Posted by Scott Willats

A Monday morning after a relatively quiet weekend always brings the ambition to find new tunes.  If your weekend was like mine, it was a good chance to catch up with old friends and really dig into what they have been listening to over the summer now that we are approaching the always new-album-infested fall.  Whether it’s the third-quarter push or the back-to-school plunge, for some reason this time of the year always has heavy names dropping some decent tracks.  This is a collection of what I found over the weekend.

DEVolution feat. Amy Pearson – Good Love (Alesso Remix)

I have no idea what these Swedes do in their studios or in their spare time to make them all stadium big room DJs, but I believe more study should be put into this. Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz, Avicii, Dahlbeck and so on and on.  Right now, and for at least the past year (if not two or three) the Swedes have been running the big room game.  Dubstep, electro, trance — all great genres in their own right, but none has the selling capacity of the big room house music.  It’s a monopoly the Swedes possess, so it’s no surprise that the newest big room DJ comes from the land of Ikea.  Alesso is that man.  After completing the absolute summer smash “Calling” with Sebastian Ingrosso, he’s back at it with a remix of DEVolution‘s “Good Love” featuring Amy Pearson. This has all the elements of a classic big room banger.  The vocals create great emotion, and Alesso plays with that to produce a tune fit for stadiums.

LISTEN HERE

LMFAO – Sexy And I Know It (Mord Fustang Remix) 

We also have a brand spanking new track from Mord Fustang, my pick for 2011′s rookie of the year.  The Estonian mastermind behind “Lick the Rainbow” and “The Electric Dream,” he continues to perfect his remix game — this time taking on bpm:tv favourite LMFAO‘s “Sexy and I Know It.”  Great synths on this track, with the chorus vocals almost massaging the beat.  This isn’t exactly going to blow the roof off, but it will definitely get your head nodding and feet moving in unison.

DOWNLOAD THAT BAD BOY HERE.

Aeroplane – Big Boys Don’t Cry [Tribute to DJ Mehdi]

There is something very elegant about Aeroplane. Ever since the “break-up” I feel a new page has been turned for the DJ. His tracks have become very melodic, very catchy and extremely funky. I have had his recent remix of the club classic “Cassius – The Sound of Violence” on repeat for the last month; he has continued to stay true to that simple yet excellent format, and is really evolving into a hit for hit producer. This one is all him: no remix, no samples, just fire. It also happens to be a DJ Mehdi tribute. Classy.

So those are my three bangers for The Monday Mash– and here are three that just missed the cut but are too good to leave unheard. Some Toronto dubstep, Some moombahton and some house. Wolfgang Gartner‘s album drops tomorrow!!!!!! I feel like it’s Christmas Eve. PS. Check the Keys N Krates Web Exclusive: those guys are next level.

Jesse Fex – The Gentlemen – Nightmare

Lucid – I Can’t Help Myself (Tim Mason Remix)

ETC!ETC! – Indian Flute 2011 (Moombahton)

Let the Riddim Ryde……xx

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Posted by Scott Willats

Weekend’s here! Unfortunately for a Caribbean-blooded soul like myself, the fall brings with it the beginning of the end. I know there are many — and since I’m talking to Canada — millions of people who anticipate the season of winter. And while there are many things to love about winter, it just isn’t the same as those summer nights that I adore. So in order to heat you up, I have some fire that will have you gathered around the iPod dock, leaving the campfire in the distance.

Jennifer Lopez: Papi (R3hab Remix)
First track is a tune that sounds like it actually should have been released closer to the beginning of summer. It’s from the recently single (oh, US Weekly, how you clutter my brain with useless info) Jennifer Lopez. I must be honest, I haven’t heard the original — but this remix leads me to believe I will never need to hear the original. R3hab is an absolute remix machine lately, always taking it upon himself to remix hot top 40 tracks. Play this when the party is about to hit its peak. LISTEN ON SOUNDCLOUD.

Market Price x Jay-Z x Kanye West: Mark The Throne
This one is a biggy. A duo of dustup DJs from LA known as Market Price did something everyone was thinking in a matter of weeks: remix the Watch The Throne album by Jay-Z and Kanye West and wickedly call it Mark the Throne. This was always going to be tricky, and an album of this quality rarely needs any improving, but we’re the dub generation — everything needs to be remixed, right? My fave track is “Why I Love You,” but give the whole album a listen. By the way, the whole album is free … what!?!?! Play this throughout the night. LISTEN ON SOUNDCLOUD

Toddla T: Take It Back (Dillon Francis Remix) + Echo Park: Fibreoptic (12th Planet & Flinch Remix)
I’m going to send you two tracks to get the party going wherever you might be. Both are remixes, and both go hard. Dillon Francis, of course, giving us some moombahton flavor, though I wouldn’t exactly limit this track to that genre. 12th Planet gives you dubstep at its finest. Both remixes taken from Toddla T and Echo Park respectively. This might leave your party guests with soiled undergarments. Play this when everyone is, um, feeling nice.

Justice: Helix + DJ Mehdi – Signatune (T. Bangalter Edit)
Lastly we have a brand new track from Justice. This track is really funky and has a strong disco feel and will grow on you rather than immediately resonate with you. Unfortunately any new release from the Ed Banger Records camp this week was going to be very much overshadowed by the untimely death of DJ Mehdi. I’m sure you have already heard that he died from falling from a roof and all that can be said is that the world lost a great smile. Let’s remember him for his talent and his style, because just like everyone else at Ed Banger, Mehdi was a trendsetter. “Signatune” was always my favorite of his tracks.

Be safe with your taste…..xx

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DJ Mehdi (born Mehdi Favéris-Essadi), the Parisian electro/hip-hop producer renowned for his work with the likes of Daft Punk and Chromeo, has died at age 34 — apparently the result of an accidental fall. Friends, collaborators and his many admirers are paying tribute.

Chromeo: “We lost our brother. No words.”

Theo Keating (Fake Blood): “We have lost one of the rare beautiful people in this business. A true gentelemen and a friend. I am in pieces. My heart goes out to his boy.”

Martin Solveig: “Devastated. We all loved Mehdi. My warmest thoughts to his relatives and Ed Banger crew.”

Uffie: “I’m so sad I couldn’t be at the hospital with the rest of the crew to see your face one last time. You knew how to light up our heart as did a dancefloor. Life wont be the same without you in it… we will miss you more than words can say… I just cant believe this…love you.”

Annie Mac: “I’m speechless for the loss of DJ Mehdi. Sending all my love to his beautiful family and to Pedro Winter and Ed banger Records in Paris. X”

deadmau5: “rest in peace Dj Mehdi didn’t get a chance to meet you, but fortunate enough to know you through the amazing music that inspired millions, myself included.”

MORE INFORMATION HERE.