Blonde - Highlights Vol. 006

I came across this mix over the weekend, and Blonde has yet to disappoint me with any of their productions or mixes - and their most recent installment of the aptly named Highlights mix series is no exception. There is some great new material in here (remixes from the likes of The Magician and TCTS), mixed in with a sprinkling of classics (Cassius' 99 anyone?). If you're looking for some house music with some energy and funk to get your week started, look no further.

- KJ

Friday Care Package - April 3rd

- KJ

Digital Farm Animals - True

Digital Farm Animals recently published True on their Soundcloud, and it's a catchy piece of piano driven vocal pop house. The vocals are a tribute to chilled out, accepting partners and their dedication. Definitely a sappy pop track, but that needn't take away from anyone's pure enjoyment of the catchy energy on it. As always, I'm a big sucker for strong, piano driven house music, and True very much fits the bill. Have a listen below and stay tuned for the release.

- KJ

Midnight City - Freak Me

Midnight City samples Silk's Freak Me Baby and reworks a chopped vocal to lay on top of the throwback dance vibe on the rest of the track.  The vocal is mostly left untouched for the intro aside from being pitched up slightly, before dropping into the chopped version of the vocals and the old school bassline buildup.  The vocal makes one more appearance for a later breakdown, but the meat of this track is really where the house percussion, old school bass and the edited vocal work together to give this a really cool contemporary house throwback vibe throughout. This is a feel good, summer-ready dance track, and uploaded as a free download.  Stream below and hop on this hot download.

- KJ

M1LES - Bars Over Bullshit (from The Jounts)

I came across M1LES on Soundcloud at just the right time - one of those happy accidents. He has been uploading new material this week as part of a free download album called "The Jounts" before he drops an upcoming mixtape.  Bars Over Bullshit is already the 5th track uploaded, so head back on over to his Soundcloud page and grab the others from the album, all for free.

The subject material on the album may not be for everyone, but there's no denying M1LES has a way with words, a unique delivery and smooth flow. If you enjoy this, watch for his upcoming mixtape, dropping sometime in the next month.

- KJ

Chief Beats - Memories

Some really cool hip hop production coming out of Saskatoon hit my Soundcloud stream this week from Chief Beats. Memories is a chilled funky hip hop beat with stings, funk guitar and that great vocal sample all masterfully woven together - and it's uploaded for free download.  With tight production like this from a local artist, there's no way I could not support this.

If you're a producer and would love to remix this somehow, Chief Beats has thrown all the stems up for download as well, available here. If you want more, he has a significant back catalogue of tracks, most released as free downloads all on his Soundcloud page.

- KJ

Kryptogram - Bless It

You can't go wrong with a funky sax house track - a fact Kryptogram obviously knows well. He is provides generous servings of sax set atop deep house and nu disco elements giving Bless It a distinct feel from your standard deep or future house track.  There is obvious attention paid to both the ambient buildups and subtle percussive elements just as much as the bassline and drops in the production.  This, in addition to the combination of styles into one track, make this a standout piece of work.  Kryptogram also has this up as a free download, so take advantage by following and picking it up.  Also head over to his Soundcloud profile for more of his production.

- KJ

Young Franco x Set Mo - Pick You Up Darlin'

This is a bit higher energy post for Monday, but still very mellow beach house vibes. Young Franco and Set Mo come together on this track that will be appearing on the forthcoming Franco & Friends EP.  

Smooth and grooving, this has just the right mix to get you through Monday without being the slightest bit abrasive. Check out the rest of the Franco & Friends EP here.

- KJ

Friday Care Package - March 27th

- KJ

Kelis - Caught Out There (Belarbi Remix)

Kelis recently received the future deep house remix treatment by Belarbi, and the result is an energetic rework fit for the dancefloor. Chopped pitched and looped vocals and the typical deep bassline give this some serious energy.  The remix takes the Kelis track in quite a different direction than the original, integrating it into the current nu deep house style, and Belarbi does that style very well.  This remix would fit in nicely to any number of house DJ sets right now, and lucky for all of you, it's up as a free download.  Grab this one and show Belarbi some Soundcloud love with a follow.  There's sure to be more dancefloor oriented material coming from him in the future, and he already has a pretty interesting variety in the back-catalogue of work on his Soundcloud page.

- KJ

Wynter Gordon - Dirty Talk (Them Next Door 2015 Remix)

London based Them Next Door have launched their Soundcloud account with their first track, a remix of Wynter Gordon's Dirty Talk from a few years back.  For the first track, it's gained a lot of early traction, and for good reason - it's a great remix!  Wynter Gordon's original vocal sounds virtually untouched aside from some chopped and looped bits in a couple areas - but the majority is still very much recognizable as Dirty Talk.  Them Next Door then drops a nu school throwback dance vibe on the remix, and the rest is history. If you liked the original back in 2010, it's likely a safe bet you'll enjoy this remix.  Them Next Door made it easy to pick up as well, releasing this as a free download for following their new Soundcloud account.

