Monday, 22 April 2013
Party Tracks of the Week!
A*M*E* - Heartless (MNEK Remix)
#Bass #R&B #Pop
With A*M*E*s bubblegum pop solo material contrasting somewhat with her ultra-cool spot on Duke Dumont's "Need U (100%)", teen prodigy MNEK brings a remix of her latest single that mixes all the sugar sweet melodies and gutsy pop aspirations with a dirty underground bassline and thick garage beats. Dare I say, this will please everyone.
Rudimental - Waiting All Night (Kidnap Kid Remix)
#Garage #2Step #House
Remixing a drum & bass to house is often a recipe for awkwardly-slowed-down-vox disaster. Luckily Kidnap Kid has the right idea when remixing Rudimental's #1 single, cleverly twisting the vox from gutsy and energetic, to sultry and suggestive, letting the jerky stop-start bass do the talking.
The Partysquad - Badman (feat. Alvaro)
#Hardstyle #Reggae #Rave
A revisitation of The Partysquad's incredible "Badman Rave" EP from last year, an insane fusion of reggae, hardstyle and electronic dance. "Badman" itself is a slippery dub number that gives way to a dinosaur stomp of a kick drum and frantic, twanging synth lead.
Snakehips - On & On
After a string of silky, effortlessly subdued yet irresistibly sexy remixes for the likes of underground cool elite Bondax and Wild Belle, Snakehips drop an absolute stunner of a solo release. The electronica-flecked R&B of "On & On" has the cool demeanor of a Jessie Ware track, with the subtle, addictive funk that London neighbours Bondax have made a name for themselves in. Australian newcomer George Maple brings the achingly perfect vocal, proving herself here and on her gorgeous single "Fixed". as a serious competitor. Expect to see her popping up on a plethora of brilliant feature spots over the summer.
FOR FANS OF: Jessie Ware, Bondax, AlunaGeorge
FOR FANS OF: Jessie Ware, Bondax, AlunaGeorge
GivePopAChance's Summer 2013 Playlist.
So the year's first perfect sunny weekend bids a hopeful farewell to a miserable 7 month winter, and as May approaches, festival season begins to rear its defiant head. Visions of cider drenched, Diplo-worshipping, scantily clad music lovers passing out in fields, outside clubs and on stony beaches seem so much closer.
It seems like the perfect time to share a dance-heavy Summer playlist of sure fire hits and lesser known, but equally deserved ones, that you can expect to be on heavy rotation throughout the summer. If GivePopAChance had its own radio station, you would indeed expect these tracks to be A-listed until October.
The return of Daft Punk is perfectly timed, and sets the tone worldwide for a summer of chilling out, partying and getting lucky. In the UK, Duke Dumont led the 2012/13 House revival to the the top of the charts a couple of weeks ago, and Basement Jaxx's crazy comeback tune is a defiant "anything goes" statement.
If anything really does go this year in dance music, hopefully DJ Snake's bizarre tweet-trap (quite literally) number "Bird Machine" will make its way to your confused but welcoming ears, and if that's too way out, Major Lazer is bringing Jamaica back through the medium of crushing dancehall beats and hyperactive synths.
Watch out for Moon Boots, whose soulful, irresistibly funky 80s take on the new wave of House music has sported two of the years most effective, sun-kissed remixes. They morph Singer/songwriter Alison Valentine's "Peanut Butter" into something altogether more blissful and euphoric, and their take on Bondax's "Gold" drags the track back to 1991, where it clearly belongs. Miaoux Miaoux's glorious, synth-laden take on CHVRCHES' "The Mother We Share" occupies similar airspace, so bright and grin-inducing it's almost impossible to look directly at.
After the huge,anthemic electronic dance of Swedish House Mafia and Madeon dominated dancefloors and dance festivals last year, 2013 has its fair share of big dance tunes. After his godly, life-affirming "Language", Porter Robinson teams up with Mat Zo, to bring something just as breathtaking for 2013, in the form of "Easy", Kat Krazy comes down hard on Bastille's hit indie single "Pompeii", transforming it into this year's "Don't You Worry Child", and Russ Chimes' stunning "Turn Me Out" is fist pumping, Balearic heaven.
Also queued up is the D&B anthem of the summer, Drumsound & Bassline Smith's "One in A Million", the dark Gold Panda-produced electro of goth-flecked starlet Charli XCX's "You (Ha Ha Ha)", the similarly quirky and groove-laden vibes of Flume's "Sleepless", the drunken, woozy beats of the UK hip hop tune of the summer, Dream McLean's "Sloe Gin" and perhaps the sunniest of them all, Mausi's carefree piano house ditty "Move", graduating straight from the 2003 school of blissed-out house.
