First Listen: Neon Indian, ‘Era Extraña’ (NPR)
NPR shares a preview to the entire new full length album on it’s latest in the “First Listen” series. If you haven’t heard them yet this is a great chance to check out the softer edge of electronica “chillwave.” This is only their second album, they’ve had great success with “Psychic Chasms” and are currently on tour with the prolific retro/vintage electropop artists Com Truise.
The Chemical Brothers - Hold Tight London
Not sure how I missed this one. It’s a great tribal vocal number from one of the world’s best electronica groups, even after all these years.
(Source: reddit.com)
“Summa Part 2” kicks off heavy, starting with my peak-time re-edit of Prydz’s excellent remix of “Never Let me Down Again” and quickly rolling into slamming breakbeats with Freeland’s “ode to analogue” remix of “TRON:Legacy” and another appearance of Monojoke’s “Character” remix (also featured on Summa Part 1) before settling into hazy tech-house. Finally I wind it all down with a medley of summery liquid drum and bass. The steamy days and stormy nights of summer are still with us!
1. Andrew Soulever - Intreaux Medley #5
2. Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again (Eric Prydz Remix) (Peak-time Edit)
3. Daft Punk - TRON Legacy (Adam Freeland’s 303 Remix)
4. Timur Shafiev - Character (Monojoke Remix)
5. Silicone Soul - Right On, Right On (Darren Emerson’s Detone Dub)
6. Franksen & Tom Wax - 2 The Rhythm
7. Emmanuel - Nautilus
8. Pezzner - Only With Your Eyes
9. Zepp001 - Don’t Sleep
10. Mario Basanov - Lonely Days (Plate Dub)
11. Atlantic Connection - Leaving Home (Hollywood Mix)
12. Subway Funk - Morning City
13. DJ Roots - Sorriso de Flor
14. Makoto - Get 2 This
Free Summer Mix from Flying Lotus!
“Lovers Melt 2 will hopefully be part of your summer sound. Some of my favorite songs ever.. Some you know, some you might not.”
Get it while it’s hot!
Top 5 Submissions to the /MU/ Experimental Electronica Competition (inc. free D/L)
If you’ve ever invested any time digging through endless sound clips and broken Mediafire links you’re aware of how rare it is to come across quality paired with free music. Surprisingly, while browsing new groups on Soundcloud, I came across the /MU/ Electronica competition and discovered quite a few gems, some of which available for free download.
Contest ends soon (possibly?), so it’ll be interesting to see who they choose.
The submissions range from vintage synth techno, to amateur trip-hop to liquid dubstep. The best tunes I found could probably be best classified as “chilled-out trip-hop electronica.”
1. “In Your Dreams, Kid!” (Chillout)
Despite what the tags allude to (“Horrible” and “Shitty” are among them, as well as “Minecraft”) the track is catchy simple hip-hop beats over a chilled melody. Free download available.
2. ”As Lovely As You“ (Triphop)
“Is he deaf?” Gotta love tracks with a retro-vibe. Nice use of sampling in this one.
3. ”A Badger Walks“ (Post Funk)
Happy-go-lucky gets zapped by a stutter effect. The breakdown is especially brilliant in a nostalgic simplcity from the late 80’s electronica. Very unique. It’s not for everyone, but if you ever liked British Pop-Rock you’ll definitely find it appealing. Free download.
4. The XX - “VCR (Jamie Sky Bootleg)“ (Deep House?)
Like lightly jingling bells and a muted, pulsing rhythm runs through Jamie Sky’s take on this popular track. “VCR” is very chilled throughout, with well-timed vocal snippets sprinkled above a plodding and dark landscape.
5. ”Diediediediedie”
Stripped down to it’s core, this dubby melodic track slowly plods along a thoughtful aural journey sparked with a subtle overlay, from a Postal Service-esque melody. Bonus points for the unique title.
