Wednesday, November 30, 2016

[Future] I.Y.F.F.E X Thai – So High (feat. Wiktoria Kolosowa)

I.Y.F.F.E makes his return to Uprise Music, this time with the Brazilian producer Thai. Not only does he kick it into high gear with the South American, but the two enlist Wiktoria Kolosowa to hop on the vocals for the exceptionally engaging record.

“So High” will make you feel just that. It’s an uplifting future bass record, but it’s not just a simple, straightforward rendition of the genre. I.Y.F.F.E and Thai really make it their own, while Wiktoria’s performance on the song adds a whole other dimension of beauty on top of what the producers have created together. It’s not the world’s longest record, as it comes in at just barely over three minutes, but that three minutes feels like a lifetime as “So High” intoxicates your soul. It’s a dope one and it’s out now as a free download.



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[Alternative/Rock] Nisus Cede & XHVIL

“Fake A Smile” by Nisus Cede and XHVIL is the 27th installment in the expansive Single Series from New York City’s eclectic Onamazu label. The Onamazu Single Series established a pattern for dark wave anthems and raw electronic experimentalism of the highest quality, but “Fake A Smile” is a more acoustic, sensitive offering that smacks more of Coldplay than Nine Inch Nails.

Netherlands native and Onamazu affiliate Nisus Cede, whose name is Latin for “attempted murder”, combines a most musical mind with a set of production chops that betray his very modest SoundCloud profile. The drum machine percussion he’s put together on “Fake A Smile” could easily be mistaken for the real thing – full of variation, fills, and crisp cymbals. The acoustic timbre of the drums pairs perfectly with the guitar and vocals tracked by Cede’s associate XVHIL, all of which is arranged along with a twangy stand-up bassline. “Fake A Smile” feels like new ground for the growing New York City collective Onamazu, which seems to be diversifying it’s offering with every new release. Hopefully the label’s future includes more of these unique, melancholic pop stylings from the Netherlands.



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[Melodic Dubstep] Au5 ft. Christina Soto – Freefall EP

The interplanetary bass music producer Au5 and the terrestrial vocal star Cristina Soto have come together to create a riveting and original four-song EP, Freefall, released through the Austin imprint Gravitas Recordings. Au5 has produced music at a prolific pace for years now, from neuro drum and bass to more melodic dubstep similar to the music of Seven Lions. Cristina Soto dropped her own debut album earlier in 2016 on Gravitas. Bass music junkies were introduced to her silky strong voice after Bassnectar remixed “One Thing”, produced by Gravitas label head Psymbionic and Maine’s own Of The Trees.

Soto’s powerful voice lends itself well to powerful bass music. Each song on “Freefall” would be a gem without vocals on account of Au5’s brilliant musical ideas and well-executed production. Bringing the human voice into the mix, and such an expressive voice at that, gives the robotic, space-age sounding EP a human tether, not to mention crossover appeal. She sings of emotional expression itself. “I need my occasional howling at the moon” wails Cristina on “Shock Diamond”, as the song crescendos into fluid drum and bass. “I’m only alive in the freefall” she cries on the title track. I’ve never been skydiving, well outside of a dream, anyway, but to listen to this EP with its abundant energy and beautiful scenery can give one the sensation of plummeting through colorful skies.

We’ve come to expect only the best in production from Au5, and he exceeds those expectations here. He weaves together the emotive note relationships of a grand piano or electronic keyboard with the subtle beauty of deep sub bass, and pairs soaring ethereal synth chords with the wet, dirty crashing lead melodies. The dichotomy between beautiful and ugly noise enraptures the listener on “Emergence”. One moment you’re flying through space on a rainbow super highway, and the next minute your space ship is being shredded molecule by molecule at the event horizon of a black hole.

An Au5 remix of “Emergence”, a variation on his own original, provides an epic closing for the EP, the equivalent of a rock power ballad minus the cheese and plus the 21st century. “Gravitas” means “weighty” in Latin, and there is nothing here which does not live up to that description, from the breadth of Au5’s massive productions to the deeply-felt freedom of Cristina Soto’s vocals.



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Tuesday, November 29, 2016

[Electronic] MEMBA – Heat of the Moment (feat. GIIA & Hoosh)

“Heat of the Moment” is a special one. MEMBA was working some next level magic when they were in the studio conjuring this masterpiece with GIIA and Hoosh. Elysian Records put this one out this week, so it is currently available on digital services.

There’s nothing remotely off about this record. It is perfection in every way; every single little tone is right where it needs to be, from the vocals down to the minute parts of the instrumental. Buying this one is a no brainer. Even if you’re not the type of person that buys/downloads music anymore, you just got to have this one. It’s a unique track that we know we’re going to be playing for a long, long time. “Heat of the Moment” doesn’t lose any of its magic, even if you try to play it out. There’s just no stopping this one.



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[Multi-Genre] Jetset – Flight EP

Earlier this month we had the pleasure of asking a newcomer to the dance music arena some questions. That man was Jetset. The Youtuber-gone-producer gave us a sneak peak into his EP, Flight, with a single, but now the full project is here at last.

With four songs, Jetset cements himself as a creator that needs to be taken seriously. He’s not jumping on any bandwagon, and if he was, dubstep probably wouldn’t be his style of choice, despite it making waves back to the forefront of EDM. Now, this EP isn’t entirely dubstep, as the single “BLOW YA MIND” kicks things up with its electro meets breakbeat sound. In speaking of sound, one has to mention just how good of a sound designer Jetset is already. Each song is packed with vibrant samples; Jetset came out swinging hard with some aggressive, tactical hits. If you’re a fan of guys like Spag Heddy and Ray Volpe, then add Jetset to your list of priorities, because he’s got a lot more coming. I mean, this is only his first project ever… Did we also mention it’s free?



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[Future Bass] San Holo – Light

San Holo has been smashing it. There’s no doubt about that, even if you, for some crazy reason, don’t call yourself a fan of his music. That’s highly unlikely, as this dude puts out quality track after track.

Take for instance the latest creation he has freed upon the world. “Light” is just that, a bright beacon of what great music is. San Holo’s style is always expressive; he manages to infuse as much emotion as he can in his music, which has connected deeply with audiences worldwide. He is one of the hottest attractions in dance music right now, for good reason. He’s just been killing it with no sign of slowing down. Get your free copy of “Light” today to celebrate just how good SH is.



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[Electronic] Unlike Pluto – Someone New feat. Desi Valentine

Not long ago, Monstercat resident Unlike Pluto released an impressive trilogy of originals, so it’s really no surprise that his most recent single continues to portray this artist’s growing talent and diverse range of sound.

The soulful, yet relatable, love ballad features sultry vocals from Desi Valentine, an array of horns, and an intriguing mix of dark and light, airy vibes capable of invoking an emotional energy sure to be felt by the crowd as Unlike Pluto continues his current tour with Seven Lions. The tour is wrapping up so catch them while you can at one of these remaining dates. The track is out now, buy/stream “Someone New” here.



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[Hip Hop] MOORS – King

“There’s a young man named ‘King’, petrified fields smell of evaporated blood, bullet shells as rocks,” begins Keith Stanfield on “King”, the most recent single from Long Angeles duo MOORS. The poetic rapper and actor who co-stars in Donald Glover’s television show “Atlanta” is half of the musical project MOORS. The other half, Hrishikesh Hirway, founder of songwriter’s podcast Song Exploder, supplies the soundscape on King” with a tense, militant-moving beat.

Keith Stanfield told us he finds inspiration in the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe, Langston Hughes, and Johnny Cash. Like these men, Stanfield records his thoughts with adept poetic maneuvering and a split-open, raw delivery. The song deals with distress, disaster and development within the artist’s life, and by proxy strikes a nerve deep within the consciousness of American history.

