Author Archives: Michael Serratore

[MP3 Playlist] The Chill Dojo #100

Well we’ve finally reached the big 100, but it’ll be business as usual this edition. You follow this playlist to hear the best chill music we’ve discovered for the week, and that’s exactly what we’ll be dishing up again this time. That’s not to say we’re not chuffed about it all. In fact we’re marking the occasion with one of the happiest tunes we’ve heard in a long time. Young producer Ownglow may be new to our playlist, but he’s gracing the 100th installment in style with the delightful ‘Palm Top Tiger’. Sometimes it’s an infectious groove, sometimes it’s a captivating voice, and then there are those moments when it’s just the raw power of an emotion-filled melody that stamp a song’s clear contention for Dojo supremacy. The feel-good vibes are overflowing from this nostalgic slice of joy, representing all the charming qualities of the “kawaii” movement in electronic music. With his recent Worlds album, Porter Robinson is certainly a prominent voice in this popular style, and no track featured this more boldly than ‘Flicker’. Enter another Dojo newcomer in Zanski, who amplifies the glorious melodies of the original with funky slap bass and chill breakdowns, taking this uplifting musical experience to even greater heights. It’s a remix like this which hints a promising future for the talented Canadian, and one we’ll gladly assist wherever we can.

When we’re talking remixes, it’s always hard for other artists to follow up on a single that has already been touched by the likes of Kygo, but French beatmaker 20syl has definitely made a case for his version of ‘Cut Your Teeth’. Soundcloud’s date stamp would have us believe this release is 7 months old, but whatever the official date, this edit is fresh as hell that’s for sure. It’s a similar story for the ever-popular ‘I See Fire’, but you’d be a fool to overlook this magical interpretation from a fellow Norwegian Jonas Vincent. We don’t see a need to argue over the superiority of either artist’s effort, but what is clear is that Jonas has incorporated a host of expertly crafted chill elements to ensure his is not forgotten amongst the ocean of other remakes.

It’s time to get things groovin in this edition, and for that purpose we’ve enlisted the services of Austrian duo Urban Contact, who work a Nu-disco spell over this recent indie single from LA artists Freedom Fry. The catchy lyrics and whistle-led melody were ready-made for an upbeat dancefloor jam, and luckily this potential has been fulfilled just in time to rock your end-of-summer playlist. If you want to say goodbye to the season in more melancholy fashion, well EFIX has the song for that too, utilizing his signature violin with a harmonica that echoes heavy sentiments over this cover of the timeless Pixies classic.

That’s all for the write-up, but there are plenty of free downloads this week courtesy of an amazing beat-tape from Soulection. As always, enjoy the music we’ve selected for you and will keep doing well into the foreseeable future. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #100 zip

’Ownglow – Palm Top Tiger’
’Porter Robinson – Flicker (Zanski Remix)’
’Kyla La Grange – Cut Your Teeth ( 20syl Remix )’
’Ed Sheeran – I See Fire (Jonas Vincent Remix)’
’Freedom Fry – The Wilder Mile (Urban Contact Remix)’
’Pixies – Where is my mind ( EFIX & Maugan Kenward cover)’
’Seven Lions Feat. Kerli – Worlds Apart (SoulCircuit Remix)’
’Seven Lions Feat. Kerli – Worlds Apart (Bit Funk Remix)’
’Shook – New Horizons’
’Tobtok ft. Emil Heró – Higher (Avenue Remix)’
’Yitaku – Astraea’
’Yitaku – Amity’
’4i – Butterflies Ft. Latir (Pro. DA)’
’Travi$ Scott – Drive (The 1975 Remix)’
’Flume – Insane ft. Moon Holiday (Sebastian Carter Edition)’
’The Magician  – Sunlight (Darius Remix)’
’Florian Paetzold – Shake It Off (Bootleg)’
’Basement Jaxx – Never Say Never (Louis La Roche Remix)’
’Harrison – Sleepless’
’Syn Cole – Bright Lights (Sam Feldt Remix)’
’Jeremih – Break Up To Make Up (WYLN Edit)’
’Mr. Carmack – Bells’
’Taku – CaseyBanks’
’J Louis – Perseverance’
’Jarreau Vandal – Essence’
’IAMNOBODI – When You Know It’
’Esta – Luna’
’AbJo – Three’
’10A – The One’
’Sizzlebird – Dawn’
’Jacoo – If You Only Knew (Original)’
’Galimatias – Marshmallow Grove (Elènne Remix)’
’SPZRKT – Share The World (Chris McClenney X Sango Remix)’
’Penthouse Penthouse – let me see that’
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[MP3 Playlist] The Chill Dojo #99

