Size Records stalwart Tim Mason follows-up on last month’s remix duties for Kaskade & Swanky Tunes with a formative new remix for Steve Aoki and Angger Dimas. Already boasting a sizeable catalogue of remix duties from across the industry spectrum, the Brighton-based producer is back on festival-proof form for this post-summer offering. True to his penchant for peak time perfection, Tim’s tough yet distinctly melodic backdrop offers a strong extension of “Singularity” that yet furthers his stance as one of the UK’s hottest electronic exports to date. Pick up the remix from May 14 on Dim Mak / Ultra. (more…)
Back in 2006 when Dirty South was still a relatively unknown name, he bestowed the world with a remix to Evermore’s rock hit “It’s Too Late,” throwing him into dance music limelight. Pete Tong soon named the track one of his coveted Essential New Tunes, becoming the first Australian dance track to receive the honor since 1999. It went on to be licensed on over 30 compilations worldwide in addition to being picked up by Ultra and Warner Records and reaching number one on Aussie’s club charts. It’s a far cry from “City of Dreams” and “Sweet Disposition,” presenting us with a more organic feel of Dragan’s work.
Appearing in front of thousands of festival-revelers this past weekend at Coachella‘s Sahara tent, John Legend joined Benny Benassi on stage to debut their new collaboration “Dance the Pain Away.” Although the snippet is short, Legend’s gospel-rooted hook as the focal point keeps us on-edge for more. Legend joins R&B mainstays like Pharrell, Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Rihanna and Kelly Rowland who have all eagerly jumped on dance music’s uprising, begging the question — who will be next?
After returning to the production front with “Skyclad,” budding OWSLA talent Alvin Risk has teamed up with New York duo Designer Drugs for a ripping dubstep track entitled “Empty Hearted.” While Designer Drugs are known more widely for their harder electro selections, the two have dabbled in dubstep on various occasions, and their newest collaborative effort alongside bass music purveyor Alvin Risk is evidence for their taste in 140 bpm destruction. Just as he did in “Skyclad,” it appears Risk has once again lent his own vocals to the track, albeit with a bit more auto-tuning. “Empty Hearted” is scheduled for release on April 16th on Ultra Records.
As the Bloody Beetroots gear up for a second weekend at Ultra Music Festival, the man behind the mask has teamed up with Tai and Bart B More to release his newest original since “Chronicles of a Fallen Love.” Kicking off with an unexpected, glittering electro intro, “S P A N K” builds into the creative chaos we’ve come to expect from Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo. The track oscillates between upbeat and unruly, pulling in a pulsing beat, an orchestral breakdown, chirping vocals and even a cowbell. Not your typical electro house tune, “S P A N K” is a welcome addition to Miami Music Week.
Recently aired on BBC Radio 1, Rune RK1 premiered his radio edit of “No One Knows Who We Are” taking the Kaskade and Swanky Tunes collaboration down a more melodic road, adding energy where the original lacked and stripping the mix of its squealing electro house breakdown. The Danish producer, who cites his main influence as hip hop, adds layers of silky smooth melodies and a subtle kick beneath Lights’ vocal cut, turning the track from an awkward juxtaposition of two styles into a production that glows with delicate harmonies and a satisfyingly smooth breakdown.
Release Date: March 19th on Ultra
Listen to Rune’s 15 Minutes of Fame interview with Pete Tong on Radio 1 after the break.
Tiësto has been busy in the studio these past few months, releasing remixes for both Passion Pit’s “Carried Away” and Zedd’s“Clarity,“ while premiering a remix to Dada Life’s“So Young So High.” On top of his diverse remix duties, Tiësto’s collaboration alongside fellow Dutchmen Quintino and Alvaro, “United,” is out today on Ultra Records. The three-way collaboration is a propelling big room track, wielding an extensive chord-laden build up and a buoyant Dutch house drop.
Tiësto, Quintino, & Alvaro’s work is being released as the first official Ultra Music Festival Anthem in a series of four UMF Anthems, including productions from Benny Benassi, Afrojack, and Avicii. Is it the best work from these three producers? Certainly not. Will it inspire a riotous response in Miami? Most definitely. “United” is worthy of being a UMF Anthem for the sole reason that it is catchy, digestible, and joyfully rowdy.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Amidst the nearly incessant muttering of dance music fans who’ve become jaded by the industry’s so-called drought of creativity, there stands one man eager to quench the thirsts of those dejected. That man is Wolfgang Gartner, whose inaugural release of 2013 “Anaconda,” sees the prolific producer stepping outside of his electro house box for a twisted and impossibly funky offering – one that is reminiscent of his tracks of old. Unpredictable as always, Wolfgang pieces together a patchwork quilt of progressions and percussive flairs set to a backdrop of blaring sirens and a bouncy top line. Despite its slight departure, “Anaconda” is a Wolfgang Gartner production through and through, proving that it’s possible to maintain one’s sound while still changing styles.
Last year, Dim Mak front man Steve Aoki joined forces with Indonesian wiz kid Angger Dimas to bring us an electrifying single that sent some pretty intense shivers down our spines. On my end, I’m fairly convinced that the two have managed to condense an actual lightning bolt into .mp3 form, but, unfortunately, the hard evidence still remains to be seen.
Although Aoki teased us towards the end of last year with a preview of this killer track, we’re excited to say that the full song is now officially available for purchase via Beatport. Featuring razor sharp synths that intertwine perfectly with My Name is Kay’s scintillating vocals, “Singularity” is an explosive electro house release that erupts even more viciously than Mt. Vesuvius laying the smackdown on Pompeii. A consistent headbanger from start to finish, this high energy release is 128 BPM of glory and may just take your breath away if you’re not careful.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Ever since their first album, Empty Streets, was released in 2005, Late Night Alumni have been working tirelessly to blur the lines between live and electronic music. Comprised of Ryan Raddon, Finn Bjarnson, John Hancock, and vocalist Becky Jean Williams the band melds trance-like vocals and euphoric string work with Kaskade‘s poignant electronic influence to create a sound and style that is truly transcendent. For those of us not always content with the same old CDJ/Mixer set up, LNA provide a welcome reprieve from the tried and true formula – proving that electronic music can be created live without sacrificing it’s integrity.
Watch part of their performance at The Great Hall and go behind the scenes of Kaskade‘s side project in Part 1 of the 6 part video series. Their fourth album, The Beat Becomes The Sound, will be released on January 29th via Ultra Records.