Stanfield’s internal and double rhymes strike hard and fast. He describes a past where he would “run with the goons subtle and smooth / Untouchable troop / Gutter platoon.” A history of violence left the singer with a plagued mind and vacant soul, and after growing through a history of violence the lines of morality become blurry and even non-existent. The young King asserts the gold within his inner self, which he will continue to manifest and bring forth amidst a harsh reality in which forces of evil are arrayed against him. Among such pressure, “don’t be surprised when I don’t know how to act,” Stanfield asserts. With “nothing to lose” a “thug on the loose” is “bringing a truth back”. The rapper’s literary prowess continues to shine through with double-entendre’s like “fuck a copper we goin’ platinum”. Though the truth of self-empowerment and self-knowledge runs through the lyrics, it’s a dark and at times despairing poetic picture which Stanfield paints on “King”. More than anything else, it’s an honest picture – of his life and the lives of others who struggle through oppression both physical and emotional, whether originating from the penal system or from one’s own harsh memories.

The assertion of self-worth within “King”, the reminder to find the gold inside yourself, is potent and timely. It’s some of the most striking work yet from a group named after the powerful African Muslim empire of the Middle Ages. We look forward to more material from this exceptionally creative pair of artists.



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Monday, November 28, 2016

[Indie] Charge The Atlantic – Something You Feel

Something we are really feeling is “Something You Feel,” the new single from Nashville’s Charge The Atlantic. It’s a whole bunch of things that we have come to love, mashed up in one composition, executed to perfection by some magnificently talented musicians.

“Something You Feel” has a bit of everything, taking cues from styles like indie, jazz, alternative, pop and more. It’s not easy to take from so many places and make one cohesive song, but Charge The Atlantic did just that without skipping a beat. Every single second of this song is enjoyable, but more than that, it is a ride you are going to want to take over and over again. It’s peaks and valleys are equally engaging, despite their difference in energy. This push and pull is just one of the many reasons why “Something You Feel” is one of our favorite tunes this month. Get your copy today on iTunes.



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[Experimental] G Jones – Pull Up

Greg Jones aka G Jones has been an undisputed innovator in electronic music for years now, the champion young gladiator in the arena of filthy, hard-edged sound design, with ever-evolving new expressions of the mind-melting, cathartic bass drop. His production pace is also prolific. It seems every time he performs he’s debuting new singles and collabs, and now he’s dropped “Pull Up”, the first single from his upcoming Visions EP.

Jones’ sound has always evolved at a rate which can be hard to follow. Fans barely get accustomed to one incredible style before the artist moves on to his next manifestation, and some of the stylistic innovations he’s made in the past are now passed over in his new productions. “Pull Up”, for example, lacks the head-nod drums (“trap” beats to some) and the long-sustained synth lines of his earlier work. The track starts with an archetypal faux-dance synthesizer that’s soon interrupted by slashes of razor sharp, two-ton heavy snyths, bounced back and force with a Jamaican voice hollering “Pull Up”, and a mash of hi-hats, 8-bit beeps, and huge variety of seemingly random percussive sounds. What has never left, and will continue to define G Jones music for many ears, are the enormous, meticulously-crafted kicks and experimental snare sounds that anchor “Pull Up”.

This new single confirms what many who’ve been attending Greg’s shows for months already know, that the producer is moving into ever more abstract territory, away from clean beats a la Bassnectar, and more towards the fringes of experimental bass music a la EPROM. “Pull Up” comes ahead of Greg’s Visions Tour, which commences in January and will absolutely barnstorm clubs with support from legends like UK bass pioneer Plastician, and The Widdler.



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[MP3 Playlist] Indie Dojo (December 2016 Round #1)

indie-dojo-music-ninja
From here on out, we are on the fast track to the end of the year. So if you need a moment to ground yourself, you can stop right here. Listen to an Indie Dojo or two or three. It’s like the gift that keeps on giving.



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Saturday, November 26, 2016

Crying Robot – Different Sides (feat. Abi F Jones) [TMN Premiere]

Not much is known about the musical act Crying Robot. What we do know is they have a new single called “Different Sides” featuring Abi Jones. How do we know this? We’re delivering it to you now in this post-Thanksgiving Music Ninja Premiere!

“Different Sides” is an industrious pop meets dance record. It takes the best things from both worlds and combines them together, with Abi Jones laying down one colorful performance. Every note she hits is incredible. The song comes in just under three minutes, which totally isn’t enough, but that’s where the replay button will come in handy. This is a track we don’t mind listening to over and over again. It’s sound and style is perfect for the kickback feel of Winter.



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Friday, November 25, 2016

[Get Crunk] Friday Party Playlist (Vol 223)

We hope you stuffed your face and enjoyed Thanksgiving. Now, it’s the weekend, and you get to party all you want, instead of kicking it back with your family. Sure, some of you may have even partied yesterday, but now it’s Friday so the party won’t stop. As we do every week, we collect our favorite free downloads and share them with you. Here we have twelve records, including a closing few with some chilled out vibes to bring your night to a close with ease. Records from this week come from Statik Link, ATLiens, Convex, RIOT, NIGHTOWLS and many more. Stream, download, and enjoy; most of all, #danceirresponsibly.



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[R&B] Steven Christopher – STAY

An R&B song that stands out is a hard earned accomplishment in today’s music world. Without diving too far into one electronic genre, Steven Christopher uses a touch of future beat and trap elements to bring a modern sound to the genre. His latest release, “Stay,” is a straight up R&B hit largely due to the impressive vocal work. The track’s arrangement and production make it forward-thinking while staying true to the style’s roots. Check it out and keep an eye on Steven for new music.



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Dope Music Village – You’re Welcome [TMN PREMIERE]

It takes a village. That’s the mantra that this DC, Maryland, and Virginia-based collective are using as the catalyst behind their creative endeavor. And, from what we’re seeing and hearing from their first album together, “You’re Welcome,” produces a cohesive vibe that has us bobbing our heads, tapping our feet, and looking ahead into the rest of our long weekend.

Dope Music Village, aka DMV, is comprised of three unique artists, each of which brings their own individualistic creative visions to this project. The name, which is a play off of two things: the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia), as well as the village centers that make up their hometown of Columbia. Together, it’s setting the framework for what Nature Boi, Brian Rapp, and Ezko are crafting.

In 2015 we formed a collective known as Dope Music Village. We have adapted the motto, “it takes a village” because it reflects our ethos when it comes to our music scene. Everything we do is collaborative and inclusive–like Columbia. When we put together shows we partner with other collectives and groups instead of keeping everything in house. Our website even features other local artists who we think make good music. We truly believe that a rising tide lifts all ships. – Brian Rapp

Musically, this trio covers a broad breadth of hip-hop and R&B influences that span across nuances of multiple decades. What drew us in at first was an advance listen of “Venting” which features Liqui. The pronounced percussion, fluttering brass sample, and organic vocal harmonies call on associations of living legends like De La Soul and Jurassic 5. Yet, as classic as the beat and flows feel, the production brings it forth into current times, blending the best of both worlds effortlessly. It’s the perfect addition to kicking the night off, maybe spouting off the chorus as you get ready for your night out.

Other tracks resemble some of the more bass-heavy offerings we’ve been experiencing lately, but still carrying the DMV vibe throughout. “Hands and Bands” boasts a heavy 808 kick, window-rattling basslines, quick rolling hi-hat hits, and verses that will have you primed and ready for an epic night out. Should you find yourself at late-night after party, this will serve as the perfect soundtrack. If you opt to head home with someone who caught your interest, maybe you’d prefer to round out your evening with “Ms. Amerykah Badu,” which features a silky smooth beat and evocative lyrics worthy of a permanent addition into your bedroom playlist.

Wherever this weekend takes you, you’re now set up with a tasty set of tracks to cover any situation you should come up on. Whether it’s smoking out at home, or hitting the clubs with your fam, Dope Music Village has you covered.