It astounds me even as I write this, but yes we are up to edition #99 of The Chill Dojo. We’re not going to get all emotional on you yet, but we’ll let the music do that for us as we always do. First up is an artist we’ve watched since his early days, and have seen grow more and more with every release since. Basenji first caught our ear with his eclectic Cashmere Cat style, but his uniqueness has really come to the fore since. ‘Heirloom’ demonstrates exactly why this guy deserves to pack shows in Australia and beyond, and why he’ll always be someone we call out in all the playlists to come. We’re moving into some super chill house next, and this is a domain that Germany’s finest know all too well. The young LCAW is one of these producers reinventing libraries of indie folk songs with gorgeous downtempo beats and gentle touches which elevate the originals to levels of pure serenity. Ferdinand Weber is another one of these Munich-based adepts, and we highlighted his latest take on ‘ILYSB’ only a few days ago. One remix we’re yet to mention is from LA artist Woodys Produce, but we’d be foolish not to give a shout-out to his smooth slice of summer as half the world farewells this glorious season.

Look out, because this next feature may just steal your heart in more ways than one. The angelic Evangelia will captivate both sight and sound with her first electronic release in ‘Hourglass’. Every so often you hear a song that preludes an artist’s future greatness, and the vocal power of the NJ singer/songwriter reveals something truly special indeed, and we’ll be sure to hear her on many more tracks to come. We’re already well aware of the prolific abilities of Rameses B, and he once again delivers a melodic gem in ‘Broken Trust’. Weaving through ambient electronica like no one else can, the UK producer seems to control the very fragments of time with every moment of liquid tranquility, creating an astral journey through the pure emotion of sound.

Next week may be the milestone, but every week brings with it incredible highlights worth remembering well into the future.

Chill Dojo #99 zip

’Basenji – Heirloom’
’Ruu Campbell x LCAW – The Call’
’LANY – ILYSB (Ferdinand Weber Remix)’
’Lany
ILYSB (WoodysProduce Summer Citrus Remix #8)’
’Evangelia – Hourglass (Prod. Iron Giant)’
’Rameses B – Broken Trust’
’Tenru – The Way She Moves’
’REAL SLOW – Sad Kids’
’REAL SLOW – You Flow’
’Snakehips – Days With You (Fwdslxsh Remix)’
’Kill Paris – Silence Of Heartbreak (Random Movement Remix)’
’Cazzette – Sleepless (Prince Fox & Jenaux Remix)’
’Flux Pavilion – Freeway (Kill The Noise & Flux Pavilion Remix)’
’Louis Futon
Silk (Kill Paris Remix)’
’Crystal Fighters – Love Alight (GANZ Remix)’
’Sable Feat. Kele – The One’
’Feki – Nothing Lasts Forever’
’813 – Tattoos On My Heart’
’Ryan Hemsworth – Cream Soda (with Tomggg)’
’jackLNDN – Play It Back’
’Golfland Sunsplash – Turqouise G Perspective’
’Aston Shuffle – Back And Forth (MooZ Remix)’
’Wrestlers – Say Anything (Feat. Twin Shadow and D’Angelo Lacy)’
’Geotheory – Aphrodite (Ramzoid Remix)’
’London Grammar – Strong (Claude VonStroke Remix)’
’OutKast – Ms. Jackson (The Golden Pony Remix)’
’Indiana – Heart On Fire (Duncan Murray Bootleg)’
’Electro Deluxe – Devil (BLVD95 Remix)’
’De Hofnar – Shower (Bootleg)’
’Body Language – Good Things’
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[Chill House] LANY – ILYSB (Ferdinand Weber Remix)

LANY
ILYSB (Ferdinand Weber Remix)

There’s no doubting that the heartfelt original from LANY delivered some unreal emotions and powerful lyrics for the lovesick individual. But for those craving a little more groove to go along with their feels, Ferdinand Weber has bumped things up in that signature chill style we love so much. He may be without his partner in crime Fabich this time, but even without all its parts, there’s no stopping this German machine from producing quality summer vibes for your listening pleasure. The bright leads and bouncing piano melodies would fool you into believing the vocals were always built for a track like this, and that’s the kind of polish that makes for the perfect official remix.

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[MP3 Playlist] The Chill Dojo #98

The Dojo is second only to the Ice Bucket Challenge when it comes to spreading chill across the internet, but our only nomination for you is to sit back and enjoy the infectious vibes we’ve got in store for edition 98. It may not leave you shivering, but you might just need a new change of clothes after this sweltering remix of Bondax’s ‘All I See’. Sultry Frenchman Darius has come up with one of the hottest tracks of the week, driven by a deep groove that pulsates some seriously good feelings. Also contributing to this week’s funk factor is dojo-favorite JNL, who gives us a sneak preview for a future release that’s packed full of classic smoothness reminiscent of the great MJ himself. ‘Only Lover’ is ready-built for an intimate dance-floor experience, so make sure you’ve got all your moves down pat when this jam is getting spun.  We’re shifting into anthem territory with these next two features, and kicking things off are NY duo Sava & Razz, who reignite the love for the 90’s Oasis hit with a tropical house revival. You know all the words for sure, but now your communal sing-along can be accompanied by smooth sax and pool-party vibes, and that is something this playlist lives and breathes every week. The catchy summer fun continues courtesy of Canada’s Shèmce and a rendition of the ever-popular ‘Teenage Crime’ that just oozes happiness. What was once a staple festival track has now been flipped on its head with a fresh nu-disco outfit, and from our point of view it’s never looked or sounded so good.