More Notable Freebies:
“Ars Longa… (v2)“ (Ambient/Post Rock)
“Frigid Furnace” (Experimental Hip Hop)
Andrew Soulver - “Summa 2011”
A dozen iterations later, I’ve finally completed this year’s edition of my “Summa” demo!
It’s been pared down to a gambit of carefully selected tracks to set the tone for summer. Crazy P sets the the mood before building up to steady house jams from Ed Lee and Dosem. I wind it all down with piano-laden progressive breaks into the beautiful and introspective “America” from Dusty Kid before fading into Tycho, one of my favorite producers. The Killers remix I threw in to leave the mix on an upbeat highnote—I was recently reminded of this remix so I had to include it.
The cover art is also an original design of mine, based on one of my photos.
- Andrew Soulever - Intreaux Medley #4
- Danism - Love the Way (Crazy P Remix)
- Crystal Fighters - At Home (Hidden Cat Remix)
- Downtown Party Network - We Are Cats (Nacho Marco Acid Remix)
- Ed Lee - Monstruitos
- Edu Imbernon - Niquel (Dosem Remix)
- Claes Rosen - Sparkles (Martin Virgin and South Express Remix)
- Dana Bergquist - McEnroe
- Timur Shafiev - Character (Monojoke Remix)
- Cipster - Synthetik Harmony
- Dusty Kid - America
- Tycho - Coastal Brake
- The Killers - Mr. Brightside (Thin White Duke Remix)
Rabbit In The Moon - “Out Of Body Experience”
If you’ve never heard it before, you’re missing one of the greatest pieces of electronica ever composed.
My first memories of this track are from the Sasha and Digweed “Northern Exposure” series; a veritable compilation of the best electronica out of the early/mid 90’s as it seamlessly floated between energetic drums and haunting pads.
Lykke Li - Sadness Is A Blessing (Gold Panda Remix)
A beautiful remix from Gold Panda, this somber track is both dark and sweet, with a throbbing drum pulsing above Lykke Li’s emotive vocals. Gold Panda thrives on finding ways to get aspects of a track to stick in your head… like it or not you’ll find something in this track to steal your attention, if only for a moment.
(Source: youtube.com)
The DJ Shadow Remix Project - FREE DOWNLOAD
Thrilled to hear more Shadow, even if it is a remix album. Lots of interesting updates to the classics, with plenty of DnB and dubstep to appeal to newer audiences unfamiliar with DJ Shadow’s legacy. This download is free, but will require email registration. Totally worth it:
- Shadow Propaganda Mix (Somepling)
- Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt (NiT GriT Mix)
- Stem (Blank Image Mix)
- Walkie Talkie (Irn Mnky “Beat Down” Mix)
- What Does Your Soul Look Like? Part 2 (economics Version)
- Broken Levee II (Primus Luta Version)
- This Time (suonho “Now Is The Time” Mix)
- Midnight In A Perfect World (FUSO Mix)
- What Does Look Like Your Soul (Benjamin One Mix)
- Mongrel Meets His Maker (Sonotech Mix)
- Halfway Home (Awkward Mix)
- Fixed Income (Cherenkov Riddim Mix)
- Scatterbrain (Randomatik Blast Mix)
- Shadow Megamix (Sovereign Universalist)
- Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt (Ruby My Dear Mix)
- Blood On The Motorway (Coalition Of The Aware “SHDW” Mix)
- Stem (Le Couturier Version)
- BONUS TRACKS (Download Only):
- Missing On The Motorway (Tiger Mendoza Mix)
- All Things Shadow (Luke B Mix)
(Source: djshadow.com)
Matthew Dear - You put a smell on me (Photocall Remix)
Matthew Dear’s trademark eerie vocals layered above snappy nu-disco synths and 80’s inspired pads. Dear’s tracks somehow always find a way to get stuck in your head and this track follows in-suit with twists and turns amidst hypnotic drums and twisted lyrics. Track really picks up around 1:06. Hang on.