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Thursday, November 24, 2016

Alex Clare – Tell Me What You Need (Tropics Remix) [TMN PREMIERE]

Tropics has spent years writing intelligent ideas and trying and tinkering with sound to express them, from early acid-jazz experiments to more recent original like the astonishingly avant-garde “Home and Conscience”. After all his development and genre-blending work, Ward strikes a strong, original balance of elements on this remix of Alex Clare’s “Tell Me What You Need.”

Here Tropics aka Chris Ward creates a soundscape that is emotionally ambiguous but full of delightful sonic flourishes. We loved Ward’s introduction of his own voice into his composition last year, and we love his ability to fold Clare’s bold croon into the smooth fabric of this new advanced production. The complex beat almost manages to divert attention from the starry vocals – no small task. The organic instrumentation which Tropics introduced on last year’s “Rapture” makes this remix so pleasurable, particular the skipping drum beat, crisp cymbal strokes and the minimal, echoing guitar pluck which play off each other for a polyrhythmic effect. The acoustic material blends soft and smooth with the synthesizers that Tropics and admirers of his music have always been so fond of.

For an artist who has never stayed in the same sonic space for too long, Tropics has moved again to beautiful new surroundings with this fresh remix.



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Wednesday, November 23, 2016

[NYC Event Preview] Webster Hall Presents GOTHAM w/ AC Slater, Jack Beats, Alex English, Dischetto, & TJANI

Calling all NYC party people. In case you haven’t heard the news already, NYC’s historic venue Webster Hall recently introduced their newest weekly event GOTHAM. The party takes place every Saturday in the grand ballroom of Webster Hall where the club immediately takes on a dark, heated, and taboo atmosphere. You’ll find yourselves feeling as if you’ve just entered Marvel Comic’s Gotham City as acrobats and dancers take their positions all around the dance floor (and ceiling).

The real ambience is set by long time Webster Hall resident Alex English in addition to Gotham residents Dischetto and TJANI as they spin deep and underground techno selections. If this isn’t convincing enough to experience the party for yourself, maybe this Saturday’s lineup will be. On November 26th, Webster Hall invites the founder of Night Bass himself, AC Slater along with fellow bass aficionado Jack Beats to take the stage making this a night you don’t want to miss.

Tickets + info: HERE



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[Secret Ninja Pass] This Week at Beta 11/23 – 11/27

Thanksgiving weekend is finally here! Along with football, epic naps, and endless plates of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, we can also look forward to a bass-heavy weekend at Beta Nightclub. Per usual, we’re making it incredibly easy for you to get off your couch and head down. Why’s that? Because we’re hooking you up with free entry.

Here’s how:
– Head to the front door and enter the club before 11pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Get there before 9:00 on Sunday
– Show this post to the cashier (Valid for 21+ only).
– The deal is valid for WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY this week.

Kill the Noise - 11/23
Ephwurd - 11/24
Pendulum DJ Set - 11/25
Manufactured Superstars - 11/26
Dubfire - 11/27


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[Electronic] Bechara – The Darkness

A name that is new to the industry is Bechara. The artist is only on their second release, but already is turning some heads with his music. Today, we present to you his latest work, “The Darkness.”

“The Darkness” was released a few days ago as a free download through the artist’s Soundcloud channel. No gate; simply click to download. Bechara’s style here is a cool mixture of pop with French electro. The strolling pace of the BPM sets up a good bit of energy for Bechara to work his magic. A strong vocal performance atop a classic bassline is never a bad idea and Bechara executes it with great precision. Bechara seems to be going down the crossover path, which could leave potential for some huge things in the future.



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[Multi-Genre] um.. do it for the kids Remix EP

If you were to ask us if we were ready for a remix EP from um.. our response would likely be, “Um.. yes!” That’s just what we got several days ago from them that consists of eight total remixes. Below we share with you four of our favorites, but make sure to head over to iTunes to check them all out and get a copy of the remix EP, do it for the kids.

We’re going to dive right in with one of the heaviest remixes on the project which comes from the recent Disciple signee, Oolacile. This track is not only dope, but it is just another example of the producer’s unique style and talent when it comes to designing sounds. Noer The Boy kicks up a gangster flip that is one of the biggest standout tracks on the project, no matter if you’re a fan of bass music or not. Holly’s been on a collab terror right now, but focuses in himself on this remix to deliver something big that’s outside his usual arena. Lastly, we close things out with Dack Janiels, who brings another heavy set of low frequencies whose grimy textures are irresistible.

Like we said before, what we have presented is only half of the remix EP! Hit up Soundcloud, or iTunes to check out the full project, which is complete with tunes from ESQ, Elephunk, X&G and MNX.



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[Resident Label of the Month November] Circus Records

Here in the dojo, we’re ending the year with something special. To end November and takeover December, the Circus Records crew has joined up with us ninjas to be our Resident Label of the Month.

Since 2009, Circus Records has been one of the pillars in bass music, specifically dubstep. If you take a look at its founders, which includes Doctor P, Flux Pavilion, Simon Swan and Earl Falconer, you see how that was accomplished. The London-based label now is the exclusive home to artists such as Cookie Monsta, FuntCase, DISKORD and more. Together, these bass behemoths put out some of the gnarliest wubs you can find around the world.

2016 has been a tremendous year for the label. To close it out, not only are they partnering with us in residency, but they recently released their compilation, Circus Three, complete with thirty tracks. Safe to say, you should be covered in December with more than your fair share of low frequencies. Stream some of the tracks below, but make sure to head over to the digital service of your choice for a copy of the full project.



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Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Axel Boy Shares His Thoughts On 2016, What’s Coming & New Single [TMN Interview]

At the end of each year, artists and their teams look to not only bring things to a close, but get ready for the next year. One artist who is doing that in a huge way is Axel Boy. 2016 has been a wild year for the Bristol beatmaker who has seen releases on labels like Buygore, Kannibalen Records, Elysian Records and Never Say Die.

Through all this, the people over at Slvyvll had their eyes on him, eventually taking him on board their management roster. Now, things are looking better than ever for one of bass music’s finest gems. To celebrate this, Axel Boy has released two free downloads in the past two weeks, with the most recent being a return to dubstep in “Bun Up N Tun Up.”

We had the pleasure of having a quick chat with Axel Boy to give us a recap of his 2016, as well as give us some insight on what’s to come. Stream the single, read the interview; most of all, enjoy.

TMN: Looking back, how has 2016 been for the Axel Boy project?

AB: 2016 has been very progressive and productive! The beginning of the year saw my first tour of Australia which was life-changing, it really set me up with a ton of motivation to enter into the year with. I’ve really worked on my craft over the last year, wrote a load of music and learnt a lot about myself and the music I enjoy making! I played my biggest show to date in Paris in October which was an unbelievable experience. And of course I’ve linked up with SLVYVLL which is the real landmark of the year, I really feel a sense of optimism now I’m part of the team! Besides Axel Boy I also managed to graduate at University, so it was an excellent feeling to accomplish that alongside working on my own music project.

TMN: You recently got involved with the Slvyvll team, how did you get connected up with them?

AB: I met Steven and Christina back in 2015 when I spent a few weeks in LA. My previous manager Daniel helped me A LOT in taking my first steps towards cementing myself in the industry, credit to him, he helped me make some vital connections & SLVYVLL was one of them! He moved on in his own career and lead me to begin working with the SLVYVLL team. It was a natural progression for both off us, I couldn’t be happier with how things have worked out!

TMN: Can you tell us a little about your most recent release, “Bun Up N Tun Up” that you just dropped?

I was working on various styles of music before my show at ANIMALZ in Paris & I decided it was time to make some fresh dubstep to play. So I worked on some VIPS of other tracks and also decided to write a dubstep original. I wanted to push myself in creating some really fresh sound timbres which I haven’t necessarily heard so much before. I kind of went down a metallic route for the sound design in this track which is fairly obvious, so using Serum I tried to push the boundaries of the sounds I can come up with.

