Latest Chill Dojo Posts

Chill Dojo #133 lines up perfectly with the release of the eagerly awaited Victory EP from San Holo, and to celebrate the occasion we’re putting ‘Hold Fast’ front and center as our favorite track from the week gone by. The brooding bass-rumbling atmosphere does well to disguise any indication of chill intentions here, but when the emotion-filled melody kicks into gear, there’s no doubting the inherent genius that’s involved in this mind-blowing production. It’s got us craving for more future-tinged beats, and thankfully Subtact has provided a sublime flip of Pusher’s ‘Emeralds’ to satisfy just that. While less about color than the original, this is a gem that trades shimmer for an enchantment that reaches deep within, beckoning you further into the cosmic surrounds that manifests itself through the waves of sound.

The winner for best sampling this week could only go to ABSRDST though, with his latest track incorporating a very unique feature from Diddy Kong. In a giant step for music production, there is now finally a collaboration between man and simian, and it’s a smooth mellow result to boot. It’s hard to put a finger on just one thing that creates ‘The Essence’, but you can be sure it’s a joruney packed with plenty of nostalgic feels. If you were surprised a feature from a fictional character could possibly make the list, it might be even harder to fathom that following this would be a shout out to Ariana Grande. Once you hear this head-bopping jam from Zanski though, you’ll understand exactly how we fell under its funky spell. Leave any preconceptions at the door for this one, and welcome in the glorious horns and playful percussion to indulge in this moment of guilty weakness. It’s a similar kind of sweetness that oozes from every silky production from French Kiwi Juice, and his latest remix proves once again why he is ‘Unstoppable’. Layered with generous servings of signature FKJ funk, this is another sexy experience that will get hearts melting with every listen.

Definitely not your ordinary week for the Dojo, but one that has no surprises when it comes to quality. Peace out.

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This may be an unorthodox way to kick-start a playlist that’s all about chill, but we’re packing some dance-floor heat to get things going for Dojo #132. Ever since it first went up on the site, we’ve been struggling to shake the hold of the furious funk from the Autograf boys and the sweltering display of groove they’ve cast over this Fatboy Slim number. Slick breaks pave their way through sun-drenched surrounds until the exotic tribal bassline takes over and asserts itself as one of the craziest sounds of the year. Want something else insane? Despite the numerous times Oliver Nelson has been a feature in our write-up, it has always been on remix duties. This week we break that trend with his first ever original ‘Found Your Love’ with the vocals of Heir, and what a way to make a debut! It figures after all that experience working his magic on other lyrical works he’d know a thing or two about crafting his own piece of gold. This is vintage Oliver Nelson finally able to shine with his own song-writing merit. It wasn’t the only breakout original for the week, as the bootleg specialist Sammy Bananas shared a brand new tune echoing some feel-good Spring vibes to celebrate the season. Dreamy vocals and bopping chords combine for joyous sensations and one certified jam we’re sure you’ll dig.

We may have started with plenty of warmth, but now it’s time for our true chill nature to show with some wintery themed delights beginning with Maxo’s playful edit of ‘Fresh Static Snow’. One of the more emotion-filled tracks off the Worlds album, Maxo turns up his trademark chord skills and infuses the melody with renewed energy and a sweetness that is hard to resist. To cap it all off we finish with a frosty affair from Sam Gellaitry. The aptly named ‘glacier’ is a musical journey into majestic snowfields and icy monuments intertwined with servings of glorious trademark synths from the young talent who continues to blow our minds with every new showing of masterful composition.

It’s a wave of different temperatures in the air this week, but all conditions are conducive to keeping it chill. Peace out.

