Author Archives: Matthew Bloss

[House] Rudimental ft MNEK – Common Emotion (The Golden Pony Remix)

Posted by Matthew Bloss - March 30, 2016

Rudimental ft MNEK
Common Emotion (The Golden Pony Remix)

It’s hard to imagine that we’re almost 1/3 of the way through 2016, and we still haven’t managed to feature one of our favorite, quietly-slaying-the-game, house acts in the entire landscape of dance music: The Golden Pony. Well friends, allow us to quickly make up for their 2016 absence and bless your Ninja ears with the Brooklyn based duo’s latest remix for U.K. live electronic superstars Rudimental & Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter & producer MNEK’s collaboration “Common Emotion”. Finding a place on Big Beat Records‘ official remix EP for Common Emotion”, The Golden Pony rolls a very U.K. club formula into a NYC house anthem rife with electronic nuance and a subtle manipulation of catchy rhythms & drum work. Always ones to bridge a classic backbone with a contemporary edge, The Golden Pony find themselves in the middle of their most tasteful and addictive slew of tunes since their inception, and we couldn’t let our Ninjas sit idly by without getting in on the fun.

About the tune the pair remarked: “Were huge fans of Rudimental! Especially live, they are able to effortlessly blend instrumentation with electronic vibes. We believe their music straddles a current and classic vibe at the same time, giving it a ton of crossover appeal. With that in mind for the remix, we decided to use hard hitting pianos reminiscent of the 90’s New York House with some modern pitched vocals and Future Bass sounds.” It’s safe to say gentlemen, that you’ve clearly knocked this one out of the park as well. Stream The Golden Pony’s remix of “Common Emotion” above.

[House] 19EIGHTY7 – Let’s Get It On (YOUTHONIX Remix) [TMN Premiere]

Posted by Matthew Bloss - March 9, 2016

19EIGHTY7
Get It On (YOUTHONIX Remix)

Soundcloud

As the weather in this writer’s hometown begins to take a turn towards the sunnier portion of the year, so too do our tastes towards dance music. There’s something about building towards the Sprig season that seems tailor made for soulfully anthemic house cuts, and luckily for us, British DJ and producer YOUTHONIX has delivered a perfect remedy to our sunlit hankering in the form of a remix on 19EIGHTY7’s Marvin Gaye refurbish “Let’s Get It On”. Most recently coming off of a joint collaboration with fellow TMN favorite Digital Farm Animals that nabbed an almighty Pete Tong ‘Essential New Tune’ on BBC Radio 1 last week, “Wanna Know”, this time around YOUTHONIX has taken his talents to longtime house institution d:vision Records. An immediately hooky vocal sample belts out to kick off YOUTHONIX’s remix before a flood of housey drum work and nu-disco inspired groove take hold and never relinquish their grip. Clearly a direct shot to club floors, YOUTHONIX has shown off another pristine slice of production psyche while furthering that hype train along in the process. Enjoy YOUTHONIX’s “Let’s Get It On” remix above.

[Event Preview] Red Bull Sound Select Denver Presents: SANGO w/ SPZRKT & CRL CRRLL @ Cervantes Ballroom – 3/31

Posted by Matthew Bloss - March 2, 2016

It’s no secret that we’ve grown very close with and fond of our friends at Red Bull Sound Select. Truly one of the few major corporations involved in music putting their influence to good use, the amazing curators, thinkers, and artists involved with RBSS have always had their ears to the streets towards burgeoning artists across a plethora of genres; inciting within us Ninjas a need to see each and every one of their eclectic showcases near our respective hometowns. In the past few years alone in this writer’s fair (and Superbowl defending champion) city of Denver, we’ve been privy to some of our favorite acts including The Internet, (the artists formerly known as) Viet Cong, Shigeto & Cloud Nothings; and with that, we’ve already come up on another tastefully crafted night of music provided by the RBSS crew. We’ve been excited as ever since first hearing rumblings about this one a while back, and finally on 3/31, Seattle based producer SANGO will make his way to the Mile High City to headline a night of top-to-bottom heat, which will also see performances from SPZRKT (Spazzy Rocket), and CRL CRRLL (Carl Carrell).