I wanted to capture a few different vibes in this track. One was a very trappy, hip-hop influenced theme which is very obvious in the structure, beat & lead melodies! And the other was a more Halloween & sinister vibe which comes across best in the chords and their progressions! I then proceeded to record and process vocals to put the cherry on the cake! The lyrics just came straight to mind during the production process which in turn helped me christen the track ‘Bun Up ‘N’ Tun Up’. I must say I absolutely love it when a track name comes to mind during the production process, it just makes everything feel so right!

TMN: In 2016, you released a ton of originals with only a few remixes including an official one for Black Tiger Sex Machine. Do you want to keep up focusing on original work next year?

AB: Original work is the number one priority for me. So you guys can expect a lot more of that, I have lots of originals lined up and ready to go. But I think early next year I will be more than happy to start releasing more remixes and collaborations, working with others can really help breathe new light into my inspiration for writing!

TMN: What can fans expect from you in the upcoming months?

AB: I’m going to continue dropping originals of all different styles! I have some singer-songwriter/future stuff on the way, some house/breaks hybrids & of course some more dubstep to come. There is also a big announcement around the corner that I think the fans will be pleased to hear, so stay tuned for that! 2017 is definitely going to be the biggest year for me yet.



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[Electro] Jameston Thieves – Cookie Butter EP

Two of our favorite camps have come together on an EP that is just out of this world. The EP is Cookie Butter by the astonishingly talented Jameston Thieves who got Uprise Music to back this project. There are lots of notable producers out there making big bucks, but few, if any, come close to JT.

With Cookie Butter we get four singles, including a collaboration with Aaron Jackson and Megan Hamilton. Together these three kick off the EP with “Wonder,” a dynamic single whose composition shifts shape throughout the entire song. It’s like a whole bunch of good songs in one, which the same can be said for “Circadian Rhythm.” If by now you haven’t noticed that JT’s sound design is absolutely maddening then “Shottahs” will take care of you. Lastly, “Back In It” is what may be the most wacky song on the project. It’s a fun listen, even by Jameston Thieve’s standards. Cookie Butter is now available on digital services, so grab it!



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[Multi-Genre] Michael White – Never Look Back EP

You might recognize MA Music from their blog or Youtube channel, but they’re a kick ass label too. This week, they dropped an EP from a fellow kick ass human being, Michael White. Spain’s musical treasure dropped his Never Look Back project, complete with four singles; all currently available on iTunes.

Each song is a collaboration, with the list including Lonemoon, Brig, TWOFACE! and STEREOLIEZ. The EP is split in half, with one sharing an electro house sound and the other aligning with trap. With that said, these songs shouldn’t be put into any boxes, as they’re not as straightforward as we make them sound. In fact, once you listen through, you’ll see just how easily Michael changes sounds, even within a single song. Each one is amazing, but we think the standout record on this one is “Freeze!” because it’s just too fun.



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[TMN Exclusive Interview] Goldroom Delves Into West of the West & Musical Metamorphosis

Unless this is the first time you’ve trekked through the hallowed grounds of TMN, you’ve no doubt ran into at least a song or two from L.A. based producer Josh Legg and his solo remix project turned nationally touring live act Goldroom. He, and the rest of Goldroom’s live iteration just recently wrapped an expansive, 30 date live co-headlining tour with fellow TMN regulars Autograf, and before quite a memorable show in Boulder, CO, we had a chance to catch up with Josh on the heels of Goldroom’s debut long-player West of the West, and ended up having one of the more in-depth conversations regarding music we’ve had in some time. Enjoy our interview with Goldroom below.

The Music Ninja (TMN): Alright… Matthew Bloss of The Music Ninja here with Josh Legg, the mastermind behind the Goldroom acclaim. First off, thanks so much for taking the time before your show to sit down with us. Firstly, you just recently released your first full length LP under the Goldroom name, West of the West, which we’ve had the chance to listen to a couple times and I really, really enjoyed it. After talking to friends around the music industry who know you, and from following your social media accounts, this was something that has been years in the making. Can you speak a little more to that? How long has West of the West, been coming together, and how does it feel now that it’s finally out?

Josh Legg (JL): Yeah, I mean there was a moment in time, probably in 2013, right after we started to tour with the live band for the first time, that it was just really clear that at some point if things went the right way that at some point I was going to need to put a record out. And I’ve always lived my life, sort of through albums of other people’s. So, I started thinking about it right then… I was thinking about the first Goldroom record as early as January of 2013, so I’ve kind of been writing for it for three years now. But, I don’t know, it’s weird… You were saying earlier, that you guys have been paying attention for along time. But, if I walk into a radio station or something like that, I’m going to talk about it (West of the West) like it’s my first statement, but in a lot of ways it feels like my sophomore record because the Embrace EP took me all around the world twice, and I got to play Coachella this year, and I released that independently… and that EP did all of this. It’s a seven song EP, and for a lot of purposes it worked as my debut full-length record, so this is actually closer to my sophomore record from sort of a traditional perspective. But, I wasn’t thinking about that EP in the same way that I was thinking about West of the West. I wasn’t thinking like, “Hey, would I be proud of this if I died?” But, I have been thinking about that with this record. I wanted this record to be so good that, when I die, I’m going to be like “I have this at least. At least I did this, and I’m proud of it.” hahaha. And, I don’t know, as things went a long, I started to feel more and more strongly about certain things about the way producers in my world were making records. And I was getting more and more discouraged with the fact that it was just this endless cycle of people throwing acapellas to each other, and getting random features and finsing out that the artists, that you think that you love didn’t even write the song that you loved. And, I want a glimpse into people’s hearts I guess. And so, the only thing that I promised with this record is that for better or for worse, it would really be me.

Read the rest of our interview with Josh Legg after the jump!

TMN: Awesome. That actually leads into my next question. As far as the writing and recording process, I know you layed down your own vocals for a lot of this LP for the first time and have always handled a lot. You know, for the most part Goldroom has always been viewed as pretty much a solo project, even though it has developed into a full live act.  Did you mostly handle things top to bottom as far as instrumentation, writing lyrics, and overall arrangement or did you have some outside input as far as guest musicians?

JL: Well certainly, there wasn’t a part of  anything on the record that I didn’t touch. But, no, the real answer is that it was an incredibly collaborative process from moment one. It’s funny, the first EP that I ever put out, everything was me, top to bottom. But by the time this record came out, I had started to remix artists, and my manager was like “Hey, that Niki and the Dove remix is really starting to get some traction. Maybe you ought to work with some female singers. Let’s see what happens when you start collaborating (on original tracks).” And I started to fall in love with the songwriting process of co-writing with other people, and so I’ve never stopped doing that. And with this record, you know, every song I co-wrote with other people. It’s really important to me that I have a heavy hand in the lyrics, and it was never a situation of me making a beat, and sending it out and having somebody else send me a finished product back. So like, I’m always sitting in a room with somebody being like: “This is what’s going on with me, this is where I want to go.” And I was trading ideas and it was always a very authentic, collaborative process. So yeah, it’s a little bit of everything. You know, I had, depending on the song… maybe I produced it, maybe I was doing all of the drum programming, but maybe somebody else helped me write the topline. On another song, maybe I wrote the whole topline… and… there’s actually a song on the record that Oli G from Oliver did a beat for. I heard the beat and loved it and thought that it worked well for Goldroom. I wrote the vocals and the topline for it, sang them, did additional production, and then played guitar on top of the song, and then pulled it together. So, songs came together in so many different ways, the difference is mostly that, I don’t know, my imprint is really heavy on everything and yeah.. I had my hand in every little element. But, a lot of people were a part of the creative process, which was really exciting.

TMN: And, there were a lot of different vocalists on the record right? Who all did you actually have? 

