Posted by Scott Willats

Mondays seem made for podcasts and sets. I mean, it can’t be bangers all the time, right? Sometimes you just need the kind of extended, hour-plus mix that lets you vibe out while the randomness of life unfolds before your eyes. Admittedly, for those of us with musical ADD it can be hard to sit without touching your iPod for while someone else controls your playlist. But there’s a yin to that yang: when you cede control for a bit, sometimes you find hidden gems that you wouldn’t have discovered on your own. And isn’t that what we’re all about here?

Insert Kaskade. Already, Coachella 2012 is fading into a slideshow of distant recollections: Hasselhoff’s wardrobe choices, the amazing-looking girls and the appearance of Tupac’s ghost. But there’s one performance that won’t be forgotten. I’ve heard countless sources attest that Kaskade’s set was one for the ages. Like it or not, this man is becoming North America’s answer to David Guetta — and this set stands as the proof. If you couldn’t make it to Indio yourself, you’ll want to give this a listen. Tell your grandchildren where you were when you heard this.

Close your eyes and imagine being in the valley. Happy Monday.

Kaskade Live At Coachella 2012: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Tracklist:

1. Kaskade – Eyes (Intro Edit with Swanky Tunes Mix)
2. Kaskade (feat. Skylar Grey) – Room For Happiness (Gregori Klosman Mix)
3. Kaskade vs Nicky Romero – Angel On My Stronger (Kaskade Mash Up)
4. R3hab & Swanky Tunes – Sending My Love (Kaskade Mix Mash)
5. Kaskade vs. Franz Novotny – Be Still Big Bang (Kaskade Mash Up)
6. Kaskade vs. Tommy Trash – Empty Streets Cascade (Kaskade Mash Up)
7. Kaskade vs. Swedish House Mafia – Fire In Your Antidote (Kaskade Mash Up)
8. Kaskade vs. Dada Life – Dynasty Noise (Kaskade Mash Up)
9. Feenixpawl & Ivan Gough – In My Mind (Axwell Mix)
10. Kaskade vs Nicky Romero – Turn It Down Toulouse (Kaskade Mash Up)
11. Kaskade & Deadmau5 VS. Swanky Tunes, Matisse & Sadko – Move For Me The Legend (Kaskade Mash Up)
12. Dirty South & Thomas Gold – Eyes Wide Open
13. Kaskade – Llove – Dada Life Remix
14. Kaskade vs. Hard Rock Sofa – 4AM Quasar
15. Kaskade & Skrillex – Lick It
16. Kaskade vs. Sandro Silva & Quintino – Call Out Epic (Kaskade Mash Up)
17. Kaskade (feat. Neon Trees) – Lessons In Love (Extended Mix)
18. Kaskade vs. Deniz Koyu – It’s You, It’s Hertz (Kaskade Mash Up)
19. Kaskade vs. Qulinez – Stars Align Troll (Kaskade Mash Up)
20. Kaskade & Adam K – Raining
21. Deadmau5 & Kaskade – I Remember (Strobelite Edit)

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Posted by Scott Willats

Wow — feels like we haven’t had a Sweets for quite some time. First there was the whole Coachella thing, and then last week was a bit of a write-off. Time to get back into it! I’ve got a lot to catch up on, but only the newest for you. Leh-go!

Start off with a heater.  Designer Drugs have been informating us for quite some time, via Twitter and Facebook, that PLS DNT STP drop some of the hardest tunez out there. So what could be better than PLS DNT STP dropping an original remix over one of DD’s bangers.  This track is an anthem!

Designer Drugs-For All We Know (PLS DNT STP RMX): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Blood Music‘s LeBreton is back at it again with his new EP Steam.  Only two tracks but both of them are fresh to death. Steam chains you up in that Blood Music dungeon with maxed-out bass and a classic clap that will gnaw away at your soul. You know, in a good way. Pick it up!

