Tag: house

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Music

EMBRZ – Doubt House

I’m not sure what genre “Doubt House” falls under, but I do know it’s contemporary electronic music at its finest. The synthesizers and percussion are intricately woven, the vocals are affecting, the overall atmosphere a heady all-encompassing haze. It’s a natural step forward for EMBRZ, a producer who I’ve watched grow from promising raw talent to adept electronic producer.

Shifting to a personal note, I used to have a full-blown doubt house built in my mind. Anxiety prevented me from comfortably talking in front of groups, being satisfied with my work, or being satisfied with the person I am. It’s taken years, but there’s significantly less times that I’m not confident in myself or my output. I know the value I bring to my friends and family, I know the value I bring to my office, and I know the value I bring to myself. I have a internal conception that has replaced my doubt house as it slowly crumbles away.

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Music

Mozambo x Pakem x Kungs x Julia Church – Soulmate

I usually go into detail about the elements of the songs I’m writing about. But not today. All you really need to know about this song is you should listen to it. Let it consume you for a few minutes.

Now, the important part- the content. Not only is it presented in a pleasurable way (that sultry voice!), but it conjures up thoughts in my mind that other songs can’t quite possibly. I used to have a notion of a “soulmate”- that one person I was destined to meet. Now I’m a skeptic. Thank you, men that have been in my love life. Thank you, college, for my first “soulmate” (or so I thought). I’m not saying I was extremely crushed, but I felt an intense connection, one that has not since been replicated, and it makes me wonder WHY this one person had such an impact on my love life. What was this “connection”? Was it innate, or did it evolve? What was it about just a simple kiss that transported my soul to another universe? A universe with just this moment, and him. I wanted so very badly to believe a connection is the sign of a soulmate, but the realistic side of me wants to brush the notion of a “soulmate” from my consciousness.

Is a “connection” enough? A lot of other factors are forced, by nature, into the mix. Maybe I was naive in college and believed that those forces were mere details. ‘We have a connection, that must mean something, right?’ Thoughts like this kept me going back to the possibility of an us. My idyllic views have changed slightly since this encounter, yet I stay optimistic about the idea of someone out there who fits me just right, whose quirks I find cute and not annoying, and with whom I feel a prolonged spark.

For now, my quest for a life partner continues…

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Music

TOKiMONSTA ft. Arama – Drive

A new set of wings I’m trying on

LA-based producer TOKiMONSTA keeps it light and energetic with this track, “Drive”. Her dynamic piano synths at the beginning set a hoppy vibe for the remainder of the song. It’s catchy, with its harmonies set forth by Arama, set amongst the hip-hop elements. I feel like my insides are trying desperately to active my physical being. Isn’t it crazy that through our ears, these sound bytes are traveling deep down to our soul? Yes, we hear the sounds; we can choose to listen only at that level of conscientiousness- a passive state of hearing. Or we can let the music penetrate us; to affect our moods, to let our minds hear what the sounds have to offer.

Let this song in. It doesn’t have any deep meanings, per se, but you can at least let it add rhythm to your life- to tap your toes along to.

Enjoy the hand claps, shallow percussion, sweet twinkles, and snappy rhythm! And be sure to check out TOKiMONSTA’s latest album, out back in September called “Desiderium”.

TOKiMONSTA ft. Arama – Drive

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Music

Stylo G – Move Back (Grant Nelson Remix)

London, man. Some of the house coming out of there makes me want to pack up my drum machines, leave it all behind and hit the streets. Anyone who remembers the Noctambule parties will also remember our affinity for dirty dance music. It’s not that I don’t like Top 40 when I’m partying, I just like the way darker records can make the environment mysterious, dangerous, sexual and exciting. That feeling you get when you hear something new, that challenges you and is extremely dope at the same time. I know not everybody is on the constant hunt for something new but you don’t really get that feeling when “Happy” comes on, you know. 

This remix by house legend Grant Nelson is exactly what I’m talking about. Those 909 drums and that classic Jackin House bass line makes you move, there’s nothing else to it. For those of you not familiar with Grant Nelson, his productions during the early-mid 90’s literally created Garage. He’s one of the most influential figures in the UK house scene period. It’s no secret that all those new guys you love (i.e. Disclosure, Gorgon City and the likes), take huge influence from this dance music OG. Those Monday blues can’t handle bangers like this.

