Keeping It Fresh

Continuing with more ACL artists, today I am focusing on one of the electronic acts to hit the stage. What is interesting is that initially, this artist was not supposed to be listed. Due to some complications though, they were slotted and many of us got to experience Justice for the first time. And let me tell you, the show was absolutely mesmerizing.  A little background about the group, Justice is a French electronic duo who has been a strong and powerful underbelly of music. The duo has been nominated for multiple Grammy's and has even won for some of their remixes. Justice has a really great repertoire of sound and production. At times during their performance, I would get some serious Daft Punk vibes. There is something very meticulous about their work and in the intricacies of their music. There are definitely disco and funk electronic vibes, thrown in with a little bit of house as well. But what makes Justice stand out, even more, is that there are lots of influenc...

Today I have a fun song for you by the artist known as Spark. Now I have to be completely honest, I don't really know much about the artist. The only thing I have been able to dig up so far is his name. But what I do know, is that this is an artist who has incredible respect for EDM and the music he makes. Now, this is going to be a rather interesting exploration, as all the material and thoughts I have are based on this song alone. So Spark. Though we don't know anything about him on a personal level or a level outside of music, there is a lot we can understand about him as an artist. And in order to really get that musical understanding, I want to start by discussing this track. This is a really good song. The musicality behind the track is fantastic and offers us, listeners, a lot of different characteristics which come together and creates a sonically solid and vibrant track. From the beginning, Spark sets a unique, enchanting, and fairytale mood which slowly incorporate...

Today I have some music for you that may be a throwback for some, and a wave of nostalgic sounds for others. Basshunter. What can I say about the guy? His popularity has been an interesting trajectory and course. But somehow, his older work persists as a club classic. And it really has been a while since I listened to him or talked about him. Since I got a random listen recently, I thought it might be nice to take a trip down memory lane. So Basshunter is a phenomenal DJ and is incredible at pretty much every aspect of producing music. Every note and lyric is written by him. One thing which always used to make me chuckle a bit, are the lyrics. It's not that Basshunter is shallow with his lyrics. It's just so entertaining to hear how simple they are! For example, one of his songs is literally about playing a video game. Straightforward and to the point I suppose! But then again, I guess the focus for him is more the production and electronic aspect of the song. For this track...

Today I have an absolutely incredible song for you all. Often times we hear covers of songs get done, with multiple covers of popular songs. And a lot of these times, the covers a wonderful tribute to the original song. The notes are beautifully reached, the melodies a beautiful flow like the original track. But what the single dimensional covers do, is create an extremely similar rendition of the original song. And then we get some rare covers which are stunning pieces of work. These covers tend to be extremely non-conventional and can change everything about a song. Today's track does just that. The original version of this song is incredibly popular, the girls' anthem for all the 90's and 00's girls out there. TLC is a musical staple - everyone knows them and at least one of their songs. This one is their most popular and it has been covered by many people. But no one has been able to turn the original into a completely new work of art the way Unlike Pluto has. Te...

Today I have a remix for you all, something to spice things up just a bit. This song is originally by one of my favorite R&B singers ever, Trey Songz. This is a guy who has some provocative and sexy songs, a sound that I admittedly enjoy. Honestly, sometimes when I think about how much I love songs like this, it makes me chuckle. But this song originally is one that people have been able to dance to and have a really good time with. Trey Songz has a silky voice that can really get you into a more seductive mood. He is the kind of singer that you automatically associate things like sensuality and intimacy with because of how we works his voice with the music. This song on its own is one of those songs that you can really get down to, no matter where you are. But this remixed version takes the song into a different direction. This version of the song gives us something more club worthy, something with more of a fast paced beat. Even though that is the case though, we still get t...

Hey everyone! I have been a bit MIA for the past week, I know. I was traveling for a bit and wasn't able to keep posting, but since I am back I am ready to start talking about some music! And to start us off, I wanted to post music which originates from the place I spent my last week - Korea. This is always an interesting style of music for me to write about because of how little yet incredibly well known Korean music is. Recently, we have seen the explosoin of Korean boy band BTS, as they have made their American debut and more. But, while this music is super hype and very well done, there are many other styles of Korean music out there other than K-pop. Which is what I have for you today! Korean rap has to be one of the greatest styles of rap I have ever heard. There is so much that goes on throughout the song, from incredibly clever lyrics to sick beats. One of the things that Korean rappers do very well is flow changes. There are always some interesting beat and flow swtiches...

Today I have some really sick music for you by Vic Mensa and Kanye West. That is right, today we are delving into the world of rap and hip hop, with a little electronic work in the background. Quite a while it has been, but let's get to it! Vic Mensa is quite the interesting artist, because his focus on pursuing music is so raw. For him it is more about the experience of getting out there and doing something creative and fun, like making music. This song has a lot of really good things going on in it, and the first thing that I noticed was that the song is pretty chilled out, with these deep and firm and strong percussion work. That creates this awesome sound for the song, something that you can listen to everywhere and anytime. Now I actually have to go the drop in this song because it is a drop into absolute ferocity. This is the kind of song that makes you feel like you own any room you may walk into.  From what I hear in this song Vic Mensa has some major talent. But the tr...

