I've had quite the obsession with Moombahton this summer, and its no surprise that I found myself surfing the internet once again and into the early morning looking for tracks on sound cloud. So today I decided to share my findings with you. I hope you have the same infatuation with Moombahton after listening to these tracks as I do. So kick back, grab a Red Stripe and listen to these funky riffs.
The first track is called Giant Elephant Killer by Major Lazer. This is a fairly old track being played by Diplo for a long time. He just recently realesed to a few sources and after some searching, I was able to acquire the track in mp3 form.This track fuses Major Lazers signature Dance Hall vocals and adds an electro beats to it to make it absolutely dirty.
This next artist goes by the name of J-trick and is doing major moves down in Australia with their Moombahton scene. Frankly, to me, his sound cloud is like a mecca of Moombahton seriously check it out (J-trick's sound cloud) but here's a remix he did of Hardwells and Chuckies club banger "Move It To The Drum''.
Okay this next Moombahton smasher is by Jake Twell. Relatively new to me until last night, he does a smashing job of remixing Major Lazer's Peculator. One of the better Moombahton remix's I've heard recently. I expect to hear bigger things from Jake as time goes on.
This next track I got off a Moombahton mix-tape called "Verano Del Moombahton". I highly recommend this mix-tape and you should download it Here. This particular track I'm going to give you is by Sazon Booya who is a Moombahton producer based in NYC.
I just had to add this in at the last minute its also off Verona Del Moombahton. It's by Hostage and its called Straight Raw. I think the title fits it perfectly to be honest.
I can't really say I have any sort of theme to today's post but I can promise terrific music. Whether it be electro, progressive, or disco house, we have something for everyone today. Let's start with the big release from Dirty South and Thomas Gold. You don't need me to tell you, electro house superstar Dirty South is having a very good year in his very lucrative career. Following his smash hit remix of Diddy's 'Coming Home', which felt like the most played track of the spring, they have come out with another banger. Not to be forgotten is quickly rising German DJ Thomas Gold. The duo kills it on 'Alive'.
Boys Noize & Erol Alkan team up, once again, to produce yet another gem. The German tech vibes of these men is identifiable from miles away. The vocals add a nice element to the track but altogether this is exactly what you would expect from these two label bosses. On another note, congratulations to 17 year old SCNTST from Munich for his recent signing to Boys Noize Records. Look out for his 'advanced techno' on this very blog.
Now, a complete change of pace. No Body takes you on an unbelievable progressive journey consisting of big room synths surrounding vocals which appear to be exported from a Kaskade track. The combination leads to electronic music bliss. Keep a lookout for No Body in the future, they appear to be doing big things.
I'll leave you with some very danceable flavor from the men we only know as Flight Facilities. You may have heard 'Crave You' in some form or another over the last year but this is a new, more disco influenced, track from them. I absolutely love this track and if you feel the same, you can buy it on iTunes.
I posted this earlier but here's the download for it. This has a fantastic drop and is one of my favorite moombahton songs so far.
I love this track not only because its a Major Lazer song but because Kayjay kills this remix. Another thing I love how a remix is out of original don but the actual song is still unreleased, anyway enjoy. I also get up and dance by myself when I listen to this. Yeah it's that good.
Fairly old moombahton track, but its a banger none the less. Ima sucker for this high energy moombahton tracks.
I think 2deep might be one of my favorite producers take a listen to this ridiculous bootleg that samples Pon de floor and go hard in the paint.
One of the songs off of the recently released mad decent compilation volume 1. Straight fire from Diplo.
This post is a little out there, hence the experimental tag. This is another installation of my greatest hits, showcasing several great tunes to unwind and expand the definition of electronic music while expanding your mind. If you're looking for big EDM hits, you won't find any here. This post is about the weird, the unrecognizable, and the music that doesn't quite fit into any one genre. It will catch your attention because you have never heard anything like it before, combining hip-hop elements with electronica, glitch with soul music, or even ambient with indie folk. Some of these artists have even defined their own unique genre, such as Nosaj Thing. Here we goo!
Going with a classic with Aphex Twin and a newer release.
