Mad Decent Blog Party

New, upcoming, and interesting music you should be listening to

[maddecentblog]

Say Something Sunday

I know it’s been far too long since I posted something, so to make up for it, this post is going to just be whatever has been on my mind recently.  It’s going to include a lot of different songs, DJ’s, styles, and genres, and is mostly going to just be my view of the world of EDM and where I think it’s future lies.

So to start, I’m going to list just a few subgenres currently popular: progressive house, trap, deep house, tropical house, soul house, electro, bass house, future bass, future house, dubstep.  Honestly that list could go on and on.  There are so many different genres in EDM and I think that is what truly gives it the ability to be the biggest genre in music right now.  The diversity combined with the ease of entry really makes it so beautiful.  Any kid with a computer and a mixer can create their own music, and with the internet, now they have a way to share it with literally everyone in the world.  So many new DJs started off just by posting their mix or mashup on SoundCloud for their friends to listen to.  Others start just by playing at local parties or clubs and get the courage and experience to start making their own music that they can share online.  One of my favorite DJs, 3LAU, started just that way, and now he’s playing at huge festivals like EDC Las Vegas and Life in Color in Miami (he also just released his 5th mashup album that is really awesome and you should go listen to it).

The diversity is what allows EDM to still be going strong all these years, and for many years to come.  Some of the bigger names in EDM from a while ago are even still making music today.  Tiësto, Daft Punk, Armin Van Buuren, and Bassnectar have all been around since the 90s, and they all are still very active in the industry.  Some have changed their sound to keep up with popular styles today, others have maintained the same sound throughout their whole career, staying true to their roots.  And honestly, both are totally accepted in the EDM community.  It only helps create more diversity.  Newer DJs listened to these guys when they were young and now they use those influences to create entirely new sounds and styles.  Young guys like Porter Robinson, Madeon, and Martin Garrix are all doing amazing things at such young ages and it’s through the influence and guidance of the living legends in the industry.

And there is so many options of how DJs want to make their name.  They can make mashups and bootlegs, they can remix popular songs or other DJs’s songs, they can put together mixes and playlists, or they can make their own original work.  Sometimes the DJs will do more than just one of these options.  Like I said before about 3LAU, he does them all with his Dance Floor Filth mashup albums and his 3LAU HAUS monthly mixes, while occasionally putting out remixes and singles.  Other big DJs do these too, like Hardwell, Sam Feldt, and even Tiësto.  

And without constantly talking about 3LAU, he is a great example for my next big point.  A lot of people criticize DJs as just being button pushers, that it takes so little skill to make electronic music.  But they don’t know the world of EDM as it is today.  So many DJs grew up playing physical instruments, like the piano and guitar.  DJs like 3LAU, Skrillex, and LYAR (just to name a few) can all play real instruments, and often incorporate the sounds into their own music.  Some DJs will even have some kind of live music at their shows, such as Viceroy having someone playing the saxophone on stage while he spins.  And some DJs even take it a step further, like Porter Robinson actually playing the piano or drums, and even singing, while he is performing.

It seems like every day a new genre becomes popular.  Recently the big shift has been towards more chill and melodic music.  It started with the deep house craze, that then shifted into tropical house, and now chill house is it’s own genre.  And there has been other offshoots that got popular too, like future house and soul house.  It seems that at the core of it all, house music is just what people like to hear most.  And different styles keep emerging too.  First it was all about the predominantly synthy songs, then the songs that used actual instrument sounds took center stage, now the two seem to be evenly popular.

Piggybacking off that last part, there is a style for any kind of listener in any kind of situation.  Do you want something fast and heavy?  Try hardstyle.  Want to slow it down a bit?  Go for deep house.  Do you normally like country music?  Then check out folktronica.  Want to cruise to the beach with your friends?  Play some tropical house.  Throwing a huge rager with all of your friends?  Stick to the classics and play some progressive house and maybe some electro house if you’re feeling adventurous.  If you’re struggling to pinpoint that specific genre or sound for your mood or event, just google it; I can almost guarantee there is something out there just for you.  No matter what you’re looking for, the best part is there is always so much more out there than you originally intended to find; all you have to do is go hunting.

That’s just a small rant (if I can even call it a rant) that I’ve been mulling over in my head for a while.  It seems that for every person I meet who likes EDM, I meet another 3 who don’t understand/like it.  And while I totally understand the genre isn’t for everyone and I respect that people have different taste in music, not giving something a chance because of stereotypes about the genre from 10+ years ago isn’t right.  EDM is so much more than it was in the 90s where it was all just really fast beats and strobe lights.  Sure those are still around today, but there’s more to it now too.  EDM has come such a long way since then, and I really don’t see it slowing down any time soon.

[maddecentblog]

Guest Mix Monday

Feeling like things have been a little stagnant lately, I’ve decided to change this week’s New Music Monday to Guest Mix Monday.  If I continue this kind of post in the future, it will probably by only once a month at the most.  This week’s guest mix is coming from my friend Pat, over at @everythinglegendary.  He and I have pretty similar musical taste, so this one won’t be too different from music I might have talked about on my own.  I asked him for 3 songs he’s been listening to lately and a little blurb about why he likes them.  So here we go.

The first song he talked about is one I’ve been really into lately too, “The Wanderer” by Dion.  This song comes straight out of Fallout 4 and its hype trailers and is pretty damn catchy.  It’s a pretty straightforward rock ‘n’ roll song with the classic back and forth beat.  Something about Dion’s voice is just so perfect for this song: mostly smooth with just a hint of raspiness.  Pat said that “the oldies are in now” and I would agree with that; there has definitely been a revitalization of older styles of music, whether its new songs using elements of older genres or just old songs getting more popular themselves. 

