Wiz Khalifa dropped a new rap song, “The Play” today. Produced by Harry Fraud, this is (according to Hot New Hip Hop) the second song where Wiz has sampled an indie-pop/rock song (though the sample artist is really more alternative rock/electronic) Bat for Lashes “Moon and Moon”. Wiz has released 3 songs in the past 3-4 weeks on Youtube, one a freestyle over Marvin Gaye “Good For Us” and the other, a new single, “No Permission” as Wiz continues to dominate music charts this month. Below is also a notable remix of Bat for Lashes “Daniel” the artist Wiz samples for his latest track.
No Permission (Music Video)
Daniel (Abstrakt Audio Remix) – Bat for Lashes
In other news, Atlanta rapper, ice-cream man and king of “Burr!” himself, Gucci Mane will be releasing an album produced by EDM giant, and everyone’s favorite krunk white-boi, Diplo. On Twitter, Diplo mentioned that although the album was originally billed as (and promoted by Gucci) as an EDM album, it no longer will be. It will have influences from electronic but should be something completely unique and different, Diplo says. Diplo and Mr. Guwop himself expect to have the album released this year.
Notable Guwop: Constantly (feat. Chief Keef) – Gucci Mane
Notable Diplo: Revolution (feat. Faustix & Imanos and Kai)
EDM producer/group Autograf was lucky enough to be honored by being called upon by alternative rock/trip-hop group Fatboy Slim to remix their single “Mad Flava“. Putting an absolutely amazing future feel to the song, I almost didn’t know what to coin this genre of music. Maybe all these Future modifiers (in front of House, Trap, Dance, whatever) should just all be condensed into FUTURE. That begs the question, what will we call it when it is the future, say in 20 years?
Sillyness aside, Autograf has more than their fair share of stunning remixes. Be sure to check out their songs on their Soundcloud, where you can download them for free! Next up for our ORIGINS post (below) we highlight some Progressive House remixed by Michael Conway as well as a legendary trance track from Trance God DJ, FerryCorsten,“Down on Love” from his monumental album L.E.F.
This is probably the second remix of Avril Lavigne song that I actually like, and this will take first for the best (in my opinion) as the general feel of this awesome, beat-building progressive house remix of “Alice” from EDM producer Michael Conway is much more widely applicable to any situation; compared to the eurobeat-ish, happy hardcore sound prominent in the Revo-luution remix and Nightcore’s take on that same remix (below):
Hello Kitty (Nightcore Revo-luution Remix) – Avril Lavigne
Trance: Down on Love – Ferry Corsten
Finally, last but no way in flaming hell, least. Is smash trance-track “Down on Love” from Dutch trance, EDM DJ and artist Ferry Corsten. Well known for working with and remixing tunes from the likes of DJ Tiesto, Above & Beyond and more Corsten has been a signature name on the scene since the early to mid-2000s (much like Kaskade, Benny Benassi and several other DJs who “came up” during this time period).
Released back in 2006, I was a high school junior when Corsten’s second studio album dropped. I copped it of course, during a time where the cashier at Best Buy looked at my funny, or as if I was crazy, this black teenager buying EPs from BT (Emotional Technology) or the even more rare, obscure and EDM foundation builder, Norweigan group, Röyksopp’s The Understanding. Below you’ll find two standout singles from BT and Röyksopp and two more deeper cuts.
Communicate – BT (also check out “The Great Escape“)
Learn to use your words so we can…
Communicate, communicate
communicate, communicate now…
What Else is There (Jacques Lu Cont Mix) – Röyksopp [2005]
It was me on that road,
but you couldn’t see me
too many lights out, nowhere near here,
I’ve got a golden ear,
I cut and I spear —
and what else is there?
Only This Moment (Original Mix) [MV] – Röyksopp [2005]
Only This Moment (Röyksopp’s Forsiktige Massaje Remix) [2006]
Check out this smashing remix of RüFüS’ “Sundream” by Brandon X3SR. This futuristic house / dance / trap tune will get you moving with smooth 80s/90s-style echoing vocals mixed along trappy snares, and light, spacey synth chords. This is music of the future right here people! Check out more from RüFüS on his Soundcloud. You can also listen to more remixes from Brandon a.k.a. X3SR on his Soundcloud as well.
Next up, a futuristic Dubstep cut (Futurestep?) coming from EDM band/group Satellite Empire, with their release “Titans“. Combining strong female vocals along with the hits and bass drops characteristic of Dubstep, creating a “post-dubstep” sound that could easily fit into any DJ’s set or turn up a night at a Dubstep/Rave venue. Check it out above and download it for free on Satellite Empire’s Soundcloud.