Today I have some pretty exciting music for you. A little bit of background, I was never a huge Justin Bieber fan. His older music was definitely meant to be charming little pop singles, something that wasn't necessarily up my alley. But over these years, we have seen and heard a lot of evolution in Justin Bieber's music. And now, I cannot stop listening to his music. His latest album to come out is absolutely genius. This is the best Justin Bieber has ever been and each and every song has something different to offer. So naturally, I have to post about one of those songs! But what makes this more exciting, is that today's song is a mashup of one of Justin Bieber's singles and one of Selena Gomez's. I have to say, I am still not on the Gomez train, but this mashup is absolutely phenomenal. This version has a good balance between the two songs. The background melody is different variations of Justin Bieber's song, something that is pretty recognizable and somet...

Today I have a little bit of a shorter post, but I can promise you that it's a good one. Today I wanted to focus on ethnic music, particularly, Indian music. And I have music for you by an artist out of England by the name Zack Knight. Now this is a guy who has a really great thing going on in terms of musicality. In fact, this is something I have seen a lot more of, a nice resurgence of a style of music that definitely went underground for a few years before resurfacing. This hip-hop oriented music is a great style because it is a smooth fusion of Indian and Western music. I mean it is a straight flow between the two, switching between them and making sure the song gets some Hindi in there as well as English. Now this song, in particular, is definitely geared more towards English, with only a few verses done in Hindi and Punjabi, but I seriously haven't been able to get the song out of my head. I mean it has everything- a sick beat, a catchy chorus, and a really good vibe....

Today I have some wicked trap music for you. This song is originally by one of my favorite DJs of all time, Flume. But this trap remix is done by Sleepy Tom, another DJ who likes to hang out of the spotlight, but definitely, deserves to be out in the front. Sleepy Tom is an extremely talented DJ, with a handful of some of the sickest trap beats and melodies that I have heard. He has done a lot of work with other DJ's and does a fantastic job as a featured artist and remixing DJ. Now, what I like about this rendition, is that Sleepy Tom has taken one Flume's more chilled out songs and turned it into something that is ridiculously hype. It can definitely be a struggle to remix songs that have already been so masterfully produced, because DJs don't necessarily want to compromise what the song originally had. Flux Pavilion is a DJ that I would put in that masterful category, but Sleepy Tom also deserves a spot there. He has taken a song that was well crafted and produced and ...

Today I have some music for you by a trio of musicians who are an odd mix of electronic dance and rock music. And this rock music is more along the lines of hard rock. Art vs Science is a group out of Sydney, Australia with an intense, lively, and spunky spirit. Art vs Science is one of the oddest groups I have heard, but I absolutely love how unique and fun their music is. This band is one that has received some mixed reviews, with some dismissing their music and others praising them as one of Australia's greatest live acts. I will leave you to decide how to feel about the band, and would love to know what you think! But before we even get to that, let's take a look at a breakdown of this song. For starters, this is such a pumped up and fist-bump worthy song. The energy felt in this song is really reminiscent of The Beastie Boys and The Chemical Brothers for me. There is this very particular kind of sound that comes with musicians like this. I am going to try to put it in wo...

Today I have music for you by Tritonal. This duo has been part of a lot of music buzz and popularity, and this song can tell you why. Tritonal has a very clean style of making music. Many electronic artists don't clean up their songs to make them the best they can be, but Tritonal hits the mark every time. These past few years have seen amazing progress for this duo and a little bit of evolution in their sound. This is their latest single and it has taken a slight turn to the house side of things. This song does have a nice combination of trance and house, but it tends to lean more on house. While this is just a sampling of the song, it has a very complete and round sound to it. We are exposed to the phenomenal vocals provided by Jonathan Mendelsohn. This guy, talk about incredible vocals. It might take a few listens to hear it, but right before the first drop you can hear Jonathan Mendelsohn screaming distantly in the background. And this isn't one of those dubstep crazy screa...

Today I have some new music for you out of the world of EDM and electronic music. Today's first song is by Pierce Fulton. Honestly, I think he is an underrated artist. Pierce Fulton knows how to produce music that will rile up the crowd. There is always this insane amount of energy and sound that you can't help but jump and move and at least headbang some. This song is an explosion of sound and color. Now I know it is strange to think of a song as having a color, but when you hear a song and imagine, there is always a color that comes to mind. And with this song, there is this beautiful display of color from all ends of the spectrum. This song is just so lively and energetic and wild! I like that wildness because it is that of the world that is truly alive and truly living. Pierce Fulton does an amazing job of keeping the energy level at one that can be sustained and toned down when necessary. This song features vocals by the artist Polina. I didn't think she really ...

