for free download.

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Chet Porter - Awakening

Yesterday Chet Porter dropped the stream of his new track "Awakening," which you can now pick up for yourself. Chet's had an amazing year, dropping great freebies including remixes of Hitmane's "Over You," Ember Island's cover of Jack U "Where Are U Now," Porter Robinson's "Fellow Feeling," and his outright amazing original "Aluko River." After building up a considerable following with his free downloads Chet has entered into the world of pay music with "Awakening" being released on Big Beat Records through iTunes, Google Play, Amazon and Spotify. Look for more emotional explosive, sparkling, beautiful production value and future feels from Chet in the future, as his creative genius has repeatedly teased us on twitter (with this story about overflowing creativity part 1 & 2, and a forthcoming remix). Check out the true story behind his "Over You" remix and his amazingly exquisite mixtape for Big Beat's NatDodge HOTMES series. So much Chet, so little time.

fun fact: i actually wrote my remix of "over u" in 1994 for Disney's The Lion King, but it was stripped from the film to avoid bad press because i was on trial for murder. finally, 22 years later, i am pleased to announce they are letting me share the song along with the original edit of the movie. i hope u enjoy
Posted by Chet Porter on Monday, 28 September 2015

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San Holo - Can't Forget You (ft. The Nicholas)

The Norwegian music scene has gained tremendous worldwide attention in the past year thanks in large part to the rise of Kygo, Rytmeklubben, Cashmere Cat, Lido and San Holo, who first broke into public consciousness with his "Don't Touch The Classics" remixes, especially when his "Next Episode" remix was featured in TWRK's fifth installment. Holo's inimitable style and sound have catapulted him and his continually growing library into countless mixes and a worldwide tour. SH has his own label, bitbird, but he's also released tonnes of free music, a 3 track EP on Monstercat, an OWSLA single, big names remix credits for Tchami and Porter Robinson, and now he's picked up his very own Spinnin' release: His last release, a collab with Father Dude, was also on Spinnin', and as you might expect with Spinnin', it has marked a move to a slightly more poppy, easily consumable sound and feel for the heavenly, chiptune inspired producer. Both "IMISSU" and "Can't Forget You" lean on sparkling vocals and less on heavily tuned drops or glitchy builds, and what I feel is almost a stripped down, rather confined version of the San Holo I've come to know and love. My only hope is that, because of Spinnin's huge reach, more and more people get into San Holo and he floods us with new music; nothing wrong with that.

SCORE
Composition 2/3
Dynamics 2/2
Improvisation/Progression 2/3
Melody/Harmony 2/3
Originality 1/2
Sonic Quality 2/2
Lyrics 2/3
Vocals 2/2
TOTAL 15/20

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Best Mixes Of 2015

One of my favourite things about electronic music is the prominence of mixes and the curating that comes along with being a DJ. There are so many different kinds of mixes, some that are heavily pre-produced and others that are created organically, on the spot, both are valuable and can serve different purposes at different times. I love listening to them any time I'm doing anything, whether it be at working, working out, travelling, playing video games, washing the dishes or doing yard work. Over the years I've become a fan of a variety of different programs, podcasts, annual festival promo mixes or just whatever live set I can find. After the break, I'll be posting a large number of my favourite mixes from a variety of places. But to whet your appetite, check out this one from Alison Wonderland at The Mixmag Lab in Los Angeles.

Her set at the Hoxton was definitely one of the best I saw all year, the most energetic and intense DJing, that's for sure. I always feel like the more into the music the DJ is the more the crowd gets into it, Alison get top marks for this. Always really appreciate DJs not sticking to one genre or sound, especially when more than an hour long.

EFYE - June 22, 2012

Tracklist for show original air date: June 22, 2012 from 18:00 to 19:00.

• Mat Zo - 10 Years Of Arjunabeats (Ultra)
• Synapse Dynamics (Arty Remix)
• Porter Robinson - Spitfire (OWSLA)
• Unison (Knife Party Remix)
• Autoerotique - EKG (Dim Mak)
• Roll The Drums cc
• The Dove - Girl At A Party With Siren (Turbo)
• Girl At A Party With Siren (Dub Version) cc
• Ed Sheeran - Drunk (Warner)
• Drunk (Doctor P Remix)
• Mr. Oizo - Lambs Anger (Ed Banger)
• Cut Dick
• Justice - Audio, Video, Disco (Ed Banger)
• Helix
• Robyn - Indestructible (Konichiwa)
• Indestructible (A-Trak Remix) cc
• Chromeo -  When The Night Falls (Turbo)
• When The Night Falls (Lifelike Remix) cc
• Bloc Party - Pillowface & His Airplane Chronicles (Thrive)
• Helicopter (Weird Science Remix) (featuring Peaches) cc
• Jefferson Airplane - Somebody To Love (Ds Bootleg Series)
• Somebody To Love (DnB Remix)
• Jacques Greene - Another Girl (LuckyMe)
• Another Girl cc
• Little Boots - Arecibo (IAmSound)
• Stuck On Repeat (Fake Blood Remix)
• Zinc - Goin In (Rinse)
• Goin In (Boy 8-Bit Remix)
• Oceana - Endless Summer (Independent)
• Endless Summer (Bodybangers Remix) (HeGo Up Transition)

Next show air date: June 29, 2012 6-7 PM