In case you missed Volume 1, here’s a little info about our newest segment Shuffle Sundays: So bhanna came up with this concept a little while ago but of course waited way too long to get it started. The idea behind Shuffle Sunday is this: whoever is running the post any given week will simply go through their iTunes on shuffle, sorting through all sorts of tracks spanning genres, older and newer, and find stuff we’ve never posted before or that we haven’t posted in a long time. We sift through a lot of music on a weekly basis and a lot of it ends up falling through the cracks. So the point here is to introduce you (and us) to some tracks that may have slipped under the radar and reintroduce us to some old classics. Sound off on our Facebook page if you really like it!
Back during my senior year of college (2010) I was just starting to really get into Electronic and Dance Music, but I didn’t necessarily have a favorite artist or know what direction to go in with my downloading and listening choices. When I was in Australia the year before, I had downloaded compilations such as Ministry of Sound Sessions and Clubbers Guide which proved to be great resources for all kinds of new music, mostly in the House realm. In a similar fashion, I had stumbled across the NYC-based Designer Drugs who are a prevalent force in the Dance Music world, but if you only pay attention to the mainstream you may not have heard of them. Their sound is grimy and unique and I’d probably most closely relate it to sounds of the Jack Beats. They released a remix compilation in 2010 and this week I rediscovered their remix of Treasure Fingers‘ “Cross the Dancefloor”. The original is a funky Nu-Disco tune and the Designer Drugs remix keeps some of that funk and adds a layer of grime to it. Check it.
Treasure Fingers – Cross the Dancefloor (Designer Drugs Remix)
In a complete musical 180, the next song I shuffled to was edIT’s “Laundry”. For those new to the program, edIT is a member of the Glitch Mob but he has released some of his own solo material. I had no idea who the Glitch Mob were until my first year at Electric Zoo in 2010. In an effort to become more familiar with them I had downloaded a discography of the group and each of their members. “Laundry” comes from the album Crying Over Pros for no Reason which was released in 2004 – a time at which I referred to all dance music as “Techno”, as most casual listeners do. The tune is very chilled-out and stays true to edIT’s Glitch-style roots. This is certainly nothing you’ll hear on the dance floor but it is a beautiful piece of work that you can tell had a lot of work put into it.
*Click thru for a few more tracks and the ZIP package!*
Back in March I had posted Mord Fustang‘s most recent EP, titled Welcome to the Future. While the whole release was lots of fun to listen to and a solid overall effort by the Estonian, I think some songs received more attention than others. Enter “The Majestic” – one of those songs that may not have received a ton of attention but is highly underrated. It has all the elements of a Mord Fustang song that make them so great: playful and melodic synths, wobbling basslines, driving kick drums, and typical Mord Fustang effects. I really like this tune and if it flew under your radar make sure you give it another listen.
Did you know Gramatik has a LOT of music out there? Like, about ten albums/EPs-worth of music? Street Bangerz Vol. 3 was a release of 20 songs from the Slovenian producer who is now a part of The Pretty Lights Music family. Most of the tunes off this album are what I’d consider to be Trip-Hop songs with a chilled-out and Down-Tempo feel. The tracks are driven by Hip-Hop beats with soulful samples (you can learn more about how he writes songs by reading our interview with him HERE) and make you want crank the speakers, lay down, and puff on a joint. “Adriatic Summer Nights” is a great name for this one.
Gramatik – Adriatic Summer Nights
When I meet people who like Chromeo (David Macklovitch (Dave 1) & Patrick Gemayel (P-Thugg)), they really like Chromeo; they have a very die-hard fan base it seems. While I definitely enjoy their music, I don’t find myself seeking them out to listen to on a regular basis. They’re funky as hell but they fall somewhere between dance music and 80s-esque goofy Pop music. Fancy Footwork was the Canadian duo’s second album, released in 2007. This is another bunch of songs that brings me back to my college days, as I was into songs like “Fancy Footwork”, “Tenderoni”, and “Bonafide Lovin'”. Here’s one of the duo’s lesser-known songs off the album that keeps to the Chromeo ways.
Chromeo – Opening Up (Ce Soir on Danse)
*Grab the Shuffle Sunday Vol. 2 Zip Package HERE!*