Keeping It Fresh

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 by the artist known as Armand Van Helden. Now this is a guy who has been around in the music industry for a very long time. His name isn't one that is easily recognizable or recognized at all for that matter. But he is one of the biggest influences in the New York electronic music scene. He works with all kinds of genres, from funk to R&B to hardcore EDM. What I find really cool about Armand Van Helden is that despite the fact that he has been such an influential presence in the music scene of the Northeast, his music still sounds underground. He hasn't lost any sense of what his soundscape is supposed to sound like, and is very comfortable with creating sounds which eventually become the popular norm. There are still so many elements of his music that sound really nice and underground, very unique and quirky. Armand Van Helden tends to sample older songs, generally from the 80s or 90s. And he does so because of how rooted in funk and groo...

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 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 ...

Alright, today I have some groovy music for you all. Now this is a nice change of pace from the past few postings I have made (which I know, have been spread quite far apart.) So today, I would like to introduce you to the Haitian-Candian producer and DJ known as Kaytranada. I have only recently started listening to his music, and it has got me jamming so much. Kaytranada is an interesting DJ because his focus is on the genres and subgenres surrounding hip-hop. Normally, when we think of DJs, the people who come to mind are those who play giant festivals, with light shows and ravers galore. Kaytranada is a suave breath of fresh air because of his unique style. The beautiful production style that he uses brings together a variety of rising musicians, with backgrounds in so many different musical sounds. From funk to hip-hop to modern dance music, we get to hear how Kaytranada effortlessly blends and blurs the lines between genres and between being retro and modern. What is cool abou...

Today I have some music for you that is an absolute earworm. This song is by an electronic producer by the name No Way Back, a producer that isn't very well known despite his wickedly good music. First time I heard this song, I could not stop jamming out, and even now I still have the dancing bug. Now the best thing about this song is how completely raw it is and how this is straight up house. As in pure house music, sounds that we forget exist since music gets muddled up. Don't get me wrong, I love it when EDM genres collide and create wicked songs. But every once in a while it is nice to go back to the basics and get that sweet sound of true house. This song is actually a twist taken on a Mariah Carey song, which I had no idea about. But I won't lie, I think this rework sounds pretty darn awesome and is definitely not shy of being groovy. The song begins with a steady percussion loop, which then gives way to more structured and subtle piano beats. This all builds up i...

Today I have some music for you by an artist that has seemingly taken over a lot of the music game. Drake has his name everywhere, in the rap world, the pop world, even the electronic world! He seems to be one of those artists that everyone has heard of. He is the kind of artists that many people have heard, and are avid fans of. Now despite this, there is a lot of music out by Drake that hasn't really been heard and isn't that popular. Today's song is one of those. This song is one that honestly blows the two lead singles out of the water regarding lyrics and production quality. This song takes the lyrics along the normal path that Drake tends to follow. He is lamenting the end of a relationship, putting Drake in full emotional pop mode. We do get a great R&B pop influence with this song, though, which is a different step for the rap industry as a whole. Drake has taken hold of the 80's synth and production style and has molded it into a modern version that can b...

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 long awaited, incredible music for you. We have been waiting for new music by the British band Gorillaz for over five years. Five. Years. And my oh my did they satisfy! One of the cool things about Gorillaz, is that we never know what to expect from them. Their sound is so eclectic and strange, the persona they have is unique, and their choice of musicality and lyricism is out of this world. There are so many things which make this band a special one, a band that we can't help but want to know more about and hear from.The greatest thing though is that no song sounds the same, and each album is entirely different from the rest. Gorillaz tends to follow some kind of rock and rap combination, however, the way the two are combined is up for experimentation. Gorillaz is a band that experiments with different sounds and somehow is able to find the strangest and greatest combinations. With this song, we get a rock slow jam which features Jamaican style vocals. Normally, ...