I love Active Child. I admit it takes some warming up to, as it sounds like haunting church music at some points. However, you have to give the guy credit for making a harp sound right at home in an electronic tune. This is off of his forthcoming debut album, You Are All I See (coming out next month). Grab his Curtis Lane EP from 2010, simply amazing.
Baths Baths Baths! I have to thank my university for booking and introducing his wonderful ambient/experimental music to me.
I think this song speaks for itself, James Blake is a musical genius.
The one and only.
This a remix by Burial, a great one. Check out his other stuff, great 2-step music, and at times so overflowing with emotion (See UK or In McDonald's).
These last two artists are definitely more recognized for their indie and folk leanings, but these two tracks are electronic experimental heaven.
Sufjan Stevens is a lyrical and folk genius (could I use that word one more time?), but with his last album, The Age of Adz he drifted towards a more electronic perspective. This is an example, give it a chance and listen to it in full.
My favorite song from The Album Leaf, it just sounds right, love all the glitches and tweeks.
Hope you enjoy! Although, I have to say these might be even better in an altered state, just sayin'.
UPDATE: Oh dear god, I forgot to the mighty Flying Lotus on here. Don't know how I did it, but I did. I guess if you've heard of any of the above though, you probably already love Flying Lotus, if not, gohereand educate yoself.
Knoxbox, an Electric Squeeze resident dj and producer, has released a new mash-up. Heavy stuff right here. Make sure you listen for the double drop! If you want to download its on the side of the bar!
The dynamic quartet known as Azari & III's upcoming album release, accordingly named Azari & III, is set to be released on August 8th. The album is, however, streaming for the next week on the Hype Machine and we thought we would share it with you. The euphoric disco synths of Dinamo Azari and Alaxinder III make this album unique but relatable. You may just find yourself dancing in your bedroom after you're infected by the sounds of the Canadian foursome.
Hudson Mohawke is a Scottish DJ who I'm sure you've heard of and if you haven't...sick name right?? He hasn't come out with any official, new material since his Polyfolk Dance EP in 2009, so its been a while. His new EP, Satin Panthers (you just have to laugh), is due out in a couple weeks, but previews and a few of unofficial remixes have been floating around for some time now. I was lucky enough to catch Hudmo's set at the legendary, Fabric in London earlier this year, and damn he knows how to throw down! Mixing r&b, hip-hop, glitch, and his own experimental style, Hudmo really manages to create a truly unique sound that I haven't heard with anyone else. He calls it emotronic/soul on his Myspace, but his music is too diverse and unique; you can't put him into one category. He is nothing short of a musical genius and I'm sure many of the big hip-hop/r&b producers today are hella jealous and mystified at Mohawke's prowess. So don't just take my word for it, check out some of his new stuff below and see for yourself.
First up, two unofficial remixes (probably won't show up on Panthers).
I was sorrowed to hear that one of the UK's brightest musical talents had passed away. It was difficult to watch Amy Winehouse struggle and suffer with personal demons in her final years. Nevertheless, in honor of a hugely talented artist, here are a few remixes by Axwell, Mylo, and Hot Chip.
Our resident DJ, DJ Rew!nd, has just dropped his first bootleg called 'Collide Into Darkness'. In his debut, he mashes up Afrojack's remix of Collide and the chorus of Avicii's original 'Fade Into Darkness'. We all know about the whole Leona Lewis and Avicii cleared sample controversy but let's reap the benefits of both their suffering.
Washington, D.C. is currently undergoing one of the hottest weekends in recent memory. Yesterday, as I was driving around, the music, blistering heat, and wind in my hair combined in a manner which led to a state of relaxation I had not felt in a long time. The combination of music and summer is irreplaceable. It doesn't matter whether it's pool side, a live performance, or just chilling in your whip, it just adds a certain ebb and flow to your already sunny day. These are some jams that will hopefully notch a place in your list of favorite summer tunes.
I was a little surprised we had not posted this Calvin Harris hit yet. Very much from the mold of other Calvin Harris tracks, it maintains instrumental roots but yet is very danceable. It has already been remixed several times by big names such as Benny Benassi and Nero but the original remains my favorite.
