CONTEST: Win a pair of tickets to Bounce Boat NYC on 7/25 featuring Capital Cities!
Attention NYC! Have you got any plans for this Friday, July 25? Lucky for you, the good people at Bounce Boat have kindly offered us a pair of FREE tickets to their latest event featuring DJ sets from Brenmar, Solidisco and Capital Cities. Capital Cities, of course, are responsible for their massive hit “Safe and Sound,” and have been touring with Katy Perry, playing at arenas for the last couple months.
So if a cool EDM party on a boat sounds like your kind of fun, here’s your chance to spend a summer night on the Hornblower Infinity boat, cruising across Hudson River while living it up to good music! A couple notes below:
- This giveaway is open to those living in or close to New York who can physically make it to the event (obviously).
- You can enter once every day. Earn up to 7 entries per day! Deadline is 3AM EST on 7/25.
- Keep in mind it’s a 21+ show. Boarding time is 7PM, departure is at 9PM.
You want in? Click here to go the entry page and WIN.
Best of luck! In the meantime, here are some tunes to get you pumped up.
STREAM: Capital Cities – Safe And Sound (RAC Mix)
STREAM: Chromeo – Jealous (Solidisco Remix)
STREAM: Route 94 – My Love Feat. Jess Glynne (Brenmar & J Heat Remix)
Lana Del Rey’s “West Coast” Remixed By Four Tet & More
Whoever has been commissioning remixes for Lana Del Rey deserves accolades. They always take risks and reach out to less obvious acts. The results don’t always pay off but when they do, they do! The latest coup is to get the holy Four Tet to remix her brand new single “West Coast”. Something about the drums on this one reminds me of Björk’s “Human Behaviour”. Très cool.
STREAM: Lana Del Rey – West Coast (Four Tet Remix)
Ten Ven has their eyes on the disco ball, William Carl Jr uses new vocals not in the original mix, and Camo & Krooked dreams up a more leftfield spectral soundscape. Definitely an interesting batch of remixes so far (you just know there will be more).
STREAM: Lana Del Rey – West Coast (Ten Ven Remix)
STREAM: Lana Del Rey – West Coast (William Carl Jr Remix)
STREAM: Lana Del Rey – West Coast (Camo & Krooked Remix)
Watch the music video.
Buy ‘West Coast’ on iTunes.
More on Lana Del Rey.
Coldplay’s “Midnight” Remixed by Disco Legend Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder is the latest to join disco greats like Nile Rodgers and Cerrone to resurface after the renewed interest thanks to Daft Punk & Pharrell. The Italian legend lent his magic touch to Coldplay‘s recent single “Midnight” and turned it into a 9-minute intergalactic trip, complete with French-singing robot vocoders, violin strings and delicious synth sequencers. Leave it to the master to bring on good times.
STREAM: Coldplay – Midnight (Giorgio Moroder Remix)
You can check out the original, co-produced by Paul Epworth and Jon Hopkins, via its unintentionally hilarious video here.
Coldplay’s 6th album “Ghost Stories” drops on May 16.
REMIXED: Ellie Goulding – Beating Heart (Cahill Radio Edit)
Professional soundtrack botherer Ellie Goulding just premiered the video for her latest young adult blockbuster theme song “Beating Heart”. For those of you who prefer EDM Ellie, the Divergent tune also got a fresh club-friendly remix by the ever-reliable Cahill. If you’re up for some generic good fun, check out the dance radio edit below.
STREAM: Ellie Goulding – Beating Heart (Cahill Radio Edit)
You can watch Ellie having a nice walk in the woods below.
Buy “Beating Heart” on iTunes.
More on Ellie.
More on Cahill.
Popforward: Rebeka
Here are SIX facts you need to know about our latest Popforward act Rebeka.
1. Rebeka are Iwona Skwarek and Bartosz Szczęsny. Those happen to be Polish names. You can see why they settled for Rebeka instead.
