Keeping It Fresh

It has been a long while since I have posted anything remotely close to old school electronic music. So I thought, why not today? Today's song brings back memories of driving in a car late at night, cruising with the windows down and enjoying the moment. This song transports us back to a different time in electronic music. It takes us back over 10 years ago, to the beginnings of progressive house. This song has been remixed by Adam K & Soha and takes on a completely different genre compared to the original. The original version is by Ercoa and Heikki, and the roots of the track can be found in drum & bass and a bit of house. However, today's remixed version takes on progressive house vibe. The remix is more subdued, softening up some of the more intense parts of the original and amplifying the melody. A lot of times with progressive house, the song is more about the melody and the atmosphere rather than bass and beats. We definitely hear that in this track, with the ...

Today I have some music from the ever exciting and moving city, Los Angeles. This duo likes to go by the name MIKNNA, and they are shaking up the underground music scene one track at a time. Fusing retro sounds with hip-hop and some electronic work, MIKKNA gives us music to bounce to. MIKNNA is made up of two very important components - a producer and a vocalist. One member brings the instrumental and musical skills to the table. In fact, the producer, Ken Nana is a talented musician and plays multiple instruments. The vocalist, Mike B, also serves as the rapper of the duo and brings words to the song. The two of them together are able to breathe life into tracks like this, giving the song body and filling it with sensation. MIKKNA's sound could be described as "electro-soul," a gorgeous blend of an older style with a newer one. This song is definitely on the slower side, but that doesn't mean the song lacks funk or groove. This song can hold its own when it come...

I wanted to go ahead and use the beginning of this post to get a little personal. I haven't been posting as much or as frequently as I used to. For years, I had written posts daily, without fail. Even if it meant staying up late to put music out there, I would do it. And within the past few months, my frequency of writing and posting has decreased dramatically. With so many things going on, I found it hard to continue to post every day, and it got to a point where I just didn't care to. But things have changed, and I am back to writing as much as possible. And even though I won't be posting content every day, I will try to do so a few times a week. And that being said, let's get to today's music. I recently heard this song and was captivated by it quickly. Everything about this song has a vibe that you cannot help but enjoy. This song is a joint effort of the band known as The Strike and rapper, SiDizen King. This doesn't seem like the likeliest of duos, but ...

There have been quite a few albums which have dropped over the past few days. One such album comes from the ever elegant Florence + The Machine, and as per usual, the album is stunning and haunting. Florence + The Machine is always such an interesting artist for me to discuss for a number of reasons. For starters, each album tells a deep and powerful story about life and the human condition. Each track on every individual album has such a strong purpose and grandeur, that the story being told is so completely clear while leaving much room for interpretation. Florenc Welch does an exceptional job of creating open conversation, allowing her music to connect the thousands around the world. Her latest album is the most introspective, personal, and vulnerable piece of work. There are so many feelings and sentiments which resonate with the idea of being a human and overcoming the struggles life has thrown. This album is like an artistic autobiography. We get to hear the personal narrati...

Today I have some music for you by the DJ and artist known as The Magician. The Belgium DJ has been behind a number of different hits across the pond, but somehow, his name isn't as well known here in the States. One of the most unique and somewhat odd things about The Magician is that he legitimately does magic tricks while on stage. That concept blew my mind! I understand that a lot of artists enjoy putting on a performance along with a good show, but The Magician's idea of putting on a performance through magic tricks seems so odd but incredibly cool. And just like the magic he performs on stage, The Magician spins even more magic into his mixes. This song, in particular, is one of my favorite vibes. It is a cool, smooth, and catchy track. Unlike a lot of music we hear from festival DJs, this song airs on the lounge and chill side of electronic music. There are no throbbing bass nor thumping beats. Instead, The Magician favors more subtle sounds and less bombastic mixing....

Wow, it has been some time since my last post. It feels odd to not write for so long! But I'm back again today and have some really fun and interesting music for you. I know I have spent ample time discussing music from around the world, especially focusing on Indian, Korean, and Latin music. And a travesty for us all, I haven't spent a lot of time discussing music from Africa. Now, this seems such a shame since there is so much music today which has taken influence from African music. But this week, I wanted to talk specifically about artists who are from Africa and have gained their popularity there. And so, today I am starting with an artist out of Nigeria who goes by the name Mr. Eazi. Now I really wanted to talk about African artists, because this group represents up and coming artist. African music has been the source of inspiration for so many musical movements, and most notably, the Afrobeat movement. The profile of African artists has started to skyrocket within the...

