The frenetic world of electronic music is full of distractions and diversions, hindering the ability to find transcendent music. Let Oggie James be your guru and lead down the path to musical Enlightenment.
Album, song and event reviews, mixtapes, and radio shows, light the way to Enlightenment, conveyed by Oggie James.
As mentioned in last week'sEnlightened Listening, Tchami released his long-awaited debut LP Year Zero this past Friday. With teaser singles featuring Marlena Shaw and Gunna, among a few other fabulous house tracks in "Born Again" and "Buenos Aires," it was clear this was going to be a diverse and indeed divine debut. After having the chance to let all of Year Zerosink in over the weekend, I've come to the conclusion that the album's finale, "Damaged Heart" is my favourite of the bunch.
Featuring the legendary Todd Edwards, the captivating conclusion strikes a sombre tone as it sends Year Zerointo the next realm. Starting with a crisp, tight and groovy drum bed, the track is immediately infectious with an undeniable toe-tapping quality. This gripping energy explodes in gorgeous fashion as the sublime synths hit, delivering a deep and soulful wave for our ears (and heart) to ride. The way these two elements (drums and synths) play together is beautiful and rousing, but what makes "Damaged Heart" so clearly calm and confident is the inspirative vocals. Putting into words what the music itself exudes, "Damaged Heart" struts with an incredible surety as though bounding weightlessly through the heavens.
Leaving you feeling lighter and stronger, "Damaged Heart" is as good a credit roll as it gets sending Year Zerooff in a reincarnating revelry. Stream the uber-cool collab below and get the album now here.
Finally, the first new edition of the vaunted Magic Tape mix series since COVID-19 captured the world's attention in early March. The Magician is back with an hour made up almost exclusively of new and forthcoming material.
Opening up this new set is the simply sensational Chemical Brothers cut "Catch Me I'm Falling" from No Geography. It is followed by a beautiful, yet unidentified scintillating synth number which has an undeniably familiar feel, yet I can't quite put my finger on who either the vocalist or producer is. As the mix continues to pick up steam we get brand new and forthcoming releases from Mohawk & The Kid and Myd (respectively) before The Magician's "You And Me" appears to receive a sublime, striding remix from another yet unidentified source.
This same formula of new followed by forthcoming tunes is replicated as Boys Noize's Defected affair "Mvinline" is followed by a trio of yet unreleased offerings from Theo Kottis and Mozambo, with the former absolutely rocking resplendent. In terms of overall trajectory this is where the mix really peaks as both Tchami's "Buenos Aires" and Alex Preston & Rion S' "Love Somebody" deliver incredibly infectious energy. Finally, The Magician crafts a killer come-down with Moullinex's remix of Poolside "Sunrise Strategies" and Justice's remix of Frank Ocean "Dear April." Find the 'full' tracklist as identified by the prolific Zinderlong at 1001tracklists here and enjoy the mix in its entirety below.
Despite taking the week off both Bump In The Hump and blogging, there's been so much fantastic music released I just had to put together a massive edition of Enlightened Listening. However the weather is calling me back outside so I won't be doing a comprehensive breakdown of the 24 releases, but rather I'll simply suggest a scroll through the playlist which is chock full of all kinds of house along with a sprinkling of fat funk, several sensational remixes and EPs, and a couple epic albums to cap it all off. Personal highlights include Jayda G, Tensnake's remix of Duke Dumont, Andhim's remix of Agoria, both sides of the Solee/Parquet Recordings EP, the whole of the On The Air EP,and Henry Saiz's "Iridescent." Dig into the full playlist below, enjoy your weekend and be sure to stay safe/sane!
With this first edition of Enlightened Listening of the year, we've got a good mix of feels-driven house tracks (highlighted by Lane 8's new album), six sensational remixes (including two from Monkey Safari and a personal favourite in Cousn's take on Jessie Ware), the latest from trusted labels Of Unsound Mind & DFA, and more! Listen via playlist below and find each individual release after the jump. Enjoy!
Another busy Friday, another great day for releases. This week's edition of Enlightened Listening includes the returns of Tchami, Botnek and WHIPPED CREAM, a genius album from Marie Davidson, one of my most anticipated tracks in the last while, Kevin de Vries' "Aratak" and a couple other gems. Once again I've tried my best to curate the playlist for optimal flow but there's a remix album right in the middle which is sure to throw things off. Otherwise, enjoy individuals releases as listed below.
Just yesterday I wrote about a massive and unmistakable track receiving a stripped back banger of a trap remix (read here), and guess what? It's happened again today. If you've been to the club in the last 4 months there's no doubt you've heard Tchami's "Adieu," and this morning it's received a remix from Norway's Heroless. The hypnotizing vocal sample stays intact as the ultimate allure, but the way Heroless has repackaged the rest of the track is the key. He's undercut that flying lead synth line, leaving it fluttering in the background and leaving us begging for it to come to the fore. Instead he's added his own steely synths around punchy percussion and trap stylings. If you're a trap DJ, add this to your sets, and watch the screw faces it invokes. Download for free via The Artist Union, here.
