The White Panda and The XX

Today I have some music for you that is a little different from what I normally post. I was going through my laptop and decided to "clean out" my music folder. You know, just in case I have repeat songs or songs that have been Spotified. So as I was going through the folder, I saw that I had another folder filled with remixes and mashups. Which then lead to listening to all of those songs and now I am here about to post about some pretty sick remixes. Normally if I put up a remix, it is by a DJ that is pretty well known, like Alesso or Tiesto or Zedd. But let me tell you, the side-bar of YouTube can make you stumble upon some incredible underground remixes. Granted, one click too many and you end up on the really weird side of YouTube, but eh, that happens sometimes. But today's song is a remix of two songs that got really popular in mainstream media. Kanye West and M83 seem like the most unlikely combination, especially since their styles of music are vastly different. But again, that is the beauty of music! You can take two completely different things and make a whole new sound that is pretty darn mind blowing. What White Panda did with this mashup is include the vocals from Kanye West and set it to the instrumentals provided by M83. The whole process of how this works is pretty darn cool. I myself can't do it. Yet. But what White Panda has done is slow down the M83 back track and layers Kanye West's part on top. Of course, there are more elements to this. They have added an extra percussion beat in the background, some fade in and fade out, and other effects to complete the entire project. There are actually a lot of small nuances and details that have to be addressed to make the song sound complete. Mashing them up isn't necessarily enough if you want the song to have a more original sound. And I think this is something White Panda does really well. This is a kind of mashup/remix that I have never heard before and I relish in the originality of this song. Not going to lie, this is a song that makes me walk around feeling like a boss. But it also gives me this sense of total freedom, like driving down the highway at night with my head out the sun-roof kind of freedom. That adrenaline and euphoric rush. Weird combination, I know. But whatever floats your boat! I definitely have to commend White Panda on their work with this song. It has the energy of two very popular songs, while also dripping in complete uniqueness. Today's instrumental song is by the band The XX. A highly underrated musical group in my opinion. Which happens to be pretty darn ironic considering how many people actually enjoy their music without even realizing it. This is a group that has a lot of experience created music that is food for the soul. The XX is a music group out of London which has a beautiful mix of physical instruments and DJing techniques. That combination is one that is so important in today's music industry because it bridges the gap between the two kinds of instrumentation we have. The XX uses synthesizers and drum pads and keyboards, while also using stringed instruments and live percussion. The XX is a wonderful mix of R&B, indie rock, and some psychedelic twists thrown in there. This is a band that creates music that is new and fresh but strangely familiar at the same time. Definitely, one to check out if you haven't already heard their music. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!