Next is “Wicked Wonderland” by Martin Tungevang, which I hadn’t really heard of before he played it for me recently.  His explanation for this song was that he’s “been listening to a lot of tropical house recently” and I’m right there with him.  Tropical house is one of the hottest genres right now, and it hasn’t worn out its welcome yet.  I said it last year around this time when it was really getting big, and I’ll say it again this year: if it can stay popular just long enough for spring break to hit, it’s going to stick around as one of the staples of EDM.  This song is somewhere between tropical house and its offshoot genre of soul house, using pianos and saxophones, and is a pretty fun and lively song.

Last up is the Kygo remix of “Dirty Paws” by Of Monsters and Men, which has always been a favorite of mine too.  This was one of the first Kygo songs I heard back when he played his unreleased version of this remix back on Thomas Jack’s podcast, and I immediately fell in love with it.  Of Monsters and Men? Good.  Kygo? Great.  When you combine the two?  Amazing.  Pat’s support for this song was as simple as “I <3 Kygo” and honestly at this point who doesn’t?  He’s single handedly popularized the tropical house subgenre, and Pat actually saw him this year at Lollapalooza Berlin (which I will eternally be envious of).  Pat also wanted to add in that he loves Of Monsters and Men too (who I’ve also really been getting back into too).  This song is really a great remix, keeping a lot of the original sound, while adding in his own unique and pretty much trademarked sound.  

[maddecentblog]

Spotlight Sunday: Avicii - “Stories”

The first song up is called “Talk To Myself” and is one of my favorites from the album.  It starts off with a simple bass and snare combo, and is joined by quick and deep synth beats very reminiscent of 80s synthpop.  In the background are faint higher pitched string rifts that add to the 80s feel.  The vocals are really well done, with the lyrics and the singer’s voice fitting with the 80s style of the song.  The chorus is essentially just a continuation of the previously established beats, but a little heavier, to emphasize that it’s the chorus.  It isn’t exactly the most complex song, but it’s still well produced and Avicii definitely hits the nail on the head in his attempt to make an 80s sounding song.  At the end of the day, it’s a very fun song to listen to, and isn’t really like anything else that he’s made.

Second is a very different song from the last, called “Sunset Jesus”.  With a name like that, you can expect it to sound kind of beachy, almost like the Cali rock that was popular in the mid 2000s.  It has the similar beats and guitar rifts those songs were known for, but the prechorus is when it starts to sound more EDM with piano and synths battling back and forth, meshing very well.  The chorus itself is the two switching off, playing in the other’s pauses.  It’s like Avicii combined Cali rock with more 90s lounge music-esque piano chords.  The lyrics are also pretty interesting when you really listen to them, fitting with the California theme of the music.  I’m not sure if Avicii grew up playing other instruments like the piano or guitar, but the melodic chords on the piano in this song really make me think that he has to be able to play physical instruments.  This is definitely a song you can really blast in the car with the windows down when you’re driving to the beach with friends.  

The last song is one I really didn’t get into until much more recently, “Trouble”.  It starts and you immediately thing the album has ended and you’re listening to a country song, very much like when “Wake Me Up” was first getting popular.  Working with Zac Brown Band on “Broken Arrows” really must have left a lasting impression on Avicii because this is seriously a good country song by an electronic music DJ.  The chorus focuses on the acoustic guitar that had been building the rest of the song, but is joined by other stringed instruments, like a fiddle or violin (I can’t really tell the difference, I’m not that classically trained).  My biggest complaint (and really only) about this song is that it’s just under 3 minutes long, because it’s so good that I don’t want it to end.  I only recently got back into country music and this is the perfect middle ground between my true love of EDM and the mostly unexplored territory of country.  You could honestly have told me this is a Zac Brown Band or Thomas Rhett song and I would have probably believed you.

Overall, I really enjoy this album and I’m a little disappointed in myself that I wrote it off initially, expecting it to be just another set of Avicii songs that all sound the same.  Well let me tell you that I could not have been more wrong about that.  No two songs on this album really sound that similar, with varying styles, tempos, and instruments used.  But at the same time, it’s a pretty cohesive album.  

9/10 - definitely recommend everyone listen to it, and find which song/style speaks to you most; this is also a great album to play for anyone who thinks all EDM is the same generic crap.

[maddecentblog]

Wildcard Wednesday: Gorgon City - “Go All Night” (feat. Jennifer Hudson)

This Wildcard Wednesday is a little bit older of a song, but not enough to be a real throwback or anything.  Gorgon City is an English deep house duo that made some pretty big waves last year with their debut studio album called Sirens.  What I really like about Gorgon City is how 90s they sound, like something out of a lounge room.  The album was reasonably successful, with multiple songs peaking in the top 10 of the UK singles charts.  

The song from the album I want to talk about is called “Go All Night” and features vocals from Jennifer Hudson.  The song starts with Jennifer Hudson singing over some high pitched synths that are very much just setting the background tone, and some claps to set the beat.  But then the prechorus hits and these really deep piano chords come in too and it’s starting to sound really loungey.  The chorus is marked with deep and bouncey bass beats, and then the piano comes back with the bass taking a bit of a back seat.  There’s really something special about the use of the piano and bass that make it sound super 90s, which is exactly what Gorgon City was going for.  And then when you add someone with a great voice like Jennifer Hudson, you’ve got a recipe for a really fun deep house/lounge house song.  The song does seem to just fly by though; each time it’s starting to wind down, I’m surprised and want to just start it over again.

Overall, the song isn’t overly complex, but that’s the beauty in it.  The 90s weren’t exactly known for the most intricate songs, and this one really captures that but takes it to a new level.  It’s really unlike many deep house songs I had heard before I found out about Gorgon City, and kind of set the bar for what I expect from deep house/lounge house music.  It’s a good song to introduce people into the world of deep house music, and can also be played when you’re trying to get a party started.  It’s a great middle point between a 90s throwback and an EDM banger. 

