Monday, December 11, 2017

Stuck On Repeat

December is difficult. Everyone knows that. Add to the already maniacal month a glitch here or there and your whole world can be turned upside down. I dealt with a little of that this past weekend, hence my silence yesterday and most of today. That being said I can always depend on music to make me feel normal by providing a familiar foundation, especially when used as I often do, on repeat. Having my head in every which direction this weekend I relied on these five new releases for comfort and clarity. Since not are all available on Soundcloud I've again opted for a Spotify playlist. Enjoy below.Amtrac - Companions
Amtrac proves adept at partnering the pulse of the piano with the heavy heartbeat of house's deeper darker grooves. Part progressive house, part acid techno takeover. A stunning epic.

HAIM - Walking Away (Mura Masa Remix)
Holy heavenly intro! If that doesn't take your breath away then just wait for Danielle to dance along Mura Masa's new bouncy bed. The onslaught effects and their effectiveness around the vocals is incredible. The infinite potential of electronic music is on full display with this one.

Henry Saiz - The Golden Cage (Sébastien Léger Remix)
I'll admit I was skeptical any track titled "The Golden Cage" could ever compare to Fred Falke's remix of The Whitest Boy Alive, but here we are. Léger has outdone himself with this one. It rocks and most certainly rolls, but it's really the way he mixes the drum work and the atmospheric synths that gives this track freedom. The culmination at 6:18 is quite simply sublime.

London Grammar, Sir Spyro, Ghetts, Jaykae - Hell To The Liars
Another one of my favourites getting an unfamiliar rework. Hannah's vocals and Dan & Dot's music are as strong as ever: never breaking, only bending under the heavyweight grime of this additional trio.

Stephan Bodzin - Strand
Having both Bodzin and Léger in a playlist reminds me of classic Boy 8-Bit mixes. Epic techno with wonderfully warped wobbles, tactical percussion and an utterly explosive atmosphere.