Weekly Roundup L (the “L” edition)

Welcome to the “L” edition of the Weekly Roundup, and contrary to what modern meme culture would tell you, this one isn’t slacking. We have heat incoming from RIOT, Fatboy Slim, D.O.D., and more pioneering aliases. Also on a side note, thank you for all the consistent support on the Roundup. Onto the next fifty!

Fred Again… – Kammy (Like I Do)
82/100

The enterprising British alias has aligned towards breakbeat and garage sound, best showcased in his tremendous collaboration with Swedish House Mafia in “Turn On The Lights”. With Actual Life 3 almost on the horizon, “Kammy (Like I Do)” follows on a similar trail, resampling the UK-based songstress KAMILLE’s vocals into a feverish yet hypnotic instrumental, packed with throbbing snares and offbeat kicks.

Seven Lions – Stop Thinking (ft. Lights)
85/100

Nestled amongst the newest EP offering from the reputed act Seven Lions, “Stop Thinking” involves a savory combination of charming vocals, courtesy of the talented vocalist Lights, and a cross-genre signature that the American producer has successfully garnished and perfected over time.

Resultant is a production that soothes with a minimal aura supporting the vocal, later abruptly interjected by a vibrant assortment of saw synths in a euphoric riff. Seconds later, the drop kicks in with full acceleration, giving the lead instruments their cadence with other future bass condiments. This one has abundant “vibes” for any listener to press the save button on it instantly!

D.O.D., Raphaella – Like You Do
80/100

After the summer of last year that unraveled “Still Sleepless” from the British house genre specialist D.O.D. (featuring Carla Monroe”), this year needed another classic piano house sequel to repeat. “Like You Do” doesn’t veer away from the time-tested essentials of jazzy deep house schematics, with Raphaella delectably attending the vocal duties. Sprinting with bold piano stabs and led by soulful singing, this Armada-signed tune holds up nearly to its predecessor’s catchiness.

RIOT – Back Twista
83/100

Right on time with the Halloween season, “Back Twista” is a vicious experience meticulously crafted by RIOT. The American pair make uncanny sound design and arrangement decisions that lend a violent tone to their records. “IN CASE OF FIRE” EP has two other dynamites, although I would have to limit myself to today’s selection for the sake of brevity.

Incorporating gangsta vocals that get distorted to a maniacal pitch, the track commences with a promising riser. Before you even know it, there are punches being thrown in the form of brutal wobbles, laced with other substances such as counter-riffs and spicy percussions. Truly a twister, to say the least.

Le Youth, Gordi – Hang On (Sam Parker Remix)
84/100

Lane 8’s imprint This Never Happened strikes out for its sublime offerings, and their latest support extends to Sam Parker, an uprising producer that captured the attention of bigwigs Le Youth and Gordi with his rendition of “Hang On“.

Constructing a dreamy, pensive temper from scratch with a gentle piano and spacious pad, using the arresting vocals from the original to its advantage. A repeating arp comes into the view, floating over the broodier brassy low-end that can be found in other progressive/deep house records. Without attaching itself to any complexities, this official re-work remains delightfully cadent.

Eats Everything, Fatboy Slim – Bristol to Brighton
81/100

Channeling the eccentric touch of 2000s dance music, renowned veterans Fatboy Slim and Eats Everything synergized for the second time. “Bristol to Brighton” is a brash and enthusiastic tune, using grungy ingredients such as breakbeat percussion, and delivers a nostalgic dose for the ravers with its Euro-disco-like schematics.

Assassin’s Creed – Original Soundtrack (Slanks Remix)
82/100

There is an abundance of iconic soundtracks out there, and amidst them is the memorable one for the esteemed video-game franchise of Assassin’s Creed. For over two decades since its inception, Ubisoft’s series has enthralled players with its world and story. Slanks, a devoted fan of this universe, decided to work his magic on the theme track and came out with a heady mixture of an orchestral, trap remix.

It was splendid enough to be recognized by Ubisoft Greece, as the instrumental takes the melodic progression from the OST (built from scratch, as Slanks stated) and molds it into a rich, orchestral rendition with heavy trap features. This experimental endeavor is a must-listen for long-time admirers of the hidden ones!

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John Dahlback – Needs
84/100

Another piano house inclusion on today’s list comes from none other than John Dahlback (Spinnin’ Records, Armada), offering a lovely blend between a graceful pluck-driven instrumental, augmented by pianos in the drop. An enticing male vocal breathes life on the refined deep house attributes. Yet another admirable experimentation from a very capable producer who can demonstrate his versatility over a range of other sub-genres such as electro and future house.

Bonus
San Pacho x Maahez – Tequila
80/100

An exotic tune from two interesting artists, “Tequila” impressed us for its aggressive percussions, the hard-hitting bassline and the excellent work with the trumpet, adding a lot of personality to an already fascinating formula. That’s a solid concentrate of minimalism and dynamism at the same time!