Whatever the weather, dance music in 2013 seems to have one defiant goal, to have fun, not take itself too seriously, and to party harder than ever. And judging by the gradual lean towards dance music that the Top 40 is beginning to show, looks like we're all on the same page.
It seems like the perfect time to share a dance-heavy Summer playlist of sure fire hits and lesser known, but equally deserved ones, that you can expect to be on heavy rotation throughout the summer. If GivePopAChance had its own radio station, you would indeed expect these tracks to be A-listed until October.
The return of Daft Punk is perfectly timed, and sets the tone worldwide for a summer of chilling out, partying and getting lucky. In the UK, Duke Dumont led the 2012/13 House revival to the the top of the charts a couple of weeks ago, and Basement Jaxx's crazy comeback tune is a defiant "anything goes" statement.
If anything really does go this year in dance music, hopefully DJ Snake's bizarre tweet-trap (quite literally) number "Bird Machine" will make its way to your confused but welcoming ears, and if that's too way out, Major Lazer is bringing Jamaica back through the medium of crushing dancehall beats and hyperactive synths.
Watch out for Moon Boots, whose soulful, irresistibly funky 80s take on the new wave of House music has sported two of the years most effective, sun-kissed remixes. They morph Singer/songwriter Alison Valentine's "Peanut Butter" into something altogether more blissful and euphoric, and their take on Bondax's "Gold" drags the track back to 1991, where it clearly belongs. Miaoux Miaoux's glorious, synth-laden take on CHVRCHES' "The Mother We Share" occupies similar airspace, so bright and grin-inducing it's almost impossible to look directly at.
After the huge,anthemic electronic dance of Swedish House Mafia and Madeon dominated dancefloors and dance festivals last year, 2013 has its fair share of big dance tunes. After his godly, life-affirming "Language", Porter Robinson teams up with Mat Zo, to bring something just as breathtaking for 2013, in the form of "Easy", Kat Krazy comes down hard on Bastille's hit indie single "Pompeii", transforming it into this year's "Don't You Worry Child", and Russ Chimes' stunning "Turn Me Out" is fist pumping, Balearic heaven.
Also queued up is the D&B anthem of the summer, Drumsound & Bassline Smith's "One in A Million", the dark Gold Panda-produced electro of goth-flecked starlet Charli XCX's "You (Ha Ha Ha)", the similarly quirky and groove-laden vibes of Flume's "Sleepless", the drunken, woozy beats of the UK hip hop tune of the summer, Dream McLean's "Sloe Gin" and perhaps the sunniest of them all, Mausi's carefree piano house ditty "Move", graduating straight from the 2003 school of blissed-out house.
Whatever the weather, dance music in 2013 seems to have one defiant goal, to have fun, not take itself too seriously, and to party harder than ever. And judging by the gradual lean towards dance music that the Top 40 is beginning to show, looks like we're all on the same page.
Friday, 19 April 2013
Party Tracks of the Week!
Basement Jaxx - Back 2 The Wild
#BigBeat #Dance #House
After the colourful, urban-flecked "Scars", Basement Jaxx are indeed going back to the wild big beat dance of their debut "Remedy" with their latest single. A quirky tribal banger with playful vocals popping up left, right and centre over an irresistible sunkissed bass line, the track has festival favourite written all over it.
Major Lazer - Jet Blue Jet (feat. Leftside, GTA, Razz & Biggy)
#Dancehall #Moombahton
I could have easily chosen any one of the 14 tracks on Major Lazer's phenomenal instant-classic sophomore album "Free The Universe", but the crazy carnival vibe of the entire record is easily surmised by this crazy supernova of a tune. On "Jet Blue Jet", chopped up vocals ricochet off the walls, sirens screech and beats pound as if we even needed reminding - in a cliquey worldwide underground dance scene, Major Lazer run the show.
Amplify Dot - Kurt Cobain
#HipHop #Rap #Grime
"Live Fast, Die Young like Kurt Cobain" goes the main hook of this slick hip hop number from UK female rapper newcomer Amplify Dot, and her cocky flow combined with a snake charmer synth and crushing kick drum provide a convincing case, as least for a Friday night.
Branko - (One More) Silly Bitch (feat. Njena Reddd Foxxx)
#Dancehall #HipHop
Buraka Som Sistema's Branko one of the latest Diplo proteges, and despite "Drums, Slums and Hums" mainly consisting of Slums and the occasional hum, "(One More) Silly Bitch" is a defiant drum-driven hip hop/dancehall number that would suit both Missy Elliot and Azealia Banks, but Njena Reddd Foxx's tongue-twisting flow does the track remarkable justice.