For our EDM Origins track of the day we’ll be featuring a collaborative chillstep song from EDM producers Dabin & Koda. This hauntingly-chilling chillstep tune features calming and relaxing space-like sounds accompanied by tranquil piano chords. This is just what one would expect from an artist as versatile as Dabin, an artist I was first introduced to through Canadian Dubstep duo, Adventure Club’sSuperheroes Anonymous DJ mix series. These same mixes also introduced me to artists the likes of Hermitude, DJ Snake, Taiki & Nulight, Krewella and many more, long before they all became household EDM names. Check out the song above and download it for free on Dabin’s Soundcloud.
Our first feature is the music video for Atlanta-based Rapper, Rich Homie Quan’s “Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh)“, a popular rap track with a simplistic, keyboard/GameBoy sounding electric rhythm chord that repeats throughout the beat. Quan’s “ooh, ooh, ooh” he sings during the song is characteristic of Southern Hip-Hop in being catchy and authentic, and not necessarily having to be related to trapping or other illegal activities, it’s simply there for fun. Rich Homie Quan has been blowing up on the scene lately since I first heard of him through music promoter and manager of Sy Ari Da Kid and K. Camp, a fellow GSU grad, Diana Schweinbeck. She owns her own record label and promoting firm and hosts hip-hop industry mixer events at the Sledge Lounge off Buford Highway in Doraville. I attended one of the mixers when I was first starting out DJing and doing music journalism (see: article where I covered a night she hosted of indie ATL rappers; pics) NEXT UP! (BELOW!! Trap Queen Remix!!!)
Trap Queen (Remix feat. Azealia Banks, Gucci Mane & Quavo of the MIGOS)
Let me ask you something, in the past month or two can you count the number of times you have heard “HEY WASSUP HELLO?!?!” (skip paragraph to bottom for feature/to skip opinion), yeah I can’t either, regardless it’s not necessarily a bad thing, though this song is everywhere and is drilled into my and many others’ heads (a la Little Einstein’s Remix, Nasty “Freestyle”) I believe our society is getting used to a song being the hot shit and being played nonstop for a month or so, maybe that’s how it’s always been, maybe that’s how it’ll always be, who knows amirite?
Trap Queen’s remix featuring the saucy, eclectic female rapper Azalea Banks, known for rapping over a variety of styles of music, particularly electronic and dance music, as well as rap. ATL’s own Gucci Mane & Quavo of the MIGOS join Banks in a smash remix of Fetty Wap’s hit song. (more Azealia & remixes below, check it!)
Singing the “hey, wassup hello” line Banks delivers from the get-go. Gucci’s verse is not bad either and Quavo’s is also on point.
[Eurodance / Techno:] Movin’ On (Extended Moon Mix) – Ellen Gee
Once again letting my nerd/gamer geek flag fly, in today’s origins post I will be highlighting “techno” music. The first track I’m highlighting, is Ellen Gee’s “Movin’ On (Extended Moon Mix)“, best known for its inclusion in the Japanese music-and-rhythm dancing simulation game, Dance Dance Revolution 5th Mix. This somewhat rare song, was featured on only one version of the game and for a LONG time was only available in its 1:30s length form (all DDR songs are cut from their full version to make them more playable and less exhausting). DDR sampled MOST of its licensed music through a Japanese DJ/mix series called Dancemaniathat was hosted by Toshiba-EMI, along with a lot of original productions from Konami (the publisher) itself. Some of these original productions actually made the video game singers into real stars/artists (ex: Naoki, beForU, dj TAKA, Paula Terry, Riyu Kosaka, Aaron G., Des-Row, DJ TaQ and more…) For more info about DDR, see below:
[Dance / Electronic:] Neon Trees – Lessons in Love (Kaskade Remix)
Next up, we have two songs of the same name, but both good in their own right. Neon Trees “Lessons in Love (Kaskade Remix)” remixed by the legendary, on-of-a-kind, kaskade, featured on his EP Fire & Ice. The song is a great combination of electronic sounds and alternative rock feel.
Our second “Lessons in Love” comes from TCS vs. Level 42 with their re-make of the 1985 classic rock song of the same name, remixed by EDM artist/producer, SideChain. Check it out above!
About Dance Dance Revolution:
Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) was a revolutionary arcade game, that later expanded into the console market (on Playstation 1 and 2, but subsequently almost every system of its time), where players would step on a dance mat (or metal dance pad at the arcade) with arrows on the ground. As the music plays (much of it was Japanese pop, eurobeat, techno, dance music, but DDR was known for having a little of everything), arrows rise on the screen and once they reach the top, the player must step on them. The game became wildly popular in Japan after its initial release in 1998, eventually made its way overseas and had quite a cult following in America as arcades imported Japanese arcade cabinets and people around the country met up specifically for “DDR seshs” and even tournaments arose, with prizes in the $1,000s or more for those competing in national and international tourneys.
LUMiNOUS Musings 