RMX ROUNDUP: Jack Ü + AlunaGeorge / Seekae + Henrik Schwarz / Ellie Goulding + XYconstant

jack-u

Welcome to another Remix Roundup, a semi-biweekly segment in which we over at CCP bring you the latest and greatest mixes currently buzzing around the blogosphere. The first track in this installment comes by way of Jack Ü, aka the powerhouse duo Skrillex and Diplo who recently dropped a surprise LP with some heavy hitting featured artists including Missy Elliott, 2 Chainz, and Justin Beiber. Our favorite collab by far though has to be “To Ü,” which features UK darlings AlunaGeorge. It’s a dynamic, kinetic dance number that accents Aluna’s alluring vocals. Oh — and there’s some dubstep in there too, lest we forget who’s driving this force.

We’ve also been doting on this deep house remix of Seekae‘s “The Worry” from prolific German producer Henrik Schwarz. We dug the album of the same name that Seekae, the electronic outfit from Sydney released last year, and now Schwarz has gone and spun the single into an epic extended edit. Stream this sleek and serpentine rework befitting of the original’s intrigue below.

Last month we shared the ATB remix of Ellie Goulding‘s “Love Me Like You Do,” and shortly thereafter London producer XYconstant went and upped the ante, delivering an even sexier and more progressive rendition. We love the looped vocals and intricate synth work that make this mix stand above the rest. So listen and love it like you do — what are you waiting for?

RMX ROUNDUP: AlunaGeorge + Danny T / Oscar Key Sung / HAERTS + Joywave

alunageorge

This week’s installment of Remix Roundup features some mixes that have been on our back burner for awhile. But that doesn’t make them any less appealing, so let’s get started with Danny T‘s rework of AlunaGeorge‘s track “Outlines.” The Sydney-based producer takes the low-key original and smathers on some sick house vibes, rendering it dance-floor ready. And all you have to do to snag the track for your collection is ‘like’ his Facebook page here. Thanks, Danny!

 

As if there wasn’t enough good music coming out of Australia, the next cut comes from rising Melbourne-based singer/songwriter/producer Oscar Key Sung. Off his Holograms EP released earlier this year, “All I Could Do” is an explosive dance track with masterful production from Key Sung, who uses pitched-down samples, aching soulful vocals, and a shuffling beat to propel the track forward. One listen and you’ll be singing Sung’s praises.

 

Last but not least, we’ve been digging this Joywave edit of HAERT‘s “All the Days” as of late. Taking the ardent original and transforming it into a propulsive deep house number, NY production team Joywave set the stage early in the track with sinister sounds of saxophone, creating a melancholic mood until the last chorus comes crashing in around 3:33. Stream below.

RMX ROUNDUP: Blood Orange + a/jus/ted / Disclosure + cln / Sam Sure + Jaded

whitenoise

With Halloween less than a week away, we decided to dedicate this week’s Remix Roundup to some of the darker house mixes currently in our rotation. First up is the a/jus/ted Remix of Blood Orange‘s “Uncle ACE.” The edgy Dev Hynes original — described by Pitchfork as “mysterious, desperate, [and] empathetic” — is a tribute to NYC’s destitute youth who seek refuge on the ACE subway line at night or else doomed to wander the streets at “the witching hour.” In the a/jus/ted rework, NYC duo consisting of legendary producer Justin Strauss and cohort Teddy Stuart craft the harrowing tale into a nearly nine-minute exercise in synth wizardry.

And what artist screams All Hallows’ Eve like the mask-adorned faces of Disclosure? Check out beat farmer cln‘s retouched version of Disclosure and AlunaGeorge‘s collaboration, “White Noise.” The Australian producer Callan Alexander puts his own unearthly spin on the rapturous original through the use of distorted vocal effects and dramatic synths.

Finally, UK singer Sam Sure — whose vocals we heard on the TCTS track “You” — has already seen his sole single “Hunger” (released October 20 via Black Butter Records) reworked by a handful of producers. We’re partial to this Jaded edit though, with its deep house groove, entrancing basslines and downright eerie looped vocals. Stream below as you get your pre-Hween dance on.

POETRY’S TOP TRACKS OF 2013

disclosure-love

It’s that time of year again — the time in which the year’s best ear candy is served up in one delicious location for your listening pleasure. Unlike last year, however, I’ve streamlined my ‘best of’ index into a selective top ten list — so you KNOW they’re the cream of the crop.

