The fight for diverse and conscious voices

Too much serious stuff and not enough time to post music links leaves a lot of open tabs. Some really great stuff in here for all kinds of different sounds. Let's do two familiar names returning, two fantastic remixes, two pure mash-up delights, and close with two long-form pieces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g0cYLVrCz4
First familiar artist: the mix man is back. This was released around the 4th of July and I just heard it this week, which tells you how busy I've been. DJ Earworm produces another finely tuned megamix, this being his Summer 2013 mash. I've been lukewarm on his last couple of efforts, which I think have suffered from the restricted starting material. Here he's working with pop hits as usual but rather than trying to produce a dance-floor banger he's come up with a lighter summer tune. Yes, it's got some dance moments and will no doubt get club play but the feel of the track is different and better. Of course, if you don't like current pop hits you probably won't like this either, but such is life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Tyu8yRPlyIw
Shifting gears: Morcheeba is back. I haven't heard anything new from them in a couple years and that's sad. This is the first single off their upcoming album, set to drop this fall. Skye is in her usual fine form, and the band's sound builds complex and interesting layers around her - everything from vocal trancey to jazz-swing.

http://audioporncentral.com/2013/07/jennifer-lopez-live-it-up-jesper-samuelson-remix.html
I am absolutely floored by this remix. Jesper Samuelsson, a Swedish house producer, has taken J. Lo's recent self-promotional electro-pop confection "Live It Up" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BofL1AaiTjo). I don't actually dislike the original, and rather like Ms Lopez. This is such a complete re-imagining of the tune that I'm not even sure you could recognize the original in it. It's house, it's smooth, it's got a little funky edge - really a fine work by a new name.

http://audioporncentral.com/2013/07/nina-simone-feel-good-skyphos-remix.html
In our second remix entry, Skyphos (who I think is Ben Sanders of the Netherlands, and not the d&b artist who records as "DJ Skyphos") has produced a melodious, beautiful, ambient soulful remix of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5Y11hwjMNs&feature=youtube_gdata). Simone's original is bare, clearly gospel-inspired, and big-band sounding. Skyphos has taken out the big band and given us modern electronica, a lovely update of a classic.

https://soundcloud.com/mashupgermany/mashup-germany-watching-the
This first mashup comes from Mashup Germany, who I think is still the most underrated masher working today. Here he's working with "only" six main tracks, plus lots of cool supporting snips, and weaves them together artfully. It's definitely got dance sensability but it's mostly a feature for smooth transitions. I swear if you don't look at the track list you really can't tell where he's blending one track into another. This is off the "Mash of the Titans" compilation, from which I'll have more later.

https://soundcloud.com/hotcouture/last-night-a-dj-saved-my-life
For the second remix I wanted to show a different style. Hot Couture (https://myspace.com/hotcouturefr) a French remix team have put together two of my favorite dance tracks: Stromae's "Alors on Danse" and Indeep's "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life". Of course, there are some additional samples laid in, which I'm sure you'll recognize. I really like Hot Couture's style here - the sounds bounce back and forth but the whole holds together remarkably well.

http://audioporncentral.com/2013/07/riva-starr-hand-in-hand-full-album-stream.html
I thought I had blogged Riva Starr before, but it appears not. Starr is a UK-based house DJ and this is (as far as I know) his first full-length album. Every track features a different guest performer and the styles change accordingly. The whole thing is superb and it's hard to pick out just one favorite track. Maybe "We Got This Ting" (https://soundcloud.com/rivastarr/9-riva-starr-feat-roots-manuva) his collaboration with Roots Manuva. The fact that the track features some hot-stepping Caribbean-style horns is purely coincidental, I assure you.

https://soundcloud.com/nickraymondg/hardwell-live-electric-daisy
It's been a long time since I've blogged a full-length set, but this one is a winnner. It's Hardwell (http://www.djhardwell.com/) doing a nearly hour-long prog-house set at Electric Daisy Carnival earlier this year. If you need a track for your high-energy workout, or you think this is the kind of thing to get you moving (which I do) then give this a listen. Sadly there doesn't appear to be a download link. Like any full set there are a couple of weak spots, but the majority of the set is high-energy good listening and I love how he just drops in clear vocal bridges.