Well, if you didn’t already know, it is GOING DOWN tonight at Sound Academy, as Embrace Presents brings Porter Robinson to the stage with guests The M Machine. Porter is a very busy man, so take full advantage of this opportunity and get your ass down to Polson Pier.
Of course, Porter isn’t the only one who’s been rocking the sh*t out of crowds over the past couple of weeks. Which brings us to this week’s Sweets of the Week. With the Digital Dreams fest just around the corner, the heat is on for DJs to find that elusive key to a killer set. Don’t be surprised if you hear a few of these heavy-duty tracks from your fave DJ this coming Canada Day weekend.
No need to go into detail about them — the sounds speak for themselves. Enjoy! I’ll see you tonight at Sound Academy!
A quiet-ish week in terms of new releases — but that doesn’t mean what we do have lacks for quality.
A lot of the big DJs seem to be on a bit of a hiatus right now. There may be a couple of reasons for that. WMC wasn’t that long ago, and a lot of artists dropped their newest stuff at the conference. Plus, festival season is just around the corner, and many DJs like to wait and give new material a test-run in front of a live audience. I’ll admit I often prefer to hear new tracks for the first time at shows rather than on the blogs, so the more of this practice the better, as far as I’m concerned.
All that said, some of the heavy hitters are still leaking new material. In today’s post we’ve got some Pretty Lights, Benga and Digitalism, to name a few. Strap up!
Back like he never left. When we went to London, Ontario last week for the Grand Benders party I was hoping to cross paths with this hometown hero. But Overwerk, as it turned out, was busy tearing up Norway. By way of compensation, however, he’s given us something brand new — and it’s a banger!
Ma-Ma-Ma-Majoooooor Lazer! What more can you say? The boys are back in the groove, making beats of quality. Alex Clare is one lucky son of a bitch to get this all for himself! Huge!
This track reminds me of the late comic Mitch Hedberg’s classic line: “I remixed a remix until it became an original again.” Sound Remedy takes on Sound Remedy … proper. Finest tune of the week IMO.
Pretty Lights is back at it again, and it’s his pretty old self shining through: a mix of bass and hard drops on this peach of a tune. Feels like it’s been a while since we last heard from the Colorado giant. Let’s hope there’s more coming soon.
Goldroom seems to have attracted a news and different audience in recent months. I’m not usually one for fads, but this one is definitely worth climbing aboard. Love this track.
What do I keep saying about Germany? They seem to perfected some kind of magic potion, because EDM’s global centre of gravity is rapidly shifting from Sweden to Deutschland. And Digitalism is spearheading the takeover. Justice fans will eat this up!
I find Coyote Kisses something of an enigma. When I listen to one of their songs, there always comes a moment when I find myself thinking I would have chosen a different road in terms of sound choices. Yet by the end, I feel satisfied with the result. This new track is sheer genius, and makes me think the duo are ready at last for household name status.
HyperCrush seems to spark a love/hate reaction among EDM fans. Some find them too poppy, others say they get it just right. Personally, I think they are perfect party material.
In case you missed the earlier post: new Ruskooooooooooooo! Look out for a new bpm Spotlight episode on Rusko — coming very very soon!
Just in time for the NHL post-season, I’ve compiled my latest hard-hitting mix. Who needs holograms when you’ve got a mix of Jackbeats, OVERWERK, Brodinski, Gesaffelstein, Eptic and Kill The Noise. Accompanied by my cuts and add-ons, you know this is a definite download.
A crazy night last night, what with running back and forth from The Cobra to The Hoxton to check out Jack Beats, Annie Mac and Kim Fai. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way: loads of great music, and even better people to celebrate it with.
Mind you, between last night, Bassmentality on Wednesday and Nico Jaar at Revival tonight, there hasn’t been much time to spend polishing my prose to perfection. So let’s just get straight to the point: SWEETS!!!!
If you’re in Toronto tonight, get your ass to Revival to see one of my top-five-dead-or-alive producers tear up the club: Nico Jaar. Info and tix HERE.
There comes a point when you know an artist or group has hit either hit their peak or are about to do something game-changing. Zeds Dead are rapidly approaching that spot, and with the release of Ruckus the Jam it’s clear that they have chosen the latter. In anticipation of next week’s huuuuuuuuuuge show at Kool Haus, we present … brand new Zeds Dead!
There’s a reason I’m enthused every time I hear a new OVERWERK track. The kid is an absolute magician in the studio and seems to be able to create sounds that for the mass audience with every production. Listen to me: the EP is free, pick it up riggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhht now! You’ll thank me in the new year!
Okay, this could potentially be big. Daft Punk are gods, simple enough. Well, I came across something very interesting on deathelectro.com. And I quote:
Read this letter to The Daft Club:
My dad works at Virgin Records in the UK and has access to the servers on their Computers. He came home Friday night with a USB stick, I use it from time to time for my files for Uni. I Had to put some photos from my computer to my dads so I used His USB on Sunday. When I know I did, i found something interesting…I found a file on the USB titled ‘Daft Punk – Sky Dive (2012) (Previews Promo)’.
