Archive for the ‘Remixes’ Category
MNDR: Caligula (The Cold Mix)
MNDR (aka Amanda Warner + the help of Peter Wade) arrived on my radar far too late. I started hearing about her during the summer of 2010 but the sassy, inventive, electropop artist has been making her rounds of approval for quite some time before that. You may now know her as the vocalist on Mark Ronson & The Business Intl‘s “Bang Bang Bang,” (one of the most infectious tunes on that album) but MNDR is a name that has become synonymous with “crowd pleaser” in regards to her own live shows.
Although her signature look with those large glasses may leave you skeptical about another hipster fashionista, take a listen to those beats (she’s a gearhead who knows her production) and especially her vocals. I don’t know about you, but I find them very reminiscent to Santigold’s bright tone. She’s got style and creativity in all the right areas to become an even more successful electropop star than she already is.
Proof? MNDR recently announced that she will be headlining some shows over in London and to celebrate this milestone, she has offered a new mix of her track, “Caligula,” for free. You can get it from her site in exchange for your e-mail address or you can stream it after the jump. Thanks to the rad Sheena Beaston for spotting this one. You can also grab her track “I Go Away” and check the video out for “Bang Bang Bang” if you haven’t already done so.
Holy Ghost!: Static On The Wire (RAC Remix)
One band who I still haven’t seen live yet is Holy Ghost!, a fantastic dance duo from NYC. I keep missing them when they come anywhere near Los Angeles and it’s really starting to bum me out. The first time was when they opened up for LCD Soundsystem (founder of their label DFA) because I had just seen James Murphy and the gang up at Sasquatch. The next time they came near by was actually San Diego for the Chromeo tour. I should have just driven the two hours and suffered a massive hangover the next day because I have no doubt that this band would have had me dancing all night long in pure bliss.
You may remember a track of theirs titled “I Will Come Back” which I put on May’s mixtape. I still bump that song in the car every once in a while. Another track of theirs which I love is “Static On The Wire” and it’s recently been remixed by one of my favorites: RAC (aka founder/coordinator, Andre Allen Anjos). I love everything the Remix Artist Collective does. This Holy Ghost! track was already stellar yet somehow the RAC managed to enhance it with their mad talent.
You can get the original track on the same-titled EP which is out now but the duo is also great at doing remixes on their own. Holy Ghost! recently did a remix of the ever-catchy Mark Ronson and The Business Intl tune, “Somebody To Love Me.” Check both remixes out below!
Blackbird Blackbird: Modern Disbelief
Mikey Sanders aka Blackbird Blackbird (and formerly Bye Bye Blackbird) is constantly churning out new songs for us nerdy bloggers to obsess over. A few weeks back I had selected Sanders for a feature in the BeatCrave Fav series because I knew his sound was unusually slick. Yet, even after that, I was able to dive into new material – almost on a daily basis for a while.
If you go over to Blackbird Blackbird’s bandcamp site, you’ll find a wealth of tunes fresh from this music making machine’s mind. Forget about skimming through because once you arrive at the site, there’s just so much to dig into. Lately, the psychedelic/pop/chillwave artist has just been sharing new tunes via his Twitter. As a follower, I can’t help but wonder when the boy sleeps.
If you want a little taste, I’ve already got a ton of Blackbird Blackbird jams for you after the jump. His track, “Modern Disbelief,” a heavy wave of shimmering electronica, will help you jump in. His remixes for tracks from Local Natives and Twin Sister along with his cover of a Modest Mouse song aren’t bad either. Grab your goodies below!
Geographer: Kites
San Francisco three-piece band, Geographer, has somewhat blown up in the last year. Spin’s endorsement (naming them one of the “Undiscovered Bands You Need To Hear Now”) may have had something to do with it but the truth is that their EP, “Animal Shapes” is beyond brilliant and everyone has finally caught on.
The funny thing about my personal relationship with this band’s music is that I actually met these guys in person but forgot… When I was tour blogging with Vanaprasta on the way to and from SXSW, we had actually run into Geographer at a convenient store. (It always starts with a “Hey, you look like you’re in a band. Are you in a band? I’m in a band, too. Sweet.” kind of meeting.) Both bands bonded over the fact that they were both obsessed with geometry (Vanaprasta’s EP is titled “Forming The Shapes”) and after that we went our separate ways.