[maddecentblog]

Anything Thursday: Two Friends & INSTRUM - “Trap King” (Fetty Wap ft. Adriana Gomez Cover)

Man that was a mouthful of a title, but I’m pretty excited to talk about this song; it’s been my number 1 since I found out about it a few weeks ago.  Capitalizing on the hugely successful “Trap Queen” by Fetty Wap, Two Friends and INSTRUM team up for this awesome remix featuring some covered vocals by Adriana Gomez.  I had never heard of INSTRUM before, but Two Friends have been remixing songs by popular artists, like Lana Del Rey and Echosmith, for a while now.  But recently, Two Friends has changed up their style, switching from progressive house to the newly emerging subgenre called Soul House.  So this is sort of going to be a spotlight for that too.  Soul house has the typical facets of house music, but throws in the soulful elements of saxophone and piano.  In some ways you could say it’s similar to deep house with those two instruments being included, but the way they use them is very different.

The song starts off really differently from the original in just about every way other than the lyrics.  Fast bouncey synth sounds, slower cymbals and claps, and a female vocalist.  But when the prechorus starts the piano starts to come in.  As the buildup continues the sax joins in as well and mixes really well with the piano.  Did you ever see those clips of Bill Clinton playing the saxophone on The Arsenio Hall Show?  Well this remix almost sounds like the DJs were inspired by that when they were making the song.  There’s a semi-interlude when Adriana Gomez sings a line or two and then pauses, and the saxophone plays during those pauses and it really helps balance the amount of sax vs. vocals.  But it really is the “chorus” that takes center stage in this remix.  The sax just sounds so soulful and the piano has these fast chords that really fit the soulful theme as well.  This is really one of the few times where I’m finding it hard to describe the song because it’s just so unlike anything else I’ve heard, but I’m obsessed with it.

Overall, this is such a fun and lively song, that I don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t enjoy it.  It’s piggybacking off the success of “Trap Queen” and honestly I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t enjoy that song either, so it’s the best of both worlds.  This is a party song, a driving song, a chilling song, really any kind of atmosphere is appropriate for a song like this, and I really recommend it, and the DJs, to anyone out there.

[maddecentblog]

New Music Monday: Grimes - “Art Angels”

This is definitely going to be one of the weirder New Music Monday’s, talking about Grimes’s newest album called Art Angels.  I really have a minimal exposure to Grimes and her music, but that little bit of knowledge is what compelled me to listen to the album when I saw it was recently released.  Previously, I had also only listened to songs she more or less just sang on, like “Phone Sex” and “Go” (both of which were with Blood Diamonds, but that’s for another post).  But I liked those songs so I had good expectations for her own studio album, especially considering that I had no idea she produced her own music.  I’ll be honest, Grimes is kind of a weird musician, but not in a bad way.  It’s weird in the sense that her lyrics and vocals are kind of out there, but the actual music and beats are really well produced and enjoyable.  She’s also kind of hard to peg as far as what genre she is; she’s somewhere between synthpop and maybe experimental, but I honestly feel that a cross between those two genres still isn’t even enough to accurately quantify her.  She really just does her own thing, but it works for her.

The first song up is the lead single from the album, called “Flesh Without Blood”.  The song starts with these fast guitar chords that almost make it sound like it’s going to be like an alternative or indie song.  Then these very pronounced drums join in and the guitar chords get louder to compete.  The main focus of the song, however, is Grimes’s voice and the lyrics.  Her voice is already dreamy sounding, as if to say she might be high while singing, but then she loops her own voice over and under the main lyrics, to add an echoing effect and make it seem like there’s more people than just her singing.  What’s also kind of neat about the song is that it sounds like a slightly different song at different points, mainly because of her voice and the synth sounds she uses, but the guitar chords and drum beats stay consistent to make the different parts sound cohesive.  It’s one of those songs that when you first listen to it, you’ll think it’s nothing special.  But then you give it another few listens and you’ll find yourself wondering if these is even the same song you just listened to.  It’s a really unique song and it’s no wonder it was the single for the album.

The second song is (sort of) the title song, “Artangels” (it’s spelled differently than the album so that’s what I qualified it with the “sort of”).  “Artangels” follows a similar concept as “Flesh Without Blood”, using an underlying set of guitar chords throughout the whole song.  But it has a more fun feel to it, reminiscent of Cali rock songs.  She uses the same techniques with her voice and it works for this song as well.  The verses are probably my favorite part of the song because of that Cali feel.  It’s like tropical house met synthpop and I love it.  It’s a song I can see myself blasting with the windows down as I’m driving to the beach (and with this heat wave we’ve all been in I might actually be able to do that in the near future.

Last song for the post is one of the weirder songs at times, but I really think it exemplifies just what Grimes set out to do, and it’s called “Kill V. Maim”.  It starts with these lower guitar chords that gives the song a darker vibe already.  Grimes kind of just lets loose with her vocals just not holding back on the weird factor, but that also does work well with the darker feel the song has.  The chorus is really where the weird comes out, because she loops several different lyrics over each other so it sounds like there’s multiple people singing different lines at the same time, but they don’t compete with each other, rather they complete each other.  Something about this song makes me feel like I’m back in middle school listening to typical angsty middle schooler music, but without the typical emo and scene elements.  It’s a song that I could see was written while Grimes was doing coke or something (but I’m not implying that she actually did write her music while on drugs).

Overall, I think this was a good album to mix things up from what I had been listening to.  It was similar enough to what I had been listening to, but it was also a different enough feel so it was a good change of pace for me.  I liked most of the songs, some were a little too weird, but that’s not to say they’re bad, just too different for me.  I did like the way Grimes mixed elements from very different genres, so that’s probably what will keep me listening to the album for a while.  Also, really important thing to consider: the album cover is just as weird as you’d expect it to be, don’t let that turn you off before you even give it a chance.

