I’m not really sure what to write for this week’s introduction, but for some reason, I feel the holiday spirit. So allow me to air my grievances towards my position as a division manager for a youth basketball league and my ridiculously boring job, responsibilities that have prevented me from talking trance with a friend of mine. Ben Gold would’ve been there too. Enjoy the pole below.

     Finally, a preview for this track! The Estiva remix of “Love is Strong” achieved moderate success on Enhanced’s 5th instalment of the Digitally Enhanced mix compilation series, but I can only wonder what kind of attention would have been drawn if C-Systems, Jo Micali and Hanna Finsen’s original mix had been featured instead. Built upon the solid foundation of Mrs. Finsen’s voice is a tune that is as delicate as it is energetic. The emotion-filled synth work layers nicely with the breakdown’s piano and the chorus’ subtle claps, all  feeding the buzzing lead that comes full circle to give more importance to the song’s lovely vocals. A definite purchase for all progressive trance fans.
C-Systems & Jo Micali ft. Hanna Finsen – Love is Strong (Original Mix)
Released on October 22nd on Enhanced Progressive


     Until recently, I had never heard of Danny Chen or Statement! Recordings. However, the aptly named label has made a statement, releasing a magnificent production from a relatively new member of the trance family. Putting a capital ‘U’ in Uplifting, Chen easily communicates a happy feeling throughout the tune, staggering rising sounds with a quiet wandering synth in the intro and a reverberating bassline that follows the lead of the 5-note piano sequences that drive the chorus. With “Sunny Days” being reviewed in DJMag Italy, it’s clear that Danny Chen is a name to look out for in the future.
Danny Chen – Sunny Days (Original Mix) Statement! Recordings.
Released on July 16th on Statement!
Beatport – iTunes
Danny Chen - Sunny Days [Statement!] by Danny Chen

     If hawtmusik.com had a record of the week, this would be it. Apart from featuring the best bassline I’ve heard a long while and a vocalist who seems to change gender mid-song, Disclosure’s latest single is filled to the brim with clips that could run a track on their own. Whether it’s the quick succession of notes forming the afternoon delightful melody (see what I did there), the  separate vocals that yelp every now and then, the sublime kicks, claps and stabbing cymbals (attack, decay, sustain and release are so short, this element sounds more like chopsticks hitting together) that congregate to form the percussions, the aforementioned incredible bassline or the perfect isolation and/or interweaving of these layers, there’s something in this song for everyone. Having reached the 22nd spot on the UK singles chart, I’m obviously not the only one to think this song is amazing and I hope you join me in supporting Disclosure by purchasing this future classic.
Disclosure ft. Sam Smith – Latch (Original Mix)
Released on October 8th on PMR
Beatport – iTunes


     Getting it’s first play during Pete Tong’s Essential Selection on October 12th, the Larse remix of “Love is All I Got” is a deep house tune that is sure to attract a different kind of audience than mau5trap is used to. Originally a collaborative effort between electronica/folk band Crystal Fighters and electro wunderkind Feed Me, the track gets a calmer and groovier take with the help of another fantastic bassline and somewhat minimalistic percussion sounds. It’s hard to downplay how wonderfully the German producer has used the vocals in this track as it seems that he himself recorded the lyrics to specifically go with his instrumental. Along with identifying the track’s mood, the singing gives life to certain parts that would have otherwise seemed endlessly repetitive. Another vote of confidence for German engineering, the Larse remix of “Love is All I Got” is a mandatory buy for all those interested in the softer styles of house.
Feed Me & Crystal Fighters – Love is All I Got (Larse Remix)
Released on November 18th on mau5trap
iTunes Pre-Order
Feed Me & Crystal Fighters - "Love Is All I Got" (Larse Remix) by Larse