Today I have some music for you by a solo artist who goes by Big Black Delta. There are so many things to enjoy about this song, from the melody to the lyrics to the music video. This song oozes classy jazz and creativity in all aspects. I like to classify this song as something that is like indie jazz. There are so many elements of this song that make it a jazzy piece. The assortment of brass and woodwind instruments kind of gives that one away. What I think is kind of cool though is that we can hear elements of a group that he used to be a part of shine through the song a bit. Big Black Delta's Jonathan Bates was a former touring member of the band M83. Now seeing how M83 likes to make sounds that are both instrument heavy and electronic heavy, I think it is safe to compare the two artists a bit. Big Black Delta likes to expand the horizons of his instrumental usage. He looks beyond the conventional band instruments like drums and guitars, and opts for more synth, keyboard, and i...

Today I have some music for you, from one of the baddest bitches in Korean Music. Now this song is probably the most hardcore CL has gone, and there is a part of me that really likes it! I won't lie, as I go through the breakdown of this song you will see where the drawbacks of the song are for me personally. But onwards! This song definitely follows the more hip hop route of music, and goes to that really intense and badass kind of sound. This is the kind of song that you would listen to when walking into a room as if you run the joint. From the beginning we are introduced to this consistent bass hit that punctuates at the beginning of every set of four beats. Which is weirdly precise of me to point out, but I do so because I want you to be able to pick it out when listening to the song. And from there we get the main melody of the song, which is definitely electronic production. This is like a weird mix of hip hop beats and trap intensity, which I am definitely down for. But the ...

Today I have some remixed and mashed up music for you! So this song is pieced together by a DJ who goes by the name Dr. Srimix. Now I have to tell you, out of everything that has happened since becoming a dancer on the Bollywood fusion circuit, discovering Dr. Srimix and the cohort of Bollywood fusion DJs is the greatest part. Dr. Srimix has a knack for finding Western and Bollywood songs that fit so well together. Somehow, he makes the songs become puzzle pieces, and manipulates them into fitting exactly the way they need to. Of course, this is nothing short of admiration and a testament to the incredible skill that he has as a DJ. The Indian dance community in the US is quite large, and Dr. Srimix is one of the most well known and popular DJ among the dance network. And for absolutely great reason. He has created mixes with songs that I never even thought to listen to on a regular basis, let alone use for a remix. But then again, I guess that is one of the great things about being in...

Back again today! I know this week I was in and out, but now things should be getting regular again. And to start it off, I have the most incredible remix of a song from one of the hottest shows on Netflix. Now, most people would say that this is a remix of a Childish Gambino song, but I like to think of it differently. Without the Stranger Things theme song in this, we wouldn't get the masterpiece of music we hear. Both of these songs blend so well for a few reasons. The Stranger Things theme song is one that is very repetitive. The lines are repeated with more layerings as the theme goes through. But for the most part, it remains pretty consistent with little fluctuations added in here and there. Because of this, the 80s style track makes the perfect back-track. It is relentless and unfazed and serves as a strong base to add other sounds on top. The retro synths and analog instrumental composition is something that is absolutely phenomenal. The brilliant eeriness to the song some...

Today I have some electronic music for you because it has been quite some time since we have had a nice dose of that. This first song is by Ferry Corsten. Now this song is a pretty sick mix between EDM trance and house. This song is absolutely wicked and extremely well produced. For starters, this song features an incredible vocalist, Nat Dunn. If there is one thing everyone can appreciate about electronic music, the DJ's and artists always pick vocalists who are not only low key, but are also talented beyond belief. I have yet to hear an electronic song that features a vocalist I have not been impressed by. Nat Dunn is a powerhouse, with a voice that is both rich and even a little bit sultry. Where you can really get blown away though is in the chorus when she belts out the two words that really make the song. It is just waves of power from her voice and there is this underlying rasp and rawness to the way she sings the chorus that really gives the song dynamism and character. The...

Today I have music for you by Tritonal. This duo is up and coming and this song can tell you why. Tritonal has a very clean style of making music. Many electronic artists don't clean up their songs to make them the best they can be, but Tritonal hits the mark every time. These past few years has seen amazing progress for this duo and a little bit of evolution in their sound. This is their latest single and it has taken a slight turn to the house side of things. This song does have a nice combination of trance and house, but it tends to lean more on house. While this is just a sampling of the song, it has a very complete and round sound to it. We are exposed to the phenomenal vocals provided by Jonathan Mendelsohn. This guy, talk about incredible vocals. It might take a few listens to hear it, but right before the first drop you can hear Jonathan Mendelsohn screaming distantly in the background. And this isn't one of those dubstep crazy screams. This is a singing kind of scream ...

Today I have a song which is a very eclectic one. This song is a remixed version of a popular song from the 1950's. This was originally a swing based song, which was remixed by Bart & Baker. I have to be honest, I had never heard of Bart & Baker until hearing this song, but I really like what they did with this song! Instead of turning this song into a straight electronic remix, we get a smooth electronic swing song which is even better. Electro swing is one of the coolest and most fun genres out there. The energy and engagement that these songs have is just incredible. There is a nonstop fountain of excitement and strangeness and fun that you can't help but dance to the song. This song reflects a lot of electronic elements which I found really interesting. A lot of electro swing groups have that perfect blend of electronic and swing sounds. One normally doesn't overpower the other, and this song finds a great balance as well. This song even keeps the marimba and br...