Here we have another track which has been blowing up the blogosphere. It's slightly different than the tracks we tend to post but it definitely earns its place. Think Passion Pit meets Aeroplane, there's a lot to like here but I'll let you judge it for yourself.
Torro Torro has been making quite a name for themselves this year. Their tracks have been getting plays by countless big names and this remix certainly doesn't disappoint. The group that some are starting to consider the next big name in electronic dance music presents you with this rework of Jeremy Glenn's New Life.
I recently discovered a new Aeroplane remix. It is very much the Vito De Luca brand of music. Relaxing, laid back, disco house to flavor your day. I'm not a big fan of the siren sounds but overall it is ideal summer music.
I'm going to finish off with a track I heard on the Martin Solveig Essential Mix, which I have already given my highest praise. It is much more high energy and obviously belongs on a dance floor ahead of the other tracks I have posted but I also understand that chill 80's influenced grooves can get boring if they're not mixed in with some high powered bombs.
Since I'm In the Island (#Jamaica chillin) my Internet is very slow so its pretty hard to post tracks for you guys to download.In other news I Got my grandmother Listening to Moombahton right now, and shes jammin. So here are some tracks I like.
2deep just put this out on their sound cloud today. This is one of the most interesting tracks ive listened to that involves moombahton. 2deep tries to mash trance music with a moombahton drop? Hey it works for them. Check it out. Arty- Zara (2DEEP Moombahton Edit) Trancahton? *PREVIEW* by 2 DEEP
This next track is from a relatively unknown artist to me, but don't let that put you off. This shit is fire! I never have heard a progressive dirty dutch tune like this.
Then My friend Lucy so nicely did some snooping work around the internet and pulled up the full version of that Third Party Mashup that I wanted so bad.
The Last track im going to leave you with is by Wall Recording Artist's "Bassjackers"...Enjoy
Here is a new mix from our resident DJ, DJ Rew!nd. This 18 minute preview full of house bangers, house bangers, and more house bangers is just a sample of what you will hear if you visit The Identity Festival's 'Local Stage'. We will have more on the exciting new festival, in the coming days.
Sorry it has been awhile, but better late then never! I've compiled some new (free!) music from this year from all different genres of electronic music for you guys. First up is some one you are familiar with if you have checked this blog recently: Dillon Francis. Him and Corey Enemy released a free EP featuring this track:
Who the Fuck are You - Corey Enemy & Dillon Francis
IDM (intelligent dance music) and glitch/hip-hop producer Machinedrum is back with a brand new album, Room(s), which will be out soon. Fortunately, we've got the early preview! Check out this James Blake-esque track off the album, Lay Me Down.
I would stop there, but I'm not going to, not before sending some sick-ass summer mixes your way first. This are best played while cruising, drinking poolside/oceanside, or any raging event you go to this summer. I'd want a mojito and I'd be good to go.
For those of you in the SoCal region, I'm sure you've heard the buzz about Pacific Fest 2011 (Aug. 13th) in Orange County, the line-up is not to shabby, ranging from Snoop Dogg to Cut Copy, Calvin Harris, Phantogram, Zeds Dead and over 50 more. I snagged a promo mix to get you stoked for it, courtesy of the talented guys over at GDD.
I'm 38,000 feet in the air right now on a plane going towards Jamaica
So I was thinking and I want to make a Series out of my Sound Cloud finds.
So here's number duex in the series.
New Third Party remix was released today through the Size Matters sound cloud. These gentleman have been partying all over europe and still have managed to find time to make bangers.
Martin Solveig, the man who many of you know as the producer of radio hit "Hello", got on the BBC Radio 1 airwaves this past weekend and delivered an essential mix that blew everyone away. Numerous blogs have already raved about this landmark performance and having given the set a listen myself, I must completely agree. He keeps the listener engaged the whole time, previews some brand new Summer music, gives his own take on essential tracks, and adds a bit of mainstream flavor to the whole bit. I'm going to spare you guys the discussion on what this one mix means for the electronic music scene as a whole because honestly, it's still just one sound file. However, it is a sound file which must be listened to. Look out for many of Electric Squeeze's favorite tracks and please allow yourself the opportunity to be consumed by this Frenchman's gift.
