I’ve got little to nothing going on in my life and I still always wait until the last possible second to write these weekly updates. In a feeble attempt to fight procrastination, posts will come on Thursdays, before 5PM ET. So there’s that. Also, Summer is ending and the awe-inspiring seasonal experience known to all as Autumn is here for a few months. Why is Fall the best time of the year? Apart from the obvious (NFL, foliage, new TV, Movember) this is the period where festivals have passed. In others words, the anthemic mainstream crap is replaced by more artistic efforts. Oh and I’m going to assume, what with the single comment that was left on the last post, that you guys don’t know how to leave one. It’s real simple: click where it says ‘0 comments’ right below the title and it should take you straight to the form (you can also click the post title and scroll to the bottom of the page). That being said, please join me on this week’s journey through EDM.

     I’ve always been a little critical of the following adage: “Good things come in threes.” After all, regular three-leaf clovers ain’t lucky, the Redskins’ three RBs annihilate fantasy football, NBC fired Dan Harmon after the 3rd season of Community and the digit itself birthed the most overused, annoying, gag-inducing emoticon that exists today: ‘<3.’ However, this skepticism is easily turned around by a recent 3-person collaboration on Armada’s Armind imprint.

     What do you get when you cross a seasoned veteran, a burgeoning youngster and an enchanting vocalist? An instant classic, that’s what. Comfortably sitting atop Beatport’s trance chart is “Must Be the Love,” a collaborative effort between Arty, Nadia Ali and BT. It’s always fun to pick out which part of a collaboration comes from whom, but in this track, those distinctions are quite blurred. The soothing piano loops, the strings and xylophone in the breakdown and the indescribably epic lead all seem to be hybrids of Arty, Ali and BT’s styles. These sort of team efforts are always the best; instead of each member bringing forward their usual tendencies, a whole new style is born. Whether you’re a producer, an EDM fan, a casual listener or a genuine newcomer, this track is a must-have.

Arty, Nadia Ali & BT – Must Be the Love (Original Mix)
Released on September 17th on Armind
Beatport

     The number of times I collectively listen to, think about and write about Eric Prydz and his friends’ music is so substantial that I’m pretty sure it borders on obsession. That’s saying something, considering my currently school-less mind is as empty and needy as a slutty orifice, utterly open to any sort of pseudo-phallus necessary to fill the void. What have I used to please my figurative schmegina, you ask? Look no further than Jeremy Olander’s first release on Cr2 records.

     Featured in his Creamfields set that I posted a couple of weeks back, “Rorschach” and “The Rose Law” are some of the best progressive tunes to come out in a while. Rorschach is named after the character from the Watchmen (I asked Olander) which frankly makes me like Jeremy even more. The Rose Law is a mystery to me, but if you google it, you get a big law firm in Arkansas. I’m lazy and I have to leave for work, that’s how I’m describing these ones. Don’t let my silence fool you; they be goood.

Jeremy Olander – Rorschach / The Rose Law
Released on September 17th on Cr2 Records
Beatport

     On almost every occasion, when I fall hard for a track, I need to temper how much I listen to it, lest I start to hate it instead. During the infamous Super8 & Tab interview that we never actually posted to the blog, we asked the Finnish duo if they ever got tired of hearing their songs over and over again. “Tell me about it,” was the answer we got, without the guys missing a beat. It’s too bad they don’t play progressive, because I’d love to see how long they’d keep this one in their sets.

     I’ve been constantly listening to Guy J’s PM mix of Gill Norris’ “Forme” for a little over two weeks and I’m still in love with it. It’s one of those tracks that you trick yourself into thinking you’ve heard before because of the original’s widespread acceptance as a classic and its presence on James Holden’s famous Balance 005 mix compilation. Guy J’s 2012 interpretation of the tune is really more of a updating than a remix; the lasting elements are almost identical to those on Gill Norris’ masterpiece. The modern spin the percussion receives and the companion the melody is introduced with both do their job of giving the PM mix more of a club feel. Guy J does a heads-up job of keeping the original’s lead synth and melody intact, as this is the heart of the song. The bassline is also slightly tweaked, as it becomes something a little smoother, less prominent and less in line with the mains, thus pushing the track’s eerie demeanor to the next level. For fear of over-selling and/or misrepresenting this fantastic piece of music, I’ll stop describing and simply let you have a listen.