Deadmau5 seems to be finding his rhythm.  It have something to do with the fact that his condo is finally finished and he’s officially moved into a place that contains not only a state-of-the-art studio, but also thousands of stuffed mice. Whatever it is, the music seems to be getting better and better.  This is spankin’ new and hot hot hot. Enjoy!

f**kmylife – Fn Pig: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Shout out to thissongissick.com for releasing this ultra-exclusive new Jack Beats remix of Flux Pavilion‘s “Daydream.”  Two huge names, one incredible sound.

Flux Pavilion – Daydreamer (Jack Beats Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

The M Machine dropped their new EP, Metropolis, earlier this week, and they remain, as ever, blog darlings. The first track has my immediate attention — and now, with any luck, yours too.

The M Machine – Immigrants: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Judging by the SoundCloud upload date, it would appear that I’m quite tardy on this one. But what the hey — I love a good deep club sound. Maya Jane Coles goes completely old school Chicago on this one, giving me a warm feeling in my special places.

Franck Roger – Bring It Back (Maya Jane Coles Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Lets get ravey! You know what that means: Skream up in a di mix, zee mi now!  Shout out to Theophilus London for providing the material to re-work.

Skream – I Stand Alone (Skream Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Flosstradamus seem to be having a moment just now. I know that sounds outrageous to some, as they’ve been dropping bangers for a while. But it does appear that a wider public is now embracing the duo from the Windy City, and that’s nothing but good news for Floss fans everywhere.

Flosstradamus x Deniro Farrar- Look At The Sky: LISTEN TO IT HERE

And how dare I even dream of making a “Sweets” without dropping the newest Killa Killa sounds.

Yo! by Mart!n McFly (The Killabits Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

But where’s the Progressive house? you say.  Why, right here: the newest from Michael Brun & Special Features.  Big room all day!

Michael Brun & Special Features – Synergy (Original Mix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Finalement, a brand new 50-minute mix from our favourite Frenchman, Gesaffelstein.  This might sound a little off-the-wall to those of you more used to traditional EDM, but variety is the spice of life, n’est-ce pas?

Gesaffelstein – Just Before The Dark Mix: LISTEN TO IT HERE

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Posted by Scott Willats

Everybody’s favourite Swede, Tim Bergling (a.k.a. Tim Berg, a.k.a. Avicii) is back with some stellar visuals to accompany “Silhouettes” — perfect for those of us who just can’t get enough of those club lights. This is one of his lesser-loved tracks (if such a thing even exists), but I have the feeling it will pick up a lot of steam on the strength of the video.

This isn’t the only happy news from Avicii today: he’s released the listings for his Le7els tour. Hello Quebec City, Montreal, Saskatoon and Calgary! If you live in one of these cities, be sure to take this opportunity to check out young Timothy!

Avicii – Le7els Tour: DATES

* May 17 — Houston, TX @ Reliant Arena

* May 18 — Fort Worth, TX @ Fort Worth Convention Center

* May 20 — New Orleans, LA @ UNO Lakefront Arena

* May 22 — Detroit, MI @ Joe Louis Arena

* May 24 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center

* May 25 – St. Louis, MO @ Chaifetz Arena

* May 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center

* May 27 – Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre

* June 6 – Atlanta, GA @ The Arena At Gwinnett Center

* June 7 – Tampa, FL @ Tampa Bay Times Forum

* June 8 – Miami, FL @ AmericanAirlines Arena

* June 14 – Pittsburgh, PA @ CONSOL Energy Center

* June 15 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden

* June 20 – Buffalo, NY @ First Niagara Center

* June 21 – Quebec City, QB @ Colisee Pepsi

* June 22 – Montreal, QB @ Bell Centre

* June 26 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre

* June 28 – San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

* July 3 – Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome

* July 4 – Saskatoon @ Credit Union Centre

Buy Tickets HERE.

