drwex: (VNV)
Oh holy cow have I got music for you. I'll break it up into more consumable chunks. Some new things from known names, and I've been unpacking the Dzeko & Torres EDM mega-sampler I linked to a few weeks ago. Let's start with the new and the unusual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6V_jP0sX04&feature=youtu.be
It's been a while since I linked to anything from steampunk music idols Abney Park. The band has gone through a couple of minor line-up changes and their material has wandered through sea shanties and more circus styling both of which were OK but I didn't think they were really noteworthy. They've started releasing singles from their latest CD, titled "Nomad" and I think this is my favorite. It's got some of the good dark energy that got me into their music years ago and whoever did the production here really knows how to make Captain Robert's voice sound its best.

https://soundcloud.com/francesca-belmonte-music/francesca-belmonte-stole
Francesca Belmonte's first solo single is gorgeous. Those who recognize the production style will go "wait, doesn't she sound like..." and the answer is "yes." Belmonte has been collaborating with Tricky and he's helping produce this, her first solo effort. It's an interesting mix of minimalist sound and harmonies with a kind of chop-cut style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUHxJI7ve1M
https://soundcloud.com/benny-benassi/dance-the-pain-away-feat-john-legend-eelke-klejin-remix
Benny Benassi is another artist I haven't talked about in a while and I sort of backed into this one by accident, when I was looking for more Eelke Kleijn music after noting his track in the Bootie end-of-year best. So, back in 2013 Benassi did a track with Grammy-winning American John Legend. It's an interesting mix of Legend's powered vocals (listen for the two-octave jumps) and Benassi's signature nu disco-influenced Italian beats. Then in 2014 Eelke Kleijn picked up the baton and produced the remix at the second link. It downplays Legend's vocals in favor of a more electronica style. I'm hard-pressed to say one is better than the other; both are interesting interpretations of the material.

https://soundcloud.com/fissunix/grace-downfall
Fissunix's mixes are notable for having clever, non-standard elements. At least the ones I choose to blog. Here he's taken Placebo's breathy and minor-key cover of the Kate Bush anthem "Runnin' Up That Hill" and woven in some of the best of London Grammar's "Hey Now" vocals. If this doesn't give you chills then you might be reading the wrong music blog entries. It's like part of the score for a post-apocalyptic love story.

https://soundcloud.com/djschmollimusic/revolution
https://soundcloud.com/mashupgermany/top-of-the-pops-2014-days-and-nights
I want to close out this entry with two excellent big mash-ups from two of the best: DJ Schmolli and Mashup Germany. The Schmolli entry is a nine (or 10 if you allow for the vocal segments)-way mix promoting love and revolution. There are some of Schmolli's trademark metal accents but the track mostly rides on the rock energy of P.O.D's "Youth of the Nation".

Mashup Germany continued his reign in 2014 of being the best and most underrated masher I know. This track is his top-of-the-pops for 2014, touching 70 different hits from the past year. It's a virtuoso effort, not simply a layering of a lot of sounds over a standard dance beat. The track weaves from orchestral to dance to electronic to pop.
drwex: (VNV)
I haven't posted music lately because most of what I've been hearing has been either outright lame or "B+" at best. However, there are three important words for today's post:

New. Glitch. Mob!

http://theglitchmob.com/
Go here for album preview, new single, and tour dates. Boston show is 3/12/2014 at the House of Blues and I'm planning to be there. I was sad to miss their last show, which I heard was awesome, and I'd like a chance to see them live. Having more friends go with me would make it more better. The new single (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKxDzyHPo0o) is called "Can't Kill Us" and it would likely make Trent Reznor proud. It's got the Mob's bombastic tones, but the electronica is dark and powerful.

https://soundcloud.com/dj_tigerlily/all-of-me-john-legend
This is a great bootleg of John Legend's lovely piano+voice piece "All of Me" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=450p7goxZqg) that came out in October. Legend has won (*checks*) nine Grammies and is a really talented singer-songwriter. That said, I'm still not a major fan. Here Tigerlily & Dem Slackers have taken Legend's vocals and built them into a nice little house dance number.

https://soundcloud.com/bodyheatmusic/reset-stealin-your-soul-fire
Back in January I noted Reset!'s Turbofunk number "Stealin' Your Soul" as a fantastic turn-it-up-loud tune with a couple remixes that were only just OK. Now comes Fire Flowerz with a remix worthy of the original. This one kicks it up another notch with a dirty fuzzy edge that fits well in the turbofunk spirit of the original.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfi6BX2FNjA
https://soundcloud.com/designerdrugs/little-boots-meddle-designer
An oldie but still fun so here you go (the things I do to pad out a music blog, let me tell you). About six years go Little Boots put out an electro-pop number called "Meddle". It's a bouncy fun tune that is very much of its era. Plus I generally like Little Boots. Then there's the Designer Drugs - yes, that's their name - 80s Coke Jam remix. The remix strips out a lot of the pop notes, drops things down an octave, and gives it more of a dance beat. This is the sort of thing I play when I need to get my ass moving.

https://soundcloud.com/namdrik16/lorde-royals-reggae-remix
Because you can remix anything into anything, right? Rawnie Lovely (https://www.facebook.com/rawnielovely) has taken Lorde's massively popular "Royals" and redone it in reggae style. There have been lots and lots of remixes and most have been "meh". I think I flag this one (even though Miz A agrees it's in the B+ range) because I have a love for reggae in general.

https://soundcloud.com/nickraymondg/marvin-gaye-grapevine-autograf
Let's close out this sound set with a remix of a real classic. Marvin Gaye was justly called the Prince of Soul and "Heard It Through The Grapevine" was one of the sounds that defined Motown for the rest of the world. Autograf's remix is a blend of original soul and modern deep house that makes me wish Gaye were still alive.

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