Not a day goes by (music)

[drwex]

It's been hard listening to music lately. I can't tell if it's what's come up in the stream or my nerves being jangled but I find myself clicking off most tracks before they're a quarter done. So here's what survived:

https://soundcloud.com/dancerebels/dance-rebels-presents-will-k
Will K gives us an hour-long set of ... I'm not sure what. I left a comment asking for a track list because there are some really nice house, bounce, and generally fun EDM pieces in here. One thing nerds do is look at the shape of the sound profile and if you look at a lot of DJ sets the profile is remarkably uniform. The peaks and valleys you can see in the profile here are indicative of the changes in tempo and style within the set. It's a hot mix, suffused with good energy and not overrun by the latest pop confections.

https://soundcloud.com/bailemusic/sets/baile-1045
I mentioned Baile two entries back. This is another track off his Souncloud page and it's similar: minor key, somewhat downtempo instrumental work. I picked this one because it's got an interesting mix of glitchy squelch sounds with the sort of clear smooth harmonics you find in a lot of trance music. I plan to continue listening to his stuff and thought you might like to as well.

https://soundcloud.com/rickroblinski/massive-attack-teardrop-rick-roblinski-bootleg
This track started out with two marks against it: first, it's remixing one of my favorite tracks of all time, probably, Massive Attack's "Teardrop". Then the track starts off kind of monotonously and I'm all "c'mon, do something." Then the mixer - Rick Roblinksi - finally starts working with Elizabeth Fraser's vocals. And I remember why I fell in love with it the first time. It's a different tempo and it feels like the track could be tightened up, but I've not heard a better remix of Teardrop in a long time, if ever.

https://soundcloud.com/andrewbennett/andrew-bennett-feat-angelika-vee-fall-out-airbeat-one-anthem-2015
I've been keeping half an ear out for more Angelika Vee work and here she is again fronting for Andrew Bennett on "Fall Out", a classic summer trance-dance anthem. I wish there was more room for the vocals - I think those are the strongest parts of the track, particularly the builds. The electronica is OK but nothing spectacular.

https://soundcloud.com/team-fidanza/sean-paul-vs-deep-purple-vs
It's DJs from Mars. It's a Deep Purple "Smoke on the Water" mash. Do you really need to know anything more? I could wish they'd done more with the vocals - those are definitely the best parts of the track. But dammit, this is stompin' good.

https://soundcloud.com/dean-belz/shout-lean-on
The Lazer/Snake/M0 track is getting a lot of use these days. This one from Dean Belz keep threatening to descend into trainwreck and somehow does not. How you use "Lean On' to tie together Tears for Fears and RHCP is... well, listen for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgPVuPLg0BQ&list=TL66QvsNl4SMkxNjA3MjAxNQ
I've always been a believer in the power of music to make and reflect moods. In the trance community there's a stream of things that go as "uplifting mixes". They're deliberate attempts to use the tropes of EDM - particularly high-energy, high-BPM trance music - to inspire positive moods in the listener. I can't say I'm "uplifted" but listening to RAM's uplifting mix did put a good end note on my day.

Comments

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

damn... the djs from mars mash is Just Frickin' Awesome. :) :) :)
i'm torn between dancing and going into a work trance.