     It’s no secret that I have a broner for Eric Prydz and by proxy, anyone he makes music with. Andre Sobota is a producer who falls into this category, having released a 2-track EP on Pryda Friends in July of this year. His Prydz-like music is not what attracts my attention this week, however. Hiding in the rough of the Brasilian’s SoundCloud page was this diamond, a remake of Sasha and Krister Linder’s “Cut Me Down.” Under Sobota’s tutelage, 2011’s IMS anthem transforms from melodic tech house to acoustic electronica and it sounds absolutely fantastic. While musicians like to take listeners on a journey through their albums and productions of longer length, Sobota possesses the rare capability of doing this within the span of a single track, inserting slightly downtempo d&b percussions and elongating Linder’s vocals to serve his purposes. Transitioning his reconstruction to Sasha’s original lead at the end beautifies the production even more and makes this song well worth a listen.
Sasha ft. Krister Linder – Cut Me Down (Andre Sobota Remake) Acoustic, Electronica.
Sasha - Cut Me Down (Andre Sobota Remake) by andresobota

In terms of shows, the next 2 weeks are booked solid. On October 19th, Raneem will be playing an extended 7-hour set at Circus for a live episode of Drop Zone, his radio show, while Calvin Harris plays his unique crossover style at New City Gas (sold out). The most overused showroom in Montreal opens itself up once again on the 20th to host veteran Bob Sinclar. Let’s fast forward to the 24th, when dubstep supergroup Nero take over Telus Theater for a bizarre Wednesday night show. Friday the 26th begins with Ferry Corsten and Gabriel & Dresden at New City Gas and ends with Ben Gold and Dennis Sheperd at Stereo. The following night is another doubleheader, with Tim Mason at New City Gas (best costume wins $5000), spinning a solid opener for James Zabiela, who pays a rare visit to Circus. On All Hallows’ Eve, New City Gas opens it’s doors yet again, this time for a costumed night with legend Erick Morillo and Third Party.
Finally, I’d like to introduce the new end of post segment that will be featured from now on. Every Thursday, posts will be capped off with a video related to music. It could be a music video, a documentary, an intervew: anything really. This section has nothing to do with songs and artists we like (we don’t necessarily dislike them either), but rather the actual video. This week, the video for Ben Gold’s next single, “Fall With Me.”


Boy, that escalated quickly. I will not apologize for that.

     For as long as I can remember, music has been an expression; a way for an artist to evoke an emotion and put it in a way so that others may relate to it. Often times, these creative minds discuss their relationships en route to the most relatable human emotion of all: love. One of the things I admire most about EDM, or any genre that majoritarily shies away from lyrics, is the ability to conceal a specific meaning while opening a vast array of alternate interpretations, like this post’s title. It’s this inherent ambiguity that makes it possible for a track to feel deeply personal to many different people. Take for example this week’s first tune, the brilliant “Found” by Brazilian producer André Sobota.

     If you have trouble finding any information about this South American, it’s because he’s relatively new to the EDM scene, his earliest release coming in 2009. Sobota is a versatile producer. His Beatport page looks more like the genre filter than an artist’s resume.  His songs range from minimalistic techno to the most progressive of house styles, with an odd drum & bass track occasionally following him out of the studio. “Found,” Sobota’s first progressive house release on Eric Prydz’s Pryda Friends label, has the soothing vibes and simple melody to back up it’s categorization. It’s hard to point out any clips as the hero of this track, because they all go so well together. At first listen, the always present wind sound and sharply echoing complimentary synth seems to overshadow the smaller elements. However, once the melody joins in with the bassline, both loops contradicting each other in pitch and direction, the tune really starts to take off. As for the percussion, the large kicks from the beginning are replaced by a loud clap with a delay on the 2nd bar and a more active cymbal than the first as the intro fades out. The song hits it’s climax at around 3:35, once it winds down and revamps all the previously mentioned loops. All the sounds come together, louder than before, every one trying to speak over the other. It’s this part of the song that feels insanely personal to me, as if the communion of elements were trying to tell me something. I sense nostalgia, guilt, redemption and a hint of forgiveness. Take a listen and let us know what you think the song is referring to by leaving a comment.

