Author Archives: Michael Serratore

There’s definitely something special in the air over in Norway, because this is fast becoming the source of the best chill music in 2014. Just as Kygo has blown up in recent months and become a global sensation, his fellow countryman Bearson will soon follow with a sound just as unique and mesmerizing. His latest remix of Tristan Prettyman’s ‘Song For The Rich’ is a beautiful experience, pure and simple. Enchanting lyrics and atmospheric acoustics flow together on a stream of care-free feelings, with the sweet tropical sounds icing this amazing creation. This may just be our favorite feature in the Dojo this year. Because one dose of the tropics is never enough, we’ve got another glorious chill house track to follow. Only this time it comes out of Palm Beach courtesy of Thero, and is not a remix of a folk song, but a slowed-down tropical infusion of a progressive house original. It’s interesting to hear how vocals layered over a house track can be given an entirely new life in a different style, and with the right creativity can become even more powerful than any booming synth could ever bestow. We’ve all heard Coldplay’s lyrics been used in all kinds of musical genres, but no remix has caused quite a stir as much as Kygo’s official edit which recently premiered on BBC Radio 1. We don’t want to break up the flow of this playlist with a radio rip, so we’ll wait for the full release before featuring it here, but in the meantime the always-reliable DJ AA has given us another glorious bootleg to tide us over. The mix of Bonobo’s take on ‘Something in the Air’ is perfectly blended with the irresistible Kygo melody, and we’re thankful for this sample to savor during the anxious wait for the official release.

As far as other official proceedings go, the remix competition for Kilter’s ‘They Say’ was decided last week, but he didn’t have to look beyond his home country to find his international winner, with Brisbane’s Omniment claiming the glory. Of course, who best to remix the Australian sound than a fellow Aussie, and this effort from the up-and-coming producer will leave no questions about its deserved victory. The track builds through splashes of summer sounds until bursting point at two minutes, when the full wave of happiness is unleashed at full force on the unsuspecting listener. There’s not as much background to work with on this next track from Telescopic Thieves, but what we can tell you is that the vibes here are on point, and for that it needed to be heard. Stwo is no stranger to dishing out insane vibes, and he’s no stranger to the Chill Dojo either, and his sampling of Jay Prince in his latest jam will ensure that plenty more people will soon get familiar as well. Slow pulsating beats and smooth sampling are this artist’s bread and butter, and we’re always waiting to hear what he cooks up next. Likewise with Kaytranada, so when he announces a remix of Pharrell’s ‘Happy’ you better believe we’re all over that straight away. There’s no real rush though, because this one will stay fresh for a very very long time.

This edition has some of our favorites of the year so far, so this is one not to miss. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #84 zip

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Let’s go one deeper and kick off this edition’s proceedings with one of the smoothest sounding tracks to have hit the internet over the last week. KAASI is the man responsible for this aural delight, and you’d be hard pressed to find a pair of ears that could resist the sweet sounds that emanate from this 5 and a half minutes of perfection. From the vocal sampling to the infectious rhythm, nothing that lends its hand to this composition is short of impeccable, and for that it could be nothing less than our track of the week. This next track was covered earlier last week, but is too appropriate for the dojo and so is well deserving of another mention here. Germany’s Dinnerdate has done it once again with another glorious chill house tune to add to his growing collection, with another ascension of the Hypem charts to add to his growing list of achievements. There’s plenty more in the near future from this artist as well. The Germans certainly know their way around these mellow sounds, and Alex Schulz is another one of these skilled individuals to look out for. When it comes to remixing Ed Sheeran’s ‘I See Fire’, Kygo’s version is the one that instantly comes to mind, but you’d be a fool to overlook this edit that takes things into very deep territory. It’s a completely different experience from any other take on this one, and it had us hooked within seconds. A track that’s a little harder to glance over is the latest from RAC, who provides more ample fuel for your summertime playlist with a little help from Matthew Koma on vocals. If you somehow missed the write-up a few days back, then here’s a friendly reminder that you need this new jam in your life right now. More summer music is always a welcome addition to the Chill Dojo, so we’re lapping up these next two from UK producer Lobo. They’re bright and sunny with glints of FKJ’s style at their heart, so you’re guaranteed to be smiling for the entire journey.

