Weekly Roundup LXIV (Weekly Roundup? More like Monthly.)
Weekly Roundup LXIV (Weekly Roundup? More like Monthly.)
Weekly Roundup? More like Monthly.
Yes, I am abundantly aware of the recent inconsistent rate of this series, but life happens. Do you know what else also happens? New releases that need to be talked about without further ado!
Coi Leray – Players (David Guetta Remix)
82/100
Remixing the Billboard charts trending hit “Players” from Coi Leray, the French icon David Guetta didn’t hesitate to do it old-school. Conjuring electro synths over the 80s sampling hit, the song hints at the Future Rave project that Guetta is maintaining alongside, keeping a steady and robust riff in the drops.
A straightforward and club-oriented EDM twist on the song, without much frills.
ATB x York x Au/Ra – Highs and Lows
85/100
This one is particularly repeat-worthy, and all for good reasons: Teaming up with talented vocalist Au/Ra, industry veterans ATB and York used their experience to craft a suave deep house/dance-pop production to lure listeners.
The songstress’ vocal rendition is particularly lovely, not to mention the bright synths paired with a melodic riff that seemed to have influences from ATB. Although the short duration is a bit pesky knowing the catchiness of this song, perhaps further remixes will be an interesting prospect to look forward to.
Afrojack, Mike Williams – Alone
81/100
How does mainstage techno with Afrojack signature sound? Well, that’s what “Alone” is mostly. A surprising collaboration to hit the streamers!
While the towering Dutchman showcases his expertise for dirty drops, bringing his instantly familiar screechy synths over a driven techno framework, although Mike Williams‘ future bounce is nowhere to be found here. Instead, he cleverly worked on constructing a central melodic breakdown, clearly where his expertise shines the most. As said before, an unanticipated record!
HI-LO, Space92 – Arpeggio
84/100
If by some chance you missed out on our special article on HI-LO, we recommend checking that out after reading this!
Oliver Heldens put on his darker persona HI-LO for a fast-paced, gritty, and equally playful track. Space 92, a French techno maestro who further takes inspiration from trance, also fit the project with melodic arp sequences. The Dutch alias, on the other hand, retained his refreshing sound design, complimenting the collaborator’s approach here.
Danny Olson, yetep – Melting (ft. Easae) (Orchestral VIP Remix)
85/100
What happens when a cinematic soundtrack meets future bass? The answer is quite obvious. It’s euphoric!
Meet LA-based Danny Olson, who specializes in “Cinematic Bass” (very apt) and did a VIP edit on his single track “Melting” with yetep and vocalist Easae.
Right from the get-go, the song acquaints the listener with ethereal strings, which seem heavily inspired by Hans Zimmer. The vocal does even further justice to these heightened emotions, pouring a sublime essence. Slowly, the track introduces electronic synths without tampering with the ongoing mood, a masterful display of music production. “Awesome” would be a fitting word for this release!
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The Toxic Avenger – Mine
84/100
Daft Punk may have retired some time back, but they inspired quite a many producers who are fairly capable of merging the masked duo’s sounds into their own independent styles.
Toxic Avenger, whose music you might have heard on popular games such as Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six, released a versatile album titled ” Yes Future.”
One of the constituent tracks, “Mine,” is an exceptionally funky track that brings out classic filter house antics and augments with an off-kilter, futuristic theme. The song’s demeanor is closely inspired by Daft Punk’s discography, while Toxic Avenger turns it more singular with slick sound design and a debonair groove!
Berlioz – deep in it
83/100
Live and improvised jazz always had a strong sway on electronic music, although the conception of these genres was separated over decades. Berlioz takes the opportunity to appreciate the suave, lounge-music type lo-fi deep house record.
A smooth saxophone riff comes in with glimmering Rhodes in the backdrop, light percussions accompanying alongside. Using this organic and natural instrumentation, the entire track moves gracefully, hypnotizing the ears.
Dratz – Time Travel
82/100
The lo-fi vaporwave scene is all the rage for quite a while, and many indie artists have taken up the responsibility of furnishing minty productions creatively impaired by analog dustiness.
American moniker travels back temporally with “Time Travel,” crafting an instrumental throwing it back to the VHS era nostalgia, functioning on its muted high-end sheen. Further, this electro-funk instrumental gets together with a soulful vocal sampling (probably from a retro soul track?). A perfect audio companion to have as you sip that refreshing mojito beside the swimming pool.
