It’s not very often that the original producer of a track will come out and say that a specific remix “was the way the song should have sounded”, but believe it or not, this is precisely how Boy 8-Bit acknowledged the retooling of his work, Wolfen, which was doneby the acclaimed Ottawa-based duo, Jokers of the Scene. There is certainly no higher praise than this, and it’s a good indication of how well-done this remix is by our friends Chris and Linus.
You may remember Wolfen from Boy 8-Bit’s epic EP entitled Baltic Pine, which dropped last year (what seems like ages ago). The EP sorta floats along, telling a mythical tale throughout it’s four track plot. The most frightening scene involved the track above, which showcased a haunted ‘buzzing’ synth throughout the piece. JOTS go ahead and extract this eerie sound, inserting it between a well thought-out tech-house build, and an ingenious progressive-inspired interlude. This track is on the better side of brilliant, and automatically goes down as one of 2010’s best remixes.
The long awaited Crookers debut album Tons Of Friends is finally upon us and let us be the first to say that it’s actually quite good for a pop album. By no means are the Crookers selling out in this one – they’re simply applying their producing talent to a different sound. Yes it’s true that not all the tracks are particularly that good, but there are definitely a few that make up for that. The album is twenty tracks of collaborations with other artists (thus the name Tons of Friends) and each of the tracks caters to the genre of artist that is featured on the track. While the tunes featuring popular music stars such as Pitbull and Will.I.Am don’t really float our musical boat, there are others such as those featuring Tim Burgess, Porier & Face-T, Miike Snow and Yelle that are an exhibition of the duo’s diverse talent if nothing else.
The latter is probably our favorite and the one that we present to you today. Yelle is an extremely talented French vocalist whose original tracks gave way to tones of brilliant remixes and the collaboration with Crookers is simply beautiful. It just so damn French and so damn perfect. Cooler Couleur is the track of this album and while the DJs out there probably won’t be playing this out it’s bound to be a hit on your car stereo or at those poolside barbecues that are imminent as we come into spring.
Today’s obvious statement: this is a very big week for the world of electronic music in Toronto — Canadian Music Week is finally upon us. With notable names like Nadastrom, A-Trak, Klever, Simian Mobile Disco (and more), all making their way to our finest establishments, this is a very good opportunity to become reacquainted with your love for electronic music.
The track that we’re showcasing today is kinda random, and a totally spur-of-the-moment type deal. I actually heard this piece in a set over the weekend, and found myself jamming out, almost uncontrollably (and I definitely wasn’t the only one). I tapped the DJ and inquired about the track, and this here is the fruit of my labour. The track is called Chop by a duo known as the Bingo Players, coming out of the lovely Netherlands. The track was released this past January on the Spinnin Records label, and bounces like mad. Check it!
This weekend is highlighted by some of the biggest names from the world of proper house music, with the likes of Damian Lazarus, Donald Glaude and Paul Oakenfold. Though these dudes aren’t precisely showstoppers in our personal minds, no one can deny the legacy that each of these guys have created over the years. In particular, the Oakenfold show, taking place in the Guvernment main-room, will likely be a life-defining experience.
The electronic events that we’re more sympathetic to include appearances by Congorock at The Social, Malente at Wrongbar, and a couple appearances by local heroes Rynecologist and Meech. All in all, a very nice weekend, and more importantly, a nice warm-up for the CMW festivities that will certainly shock the world next week.
This past September, Tiga James Sontag (Turbo Recordings bossman and honorary electroTO Yahweh) spun at The Guvernment’s yearly Labour of Love super-party, alongside notable figures such as D.I.M., AutoErotique and a long list of others. Needless to say, Tiga’s mixing mastery was on full display that evening, and reaffirmed our undying support.
One of the biggest crowd-pleasers on Tiga’s setlist that evening was a unique retooling of the industry-shaking track titled What You Need, which appeared on the album Ciao! (released early last year). As soon as the tune was clearly audible, there was little doubt as to who the remixing artists were — the dynamic Montreal duo of Dave 1 and P-Thugg, aka Chromeo. The result was (and still is) beautiful, as Chromeo add their classic harmonic vocal element to the composition, giving rise to something that sounds completely foreign to the original. This one has major mainstream appeal, so tell your friends.
On the first of the month, via the Sound Pellegrino blog, Harvard Bass released his March chart to the general public. As these charts tend to go, there was the usual collection of tracks that we are dying to hear, but probably won’t for a while; including the new Harvard Bass and Djedjotronic originals, he also threw in a few songs that have been available for quite some time. With the way that the online music culture is it’s always good to see a chart that focuses on quality rather than simply exclusivity.