Sadly, it wasn’t until I had selected them for a feature in BeatCrave’s Fav series that I had become utterly obsessed with their music. If one were forced to categorize Geographer, they would fall under the Electro-pop umbrella but what they do with the elements in that genre is what makes them stand out among a crowd full of bands like Passion Pit. Fronted by the incredibly talented Michael Deni, Geographer is accessible but it’s the vocals that soar so much higher than you expect them to. It’s the emotive way Nathan Blaz’s bow sways on the cello. It’s the way Brian Ostreicher’s rhythmic patterns serve a rock foundation underneath all of this. Every single note in their music goes further than the average attempt in songwriting – a goal any great musician is able to reach – but Geographer does it all in such an extraordinary way it’s hard to get over the positive shock.
“Animal Shapes” is currently out and it also includes a remix of “Kites” by Limousines in addition to the remix of “Paris” by Wallpaper. However, it’s the original tracks I love the most – especially “Kites” – which you may have heard on August’s mixtape. If you haven’t listened to it yet, it’s after the jump!
Wild Tonic Monthly Mixer: August 2010
It’s the first day of September so you know what that means! You get a brand new mixtape of all the songs I’ve especially been digging during August. By now, you should expect goodies like this just as you are used to your morning routine. This site is all about sharing the rad tracks from artists who deserve the recognition whether they’re already huge or have only played a few local shows. I hope you’ve been enjoying each month’s mixtape because this is the sixth one!
This time around, I’ve been reaching back into the soul pockets of my musical interests. We’ve got some smooth tunes from the one and only Raphael Saadiq, the one-woman-show Janelle Monae and some local talent from Fitz & The Tantrums. Other locals who provide some throwbacks to a year or two ago also include Le Switch and Gliss.
You may have also noticed that I couldn’t help myself from including another Wild Nothing track in there because who isn’t in love with them right now? Upon the first listen of “Golden Haze,” I nearly spazzed out at my desk during work. This time, I also made sure to include one of my favorite songs from The Love Language‘s new album which I’ve been listening to non-stop. Other new and noteworthy tracks that have been creating some buzz among the blogosphere, such as Sufjan Steven’s “I Walked” and Cee-Lo’s “Fuck You,” are also included in the track list.
Grab the latest Wild Tonic mixtape below and enjoy!
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: Janglin (RAC remix)
It seems that everyone goes crazy every time Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros begin any song of theirs but “Home,” “40 Day Dream” and “Janglin” definitely gets the crowd in a heightened tizzy. I’ve gotten the chance to experience the massive group three times this year and each time it was in a festival setting. Alex Ebert and his crew really know how to make the most of an outdoor stage and after seeing them so many times during one season, I can definitely confirm that they are the perfect festival band.
It goes beyond the hippie characteristic. There’s just a natural energy that exudes happiness from the stage and everyone takes a moment to forget where which pocket they put their drugs in and just experience the moment instead. Although I was disappointed by their extremely late start at Sunset Junction (it was their homecoming show – I thought we deserved the reciprocation), they still pulled off an extremely enjoyable set. Sure, the man in the red scarf slurred a bit here and there but he was home! Celebration and music often get mixed into drinks.
Some of you may remember the RAC remix of their song, “Home” I posted a while back. You guys helped shoot it up to #1 on the good ol’ Hype Machine and I don’t blame your love for the track. The Remix Artist Collective have such as delicate and strategic touch within their rearrangements. As I said before, RAC never loses the heart of the song but instead puts on a very thin skin on top. “Janglin” has now gotten their golden touch and it sounds great! I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of this pairing.
Take a listen to RAC’s remix of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ “Janglin” below!
Robyn: Indestructible
There’s just a few more days until Robyn‘s Body Talk Pt.2 comes out and after hearing a few of the songs that have surfaced, I am just amazed at how much stronger the entire series has already become. Body Talk Pt. 1 introduced us to some of her cool-down dance tunes full of amped up attitude with songs featuring Diplo and Royksopp but that’s all it was – a mere introduction to the fierceness that is about hit us in Pt 2.
There are definitely some great club bangers such “Criminal Intent” and a bold song with the forever loved gangsta, Mr. Snoop Dogg, himself, but the track that really steals the spotlight is “Indestructible.” Whereas the acoustic version of “Hang With Me’ has a piano foundation, “Indestructible” really lays the strings on thick and it’s a gorgeous listen from beginning to end. There’s something about her fragile Swedish accent that works with naked arrangements because they end up sounding so lush in the end.