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Alina Baraz and Galimatias are a fierce duo in the chill music game, but add to that a bit of trademark Pomo bounce and you have yourself a truly potent combination. It was the highlight of our features last week and the Dojo headliner now, but we’re finding it hard to shake ourselves out of this obsession with ‘Fantasy’ and the renewed love Pomo has brought to the hypnotic original. For a long time this playlist has shared a similar appreciation for the sultry vibes that Patrick Baker brings to his music, and his latest production is a sun-drenched affair crafted with all intentions of repeat summer listening. For a song that’s all about letting go, it proves quite difficult to get out of your head when that chorus sets in. Still on that nostalgic feeling, French artist Petit Biscuit has woven another intricate piece in the form of ‘Memories’. Whether it’s the sublime acoustic melody or the enchanting vocal chops, it’s as if this blissful feeling was cut straight out of one of your happiest dreams, and we’re certainly not in any hurry to wake up anytime soon.

The blogosphere always goes a little crazy for a new and mysterious name when it emerges, and this week LVNDSCAPE made its mark with an incredibly chill rendition of ‘Bloodstream’. It’s less about Rudimental than it is about Ed Sheeran with this bootleg, as the vocals are imbued with a whimsical sweeping soundscape that conjure images of breathtaking surrounds. It won’t take much guesswork to figure out what’s in store for this latest remix from Oliver Nelson though, lending his signature disco fever to the massive hit ‘All Cried Out’. It was an instant winner when Blonde first debuted the original, but with this unbelievable transformation we’re very much dealing with a certified summer anthem. That sax is out to slay. It’s been a little while since our last dose of bootleg goodness from DJ AA, but he’s back in a big way with a special concoction that’s received support from July Child themselves. He certainly hasn’t lost his ear for the right blend of hook and melody, and with the backing of jackLNDN’s gorgeous ‘Aeterna’, this mix shines brightly from beginning to end.

The same thing could be said for the playlist really. You’ll struggle to find a dull moment in this edition. Peace out.

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We’re cutting right to the chase for Dojo #130 and bursting out of the blocks with a splash of summer sound right to your eardrums. If you happened to sleep on our feature from last week, then you missed one hell of a musical adventure courtesy of Big Wild. It may be a take on ‘Champagne Drip Theme’, but a tune like this wouldn’t feel out of place in any Mario Kart, conjuring up images of high-paced hijinks on sunny white beaches. On a different setting but a similar universe, Monstercat representative Volant carries us on an eventful journey as we go ‘Full Circle’ through galaxies of punchy chords, jazzy breakdowns and pure melodic bliss. It’s a beautiful ride to be on, and one that glides through wave after wave of funky wonderment. Swiss native Insan3Lik3 injects a dose of pop into this week’s edition with a sweet mix of J-Hype’s vocals and nu-disco groove. It’s a sweet indulgence of carefree vibes that flows with ease from start to finish.

The label may have passed on Pat Lok’s latest edit, but we’re calling this flip of ‘Easy Come Easy Go’ a certified jam. There’s just no denying this funky Canadian from unleashing some dance floor heat, and the whole thing is made even more incredible after hearing the original’s style. Chris McClenney did manage to score that official remix status on Goldlink’s ‘Sober Thoughts’, and this fast-paced lyrical scorcher won’t take long to prove exactly why. The Baltimore-based producer is in fine form here, delivering a steady slapping beat layered with tasty servings of sax on that feel-good vibe.

That may be enough to hit the spot already, but that’s not even close to hinting what the rest of this playlist has in store. Peace out.

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Monday morning may have reared its head once again, but GARREN’s got us reminiscing about the weekend with an elevated spin on ‘Sunday Candy’. If the original wasn’t uplifting enough, heroing the hook and infusing it with some classy melody has taken things to a whole different level. It’s not without a decent helping of Chance’s lyricism either, making for the perfect fuel to take on whatever this week will bring. It won’t be the only time you’ll be hearing him this week either, cos only a few days ago we featured the latest collab from The Social Experiment and Lido. Layered with generous helpings of soul and silky jazz vibes, who else but these guys could you rely on to think up these kinds of quality sounds?