JL: On West of the West? There are actually only two vocalists on the entire LP. So that’s something that was super important to me about the record. Because, this is my thing about a lot of electronic records too is that… you hear all of these different features and vocals. How are you going to fall in love with the record? When we grew up  you were falling in love with a voice, and it felt like you were all the way inside that person and that you were falling in love with it. So, I wanted to get back to that a little bit with this record. So for me, with this record, a big signifier for me was the Zero 7 record that featured Sia. When they put their first record out. Because, Sia was not credited as a feature, but her vocals were present throughout the whole record, and that was a big part of falling in love with that group for me. The fact that there were cohesive voices was a huge part of that. So for me, I was hoping to, and I knew that I wanted to sing more on the record and I sing on half the songs, and that I also wanted to find a vocal muse of sorts. And so after a while I found this girl Rooty,  she’s an Irish singer/songwriter and she’s the only female voice you hear on the record.

TMN: That is awesome, I didn’t know that. And did you record the entire LP in L.A.?

JL: Yeah. We did all of the songwriting over time in a bunch of different ways. But then, right at the end of last year, there was a concentrated period of about three weeks where all of the final vocals from all of the record were recorded. And they were all done in this studio in Silver Lake called Oulse, and it’s where Tupac recorded “All Eyez On Me”.

TMN: Hahaha Nice! No big deal. Very cool, very cool. Obviously as artists grow older and mature, so do their tastes. There’s been a clear evolution from what I would refer to as sort of an indie-dance, disco-chill vibe from singles like “Fifteen” in 2012 and the Embrace EP in 2013. I would go as far to say that as a listener, at times I felt like I was listening to just.. an immaculately produced pop album on West of the West. There are tinges of R&B, mature sexuality and plenty of sing-along synth-pop anthems. I think Vanity Fair even called it “Escapist E.D.M. for the Adult Millennial”.

JL: Fuck. Yeah… That’s the worst.

TMN: Hahahaha!

JL: I literally… refused to even repost that article because of that headline hahaha.

TMN: So, I obviously don’t agree with that at all.

JL: Right, it’s not even close to EDM, you can’t even fucking DJ even half of these songs. 

TMN: Hahaha, so anyway. I was kind of talking about the evolution of the Goldroom project.

JL: Yeah. I did want it to grow. And the difference is, some people have said, “Hey, your sound has totally changed. What precipitated that?” or whatever.

TMN: It still feels like Goldroom though to me. Like, I didn’t feel like I wasn’t listening to a Goldroom record. But it did feel a little bit different at the same time.

JL: That’s amazing to hear. That’s great. Because that’s sort of my only worry. Of course I want it to be different. A.) I want it to grow but B.) Very rarely do artists arrive being competent enough to make the music that’s truly in their head. And I’ve always wanted to make this music but, no offense to Poolside, but I didn’t want to be Poolside, I want to be Phoenix. And, I think this is me finally being able to make music that I think can be in that world. I don’t want to be… I love the Poolside guys, don’t get me wrong they’re my favorite people. So that’s sort of a shame I said that hahaha, but yeah, I don’t care to… I don’t want to make songs like “Morgan’s Bay” or “Only You Can Show Me” where it’s just like “Cool I found a nice little vocal line and I want to make a beat around it.” I want to write songs that… I want to be able to stand on stage and be able to grab an acoustic guitar, and sing the song that I wrote and it doesn’t matter if it has cool electronic production over it or not. I want it to be a great song. If you listen to Phoenix’s “1901” or “Listzomania” or something like that, those are songs that whether they came out in the ’70’s or 2030’s, they’re going to be hits regardless.

TMN: I definitely agree.

JL: And I’m not comparing myself to that by any means. but, that’s what I’m aspiring to you know?

TMN: And kind of touching on that live aspect you were talking about. We’ve seen you come through Denver probably four times as a DJ, but this will be my first time seeing Goldroom in all of their live glory.

JL: Amazing! This is better hahaha.

TMN: Can you talk about the differences as a performer between those two sides of Goldroom?

JL: Sure. I’m excited for you to see it. I mean, I love doing both and I really value both as an art form. I think DJ’ing is bastardized sometimes because there are some bands, and then they go and just try to make some money DJ’ing, and then you’re just going to see ‘Band X’ DJ sets. And, I don’t know, that’s lame to me. I’ve cared about DJ’ing as an art form for a really long time., and that’s not going to stop. They’re just very different shows. It’s weird because you’d think that playing live you have more room to improvise, but the turth is with DJ’ing is that you have ultimate room to improvise. Because you can go in any direction and make wild changes at any given time. Whereas when we’re playing live, I can make little adjustments and wiggle and do this and that, but on the whole we’re playing the same set every night for the most part. And we’re playing a lot of the same songs, and I love both in very different ways. But… I like performing live for the human connection, and the amount of human connection that you can make when you’re singing a song through microphone and looking at somebody. It’s so much stronger than DJ’ing. But I do love both. I’ll tell you, by the end of this tour I’m definitely gonna be really excited to just go DJ a few nights for sure.

TMN: Well, we do certainly enjoy you DJ’ing as well. So you are just a few dates into… How many dates are you playing with Autograf?

JL: It’s a total of 30, and actually I think tonight marks the halfway point.

TMN: So, is this the longest tour that you’ve ever done consecutively?

JL: Big time. Big time. This is by far the longest I’ve done.

TMN: How has it been going so far? We had a bunch of friends go to the sold-out Denver show last night and it looked like an absolute blast.

JL: It’s been great, we’ve had some really amazing shows. The cool thing to me, to be honest is like… I keep coming back to the fact that on a Tuesday night in Portland, Maine where I’ve never been before, we sold 150 tickets and there were people singing along to all of the songs on the new record and stuff like that. It was just a trip to me.

TMN: Which, yeah… that’s crazy. I think there are only 60,000 people living in that town. I was just there and was reading their local magazine Dispatch and saw an ad for that show.

JL: Oh no shit? That’s amazing! Yeah, I don’t know. It’s kind of humbling to know that people are coming out and spending their money to… they’ve obviously spent some time digesting the record, and they learned the record and then they’re down to spend their own money to come out and buy a T-Shirt and  sing the songs with us. It’s a trip. And people have apologized to us at shows when there are like 200 people in a 600 capacity room, and I’m like “I can’t believe there are 200 people here!” Like tonight I think will be a little slower than Denver last night, but I mean… I’ve never been to Boulder before, it’s fucking cool that there are a lot of people coming out to see the show hahaha.

TMN: Yeah, I jumped at the chance to come see you guys at the Boulder Theatre. I went to high school out here in Boulder, so Iwas really excited about the show.

JL: It’s such a cool town.

TMN: So, being on tour, besides the obvious, are there any items that you have to travel with?

JL: Ummmm…. I mean. I bring my Kindle everywhere. I really like reading and it’s is super important to me, so I’m always reading and digesting something. Right now I’m reading Shea Serrano’s The Rap Year Book, where he talks about the best rap songs from every year between 1977-2015. It’s a really cool book, and it actually tells the history of rap through these songs and it’s pretty cool. So that, and my acoustic guitar. You won’t see an acoustic guitar on stage tonight, but we always have one on the bus, which is amazing, because we’ve been doing a little bit of acoustic work within the band and it’s my primary songwriting tool. I can’t think of anything else at the moment… maybe a bottle of red wine.

TMN:

I always like to pick the brains of my favorite msuciains. 2016 for me has been kind of an up and down year musically and politically. Has there been anything that you’ve been listening to, that you’ve been really enjoying?

JL: Yeah, totally. Not to go too far back, because it’s a 2015 record, but Tame Impala’s Currents, I can’t say enough about. I think it’s one of the most important records in the last five years at least.

TMN: I absolutely agree. It makes me so happy to hear you say that, I just saw them at Red Rocks and it was incredible.

JL: Yeah, and I don’t know. A lot of my friends are still making my favorite music. Gigamesh’s new LP that he just put out the second half of this year, I think is a really amazing thing. Poolside has been putting out new music which has been cool. Classixx’ Faraway Reach LP I thought was amazing.

TMN: Yeah it’s cool to see all of you guys… well not you guys, but I mean all of the acts coming out of that scene like Classixx doing the live act, you guys and a handful more have emerged as live acts.