In anticipation of the next Denver stop for Red Bull Sound Select, we’ve put together a mini-playlist featuring selections from each artist on the night’s bill. As with every RBSS show, an early RSVP will get you in for the measly price of $3, so hop to it here and get there early to guarantee your spot. We’ll see you on the floor.

’SANGO – Life Without God Is Nothing’

Soundcloud

’SANGO – F.L.O.R’

Soundcloud

’SANGO – Infinidade’

Soundcloud

’SPZRKT – Hesitate ft. MaSAXgo (prod. by Tyshane)’

Buy

’CRL CRRLL – Get It Together’

Buy

[Synth-Rock/Indie] Operators – Cold Light

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 25, 2016

Operators
Cold Light

Soundcloud

It’s no great secret that sadly, here in 2016, the music blog world has devolved into an endless stream of click-baitey ‘news’ articles and an aggressive pissing contest of sorts between similar publications of who can post something first. So, not to be TMN’s resident grumpy music nostalgist or anything, but whenever tunes are missed on a writer’s initial radar and surface some weeks down the road, there has been an unsatisfying feeling lingering in many writers’ souls in that they “missed the boat” and no longer feel compelled to post said song as it may effect their ‘credibility’; even though they may in fact be completely infatuated with a song or album, thus quelching an opportunity of a share from someone who genuinely enjoys it. Which is a silly thing to think about anyhow, as many of us started primarily as enthusiastic music lovers who only ever covered the music we loved, and not the music that comes with the largest PR & publicity push. Phewww….

Basically, after the long winded and caffeinated semi-rant, what this writer is trying to say is that: “I’ve fallen madly in love with a band and tune which dropped a month ago; but I just have to share it with whomever will listen via my tiny, web-based soap box!” The tune and band here in questions is “Cold Light”, from former Divine Fits and Wolf Parade member Dan Boeckner’s latest project Operators. “Cold Light” plays like a breezy, early New Order single, but in place of Bernard Sumner’s tender refrain lie the passionate howls that have become Boeckner’s trademark over the years. Just captivating stuff to this writer’s ears really. Operators, which features Boeckner’s former Divine Fits bandmate Sam Brown on drums and Devojka on keys, recruited Holy Fuck’s Graham Walsh (who also holds chief production credits on records for Viet Cong & Alvvays) as their chief sound engineer, and we think the results alreadyspeak for themselves. “Cold Light” marks Operators’ debut single from debut long-player Blue Light, due out 4/1 on Canadian imprint Last Gang Records (pre-order here), so until then, get your kicks by either catching them live on one of the many tour dates listed below, or by streaming Operators’ impressive lead single above.

2/26 – The Red Dog (Peterborough ON)
2/27 – The Grad Club (Kingston ON)
3/28 – Schubas (Chicago, IL)
3/29 – 7th St. Entry (Minneapolis, MN)
3/30 – Reverb Lounge (Omaha, NE)
4/1 – Lost Lake (Denver, CO)
4/3 – The Bartlett (Spokane, WA)
4/4 – Sunset Tavern (Seattle, WA)
4/5 – Fortune Sound Club (Vancouver, BC)
4/6 – Doug Fir Lounge (Portland, OR)
4/8 – Social Hall SF (San Francisco, CA)
4/9 – Bootleg Theater (Los Angeles, CA)
4/10 – Soda Bar (San Diego, CA)
4/11 – Valley Bar (Phoenix, AZ)
4/13 – The Sidewinder (Austin, TX)
4/14 – Three Links (Dallas, TX)
4/15 – The Raven Tower (Houston, TX)
4/16 – Gasa Gasa (New Orleans, LA)
4/17 – The Earl (Atlanta, GA)
4/19 – DC9 (Washington, DC)
4/21 – Baby’s All Right (New York, NY)
4/22 – Boot & Saddle (Philadelphia, PA)
4/23 – Middle East Upstairs (Cambridge, MA)

[House] DiRTY RADiO – Numbers (The Writers Block Remix)