There's also a fair amount of dubstep for you grimy freaks.
You see, I'm not all about grime, filth and depravity.
No, I also, much like yourselves, enjoy kicking back and letting some nice-sounding compositions spill their notes into my ears from time to time.
I like to divide them into two categories: energetic, peppy dulcet music (tomorrow*), and ambient, minimalistic, and almost psychedelic sounding electronica.
Today we'll take a look at a few songs from the latter camp.
What to start with, what to start with...
After typing in and misspelling 'purple' in my iTunes window, we have our first track!
Great song, though unfortunately the rest of that album (Splazsh) sounds like music that would be playing inside of the clothing stores businesswomen shop in.
Nevertheless, we give credit where credit is due, and that song is awesome.
Toro Y Moi, also known as Chazwick Bundick, has been making music he graduated from college in '09, and he released his first album in January of last year.
See him live if you get the chance, his music comes at you like a brick wall when you're in the crowd.
I love their second album just a bit more than their first, simply because of the creepy aura a lot of the songs on Crystal Castles II have because of that ambient echo quality to them.
I find that sound makes it a lot easier to immerse yourself in a song.
Pick up Merriweather Post Pavillion if you haven't already, all of it is like this with minor exceptions (My Girls, Brother Sport and Summertime Clothes are some of my favourites), Strawberry Jam AND the Peacebone EP, and if you're feeling adventurous, Sung Tongs, my personal favourite, which is a lot more instrumentally and vocally based.
Maybe a bit weirder, but just as good, and definitely Animal Collective.
Their band name includes all caps, but I type that with no less enthusiasm.
I saw HEALTH by accident one night when I went to see noise-rock two piece Japandroids, and they blew my mind.
Their actual music is a lot more jarring, and mostly composed of two guitars, a bass and drums, so it's very different from what I put up there.
Those two songs are from their HEALTH//DISCO album, composed entirely of their songs remixed by various artists, including Crystal Castles and Acid Girls.
You guys should look up their normal stuff too, though...
It's funny how DC often gets overlooked in term of musical talent because we are so close to New York City, which sometimes seems to have a monopoly on the music scene on the east coast. DC, especially in the last couple of years has burst onto the scene with its unique music tastes such as go-go, and recently the dance phenomenon, Moombahton. With the help of some local DC artist's im going to show you why DC is destined to blow up.
Reason 1: U-street Music Hall
U-street music hall is relatively new to DC, starting up only a couple years ago; it is now the premier electronic venue in the area. A wide variety of acts ranging from Tyler,the Creator, Childish Gambino to electronic acts such as Tittsworth and Treasure Fingers have graced the stage. The sound system is unbelievable, and has often been considered to be one of the top systems in the country. To further understand the effect of U-Hall, I asked some DJ's who are frequent performers the club. Bernard Farley (Outputmessage) had this to say about the venue. " The thing about U Street Music Hall is that t's not just another club with a big sound system. It's a venue started by DC DJs for DC DJs. There is so much talent is in this scene and I'm really glad that there's a place to showcase it now. It's a place that's all about the music where artists and DJs get to play whatever *they* like and hone their tastes. When out of town DJs come through and play there, they can feel and sense that too."Outputmessege is 1/3 of a group called Volta Bureau. The next person I asked was Gavin Holland. Gavin Holland is an up and coming DJ in the DC area who has phenomenal ability when it comes to creating music. He also makes up 1/3 of Noveau Riche. When I asked Nacey to Describe Noveau Riche in three words he used,"Wild Crazy Kids". I think that fair to say about this dance music show held monthly at U-hall. When I asked Gavin what were his opinions on U-hall influence on the Electronic Dance Music Scene in DC he gave me this answer "U Street Music Hall fulfilled DC's need for a world-class mid-size music venue. It's small enough to work for specialty acts with a limited but devoted following, but big enough to accommodate artists that rock major festivals, such as Rusko or Carl Craig. Since it's owned by Will Eastman and Tittsworth, DJs feel comfortable that the club is designed with them in mind. And I'm sure the sound system has caused many a DJ to spend the extra dollar for the WAVE file on Beatport. Personally, U Street Music Hall took Nouveau Riche to another level as far as production. If it doesn't sound good on that system, it won't sound good anywhere!". Without U-Hall in DC, where would people who like EDM go? It's one of the very few clubs that I've been to that has a great appreciation for good music, and not just another club that brings in cash crop dj's.