André Sobota – Found (Original Mix)
Released on July 9th on Pryda Friends
Beatport

     Podcasts are an important part of any dance music fan’s routine. Choosing which ones you listen to is somewhat like choosing which genres you want to stay most up to date with. Although it’s not where I found out about this next track, the Toolroom Knights podcast chose it as it’s killer cut (essentially the record of the week) on last week’s show, earning itself a new subscription in the process. The song in question is a bootleg of Stevie Wonder’s “Ma Cherie Amour” by Italian producing group CamelPhat. Like Andre Sobota, I can’t find any information on this collective, except that they are based in Milan. The song starts with a fantastic mix of percussion, with cymbals, hi-hats, bongos and a snair drum perfectly interweaving over a faint piano loop and a simplistic bassline. The piano disappears for a few lengths as some vocal bits are introduced, then resurfaces. The piano vanishes for a second time during the breakdown as whole vocals from the original song are played and the remix finally ‘drops,’ if you can call it a drop. The piano returns with a violin loop, a hard clap and a barely audible kick as Stevie’s voice emerges in all it’s glory. There’s no denying the power of the icon’s voice and although the track seems to be a vocal showcase, CamelPhat does an excellent job of putting a modern spin on this classic. Many thanks to my Italian brethren for this gem and please let us know if you have any information about this group.

Stevie Wonder – Ma Cherie Amour (CamelPhat’s Closing Party Mix)

Stevie Wonder - Cherie Amour - CamelPhat's Closing Party Mix (Full Vox) by CamelPhat

     Tommy Trash is on fire at the moment. The Australian-born DJ/producer has had tracks signed to the most prestigious of house labels, such as Musical Freedom (Tiësto), Axtone (Axwell), Refune (Sebastian Ingrosso) and Mau5trap (Deadmau5). His ungroomed, free-flowing locks are quite representative of his wild, bizarre and erratic style of music; he used a bagpipe sample in one of hits from last year. With his remixing duties being commissioned by talents such as the Swedish House Mafia and Steve Aoki, Tommy Trash is well on his way to surpassing his immensely successful 2011.

     This next remix is possibly my favorite from his so far. Set for release on Axtone later this year, it’s a reworking of The Aston Shuffle’s new one, “Won’t Get Lost.” It was premiered on Pete Tong’s weekly show which, that week, was broadcast live from Ushuaia in Ibiza. The man on the decks at that point was Axwell, playing lots of tracks from his own label’s catalogue. Following his own wildly overplayed remix of “In My Mind” was the Tommy Trash remix in question, which, by the faint sound of the crowd erupting, seems to have been very well received. The sample begins mid-song, with the vocals, strong hi-hats and feeble kick slowly being joined by a slightly modified reverberating synth reminiscent of the one used in Trash’s remix of Steve Aoki and Wynter Gordon’s “Ladi Dadi.” As the vocals fade and that synth is given more volume, the breakdown introduces a simple 3-note melody. The track then drops, eliminating the hi-hats and the kick and introducing a new, more powerful kick that goes perfect with the dark bassline. As is the case with the rest of his tracks, his remix of “Won’t Get Lost” is made for the dancefloor and I can predict a serious rush if I ever hear this one live.

The Aston Shuffle – Won’t Get Lost (Tommy Trash Remix)
Released on Axtone

    
     Apart from Blond:ish at Piknic Electronik on Sunday, there’s not much that appeals to us this weekend. Next week, however, is a big one. Piknic brings in Josh Wink and Azari & III on Saturday the 25th while the legendary Danny Tenaglia makes an appearance at Stereo on the same day.
     Finally, make sure you check out One Beat’s new series called “You Should Know Me By Now,” a online show that introduces talented producers to the more casual EDMers who might not know them. Their latest episode features LA Riots, check it out here.