JL: Yeah, some… I guess have emerged while some have faded away and it’s cool to see that we all are in it together and rooting for reach other. Same with the Miami Horror guys, and the list kind of goes on and on in that way. I don’t know, right now, I’m really digging on.. I’m looking through my phone right now, but this is always the right way hahaha. The Knocks are a good example also. Their last record was great…

TMN: Awesome. You’ve always been a pretty active producer. This is going to be the last one I have for you…

JL: Wait, I want to properly answer your last question hahahaha.

TMN: Hahaha, okay my bad sorry, let’s finish that thought.

JL: I feel like I can answer that question better.

TMN: Yeah, well it’s probably hard being friends with everybody too hahaha. I mean, just from being around everyone so often, we hear nothing but good things about you.

JL: I mean, I just root for everybody. I try to at least. I don’t actually root for everybody.. I have like… frienemies isn’t the right word… I have nemesi that I choose not to mention. Let’s put it this way… I was never trying to own the tropical thing, that was never something that I was doing on purpose. But, maybe the tropical thing, became a thing and a lot of people like…

TMN: Yeah I think your music and all of that music that came about definitely had its roots in that L.A. culture.

JL: Yeah, and I mean, I also just love tropicalia music and the Latin influence that is so prevalent in it is really important to me. And I think that there’s a lot to be gained from dancing to that kind of stuff. And, the stuff that became ‘Tropical House’ music is not even dance music. The idea that some people would try to compare me to that stuff is kind of a bummer. Oh, okay! I’m ready to answer your question now hahaha. Ready? The Roosevelt record was really dope. I mean there are so many great acts that are coming out of Australia right now. The Rufus record was also really amazing.

TMN: Yeah Bloom was an excellent record.

JL: I don’t know the list kind of goes on and on.

TMN: Alright last one. I know you just released the full LP, but you’ve always been a pretty active producer both as a remixer and original producer. Do you have anything else coming down the pipe or have you been able to just kind of sit on this record for a minute and go on tour and kind of bask in everything?

JL: I’m actually really anxious to get back in the studio. We will play a song otnight that was one of the songs that almost made the record but didn’t. And, I don’t know… I don’t think we’re going to release it. I kind of like the idea that it’s just like, living out in the world. It’s kind of like a cheesy Daft Punk record… Or like, in the way that Daft Punk is cheesy, you know what I mean? It’s a song called “Spread Love” and it like, it sounds the way that a song called “Spread Love” might sound. Like a cheesy old French-House song hahaha. But, we did this record and everybody really loved it, and it just didn’t really fit the album so we left it off. But, we love playing it live and… maybe it will come out but maybe not, I don’t know. Besides that, I’m really excited to get back in the studio and remix some stuff. I’m going to put out another mixtape. I think I’m actually going to do a mixtape while we’re on tour, which will be hard.

TMN: Yeah, I’ve always loved the Spring/Summer mixes that you put out. The El Verano mixes.

JL: Yeah, I did that Summer one this year but I want to do a Fall one So I’m going to do the… I think Ibiza mix is I think what I’m going to call it, I dpn’t know. So, yeah I’m going to do that and then I can’t wait to get back in the studio and start working on the second record.

TMN: That’s really exciting, and like I said thanks so much again for sitting down and talking with us. I relish the opportunity to just sit down and talk about music with one of my favorite musicians, so it’s been a real pleasure and I really appreciate you takig the time.

JL: Of course, I hope you enjoy the show, and I’m sorry we’re going on so late but.. It is what it is hahaha.



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Kaptain – Wouldn’t Change A Thing [TMN Premiere]

Engineer by day, producer by night, San Francisco based artist Kaptain has brought us another incredible original, following up from “People in Motion.” His early start with instruments, such as the viola and drums, have shone through in his productions boasting an array of unique acoustic sound.

“Wouldn’t Change A Thing” garnered a short video by Pretty Light’s visual director, Greg Ellis (The Laser Shark), and boasts Kaptain’s signature love of trumpets and plenty of guitar riffs mixing an ominous intro with a funky build. Although vocals aren’t present in this new original, multiple layering throughout the track brings something new with each passing minute. “Wouldn’t Change A Thing” is out now as a free download!



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[MP3 Playlist] Indie Dojo (November 2016 Round #4)

indie-dojo-music-ninja
This week we give thanks to all the things we are grateful for. And there are SO MANY THINGS, we don’t even know where begin! So, we’ll start with the easy one. Today & everyday, we are grateful for talented indie artists who put their music out into the world so the less musically inclined can create things like the Indie Dojo. Thank you for making our job an easy one. We more than appreciate you!



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Monday, November 21, 2016

[Multi-Genre] LEViT∆TE. – Mecca 004

The final phase of Mecca is here. LEViT∆TE. has pushed out three sets of songs taken from his album with the fourth and final being brought last week. Today, we deliver the installment to you.

If you have been following this release schedule, you already know these tracks are available for free. The whole album is free. It’s not something you want to sleep on either. Haven’t checked out the rest of the album? Make sure you do. For now, we’ll focus in on the four songs that close out the project. The first is the collaboration with Ian Delile and Taane Jr on “Let Me Go,” an emotionally charged song that is one of the most unique on the album. “Air Raid” comes next and continues the more laid-back style, which is furthered by the title track; one of the best on the album. Lastly, we come to “Finale” which starts with some potent piano chords, then develops into something entirely unexpected. This one is another favorite of ours. As we said, check out the whole project, follow LEViT∆TE., and download everything; all thirteen. You need them.



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[Dubstep] Ray Volpe – Overflow

The young stud Ray Volpe is currently making moves. He’s always been making great records, but now the next phase in his journey has begun. He’s been picked up by the good people over at Slvyvll, and just released his first record since being signed to his new management. That single is “Overflow.”

One thing that may be overflowing soon are requests for more Ray Volpe, whether it be for his music on the internet, or in real life via shows. With “Overflow” we get Ray’s classic sound, an upbeat, emotional work of dubstep that the he even lends his own vocal to. An all around talent, Ray is someone who is going to be doing some really big things over the course of 2017. Personally, it’s been a pleasure seeing him grow for so long, and we wish only the best to him. For those of your reading, do yourself a favor and follow this dude. Secondly as far as favors go, Ray went ahead and did you a solid by dropping this as a free download.



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[Electronic] seekae – turbine blue (swindail remix)

Anything Future Classic gets behind is something worth listening to. If they end up reaching out to you directly for a project, you should feel honored as a music producer. One person to receive that honor was swindail, who was commissioned for an official remix of “turbine blue” by Seekae.

If you read the song’s description on Soundcloud, swindail says, “hope you can enjoy this song atop a cup of tea with biscuits or patting ur dog if u have one;” which just goes to show the intriguing nature of the song. It’s a bit weird, very chill, and (not) surprisingly awesome. For nearly three minutes, you’ll be rendered relaxed as swindail’s captivating composition delivers funky rhythms and eccentric tones to your ears. This official work is out now, so if you’re looking to add it on iTunes or Spotify, you can do so now.



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Two Can – Holding On To You (NEUS Remix) [TMN Premiere]

Obviously, if we’re going to premiere a song for you, it’s going to be really dope. Today, we give you an exclusive listen to something that is exceptional even by our standards. French producer NEUS comes in with an official remix for Two Can‘s “Holding On To You” and it is nothing but pure, unadulterated fire.

Like we’ve stated before, pop meets moombahton is coming to the forefront. NEUS brings those styles together in his own unique way and we think it is nothing short of extraordinary. This is a great song even if you don’t call yourself a lover of electronic music. It’s got that catchy appeal you look for in a song, along with a sound that isn’t something you’ll come across often. We’re absolutely digging this one; no doubt it will be on repeat throughout the day and likely through the weekend. Huge props to NEUS on putting this one together for our friends down under.



