Showing posts with label Rodriguez Jr.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rodriguez Jr.. Show all posts

Monday, August 09, 2021

Monday Grab Bag

Mondays are most often the driest day of the week when it comes to 'discovering' new music. That said, today was totally different as I kept coming across wicked releases everywhere I turned. So, with that in mind, I've compiled six of said releases here. Unfortunately, they're spread across streaming services, but rest assured, each release can be enjoyed in its entirety below.
Discovered via Soundcloud's The Upload algorithm, Cortese's Emma Cannon-led "Girls Like You" is ridiculously cool and ever so catchy with that spellbinding swing. Another one from The Upload, "1984" doesn't have anything to do with Orwell, but rather the Martha And The Muffins' single from that same year, "Black Stations/White Stations." Seamless sampling and a more hefty backing make it a wicked dancefloor weapon. Finally, the 8Kays' Eleatics EP rounds out the Soundcloud section of this Monday mix, and what an excellent EP it is. I keep going back and forth on whether I like the originals or the remixes better, but you really can't go wrong. Both versions of "Respect Me" are incredible in their mix of restraint and rippling techno power, just as both mixes of "Young Souls" manage to infect you with their otherworldly grooves and alien effects. 
Effin's debut on the mighty Monstercat further cements his status as an arsonist as "Unlucky" is a breathtaking blaze. Like the 8Kays originals above, the most incredible thing about this track is the contrasting clean, minimal sections against the mayhem of percussion and bass in the drops. And then there's the infernal horn section. If you're not already, be sure to keep it locked on Effin. 
More of the aforementioned minimal stuff thrives here with Dunk's deep and dark DnB EP, Signal Loss. Moody, cold and callous futurescapes give this release the feeling of a neo-noir game of interstellar espionage. In fact, the more I listen to it, I feel like its high-stakes tension would work well against the scenes of Gene Hackman tailing his prey in The French Connection.
Finally, we round out this collection with two killer remixes from Champa B and Tim Reaper. Both highly-charged rollercoaster rides, "Serenity" is somehow more fire than "Meridian," with its relentless percussive charges and bass booms, while the latter leans more cool and contemplative, especially through the pristine piano.

Friday, April 24, 2020

Enlightened Listening for April 24

And just like that it's Friday again. This week's Enlightened Listening features 25 new releases ranging from emotional James Blake to banging DnB, new Duck Sauce and some top notch tech house. Of course 25 releases are too many to tackle individually so instead I'll do a quicker rundown here, but you can still find each release logged after the Spotify playlist below and I still suggest exploring the full thing before settling in on a section you enjoy. Have a great weekend and stay safe!

Things open easy with a couple cool cuts: 1) the aforementioned James Blake and 2) the classic Clams Casino/Imogen Heap joint "I'm God." We then turn dreamy and expansive with the latest ADID offering which is then followed by a little more buoyant EP in Agony. Matt Fax then dazzles with an incredible album that 1) lives up to its title and 2) does an amazing job transporting listeners through its massive hour long journey. Another epic, yet slightly more minimal sonic voyage, Rodriguez Jr.'s Blisss too lives up to its beatific title. Turning even more techy, Kompakt boss Michael Mayer finally releases on his own imprint and it does not disappoint. Next up is perhaps my favourite release of the day Fort Romeau's Fantasia whose title track captured my attention faster than any other in this playlist.

Approaching the midway point, the legendary Booka Shade's latest single gets a big, brilliant and dramatic remix from Casper Cole. Progression rules the roost with the next two EPs as La Fleur and Port Manteau offer a couple intriguing tracks each. Taking a groovy turn, Tensnake offers up his hot hand with a trio of takes on Kasper Bjørke's cover of The Alessi Brothers. After that it's the highly anticipated Duck Sauce single "I Don't Mind" which sees Dave 1 join the writing team. Two sublime singles from SG Lewis and Jessie Ware follow that, each getting us excited for their larger forthcoming releases. Finally, closing out this section is Jacques Greene whose genius extends to a remix of Nicolas Godin's cool creation "Catch Yourself Falling," led by the always awesome Alexis Taylor.

In this final section there's a ton of DnB and we get it started with an extended mix of Flume and Toro y Moi's "The Difference" (ie the only way it could get better). Next up it's an incredible Sub Focus and Wilkinson collab, only made more amazing by the fact that the breakbeat drums are done live by the latter UK legend. Friction and Raineman (by way of his two remixes) follow that with three fantastic flourish driven DnB joints. Turning a touch darker, Cyantific's tumbling track leads us into another monstrous René LaVice release, this one in support of the NHS. Bookending the DnB is "Oculus" a vivid and colourful cut from Jack Mirror and Champion. The penultimate release in this list comes from the consistently killer Izzy Vadim who drops two inspired and unique bass tracks. Finally, Cozway makes his Deadbeats debut with the absolutely sick sensation "Camouflage" featuring Laura Hahn.

James Blake - You're Too Precious

Clams Casino & Imogen Heap - I'm God

Slow Hearts - Melanda

Michael & Levan x Stiven Rivic - Agony

Matt Fax - Progressions

Rodriguez Jr. - Blisss

Michael Mayer - Higher

Fort Romeau - Fantastia

Booka Shade ft. Kaktus Einarsson - Perfect In A Way (Casper Cole Remix)

La Fleur - Ravenwaves

Port Manteau - Faded/Pyro

Kasper Bjørke - Seabird (Tensnake Remix)

Duck Sauce - I Don't Mind

SG Lewis - Chemicals

Jessie Ware - Ooh La La

Nicolas Godin ft. Alexis Taylor - Catch Yourself Falling (Jacques Greene Remix)

Flume ft. Toro y Moi - The Difference (Extended Mix)

Sub Focus & Wilkinson - Just Hold On

Friction - Yesterday (ft. Liam Bailey)

Rob Made - Perfect Motion (Raineman Remix)

Cyantific - Falling

René LaVice & A Plus - Lockdown

Jack Mirror & Champion - Oculus

Izzy Vadim - Vacation

Cozway - Camouflage (ft. Laura Hahn)