Cheers to CHVRCHES, Disclosure and Arctic Monkeys amongst others for bringing us their indie A-game in 2013. So basically, well done to the UK; thanks for the aural alchemy. All of these artists made an impact on the music scene this past year in a major way — so if you see some cross-collaboration, well, there’s a reason. Without further ado, I present my top picks for 2013:

1. Disclosure – Latch (ft. Sam Smith)

 

Bonus: Disclosure – “F For You” (TEED Remix)

 

2. CHVRCHES – “Recover”

 

3. Dillon Francis – “Without You” (ft. TEED)

 

4. AlunaGeorge x Disclosure – “White Noise”

 

5. Arctic Monkeys – “Do I Wanna Know?”

 

6. MS MR – “Think of You”

 

7. Bombay Bicycle Club – “Carry Me”

 

8. BANKS – “Change”

 

9. Kanye West – “Blood On the Leaves”

 

10. London Grammar – “Strong”

 

Bonus: London Grammar – Wasting My Young Years (Sound Remedy Remix) + Free DL

 

And last but not least, the award for Best Remix of the Year goes to:

Grizzly Bear – “Will Calls” (Diplo Remix)

AlunaGeorge – Bad Idea

130226-alunageorge

AlunaGeorge has released another teaser off their long-awaited album Body Music — now due out July 29th. On the heels of previous catchy singles “Your Drums, Your Love” and “Attracting Flies,” “Bad Idea” is yet another infectious effort by the London duo. Stream below and be on the lookout for their debut LP later this month via Island Records.

The future-pop pair will be touring Europe this summer, landing in the US for a smattering of tour dates in late August (full schedule below). **Tip for the locals: tickets go on sale for their stop at DC’s U St Music Hall at 10A this Thurs. Don’t miss out!

 

AlunaGeorge 2013 Tour Dates:
7/11 – London, UK @ New Slang Kingston
7/12 – Lisbon, PT @ Optimus Alive! Festival
7/14 – Balado, UK @ T in the Park
7/17 – Montreux, CH @ Montreux Jazz Festival
7/19 – Dublin, IE @ Longitude Festival
7/20 – London, UK @ Lovebox
7/21 – Benicassim, ES @ Benicassim
7/27 – Hyeres, FR @ Midi Festival
8/02 – Katowice, PL @ OFF Festival
8/04 – Hertfordshire, UK @ Standon Calling Festival
8/06 – Magalofes, ES @ Majorca Rocks
8/07 – Ibiza, ES @ Ibiza Rocks
8/10 – Bucharest, RO @ Summer Well Festival
8/11 – Helsinki, FL @ Flow Festival
8/15 – Kiewit, BE @ Pukkelpop
8/23 – Leeds, UK @ Reading and Leeds Festival
8/24 – Liverpool, UK @ Creamfields
8/25 – Reading, UK @ Reading and Leeds Festival
8/30 – Chicago, IL @ North Coast Music Festival
9/01 – Philadelphia, PA @ Made in America
9/03 – Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
9/05 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
9/06 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/07 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
9/08 – Montreal, QC @ Virgion Mobile Corona Theatre
9/09 – Toronto, ON @ The Hoxton
9/11 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
9/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ The El Ray
9/14 – Rochester Hills, MI @ St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival
9/24 – Tokyo, JP @ Liquid Room
9/28 – Sydney, AU @ Listen Out Sydney
9/29 – Perth, AU @ Listen Out Perth
10/05 – Melbourne, AU @ Listen Out Melbourne
10/06 – Brisbane, AU @ Listen Out Brisbane
10/12 – Norwich, UK @ Waterfront
10/13 – Newcastle, UK @ Digital
10/17 – Leeds, UK @ Cockpit
10/19 – Oxford, UK @ Gathering 2013
10/20 – Bristol, UK @ Academy
10/21 – Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
10/22 – Birmingham, UK @ Library
10/24 – London, UK @ Shepherds Bush Empire
10/25 – Cambridge, UK @ Junction
10/26 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
10/29 – Sheffield, UK @ Plug
10/30 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
11/03 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser
11/04  – Oslo, NO @ Parkteatret
11/05 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
11/06 – Hamburg, DE @ Stage Club
11/11 – Brussels, BE @ AB
11/14 – Cologne, DE @ Gebaude 9
11/15 – Berlin, DE @ Bi Nuu
11/17 – Franfurt, DE @ Zoom
11/18 – Munich, DE @ Strom
11/19 – Milan, IT  @ Magazzini Generali
11/20 – Zurich, CH @ Exil

Disclosure + AlunaGeorge

130121-disclosurealunageorge

Disclosure is a futuristic/house sibling duo from the UK. The brothers, Guy and Howard Lawrence recently teamed up with burgeoning artist AlunaGeorge to create this outstanding collaboration called “White Noise.” The deliciously addictive track is anything but that, however — and as the song says, will have you “just wanna keep me on repeat.”

Arguably the group’s most lauded track, however, is their sexy single and 2012 release “Latch,” which features the vocals of Sam Smith. Check it out below, along with an AlunaGeorge cover of Frank Ocean I’m obsessed with (soulful vocals + tropical synths = true love).

JENN’S EPIC ‘BEST OF’ LIST: 2012

IMG_5753
So long 2012 – Sydney NYE

Now that I’m back from abroad, I’m amped to finally be sharing my list of stand-out indie tracks from the last year!

In no particular order, below are my top 50 artists and/or tracks of 2012. Since I started blogging midway through the year, some of these artists have been honored with a post prior and some have not. Thus for the sake of diversifying, in some cases the featured track below is not necessarily my favorite but a varying version of the original or new track entirely (but equally adored, obv).

1. Alpine – Hands

 

2. Little Dragon – Ritual Union

 

3. Trails & Ways – Border Crosser (Seshen Remix)

 

4. Air Traffic Controller – You Know Me

 

5. Electric Guest – This Head I Hold (their cover of Little Dragon’s Ritual Union is a must-listen as well)

 

6. Calvin Harris ft. Florence Welch – Sweet Nothing

 

7. Beat Culture – Useless

 

8. Tennis – Origins

 

9. Tanlines – S.A.W.

 

10. Beach House – Myth

 

11. Blackbird Blackbird – Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush Cover)

 

12. Dems – Down on You (Hannes Fischer Remix)

 

13. Charli XCX – I’ll Never Know

 

14. Lord Huron – The Stranger

 

15. Ellie Goulding – Figure 8 (Alias Mix)

 

16. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (TEED) – Tapes & Money

 

17. Flight Facilities – Clair de Lune (ft. Christine Hoberg)

 

18. Wild Belle – It’s Too Late

 

19. Dirty South & Alesso – City of Dreams

 

20. Alt-J – Something Good

 

21. Bumblebeez – Next to You

 

22. St. Lucia – Closer Than This

 

23. Crystal Castles – Wrath of God

 

24. Sky Ferreira – Everything is Embarrassing

 

25. Ben Howard – The Fear (Moonlight Matters Rework)

 

26. No Ceremony/// – Feelsolow

 

27. The 1975 – You

 

28. Ultraista – Smalltalk

 

29. The Zolas – Knot In My Heart

 

30. Southern Shores – New Love

 

31. Django Django – Default

 

32. AlunaGeorge – You Know You Like It (Bondax Remix)

 

33. Dan Croll – From Nowhere

 

34. Germany Germany – With You (ft. Kotomi)

 

35. Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks (The Knocks Remix)

 

36. Sun Airway – Close

 

37. Grimes – Genesis

 

38. Youth Lagoon – Daydream

 

39. Miike Snow – Bavarian #1 (Say You Will)

(Track begins at 3:05)

 

40. Wild Child – The Tale of You & Me

 

41. The Naked and Famous – Young Blood

 

42. Dwntwn – See My Eyes

 

43. Passion Pit – Take A Walk

 

44. Beat Connection – Think/Feel (ft. Chelsey Scheffe)

 

45. Grizzly Bear – Sleeping Ute

 

46. Years & Years – I Wish I Knew

 

47. MS MR – Hurricane

 

48. Kindness – House

 

49. Hot Chip – How Do You Do (Todd Terje remix)

 

50. Wild Cub – Thunder Clatter

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

These tracks also received a considerable amount of air time on my playlist this year.

1. The Xx – Sunset

 

2. Bloc Party – Truth

 

3. Cat Power – Ruin

 

4. Adventure Club – Retro City (Bronze Whale Remix)

 

5. Panama – It’s Not Over

 

6. Santigold – Disparate Youth

 

7. Phebe Starr – Alone With You

 

8. Viceroy – Chase Us Around – (Jay Lamar & Jesse Oliver Remix)

 

9. U-Tern – You Don’t Know Me

 

10. The Establishment – Love Like This

AlunaGeorge – Your Drums, Your Love

I was first introduced to London duo AlunaGeorge via their single “You Know You Like It,” which came out last April (check out the catchy dance remix by Bondax below). The electropop group is composed of vocalist Aluna Francis and producer George Reid (hence the handle). Their addictive new track/EP, Your Drums, Your Love drops today.

life can be cruel if you’re a dreamer
I just wanna have some fun / don’t tell me what can’t be done