Normally I would link the YouTube videos for y’all to watch right away, but I guess there’s some issues with copyrights and I can’t embed them, so here’s the album link in Spotify. https://play.spotify.com/album/5hB4jVN4ZHpubyiMmW81K1

7.5/10 - if you’re really into this darker and weirded kind of music, then this album is a great choice, or if you’re looking to really take your musical taste in a different direction than what you’ve been listening to.  It’s definitely an album that can take some getting used to, but once you give it a few chances, you’ll find yourself really enjoying it.

[maddecentblog]

Wildcard Wednesday: Adele - “Hello”

Now I know what you’re thinking, “Why is this Wildcard Wednesday? Everyone knows and loves this song already.”  To which I would say, only the first part of that is true; everyone know this song, but I’m seriously the only person that doesn’t like this song.  Yes, I know Adele is incredibly gifted and can sing like an angel, and objectively the song is good.  But when I took the time to really listen to this song, it is so dull I almost didn’t want to write about it.  But then I saw everyone obsessing over this song that I couldn’t sit back any longer.  So instead, get ready for the very first (and hopefully only) Rant Wednesday.

I’m not going to really take the time to break this song down as it progresses, because, as I’ve already mentioned, everyone knows it.  However, I am going to analyze each facet of the song.  The song has the lyrics as the main emphasis, which for someone with Adele’s talent, makes sense, and I do like that about the song.  But here’s where my attitude changes.  Accompanying her voice in the background is 4 piano chords.  That’s it.  Just 4, simple chords.  Now maybe I’m just expecting too much from multi-platinum recording artists, but 4 chords and some lyrics aren’t going to cut it.  And I’m sure there’s people out there saying “Well you just can’t appreciate the simplicity of her music, and her voice is so moving, and the lyrics are so deep and meaningful.”  To which I ask, if anyone else did a big comeback song like that, would we care as much?  Probably not.  Adele was such a hit 4 years ago when her last album came out, and she has such amazing talent, and she had been missed for song long by pop music lovers, that she could have released anything as a single and we would have lost our minds just as we did for “Hello”.  

Look, I loved Adele’s older work.  “Rolling in the Deep”, “Set Fire to the Rain”, those are all good songs.  They have substance while still having the quality and depth that people like “Hello” for.  But this new “song” has no real effort put into it.  It’s honestly like she just woke up one day and wanted to release a single, and then by the end of the day had slapped together this mess and called it a song.  I honestly question the musical taste of someone who legitimately loves this song.  And I’m sure I’m going to get some flak for that, but I honestly don’t care.  Music is so moving and so important to me, that when a song like this gets popular because people think it has substance, it’s an insult to the art that other musicians put their blood, sweat, and tears into and get no recognition.  This song is 100% being carried by Adele’s celebrity.

Now, with all that being said, this song has given me 1 good thing to talk about since it came out.  A few weeks ago, I did a spotlight for the emerging DJ duo of LYAR.  And just a few days ago, they put out their joint effort of a cover of the song with Taps & JDam.  This is real music.  This is a truly beautiful song.  This song has melodies and actually sounds like effort was put into it.  It’s is a very tropical and melodic song (typical of LYAR) that is better than the original in every way imaginable.  The main instrument is a guitar and that alone has more substance than the piano chords in the original.  Then there’s the background drums and the other percussion instruments (not really sure what they’re called, but it sounds like those two little “pipes” you hit together to make a higher pitched clinking sound).  And then there’s the guitar riffs during the interludes.  AND to top it all off, the singer has an amazing voice, which proves that there’s more artists with great voices other than Adele.  This version seriously blows the original out of the water and is just so much more enjoyable than it (it also doesn’t sounds as sad as the original so I wouldn’t feel weird playing it around friends).  Honestly, I urge you all to really go and listen to “Hello” with an open mind and forget about all the hype that came with it just because it’s Adele.  There’s more to music than what the top 40 stations play on the radio or the top charts you see on Spotify and iTunes.  If you really just want to stick with those because you legitimately enjoy those over-produced abominations, then be my guest.  You just really don’t know what else is out there that you’re missing out on.

https://soundcloud.com/lyar/adele-hello-lyar-taps-jdam-cover

[maddecentblog]

Wildcard Wednesday: Illenium - “Only One” (feat. Nina Sung)

These Wildcard posts seriously just keep coming to me right when I start to think I have nothing good to write about.  This one comes courtesy of a Twitter post by one of my favorite DJs, 3LAU.  It’s called “Only One” and is the first single from Illenium’s upcoming album.  Now, I have never heard anything by Illenium before, but judging from the number of likes and plays for this song on Soundcloud, I’m guessing they’re kind of a big deal.  I’ve since listened to a few other songs and they’re definitely similar sounding to this one, and I’m definitely a fan now.  But now to the song at hand.  It starts off with some kind of glitchy sounding synths (which makes sense cuz this DJ commonly produces glitch hop).  This transitions into some really melodic beats and synths with fast high hats and somewhat staccato synthy piano notes.  The lyrics are also really great and I love Nina Sung’s voice here.  Then the bass drops and it sounds straight out of Porter’s Worlds album (not saying either is a better DJ, just comparing it to something I’m very familiar with).  I think one part of the song I really appreciate is that a lot of the lyrics are layered with Nina Sung’s voice in different octaves to add some depth.  I’m not sure what it is about the song, but in my head I picture it playing during some epic video game cutscene (maybe that’s just glitch hop for you).  The choruses and bridge in between them really go well together because the bridge almost slows down the mental scene I envision and then *BOOM* it just hits you back harder than the first time.  It’s just so glitchy and synthy while still sounding so cohesive; a lot of glitch hop songs sound broken up to seem glitchy but this one does a great job of keeping a solid sound continuously throughout.   

https://soundcloud.com/illeniumofficial/illenium-only-one-ft-nina-sung

Overall, this is a really great song, and a really great artist I’m glad I’ve found out about.  It’s a wonderful mix of glitch hop and complextro (which I know are pretty similar already) that’s actually beautiful and melodic.  I would say that this is not necessarily a party song, maybe a pregame song if you’re into some heavier synths and bass.  8.5/10

