Dead Lazers

This track sounds like an electric war-cry, for the dance floor. I'm not sure which aspect is more aggressive sounding, the beat or the vocal sample. The song hits hard and stays hard. Enjoy!

Dead Lazers (Birdy Nam Nam Remix) - Kap Bambino
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Kap Bambino | Birdy Nam Nam

Select Sundays: Oil & Gold

This one sounds like a throwback, even if it's only to 2007ish, the era of Ingrid Michaelson, A Fine Frenzy, Priscilla Ahn, etc. Oh those were good times. Sophie Madeleine may be coming late to the singer / songwriter party but armed with her ukulele, she'll be granted access right away. Can you believe how long ago 2007 feels?!

Oil & Gold - Sophie Madeleine
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Sophie Madeleine

Discovery

This slow but gentile beast shakes the earth when it walks, but still moves with grace. Piano, violin, whale heartbeat, all my favorite instruments make an appearance in the song. This is a track to listen to while you drive to the mountains for that Saturday morning hike. Enjoy!

Discovery (Pyramid Remix) - TRAXX
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TRAXX | Pyramid

Powa

Be careful when you walk and listen to this song, you'll probably want to step to the infectious up-down of beat. There's so much to this song that I indulge in. There's deep emotion in the vocals, the intermittent electric guitar chords, the bass solo, the big breakdown that starts with "mirror mirror on the wall", and the list goes on. Enjoy!

Powa - tUnE-yArDs
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tUnE-yArDs

Da Antidote

The movie sample from Fresh starts the song off well, and appears throughout the track. Before you know it, the song is rocking hard to quick synth sounds and a heavy breakbeat bounce. It's amazing to think that this song is from 2001, making it 11 years old this year, in electronic dance music years that's approximately 65! Enjoy!

Da Antidote - Stanton Warriors
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Stanton Warriors

You Started Something

I have been in love with this song for years, as it was one of the first records I purchased after buying turntables.  The way the bass bounces along with her voice dancing on top gives my spine chills. The song is warm, soft, and smooth but has energy and momentum. I especially like the tail end of the song where she says "love don't bring me down". Enjoy!

You Started Something - Crazy Penis
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Crazy P

Greenleaf

This track has me dancing on the warm sand of a beautiful beach, well, it does in my mind. The array of electronic sounds along with the juggling of that simple vocal sample move me, and my feet. I think I'm more partial to that steel drum sound than I admit to being. Enjoy!

Greenleaf (Mannequine Remix) - Generationals
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Generationals | Mannequine

Select Sundays: Live Your Life

Sometimes I'll tell Ameer about an artist and he'll be all like, "We covered them already!" Then I'll feel sheepish. But sometimes you just gotta do a couple of songs from an artist, especially if they keep dropping gems.  Take this one, for example, from Yuna, a Malaysian singer-songwriter who's about to be more well known when her debut drops later this month. This particular track is produced by Pharrell, and is just perfectly updated 90's groovy.

Live Your Life - Yuna
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Yuna

Rooftop Sunsets

I normally don't blog on Saturday, the day of blog-rest, but this mix needs to be blogged! Passions nails this track selection in this mix. There were no songs that gave me a sour face, and the last track caught me off guard and blew me away. It's the perfect mix to have a rooftop dance party to at  high volume, or you can turn it down and share a bottle of wine and hold hands on a rooftop -whatever you do, get up to a rooftop with this mix in hand.

I sent this to a friend who's birthday happens to be today, knowing that he'd love the mix. He loved it.  Happy B-day Jon G!

Rooftop Sunsets - Passions
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Passions

Warrior

When I see a collaboration of this assortment my initial reaction is more knee jerk than run-and-see. But I must say that this song has fantastic beat with great melody and hook. The beat is a bit edgy, but there's plenty in there for the pop music fan to relate to. Overall, a fun and upbeat track for a friday afternoon. Enjoy!

Warrior - Mark Foster, A-Trak, Kimbra
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Mark Foster | A-Trak | Kimbra

Crazy

I feel like an owl when I listen to this song, the notes sound like midnight 'hoots'. This 6 minute track has great vocals of which my favorite is when she sings the chorus ending with "it's gonna get crazy tonight". The track is on the darker side, but also smooth and safe. Enjoy!

Crazy Extended Club Version (Noze Remix) - Ornette
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Ornette | Noze

Jackie Junior

Sally's original track is titled Jackie Jackie. I enjoy the original, and I completely adore the remix.  The slowness matched with that bouncing bass synth is fantastic. Her softly spoken vocals outlining her low self esteem and worth resonate with my, and bring back the saddest of sad relationship moments. Enjoy!

Jackie Junior (Junior Boys Remix) - Sally Shapiro
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Sally Shapiro | Junior Boys

Get Free

I love the melody of Amber's lyrics, the way her chorus goes up and down and over the hill.  The song has a bit of emotion, a bit of fun, and plenty ability to make you dance. I wish the track was a few minutes longer, but all good things end sooner than you'd like. Enjoy!

