Throwback Thursday: SBTRKT ft. Little Dragon - Wildfire (Objekt Remix)

Over the past weeks Tiga has been posting his old episodes of My Name Is Tiga as aired on BBC Radio Six. A foundational show for me thanks to Tiga's inimitable wit and incredible track selections, I've been slowly going through each episode injecting myself with nostalgia and a lot of laughs. As a result I've found myself downloading a bunch of that throwback brilliance and while there's a ton of incredible stuff I could gush about, I've decided that for this Throwback Thursday post I'd focus on the incendiary excellence of Objekt's remix of SBTRKT's Little Dragon aided track "Wildfire." Unfortunately there are no full versions available for streaming so we'll have to focus on the shortened Soundcloud upload below, however the power and brilliance of TJ Hertz's tough techno take is unmissable.

A raucous and ruthless future is the deliriously awesome spin Objekt has offered in this new vision. The percussive power is epic, enough to rattle walls with a small subwoofer, just as the snare is sure to shatter bones. Adding the synths to the mix is quite simply cataclysmic. That said, "Wildfire" does not suffer from sheer weight or unwieldy gravity - it is no black hole. Rather, Objekt succeeds in pitting Yukimi Nagano's heavenly vocals against the unholy backdrop by brilliantly incorporating her at the most opportune times as though sprinkling her in like fairy dust. In fact, Objekt is able to retain much of the captivating quality of the original track, while re-contextualizing it into a techno titan - just as Tiga notes in his remix special with Gesaffelstein's remix of Lana Del Rey. Enjoy below and purchase here.FOLLOW LITTLE DRAGON: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
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Enlightened Listening for February 16

The last few Fridays I've been compiling playlists of new music for the weekend, so today I've decided to give it a name and make it a routine. I present the first proper edition of Enlightened Listening. The name is a simple tie to the blog itself, which features all dance and electronic genres under the sun, as does this list and the others ahead of its naming today. I should also state that while I use the term enlightened, I'm not suggesting that each of these are the pinnacle of production but rather some creative cultivations on the endless road to musical enlightenment. So once again here we go, find the tracks in no particular order, note the free downloads marked by asterisk and reviews at the bottom.

ATLiens - Interstellar (ft. Sara Skinner)
Fantastic mix of fearsome fire in the incredibly twisted trap drops countering Skinner's savory vocals.

Madeaux - The Wave (ft. BRUX)
Another captivating creation from Madeaux that fits its title to a tee. I can't quite put my finger on what this reminds me of most, but certainly the likes of Jack Beats, Mr. Oizo, Boys Noize and others.

NuKid - Hustlin'*
The more I hear from NuKid the more convinced I am that he sits atop the crowded crossroads of deep, g-, and bass house. The combination of grit, drive, and bounce of this track is mindblowing.

AOTA - D Sides*
Five classics (or soon to be classics) twisted to fit AOTA's particular brand of deep house. Likely your eyes are drawn to "Satisfaction" or "Bodak Yellow" and while they all deliver a good groove get your feet going, I'm most struck by the Borgore remix, which like the original goes ridiculously hard.

BETON - Directions (ft. Wevie Stonder)
My most anticipated track of the year. I've gushed about it following Tiga's New Names Mix and again when the B-Side was released (here). Crank it to up 11 and shake the whole house. MASSIVE!

Robotaki - Limbo (ft. SHOR)
Seems like every new production from Robotaki raises the bar further and further. It's the perfect mix of T.E.E.D., SBKTRKT, Chet Faker and future bass when it was fresh coming out of Australia. Beyond beautiful, fantastically funky, smooth and sublime. Oh my days, might just have a little cry.

Max Olsen - Sub Zero (ft. JC)*
Expect to be moved by this one. Deep bass bonks and sweeping grooves. And how about those lyrics?

SAKIMA - Death Is In The Air
Maybe it's just the album art but I can't get The Cure out of my head. There may be nothing I enjoy more than dark lyrics with bright uplifting grooves. This is gives new meaning to scary good.

Minnesota - Hilow (Charlesthefirst Remix)*
Serious get down with these drops. This is atmospheric bass brilliance with all kinds of crazy elements.

Mohican Sun - Cold Earth EP

Whoever Mohican Sun is/are, they're definitely off to an incredible start to the year, gearing up for their Cold Earth EP to drop February 9th. I say whoever they are because despite being around since at least September 2016, we still don't know much about them. We know they're affiliated with Dawn Wall, if only through their similar masks, and of course their label, Integral Records. A UKF article Who The Hell Is Mohican Sun? got a quote from Integral's head honcho saying "Mohican Sun is a new member of the tribe. A new combination of producers including original members of the camp."