[maddecentblog]

New Music Monday: The Chainsmokers - “Bouquet - EP”

This week’s New Music Monday came to me as a bit of a surprise, since I hadn’t heard anything about when this EP was dropping.  But lo and behold I see them tweet just the other day that it was available.  They had already actually released 5 of the 6 songs as singles previously, but their debut EP definitely shows that they are more than just “#SELFIE” and really can hold their own in the music industry, and do it with a diverse repertoire.  They’ve also put out several other singles that didn’t make it onto the EP (including a collab with Tiesto, which is kind of a big deal).  But I’m going to focus on the songs just from the EP, which are seriously good.  I also had the privilege to see them live back in May at Sunset Music Festival and they were really great, playing a bunch of different stuff, including the Botnek remix of “#SELFIE”, proving they can laugh at themselves.

First up is “Roses” (feat. ROZES).  First thing to note is there were a few songs from the EP that were named based on their featured singer, which I think is actually pretty cool and I haven’t seen anyone else do something like this.  The song starts with slow and offbeat drums with the vocals really taking center stage, and the overall feel of the intro is pretty minimalist.  The build is kind of different too, with these very sharp and static synths (probably made by sampling ROZES voice), but the chorus drops and really takes you by surprise.  The synths almost feel like they’re recreating an organ sound but not quite that churchy sounding.  The whole song kind of follows this sound and rhythm after that first drop.  And the lyrics are actually pretty deep, which if you’ve listened to The Chainsmokers since “#SELFIE” really shouldn’t come as a surprise.  (And not to detract from this great song, but my buddy dropped a mashup featuring these great lyrics that y’all should check out  https://soundcloud.com/franzsolo/saturday-morning-roses-the-chainsmokers-feat-rozes-vs-stephen-walking-hyper-potions)

Next up is the last single released before the EP, called “Until You Were Gone” (with Tritonal feat. Emily Warren).  Just seeing that they worked with Tritonal on this one should be a good indicator of the quality.  It starts with guitar chords, like a lot of progressive songs now are doing, so they’re sticking with what they know, which is good.  And again, some really great lyrics and, man, is Emily Warren’s voice just perfect for the song.  The build is where the vocals really shine, and they lead into this really hyped build right before a drop that again takes you by surprise.  This electro house drop is so well done you could have told me Zedd did it and I would have believed you.  Lots of heavy bassy synths and video game-esque sounds really exemplifies The Chainsmokers eagerness to branch out just enough so that their songs aren’t all the same without going too far out of their comfort zone.  It’s really a job well done.

Last song today is the only one that was released just on the EP, called “New York City”.  It starts with a piano intro (be still my beating heart) and still more great lyrics (I’m already hooked).  As the song continues the piano and accompanying synths get a little faster before breaking into these two competing synths that carry over into the drop.  One is very high and the other is nice and deep for the background.  After that first chorus is over, the song picks back up where the first verse left off, but they’ve added one of those deep echoing background drums commonly used in deep house, so they’ve clearly learned that EDM is all about borrowing elements from other subgenres.  My only issue with the song is the singer isn’t credited so I have no idea whose beautiful voice is singing these deep and meaningful lyrics that go so well with the deep synths in the chorus.  I can see why they didn’t release this until the entire EP came out, because it’s honestly my favorite of the bunch.

Overall, I think this is a really great first step into becoming a main player in EDM for The Chainsmokers.  They really have come a long way since “#SELFIE” (which honestly without the lyrics is actually not a bad song).  I think what I like most about the EP is that they know their place as progressive artists, but they still like to venture out a little bit into some other genres that are similar enough to what they do.  If this is their first EP, and along with other singles they’ve put out, I have very high expectations for the American duo.

8.5/10 - great first step for the DJs who clearly had no desire to be a one hit wonder

[maddecentblog]

Sunday Spotlight: Summer Was Fun

For this Spotlight post, I’m going to talk about a great new but relatively unknown DJ called Summer Was Fun.  He’s only been on the music scene for about a year now, but signed to the Monstercat label so there’s definitely a lot of talent in this emerging artist.  He sites his influences as “punk/ska music from the 90s” and it’s definitely noticeable in his work, with his songs primarily falling under the umbrella of the new subgenre “indie dance” (but that’s a spotlight for a different day).  Without getting too much into indie dance, it’s basically somewhere between EDM and synthpop indie music, really lively and very danceable.  Though Summer Was Fun is still pretty new in the industry, he already has some great originals, collabs, and remixes to his name.

First up is his latest single entitled “Run To You” (feat. Meron Ryan).  While sounding a little more progressive than indie dance, the song still has elements of indie dance, and you can’t exactly blame a DJ for producing a song in the style of the most popular subgenre.  It’s still a really fun song, starting out with these light and bouncy synth sounds before breaking into the build with quick guitar riffs and some really great lyrics.  The drop is actually really nice, with those same bassy guitar riffs and fun synths.  The lyrics are what really do it for me with this song, they just seem so in sync with the DJ’s name of Summer Was Fun, about a summer love and running back to them when they realized what they were missing now that summer has ended.

Next up is one of the songs from his debut EP from almost a year ago, called “Sine Language”.  This song along with the rest of the EP are also a little less than indie dance, more electro house if you will, but still draw from his aforementioned influences from the 90s.  The song starts with some quick drums that almost make it sound like it’s going to be a DnB song.  But the drop comes and just blows me away with the wobble and synths, but still has those fast drums intermittently throughout.  It’s a great song for those who are a little more well versed with different EDM genres but it might be a little too heavy for newbies.  Honestly my favorite part of the song is the little bridge/interlude in the middle; it’s got some really fast drums, almost like bongos, and this great reverb synth going.  And then this leads into a little bit of a twist on the last time the bass dropped in the song, it kind of sounds a little lighter and happier, while still sounding enough like the rest of the song to warrant being one whole song.

