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October 3, 2014  

Felix Jaehn – Shine (feat. Freddy Verano & Linying)

Continuing our run of summer favorites, we’ve got Shine. It may be October, but hell, it’s the weekend and from where I sit it’s still golden outside. And if it isn’t sunny where you are, at least this one will brighten up your day. Sundrenched piano, muted guitars, a killer flute solo and a smooth sax–and to top off Jaehn and Verano’s melodic house chops we’ve got Linying’s spellbinding vocals. A collaboration between three incredibly talented musicians, Shine is one of those rare tropic-summer tracks that actually stands out from the rest.

Check out Felix Jaehn here, Freddy Verano here, and Linying here.

September 20, 2014  

Howl – Sports Challenge

This track is bristling with character from start to finish. Bookended by vinyl pops, chimes, and deep-blue 7th chords, the heart of the song centers around a few strong synth-and-kick hits and some busy but tasteful drum interplay that quickly moves the piece forward against a backdrop of cascading white noise. The computerized flute line, just on the border of sounding cheesy but honestly too damn catchy to hate on, is what makes the song for me (especially when Howl bends the pitch up and uses it as a riser). With this being his first original release, Howl is another brand new producer to watch.

Check out Howl here.

August 1, 2014  

Stevie Wonder – Superstition (C2C Remix)

Speaking of 20syl, turntable legends C2C just released the fuunkiest remix of Superstition. A group of 4 French DJs (Atom, pFeL, Greem, and 20syl), they’ll rip any song to shreds, and then piece it back together into a masterpiece. Stevie’s vocals bounce around this track over a steady talking clav and rocking synth beat while scratch fills, one after another, fly right into the pocket. I’ve always wanted to see these guys spin live—as if watching their technical skill wasn’t enough, they’ve also got this massive LED display that syncs up with each of their individual decks. The more the merrier.

Check out C2C here.