Reason 2: DC's Cultural effect on Productions
DC is one of the most cultural eclectic cities in the world. We have a wide array of ethnicities represented and because of that we have some of the most diverse music to hit the airwaves. DC first major genre to burst onto the scene was Go-Go back in the early 90's and since then has been an everlasting presence in the music industry with people like Wale taking it to a new level when him and Gucci Mane got on "Pretty Girls". The next major genre to come out of DC only happened about a year and a half ago, when Dave Nada Created "Moombahton" at a house party in DC. I asked Gavin how DC effects his music and he gave me this,"Definitely. It's a small artistic community, pretty much everyone knows everyone, so musical ideas travel quickly, and there's a lot of mutual support. Crowds also tend to follow DC music closely, so you'll see an audience reaction, even if it's a brand new track from me. Some people have a sense of what I sound like and will come up to the booth and be like, ‘is that.... I thought that might be you!’ I also have more time to make music because the rent is low enough to where I don't have to have a dayjob. I'm finally about to get a dedicated studio space up in Manor Park for dirt cheap, which will allow me even more creativity. I'm not sure that would be possible in NYC for me right now". To further understand what I mean when I say DC does not produce your run of the mill artists let's look at a couple local producers and their projects.
Nacey-One DJ that you cannot put in any single genre. He has produced tracks that sound completely different and im going to give you two tracks that show how diverse his production skills are.
When I asked Nacey what the culture in DC meant to him and his music he responded with this, "There's a lot of history here that still affects what goes on musically. Talk to anyone who's been in DC for a while, you'll hear stories about the hardcore and rave days, to the club scene in Baltimore, which are all pretty different and still influential. All of them share a DIY attitude and are pretty high-energy, which resonates with a lot of people."
Outputmessage- He's been in the area for quite a bit and his music is also very individualistic. His group Volta Bureau also continues that theme of being different.
When I asked him what he thinks people want to hear he responded with " People appreciate anything with a good beat and a melody. Whether it's House, Moombahton, or Techno. Groove and melodies are what win people over. It's a universal in any genre."
Gavin Holland- He's a very talented music producer and shows it with his versatility of being able to produce a really good dance music as well as a dirty Moombahton track.
I also asked him what he thought crowds wanted to hear and he gave me this answer, "At this point, I think crowds want to hear something new, personal, and unique from the DJ. There's such open access to music now that people don't need to go to a club or festival to hear "the hits" - but for example, if people want to hear the latest tracks that Steve and Nacey and I have been working on but haven't yet released, they do need to go to Nouveau Riche. People also seem really open to all kinds of genres now, as long as there's some thought or consistency behind what you're playing".
Tittsworth- He's the other co-owner of U-Hall along with Will Eastman, he's one of the front runners on the Moombahton Scene. His tracks have gained popularity with major DJ's such as Diplo and Dillon Francis.
Reason 3: Electronic Dance Music going Mainstream.
The past year has been all about electronic dance music taking over clubs and radio stations. Early last year it would have been ridiculous to saythat Afrojack would ever produce a successful pop song in the US. Earlier this year he got together with Diplo and made the beat for "Look At Me Now" featuring Chris Brown, Busta Ryhmes and Lil Wayne.
