MORRT – Dive Right In
Immerse yourself in weekend vibes with Josh Mortimer, the 21-year-old DJ behind MORRT who’s perfected his unique homage to early ‘90s groove. Built around infectious bass lines and juicy synth layers dripping from disco vocals, MORRT’s sound has already garnered quite a bit of attention abroad from BBC 1 tastemakers Hannah Wants and Pete Tong. Dive Right In, originally released this year on 4/20, represents another exciting milestone for this rising UK talent as it was released on his own label MRRT Records. The future looks bright for MORRT, and here at Black Sheep, we hope you’re as excited to follow his ascent as we are.
Check out more from MORRT here.
Jack Ü – Take Ü There ft. Kiesza (Tchami Remix)
The Take Ü There official remix album is out, and while I didn’t care for the original much at all, there are a few good creative spins to be heard: future bass from Zeds Dead, drum & bass from Netsky, and our favorite, grime house from Tchami. Trying out a different flavor, the French DJ abandons his usual gritty stab synths for some aggressive filter-play alone. But while the hook keeps you listening with a familiar and catchy flow, it soon becomes painfully obvious that the rest of the remix is just a feeble attempt to support it and fill the time. It feels like Tchami did the bare minimum on everything but the hook: Simple breakdown chords? Check. Copy/paste acapella? Check. Predictable snare build? Check. That said, I love the hook so much that I thought it was worth sharing, and also because I can see it being spliced into a DJ set to great effect.
Check out Tchami here.
Genghis Clan & Bott – Roff
DJ Claude VonStroke started throwing free BBQ parties in Golden Gate Park back in 2001, showcasing a different, more experimental breed of house music that drew from hip-hop and garage influences. The success of the parties and talent of the lineup led VonStroke to found Dirtybird Records. Boasting names like Justin Martin, Shiba San, and Eats Everything, the label grew while the parties swelled, eventually becoming so large and infamous that SF officials withdrew VonStroke’s event permits. So, Dirtybird decided it was time to take its BBQ on the road, traveling to Brookyln, Detroit, Toronto, San Francisco, and LA. Now returning home, the label is celebrating the wildly successful tour and holiday spirit with The 7 Days of Dirtybird, 7 new tracks from the label’s seasoned veterans and newcomers. Here’s our favorite, Roff, from Genghis Clan and Bott.
Check out Dirtybird here.
jackLNDN – Don’t Forget
The second off jackLNDN’s upcoming Summer Never Ends – Vol. 1 EP, with an airy deep house taste. The song structure is very simple from start to finish, but the details and groove in between keep you interested. Filtered vowels and dub rhythms that oscillate underneath the hook, reverse-reverb fades, interplay between the arps and percussion . . . at the end of the day, a predictable but undeniably polished stand-out release from a producer gaining big notoriety recently.
Check out jackLNDN here.
Interview: Ollygon
We recently had a chance to talk with up-and-coming dance producer Ollygon. Despite being fresh out the gate with only three tracks published, he’s been gaining momentum since his original Double Jump was featured on edm.com, and we’re excited to see where his ‘Cute House’ sound takes him in the near future.
Black Sheep Music: Tell us a little about yourself. How’d you settle on the name Ollygon?
Ollygon: Well, my name’s Olly. I’m from York in England and I am 18. I used to release under another name (which I’d rather not say haha) since I started producing, but only a few months ago did I choose the name Ollygon. It was formed from my love of low poly art (hence the cover artwork), so my friend suggested the name Ollygon, and it really stuck with me – it feels organic and simple.
Andreas Moe – Ocean (LCAW Remix)
Speaking of Stoney Roads, here’s a recent premier that we’ve been playing a lot lately, for several reasons. Andreas Moe is a young singer/songwriter from Stockholm, LCAW a 19 year old producer from Munich. I’ve got mixed feelings about this one — LCAW abandons the folksy backbeat of the original for a four-on-the-floor house pattern. That’s not a bad thing at all, except for the tempo being pushed so far from its normal pace to nearly render Moe’s soft and delicate vocals anxious and stumbling at times. There are places where it works absolutely perfectly (“lay your love on mine”), but the chorus feels rushed, which I would guess is the polar opposite of the vibe LCAW was going for. That aside, there’s something to be said about how original and catchy this remix is — that airy lead sample is what got us hooked in the first place — and if anything this is great progress from a rising young producer.
Check out LCAW here.
RAC – Cheap Sunglasses Ft. Matthew Koma (AMTRAC Remix)
Our personal favorite Cheap Sunglasses remix so far. AMTRAC abandons the bright marimba-led bounce of the original for an expansive house-inspired soundscape of his own. Matthew Koma’s vocals are still prominent, though not at the forefront of the edit, because what really makes this track is its sense of space. While the bassline and kick sit at the center of the mix to keep your feet moving, the background is washed with a wide and airy reverb, as if AMTRAC’s strings and Koma’s voice hit us only after traveling through miles of canyon walls. In comparison with all the other Sunglasses remixes that came out over the past few months, AMTRAC’s take has the most character.
Check out AMTRAC here.
EP Spotlight: Anna Lunoe – All Out EP
After enduring months of teasers and promos, Anna Lunoe’s All Out EP is finally all out. Fresh, smooth and sophisticated, it’s a standout in a male-dominated industry that seems to be saturated with uninspired, dull content. Anna is an innovator, citing inspiration from “Sheila E, DJ Spindarella, Kim Deal, Frente, Teena Marie . . . and all other innovative babes.” And this EP is a welcome breath of fresh air, boasting four unique and intricate tracks with a powerful and unabashed feminine edge.
The Magician – Sunlight feat. Years and Years (Blonde Remix)
The Magician’s Sunlight, another beach-ready hit from this season, is set to see three official remixes (from Watermät, Blonde, and Darius) and an extended mix released on the 28th of this month. Just this week the Blonde remix was leaked, sporting a deeper vibe than the original and an infectious hook layered with clean major 3rd harmonies. The Bristol boys Adam and Jake did well with this one. Keep your ears open for the ducked vocal loops in the background as they oscillate left to right or you might miss the detail.
Baytek – Be The One
This tune has seen a lot of reworks since Duke Dumont released Need U (100%) last year, but Baytek’s new take on it stands out. It’s the follow up track for his Nobody EP, and a good intro to Baytek house if your ears haven’t come across him before.
Check out Baytek here.
Black Sheep Music Blog 