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Zanski – Soul [TMN PREMIERE]

Following a successful string of releases that have racked up over three million streams on Soundcloud and Spotify, the now Toronto-based Zanski is ready to offer up his debut EP, Collapse.

This five-track collection is coming your way January 13th, but we have an exclusive sneak peek at the first single. “Soul” is a groovy little number, featuring funky guitar licks, heavy, thumping basslines, and a playful balance of alternating versions of Zanski’s own voice. Creating his own vocal harmonies with separate recordings, he’s able to blend RnB and pop seamlessly, bringing together the best of both worlds. His impassioned delivery can be felt throughout, a testament to what this track and EP mean to him.

Since moving to Toronto, I’ve had a lot of time to take in everything around me and really hone in on my music making process. ‘Soul’ is about feeling alone; like you’re not moving. It’s a feeling I had before I arrived. The song encapsulates the stagnation that artists can feel and the release that you get when there is a change of scenery.

Make sure to keep up with all the release by following Zanski on Facebook, Soundcloud, and Twitter.



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[Electronic] St. Albion Feat. Max Frost – Ghosting

While St. Albion is still somewhat of a new name in the electronic scene, he’s quickly rose among the Spotify and Hype Machine charts. Albion’s original work has featured Perth vocalist Teischa, Brisbane producer Feki and now US vocalist, Max Frost, and the finished product has been nothing short of unique.

One of the best parts of this track is its lack of ability to be pigeonholed into one sub-genre. Between the indie sound of Max Frost’s vocals, the dance melody, and climactic intro into what is more of a future bass sound there is nothing cookie cutter about this original work. The majority of the track was written in a day and that quick turn around work boasts the authenticity this budding producer is looking for and we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. Stream on Spotify or purchase on iTunes.

Me and Max sat down and wrote the song together, It’s about ending a relationship – or getting away from something – that’s toxic. It’s not strictly about a boy and girl breaking up, it could be about anything: a bad business relationship, a bad friendship. It’s a little bit fun, but there’s meaning to it as well. – St. Albion


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[Electronic] Nocturnal Status & Dillard – Death Stroke

Fresh from the onomatopoetically named Whump Collective comes a masterfully deep and diverse single, “Death Stroke”, composed by Nocturnal Status and Dillard. “Death Stroke” is highly danceable, with a deceptively smooth and steppin’ beat riding over sub-flexing background bass. There’s innumerable sonic snippets and details in the track. They flutter in and out with varying impact, until becoming more apparent when the sub bass drops out. All elements come together cohesively, which is no easy task. As the track moves along, a vocal sample is choked and manipulated, and some particularly industrial whumps, assumedly from Dillard, take center stage before the act is through.

Clearly some skillful sound design went into this number. Both artists traffic in inordinate amounts of bass and glitch, and can create contemplative chill music as well as chest-thumping bass jams. “Death Stroke” has a great balance of both styles. A free download is available here.



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Sunday, November 20, 2016

[Future] TV Noise Feat. Jessame – Think (Sean Turk Remix)

New York’s Sean Turk managed to put together an official remix for TV Noise‘s single “Think” that features vocalist Jessame. This isn’t the first time Sean has worked with a vocal from Jessame as the two acts came together on a previous remix several months ago.

Sean’s take on “Think” got backed by Spinnin’ Records as an official remix, which you’ll see why once you hit play on the song. We’re met with what his camp is calling ‘Bedroom Bass,’ a brand of future that has a hint of funk in that makes it extra groovy. It’s chill, fun and mesmerizing. Sean did an incredible job in taking on this song, making it his own and impressing the the label that pushed the original. They couldn’t pass on it, and we couldn’t either. Get your copy today for free.

I spent a long time working on perfecting my craft and to look back at what we have done in 8 months is just insane. We have a long way to go and some ambitious goals, but we are ready to work to make them a reality. Thank you to every single person who has been supporting so far, I truly appreciate all of you. Y’all are dope! Oh, by the way, this isn’t the only Spinnin’ Records release happening this year.”
– Sean Turk



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[Music Video] Luna Shadows – Cherry

One of our favorite musical talents, Luna Shadows, is back with another music video. This time it’s for her single “Cherry” that comes from her previously released EP Summertime.

The soft indie pop tune was just asking for a music video, but in all reality each one of Luna’s works deserves a visual counterpart. With “Cherry” Luna steps away from her black and white aesthetic to bring some color into the world. What she brings in color, she takes away in movement as this video is reminiscent of the ongoing mannequin challenges that are attempting to take over the internet. Even if you’re not a fan of those, don’t let that stop you from enjoying this beautiful work of art. Luna is as amazing as always, and we can’t wait to see what else she has in store for the new year. If you haven’t picked up a copy of Summertime yet, you should do so immediately on iTunes.



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[Multi-Genre] Buku – No Dramas EP

Is it just us or is Spinnin’ Records making some moves away from their usual grind? Take Buku‘s new EP, No Dramas, for instance. The Pittsburgh bass producer put out a four track project through the label, and it is certainly not what you would expect to be in Spinnin’ Records’ catalog.

“Terminal” opens the EP in a manner that you would expect to come from a song released by this label. It’s a cool single, but things really turn up when “No Dramas” comes next with its heavier sound. “Front To Back” keeps up the half-time groove but shifts the sound to a whole new territory. Lastly, “I Can” comes with its dirty trap sound. Overall, No Dramas is a diverse EP that is strong from start to finish. It makes it even better that you can download it for free. That’s right, now you have no reason not to get it for yourself.



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Saturday, November 19, 2016

[Music Video] Anabel Englund – London Headache

Anabel Englund has just launched her solo project; with skill and grace we might add. We knew she already had those qualities from her previous collaborations, so we were excited to see that she was venturing out on her own. To get things started, she dropped a single and music video through Defected Records.

“London Headache” is her debut song. Anabel is being deemed house’s pop princess, so you can imagine the style of the record. It’s deep, it’s catchy; it’s wonderful. The video? The same could be said of it. The visual portion of “London Headache” centers around Anabel in various locations, including her hotel room and a performance. If only all headaches were like this, everyone would be doing everything they could to get one. Luckily to get this one all you need to do is head over to Beatport and buy it! PS, there are remixes and an acapella you can grab too.



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[House] calper – Crossroads feat. Mark Asari

When house gets acoustic, we get delighted. It doesn’t have to be all acoustic, but tossing in some elements is almost always a good idea. It certainly was a good idea for “Crossroads” a single by calper featuring Mark Asari that was released through Let Me Hear It.

From the get go “Crossroads” is a fun track. It wastes no time jumping into the heat of things with Mark Asari’s amazing voice. Mark is one hell of a singer; all you need is to hear one word of his performance in this song to realize that. The other talent, calper, is as impressive, creating this record to near perfection, if not reaching it fully. The instrumental is lively and charming, to say the least. “Crossroads” is one of the better house tunes of the year. Don’t miss out on this one and don’t let your friends either. Get your copy today.



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[Future] Hotel Garuda feat. Violet Days – Fixed On You (Aire Atlantica Remix)

Aire Atlantica has been on a hot streak with remixes lately. After successfully taking on Billie Eilish’s “Six Feet Under” and K.Flay’s “Blood In The Cut,” the New York producer got his hands on Hotel Garuda‘s “Fixed On You” featuring Violet Days.

This official remix was released alongside three other remixes through PRMD Music, so it is currently available through digital services, including Spotify. “Fixed On You” went from a bubbly house record to a chilled out future tune. When we first saw that he was dropping this, we couldn’t help but to get excited. Upon hearing it, our expectations were more than satisfied. If by now you haven’t hopped on board with Aire Atlantica, you’re already late. But, better late than never.