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Posted by Scott Willats

Flux Pavilion is dirty. Stinky stanky dirty when it comes to creating that bass sound we’ve come to love. So when you get a chance to listen to Joshua Steele sit down for two hours and drop some of the songs that inspire him, you listen. No, scratch that: you download asap. This is Josh’s Essential Mix for the BBC Radio 1 series, and it’s something special: basically, a dive deep into the history of Circus Records, a label that has led the way in showcasing innovative new music. A perfect listen for a Monday, and I strongly advise you to give it a run-through. Class, my friends, is in session.

Flux Pavilion – BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix: LISTEN TO IT HERE

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The fun does not stop after 4/20. And what better way is there to chill after 4/20 than to hang in a record store buying up some rare vinyl? This year Record Store Day is 4/21 and it’s the one day of the year when you can buy limited edition records along with that warm and fuzzy feeling for supporting a local business.

Here are some notable releases. Check out recordstoreday.com for a complete list.

Afrika Bambaataa/MC5 – Kick out the Jams 7″ white with splatter vinyl

Abba – Voulez-Vous Extended Dance Remix – 12″ 45rpm transparent blue glitter vinyl

James Brown – There is Is / Pass the Pass 7″ single

Lana Del Ray – Born to Die (Damon Albarn Remix) Blue Jeans (Penguin Prison Remix)

Foster the People – Broken Jaw / Ruby 7″

Jamiroquai – Rock Dust Light Star – 2x LP with CD

M83 – Mirror 7″ etched disc

Public Image Ltd One Drop EP – PiL Official 12 inch

Sigur Ros Hvarf-Heim XL 2x LP, colored vinyl

Tegan & Sara – Get Along Sire LP

Posted by Scott Willats

Lately we’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about Canadian artist Datsik and his debut album on Steve Aoki‘s powerhouse label Dim Mak. Now, those of us who live and breathe bass go to sleep at night grinding our teeth at the thought that Datsik isn’t already crazy famous. Sad to say, there are lost souls out there who don’t eat bass for breakfast — and it takes a special kind of sound to get these folks sitting up and really taking notice of bass.

Datsik has that sound.

This B.C. native has been ripping up dancefloors for a while now with his patented mixture of glitch, synth and bass, and his followers now are growing in number. For the past three months, I’ve been raving like a madman about “Lightspeed,” his collaboration with Kill the Noise. At an astonishing 128 bpm, it’s the absolute Platonic ideal of a bass track.

And then there’s “Fully Blown,” his track with Snak the Ripper. It’s got a sound that is recognizably Canadian: grimy in every sense of the word, and blending rap and bass with a facility matched only by fellow Canucks Zeds Dead.

While “Fully Blown” is very slightly dated, there’s a great reason to be checking it out now: the ever-innovative minds at Dim Mak recently ran a contest to see who could come up with the best remix of the track. These are some of the top dogs:

Datsik feat. Snak The Ripper – Fully Blown (THE TAPEDECK Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Datsik feat. Snak The Ripper- Fully Blown (Razor Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Datsik feat. Snak The Ripper –Fully Blown (Dinosaur Religion Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

… aaaaaaand, the Dim Mak/ARTISTdirect Contest Winners:

RUNNER-UP! Datsik feat. Snak The Ripper – Fully Blown (Rekoil Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

WINNER! Datsik feat. Snak The Ripper – Fully Blown (The Frim Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

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Posted by Scott Willats

Posting has been a little light these last few days, but never fear: things are about to get very, very heavy. Today, some bass for your earhole. Seems the legendary long-haired freak known as Bassnectar is back with a new album packed of must-hear cuts designed to reduce your subwoofer to a cringing, weeping wreck. (No mas! No mas!) The deliciously titled VaVa Voom is a a collection of sounds that Bassnectar (a.k.a. Lorin Ashton) has been compiling for some time, all crafted with the same motive: to rock your brain into a coma. The illustrious likes of ill.Gates, Jantsen, Tina Malia and Lupe Fiasco all make guest appearances.