2. Their current single is “Melancholia”. You can’t go wrong with a song called “Melancholia”.
3. If you quite like Goldfrapp, Ladytron, The Knife and other bands from Europe that make modern/spooksome synth-pop, you will like this.
4. The music video features some very nice plants.
5. You can grab a FREE mp3 of the track right here!
Actually, you can download a free Moullinex remix too.
MP3: Rebeka – Melancholia (Moullinex Remix)
6. Their debut album “Hallada” is available to buy in all the usual places. If you’re more of a streaming type, find it on Spotify.
REMIXED: Little Boots – Motorway (Little Boots Discotheque Edit)
Not complacent about “Motorway” being one of her finest tracks to date, British disco siren/DJ Little Boots has expanded the atmospheric Nocturnes opening track to a swirling 7-minute epic joy ride. Billed as the “Little Boots Discotheque Edit”, the eargasmic extended version should please any fan of disco beats, bongo drums and vintage synths. To sweeten the deal, Victoria is kind enough to offer it up as a free mp3 download, so you can sync it to your iPod, add it to your getaway playlist, blast it in your car and driiiive away.
Seriously loving this.
MP3: Little Boots – Motorway (Little Boots Discotheque Edit)
And just in case you haven’t heard the original, it’s still available as a free download too!
NEW VIDEO: Mayer Hawthorne – Her Favorite Song (Feat. Jessie Ware)
For some reasons, I used to mistake Mayer Hawthorne for a punk/emo band, and for that false impression, I steered clear of their music. Not until I found out Jessie Ware did some vocals on the new single “Her Favorite Song” did I finally have a listen and to my surprise, Mayer Hawthorne is actually a white American guy singing blue-eyed soul!
“Her Favorite Song” is a throwback to the heyday of adult contemporary soft rock à la Sting. Mayer Hawthorne proudly wore his influences on his sleeves, as he tapped into this uncool ’80s genre and shook it up with a bit of Prince. It’s an ultra-smooth, cosmopolitan jam, but it’s Jessie Ware’s (uncredited) sultry vocals during the chorus that add an extra touch of class and elevate this track beyond Bruno Mars/Robin Thicke MOR territory. And if the music alone is not enough to win you over, there is now a glossy music video featuring models and dogs that dress like humans. Dogs that dress like humans! Good move, not-an-emo-band Mayer Hawthorne.
Check out the Large Professor remix after the jump.
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REMIXED: Fiona Apple – Every Single Night (MeLo-X APT Basement God Mix)
Here’s one for the hot summer nights. Fiona Apple‘s music was never the kind that would necessarily call out for remixes, but Brooklyn-based producer MeLo-X manages to give “Every Single Night” a refreshing workout, mixing African drum rhythms, dreamy guitar riffs and a bonus rap verse with her impassioned chants. It’s a sweat-inducing jungle fever dream, but the fiery tension of the original remains. A fantastic Soundcloud find.
MP3: Fiona Apple – Every Single Night (MeLo-X APT Basement God Mix)
REMIXED: Delphic Pay Tribute To Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab”
Brit band Delphic paid tribute to the late Amy Winehouse by uploading their 2013 update of “Rehab” on Soundcloud a few days ago. It’s a blog-happy trap beat exercise that takes some fun turns during its 5-minute span, and is bound to go down well at house parties. This reminds me how I used to be obsessed with their massive tune “Halcyon” back in 2010, and that I still need to listen to their new follow-up. Grab a free download of the remix below, and check out the video for their current single “Baiya”.
MP3: Amy Winehouse – Rehab (Delphic Remix)
WATCH: Delphic – Baiya
Delphic’s new album Collections is out now.
More on Delphic.
REMIXED: Bat For Lashes – Laura (Bachelors Of Science Remix)
Bat For Lashes’ Laura was a deeply gorgeous, haunting chamber-pop ballad, the kind that doesn’t need any enhancing. Nevertheless, San-Francisco-based electronic outfit Bachelors Of Science tried to put their own twist, resulting in a beautiful downtempo reading. They pair the track with ’90s trip-hop beats and buzzsaw synths, but keep the original piano melodies in the mix. This is going straight to my late night playlist! Well done guys.