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Friday, November 18, 2016

[Get Crunk] Friday Party Playlist (Vol 222)

We don’t know about you, but we’re ready for the weekend. Friday marks the beginning, but for us the real sign is when the Friday Party Playlist is up. The work day is then over, and we can relax, or more importantly: PARTY! This week we have tunes from some of our favorite producers including, but not limited to, Said The Sky, ill-esha, Atom Pushers, Crankdat and Tisoki. We start off with a few future tracks, hit some moombah, then some house/electro and finally finish with some heavier bass tunes. As always, all twelve of the playlist tracks are available as free downloads. Don’t sleep on them, and don’t sleep tonight. Instead, party! And don’t forget to #danceirresponsibly.



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[Future] Robotaki – Right Time feat. Ari

Majestic Casual just dropped a hot one from Robotaki that comes in clutch for the weekend. “Right Time” featuring Ari is what came along with the promissory message of more music to come from the amicable Canadian producer.

Coming off a performance at Madison Square Garden with Madeon and Porter Robinson, Robotaki pushed out this smooth, future record that isn’t your typical tune. It doesn’t have the same dance structure that gets re-purposed; instead he builds out the composition in halves. The first, Ari shines bright atop Robotaki’s magnetizing rhythms and the second is where Robotaki takes the full reigns with his solo instrumental. “Right Time” is an amazing single that would be insane to experience in a live setting. If you get the chance, don’t miss out on a Robotaki set. If you want “Right Time” for yourself, the digital service of your choice should have you covered.



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dEVOLVE ft. OYE!!! & Devastator – Bad Man [TMN Premiere]

It’s no surprise that some quality jungle terror made its way out of Florida. “Bad Man” made its way out of Florida via dEVOLVE and landed right here in the dojo for a Music Ninja Premiere.

“Bad Man” is not only the work of dEVOLVE, as collaborators on the single include OYE!!! and Devastator. Together these three acts spawned a beastly record that will turn up the heat, despite the weather trying to do otherwise. dEVOLVE and company dished out a fun record that is aimed right at the festival target, hitting the bulls-eye directly on the nose. Jungle terror often doesn’t get the credit it deserves for being a palatable sub-genre, but its power to get us dancing is indisputable. On top of that, “Bad Man” is an exceptional one. It’s also out as a free download, so there’s that.



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Thursday, November 17, 2016

[Electronic] MOONZz – Every Every (Carter Cruise Official Remix)

When Carter Cruise was first diving head-first into bringing her DJ career to fruition, I had the pleasure of chatting with her about the experience, as well as her past as a DJ. Sure, people attempted to discredit her by saying she’s just DJing because that’s the cool thing to do, but that’s not at all the case as she had been doing it for a bit already.

She could have just kept with DJing, but instead she took things a step further and began learning how to produce music. After releasing an official remix for Krewella, she’s back with another official remix, this time for one of our favorites, MOONZz.

“Every Every” is the track of at hand. With Carter’s remix she showcases not only great songwriting ability, but also diversity, as this is not a one dimensional work of art. She hits us at first with a jersey club influenced beat that transitions into a short future phase. The second drop is really where it’s at though; we’ll leave you to enjoy it without spoiling it at all. Best part about this whole thing is that Carter Cruise dropped this one as a free download.



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[Electronic] Ghasper – Silver

This new DSCVR venture for PRMD is turning out to be extremely cool. We thought it would be, but now that they’re on their fourth release, we know for sure. With the fourth release, we get “Silver” by Ghasper.

If you’re looking for a subtly uplifting record with huge replay value, you’ve found it. The Las Vegas producer hit the jackpot with this original singles whose skyrocketing synths will leave you awestruck. “Silver” is a simple, tasteful record that packs a lot of punch, which is no surprise as it comes from Ghasper, who just came off a hot record with Uprise Music. His streak of dope work is likely to continue, so don’t sleep on him one bit.



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[Indie Dance] The 1975 – Somebody Else (EMBRZ Remix)

Irish artist EMBRZ came in hot with his remix of The 1975. In taking on “Somebody Else” EMBRZ managed to create something that captivated us the moment we laid our ears upon it. We hope it does the same for you.

EMBRZ kicks things into gear with a mellow introduction whose cosmic soundscapes set the listener into a trance. It feels like musical xanax, then he turns things up a bit. His smooth grooves are equally as enticing as what set the stage for them. What’s really cool about this song is that its structure is set up to where it continues to build from beginning to end, instead of simply have drop, break, repeat. On Soundcloud, EMBRZ states he hopes that we like the remix, and we have to say, not only do we like it, but we love. it. This one’s phenomenal.



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[Secret Ninja Pass] This Week at Beta – 11/17 – 11/20

Winter weather is finally here! Along with snowboarding, sledding, snowball fights, and schnapps-spiked hot cocoa, we can also look forward to a winter stacked with top-notch talent at Beta Nightclub. Per usual, we’re making it incredibly easy for you to get off your couch and head down. Why’s that? Because we’re hooking you up with free entry.

Here’s how:
– Head to the front door and enter the club before 11pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Get there before 9:00 on Sunday
– Show this post to the cashier (Valid for 21+ only).
– The deal is valid for FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY this week.

Infected Mushroom - 11/17
Delta Heavy / Apashe - 11/18
Covina & Mateo - 11/19
Nora En Pure - 11/20


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[Electronic] Rain and Flashing Lights – Tunnel

Rain and Flashing Lights is such a visual phrase – a simple pairing of nouns which sounds like the title of a song or poem and conjures a sight most of us have seen, especially urbanites. Fitting, then, that Rain and Flashing Lights is a young producer and Ableton-head from Brooklyn whose latest single “Tunnel” on Onamazu is an audio visual escapade.

Three bright notes anchor the song. They form a simple but attractively familiar melody, the type which would grab your attention at the mysterious but hopeful beginning of a quality movie trailer about AI. If you listen close enough, you may hear the natural sound sample in the back (hint: it’s an integral part of Brooklyn and almost any huge city), just before a raw collage of glitches and unorthodox DnB percussion drops in hard. The melody is riffed and varied upon with a nice, ethereal synthesizer pad, and soon a bassline of the grimier variety peeks in, creating a uniquely pleasant juxtaposition of sound. It’s all rushing to a head until it ends, like leaving a tunnel.

“Tunnel” is the 26th track from the always-expanding Onamazu Single Series. Onamazu always utilizes resplendent visual accompaniment for their releases, and this single features art from Kylie Tseng. Grab a free download here.



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Matthew & Me – Starpoint EP [TMN PREMIERE]

Amongst the long list of things that influence music, location is arguably one of the most prominent. Your inner circle of friends is where you first started to discover your own musical taste, eagerly trying to introduce each other to something the other hadn’t heard. From there, you could analyze trends from the actual city that surrounds you. Punk in Salt Lake City. Techno in Detroit. Hip-Hop in the Twin Cities. Beyond that, though, even the actual geographical surroundings play a role in shaping musical tastes. The sandy beaches of California inspire surf rock acts regularly, while the jetting Red Rocks of Morrison, Colorado give way to jam bands and electro funk acts by the droves.

Matthew & Me certainly have a dog in the fight with the aforementioned argument, finding themselves musically inspired by the expansive landscape of South Devon. Far away from the mainstream offerings of cultural centers like Leeds and London, vocalist/songwriter Matthew Board and drummer Lucy Fawcett were able to craft their own sound. And, it’s one that more and more are catching on to.

Today, we’re bringing you the first, full look at their debut EP, Starpoint. Since “Silver,” “Figure,” and “Joy,” are already floating around the blogoshpere, we’ll give the spotlight to the only unreleased tune in the bunch. “Cravings” follows suit with what fans have come to know and love from this inventive duo. With this song, in particular, there’s a strong focus on Board’s hauntingly beautiful vocals. The instrumentals are subdued, for the most part, slowly building with light percussion, soaring strings, and calming guitars. Emotively crafted, it evokes an intense experience, keeping you locked in throughout the entire five-minute ride.

This officially drops on November 18th via Beatnik Creative. If you’re a vinyl enthusiast, we strongly recommend adding this to your personal collection.



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