Well, I'm back! It's been about a week or so since my last post, but I am so pleased about the music I am bringing to you going forward. This past week was South by Southwest, SXSW, which is a huge festival in Austin. For a week, we get to celebrate the most innovative and exciting new things coming up in technology, film, and music. I had the incredible opportunity to attend some of the SXSW Music events, and my goodness, it was spectacular. I've seen so many new artists and I am very excited to share these new players with you. So start off this exposé, we have an artist from New Zealand. Noah Slee is an artist who has been on my radar for a while, and I couldn't believe that he came to SXSW! Unfortunately, I was unable to see him perform, but that won't stop me from talking about his music. Noah Slee brought his cool soul to the SXSW stage, and I have to admit that Austin is so much better off by knowing his name. His musical style is not unfamiliar to us. N...

Today I have music for you by the artist Jay Hayden. It is very interesting that there is very little information out there about him. Jay Hayden is an artist who kind of popped up out of nowhere, or at least for me, this is a name I haven't seen around much. From what I have seen though, I think he started out on Vine which is pretty cool! In any case, the man can sing and definitely knows how to create some good music. Jay Hayden relies on a lot of synth work and keyboards for this track. There is a bit of an R&B element to this track, but there is also a really nice electronic influence as well. In a way, I would call this alternative R&B maybe. The entire vibe of the song is one that has energy but still maintains this seductive and sensual element. The synth pop nature of the song gives the track a bit of a bounce and a liveliness as well. But what is really nice, is that the song never feels overdone or over hyped. Nor does it feel overly sensual and sexy. There is...

Today I have some suave and dark music for you out of England. Everything is Recorded, is an artist pseudonym and project. The man behind Everything is Recorded goes by the name of Richard Russell, a producer, and owner of XL Recordings. His label was meant to produce and release original dance tracks. But somewhere along the way, the focus of XL Recordings changed and so did its artists. And as a result, we get amazing music and side projects, such as Everything Is Recorded. This song definitely has darker undertones.The invisible touch that Richard Russell provides is so noticeable in those darker moments and motifs of the song. As the composer and producer of the track, Richard Russell brings to life the song's heartbeat. He makes the song ebb and flows, crescendo and decrescendo into the seductively dark tones of the song. He makes this song tell a story through the music alone, a story filled with suspense and drama, maybe even tragedy. It's a story which involves pain ...

Today we are getting back to the music, and I have quite the track for you. I have to be honest, my rap game has been really off lately. I haven't talked about rap as much, posted much about the genre, nor have I spent a lot of time talking about any new rap artists. But today, I want to introduce you to a rapper by the name Dave East. Dave East hails from East Harlem, and he really started to gain attention in 2014. Yes I know, it is 2018 and I am behind the game. But hey, I got to him eventually! The story behind Dave East and his music is one that I find very interesting. There are a lot of artists who write about hardships in life, from falling out of love to internal struggles and wars, to societal issues that meet many people. Somehow, Dave East is able to beautifully talk about all three topics and more in his music. That is what makes him so great and refreshing as an artist. He is able to talk about what life is really like, from the streets of Harlem to being in jail t...

Today I have a remix of a song by one of the most popular solo artists of the past few years. Ed Sheeran has developed quite a reputation for himself, of not only being a talented singer and songwriter, but of being a phenomenal aritst and musician. He is also one of the artists who seems to cross all boundaries. His music is often categorized as pop muic though he finds way to incorporate rapping into his work. For some songs, the delicate and beatiful instrumentation is set as a background to darker and and more melancholy lyrics. And though he is an English aritst, he has won an award for being the most influential artist in black music. It all goes to show that to Ed Sheeran, music is something that has no boundaries, no stereotypes, no definition tying it down. Now the thing I love about Ed Sheeran's music is that it has the ability to be interpreted and remixed in so many different ways, and this particular remix is done by Speaker of the House. I have to say that this is ...

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 some music for you by an artist that I've spent some time listening to in the past, but recently go back into. It isn't often that we get female rappers on the scene, and it's equally as rare to see female artists who perform like today's artist does. 070 Shake is one of the most unique artists out there. Now to be completely honest, I was a bit confused about the name of the group, thinking the lead rapper's name is 070 Shake. Just to clear things up, the female rapper is known as Shake and the rest of this contemporary rap group is 070. Hence the project's name. But this has to be one of the most interesting groups to listen to because of how different they sound. The group is led by female rapper Shake, who has a voice that is incredibly recognizable and almost trademark. Her lower register, baritone vocals spit out some of the grittiest and grimiest realities of life. And it is cool to be able to hear how vocals like that can give such an emot...

Today I am taking things back to the chilled out and slower side of music. This song is one that I had on repeat for a while because of how smooth and calming it is. This isn't a very energized and hyped up song. Instead, we get something that is wonderfully chill and perfect for lounging around or just doing your own thing. This song is a synth pop breath of fresh air. In all honesty, we hear the same pop songs from all corners of media, but with this song, we get something that is such a nice fresh and unique sound. I will say, Dominique's original work with the song is really nice and still has that calmer and more relaxed sound. But Manotett took this song and remixed it, making this a song that is genuinely amazing and perfectly ambient. I would even go so far as to call this song beautiful. It is not one of those songs that is beautiful because of how moving it is. Rather, there is something mystical and a bit magical to the beauty surrounding this song. Kind of like a ...