The song has over 60 Million views on YouTube and is still climbing. Dance music is taking off and Pop is trying to get hip with it. This trend is visible all over the country with many heads being converted to the EDM cultured with its many sub divisions. Dubstep was successful in taking many kids who listen to metal and introducing them to a new genre. You have Electro for the kids who just want to rave and rage and you have House music for the kids that love vocals on their tracks. This has made it much easier for small electronic artist's to get big. When I asked Gavin about this he responded with a great answer, "Well, there was a time in the early to mid-90s when pop music was often dance music -- I can't think of an 8th grade dance I went to that didn't at some point feature "Another Night". But with Afrojack and Diplo producing pop records, there's definitely a sense that something which was once underground has become mainstream. On the upside, this means that when your average person who isn't particularly knowledgeable about dance music hears my stuff, they're not like "what in the hell is this techno stuff" anymore. They've seen Jersey Shore and have a vague idea of how to handle house music. So there's an openness and interest from mainstream audiences that wasn't there before, which is great. On the downside, it's important to stay ahead of the curve and try new things. If car commercials start to sound like the kind of music you make, that's probably a sign that you need to try something new. It's not the musician's fault, but it's important that the audience doesn't hear my music and think, "I feel like I'm in a Cadillac commercial." Pretty much we both agree that Electronic Music is becoming pretty mainstream. Maria, my co-writer, agrees with Nacey who thinks that this is a cycle,"I think things always go in cycles, but it's a great time for dance music. Even as recent as five years ago the average American music listener might dismiss a dance track because it came off as cheesy at first listen. Nowadays I think people are way more open minded about it, so it's more fun for everyone." He has a good point it's much easier to get your message across successfully when everyone is open for new stuff. Outputmessege says this about electronic music going mainstream." Well first, electronic music is not mainstream right now, dance music is. Artists who make more esoteric electronic music will probably never be in the mainstream here in the US. But Mainstream music is mainstream music. Whether it's hip-hop, alternative, dance or whatever. It just cycles through genres over time. Some of what plays on the radio is good; most of it's bad. I think it'll always be that way. So really it was just a matter of time before people got into dance music again." You decide what is the right answer to that question.
Reason 4: Mad Decents obsession with Moombahton.
For those of you that don't know, Mad Decent is a record label out of Philadelphia headed by Diplo, who is one half of Major Lazer. He has signed a bunch of artists such as Rusko, Dillon Francis and DJ Sega. Right now though, Diplo and Dillon Francis are just straight up obsessed with Moombahton. Earlier this summer Diplo released his first hour long Moombahton mix.
He also got together with major Moombahton artists in our area and has diverted almost all of his attention to promoting their Moombahton projects. Earlier this summer he sponsored "Blow Your Head Volume 2: Dava Nada Presents Moombahton".
Let's think about this: Mad decent is pushing Moombahton on a worldwide scale, and it just so happens that DC is the center for all things that is Moombahton. Nacey embraces Moombahton when I asked what he thought about it, " I think it's great. To me, the best thing about Moombahton is that it showed a lot of producers that you can think differently about how to approach making dance music. Music doesn't need to be up-tempo in order to be able to be dance-able. Breaking down that simple barrier is inspiring people to be less rigid and more experimental, which really is what dance music is all about". That makes us a pretty big deal. The bigger Moombahton gets, the more respect our city is going to gain as a music production center.
Conclusion: Where is the movement going?
DC's Music scene is definitely headed in a great direction, but its fair to say that nobody really know what sound will best represent our city. Whether it will be Moombahton or will it be deep house nobody can really say. What I want is for DC to be recognized as one of the premier music centers on the East Coast and have the prestige that makes even producers in New York City recognize us. Outputmessage has this to say about the direction the music coming out of DC. "Deep House has been around for quite a while and I don't see it disappearing anytime soon. In fact, I think there is a general movement in all dance music to go deep. After a few years of fast bangers, atonal synths, and cut-up vocals, people want music that's more subtle and groovy. Deep House is perfect for that sentiment. Moombahton is part of that movement too I think. It's those bangers slowed down to a love-making pace. Whether Moombahton will still be relevant in 10 years, I have no idea. Genres in electronic are constantly popping up and changing all the time. People seem to love it right now though." For me whatever music comes out of DC I want to do my best to support it and make sure the world knows about it. One thing's for certain though DC is destined to blow up, it's only a question of when.
I've had quite the obsession with Moombahton this summer, and its no surprise that I found myself surfing the internet once again and into the early morning looking for tracks on sound cloud. So today I decided to share my findings with you. I hope you have the same infatuation with Moombahton after listening to these tracks as I do. So kick back, grab a Red Stripe and listen to these funky riffs. 
