This week, Hardwell stopped by the BBC Radio 1 Studios to get behind the decks of Pete Tong‘s Radio 1 broadcast. Recently voted the 6th Best DJ in the World by the infamous DJ Mag poll, this Holland-based producer has been putting out electro/big room hybrids since he first got his start in 2007. In the last 2 years, with tracks like “Spaceman” and collaborations with Tiesto and Nicky Romero, Hardwell has seen a meteoric rise to superstardom, one that was fueled by his bootleg-heavy sets and the type of indescribable style that he himself proclaims as “Hardwell music.”
On his Essential Mix, Hardwell showcases his prowess for dismantling and reassembling familiar tracks with surprisingly unique results. Countless bootlegs and mash-ups, like his combination of REM’s “Losing My Religion” with “Three Triangles,” make up the foundation of the mix. Featuring cuts from his own Revealed Recordings artists and his upcoming track “Apollo,” Hardwell’s Essential Mix is big room at its best. If there was any doubt that his placement at #6 was ill-deserved, this Essential Mix should squelch the non-believers.
Dance music’s resident tastemaker Pete Tong and Cadenza darling Reboot have teamed up to deliver a lovely compilation album for those of us impatient for next summer’s Ibiza season to begin. With Tongy taking on the first side of All Gone Future Sounds and Reboot following second, the two have chosen a wide variety of house and techno tracks that have either already caught on in our community or deserve a bit more attention (thus the “future sounds” label).
If you’re a regular listener of the Essential Selection or Cadenza podcasts, many of these choices should come as no surprise. In addition to his own recent productions like his remix of Alt-J’s “Something Good” and Hot Since 82‘s remix of his “Dawn,” Tong features tracks from Justin Martin, Finnebassen, Fauvrelle, and Eats Everything — to name a few. Reboot keeps it tropical with choices from Behrouz, Carlo Lio, Sascha Dive, and Nic Fanciulli. We only have a teaser for you this time, but click through the break to check it out with a tracklist.
Pete Tong opened last night’s Essential Selection with “Like Home,” played Tiesto’s brand new remix of “Just One Last Time,” and featured Luciano’s “Rise of an Angel” as his essential new tune. The excitement hardly began there, as the highlight of the night was the world premiere of two brand new tracks from Eric Prydz. Under the Pryda moniker, we got a first glimpse at “Recommendos,” and later, “Bergen.” Both tracks are slated for a November 26th release and can be found below the break.
Feenixpawl, the Aussies who brought you “In My Mind” last year are at it again with a rip-roaring, turbo-powered single entitled “Universe” featuring the vocals of Canadian vocalist Quilla. The track is scheduled for full release on November 23rd, but today we’re bringing you a little preview courtesy of the folks over at Neon Records. If you’re a Pete Tong fan, you may recognize the David Tort remix that was played on last week’s Essential Selection, also to be included in the release package.
Lee Foss, one half of Hot Creations and one quarter of Hot Natured, debuted a stunning Essential Mix this past weekend on Radio 1. A native Chicagoan, Foss introduced the mix as a showcase of his history and upbringing, but also as a tribute to Ben Wilson, a promising high school basketball player whose sudden death sparked a social uprising during the urban crack heyday in 1984.
The mix is dynamic and emotive, keeping both an eye on the past and the future much as Hot Creations’ originals seem to do. Be sure to check out Foss’s preview of his own title track from his Electricity EP due out next week on the label. The entire body of work is worth a dedicated listen, but we’ve also pulled out some more of our highlights below.
The illusive production team Waze & Odyssey have released their latest effort, Love Attack EP, today on Disco Bloodbath Recordings. Not only has the duo garnered a significant amount of attention on Pete Tong’s recent Essential Selection radio shows, but we’ve also seen them remix some of today’s newest and hottest talents, like Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Disclosure.
Waze & Odyssey last released a remix for Damon Martin’s “That Ain’t Right” on Disco Bloodbath and have since been pumping out tracks on their own new label, Waze & Odyssey Street Tracks. Love Attack EP features two brilliant W&O originals, “Love Attack” and “She’s a Hooker” in addition to a distinctive Mark E remix of the title track. Stream the full EP after the break.
In a bit of a dream team scenario, Porter Robinson & Mat Zo have exposed the first preview of their new collaboration, entitled “Easy.” Pete Tong got the first play on this one last Friday on BBC Radio 1, but we also noticed Mat Zo played an extended version during his TATW 450set over the weekend in Bangalore. Zo has been playing some version of “Easy” in his sets for a while now, but it appears that Porter has reworked it a bit in preparation for the official release. Is this the tune of 2012? Maybe, maybe not. We can, however, confirm from the two minute clip here that “Easy” is a well-produced, feel good, and universally catchy track. We don’t have specific details on the release, but sounds like it will be out on Ministry of Sound around the first of year.
Today’s Good Morning Mix is brought to you by our fine Brazilian friend Gui Boratto. His Essential Mix premiered all the way back in March of 2009 and it is something I’ve come back to time and again since. Boratto, as you will hear Pete Tong explain in the mix’s intro, does not consider himself a DJ but rather a musician, playing out all of his productions live. His Essential Mix is no different: you’ll notice in the tracklist that every single piece of the mix is either his remix or an original production in seamlessly crafted succession. Looks like your morning is going to be minimal, enjoy.
Hot Natured, the supergroup composed of Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Luca C, and vocalist Ali Love, finally release “Benediction” today on the Hot Creations label. Although “Benediction” was first previewed only as far back as August, it quickly became the song of the white isle of Ibiza. Jamie Jones spun the track all of August and September at his DC10 Paradise parties and if you weren’t already convinced this was of the highest quality deep house, tastemaker extraordinaire Pete Tong crowned “Benediction” as his Essential tune of the summer during his last Balearic broadcast at the end of September. The track manages to be brooding and lush, but also uplifting and simple. Ali Love’s signature vocals (see also: Infinity Ink’s “Infinity” and Justice’s “Civilization“) tie Hot Natured’s otherworldly production into what might just be the perfect underground anthem.
Size Records and its progressive masterminds are continuing their blazing hot streak with the upcoming release of Steve Angello’s Third Party collaboration. “Lights” is the epitome of anthemic house, boasting powerful builds and big room synths while embodying signature progression. Steve’s influence is apparent with the relative sounds from “Yeah” and Third Party’s contribution is comparable to their festival friendly “Thank You.” We’ve heard this track work wonders on massive crowds from Jonnie and Harry at Size in the Park and Steve at EDC NY, and it will finally make its Beatport release on October 26th.