STREAM: Bat For Lashes – Laura (Bachelors Of Science Remix)
You can watch Bat For Lashes’ new video for the next single “Lilies” below – a visual feast of impressive stop-motion animation.
WATCH: Bat For Lashes – Lilies
REMIXED: Officially-Approved Beyoncé’s “Crazy In Love” Dubstep Remix
The Beyoncé PR machine is running on overload. $15 million Pepsi endorsement deal, rumored H&M campaign, Destiny’s Child reunion, new HBO documentary, the inaugural concert, and of course, the Superbowl Halftime show! Her team deserves a gold medal for pulling out all the stops this time. She literally CANNOT fail can’t she. Since there’s little we know yet about the lead single, let’s focus some attention on the one that started her solo career, the horn-blazing, Rich-Harrison-produced “Crazy In Love”. Did you know Beyoncé features a bootleg dubstep remix on the trailer of her forthcoming HBO documentary “Life Is But A Dream”, one that only has about 6,000 views on Youtube prior to this? A Google moment and it turns out this remix is made back in 2010 by a guy called Sebastian Nahi, aka FeelX, who now goes by the name VÄRT. It’s actually quite impressive for an unofficial remix, it’s very “now”, with dark undertones, slightly sinister pitched-down vocal samples and of course, some big ol’ silly wobble-wobble bass.
One question remains unanswered: Does Queen B look up fan made remixes in her spare time when Blue Ivy’s asleep?
MP3: Beyoncé – Crazy In Love feat. Jay-Z (FeelX Dubstep Remix)
If you haven’t followed her fabulous Tumblr from which the amazing above picture comes, you’re missing out!
More on VÄRT.
More on Beyoncé.
LISTEN: Frida Sundemo – Snow (Immanu El Remix)
Frida Sundemo ended 2012 on a high, having got the blogosphere a-buzzin’ with the brilliant single “Indigo”. Now she’s ready to kickstart 2013 with another taster, “Snow”. However, for now “Snow” is only available on Spotify in Scandinavia (damn those pesky region restrictions!). Fortunately, Swedish postrock band Immanu El have uploaded their beautiful slow-burning remix of the track for us non-Swedes to enjoy. It showcases another side of her – melancholy, downbeat, but blissful, not unlike her compatriot Lykke Li. And of course it’s only natural for a Swede to sing about snow. I wonder what the original sounds like, is it a electro stomper, or an introspective downtempo number à la Royksopp?
Mash-up: Adele vs Donna Summer – I Feel Love Rollin’ In The Deep
Electronica godfather Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim recently gave away a rollicking mash-up of Adele & Donna Summer on his Soundcloud for free. Retitled “I Feel Love Rollin’ In The Deep”, it was made for his DJ sets, and finally offered the answer to the question “What if Adele unleashed her inner Giorgio Moroder disco diva ?”. The mash-up surprisingly works, making it one strong addition to your NYE party playlists. Check it out below.
MP3: Fatboy Slim – I Feel Love Rollin In The Deep (Fatboy Mash-up)
REMIXED: Lana Del Rey’s “Ride” Remixed By Active Child & Photek
How many ways can you remix Lana Del Rey? Just how many producers got sent the stems every time she readies a new single? I have a feeling there must be a plethora of unreleased mixes not making the cut, when they always releasing a mixed bag of tricks. For her new Rick-Rubin-produced single “Ride”, Active Child and Photek step up to the task and deliver two of the best rejigs so far. Do check them out below!
STREAM: Lana Del Rey – Ride (Active Child Remix)
Active Child adds some seriously funky basslines and pretty harp chords with an ’80s finish.