Well it’s not that awesome. I’m sure his pops is wishing he didn’t let him use that USB. Whether or not this is the real deal, we don’t know yet … buuuuuuut, it has a Daft sound. Tell me what you think:
Here’s a track that will simply make you feel good. The song is very familiar, but this remix blends with the vocals to perfection. I think it’s perfect holiday party track. Not too heavy, but enough spunk to get everyone up. Wintercore!
I also have the new EP from The Shack. These vibes are a little more chill, which I’m really digging. The basslines on all the tracks are awesome. The EP was released on the Faze Action label, so it’s no doubt that he blesses us with the remixes. A good EP to keep in your back pocket.
Lastly I got the brand new video from Major Lazer, “Original Don.” First time I heard this song I was torn. It’s huge, but it’s also annoying. Halfway through you’re like, “What am I listening to?” — but you don’t press stop. Anyhoo, I was expecting a video shot in Jamaica, with a bunch of goons and gangstas all crowding the streets of Kingston. What we get instead is a little different. You figure it out.
A lot went down this week. A wicked Toronto show by Hamburg’s finest, Digitalism, was the highlight. Though it came on a damp and dreary day, the place was brought to life by the sounds from I Love You, Dude. Real humble, honest and talented is the way to describe this German pair. When I got to interview them, I was impressed by how open and forthcoming they were. They even offered to send us some T-shirts to give to bpm:tv fans. We’ll let you know as soon as they arrive.
Also, congrats to all the EDM artists nominated for Grammy Awards. This is a true example of how our genre is taking over the world. I’m not much of a Grammys fan, but you have to at least appreciate the gesture. Deadmau5 really better win one, and I’m crossing my fingers that Skrillex will claim best new artist, though he’ll have stiff competiton from J Cole and Nicki Minaj. The most interesting category will be Best Dance Recording. The nominees:
* Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech – “Raise Your Weapon”
* Duck Sauce – “Barbra Streisand”
* David Guetta & Avicii – “Sunshine”
* Robyn – “Call Your Girlfriend”
* Skrillex – “Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites”
* Swedish House Mafia – “Save The World”
Those are all big songs, buuuuuut … well, it’s kinda the reason I don’t like the Grammys. But I’ll keep that to myself. In my opinion, this has to go to Duck Sauce; that song was way more than an anthem. The Robyn track is a close second — and the rest, in my opinion, aren’t even the best songs these artists put out in the past year. But I digress. With luck, we’ll see some killer performances on the show.
The leak of Bowski‘s Poppies EP is definitely the other highlight of my week — but I’ve already talked about that. So here are a few other things to take you into the weekend. Enjizzzoy!
First up: our hometown boys are killing it. Killabits in Belgium, Zeds Dead tearing up North America … Dec. 17th at Kool Haus is gonna be wickkkkkkkkkkkkked. This video is nutz.
GRiZ is fast becoming my favourite producer. Detroit What!
A little treat for you this Thursday. I know some of you are waiting for the latest installment of Scott’s Selections. I’m a little tardy with it, and once I let it slide for a week I make a new one because I find a couple of tracks that I neeeeed to mix in it.
So anyway, I thought I’d give you a special mini-mix prepared by yours truly. It feature some things new, some things old, and all things borrowed. I present to you: Scott’s Selections – Nibbles ‘N’ Hitz (Mini Mix edition). Available for Download HERE!
The magical mau5 weekend is upon us, and it’s safe to say that if you’re into EDM you’ll be at the Rogers Centre tomorrow night. So what does that leave us with for Sweets? Seems most appropriate to post tracks from artists who’ll be playing tomorrow. Like an ode to Toronto. And if we’re gonna highlight all things Toronto, let’s do it right. Ladies and gentlemen: the best Sweets of the Week eveeeeeeeeeeer!
First, THE VETERANS. Not focusing on the new, but rather the classic. I’m gonna post the tracks I feel best defines who they are. You’ve probably heard them before — but if you haven’t, enjizzoy.
Deadmau5
“Alone With You,” “Ghosts N Stuff,” “Strobe,” “I Remember,” “Some Chords” … I could go on forever. However, it’s this rendition of “The Funeral of Queen Mary” — Wendy Carlos, or is it Walter Carlos? Love him or hate him, Deadmau5 is brilliant in the studio and pretty immaculate on stage as well.
What can you say about Ethan and Alice? International artists in the purest form. “Baptism,” “Celestica,” “Untrust Us,” “Crimewave,” “Not in Love” … emotional tracks for days. And then the remixes: world class. This track sticks out for me. Eyes roll back around when skulls hit the ground.
JFK and Al-P are some of electro’s most innovative artists. Both have such a diverse background (Death from Above, Girlsareshort) but together they blend perfectly. Just reach into the hat and pick a track … all of them are stellar.
