Author Archives: Michael Serratore

It seems like not a week goes by without our minds being blown by the talent of Lido. This time, it’s not the exciting future bass style that has us hooked, but an entirely different minimalistic approach that could only be described as beautiful. Relying solely on delicate textures and the emotion of the original lyrics, this is surely one of the biggest remixes of ‘Two Bodies’ without any exorbitant noise. It’s as pure as it gets, and the perfect way to set the mood. Alas, we’re switching things up straight away with a feel-good jam courtesy of a Dojo newcomer in Melvv. As much as we love raw emotion, we’re also suckers for a happy melody and addictive house groove, and that’s exactly what ‘Glide’ has to offer. Much like its name suggests, this one will elevate your day like wind beneath your sails. The perfect pick-me-up for when you need it most. In much the same way, funk-master Gigamesh has breathed new life into this Soul II Soul classic with an infectious remix layered with bouncy vibes and a silky finesse that will prove too irresistible for your body to handle. Disco definitely ain’t dead, that’s for sure.

Meanwhile, tropical house is very much in it’s heyday, and Matoma is one of the artists flying the flag and continuing to push its popularity further. Assisting his cause is another hot mashup of vintage hip hop and that new sound that the world cannot get enough of right now. Add to that his signature sax
lead and it’s another certified winner for the rising Norwegian. This next combination needs no assistance in describing its greatness, because when you see the names Penguin Prison and Viceroy in the same track, you already know you’re in store for something special. This remix of ‘Calling Out’ retains its pop roots, but receives an electric boost from the summer-ready attitude of the season’s greatest advocate. Everything about this track radiates the summertime feeling we wish we could hold onto all year long. We conclude this write-up in the same way we started, with a favorite artist delivering something amazing out of left-field. Also well known for their futuristic tendencies, the mystical twins Cosmo’s Midnight have instead wowed us with a deep lyrical tune that’s saturated in good vibes and hypnotic groove. In an unprecedented fashion, they’ve concocted their most enchanting potion to date, and we’ll gladly drink the whole thing knowing full well its addictive tendencies.

It was certainly a week of surprises, but that’s exactly why we love putting this playlist together. Peace out.

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We don’t often open the Dojo in this way, but this week we’re kicking off proceedings with a lyrical gem from a silky electronic duo coming out of Sydney. Atlas Bound treat us to a smooth delight that is all kinds of soulful right down to its very title. Bustling percussion meets sweet piano chords in a marriage that emanates the warmth of a rich coffee blend, and it well and truly has us addicted. In much the same way, we hang on every new release from the rising Lido,  and it was impossible to miss this big remix of alt-J which was finally unleashed on Soundcloud earlier in the month. The popular Norwegian delivers yet another unique dose of future bass, with an unshakeable freshness that continues to blow our minds each and every time. We’re also big advocates of the young German talent LCAW, and this week he gave us yet another reason to sing his praises with a breakout edit of ‘Paradise Awaits’ from the venerable ZHU. It’s a version that’s deep and brooding, a perfect match for the eclectic stylings of the original, with a mysterious beauty that fixates your attention like a stranger in the night.

Still on that funk trip, we’re brightening things up a bit with an infectious jam from Dojo-favorite jackLNDN, taking on the unforgettable ‘Talk Talk’. This was the twist that we’ve been waiting for since hearing the majestic voice of George Maple, and the deep groove has us overdosing on that feel-good vibe that oozes from every chord. Now is about right to sip on that tropical cocktail once again, but this time it’s being served by  a new entrant in Swedish producers Samuraii. If their moniker alone wasn’t enough to prove they are more than worthy of gracing the Chill Dojo, their mellow version of the magical ‘Heart’ will quickly steal yours away to an aural paradise. We very much hope that there will be plenty of future entries from this name in sessions to come. This week’s write-up comes to a close with a lifelong member in Lane 8, who has been gifting our ears with sweet melodies since the very beginning. His latest smooth offering on Anjunadeep is one his very best, with an undeniable charm that stems from a soulful simplicity. It’s all about hitting the right spot, and this one does the trick with little fanfare needed.

This one may be a little shorter than the huge collections of late, but oh how sweet it is. Peace out.

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If you find yourself whistling along to a particular song all week, then that’s a surefire way of knowing you’ve got the perfect tune to be sitting at the top of the playlist for the next Chill Dojo. Lindsay Lowend delivers just that with a playful take on Lido’s ‘Money’, led from beginning to end with a blissfully sweet melody and plenty of mellow future trimmings in his signature style. Not content with merely resting on his laurels though, he also throws in a stunning orchestral break to really put the icing on his addition to Lido’s recently released I Love You Remix EP.  Coming off the back of his popular hit ‘Fiona Coyne’, SAINT PEPSI teams up with Maxo to slow things down a little for a celebratory anthem. We all need to take some time to reflect every now and again, and this is the perfect soundtrack to your next daydream session, filled to the brim with feel-good vibes that capture your ears in warm embrace. We’re dialing up the trap factor with another collab of a different kind, this time thanks to the partnership of Diamond Eyes and Sté Louse. Melodic genius is again at the forefront of this electrifying jam, expertly crafted to take the listener on a ride through emotional lyrics and energizing highs all within the space of just two and a half minutes.