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There's just something about how the French do house music. Whether it's legends like Daft Punk or more recent upstarts like Malaa, Tchami or even Dombresky, their understanding of and ability to create club worthy house tracks is uncanny. The latest example comes from Koos, whose track "Bolt" rumbles so relentlessly that you may not be able to scrape yourself off the dancefloor. It reminds me a lot of what CastNowski is doing, utilizing a variety of sound effects, while playing with the incredibly potent bass. I'm not sure you even have to voluntarily move, the subwoofer should take care of that. From the percussion, the synths, the bass, the vocal samples and overall atmosphere, Koos hits on all cylinders.
"Bolt" is available 100% free, here.
The quality content coming from Quebec continues to fill Bump In The Hump. One of that province's most promising producers, Angelz is quite simply blowing up. He's been identified by boss-men Tchami, with releases on Confession, and Diplo with a Diplo & Friends mix, April 30th. His most recent enterprise is an expansive 8 track remix EP. "Devils" is remixed by the likes of LO'99, Noise Frenzy, and label mate Volac, as well as another I'll be playing tonight. Stream the remixes below & buy here.
Along with Angelz, tonight's episode of Bump In The Hump is built up of some of the most moody, wonkiest, and bassiest tracks in its six season history. Among numerous artist debuts from across the country, you'll hear Internet Daughter & Eytan Tobin's latest collaboration, which was crafted during their still ongoing tour of Asia. There's also new Neon Steve, CYMN and Autoerotique. You can stream the hour of new Canadian music that is Bump In The Hump, live 6 PM EDT on Radio Humberhere.
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 BestivalIncrease 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.
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.
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.
Fresh off the press, come seven new remixes of Sia's collaboration with Sean Paul, "Cheap Thrills." With mixes from the likes of RAC, Le Youth and Nomero, this package can boast a tremendously diverse collection of artists, sounds and styles. Being a big fan of Cyril Hahn, I immediately went to his mix, and was pleasantly surprised with how deep, dark and heavy it was. It's awesome to hear artists push their boundaries and step outside the norm. Cyril's mix would likely fit perfectly into his DJ sets, as they seem to skew more towards this sound than his light and ethereal productions, especially his Begin EP. But let's return to the topic of this post, John J-C Carr's remix.
Both in the Spotify playlist and in my iTunes, Hahn's mix leads into Carr's. Immediately the styles contrast, in an actually pleasing way, which is often not the case in remix packages. The light and strident synth work in Carr's remix fills me with comfort, calling back Aeroplane's remix of Gypsy & The Cat "The Piper's Song." The warm and energizing synths somehow dissipate into an absolutely turnt, Tchami-style bass drop. But fear not, the soaring synths triumphantly return bolstered by Sia and Sean Paul, coercing us with the lyrics "I don't need no money, as long as I keep dancing." The incredible contrast of the shining brightness and brutish bass drop make John J-C Carr's remix, my favourite of the compilation. Listen to it below, and check out the full EP here.
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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.
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.
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.
Who ever Malaa is, they're at it again, dropping the deathly dark and increasingly mysterious "Fade."
The still unidentified DJ/producer signed to Tchami's new Confession label, drops "Fade" as just their fourth original production. While it doesn't step away from the G-House sound we've come to associate with the masked producer, it does bring a notably more creepy feel than their previous productions. The eerie, science fiction, X-Files-esque, ringing high end reaches a bloodcurdling climax when supported with the otherworldly groaning, before the seriously sinister trademark Malaa bass drop. Aided by Kool G, Nas "Fast Life," and Future, Pusha T "Move That Dope" samples, Malaa succeeds once again in re-purposing hip-hop lyrics while propelling the house music resurgence. It doesn't seem like Malaa is about to fade away anytime soon, so grab your copy now before you miss the bandwagon.
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.
Last night Hunter Siegel, and his final #NoNeon party of the year, shook the Hoxton to it's core and nearly brought it to its knees. I've never seen the Hoxton so busy so early, there was a massive line from as early as 11 and by the time I got in at 11:30 the club was already packed back to the door. I'm glad I arrived early because I'm sure the line was never better than the half hour I waited, and to my surprise Hunter took the stage right at midnight. Which apparently he does most of the time (although not at the last #NoNeon).
Regardless what time he went on you had to know, Emperor Palpatine, the Lord of DarkPLUR was going to deliver. Yesterday I speculated that there might be some B2B action, a live performance from Delaney Jane, or some new Hunter Siegel productions. Well, I was about half right, there was no B2B, and neither did Delaney Jane sing live, but she was there side by side with Hunter when he dropped "Still Waiting," as was Autoerotique who joined Hunter onstage when he dropped LYAOF. Best of all Hunter premiered his new collab with Autoerotique, video of which you can watch below.