#BigBeat #Dance #House
After the colourful, urban-flecked "Scars", Basement Jaxx are indeed going back to the wild big beat dance of their debut "Remedy" with their latest single. A quirky tribal banger with playful vocals popping up left, right and centre over an irresistible sunkissed bass line, the track has festival favourite written all over it.
Major Lazer - Jet Blue Jet (feat. Leftside, GTA, Razz & Biggy)
#Dancehall #Moombahton
I could have easily chosen any one of the 14 tracks on Major Lazer's phenomenal instant-classic sophomore album "Free The Universe", but the crazy carnival vibe of the entire record is easily surmised by this crazy supernova of a tune. On "Jet Blue Jet", chopped up vocals ricochet off the walls, sirens screech and beats pound as if we even needed reminding - in a cliquey worldwide underground dance scene, Major Lazer run the show.
Amplify Dot - Kurt Cobain
#HipHop #Rap #Grime
"Live Fast, Die Young like Kurt Cobain" goes the main hook of this slick hip hop number from UK female rapper newcomer Amplify Dot, and her cocky flow combined with a snake charmer synth and crushing kick drum provide a convincing case, as least for a Friday night.
Branko - (One More) Silly Bitch (feat. Njena Reddd Foxxx)
#Dancehall #HipHop
Buraka Som Sistema's Branko one of the latest Diplo proteges, and despite "Drums, Slums and Hums" mainly consisting of Slums and the occasional hum, "(One More) Silly Bitch" is a defiant drum-driven hip hop/dancehall number that would suit both Missy Elliot and Azealia Banks, but Njena Reddd Foxx's tongue-twisting flow does the track remarkable justice.
Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Amelia Lily - Party Over
Every now and again I have to defend a pop song purely on its cheese merit. And "Party Over", the latest single from the not-quite-branded Amelia Lily, has a cheese distinction. DJ Fresh-tastic drum & bass lite, with jolly synth chords, lyrics pulled from a hat, and a yelpy vocal hook that has definitely been nicked from somewhere, but it's actually the best single she's released yet.
"You Bring Me Joy" was, for me, neither here nor there. It was bizarrely quite well received, though how some people managed to compare it to Robyn is beyond me. Maybe another singer could have made it emotional, but 18 year old blank canvas Amelia made it patently obvious that it was a song with 3 notes in it. "Shut Up And Give Me Whatever You Got" (*takes breath*) could well have been the wording to a question she asked Kelly Clarkson's songwriters. The flaccid electro-rock anthem has "whatever you got" written all over it.
In reality, the chirpy, gutsy Amelia is not perhaps as edgy as her management would have us believe. So "Party Over", with its fist-punching anonymity, ends up suiting her the best by a mile. It also sounds like its the most fun she's had since her first X Factor audition.
Whilst the public seem to want her to follow in the footsteps of powerhouse vocalists such as Clarkson and even Aguilera, the fact is, she's much more likely to succeed if she averts her focus to someone like Rita Ora. No pretense, no discernible personality, just the fun-loving face of vacuous party anthems. At 18, she's got plenty of time for the heavy-going stuff later on in her career. Party first, soulsearch later.
FOR FANS OF: Rita Ora, DJ Fresh, Ayah Marar
"You Bring Me Joy" was, for me, neither here nor there. It was bizarrely quite well received, though how some people managed to compare it to Robyn is beyond me. Maybe another singer could have made it emotional, but 18 year old blank canvas Amelia made it patently obvious that it was a song with 3 notes in it. "Shut Up And Give Me Whatever You Got" (*takes breath*) could well have been the wording to a question she asked Kelly Clarkson's songwriters. The flaccid electro-rock anthem has "whatever you got" written all over it.
In reality, the chirpy, gutsy Amelia is not perhaps as edgy as her management would have us believe. So "Party Over", with its fist-punching anonymity, ends up suiting her the best by a mile. It also sounds like its the most fun she's had since her first X Factor audition.
Whilst the public seem to want her to follow in the footsteps of powerhouse vocalists such as Clarkson and even Aguilera, the fact is, she's much more likely to succeed if she averts her focus to someone like Rita Ora. No pretense, no discernible personality, just the fun-loving face of vacuous party anthems. At 18, she's got plenty of time for the heavy-going stuff later on in her career. Party first, soulsearch later.
FOR FANS OF: Rita Ora, DJ Fresh, Ayah Marar
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Party Tracks of the Week!
PSY - Gangnam Style (Diplo Remix feat. 2 Chainz & Tyga)
#Trap #HipHop #Swag
Diplo is probably the only producer in the world with the skills to make Gangnam Style credible. Probably because the token "what the fuck!?" trap beats are impossible to dance Gangnam Style to. 2 Chainz and Tyga sound like they wrote their raps in 5 minutes, but the whole thing's a lot of swaggy fun.