Well actually, Dallas Cotton can offer something of a similar satisfaction, and he enlists the help of recent Dojo favorite Brasstracks to deliver a superb disco groove that is even harder to stop dancing to than it is to stop listening to. This is one of those ones to roll down the street to, pulling wacky moves that would look insane to anyone without this song in their ears. Still on that jam addiction, we’re slowing things down a notch with a fresh take on the timeless classic from Fat Joe and Ashanti. NYC producer Taylor Wise loads up a powerful dose of nostalgia together with a catchy electronic riff just made for windows-down cruising, and of course belting out the chorus at the top of your lungs. Snoop’s single ‘Peaches N Cream’ may be a lot newer to the scene, but that’s still enough time for groove maestro jackLNDN to lay down another one of his irresistibly funky beats. You should know the drill by now, cos it’s a straight head bopping experience from start to finish.

Monday doesn’t seem so bad anymore does it? Peace out.

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It’s been a solid year for collabs already as far as the Dojo is concerned, and this week a combination of French beatmakers add their stock to the list in a big way. Today marks the release of the Almeria LP from EVERYDAYZ and Phazz, and the title track is the perfect mix of slick groove and punchy chords to make their statement heard loud and clear. An all-round smooth number that glides seamlessly through orchestration and jazzy breakdowns alike. While we’re talking big releases, it would be remiss of us not to once again highlight the unmissable Galaxies Between Us album from the master of future funk, Kill Paris. He may be messing around with an array of new flavors lately, but one listen will tell you this is undeniably the product of the Kill Paris kitchen. Cooking up everything from the irresistibly dancey ‘Gonna Get High’ to the almighty roar of the ‘Tropical Dinosaur’, he even manages to put together an ‘Interlude’ that we consider a legitimate tune.

A little more unorthodox method of releasing music took place at Coachella last week, as a handful of USBs went soaring into the crowd containing this gem from Kygo and Dillon Francis. Together with the vocals of James Hersey, all three musical influences come together here in wonderful harmony for the ultimate slice of chillout music at its very best. It won’t be the only thing taking listeners by surprise in this edition though, as next up is an unconventional blend of Manilla Killa and The M Machine in this remix of ‘Don’t Speak’. Though seemingly coming from opposite ends of the musical spectrum, the contrast between bubbly tropical vibes and gritty electronic beat is as intriguing as it is catchy. It certainly had our attention earlier in the week, and is definitely a unique addition to playlist #128.

Just one of many eclectic ingredients in this giant melting pot of mellow delights. Peace out.

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All focus may be on Coachella for the moment, but this past week has served up its fair share of amazing releases for everyone else playing along at home. It’s not hard to imagine why new Flume would be top of the list as far as music news goes, but thankfully for the Dojo his latest flip of Sam Smith is saturated in the vibes that make him top of ours as well. If we’re talking collabs though, this collective effort from Towkio, Chance the Rapper, Lido and Eryn Allen Kane may just be the hottest we’ve heard from 2015 so far. As the names promise, your ears are in store for soulful vocals, slick lyrical skills and a production game that is as mind-blowing as always. That’s not all you’ll get out of Lido from this edition though, because this week also saw the release of his collaborative Superspeed EP with partner-in-crime Canblaster. Having already been treated to the intriguing sounds of ‘Rush Hour’, we’ve gone ahead and included the rest of the stream, each track dishing up a completely fresh experience to the last.

Carrying on a very similar theme title-wise, Californian producer KRNE showcases his abilities with ‘Never Stop’. A charming melodic opening may be extremely pleasant to the ear, but that’s just a prelude to the insane production that is about to be unleashed here. This is the kind of music that makes us urge the artist to take heed of his own words and keep those sweet tunes a’ comin nonstop. An unlikely contender ends the write-up for this week, as Dojo newcomer IMLAY manages to revive the genre-confused mess that is the original track from Palisades. Thankfully, this remix knows everything it’s meant to be, and the trap-filled future style actually makes for quite a nice fit to the poppy vocals.

That’s just the tip of it though, because there is a wave of other releases to sink your teeth into from the Hebinomichi Vol. 2 collection to the latest EP from mura masa. It’s almost festival-worthy in itself! Peace out.

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