STREAM: Lana Del Rey – Ride (Photek Remix)
Props to the legendary Photek for not turning in a token drum n’ bass mix (Special Request has filled that slot instead), and for keeping the melodies intact, making it one of the more tamed offerings from him. I still would like to hear a proper old-school jungle take on Lana though.
REMIXED: Ellie Goulding – Hanging On (Ahadadream Remix)
Ellie Goulding‘s sophomore effort “Halcyon” is out this week, and you should probably have it already because it’s definitely one of the strongest pop releases this year. “Anything Could Happen” was a red herring, as the album is a big step forward – bold, experimental, and bombastic, without losing the pop charms of her debut. She shows real growth and progression as an artist. At the moment, I’m all about “Only You”, “My Blood” and the massive “Figure 8” (which has to be the next single).
Her cover of Active Child’s “Hanging On” got a wicked bass remix by London-based producer Ahadadream, which is only available on the Spotify edition. But you can now download it for free! Have a listen below.
MP3: Ellie Goulding – Hanging On (Ahadadream Remix)
REMIXED: Acid House Kings’ “This Heart Is A Stone” Revisited By Friends And Fans
Swedish indie-pop veterans Acid House Kings have been enjoying a resurgence lately. They just reissued most of their back catalogue, as well as invited friends and fans to remix their most popular track “This Heart is a Stone” (it was on a Korean ice cream commercial featuring Drew Barrymore don’t cha know). Out of the whopping number of 12 remixes, here are my two cherry picks. The Perfect Nines mix goes for the jangly C86 Sarah Records sound which I adore, while the Sunny Intervals opt for relaxing Sunday-morning vibes. Both give a fresh take on the original without straying too far from its roots. Have a lovely listen below.
MP3: Acid House Kings – This Heart is a Stone (Perfect Nines Mix)
STREAM: Acid House Kings – This Heart is a Stone (Sunny Intervals Remix)
Stream the entire collection of mixes on Labrador’s Soundcloud.
More on Acid House Kings.
REMIXED: Bat For Lashes – All Your Gold (Hercules and Love Affair Remix)
Just in time for Friday night, here’s the Hercules and Love Affair remix of Bat For Lashes‘ latest single “All Your Gold”. It’s a no-brainer union, since I always thought his throwback Chicago house sound would mesh well with her voice. Check it out below!
STREAM: Bat For Lashes – All Your Gold (Hercules and Love Affair Remix)
And if you haven’t seen its music video yet, please do. For me, it’s an instant classic that begs for repeated viewings. It’s beautifully choreographed, performed, filmed and edited, and those vaguely ritualistic moves Natasha Khan pulls are so captivating. This has become my second favourite video of hers beside that one. Stunning.
Pre-order “The Haunted Man”, out October 22. Not long now.
More on Bat For Lashes.
REMIXED: Kimbra Gets The Space-Disco Treatment From Prins Thomas
“Something In The Way You Are” is easily the best of the batch of new songs on Kimbra‘s US release of “Vows”. It’s a straightforward, catchy midtempo pop number that makes good use of a recycled Lil’ Mama beat. What I didn’t see coming is a remix from Nordic space-disco wiz Prins Thomas. Have a listen below.
STREAM: Kimbra – Something In The Way You Are (Prins Thomas Discomiks)
Watch the literally bonkers video for her latest single “Come Into My Head” after the jump.
Popforward: Saint Lou Lou
Mysterious Aussie/Swedish twin duo Saint Lou Lou managed to win me over with just one perfect little gem of downtempo dream-pop. “Maybe You”, their first and only song to date, is a sublime synth-pop ballad with an ’80s-indebted ‘quiet storm’ vibe. It’s melancholy yet hopeful, subdued yet tender. It’s the kind of track you can imagine yourself hearing on the radio in the back of a taxi cab on a rainy late-summer night. In fact, I’m surprised they didn’t add thunderstorm sound effects to the intro, so I guess I’ll make do with an open tab of Rainymood.com.