In keeping with the theme of presenting to you with unfamiliar names and music, today we have for you a collaborative effort of two relatively incognito, Nerk PP and Dirk Leyers. The tune Atat dropped at the very top of 2010 on German label Klang. Nerk is one half of TOK TOK, Leyers one half of Closer Musik, but when combined they make quite the interesting experimental tech duo. The track has a little bit more bass and a hint more distortion than usual but then again it’s something that’s probably more down Harvard Bass’ alley. So in the spirit of discovering new music here is a gift from Harvard Bass to us, which we in turn will pass over to you. Enjoy
We’re always trying to broaden our horizons, whether it be with new labels, new producers, or both simultaneously. This piece by Daniel Steinberg represents one of those instances. Totally off the radar, the tune Bailando came as a pleasant surprise to us, and once again teaches us not to fear the unfamiliar, but to willingly embrace it.
So first things first — who is Daniel Steinberg? This fine gentleman is a versatile and proven techno producer based out of Berlin, stemming from the Front Room Recordings family-tree. In listening to his work, what impressed me most were the unique subtleties within his style of techno and tech-house — a personal stamp, if you will. For example, in Bailando, Steinberg utilizes a noticeable ‘water-droplet’ sample that resonates throughout the majority of the track. Totally unconventional, and yet, totally appropriate. Tack on an exotic Spanish vocal sample, a catchy salsa riff, and this one instantly takes me to a tropical paradise.
This past week, we kinda had a theme here at electroTO. With posts published on both the Round Table Knights, as well as Zombie Disco Squad, we were trying to shed light on the next generation of dominant house-music producers. Today, we will continue that trend by discussing one of Deadfish Audio’s most prized possessions, Italian-born producer, Camel.
Camel is yet another budding DJ/Producer who got off to a ferocious start in 2010, with the release of his Zig Zag EP on the aforementioned Deadfish Audio label, managed by Mowgli. The track that we’re featuring today is actually not from that release, and in fact, it’s not from any official release. The track “Smoking Trumpet” has been popping up in relevant sets across Europe, and just recently infiltrated the interwebs (at the utter jubilation of the electronic music community).
Being indiscriminate supporters of everything that comes out of the Deadfish camp, often times our support will be utterly blind — but we can truthfully say that this track is special. Certainly, the horn sample has become cliché after the likes of Jesse Rose, Crookers and virtually everyone at Sound Pellegrino got a hold of the sound package, but Camel manages to keep it unique, stemming from his sheer mastery of drum selection, and sample phrasing. The track bumps like few others, and solidifies this dude as yet another member of the house music renaissance movement. Enjoy.
We’re lead to believe that the UK duo known as Zombie Disco Squad has 2010 in the palm of their hands. After a breakout 2009, which saw the release of the Banging on Drums EP on Jesse Rose’s Made To Play label, the Congo Fire EP which dropped on Claude VonStroke’s DirtyBird label, as well as a whole slew of innovative remixes, that have seemingly guided the evolution of this reborn minimal sound – it becomes clear, that 2010 is ZDS’s for the taking.
They’ve kicked off the year in convincing style, with yet another one of their brilliant remixes. This one was released in late January, under the HFN record label based out of Hamburg, Germany. The remix features an original by a Denmark Indie-Dance soloist, by the name of Kasper Bjorke. ZDS extracts the perfect vocal, layers a hypnotic piano riff, adds the ideal 808 kick, and finishes off with the most relevant claps, bongos and shouts under the sun. Here is the Zombie Disco Squad Remix of Alcatraz.
With the undeniable rise in popularity of what we has been dubbed “tropical house”, there was bound to be one song that truly defined the genre. That definition has come by way of the Round Table Knight’s Calypso EP, released digitally earlier this week on Made To Play. The release not only solidifies Calypso and the must have tune of the moment, but also solidifies Made To Play as electroTO’s top contender for the label of 2010 thus far.
Not only does the release of the Calypso EP mean that the tune is bound to get rinsed out in every club around the world if it hasn’t been already, but it also proves that the praise and attention that Round Table Knights have been getting since their remix release on Sound Pellegrino in 2009 is more than well deserved. The B side on that EP – while not entirely as infectious as Calypso’s melodic steel drum rhythm – does well to maintain the tropical feel. Although not a peak hour track, the pounding organic drums in Drop the Dow ensure that it still bangs out and vibrates speakers and bodies in the process.
We implore you to go to beatport and buy Calypso right now. It is a record that you don’t want to miss out on. Click here to buy it now.