The title track showcases the sound that Bassnectar is so justly proud of: the climbing steps and low voice at the beginning make it feel real Dirty South, and for a second or two you have to remind yourself it’s an EDM artist who made this beat. Once the bass kicks in, the track is unmistakeably Bassnectar, and with Lupe’s philosophical flow and street fluency, it all blend together perrrrrrrrrrrfectly.

The rest of the album is equally essential, so be sure to check it all out.

Bassnectar: VaVa Voom: LISTEN TO IT HERE ON SOUNDCLOUD

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Posted by Scott Willats

It’s no secret that Coachella, which kicks off today, is the festival all the “cool kids” swarm to. Maybe it’s the fact that no media are admitted, or just that the organizers somehow manage to book the best artists in the world year in and year out (many from our own EDM world) — whatever the reason, one thing is certain: this is definitely a box that needs to be checked off your bucket list.

Now, for those of you who can’t make the cross-continent voyage to that sunny valley in California — no worries, I got you covered. This week’s “Sweets” features tracks from some of the hottest acts set to smash up Coachella this year. Put on your cargo shorts, switch on the sun lamp and crank the tunes. Close your eyes and it’s almost like you’re there. OK, I said almost.

Metronomy – The Look: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Sick …

Kele – Tenderoni: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Amon Tobin – Bedtime Stories: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Extra sick …

araabMUZIK – I Remember (Electronic Dreams Deluxe Edition): LISTEN TO IT HERE

AWOLNATION – Guilty Filthy Soul: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Kendrick Lamar- The Spiteful Chant: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Sexy …

Breakbot – Make You Mine: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Esssssssssssssssssential!

Doctor P – Neon: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Frank Ocean – Swim Good: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Smoothe … like smooth with an “e,” as in eeeeeeextra smooth …

Gotye – Smoke and Mirrors: LISTEN TO IT HERE

R3hab – Chainsaw Showers: LISTEN TO IT HERE

A classic re-worked …

Justice – Valentine: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Kaskade – Turn It Down (Le Castle Vania Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Hands down, the one artist I would most want to see live at Coachella …

Katy Perry – Part Of Me (Jacques Lu Cont’s Thin White Duke Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

And that, I think, is enough for now. But check back next week as we double down on Coachella artists and get into the nitty gritty!!!!!

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Posted by Scott Willats

Can’t believe it’s taken me so long to post this track! Released towards the end of WMC, it’s a massive banger from a legend and a soon-to-be-legend. I’m talking, of course, about Tiësto and Wolfgang Gartner, whom followers of this blog will recall shared a stage last year at Toronto’s Ricoh Coliseum. (Check out the review HERE.) Together, they’ve dropped “We Own The Night,” featuring vocals  by Luciana. Tracks like this aren’t meant to be described — they’re meant to be shared. So allow me to share with you an instant classic courtesy of three artists the whole bpm Nation knows and loves.

Tiesto & Wolfgang Gartner feat. Luciana – We Own The Night (Original Mix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

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Posted by Scott Willats

A Tuesday to celebrate for fans of French house (and really, aren’t we all?). One of bpm:tv’s — and Canada’s — favourite European DJs, Martin Solveig has released the latest instalment in his “Smash” series of videos.

“Smash” has proven a massive success, and has really demonstrated what good music, clever filmmaking and savvy use of social media can accomplish for an artist. In addition to which, it has revealed a charmingly vulnerable and human side to one of EDM’s true superstar DJs — something refreshing for all of us “ordinary” people to see.

This new episode, “The Night Out,” features cameos from Sidney Samson, A-Trak, Porter Robinson, Dillon Francis, Laidback Luke, Zedd and many more. The offbeat humour of the story, the pause-worthy guest appearances, the stellar cinematography — there’s something in here for just about everybody. Enjoy the show!

Previously on “Smash” …

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