Last up, is my favorite song by Summer Was, and the first I heard by him, “Watching” (feat. Colordrive).  I don’t know what it is about this song, but it’s so great how it really sounds like an indie attempt at and EDM song, and it is just so well done.  It starts with fast bass chords in the background with some guitar riffs taking center stage.  The first verse has these trumpet sounds in the background and some really indie sounding lyrics (I know, how can lyrics sound indie? Just listen, you’ll see).  It’s got this great synth over all of the other facets I’ve talked about in the song.  It’s just an upbeat and lively song, but then you listen to the lyrics and their kind of dark, it’s a really great contrast and I love it, it works so well.  You could have told me some indie synthpop band made this song and I would have believed you 100% because it’s so perfectly indie dance.

Overall, Summer Was Fun is a really really great new (and assumedly young) DJ with so much talent and potential that I really hope he blows up and gets the notoriety he deserves.  All 3 songs I talked about here are similar enough to believe they were made by the same DJ but different enough to showcase his diversity as a producer.  I’m definitely going to be keep my eyes open to see if Summer Was Fun is playing any shows or festivals in the near future, and would really love to see the diverse group that shows up to support him.  I truly think a lot of different kinds of fans would enjoy his music and that only adds to the likely hood that he gains immense popularity if he keeps up this good work.

[maddecentblog]

Wildcard Wednesday: Bright Lights - “Runaway” (feat. 3LAU)

For this Wildcard Wednesday, I’m pretty excited because it’s one of my favorite DJs, 3LAU.  I know the song is technically featuring 3LAU, but I’m sure he’s the one who made the majority of beat, with Bright Lights kind of just directing him with what she had in mind for the song.  The two are pretty good friends and this is the 4th song they’ve done together so I assume Bright Lights trusted 3LAU to do a good job.  It’s a pretty unique song, very different from other songs 3LAU has done in the past.  He described it as taking elements from a lot of currently popular genres.  The intro is kind of melodic, which 3LAU really tries to emphasize in his work, seeing himself as a musician who just happens to make electronic music currently.  The drop is where it really diverges, almost being a cross between deep house and trap music, with fast snares and high hats and that hard but high synth, kind of like Keys N Krates.  What really wins me over is the lyrics.  I already love Bright Lights’s voice so I knew I would be hooked before I even listened to it.  The lyrics themselves kind of remind me of another song the two did in the past, “How You Love Me”, in that they’re about relationship where the two could have done things better, so it’s nice to see them sticking with a similar theme across different songs.  It had been a while since we had some new music from 3LAU so hopefully the release of this song means there’s more to come on the way.

https://soundcloud.com/3lau/bright-lights-runaway-feat-3lau

Overall, I really like the song, but it is a little different.  I wouldn’t really recommend playing this song around people who aren’t already really big on EDM, but if you’re trying to branch out a bit, this is a good place to start. 8/10

[maddecentblog]

Spotlight Sunday: Future Bass

For this Spotlight Sunday, I’ll be talking about the emerging subgenre called “future bass”.  How do I even begin to describe future bass?  Imagine somewhere between dubstep, complextro, and future house.  Since the genre is still pretty new, the artists really have a lot of freedom to experiment with different sounds and styles while still remaining under the umbrella to be considered future bass.  Typical elements of future bass include really heavy synth reverbs, fast high hats and snare drums, and very whimsical beats (almost video game sounding) laid over the deep bass drums.  It’s a very diverse and very fun genre to listen to

First up is one of the most fun future bass songs I know, “Adventures” by Hyper Potions and Subtact.  It starts off with a very 8-bit intro reminiscent of older video games like The Legend of Zelda or Pokemon.  But the bass quickly drops into a very bassy/reverb version of that same intro.  The several interludes are marked with a melody on what sounds like a pan flute.  I really can’t even put into words how much I love this song.  In my eyes, it perfectly exemplifies what future bass is all about.

“Leaving You” (ft. Jojee) by Savoy and Sound Remedy was one of the first future bass songs I ever heard (shout out Kat) and I really didn’t even know what I was listening to at first, I just knew I really liked what I was hearing.  A little bit different path was taken by the DJs with this song as compared to “Adventures”, as it’s a little deeper and heavier bass reverbs.  What I really do like about this song though is it has lyrics, which I’m always a fan of in EDM.  Overall the song sounds a little more like electro house than future bass, but I would still say that it’s enough for future bass, considering the genre is still so loosely defined.

Last up is a real crowd pleaser, “Trap Queen” (Crankdat Remix) by Fetty Wap.  The intro starts off really similarly to the original song, with just a slightly different bass beat.  But halfway through the intro you can already start to hear the elements of future bass slowly sneaking their way into the song.  And once that bass drops, it’s honestly just beautiful.  Low bass reverbs, high synths, and even higher complextro sounds make it very typical of what many people would consider future bass.  What makes the song so perfect is that everyone knows the lyrics to the chorus but gets a very welcome surprise when the bass kicks in and blows their freaking minds.  Not many songs can make me legitimately throw my hands into the air and dance, but damn does this song make me do just that.  

So to wrap up, I really recommend future bass to anyone looking to broaden their musical horizons without going too far off the beaten path (ya I know that this is a somewhat obscure subgenre but it draws elements from several other really popular subgenres so it’s not too far removed from the really popular stuff circulating right now).  It’s all really fun music and most of it is perfect for parties so you can seem super cool when you play the song none of your friends know but get wild to.