Day 3 of new music starts off with Jai Wolf. This song was released less than seven days ago, and it hasn't taken long for this song to hit over 100,000 streams. Now I do have to say, this song is very reminiscent of Jai Wolf's previous works of art. There is a rich consistency in what Jai Wolf does and produces. Now normally, a lack of notable evolution would be interesting and almost a little sad to me. But the music that Jai Wolf creates is so beautiful and so perfect that I don't want anyone to dare touch it. Jai Wolf is so recognizable and has a signature sound which makes his sound unmistakable. There is a carefree and deep sense of freedom and hope. Jai Wolf's music has the ability to touch the soul in a way that is wholesome and moving and liberating and free. This song marks the first time Jai Wolf has written the lyrics to his own music. This song has a stunning vocal delivery provided by Mr. Gabriel, but the lyrical credit has to go to Jai Wolf. And these lyr...

Today I have an extremely fun song for you by the artist known as Bobby Green. I am absolutely in love with this song and Bobby Green as an artist. I won't lie, a major reason that I love this song is because of the vocalist Sean Michael Murray. But this song is such a nice change of pace from the bass and beat heavy EDM we hear nowadays. This isn't a song that has moments that make you stop and listen. You are captured from the beginning. The song is so well produced and is very crisp, while also foregoing the heavy beat drops in favor of something more delectable. The composition of this song is actually pretty simple! This song has a synth oriented and non complex beat, which means it works extremely well for the lyrical content of the song. Throw in the electronic dance beats, and you have a song that meshes the vocals and instrumentals in a seamless way. This song is wild and energetic and adventurous and a little bit mischievous and I love that! It bypasses the...

Well, it has been quite a while since I have posted, and they have definitely become more sporadic this past week. But with exam season over, I am back in full swing with some great music headed your way. So to start this off, today I have some music for you by Ella Eyre. This is a girl who is not well known but should be because she has so much talent. Ella Eyre not only creates her own incredible songs, but is one of the best collaborators I have heard. She has worked with groups ranging in style from Bastille to Rudimental. Honestly, I think that is extremely impressive. Something about the way Ella Eyre works and the way she sings is so fierce. Not the stereotypical Beyonce fierce, but something that is strong and bold. She is a vocal powerhouse and can belt out the highest of notes, and yet can still become soft and vulnerable.  Ella Eyre pursues a sound that is really different from a lot of what we hear nowadays. This song is pretty percussion heavy, but ...

Today I have some music for you that is an absolute earworm. This song is by an electronic producer by the name No Way Back, a producer I hadn't heard of till very recent. First time I heard this song, I could not stop jamming out. Now the best thing about this song is how completely raw it is and how this is straight up house. As in pure house music, sounds that we forget exist since music gets muddled up. Don't get me wrong, I love it when EDM genres collide and create wicked song. But every once in a while it is nice to go back to the basics and get that sweet sound of true house. This song is actually a twist taken on a Mariah Carey song, which I had no idea about. But I won't lie, I think this rework sounds pretty darn awesome and is definitely not shy of being groovy. The song begins with a steady percussion loop, which then gives way to more structured and subtle piano beats. This all builds up into the strong powerhouse vocals of Mariah Carey while ...

Today I had the pleasure of attending a concert that was absolutely amazing. This may be one of my all time favorite electronic shows ever! Jai Wolf is a DJ and producer who played an absolutely phenomenal show tonight. His style is very different in comparison to most EDM we hear nowadays, and I love that. This song is from his debut album, and this album is so different from every other EDM album out there. Jai Wolf takes on a breathtaking and emotional journey through the feelings and moments in life that make us feel alive. Jai Wolf gives us euphoric synths accompanied by stunningly brilliant vocals. Jai Wolf focuses the power of his music on the idea of human connection. And we get to hear that from the musicality and lyrics of this song. It is a delicate art to be able to bring something as robotic and tech oriented as EDM to a more human level. But Jai Wolf does it with a grace and ease that is simply unheard of. This song is a ballad about the humanity of it all, and that state...

Today I have some music that takes us back to the world of alternative rock. I cannot believe it has taken me this long to post some music from that side of the musical spectrum. I think I post in genre waves, periods of time when I focus on a specific sound before switching to something different. But anyway, this song is by an artist whom I have mad respect for. Robert DeLong is one of the most talented artists in the business. Not only is he a singer, but he is also and instrumentalist and producer. And did I mention, he is also a one-man show? That is right. Every sound, every lyric, every shake of the tambourine, it is all him. Robert DeLong writes, composes, performs, and produces all of his music. I have to say, I have yet to hear an artist who has gone to the same lengths to put their music out there. Nowadays I suppose it is easier to physically create music which is why I am more impressed with Robert DeLong's capabilities. One thing that I was completely ...