Gill Norris – Forme (Guy J PM Mix)
Released on August 24th on Subtract Music
Beatport – iTunes

     Another gig-packed couple of weeks upcoming in Montreal. Tonight, both Underworld and the Telus Theater are booked for AutoÉrotique and Cazzette, respectively. Friday night belongs to our city’s elite clubs; Stereo hosts Subb-an and Circus welcomes Max Graham and Protoculture. Prolific German DJ/producer Thomas Gold is here on Saturday, as he spins a set at New City Gas, after which Montreal’s own Mr. Jean Louis takes over our favorite Afterhours club. Next week’s notable events all take place on Saturday. French keytarist Joachim Garraud’s solo show at New CIty Gas is followed by Chus & Ceballos’ return to Stereo and Etienne Ozborne’s set at Circus. Have a great weekend!

     For anyone born in North America around ‘91, Scooby-Doo was a seminal part of youth. I, for one, will never forget the loads of information I absorbed through the show, like how a latex mask and an olive green suit are the only steps between a human and Frankenstein or how people can eat dog treats too. But the one thing I remember the most is the theme song and that’s how I’ve decided to bring editor Fred out of hiding, hence the title. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy writing for this blog, as it keeps me in the EDM loop and allows me to share the music I enjoy. However, I’ve composed every single post since the blog’s resurrection and I’m sure all of you would like some variety. So don’t be shy, leave a comment below imploring Fred (feel free to call him Fredou) to return to his blogging ways!

     There is a very small number of artists who are able to keep a consistent production quality for the length of their lifetime. One of the most influential and relevant producers of the modern DJ age, EDM pioneer Alexander Coe is one of these select few. With a career spanning more than 20 years, Coe has been actively contributing to the EDM scene throughout, timeless classics coming left and right. Better known as Sasha, this Welshman is behind the first commercial DJ mix CD, as well as the all-time best-selling mix and arguably the greatest EDM track ever, the famed “Xpander.” Now an established dance music veteran, Sasha has been turning his attention towards his record label, the ominously named “Last Night On Earth.”

     This song in question is a remix of Hot Chip’s “Flutes.” Using his version to close many of his recent sets, Sasha does a great job of changing the sound elements of the original to produce a less vocal and housier track. The reason I say this is that the lyrics seem to be passing through a quality filter and come out the other side less crisp, giving the stage up to the house elements. The song’s melodic bassline is characteristic of a Sasha production, as it follows a long pre-set sequence, lasting 56 bars, or so I counted. The percussions in the beginning of the track differ from the meaty parts in a quite interesting way. The heavy clap from the start sounds like it could serve as a kick replacement, but is quickly overshadowed once said kick is introduced: it’s a nice complement. Altogether, the song is another great production from Sasha which confirms the sentiment that he still has many years to come in the business.

Hot Chip – Flutes (Sasha Remix)
Released on September 24th on Last Night On Earth

Hot Chip - Flutes (Sasha Remix) by Last Night On Earth

     I owe a large debt of gratitude to CamelPhat. Remember that remix of their’s that I posted a few weeks back? Let’s go through a series of causal events; CamelPhat remixed Stevie Wonder, posted it on SoundCloud a week before I aimlessly wandered onto their page, which brought me to their Facebook page, which informed me of the song’s feature as ‘Killer Cut’ on the Toolroom Knights podcast, which convinced me to subscribe to Mark Knight’s radio show, which ultimately led me to discovering last week’s ‘Killer Cut.’ While you may argue with my porous logic, I dare you to do the same with this next track. Described by Mark Knight as “[...]an up to date, deep house monster,” Jon DaSilva, Maceo Plex and vocalist Joi Cardwell’s collaboration is just that: a track that kills the dance floor Jekyll in all of us.

 From left to right: Jon DaSilva, Maceo Plex and Joi Cardwell
     Originally a solo DaSilva remix of the Jones Girls’ “You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else,” this reimagining has so much going for it. The recurring hi-hat and cymbal combo contrast perfectly with the soft kick drum and makes the strongest case for the song’s deep house categorization. The slowly growing, quickly fading background synth does a fantastic job of laying the groundwork for the decidedly uneasy mood from the very beginning of the track. The bassline/melody represents the lyrics and meaning of the song better than I’ve ever seen in EDM before. The awkward, oddly pleasing clip is in complete accordance with Joi Cardwell, as she sings of a dwindling relationship who’s spark has disappeared. Seeing all these pristine elements together in one song: priceless. It’s a steal at $0.99, go buy it on September 24th.