[maddecentblog]

Wild Card Wednesday: La Vie en Rose

Originally sung by Edith Piaf, the song has been covered by countless other musicians and used in shows and movies of all genres, from WALL-E to How I Met Your Mother.  The usage in HIMYM is one of my favorite scenes from the entire series and is what first really got me to appreciate the song.  While Cristin Milioti does a phenomenal job in her rendition, my favorite cover was done by the late, great Louis Armstrong.  Armstrong was a legend in his time, so I’m sure when he first covered the song, which had been released several years prior, his fans immediately fell in love with it.  His use of piano and his trumpet just give a great new take on the original French version.  

The lyrics are what really get me though.  They’re just so beautiful and emotionally captivating, and going back to its use in HIMYM, are so perfect for the current situation.  Plus her use of the ukulele adds another twist on the on the other classic interpretations.  It’s so deep and heartfelt that it really brings a tear to my eye (maybe it’s just that HIMYM is my favorite show so everything about it makes me feel all the feels).  

There’s just something so soothing about both of these versions of the same song that really shows how culturally important it is.  Whether it’s the piano and trumpet that make me feel like I’m really on a street in Paris during the 1950′s or the ukulele that takes me to a Hawai’ian beach.  Either way, the song makes me feel that everything is going to be okay, that what I’m looking for is just around the corner, and that I can’t forget to stop and smell the roses.

[maddecentblog]

Spotlight Sunday: LYAR

Before the post starts, I’m going to take the time to let y’all know that Subgenre Saturday is now going to be called Spotlight Saturday.  I’m doing this change in an effort to increase the possibilities for futures posts.  Subgenre Saturday was basically a spotlight for subgenres so now with Spotlight Saturday, some posts could still be spotlights for subgenres, but they could also be a spotlight for specific artists, like this one will be.  Also, the posts will still typically be on Saturdays, they’re just a little tough for me sometimes during football season, so fingers crossed this is the last Spotlight SUNDAY post.  The new German duo called LYAR has taken the underground deep and tropical house scenes by storm, and they’ve also stolen my heart with some of the most beautiful melodic songs I’ve heard in a while.

First up is the first song I heard by them called “Outta My Head” (ft. Blest Jones).  The song starts with some nice piano and sort of bongo drums, at a pretty fast BPM.  The vocals come in and Blest’s voice is so soft and soothing that it creates a really nice contrast with the fast and hard piano chords.  But when the chorus kicks in, all of the prior elements are joined by a xylophone and makes it sound so much more tropical.  Really fun song, it’s definitely the kind to play when you’re driving to the beach with friends and all your windows are rolled down.

Next up is their more melodic and much slower track, called “Rush” (ft. Antonia).  This song is still similar in its overal composition, with pianos, finger snaps, and soft and slow lyrics.  The build up takes a little time, but it’s well worth it because the chorus is magical.  It may sound a little like Kygo to some listeners, and I’m sure that LYAR is probably inspired by him, but the song still sounds enough like it’s own piece.  This song is also much more of a story than “Outta My Head” mostly due to its slower composition which lets listeners focus more on the song itself than the atmosphere the song creates.  I’ve definitely just lost myself listening to this one.

Last up is their most recent release, and it happens to be my current favorite song.  Entitled “With You” (ft. Brenton Mattheus), it’s somewhere between the previous two songs with regard to energy behind it.  This song is mostly piano chords, but the chords are beautifully matched with a fast beat and some killer lyrics.  I think my favorite part of the song is how the verses are similar to their other songs, in that the lyrics are pretty soft, but when the chorus comes in, Mattheus sounds more excited.  It’s sort of hard to describe but the chorus just has a different feel to it that contrasts well with the slower verses.  The song could easily be listened to with a group during something like a pregame, or could be listened to alone to relax, or even when you’re with that one special person (the lyrics are literally about how happy you feel when you’re with them so nothing exactly groundbreaking there).  Still, this is my current obsession that I play any chance I get, and I’m still not sick of it.

I already love deep and tropical house, so when I find a new artist like LYAR (yes, I know there’s two of them, they’re still an artist together) it gives me so much hope for the longevity of these subgenres.  If LYAR keeps putting out beautiful songs like these, they’ll be around for a while.  Also, I’d like to take the time to really appreciate EDM songs that don’t sound like an EDM song.  When a DJ uses really instruments in their music, it just makes the song so much more unique.  I have nothing against songs made just using electronic sounds, but these songs make the genre so diverse.  Back on topic, LYAR has revitalized the genre and really needs to gain more popularity for how good they are.  If you’re looking for some new music, whether you’re trying to party or chill, LYAR should be on your list.  (Also wanna throw a little unofficial shoutout to the YouTube channel, Mr.Revillz.  It’s a great channel to find lots of cool new chill electronic music.  Two of the videos I posted are from their channel so check them out)

[maddecentblog]

New Music Monday: Kaskade - “Automatic”

Going back to some EDM for this New Music Monday, with long time big name in the industry, Kaskade and his new album Automatic.  Kaskade has been around since the early 2000′s steadily making good music since then, and his longevity is in part due to his ability to adapt to changing styles while still maintaining his own sound.  With the deeper house music trend currently going on, Kaskade capitalized on this and released a very unique album.

The first song up is one of the singles Kaskade put out to promote the album, called “Never Sleep Alone” (feat. Tess Comrie).  The song starts with a slow build and something that sounds like a cross between a record scratching and a horn, but it actually works as a background noise during the buildup.  The lyrics are actually pretty cohesive with the buildup too, slow and very moving.  The drop is what you would expect from a historically progressive DJ trying to experiment with new genres like deep house and bass house, but Kaskade actually does a good job expanding his sound.  It’s one of those songs that you can just chill out to or get wild to at a party.  Pretty solid choice for a single when looking for songs to really capture what the album was about.

The next song was the subsequent single that Kaskade put out for the album (I know, two singles in the analysis, super out there).  The buildup is low but fast with the lyrics really taking center stage until the pre-chorus.  This is when faster and sharper snares come in and really amplify the buildup.  The chorus is both similar and dissimilar to the rest of the song, but it somehow manages to work actually.  It’s basically a combination of deep house drum sounds and electro synths and makes for a pretty energetic drop.  It almost sounds like an EDM take on a war scene, which would make sense for the idea of “disarming you”, trying to tear down someone’s defensive wall and removing any hostile notions they may have.