But as I say, whoever they are, they are off to a blazing start offering up four of the five tracks from Cold Earth, following today's DJ Mag premiere of "Calgary." Stream below and pre-order via Intergral Records, where it's available a week early, otherwise wait and grab via Beatport here.The opening track "Don't Wait" strikes me as a raucous, rolling liquid version of SBTRKT, especially as the vocals add even further emotional depth to the already inciting organic elements. The title track again invokes intense power with its enveloping atmosphere and smart use of effects to further fill the strong soundscape. As unleashed on Rene LaVice's BBC Radio One show, "Spiralled" is supremely strapping, ushering in some unyielding waves of endorphins with its rushes of robust bass wallops. The most recent, and penultimate track of the EP, "Calgary" conjures up crystal clear imagery of one of the coldest urban centers on the planet. Its glassy glaze and chilling atmosphere is the fantastic yet freezing finale. And now I say finale, because "Calgary" will be the end of the EP on its vinyl release, with "Living This Way" coming as a digital bonus. There is a two minute preview on Intergral Records release page here, which sees it continue this trend of chilling liquid DnB. And if you're a fan of DnB then be sure to grab Cold Earth, which certainly does not disappoint.

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MEMBA - Middle Man (ft. Asher Don)

New York duo MEMBA has been making waves over the last while with wildly unique blends of trap, hip hop, future bass, R&B, and world dance beats. And while their place in genres may be up for debate, their production ability is not. Even if you were to click around aimlessly through their Soundcloud catalog, you'd almost instantly realize that these two are changing the game with stunningly crisp and otherworldly sounds. It was this craftsmanship that caught my attention with literally the first note of their latest production, "Middle Man" featuring Asher Don. The swooping/scooping synth is scary satisfying and alluring, especially as its countered by the teasing top line. This mixture makes me imagine a cross between SBTRKT and Wendy Carlos. Its ebbing and flowing waves splash around my head like swells of psychedelic hallucinations causing me to react like the music video. It's impossible not to get sucked up this sublime mixture of sounds and lurid lyrics. Add Asher Don's attack and you've got a track that is sure to capture the consciousness of all that come into its contact. As if this magical mixture were not enough to have your heart palpitating it is available for free via ToneDen, here.FOLLOW MEMBA: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
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Bearcubs - Landslide

London's Bearcubs teases us again with another incredibly intricate and cool creation from his forthcoming debut album Ultraviolet, set to drop March 2nd. After the lead single "Do You Feel" dropped two months ago, we finally get another taste of the awesome atmospherics of Bearcubs with the dreamy delivery of "Landslide." It oozes with a masterful mix of SBTRKT and James Blake vibes, which is more heartening than finding out heaven is real. And despite the downtrodden turn from the former single, this is exactly the aura of this track exudes, heaven. It's almost as though gravity has been flipped, forcing the "Landslide" upwards. It is all consuming and incredibly powerful, truly a force of nature. These two tracks make Ultraviolet my most anticipated release of 2018 thus far, and I'm incredibly excited by the fact that I'll be able to enjoy for a week before he hits Rivoli in Toronto March 10th (RSVP/Tickets). Pre-order the album here, stream "Landslide" below, and purchase here.FOLLOW BEARCUBS: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

SBTRKT ft. Sampha - Never Never (Andrew DIFF Remix)

There aren't many artists that are as immediately identifiable as SBTRKT. His early work with Sampha continues to stand apart from nearly anything and everything produced during that same period. There's an incredible creativity and coolness to what they've done, and the waves of their awesome efforts continue to make an impression producers years later. The latest example of which comes from Minneapolis' Andrew DIFF who's taken on "Never Never." Repackaging the futuristic breakbeat garage track with just enough juke to get your feet going, DIFF has injected an unmissable energy that just feels right under the new melody. The tuning and emotion of the original remain intact, while the upped tempo gives the groove a gravity of its own. It's as bouncy as it is beautiful and can be yours free here.FOLLOW SBTRKT: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
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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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Photay - Sadie EP

There really is nothing like waking up to new music in your inbox, especially when that music is so bright, sparkling, uplifting and like nothing you've ever heard. That is the case when I opened up Photay's latest release, Sadie, a four track EP on Astro Nautico. Light hearted and full of joy, Sadie's collection of tracks sail smoothly along with vibes reminiscent of SBTRKT, Danny L Harle and Ryan Hemsworth. Just last night, on my way home from Keys N Krates, I found myself clamoring for more midrange music (not downtempo or bangers), so I immediately went to my go to tracks Henrik The Artist's remix of Mark Redito's "So Many Things To Tell You," Y2K's remix of Noonie Bao's "Pyramids," and Tennyson's "Slipperz." It's the immense creativity and playfulness of these tracks, that you find front and centre in Photay's productions.

Each of the tracks has incredible progression and movement, alongside a wide array of instrumentation. While building the tracks in a way that injects familiarity, each track boasts a creative freshness that is incredibly alluring. There are no weak spots, or even ordinary or middling tracks in Sadie; it would be impossible to choose one as my favourite. The lead track "Zeitgebers" performs its function perfectly, building its playful repertoire piece by piece with the utmost intelligence. "Monday," the track featuring himself as vocalist, shows incredible, subdued beauty, so much so that you'll never be able to view Mondays the same way. "Trophy" may be the most boisterous of the bunch, and excels with triumphant synth work, worthy of a victory parade. The final, double track, "Wipe The Sleep From You Eyes," is both the most restrained yet free flowing musical track, finding room for an incredibly funky and playful sax solo. Sadie will find its way into many of my playlists and should quickly become one of my most played albums. SUPPORT PHOTAY: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER