VMX ROUNDUP: Parra for Cuva + Anna Naklab / Jai Paul + Adam Port / Disclosure + Flume / Metronomy + Soulwax / GRiZ x Chet Baker

Posted on by poetryinanemptycokecan

wickedgames

This edition of Remix V-Mix Roundup is getting supersized this week in honor of that amorous (or odious, depending on how you look at it) holiday that falls every February 14. Regardless of your position, we wouldn’t be curators of poetry if we didn’t bring you the best in new music that the spirit of the holiday inspires. So without further ado, enjoy these Valentine-themed mixes.

To start, we have the rousing rendition of Chris Isaak‘s “Wicked Games” from Parra for Cuva. The German producer’s tropical touch and upbeat production — coupled with Anna Naklab‘s sumptuous vocals — makes for a stunning and well, wicked cover.

Speaking of covers, the blogosphere went crazy in 2013 when Jai Paul‘s album featuring fabled cover of Jennifer Paige‘s 90s smash pop song “Crush” leaked via bandcamp. Since the album and original cover were later retracted, we leave you with this rad, percussive-heavy house edit from Berlin-based producer Adam Port.

Disclosure‘s “You & Me” was an instant hit in 2013, but when they asked Flume to do an official remix, the result was a staggering, sonically-realized ladykiller. Stream this massive mix below.

Of course, what Valentine’s mixer would be complete without the inclusion of Metronomy‘s “Love Letters”? The Soulwax revision from the 2014 single is an entrancing, disco-infused dance-floor pleaser, replete with a sultry trumpet interlude. If you weren’t already, get in the groove below.

Finally, we invite you to listen to an underappreciated track from the Detroit-based electronic artist GRiZ. Reimagining Chet Baker‘s classic “Fall in Love Too Easily,” GRiZ refashions the timeless piece into a modern and dance-ready remix. You’d be a fool not to fall for this track.

If that’s not enough for you, check out last year’s singles specials here.

RMX ROUNDUP: Jai Paul + Niia x WKND / Odesza + Jordan James / Caribou

Posted on by poetryinanemptycokecan

Odesza_saymyname

While we were hard pressed not to dedicate this edition of Remix Roundup to the surge of Odesza “Say My Name” remixes, we restrained ourselves. So instead, we’re kicking off this week’s installment with WKND‘s rendition of Jai Paul’s stellar track “BTSTU,” which frankly we feel didn’t get its due. The German producer mashes up the captivating JP original with a cover by Niia. Since getting turned on to “BTSTU” we haven’t been able to get enough, and this luscious deep house rework keeps us equally enthused.

Naturally, we couldn’t escape this week’s roundup without sharing at least one of the Odesza mixes which have been sprouting up all over since the inception of the TSIS contest. While we’re psyched about the awesome amount of innovation the contest has inspired — and appreciative to those artists who’ve shared their efforts with us — there are simply too many to feature all. (The moral of the story may be that it helps to have good raw material). And though we do not recommend trying to listen to them all in one sitting, we do encourage everyone to check out the fresh new crop of talent before the contest ends October 27.

Amidst the chaos though, the one remix that’s stayed with us is the Jordan James edit (currently no. 5 in the rankings). We love that the Australian producer keeps the sultry vocals of Zyra at the forefront over a shimmering stratum of synths, even brassing it up in the bridge with the addition of some French horns.

And finally, in celebration of Caribou‘s much anticipated album Our Love that drops via Merge in the US and Canada October 7, stream the title track below. Collaborating with Owen Pallett (as if Dan Snaith releasing a new album wasn’t exciting enough), Pallett helps Dan to achieve greatness by adding some spectral strings and sparing baroque riffs. In an interview with Stereogum, Dan explains: “When I sent it to Owen and asked him to write parts I was talking about the arrangement and layout of the song as a kind of chess game where the parts move around one another in a sort of dance.” The result is pure electro-alchemy.

Purchase the album Tuesday on iTunes, and be sure to catch his show at DC’s Black Cat if you’re in the area November 15.

Jai Paul – BTSTU

Posted on by santiago

jai-paul

Jai Paul is the elusive British artist who signed to XL Recordings (Jungle, Radiohead, Vampire Weekend) in 2010. Since then, only two singles have been officially released — his debut being “BTSTU.” In 2013, the London producer was the victim of a BandCamp leak, and a collection of unfinished recordings were published (and later retracted), confounding the blogosphere amidst varying reports regarding the source of the leak.

Nonetheless, the false-alarm LP made it to number 20 on Pitchfork’s Top 50 Albums of 2013 list, and was sampled by both Drake and Beyonce, to give you a better idea of this guy’s potential. The brilliance of “BTSTU” is the abrasively bold lyrics, contrasted with the ghostly falsetto and masterfully inventive production. Stream the song below – available for purchase on iTunes here .

According to XL manager Rodaidh McDonald, Jai Paul has been tinkering around in the studio working on his new album, and has been for years. Although not one to adhere to any timetable, let’s hope the withholding artist decides to share it with the masses soon.