Get Free Feat. Amber of Dirty Projectors (Bonde Do Role Remix) - Major Lazer
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Major Lazer | Amber of Dirty Projectors | Bonde Do Role

S U N S E T

Initially I thought that the stops were a series of coincidentally perfect gaps in my mp3. I started paying closer attention, and realized that this was intentional and awesome. Perhaps you should play this song while watching a sunset? It's just a suggestion, Enjoy!

S U N S E T - Nuck Chorris
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Nuck Chorris

Select Sundays: SW9

Me and house don't always get along. Scratch. House and I are no great friends. Scratch. I love this track and can't tell what it is but I'm told it's house! Mike Norris is a session and touring musician for La Roux but based on the strength of this album he's going to be soloing himself soon. This track is so groovy and danceable, just perfect for practicing the two house dance moves I learned this summer. Y'all gonna be so jealous.

SW9 - Fort Romeau
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Fort Romeau

Walk, Don't You Run

I especially enjoy listening to this song on headphones.  The banjo is on the left, the guitar is on the right, and those beautiful voices are right down the center.  I also really enjoy the lyrics to this song, and how they play with the melody. I feel like listening to this song while drinking a beer in the country while sitting on top of a 1973 Chevy with the paint chipping. Enjoy!

Walk, Don't You Run - Midtown Dickens
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Midtown Dickens

No Prayers

There's three distinct parts to this song; the hook, the lyrics, and the dubsteppy bridge. I love the hook, the silky beginning with record pops and piano behind her beautiful voice. The lyrics are easy to grasp and relate to, the music continues in-flow with the hook, adding a bit more meat and muscle to the track.
Then as things ramp up, that bridge slams in with a mediocre dubstep inspired womp womp -and I'm left second guessing if I like this song or not.  Perhaps that third part will grow on me?  It's not that I dislike dubstep, I just am not the biggest fan of the dubstep in this particular song. Enjoy!

No Prayers feat Omar LinX- Zeds Dead
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Zeds Dead | Omar linX

Morning Mountain

This track has no ego.  The chords bang away, but there's nothing sharp or pointy in this song, everything has been run through a softening filter resulting in a warm and beautiful piece. I particularly enjoy the keyboard buildups that carries the song up the hills. Enjoy!

Morning Mountain Feat. Rhian Sheehan - Essay
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Essay | Rhian Sheehan

Turn On The Sunshine

I feel like I'm cruising the 101 with the top down after forgetting what day of the week it is because I'm on summer break when this song plays.  I don't know how they snuck a piano into a california surf song, but they did it well in this track. Enjoy!

Turn On The Sunshine - Suckers
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Suckers

Float

This upbeat jam makes me swing my arms when I walk. The whistling is youthful and catchy, the lyrics are fun and easy to sing along with, and the drums really stand out to me for some reason.  I am partial to vocals that are filled with emotion, great use of background vocals, and upbeat songs -this is all three of those things. Enjoy!

Float - Ko Ko
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Ko Ko

Select Sundays: Golden Cage

My friend sent me this track and was like, "It's very Kings of Convenience-like!" Lo and behold, Whitest Boy Alive is one half of Norway's greatest export. The Erlend Øye half. While this track is a bit of an oldie, I think you'll agree that it's definitely still a goodie.

Golden Cage - The Whitest Boy Alive
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The Whitest Boy Alive

Noisy At The Circus

Her voice sounds almost like a little kid's voice at times throughout this song. The song has a 90's throwback sound to it, like something that came as a result of everyone being into grunge.  There's not much to it besides a upbeat track with fun jumping up and down. Enjoy!

Noisy At The Circus - Head Like A Kite
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Head Like A Kite

Love For Sale

This track hit me hard right away, I've got a soft spot for amazing house tracks and this one is clearly one of those.  That bassline hits with confidence, the laser sounds offer a bit of fun during buildup to the lyrics full of danceable emotions. Before you know it, the song is in full swing and you're screaming out "looooove for sale". Enjoy!

Love For Sale feat. Monarchy (Safari Remix) - Mickey
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Mickey | Monarchy | Safari

Heart

The beginning piano of this track starts out like a tip-toeing ballerina, and then morphs into an entire orchestra. The edge of his voice cuts through the air with a sharp edge, though there's a warmth to it. The song is celebratory, with huge crescendos and dramatic breakdowns ending with lyrics like "I gave you my love, and you tore it apart". Enjoy!

Heart - Oberhofer
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Oberhofer

Slow

"Just try to stay calm, baby take it slow, take it slow, our hearts are weak but we're ready to go"

I'm sure that everyone feels that their heart is week, they need to take it slow, but ultimately they are ready to go if need be.  Slap those feelings over an irresistibly danceable beat, and being ready to go becomes much easier. Enjoy!

Slow (Apparent Motion Remix) - MRTN
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MRTN | Apparent Motion

Scale It Back

Whenever I listen to Scale It Back, my body automatically relaxes, as if my mind is controlled by the input from my ears. The echoey electronic sound of this song is warm and comforting. I love Yukimi's vocals, and always have -she does not disappoint in this track. Enjoy!

Scale It Back feat. Little Dragon (Robotaki Remix) - DJ Shadow
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DJ Shadow | Little Dragon | Robotaki