I'm sorry to say it but, Summer is coming to an end. For the last three (or four, or five) months I have consumed margaritas, looked at chicks in bikinis and relaxed in the sun. And while I can't say I will miss the 100+ degree heat, I will miss the leisurely state of mind summer can bring. Another thing that Summer sometimes brings is a set of tracks that embody summer's fun and sometimes lazy feeling. Here are a couple of tracks that I think of when I think Summer (Some from this year, some from last).
This was the U.K.'s summer anthem in 2008. Set to a groove in a genre known as U.K. Funky; this track is nothing if not infectious. It's sound makes me think of bikini-clad women running around a pool tossing beach balls around. This also defines the video as well. Well, if it works, don't fuck with it.
Drake - Best I Ever Had This track was one of this year's best Hip-Hop tracks. Also very infectious.
Dizzee Rascal - Holiday feat. Calvin Harris Another track that makes me think of Summer. Dizzee's ode to the "holiday" works so well over this Calvin Harris produced beat. Fun stuff.
Semi-new piece of Bmore inspired house from German producer Bounce Camp. Any remixer that can take a good vocal and succeed in not fucking it up is O.K. in my book. Here, Bounce Camp succeeds in retooling Raphael Saadiq's vocal on Lucy Pearl's Dance Tonight. This could move any dancefloor out there. Check it out and Bounce Camp's other offerings.
Baltimore club, also called "Bmore Club" or "Club Music" is a genre of house and dance music. A blend of hip hop and chopped, stacatto house music, it was created in Baltimore, Maryland in the early 1990s by pioneers Scottie B., Frank Ski, Big Tony, and DJ Spen -wikipedia.com
...that's one way to define it. I like to define it as a genre of dance music for black people, by black people. Back when British Elecronic artists such as Fatboy Slim, Prodigy and the Chemical Brothers were taking over the American Pop charts in the late 90s, American artists such as Scottie B, DJ Technics and KW Griff were burning Baltimore, Philly and New Jersey to the ground.
Originally an underground genre, the latest year has brought us mainstream hits such as DJ Class's "I'm the 'ish" featuring Pitbull and Lil Jon and Kid Cudi's "Embrace the Martian". Bmore has also made a couple of appearances in HBO's "The Wire".
While the genre is gaining some ground in the mainstream, it hasn't been able to shake it's image as a club-going, booty-shaking, foul-mouthed sub-genre of House music. However, this mix from Dave Nada helps to unveil a new image. This soulful collection of R&B mixes helps to show the versatility of the Genre. I mean...there's even a mix of Patti LaBelle on this set. PATTI LABELLE for God's Sake!!!
1. Tedra Moses - Be Your Girl (KW Griff Remix) 2. Outkast - Prototype (DJ Technics Remix) 3. Floetry - Say Yes (?) 4. Ready For The World - Love You Down (DJ Technics Girlfriend Remix) 5. Raheem Devaughn - You (DJ Technics Remix) 6. John Legend - Ordinary People (KW Griff Remix) 7. Jill Scott - He Loves Me (DJ Technics Remix) 8. Blaqstarr - All The Girls 9. Patti LaBelle - If Only You Knew (Rod Lee Remix) 10. Sylvia - Pillow Talk (DJ Techincs Remix) 11. Chris Brown - Aint No Way (You Won’t Love Me) (Curtis Vodka Hey Girl Remix) 12. Jimmy Cozier - U Got Those Goods (?) 13. Black Box - Everybody Everybody (DJ Ayres Quiet Storm Remix) 14. Usher feat. Lil Jon - Lovers and Friends (inst)
Ok, so I've been gone for a while (more like 3 months), but I have an excuse. I've been busy with a new job, working out, looking for Halle Berries, etc. Nonetheless, I thought I would drop a couple of posts before I head out to Miami for the weekend. First thing's first, we have this bit of heat from Major Lazer. The album, titled "Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do" is a set of tracks produced by Diplo and Switch during a trip to Jamaica. Many of the tracks are certifiable Jamaica tinged goodness, but I feel "Pon De Floor" is crown jewel. If I had one track to use to get folks in the mood for unruly night, this is the one I'd drop. Give it whirl and see for yourself. Major Lazer - Pon De Floor
I have a wedding to attend on Saturday night, but I know what I'm doing after that. If you're in Austin and you like a DJ with a inventive set list, I strongly advise you to check out Treasure Fingers at Light on Saturday night.
In the spirit of all things Treasure Fingers, I have added his 40 Minutes in the Champagne Room mix. This mix is a bit old, but its filled with gems and jewels. Trust me, it's worth your time. I've added flash functionality, so you can zip through the mix as you wish. n-joi.
Treasure Fingers - 40 Minutes in the Champagne Room
Track Listing
01. treasure fingers - champagne room intro 02. The glamour - get into it 03. does it offend you, yeah? - we are rockstars 04. snowden - anti anti (treasure fingers remix) 05. dragonette - i get around (midnight juggernauts remix) 06. digitalism - pogo (punks jump up remix) 07. mstrkrft - street justice 08. LA riots feat. jadis - if i could 09. architecture in helsinki - it’s 5! (33hz & ming remix) 10. cassius - cassius 1999 (remix) 11. busta rhymes - touch it (kid fresh remix) 12. anthony rother - freaks 13. M.I.A. - bucky done gun 14. lovely chords - my disko is broken 15. gucci mane - freaky girl 16. math head - do damage (passions remix) 17. miami horror - don’t be with her 18. fergie - glamorous (treasure fingers remix) 19. mark ronson feat. lily allen - oh my god (chris lake remix) 20. cassius - feeling for you 21. cousin cole - thuggish ruggish love 22. the black ghosts - any way you choose to give it (boy 8-bit remix) 23. D.I.M. - airbus (mstrkrft remix) 24. roy davis jr - rock shock (thomas bangalter remix) 25. treasure fingers - cross the dancefloor 26. squarepusher - my red hot car 27. mr oizo - patrick122 28. klaxons - gravity’s rainbow (soulwax remix) 29. snowden - black eyes (le castle vania remix) 30. the discoboys - for you (patrick alavi remix) 31. the cribs - mens needs 32. krazy fiesta feat cassie - me and you 33. rockwell - somebody’s watching me 34. simian mobile disco - hotdog 35. czr - chicago southside (paul johnson remix) 36. naive new beaters - bang bang (yuksek remix) 37. digitalism - digitalism in cairo 38. fiasco - happy hour (the scar remix) 39. justice - genesis 40. da shop boyz - party like a rockstar 41. ocelot - this is our time (treasure fingers remix) 42. tepr - minuit jacuzzi (data remix)
I don't think this guy can ever go wrong. I've listened to remix after remix after remix and they are all simply solid. This was most evident in his re-working of The Whitest Boy Alive's rather pedestrian track "Golden Cage". In it, he created easily the best French House track of 2008 and arguably of the last 5 or so years.
Here, Fred serves his French dish onto Kish Mauve's "Lose Control". It's everything that good French House should be; sexy, funky and superb. Have a listen to it.
Hi Kids!
Ever since I conquered Rome and cured leukemia, I decided my next task in life should be to make my one last dream come true. And here it is...a music blog. In all seriousness, I aim to create a blog with a focus on the dance and urban music scene in Austin. I also aim to profile new artists and tracks that might be of use for DJs. So enjoy it if you like and drop me a note if you'd like to comment.
Email me at ericofaustin@yahoo.com