Sam Feldt has been riding the success of tropical house craze of 2014, and his latest release with Chris Meid will show you just why the popularity of this style continues to grow as the year goes on. The vocals of Jose Gonzalez are the perfect platform to launch another summer-flavored remix that is sure to satisfy the sun-drenched cravings of listeners all over the world. As always, throw in some sax and you’ll have us won over fairly easily. Germany’s Felix Jaehn is catching a similar wave of popularity of late, and the newly released ‘Eagle Eyes’ puts his musical talents on full display. It’s an instrumental feast of xylophone, piano and flute, blending in perfect harmony together with the dance vibe and glorious vocals from Linying. For those needing their deep house fix for the week, EFIX and Henri Pfr have that covered with an amazing original, graced with spectacular production and the breathtaking vocal partnership of Florence Welch and Kid Harpoon. It’s certainly a star-studded affair, and has all the elements of a sing-along anthem that yearns to be belted out at the top of your lungs.

Our heads are swimming with infectious melodies this week, and this list has enough replay value to last a lifetime. Luckily, it’s only a few days before we do this all again. Peace out.

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Tropical house has certainly been one of the talking points of 2014, and one of the artists at the forefront of conversation has undoubtedly been Thomas Jack. It’s not hard to see why this style has garnered such popularity over the course of this year, and this laid-back version of the anthemic ‘Back Home’ embodies everything that makes it such a joy to listen to. The catchy melody is accentuated by that sweet sax, working in perfect harmony with the acoustic bed underlying the moments of bliss layered throughout. In case you missed one of the hottest tracks from last week, stop whatever you’re doing now and dive head first into this one.

Funnily enough, as much as we talk about all these summery tunes perfectly designed for beach-side vibes, it’s not often we post things coming out of Brazil, arguably one of the best destinations for exactly that backdrop. Luckily, we have this recent jam from Cesare to remedy that glaring issue, and boy does it satisfy exactly what we’ve been lacking. Infectious lyrics mixed with a funky bassline are a powerful cocktail, and will bring a slice of paradise to wherever you may be listening. We’re continent hopping once again, but still rocking a similar vibe, this time courtesy of one of our favorite Swedes in Tobtok. His signature groovy synths are again the heroes of another solid remix that will take no prisoners in its mission to get everyone up and dancing. A body-moving sound of a different kind is woven by the ever-magical KAASI. This man is an artisan of seductively deep music, and ‘Lisse’ is another reason why we just can’t get enough of every new masterpiece he produces. Close your eyes and let it wash over you like the purest of waters.

We’ll conclude the write-up by calling out another batch of amazing ‘Say My Name’ remixes to add to the impressive list so far. That’s one contest which will see no easy decision to be made, but the rewards for us listeners have been growing with every passing week. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #105 zip

 

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It’s a rather funky edition this week, but before we get the groove officially going, we couldn’t go passed this killer piece of freshness from Sweater Beats. The title track off his upcoming EP, ‘Cloud City’ may draw a few comparisons to Flume in its future trap elements, but the artist brings this into his own with an energizing melody that will inspire you to take whatever challenges the day brings head on. Now that we’ve got your attention, let’s direct that towards Hoodboi’s glorious rendition of the Lido anthem ‘I Love You’. Known for his heavy Jersey influence, this time he takes a lighter approach to the remix, opting for a floaty atmosphere that peaks at the iconic “shout at the top of your lungs” hook.

Now it’s officially funk time, and there’s no better song to bring this in than this absolute jam from the young Canadian Zanski. A warning though, hit play on this bad boy and you won’t be satisfied until you hear it another 10 times. The funk leads and Gambino’s bars are a match made in musical heaven, and the slick combination is completely seamless. Too good! It’s timely that in our edition of funk we’ve got a new one from the dojo favorite Snakehips. As you’d expect, it’s just the right mix of soul and dance-ability to hit all the right spots and get a crowd moving as one. The feeling continues straight into this next one from LBCK, who have unleashed a theme song for an undying summer. Something about this song just screams skateboards and beaches, long nights and cool drinks, good friends and great times. It’s all feeling a bit nostalgic right now, but packaged amongst all the memories that this tune invokes is the excitement for what the next year’s season will bring. And you better believe this will be playing when that time comes around again.

Until then, there will be plenty more weeks of chill vibes like these to tide you over. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #104 zip

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