Stylo G – Move Back (Grant Nelson Remix)

 

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Music

Pet Shop Boys – Axis

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Not many industry watchdogs in 1984 would have predicted that Pet Shop Boys would still be releasing albums selling out tours in 2014. And yet, 12 albums in, the alternative dance music pioneers are still going strong. Their most recent release, 2013’s “Electric” scored 84/100 on leading ratings site Metacritic, a score that represents “universal acclaim.”

Many American EMPT readers may be scratching their heads. Pet Shop who? Maybe it’s because the band’s biggest hit, “West End Girls,” came out in the mid-80s, or that the duo has purposefully eschewed the spotlight (or at least attempted to…they remain a major commercial force worldwide), but they’ve been largely overlooked by a new generation of stateside dance music fans.

This isn’t your brother’s dance music. It’s your crazy uncle’s. You know, the guy your mom tells you to steer clear of because he still raves it up, and who your grandmother shuns because he’s gay.  But you know he isn’t crazy. He’s the one with the right idea. He gave you your first Suicidal Tendencies record and condoms for your 16th birthday.

Just ask the brits, who are apparently always ahead of the game when it comes to music. Pet Shop Boys are a major force across the pond, with over 20 top 10 singles during the span of their career. The guys started out producing Hi-NRG (a subgenre of disco quickly succeeded by house and new wave) tracks, before shifting into a recognizable tech-ed out new-wave sound. First known for their stoic stage demeanor and legendary status in the LGBT community, the band has continued developing into new sounds and styles, and are now a true standard bearer of their era.

“Axis” is the lead single off “Electric.” It is a perfect summation of Pet Shop Boys in 2014. You can still hear the new wave bass line and synth stabs, but now the soft crooning is replaced a Kraftwerkian bark. This is new wave for the festival era

Pet Shop Boys – Axis

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Music Remixes

Movement – Us (Shmallen Remix)

Both Sydney-based trio Movement and East Coast bedroom producer Shmallen were total unknowns to me until recently. Movement is one of the smaller names on the Modular label (Tame Impala, Presets, Klaxons, Darkside, Robyn etc.), while Shmallen remains unsigned and grinding hard to make a name for himself in a crowded space.

Shamallen’s downtempo-house remix preserves the breathy falsetto vocals of the original, along with its melancholic plea: “Did you believe in us? Did you believe in trust?” But here, what was a fairly empty soundspace is activated with a light tough: reverbed highhats, a soft arppegiator and brief but effective piano stabs.

The idea that an artist could become “big” based solely on remixes is troubling to me. Someone poured themselves into writing those lyrics and crafting that song, and the final product was the way they, the artist, meant it to be. What gives some rando in a basement the right to completely alter that artistic vision in pursuit of personal enrichment and notoriety?

And yet, there is significant artistry involved in remixing (at least, in good remixing). Artistic appropriation is hailed in other mediums…why not in music? The key is in the degree of “remixing.” Adding a 4/4 beat to a slow song takes no thought or effort. Adding a DROP doesn’t either. But when cutting and pasting bits and pieces while adding your personal nuance leads to a fully realized, new piece of art, there is some commendation deserved.

In the case of “Us,” I vastly prefer the remix to the original, which I find extremely boring. That is not to say I discredit the artist, because that was his (their) vision and I respect it in that capacity. Putting your art out there is a big step, and you can’t care whether people like it or not.

But we at EMPT care about you, dear readers, and that’s why I’m posting the remix,  fraught with questions of artistic integrity, paradoxical reasoning and all the other philosophical junk I’ve piled on top of it. The track is hot, and these artists deserve a deeper dive.

Movement – Us (Shmallen Remix)

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Music

Moon Boots – Off My Mind

 Moon-Boots-No-One

 

“I can’t get you off my mind, no matter what I do.”

So begins one of the funkiest tracks you’ll ever hear, Moon Boots’ “Off My Mind.” This gem came out over two years ago, and provides a nice into to what Moon Boots is all about.

“I don’t like the term nu disco,” the US-based producer said in an interview with Indieshuffle. He’s right. His music is more emotionally invested than disco, less about the party as about the sensual experience. It’s disco in the vein of “I Feel Love,” the right amount of house, a heavy dose of R&B, and a referential stability keeps us focused on the groove.