Goldroom’s ‘Till Sunrise’ was always meant for the tropical treatment though, and Pacifico amplifies the dreamy chillwave style with a captivating sea-disco ambiance capable of picking you up from where you sit and transporting you to the beachfront paradise of your wildest imagination. This is the kind of music we need in our ears all year long. Another welcome addition to the recent stream of ‘Higher’ remixes is another favorite in jackLNDN, bringing a more downtempo feel layered with sun-kissed chords and vocal sampling in all the right places.

It may technically be the final week of summer for some, but the warm vibes show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #98 zip

’Bondax – All I See (Darius Remix)’
’Soft Touch – Only Lover (JNL’s Monogamix)’
’Oasis – Wonderwall (Sava&Razz Remix)’
’Adrian Lux – Teenage Crime (Shèmce Remix)’
’Goldroom – Till Sunrise (Pacifico Remix)’
’Tobtok – Higher feat Emil Hero (JackLNDN remix)’
’Rubblebucket – Sound of Erasing (The M Machine Remix)’
’Hollidayrain – Let’s Stay Here Forever’
’Bebe Rexha – I Cant Stop Drinking About You (Eric Gitau Remix)’
’John Mayer – Waiting On The World To Change (Scheinizzl Remix)’
’Sam Smith – How Will I Know (SJUR Remix)’
’Coucheron – Deep End ft. Eastside & Mayer Hawthorne (Matoma Remix)’
’Wet – Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl (Thero Remix)’
’Ji Nilsson – Heartbreakfree (Keljet Remix)’
’Anna Lunoe – All Out (Hotel Garuda Remix)’
’Cazzette – Sleepless (Vaux & Rivera Remode)’
’The Knocks – Classic (RAC Mix)’
’Dabin – Embers Feat. Jill Harris’
’Kilter – Coward (feat. Ngaiire)’
’ODESZA – Say My Name (feat. Zyra)’
’Galimatias – Night Owl’
’Alex Wiley – Vibration (Honest Remix)’
’Magic Man – Out Of Mind (Tontario Remix)’
’Satin Jackets – Gelee Royale’
’Chevaliers Liqueur – Tropical Screen’
’Royal – Royal’s Theme’
’FLOSSTRADAMUS FEAT. ELKKA – REBOUND’
’BEEMO – Makin’ Love 2 U Feat. Kyross’
’Jungle – Time (Lxury Remix)’
’froyo ma – sidereal (feat. off.white)’
’sam gellaitry – reflectionz’
’huxley anne – sex in the daytime’
’Luca Gache – Giants’
’MadBliss & silo – space girl’
’El. Train – U Say 2 Me’
’Dave Luxe – Move That Dope’
’Tycho – Spectre (Bibio Remix)’
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[Future] ABSRDST – Even If We Were Birds

ABSRDST
Even If We Were Birds

Followers of the Chill Dojo may recognize the name of Massachusetts native ABSRDST (read ab-surd-ist), with the host of charmingly quirky tunes that have been popping up in the playlists over recent months. For those unfamiliar, his latest jam, “Even If We Were Birds,” is a prime example of his truly unique style, which has an inherent ability to bring a smile to any listener. Blending video game and cartoony vibes with insanely funky chords, his undefinable brand of future music still manages to possess an undeniable sense of nostalgia. Whether it’s the subtle throwbacks to the 90’s console era or the emotion carved by those glorious melodies, his music will find a way to bring out memories of a happier time, and that’s definitely something worth spreading.

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[Bass] ZHU – Superfriends (Just A Gent Remix)

ZHU
Superfriends (Just A Gent Remix)

Aussie young gun Just A Gent has been reaping the rewards of his ambition of late, winning accolades, gigs, and a growing fan-base all before his age lets him legally enter a club. The rising producer has set the precedent for all the other aspiring talents out there and continues to push the bar with every new original and big name remix he creates. His latest statement in his own progression comes in the form of this huge take of ZHU’s ‘Superfriends’, and this one is set to cause the biggest stir yet. Preserving the menacing tone of the intensely deep original track, he kicks things up a notch in signature bass-heavy style. It’s genre-bending music at its very best, and exactly what we love about every new release from the surprising young gent.