The music video is a gorgeous, sensually-shot black-and-white slo-mo affair. Watch it below, and check out some excellent remixes after the jump.
REMIXED: Spector’s “Never Fade Away” Remixed By Benny Benassi and Wolfgang Voigt
Spector have gone ‘EDM’! In a somewhat unexpected move, the band got Benny Benassi to remix their fantastic single “Never Fade Away”, and the result is quite massive. It’s proper hands-in-the-air rave o’clock, with those post-chorus rave-off-your-tits bits so popular with the kids nowadays. I think this could easily pull a “Spectrum via Calvin Harris” with decent airplay.
STREAM: Spector – Never Fade Away (Benny Benassi Remix Radio Edit)
But no worries, they got your ‘IDM’ bases covered too, by enlisting Wolfgang Voigt, co-founder of cool German techno label Kompakt, to give his own sprawling synth-laden take on the track. It’s safe to say Voigt certainly has the motorways in mind. Or shall we say autobahns?
STREAM: Spector – Never Fade Away (Wolfgang Voigt Remix)
Spector’s excellent debut album “Enjoy While It Lasts” is out this week in UK, and if you enjoy anthemic indie rock of the early noughties’ kind, check it out.
REMIXED: Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” Remixed For Olympics
Last month, rumours surfaced that the Kate Bush had filmed a video for a new version of “Running Up That Hill” with Jude Law for London 2012. It turns out those weren’t untrue at all! A “2012 Remix” of the ’80s classic has just been released digitally today. The new mix actually isn’t all that different from the “12 mix, which is a relief as it’s perfect the way it was, but the sheer prospect of Kate Bush possibly performing on the Closing Ceremony is too good to be true. I guess we have to tune in tonight to find out. In the meantime, check out the RUTH ’12 update below.
STREAM: Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) (2012 Remix)
REMIXED: Lana Del Rey – National Anthem (Cashmere Cat Remix)
Lana Del Rey‘s world has been certainly busy lately, what with the touring, fronting H&M fall campaign, readying the “Paradise Edition” of Born To Die, not to mention spoiling fans with countless leaked demos. Meanwhile, I’m digging this breezy eastern-flavored hip-hop Cashmere Cat remix of “National Anthem” – which in its original form is a major summer anthem on all counts. Now how about some more US tour dates Lana?
MP3: Lana Del Rey – National Anthem (Cashmere Cat Remix)
REMIXED: Lana Del Rey’s “National Anthem” Remixed By Todd Terry, Afterlife
Would you like some new Lana Del Rey remixes while we’re all patiently waiting for the “National Anthem” video to drop? The legendary Todd Terry delivers a splendid rework for the summer nights, while Afterlife opts for the afterhours chillout/lounge treatment, which I’m surprised hadn’t been done before. The 4th single from “Born To Die” will be released July 8 in the UK.
STREAM: Lana Del Rey – National Anthem (Todd Terry Radio Remix)
STREAM: Lana Del Rey – National Anthem (Afterlife Remix)
And if you’ve got 35 minutes to spare, her beautiful Hackney Weekend set is watchable in its entirety here.
REMIXED: Usher – Climax (Diplo Bouncier Climactic Remix)
Diplo is full of surprises isn’t he? Responsible for the most unexpectedly brilliant mainstream R&B song this year, the producer adds a new touch to Usher‘s blissed-out “Climax” with a subtle but “bouncier” alternate mix. It’s sounding especially awesome for this rainy Sunday afternoon. Who’d have thought that a collaboration between Usher, Diplo, and Nico Muhly would be possible, let alone so utterly inspired? “Radiohead quiet soul”, indeed.
STREAM: Usher – Climax (Diplo Bouncier Climactic Remix)
If you want to bring the tears to the dancefloor, check out the Flosstradamus & Diplo remix below.
STREAM: Usher – Climax (Flosstradamus and Diplo Remix)
Pop Labyrinth 