Maceo Plex & Jon DaSilva ft. Joi Cardwell – Love Somebody Else (Original Mix)
Released on September 24th on Ellum Audio

     James Zabiela is a big shot in the techno and house worlds. Known for his DJ skills more than his production talents, the young Englishman has been featured not only in the DJ Mag top 100, but also what lots of people consider to be a better barometer of skill: the Resident Advisor top 100. If that’s not enough to convince you of his abilities, check out this next track. In staying with this week’s house motif, this final tune is even deeper than the last. Like Sasha’s, this is a remix of Hot Chip, a reworking of their “How Do You Do.” The arrangement is populated by numerous rhythmic claps (can’t say enough about these), very deep bass work and incomprehensible vocals.  The piano loops during the breakdown transition well to the body of the track and help provide the overall groovy vibe that is intended. The best part is definitely at the 2:40 mark, where only the vocals can be heard. A strong synth then quietly starts to build force, growing in volume. This sound plateaus at 3:20, sending the track into somewhat of a breakdown as a kick is added. The synth is reset and continues to grow, all the way up to 4:02, where the kick is eliminated and a more melodic version of the bassline is inserted into the mess of sounds that all elevate together to aid in the transition to the drop. Fantastic layering work from an admittedly DJ-first kind of artist.

Hot Chip – How Do You Do (James Zabiela Remix)
Released on September 10th on Domino Record Co.
Buy from Domino Records

How Do You Do (James Zabiela Remix) LoFi by jameszabiela
     Event-wise, the next couple of weeks are great for lovers of all genres. Aly & Fila get the weekend started right at Circus on Friday, followed by Max Vangeli & AN21’s Saturday visit to New City Gas and Nicole Moudaber’s show at Stereo. Oliver$ takes over Jean-Drapeau Park as Piknic Electronik’s headliner on Sunday, playing alongside Sipherdee and Pulses. One week from now, AutoÉrotique makes an appearance at Underworld, competing with rising electro house star Cazzette at the Telus Theater. Subb-an takes over Stereo Nightclub on the 21st, while Max Graham and Protoculture play into the wee hours over at Circus. That Saturday night belongs to Thomas Gold as he spins a solo set at New City Gas for only $15. Have a great weekend and don’t forget to let Fred know you want him back! 

     Time is of the essence, so this post will be short and sweet. Instead of featuring a few tracks, I present the mixes that I’ve enjoyed the most during the past 7 days.
     First one comes from Eric Prydz’s protégé, Jeremy Olander. Contractually bound to Pryda Friends, Olander has one release left on the original 3-EP deal that he signed with Prydz back in late 2010. We can assume that some of these will feature on that last package, as his set contained 4 unsigned possible inclusions. Here is his performance from this year’s Creamfields festival in the UK.
Jeremy Olander Live at Creamfields UK 2012-08-25 (BBC Radio 1 Essential Selection) by Jeremy Olander

     Next is a nostalgic one by Gareth Emery. Shown to me by our dear Fred, it showcases the Brit’s 2008 Essential Mix and gives a taste of his old-school, GTR sound. Tracks like “The Saga” makes me long for years past and this mix virtually provides a time machine.
Gareth Emery - BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix (January 12th 2008) by garethemery

     You surely know about my man crush on Eric Prydz by now. I believe the Swede to be the best thing about EDM at the moment, finding balance between commercial and underground sounds in an ever-expanding industry that’s in the market for artistic integrity. After being delayed a whole month, his EPIC Radio podcast is back, with private edits, IDs, mashups and exclusives for our aural pleasure.
Eric Prydz Presents: EPIC Radio 003 by Eric Prydz Official

     Of the myriad sets that appeared online from this past weekend’s Electric Zoo, Gabriel & Dresden’s is one of my favourites. Filling their hour long time slot with mashups, daring remixes and legendary classics, G&D make me re-think my plans for labor day 2013.
Gabriel & Dresden Electric Zoo 2012 full set by Davedresden

     The last mix comes from young Parisian DJ/producer Zimmer. It’s quite different from the others in that it deals with discoey chill out pop in its first part and deeper stuff towards the end: it’s all so very French. He didn’t include the tracklist on his SoundCloud page like the others did, so here it is if you’re curious.
Zimmer - Paris Plage | Summer Tape by Zimmer

     This Saturday, you can catch Sebastian Leger and Riva Starr at Piknic Electronik during the day and finish early enough for Steve Angello at New City Gas. On Sunday, come join me at Muzique for one of Pete Tong’s rare visits. I’ve been told that admission is free with guestlist, so If you feel like arriving 2 hours prior to him going on at 1 AM with your wallet intact, feel free to do so. Next weekend, Aly & Fila, AN21 & Max Vangeli and Oliver$ grace us with their presence on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Hope to see some of you at Muzique and have a great weekend!