Plenty more playful pieces await you as you make your way down this list, so gear up for a few hours of good times and great sounds. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #83 zip

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Well you may have seen it across every other playlist on the TMN this week, but the release of Cosmo’s Midnight’s ‘Say My Name’ bootleg has been a long time coming for us, so it’s only right that it makes the top of the Chill Dojo too. The Sydney twins spin their signature future sounds over this Destiny’s Child classic, sprinkled with jersey influences and the creative sampling we’ve grown to love from the host of young Australian producers dominating the scene right now. Things only get better as the track progresses though, with those infectious wavy vibes reaching feverish levels in the final minute. ICYMI, the funkmaster GRiZ gifted fans with yet another amazing tune as well, this time electing to dish out dangerously smooth bass and groove to show his constant evolution as an artist. Sax will always be his weapon of choice though, so of course he ices his polished production with a sweet dose for good measure. There was plenty more of this groove circulating the net this week, and GANZ has been a rising name in the bass game lately, causing quite a stir with his trademark “flips” of big name tracks. His latest take on ‘Tell Me’ is another statement proving that he has well and truly arrived as a talent to watch with great attention.

But big name or small name, if we hear a good track we’re going to take notice, and that’s exactly what we have on our hands with Benzamak’s ‘Yoga Pants’. Like its clothing item namesake, we are very glad this song was invented and it will certainly have the ability to bring much happiness to a lot of people. Another perfect compliment to your upcoming summer is this delicious beat from TastyTreat. A seductive heat pulsates from this production at every moment, staking its claim as a powerful addition to any bedroom or party playlist alike. London’s Bobby Tank is another artist who knows how to craft a piece of music that can hold an audience firmly in its trance, and his latest release ‘Undone’ will induce uncontrollable body grooving for the whole five minute ride. At the same time, he’ll be blowing your mind again and again with outrageously good sounds and production elements. As much as there is plenty of talk surrounding the plague of EDM that all follows the same commercial formula, you don’t have to look too hard to find a heap of fresh material floating about, with lesser known artists pushing the envelope and influencing new styles. Just take a listen to these next few features from Grimecraft and ABSRDST and it will be easy to see. There’s been a steady movement of videogame elements and sampling creeping its way into the sounds of 2014, and that’s undoubtedly a good thing when you have music like this as a result. With chill vibes to boot, there will definitely be plenty more of this style featured in playlists to come.

And that’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the talent on show below, so make sure to soak it all in. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #82 zip

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There’s no better way to wind down the long weekend than lounging about with with a dose of chill music, and we just so happen to have a stack of quality tunes to share for playlist #81. If you caught our new Kygo post from earlier in the week, then it’s really no surprise to be seeing his name atop this list. Kygo + Benjamin Francis Leftwich is just the perfect combination to be happening in music right now, and we hope there’s plenty more of this to come. Thankfully he’s not the only artist to be dabbling in these sweet vocals, as we’ve got another Chill Dojo favorite in Manila Killa providing more summertime vibes with that same floating sensation crafted throughout. We’ve never pictured Norway as a tropical destination, but you could easily be fooled by the glorious sounds consistently pumped out by its artists. Bearson’s remix of “Savanna” certainly hits the sweet spot as far as this style goes, serving as your musical portal straight into the isles of the Caribbean. From there, we shift gear straight into the some future beats from Jonah Baseball. There’s not much out there we can tell you on this new name in the scene, but he’s got support from Lindsay Lowend, and his newest release ‘Louisville Slugger’ is straight fire, so by that token we’re firmly in his team as well. As far as other new names go, the music collective Moving Castle has just brought out a fresh compilation overflowing with insane future sounds, so be prepared for the next four tracks to wow your ears like you wouldn’t believe. Sydney producer UNO Stereo will continue that feeling with his bouncey remix of ‘Dreams’, not only delivering a killer instrumental but masterfully molding in the band’s vocals to his style. Add his name to your list of Australian artists to follow with close attention. Speaking of attention, ‘Latch’ remixes have certainly been a hot topic over the past week, and Maryland’s MisterMack has given us one of the best with his slick interpretation. Flowing through different styles and emotions, this version will capture your full attention and have your body grooving for an experience that is a natural human response to musical genius like this. We end this week’s write-up with one of the smoothest sounds to hit the blogosphere this week in the form of ‘Foolish’ from UK duo Blonde. Ryan Ashley serves up some stunning vocal work over some serious poolside vibes, making this one a certified jam to be played out across the warmer months.

This all comes together as the perfect pick-me-up to get you going again after the weekend’s festivities. As for us, the search for good music never stops. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #81 zip

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