Lulu James - Closer (Kidnap Kid Remix)
#House #Dance
Not a huge change from the original, but Kidnap Kid's beats are shaper and his bass is harder, giving the track a much needed Deep House punch.
TNGHT - Acrylics
#Trap #Electronic #Industrial
TNGHT really know how to drop a crazy tune. Industrial sized beats and an untameable lead synth, sounding like the soundtrack to a Power Rangers fight scene, with the occasional deceptive music box interlude, this is definitely "Lower and Filthier Ground".
Mt. Wolf - Hypolight
After the otherworldly vibes of Mt. Wolf's last single "Life Size Ghosts", it would have been very easy to assume the band got lucky with that track. Lots of bands immerse gentle folk instrumentation with a tinkerbell voice and a shimmering electronic coat, and although most of this music flatlines uncommunicative and uneventful, every now and again a truly gorgeous tune pokes its head out, and "Life Size Ghosts" was definitely one of those. Yet many bands of this nature find it hard to keep from pulling their head back into their shell, and failing to follow with anything else as memorable.
"Hypolight", however, showcases an altogether more confident size to the group. It's just as ethereal and ticks all the same genre-standard boxes, but whilst many a band in this vein seem content to sing to us from the distance, hoping the all-encompassing reverb carries on the message, when singer Kate Sproule deliriously sings "put another light out", she's standing face to face with you. You can hear life to her voice, a beating heart, and (has hell frozen over?) nuances! And character! It's a vocal performance that could potentially give them the same break and hype that similarly-expressive-exception-to-the-atmo-folk-band rule London Grammar have deservedly enjoyed.
As pianos and guitars mingle in the background, its a joy to hear a voice soar above the musical tapestry, rather than be content to be just another instrument. More steps in this direction, and Mt. Wolf are real contenders.
FOR FANS OF: London Grammar, Bat For Lashes, Mazzy Star
"Hypolight", however, showcases an altogether more confident size to the group. It's just as ethereal and ticks all the same genre-standard boxes, but whilst many a band in this vein seem content to sing to us from the distance, hoping the all-encompassing reverb carries on the message, when singer Kate Sproule deliriously sings "put another light out", she's standing face to face with you. You can hear life to her voice, a beating heart, and (has hell frozen over?) nuances! And character! It's a vocal performance that could potentially give them the same break and hype that similarly-expressive-exception-to-the-atmo-folk-band rule London Grammar have deservedly enjoyed.
As pianos and guitars mingle in the background, its a joy to hear a voice soar above the musical tapestry, rather than be content to be just another instrument. More steps in this direction, and Mt. Wolf are real contenders.
FOR FANS OF: London Grammar, Bat For Lashes, Mazzy Star
Friday, 5 April 2013
IYES - Glow
Brighton based IYES released their debut track "Lighthouse" onto Soundcloud 5 months ago, a gorgeous synth-drenched fusion of the xx and Daughter, but along comes "Glow" this month, and totally ups their game. Taking from their peers The 1975 and Chvrches, the band mix euphoric electronic flourishes with an anthemic indie mindset. The vocals of Josh Christopher and Melis Soyaslanova compliment each other perfectly, Melis' cracked, gentle voice breaking ripples in the water in the verses, before Josh's Chris Martin sized voice causes a full on tidal wave in the exhilarating chorus, where Josh cries "You make me glow" as a wall of synth battles it out with an over-eager drum machine. More please.
FOR FANS OF: Passion Pit, The 1975, Chvrches
FOR FANS OF: Passion Pit, The 1975, Chvrches
Party Tracks of the Week! (FREE DOWNLOADS)
MNEK vs Disclosure - White Noise (Full Crate & FS Green Remix)
#House #Garage #DeepHouse #FREEDOWNLOAD
Tearing it up on this infectious 90s-flecked rework/cover of Disclosure & AlunaGeorge's recent hit, teen sensation MNEK soulfully trills his way around this sexy, bright cover as the retro house beats go hard. Shivers moment? 3.44 as MNEK goes all Mariah Carey on the track, to euphoric effect.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (A-Trak vs. Kid Kamillion Remix)
#Trap #Rave
Every week I say I'm going to quit trap, another big tune comes along. To many this will be murder of a classic remix, but there's a certain gleeful pleasure to be found in the moment an unexpected drop happens in a track you've heard a thousand times. Even as that familiar police siren synth bursts through the speakers, it's still one of those moments.
Cashmere Cat - Mirror Maru (Feadz & Kito Remix)
#2Step #Garage
Feadz & Kito gives the quirky Cashmere Cat a friendlier, more colourful edge, complete with crisp, popping 2 step beats, chirpy dance chords and more chopped up chipmunk voices than you can shake a stick at.
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