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[MP3 Playlist] The Chill Dojo #97

There’s been a lot of attention on the tropical house genre of late, and certainly a dramatic increase in the amount of producers looking to prove their worth with this style in 2014. Whether you could argue it’s a case of inspiration, pursuit of fame, or maybe just down to the season, we’re just happy to have heaps of quality chill material to feature each week.

But no matter the amount of artists that try their hand at the genre, Goldroom will forever be a name associated with championing the chill disco style, and nothing reinforces that better than his latest release in ‘Till Sunrise’. Luscious synths and floating pads embody the essence of what makes the artist the perfect accompaniment to warm climates and beach surroundings, and the dreamy vocals of Mammals act as the umbrella to this glorious summer cocktail. As we mentioned in the write-up from last week, these stems were actually made available weeks before the song’s release, providing ample opportunity for the inevitable flood of remixes to be put into motion well ahead of time. One of the best we’ve heard so far comes courtesy of disco diehard Justin Faust, who crafts a seriously sexy melody to complement this sun-drenched tune. In a similar fashion, Oliver Nelson and Skogsrå have elevated the latest single from Tobtok to new heights with their amazing edit. There’s a special kind of joy when you read about friends bringing their own elements to each other’s work, and the combined effort of all parties involved here has brought a very big smile to this ninja’s face.

When it comes to the tropical fever which has been rising this year, Norway has indeed been the epicenter of this craze, and Matoma has quickly become a favorite who proudly flies the flag for this style. His latest effort wraps his feel-good vibes around the solid vocal work of Marlon Roudette for another quality addition to his ever-growing arsenal of mellow magic. Oslo has plenty more talent to give though, and Jerry Folk is staking his claim for recognition with a laid-back funky rendition of ‘Wait’ off the recent Lemaitre Singularity EP. The young producer has struck the perfect groove with this lovely little jam, and shown plenty of promise for future success. One man who certainly deserves that kind of praise is dojo favorite Glastrophobie, who provides yet another beautiful interpretation of an indie original. Only this time his stunning piano composition is capped off with the sweet sounds of sax, which is a sure-fire way to get the thumbs up from us. Finally, we couldn’t end proceedings without a shout out to the latest remix from Samuel. His latest piece of summer-ready music takes on the soulful stylings of a Brandy classic, demonstrating a versatility that we’ll continue to encourage from him with each new release.

There’s no shortage of serene sounds in this week’s edition, so immerse yourself in the calm waters of number 97. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #97 zip

’Goldroom – Till Sunrise’
’Goldroom – Till Sunrise (Justin Faust Premix)’
’Tobtok ft. Emil Heró – Higher (Oliver Nelson & Skogsrå Remix)’
’Marlon Roudette – When The Beat Drops Out (Matoma Tropical Remix)’
’Lemaitre – Wait (Jerry Folk Remix)’
’Hafdis Huld – Lucky (Glastrophobie Remix)’
’Brandy – Right Here (Samuel Remix)’
’Basic Tape – Sunny Spell’
’Jennifer Lopez Ft Ja Rule – I’m Real (Basic Tape Remix)’
’Galimatias – Ocean Floor Kisses’
’Kilter – When You Walked In’
’Route 94 – My Love (Prince Fox Remix)’
’Kendrick Lamar vs Tycho – “Vibe Walk” (Break Science Remix)’
’ABSRDST – Rare Ware’
’MaHi – Coast To Coast (Original Mix)’
’Bear Hands – Giants (Adrian Lux Remix)’
’DJ Cassidy – Make The World Go Round ft R Kelly (Gigamesh Remix)’
’The Kooks – Forgive & Forget (Oliver Nelson Remix)’
’Mystery Skulls – Paralyzed (Aeroplane Remix)’
’Bag Raiders – Nairobi (Drop Out Orchestra Barely Legal Remix)’
’Nico & Vinz – Am I Wrong (Gryffin Remix)’
’Phantogram – Fall In Love (NEUS Remix)’
’Tensnake & Jacques Lu Cont – Feel Of Love (JackLNDN Remix)’
’Kastle Ft. Lotti – Anything’s Possible’
’Cee Roo – I’m So Happy’
’Zhu – Faded (BNJMN Rework)’
’Lucas – Keep U Warm’
’Sage The Gemini ft IamSu! – Gas Pedal (PHNM 5am Remix)’
’Raury – Cigarette Song (Snakehips Remix)’
’stwo – Aura’
’Mario – Let Me Love You (Tío Remix)’
’GOLDIELOCKS – MOONBEAM’
’Bubbly Bulbasaur X DIVERSA – Lost (SH?M Edit)’
’Telepopmusik – Breathe (Myles.William X Grand&Warren Remix)’
’Astronauts – Skydive (Broke For Free Remix)’
’Hounded – Say My Name Feat. Beau Young Prince’
’FloFilz – Vigal’
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