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 23, 2016

Last week we featured the music video for “Number”, the latest from Vancouver based TMN regulars DiRTY RADiO –who are coming fresh off of a North American tour with Dragonette and Miami Horror- and today marks a return to that aforementioned single in the form of a very palatable remix by London-based production outfit The Writers Block. While largely keeping DiRTY RADiO’s original vocal track intact on their buoyant revision, The Writers Block encase around it a soulful house foundation. Bouncy synth work, shuffling hi-hats and a weighty low-end pull everything together, creating that perfect remix intersection between doing justice to the original and building something completely new. If you’re grooving to this one as heavily as us, be sure to snag a copy for your digital libraries through TWB’s Soundcloud here.

[Dance] Sloane Peterson – Flashback

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 19, 2016

Sloane Peterson
Flashback

Soundcloud

It’s become a bit of a theme for this writer’s Fridays to involve those choice dance records that actually required a bit of digging to get to. And with that, we’ve unearthed yet another gem for your underground listening pleasure from genre-eschewing, Denver based producer Sloane Peterson (who by the way has one of the best, nostalgia inducing monikers anywhere in music). Quietly, the young beat maestro has been making waves in his backyard opening for the likes of TMN regulars like Cashmere Cat, Thomas Jack, Sam Feldt, Carmada, Stelouse, Shiba San and more; but its the wunderkind’s constantly evolving, shapeshifting productions which have grabbed our attention so handily.

We’ve had our ears to Sloane Peterson’s bustling sound for a while now, through his L.A. based duo DirtyTalks, along with a few appearances in various TMN Playlists; and with every passing record, we’ve become increasingly drawn in. The latest, and very appropriately titled tune to emanate from Sloane Peterson, “Flashback”, reveals yet another piece to an exciting production puzzle. Scooting out to a breezy stride on the heels of a thumpy four-four kick and bating pad work, “Flashback” quickly hops into what we can only describe as a melodic synthesis of underground sensibility, executed through the lens of a contemporary artist that got a hold of Deadmau5’s 2009 sound kit. A heady comparison indeed, we know. “Flashback” pushes and pulls its listener back and forth from places of past sentimentality to the swampy, underground dancefloors of present-day; which all results in a simultaneous feeling of both already knowing, and currently discovering. But, as we’ve long since passed this writer’s self-imposed 200-word limit, we’ll just let Sloane Peterson’s production do the talking. Enjoy “Flashback” above.

[Deep-House] Ferreck Dawn – Sweet Desperation feat. Kelli Leigh [TMN Premiere]

Posted by Matthew Bloss - February 17, 2016

Ferreck Dawn
Sweet Desperation feat. Kelli Leigh (Edit) [Available February 29]

Soundcloud

It’s been a while since we last checked in with Dutch house stalwart Ferreck Dawn, and the time in between has more than fueled our fire to once again consume his tasteful club sound with our fellow Ninjas. This time around, Ferreck Dawn makes a very welcome debut on hallowed Italian house imprint D:VISION Records along with Kelli Leigh (whose voice you may recognize from Duke Dumont’s global smash “I Got U” & Dawn’s most notable single “Love Too Deep”), “Sweet Desperation”. “Sweet Desperation” features Leigh’s distinctively soulful, R&B-inflected reverberations over what has become Dawn’s signature aesthetic of thumping bass swells & anthemic, melody-driven production; clearly wielding the makings for what could very possibly be another world-sweeping club hit. Already, “Sweet Desperation” has been receiving a huge wave of artist support from heavyweight TMN favorites including Kokiri, Vanilla Ace, & Benny Benassi, and if those names aren’t enough to stoke your proverbial fire, it’s got our TMN stamp of approval all over it. We’ve not been able to shake Dawn’s latest entrancing and deep house soundscape since first listen. Do your ears a favor and join us.

Be on the lookout for Ferreck Dawn’s official “Sweet Desperation” release through most digital retailers on February 29th, but until then, stream Ferreck Dawn’s “Sweet Desperation” as a shiny new ‘TMN Premiere’ above.