Latest Chill Dojo Posts

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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The Chill Dojo is back after a little hiatus, but we’ve still been keeping our ears out during the two week break to make sure you don’t miss a thing. To make up for the time away, this catch-up playlist is over 50 tracks strong to bring us all back to speed on what’s been happening in the world of chill music.

We covered this one when it came out over a week ago, but there was no denying ‘Fantasy’ from topping the list of our return edition. Seductive songstress Alina Baraz has been teaming up with the sensual sounds of Galimatias for a while now, but nothing has come quite so close to musical perfection until now. From the very moment this song begins, the dreamy atmosphere and angelic vocals shroud your mind into a vision of pure serenity. From there, this glorious hypnotism is led along by the beat like a benevolent puppetmaster whose performance is tragically limited to under 4 minutes. Needless to say, it made us feel some kind of way.

Next up, we have WRLD once again draw us into his universe of future music bliss, and ‘Triumph’ is every bit a success as its title suggests. It’s a unique dimension where jungle beats meet massive chords fueled by the power of pure ecstasy, and it’s ready-made to be the soundtrack for moments of epic proportions. If you haven’t learnt by now, we’re a little obsessed with sounds like this, so it’s fitting we have one of our favorites in Pusher continue the trend with two of his own magical concoctions he cooked up during our downtime. His latest remix of Jack U is set to be his biggest track to date, and it’s not hard to see why this one should put him on the radar as a certified talent in the future game. And speaking of games, his recent original ‘ABXY’ shows off his signature style that is every bit true to his roots, and will no doubt be a fan favorite for a long time to come.

We’ve also got a few features from another dojo elite in Lindsay Lowend, gracing our ears with a jammin little remix of the iconic ‘Irreplaceable’. The song has been cleverly disguised on his Soundcloud to try and avert the iron fist of the copyright crawler, but we’re here to make sure you don’t miss hearing this infectious beat in all its glory. If you’re finding that still hasn’t satisfied your cravings, we’ve also got another serving of sweetness from him in ‘Memory Foam’. As its name promises, this one will tug at those nostalgic heartstrings with its simplistic beauty, evoking all the memories you hold so dear.

In case you somehow missed it, there has been a wave of ‘Say My Name’ remixes since the release of Odesza’s album, and this makes plenty of great listening material for the Dojo. We can’t get enough of them, so we’ve included some of our top picks from the bunch so far, but they’re likely to keep popping up for a while to come.

It’s time to get the chill back into your life. We hope you haven’t missed it too badly. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #102 zip

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We’re fresh into the triple figures now, and it’s interesting to hear how the sounds we feature have developed since the very beginning. Case in point, Kasbo kicks off edition 101 with some future bass goodness, demonstrating the evolution of the kind of music that push this chill playlist into the expansive reaches of electronic music. ‘Kaleidoscope’ is a more than appropriate title for this magnificent aural experience, with the cosmic effects seeming to manifest themselves into visions of color inside the listener’s mind. From reflections of light to sensations of pure serenity, Dutch producer Arman Cekin has conjured up some sun-kissed vibes truly befitting the name ‘Smooth Waves’. The feel-good acapella sampling coupled with the beach-side atmosphere combine for the perfect backdrop to your next majestic summer holiday. Repeat this song enough times and you’ll already be halfway on a plane to get there. With a new Flight Facilities track hitting the site this week, there was no doubting it would appear in the features for this week’s Dojo as well. The ethereal new original from the Australian act may just be the chillest we’ve heard from them so far, scoring points in our book for just about every single element they’ve included in this blissful 7-minute dreamscape.

Another vocal delight comes courtesy of this gorgeous cover of ‘Sky Full of Stars’ from Michael Schulte, given additional tropical treatment from Germany’s Shoby. The electronic pop style of the original is replicated to perfection, with flute and bright acoustics breathing a softer voice to the uplifting melody of this 2014 anthem. Much like many of his Norwegian countrymen, Matoma is one of the best in the business when it comes to similar kinds of tropical transformations, and the past few days have seen two new remixes from the talented workhorse. Saturated in his signature string-filled melodies, he’s worked another spell over these two to ensure your bank of summer tunes continues to grow despite the season coming to a close. Now we’ve posted our fair share of takes on the sexy Ciara hit, but when you hear a version as good as this, how could we possibly resist another? Trust a Frenchman to take things to the next level of smooth, and ALVY has done that and so much more with this sultry number. Silky chords and deep vocal sampling are the ingredients which have our ears infatuated with this one, ensuring that the memorable lyrics continue to be spun for a long time to come.

The sounds may change over time, but the chill vibes of the Dojo will always be undying. Peace out.

Chill Dojo #101 zip

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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

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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

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