Today I have music for you by an artist who was a king in the world of underground music until reaching the spotlight. I honestly don't know why, but a part of me really wanted to talk about artists who are popular enough to be in the main spotlight, but also underground enough to the point where a vast majority of their music remains out of the mainstream flow. Zhu is an artist who seemed to kind of pop out of nowhere, and has stirred a lot of thoughts within the EDM community for a few reasons. First and foremost is the anonymity. While we do know now who Zhu is, there is still this level of remaining a mystery that he maintains. He isn't signed to a big label and does not have a huge website that blasts his music and artist related goods. He releases songs when he feels like he is ready and usually through Soundcloud. His method of live shows is also pretty mysterious and low key. I mean it is literally just flyers that get handed out! He is one of those artists whose face i...

Today I have some music for you by a band that I just recently started listening to called Olympic Ayres. I feel like it has been such a long time I have posted music like this, so I am really excited to share this one with you all! This is a song that as such a great groove and vibe to it, one of those awesome feel good songs that you can't seem to get enough of. This is a duo that has such an incredile fusion of sounds, something that ranges from dance to indie to R&B. This electrifying blend of sounds leaves us with this awesome summery vibe, one that gets you on your feet. This song is full of such an infectious energy and a great beat. The melody is such a fun and exciting flow of sounds, and the the steady beat is a great way to give the song some wicked funk. This song has a really cool retro kind of sound to it, something that gets the disco of the 80s and the pop and electronica of the 90s. There is a solid indie rock sound to the song as well, and that is what makes t...

Today I have a really cool and slightly weird song for you. Now this is actually a mashup of two songs by Fetty Wap. But, this is a punk and hardcore rock version of the mashup. Which is normally really strange to think about, but Zak Diesal pulls it off so well and honestly I am pretty much in shock at how good this cover is. There is something about that stereotypical punk voice, the kind that borders that metal voice. It is really deep and the vowels are more elongated and I just love the way it sounds, as if they could let out a little bit of a screamo type scream any moment. That could be the inner rocker in me, but man I have to say Zak Diesal has a hell of a voice. I know this is normally not the kind of thing that people listen to, and not the kind of voice most people know and appreciate. But I can definitely tell you that this is a really wicked sound, something that any serious rocker would kind of drool over. Now Zak Diesal does an absolutely incredible job of turning Fetty...

Today I have music for you by an artist out of Ireland. EDEN is an artist I recently heard, and I was immediately captivated. I mean, I couldn't pull away from this song! This song is eerily enchanting, something that we all actually love hearing, but don't necessarily realize. This song has so many great things happening in terms of production. All the pieces of this song come together so perfectly, even more perfectly than clockwork. For starters, the instrumentals are phenomenal. I mean they are ridiculously superb. Now the reason why, is because there are layers, so many intertwining layers that create a full body of sound. There is never a moment when the song feels like it is missing something, never a moment when the song seems to be off set or off balanced. The actual music production is simply stunning. The synths and keyboard take up a lot of the work in this song, being the source of complex melodies and harmonies, but also providing a sense of ease and a sensation o...

Today I have some more underground music for you. What I love about the underground scene is that there is no real genre specific sound that defines what underground music is. Today's song falls in line with the more R&B and electronica kind of sound. This is like the more underground European pop scene, which honestly is really cool to me. The thing that I like so much about European music is that their sound is so completely different from American pop music. Which is really funny because a lot of people think Western music is one big group of similar sounding music. But how completely wrong that is! European pop seems to have more depth to it in my opinion. It is not necessarily the happy and bubbly kind of pop that we have in the States, but it is something that relies heavily on creating a sound that mixes electronic work with other sounds, generally R&B. Which is why I love this song! This song is by the English singer-songwriter Jessie Ware. And yes, she is definitel...