The last song is called “Breaking Up” (feat Scott Shepard) and it’s just as diverse but cohesive as the previous two songs.  The buildup has a fast background beat but slow synth chords that almost mimic a piano and still more moving lyrics.  It’s when the bass chorus hits that I’m actually blown away.  It’s such a good deep house chorus that you could have told me it was a Duke Dumont or ZHU song and I would have probably believed you.  Those same fast beats and deep, deep drums are so perfect I just lose myself in this song.  It’s almost like trance met deep house with a progressive house build.

Overall, this is a really good experiment by Kaskade into the realm of deep house, and he really nails it.  Good beats and bass lines and some really meaningful lyrics.  The rest of the album beyond these 3 songs is just as great as well.  It really would have only been a DJ like Kaskade to pull off a crossover album of this quality.  Fun fact about Kaskade, he is Mormon and completely sober (as per his religion), and knowing about his sobriety in the fast paced party life of EDM really makes me respect him that much more.

8/10 - really good album, somewhat situational

[maddecentblog]

Subgenre Saturday: Tropical House

Even though summer just ended, I like to think of seasons as states of mind, so to me summer never ends (living in Florida helps with that). A recently emerging genre that has taken the world of house music by storm is tropical house. A subgenre of deep house (which is a subgenre of house), tropical house still has those deep bass vibrations that let you zone out, but also features some elements of different kinds of island and Hispanic music, such as steel drums, maracas, and xylophones. Great for any situation, especially when you’re at the beach, tropical house was viewed initially as just a flash in the pan, but artists like the ones I’m going to talk about have helped with its longevity.

First up is the first tropical house DJ I ever listened to: Klingande. Hailing from France, with a Swedish stage name, and specializing in tropical house, he’s nothing short of complex. His first big song was called “Jubel” and is still my personal favorite song (currently sitting atop my most played list on my iPod). The song features a bongo drum intro, steel guitar rifts, and most importantly, saxophone. It’s really a beautiful combination of all of these tropical elements melding into one of the most relaxing but still somehow uplifting songs I’ve ever heard.

Next is one of the more recent artists to emerge, Sam Feldt. Like many DJs before him, Feldt comes from the Netherlands and definitely lives up to his country’s reputation. His breakout song was called “Show Me Love” and actually uses the lyrics from a dance hit from the 90s with the same name. The song starts slow and actually has birds chirping in the background too add to the tropical aspect, along with the tambourine. The piano storms in forcefully and the chorus follows with a bouncier version of the xylophone. Another really beautiful song, especially when coupled with the really deep and emotional lyrics 

Last up is one of the biggest names in house music right now, the Norwegian (no idea why Scandinavia loves tropical music so much) Kygo. His songs themselves can be less than tropical sounding sometimes but they’re still very fun and truly masterpieces. Considering himself more of a musician than a DJ, Kygo loves to utilize his piano ability in his music. His first single was called “Firestone” and it was a great foreshadow of what was to come from the 24 year old. The song starts with some slow piano and tambourine as well. At the start, you hear the piano setting up the chorus, but when that actually hits it transitions into that patented Kygo bouncy sound we’ve all come to know and love. Again, more great lyrics just turn this song into the perfect package.

So even though summer has ended  for most of us, you can still pretend by listening to some good tropical house. Sam Feldt and Klingande haven’t made as much music as Kygo, but these are just a few of the artists making waves (see what I did there?) in this new and exciting genre. I don’t anticipate it fading away before it gets warm again so hopefully we have some new great music to listen to by then.

[maddecentblog]

Anything Thursday: Drake - “Hotline Bling”

So since I missed Wildcard Wednesday yesterday, today will be Anything Thursday (I’ll think of a better name eventually).  One song that has been on repeat for me lately is “Hotline Bling” by Drake.  If you know me, you’ll know that Drake has been one of my favorite artists since he first broke out onto the scene in 2009.  I love his work and his style, and “Hotline Bling” is so quintessentially Drake.  Released back at the end of July, I really hadn’t heard anything about this single until some friends started playing it (ironically one of them adamantly hates Drake and everything he does).  The song features Drake both singing and rapping, and when he combines the two, the songs always turn out amazing.  The song is about Drake thinking back on a girl he dated (what else is new) and realizing how much she’s changed since they broke up, and how she used to booty call him all the time.  Whenever she would call him, he knew exactly what she wanted.  The beat is what really makes me love the song.  The main beat almost sounds like elevator music or more accurately the music that plays when someone puts you on hold on the phone (hence, “hotline” bling).  With the rap game getting more and more saturated every day, the main players need to innovate somehow, and Drake using a beat like this just shows why he’s one of the best around right now.  With a song like this, you would expect it to be kind of soft and not a song to get kind of crazy too, but the bass alone keeps the song lively.  Combined with the parts of the song when Drake raps, “Hotline Bling” is definitely a song to get hyped to, when you’re in the appropriate company however.  People tend to either like the songs where Drake raps or sings, appreciating only one aspect of his talent, but “Hotline Bling” gives you the best of both styles.  His softer songs usually involve him saying he misses the girl he’s singing about, but this one seems more like Drake is asking what happened to this girl, and that she’s changed for the worse.  If anyone has seen Drake recently, he looks pretty tough now, having put on a lot of muscle weight and growing a pretty solid beard.  This song is the perfect audial representation of how his physical appearance has changed.  Drake has reached the top of his career and if he keeps putting out more songs like this when his new album drops, he will definitely continue to stay there.

(I’ve also finally realized I should start including links for the songs I review)

Overall: 8.5/10 - it’s a great songs for many situations and is super catchy.