Today I have music for you by a band that goes by the name Clubfeet. This song has a really cool sound to it. When you feel like listening to indie style electronic music, this group is one that can satiate your desire, and do it with mad style. Clubfeet is a group which has such a smooth sound to it but the band falls on that psychedelic side of music as well. This song is one that is hard for me to describe because it sounds very familiar in the tonality and melodies but also sounds very original. The track has that independent and unique vibe and sounds that no one else can copy. I am a huge fan of the way the vocals are presented because it is done so with layers. It is never just one voice and one sound you hear from the vocals, but many harmonies and different ways of singing the same lines. Something about that is very much like Imogen Heap's style of vocal layering. I also like the fact that they do maintain the conventional band instruments while also incorporating all...

Today I have some music for you by an artist who seems to have blown up the charts the past couple of years. G-Eazy is one of the more popular rappers making music right now, even though there is quite a bit of his music that goes unnoticed and unheard by the vast majority of radio listeners. G-Eazy is an artist that has the capability of creating extremely meaningful and heartbreaking music. This is one of those deep songs, a song that shows the grounded and vulnerable side of G-Eazy. A lot of rap and hip hop today is about living larger life, that feeling of being completely invincible and constantly on cloud 9. But what G-Eazy does with this song, is bring everything back to humanity, directing the music back to that flawed and imperfect sense of humanity. This song is definitely a meaningful one for G-Eazy, bringing his own demons up to the surface. And I love that he did this song with Kehlani because of what she has gone through. Kehlani has met som...

Alright so here we are back again with some more music! And today I thought we could kick things off with a nice remix of an Alicia Keys song. So why a remix? I like to talk about them because there are so many of songs that go unnoticed and unheard, despite the fact that they are awesome. And often times, remixes are a great way to get listeners involved with new artists and find new songs. Naturally, I feel like this track is no exception! Alicia Keys is a singer who is most well known for her work in the R&B and soul scene, and the original song is of that same sort. But the remix is where things get more interesting. This remix is done by SMILE, and I have to say I am really happy with the way this remix was done. SMILE did a great job in maintaining the original feel of the song, keeping the song more on the chilled out side of electronic music. I am even going as far to say that this is not your typical electronic music, and definitely not EDM. This remix is one that still ...

Today I have some music for you by the singer, songwriter, and producer known Pim Stones. My first exposure to Pim Stones was through a show called Teen Wolf. And while the show is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine, I cannot deny that the music is really good. Looks like some things about MTV remain! One of the reasons why I really like this song is because it kind of has a distinctly British underground sound. There is an underlying musical vibe that comes from the British underground scene, and this one carries the vibe it had from a few years ago. The song is really smooth and chilled out, but still, has some dynamism and quirks to keep it interesting.When I listen to this song, I think of colors, with no specific images in mind, rather, a great collection of some softer and more muted colors, even pastels. Pim Stones is a very great artist because when he makes music, it has no method in mind, and I feel like that mental coloration reflects that. There is no formula to his mus...

Today I have some new music for you by a band that has not been very active the past few years. We all remember Foster the People as the band that sang about those cool shoes, but the song wasn't actually about having cool kicks etc. Well, Foster the People is back again after quite some time and have dropped a wonderful new album. This album is very interesting because it sounds exactly like Foster the People, but also sounds nothing like them. It is an odd concept to wrap your head around, but it also makes a bit of sense. For example, this particular song. It has to be one of my favorites by the band. Why? Because it has such a good vibe to it and it also reminds me of another good band- Tame Impala. It is very interesting because the musicality behind the song and the production style is very similar to what we have heard with Tame Impala, but it is also very characteristically like Foster the People. The groovy vibes and ethereal nature of the song is one that we are familia...

Today I have some music for you by an artist who seems to do very well staying out of the huge spotlights and retain a great musical fan base. Galimatias is one of my favorite chill artists for a few reasons. One of the best things about his music is that it is meant for moments and feelings. It's meant for attitudes and specific moods, which is why each song is so wonderfully crafted and different. No song sounds the same even though they have similar production sounds. Galimatias has an overall theme which runs through all of his songs, a sound which acts like more of a trademark above all else. But each melody is different and the craftsmanship on each song is simply incredible. This song by Galimatias is a seductively good song. In all of his soundscapes, Galimatias is known for creating a unique blend of electronic, R&B, and hip hop. Whether the song is a slower one or more bumping one, there is always an enchantingly good blend of the three genres so that one never outd...