This is the second track in the series she’s labeled “Acoustic Version” in her tack listing, so I’m wondering if we’ll hear a shinier mix in Pt.3. It’d be nice to have another “Hang With Me” surprise again. Take a listen to “Indestructible” below. I’ve also included a Hobbz remix which I have to admit I didn’t dig so much at first. However, with each listen it’s begun to grow on me more and more. You can decide for yourself!
Mayer Hawthorne Music Video: Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’
I’m not that big of a fan of Peanut Butter Wolf but I’m thankful for his discovery of Mayer Hawthorne‘s sweet falsetto talent after all these years in the indie underground scene in Ann Arbor. Besides the fact that he’s from my home state, there is a wholesome factor to the singer that oddly makes me feel proud in a general sense. Just because he’s a dude looking dapper in a suit all the time does not mean his music is anything like Michael Bublé’s. Although they both do have a throwback sound – Bublé with jazz standards and Hawthorne with soul and R&B – the crooning done by Snoop Dogg’s new favorite white boy adds some flavor that is reminiscent of the melodic dynamics from The Supremes and the current soul swagger of Raphael Saadiq.
I’ve been listening to his debut album, Strange Arrangements, quite a lot this past month. It may be because I’ve had the opportunity to see him at both Outside Lands and Sunset Junction this year. The charm he provides with his dancing “Mayer-ettes” and his band The County may also be factors, but when it comes down to the basics, his strange arrangements give me a nice solid foundation from back in the day that I can dig as new music today.
Check his latest video for “Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’” out below. It’s one of his many videos made for this album and since this one came out over a month ago, I wouldn’t be surprised to find out if a new one is on deck to premiere very soon. I wish the clarity were better but it’s still a fun watch especially since summer is just winding down. Also, check out his collaboration with Snoop Dogg on “Gangsta Luv” where he remixes the track into a “g-mix.”
Wild Tonic Monthly Mixer: July 2010
August is already here! That means all the little kiddies are getting ready to back to school. It’s kind of crazy how they get out in May or June and already have to go back in August or September. I don’t have any kids but I’m sure those of you who do are getting ready for those hectic schedules again. First, take a moment to relax. We still have a month of summer left and the tunes just keep getting better while we battle or bathe in the sun. Also, here’s what I’ve been listening this past month!
In July, a few more Arcade Fire songs surfaced from Arcade Fire’s album! (The Suburbs officially come out tomorrow, August 2 in the UK and the day after in the States.) Even though I was very skeptical of how this third studio album would turn out, I am enjoying it much more than I thought I would have. Yes, the band has taken some experimental turns. All groups need to do that to expand their sound but I’m mostly happy with a majority of the album maintaining the classic, melodramatic, swooping arrangements they’ve made famous. So enjoy the track, “We Used To Wait.” Other releases since last month’s mixtape include notable local EPs by POLLS, White Arrows, Superhumanoids and more.
Also, I’ve got you guys covered with the dance beats through some great remixes from The Twelves, RAC (one of my favorite remix artists), Sam Sparro as well as a great mash up of Aeroplane, Giselle, and Friendly Fires. July was just a very a kind month.
Grab the latest Wild Tonic mixtape below and enjoy!
Robyn Music Video: Hang With Me
Robyn‘s Body Talk Pt. 2 is on its way! It’ll be available on September 6 in the UK and on the following day in the States. Word on the street is that Body Talk Pt. 3 will be here in time for Christmas!
If you thought I was obsessed with “Dancing On My Own” from Body Talk Pt. 1, I’m going gaga over the official first single of Body Talk Pt. 2 now. “Hang With Me” was offered as an acoustic song on the first part of the Robyn trilogy, however, it reappears on Pt. 2 with a shinier mix that now puts the song in the same league as “Dancing On My Own.” Unfortunately, all I am allowed to give you is the radio rip in a youtube video, but it’s worth hitting the replay button over and over. There are also already a ton of remixes of the song. UPDATE: The official video for “Hang With Me” was just released. I’ve replaced the radio rip with it so you can listen to the song (and watch it) in higher quality!
Take a listen to the new version of the single below along with remixes by Reset! and Avicii below. Personally, Avicii’s remix is my preference because Reset’s version is a bit too house for my liking but I know some of you Fabric-type heads will enjoy it. Also, I’ve included Copycat’s Sundrenched FM remix of “Dancing On My Own” after the jump. It has more of a rock vibe to it with guitars added in. Ah, so much Robyn goodness! I bet all of you who saw Robyn kick off her tour a couple of nights ago in Los Angeles with Kelis and Dan Black are already gobbling all this down.
