The Russian trio of Swanky Tunes have teamed up with fellow Russian project Hard Rock Sofa in creating one of the biggest club bangers of 2011. It’s steadily climbing the beatport charts and I’m hoping it goes right the way to the top. Bringing SO much umph in the drop it’s hard not to crank it up and turn your room into a mini rave.
Swanky Tunes & Hard Rock Sofa – I Wanna Be Your Dog
Woah. Fresh off the press today is a new remix from Croydon boy Skream. Shoving in some hefty bass tones into Laidback Luke‘s collab with Example on their summer hit ‘Natural Disaster’, the dubstep titan has shown he’s still pushing and evolving his sound. Laidback luke has just signed to Ministry Of Sound and already it seems to be having a positive impact. Exciting times ahead for the DJ and there’s more remixes on the way from Benny Benassi, Nouvean Yorican and Andy C but if you’re a fan of Skream, you’re going to love this!
Oh my, the French-Italian duo Dead C∆T Bounce (Antoine Lanneluc & Filippo Gorla) and Blaster (Guillaume Cloutou) have recently been spending some time in the studio and have just unleashed some bass havoc onto the internet for some free download goodness. From the first beat you get the feeling it’s gonna pretty intense… and you should trust that feeling.. cus it is! Enjoy.
Download: Dead C∆T Bounce & Blaster – Not For Use
Bonus: Medina – You and I (Dead C∆T Bounce Remix)
Derek Vincent Smith aka Pretty Lights, is definitely one of those genius & versatile producers that create mixes and sounds you never thought were possible. Not only has the Colorado legend had a pretty full on tour festival (Bonnaroo, Hangout Music Festival, Electric Forest, Lollapalooza, and IDentity Festival +more) – he’s somehow found the time to mix 7 Zeppelin songs into his own beats and synths, resulting in a pretty mammoth mashup of sounds! This one may leave you dazed and confused 😉
Download: Pretty Lights vs. Led Zeppelin
Bonus: Pretty Lights vs Radiohead vs Nirvana vs NIN by prettylights
Congorock has dropped his new single upon us labelled ‘Sirus‘. Coming out on Ultra Records, it’s his first new single since the mammoth Babylon which became part of every DJ’s staple diet. Definitely holding a more hard hitting sound then his previous single and even venturing into early Boys Noize territory, Congorock can be pretty confident that this next single will be a big hitter.
After hearing so many great Nero tracks over the past 18-months – this album is long over due. Nero were formed way back in 2004 and right now the London duo are top of their game. Relentlessly touring, constantly crafting out top notch remixes and now finally releasing their 19 track debut album – the stage is set for Dan & Joe to really take their sound worldwide. So what should you expect? Well put simply − it’s Nero plus!
Firstly – the album draws from a smorgasbord of inspiration from the likes of The Bloody Beetroots, Daft Punk, The Magnetic Man boys and Deadmau5 (no surprises there ay) yet the instantly recognisable Nero synths & vocals are threaded through the whole album, almost re-assuring you that you’re in a safe place… thanks.
Track Listing: 01: 2808, 02:Doomsday. 03:My Eyes, 04:Guilt. 05:Fugue State, 06:Me And You, 07:Innocence, 08:In The Way, 09:Scorpions. 10:Crush On You, 11:Must Be The Feeling, 12:Reaching Out, 13:Promises, 14:Departure
Amongst the expected big hitters of ‘Guilt’, ‘Me & You’ and ‘Promises’ lies some epic sounds. Doomsday is one of those tracks. More grandiose then the Titanic, it throws down a hard hitting symphonic assault on your ears that sets the tone of what’s to come, whilst giving a head nod to Warp 1.9 and the legend that is Sir Bob Cornelious Rifo (Bloody Beetroots).
With each track flowing seamlessly from one to the other and each featuring a healthy dose of European electro, you’re definitely taken on a journey though Nero’s world. ‘Must Be The Feeling’ shows that the boys have a welcome weakness for nu-disco, showcasing some cheeky slap bass, pulsing synths and infectious violins. It really sounds like they had fun with the 80’s vibe and the keyboard at the end… you can almost picture them in the studio tapping away at the keys, wearing a bit of sparkly spandex and over using the word Bodacious to describe what they’ve just made… or is that just me?!
On the other end of the spectrum sits ‘In The Way’ featuring some low frequency dubstep baselines that grumble their way through the track, accompanied by some space echoed vocals from Alana. Really, a bold move from Nero but mixed between these two extremes, they’ve crafted out a some really epic tracks that whilst may not always deliver a heavy sucker punch, will keep you gripped to what comes next along the way.
If I was to pick 2 fresh album tracks to listen too (and I will!), I’d have to pick the chunky guitar driven ‘My Eyes’ and ‘Must Be The Feeling’. But I’m not gonna lie – I had a glance at what the critics said about this album and they weren’t kind. For me, Nero isn’t the finished product but just an expression of where they’re heading. This album is more of a journey – showcasing some of the sounds that are at the forefront of EDM right now and as a music fan – i’m in for the ride.
Download: Nero – My Eyes
Download: Nero – Must Be The Feeling
Oh go on then…. I can’t resist! Just for kicks.. here’s my favourite Nero remix to date from legends Knife Party… I bloody love this one!
Nero – Crush On You (Knife Party Remix)
Wow – great combo here. Brazilian group CSS or ‘Cansei De Ser Sexy’ have partnered up with Brooklyn duo Ratatat and created a really sweet track. I remember first seeing CSS many years ago and thinking – “what the heck!?”, little did I know that they’d become one of my favourite quirky bands. This single features on their new LP ‘La Liberacion’ which is out now! Enjoy!
Download: CSS – Red Alert (Feat. Ratatat)
CSS: Official