A bpm:tv favourite. Sydney is everything you imagine when you think of Canada: beautiful, intelligent and talented. An absolute beast behind the tables, Ms. Blu could well be cited as an inspiration behind the man with the mau5 head.
Next: THE HOT SHOTS. There’s a new artist every 15 minutes in this genre. Some have the longevity to stick around for a bit and some are gone faster than they arrived. Here are some Toronto young gunz I expect to be headlining events like Meowingtons Hax in the future.
Poupon
Hype and buzz is a weird thing. Sometimes it’s well deserved, sometimes it’s not. And sometimes, as in the case of Toronto musician Poupon, there’s just not enough hype to match the skill. I look at someone like Julio Bashmore and look at Poupon and I really can’t see why Bashmore is getting the crazy love and Poupon is not. Not that Bashmore doesn’t deserve it — he does — it’s just that Poupon is equally skilled. With the release of the Searching EP, though, the love is intensifying — and after this European tour I don’t see it letting up anytime soon.
Some kids are just born with it. Born with the innovative direction and purpose to do things different. GRiMESKEE is one of those prodigies. In the clusterf**k world of dubstep it’s easy to blend in with the crowd. This kid sees that as an opportunity to stand out. Making mixes using a vast variety of genres can seem a little scattered, but somehow he makes it work. He also makes it look easy.
Everything I said of GRiMESKEE could be applied word-for-word to SposhRock. This new wave-synthetic-genius has been dropping little blessings of magic every few months. One thing you’ll notice of SposhRock is that with every release he challenges himself. He easily could stay in one spot, but every new track is a new vision. A great artist to keep following up on because you never quite know what you’re about to hear. Keeps you on your toes.
Another bpm:tv favourite. Blessed with the creativity to think outside of the box during live sets, Meech is always a treat to check out. His work his partner Meati is up to the same standard as Poupon: clean and polished with a hint of swag. But what keeps Meech ahead of the pack is his ambition.
Though not a Torontonian (we won’t hold it against him), Overwerk has to be placed on this list. I spoke highly of him in a recent post but not enough can be said to describe his sound. With an ear for the masses and a production quality few can match, Overwerk could easily be the next Deadmau5 — maybe even bigger. A brand new release from him, and as you can hear, this track could be an anthem.
We here at bpm:tv love EDM. The only thing we love more than EDM is Canadian EDM. Canada stands among the frontrunners with some of the best electro producers in the world. From big names like A-Trak and deadmau5 to up-and-comers like Poupon and Meech, Canada has the quality to rival any other nation in the EDM world.
Enter our newest gem: Overwerk. This London, Ontario prodigy is on point right now with his mix of remixes and originals. The man behind the alter ego is Edmond Huszar, and this kid is special. All of his beats create such a thick and heavy pulse, in the 126 to 132 bpm range: electro’s holy grail. However, he doesn’t let the bass and beat ryde — on every track he creates drops and climaxes to rival the heaviest hitters in the electro house game. Picture a cross between Porter Robinson with Mord Fustang, with the clean and polished product of Aeroplane. This kid is banging!
So with that little intro, lets jump into the tunes — which are free by the way (Gotta love the Canadian swag)!
Since I compared him to Mord Fustang, this seems like a good place to start. As you’re aware, Mr. Fustang has been somewhat the flavour of the last 6-10 months, and I have been shouting his praises. And before I make my next comment, let’s bear in mind that there is no remix without the original, and that Fustang has been on top of his game in creating a signature style. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut, this track is heavy. Overwerk takes the original Magic Trooper and absolutely flips it on its head, yet keeps the original tempo intact. In bumps so precise, especially around the 2:45 mark, when the song just takes on a mind of its own and becomes greater and more powerful than the original. Enjoizzzzzzzzzoy!
It’s not just remixes, either: he creates masterpieces of his own. The Nth ° is a track bursting with emotion, which becomes evident in the first two minutes. He gives the intro a sort of motion picture feel. Something out of an Eighties movie like Flight of the Navigator, but with more attitude. And then the chords come in, and it’s over.
Lastly, and only because I can’t resist throwing one more into my post — entirely gratuitous, since I know you’ll want to check his entire SoundCloud collection — here’s the remix of Night by Night. Already an immaculate track on its own (with one of the best remixes brought to you by Skream), it’s a tough song for Edmond to make his own. But he pulls it off, creating something that isn’t out there. Keeps the melody feeling slow and sexy like the original — but the tempo goes up like a rocket. The anticipation at the beginning for the first drop is colossus in a cathedral. Ch-Ch-Check it out!
Plenty of other tracks there for you to browse through: Space Junk, Midnight and Stop, Drop & Roll stand out for me — but to be honest, every one of his songs has a distinct sound to it and it’s refreshing to listen to the whole lot. If you’re in Toronto this week, he’s playing a show on Friday at 340 Wellington St. with Andy’s iLL. A cheap event with cheap drinks and wicked music … if I wasn’t in New York, I’d be there!
While the London Knights gave us Perry, Kane and Kadri, the London nights gave us Overwerk………..xx