The French Express label, home to Moon Boots and contemporaries like Jonas Rathsman, Perseus and Isaac Tichauer, is the latest dance-centric crew riding a rising tide of popularity in their home niche. The artists have been steadily producing for a number of years, but fandom has just now reached critical mass, and these guys are hot. They’re booked to feature at Coachella’s highly regarded DoLab stage, and also rostered at Ultra (Miami) and Movement Electronic Festival (Detroit).

Take this track, for example: a snare-cymbol track lends it some bmore club-inspired grit, while an Aeroplaneesque lead synth purrs its way through a barrage of swirls and stabs. While some other French Express land closer to classic industrial house, Moon Boots stays comfortable in a pop mentality while paying respects to his influencers, who must include Lindstrom, Chic, and Utah Saints (the riff at 2:50 is pure “Something Good”).

A brief tangent: What will it take for this music to be truly considered “mainstream”, not in the derogatory sense, but in the sense that it’s selling well and casual music listeners are away of its existence? Indie is obsessed with the 80s, rock is less and less rebellious, and pop is dominated by rinse-and-repeat throwaways. I don’t believe it will happen with French Express, but I do believe that, within the next decade, the shift to the internet will be complete enough that the notion of mainstream will no longer apply. Corporate dollars wills till push some artists to the top, but I forsee fewer and fewer long-running, BIG bands and more of the bubble-pop cycle of genre preference we’ve been seeing since electronic music went viral in the US.

This isn’t a rhetorical exercise…we at EMPT love to know what you think about music culture. Please share your thoughts in the comments, but not before pressing play.

For those who like Funk night, clubbing in Berlin, or just plain like to shake it in front of the mirror, Moon Boots is for you.

Moon Boots – Off My Mind

Categories
Music Remixes

Justin Martin – Don’t Go (Dusky Remix)

the_sounds_of_silence_by_skierscott

Let’s collect ourselves for a moment. Let’s get back to basics.

All you really need is a beat and a melody. Doesn’t need to be complex. Doesn’t need to have extra layers of meaning. Doesn’t need to tell a story.

There are times in life when all humans crave direction. We parse quotidian occurrences searching for signs. We experience epiphanies in a song we’ve heard fifty times before. We see Jesus’ face on a piece of burnt toast.

And there are times when all we want is silence, an empty moment for our overloaded mindbrains. Often, those moments of silence aren’t literally silent. We chant, we breath deeply.

We sit alone in space and listen to music. Simple music that fades to the background without demands, that practically begs you to turn inward.

Music that begs you to remain in your silence just a bit longer. Music that seems to say, “don’t go.”

This time, whether you’re in private or in public, outdoors or in, find your silent space.

Stay a while.

Justin Martin – Don’t Go (Dusky Remix)

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Music

EMPT Presents: Indaba Music Weekly – KAASI “Where We Started” (feat. Jessica Sophie)

There really is something special about KAASI’s sound. When you get to the root of what makes a great recording shine above a field of hundreds, it’s usually the combination of sonic quality, texture, and an emotional connection you can’t fake. Each of KAASI’s tunes has that deepness that can’t be explained in necessarily tangible terms—his productions have that singular piercing ability.

His most recent tune, “Where We Started”, which features vocals from Jessica Sophie has already garnered upwards of 26 thousand plays since being uploaded on September 1st. Consistent with his “House&B” aesthetic, it’s a phenomenal sounding foray into noise, lush synthesis and a vocal line dripping with melancholic desperation. Turn the lights down low and immerse yourself in this tune.

Where We Started (Ft. Jessica Sophie)

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Music

Walter Sobcek – Milkshake d’Amour

Milkshake d'Amour

C’est vraiment le son classique de Paris.

I’ve often heard people say that some words are impossible to translate. Like Backpfeifengesicht. That’s German, and it means “a face that should be slapped.”

YES.

This principle holds true in music too. If you don’t live in the Bay Area, you can’t make a real hyphy track. If you aren’t from Korea, your K-Pop will never taste right. And if you aren’t a mustachioed, cigarette puffing Frenchman, you shouldn’t even try to produce French House (without a doubt the laziest genre designation in some time)

Walter Sobcek is two people. They are both French. Voila.

C’est tout.

Walter Sobcek – Milkshake d’Amour