Seemingly overnight, versatile music producer Butch Clancy has reached nearly 100,000 Facebook fans. It’s not a testament to his social media skills, but rather evidence of his ability to appease fans of multiple genres. While he originally gained notoriety for his “downtempo dubstep” remixes to beautiful tracks like “The Funeral” and Sia’s “Breathe Me,” Clancy went on to release the full-length trap album A Beautiful Mind. Now he’s returned to his roots, providing a sentimental dubstep take on Rihanna’s “Stay.” Abounding with warm piano progression, soft kicks, and slow-rolling bass, Butch Clancy’s classy remix reasserts his prominence as a noteworthy dubstep producer.
Nicky Romero is the latest dance music producer to cross over into the pop arena after co-producing “Right Now” with David Guetta for Rihanna’s new album Unapologetic. In a recent interview with MTV News, Romero opened up about the production that he is “super proud of.” While working together in London’s Metropolis Studios, Guetta suggested crafting some beats for Rihanna, and Nicky jumped at the task.
After praising Rihanna’s appeal and attitude, Nicky told MTV Newsabout the process, explaining, “we played a few songs that we made, a few hip-hop songs and a few dance songs and a lot of stuff… and she was like ‘Yeah, I want to have this song combined with that world. And actually I want both worlds to glue together and make it one thing.’” Check out the interview below the break to find out how Nicky Romero fused dance with pop for a production strong enough to land on Rihanna’s album.
Best of the Rest is a daily feature from Dancing Astronaut that recaps the most important posts of the day as well as the stuff we didn’t get to. With the rapidity that dance music news and releases come out it’s difficult for us to hit everything — we hope BOTR serves as a catch-all. Make sure to check it out at the end of each day to ensure you don’t miss anything!
DJs touring with pop stars has become an increasingly common trend. Lady Gaga recently brought Zedd along for the ride, Benny Benassi was support for Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet tour, and Congorock is currently traveling the globe with Rihanna. He cites his remix of her hit single “Diamonds” as the driving force behind the decision. Congorock turns the saccharine-sweet pop track into an electro bomb ready for any dance floor.
The track is available for purchase as part of the bonus track version of Rihanna’s Unapologetic album.
Nicky Romero and David Guetta unite once more, on a production for neither Protocol or Jack Back, but for Rihanna’s new album Unapologetic. If you’re expecting this latest collaboration to live up to the pop sounds of “Wild One Two,” think again. “Right Now” boasts gritty synths that juxtapose the melodic elements, striking resemblance to their own “Metropolis” with a fair balance of influence from both Guetta and Romero. Certainly not your typical radio track — think Beatport release with a Rihanna vocal.
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Less than a week after giving away their remix of Alex Clare’s “Too Close,” Cazzette is offering up a free download of their take on Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been.” The Swedish duo’s “Another Summery Hot” remix – keeping the ASH acronym naming convention – of Rihanna’s pop anthem features intricate lead chord play and a high-energy grinding drop paired alongside melodic dubstep elements. Grab this one for free and stay tuned for news on Cazzette’s upcoming debut album as well as the much-anticipated release of “Beam Me Up.”
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If you’re looking for the perfect song to wind down a crazy weekend with, look no further. Andre Sobota’s take on “Princess of China” features the unmodified vocals of Chris Martin and Rihanna with a delicate, progressive house touch. This isn’t a track you’ll typically hear in a club or festival set; instead you appreciate it at the perfect volume with a nice set of headphones on. The song’s natural rhythm and crisp percussion work makes it refreshingly different from the artificial synth sound we’re used to hearing. Sobota is a newcomer to the legendary Pryda Friends label, and is definitely a name to look out for.
Editor’s note: If your parents are warming up to your EDM obsession — as are mine — make them a CD with this track up first. You’ll probably get a pleasant reaction.
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The warm weather had finally arrived – and with it the outrageous outfits and beautiful women that Coachella is so well known for. Sunday’s lineup was easily the most stacked, turning my festival experience into a marathon.
ill featured in many DJ sets – possibly because of Calvin’s Harris production credit. Another one of her recent singles, “Where Have You Been,” was also produced by Harris and the original mix features a synth progression that you might be surprised to hear in a radio hit.
Hardwell takes the song to the next level with this edit by giving it his signature bass, which makes it sound more EDM and less pop. This is certainly not the last time we will hear this song and we can almost guarantee this will not be the last remix. Are there any producers who you want to hear remix this song? Let us know in the comments.
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DJ/Producer Fareoh, one of EDM’s rising young stars, has had a huge year. We’ve seen him burn clubs down and release huge remixes of “Flashback,”“Buy My Love,” and now Rihanna and Calvin Harris’s “We Found Love.” While Fareoh is a little late on this remix (R3hab and Chuckie already killed it), his version is well worth the wait. Even if you’re eating Thanksgiving by yourself tomorrow, the synths in this one will put a smile on your face.
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