- KJ

Soundpalette - Desires

Seriously, does Soundpalette release much of anything that isn't awesome? From where we stand, we haven't seen it... Desires is fresssshhh off of his Soundcloud, and up for free download. As usual, Soundpalette creates an emotional soundscape of pads and ambient sounds, leading up into some really interesting beats. He also enlisted the help of  vocalist Emy Zaluzna to lay down some emotional lyrical content for this track.

This has been up for about an hour, hop on it while it's fresh.  Or hop on it after a while, it'll still be just as good.  But don't sleep on this one - hit the download button in the player below to add it to your collection.

- KJ

CYN - Something

If absolutely nothing else, CYN proves with this track that technology has made it really simple to get musical ideas recorded, and you can really get it done anywhere, anytime if you have the drive to do it.  In the description, CYN says she wrote this song while babysitting after putting the kids to sleep, and recorded on an iPhone headphone microphone. For something so simply recorded, this track is stunning. Something is all about the vocals, which are smooth and soothing, warm and beautiful.  A simple backing drum track and short piano run is all the background that is there, and really all that is required.  If this chill track is something you're into, CYN has put it up as a free download so you can grab it straight from the player below.

How was this recorded on an iPhone headphone mic?  What a time to be alive.

- KJ

Full Crate x Mar - Her Window

Kind of a strange ode to the exhibitionist from the friendly neighbourhood observer, but Her Window ends up being a really catchy song from Full Crate and Mar out of the Netherlands. Kind of a deep house nu disco vibe on this one, with warm synth chords and a great, slightly muted bassline. Mar's vocals are on point and both soulful and sensual as usual.

If you haven't heard of Full Crate or Mar and their previous collaborations, take a quick history lesson with Nobody Else and Man x Woman.

Her Window isn't out quite yet, so get your fix with the Soundcloud stream until the release on April 1st.

- KJ

Latroit x Bishøp - Loving Every Minute (Ghastly Remix)

LA based producer Ghastly is putting out some crazy stuff lately, with a recent release on Dim Mak records, as well as a track on OWSLA's Christmas Compilation, needless to say people are taking notice. 

Following on the heels of the release of Every Night on Dim Mak, Echelon is featuring the Ghastly remix of Latroit and Bishøp's Loving Every Minute. If you're into piano house, future house, electro, or quality vocals, this track has something in it for you.  You best prepare yourself for the drop at 1:17 though, as the remix really shows it's colours and goes hard from there.

This is a free download through Echelon that you can get access to just by following the artists on Soundcloud.  Hit the shopping cart in the player below to get to the download page.

- KJ

Fresh Drops Vol. 2 - Guest Mix: NuKraft (Ontario)

Here's the Soundcloud stream of March's edition of Fresh Drops on Underground Sound Canada. Some deep house, tech house and future house, along with a few great promos in there that I had to include.  Some of this should sound familiar, as they are tracks I've posted, while some of it should be fresh!  

We were also joined this month by NuKraft from Ontario for a guest mix.  Tune in at 1:15:12 for his house and tech house mix.

Tracklist

Part 1: Kris Jones

1. Always There - Just Kiddin

2. Running Out (Knightley Remix) - Ben Remember, Jack Summers

3. Deepest Love (Ivan Garci Remix) - Distant Relatives JHB (Forthcoming on Deepwit Recordings)

4. Lotus (Original Mix) - Beatamines

5. So Much Love (Original Mix) - Ren Phillips

6. Girl - Middle

7. Frigate (Original Mix) - South Seven

8. Cross The Dancefloor (Mad Villains' 2015 Revibe) - Treasure Fingers

9. How I Knew (Original Mix) - Justin Jay

10. Moudness (Original Mix) - Miguel Bastida

11. Downpipe (Bontan Remix) - D.Ramirez, Mark Knight, Underworld

12. Bee Beat (Kry Wolf Remix) - Nick Olivetti

13. 22 Tango (Original Mix) - Monteiro & Colle

14. Used To Be (Original Mix) - Sab & Keelan

15. Somewhere (Rare Roots Mix) - Rare Candy

16. Eyebrows - Emilio Del Canto (Forthcoming on Liquid Soul Recordings)

17. Love Never Felt So Good (Black Legend Project Rework) - Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake

Part 2: NuKraft

1. Oliver $ Pushing On - Jesse Rose Live From The Villa Remix with Oliver $, Jesse Rose - When We Heard Solid Groove (Original Mix)

2. Tocadisco - My Man

3. Schuhmacher - Lets Go

4. Dusky - 9T8

5. UMEK - All I Want (Dosem Remix) with One Over - Into You

6. Dennis Ferrer - Hey Hey (Attention Mix) with Dennis De Laat - Sound Of Violence (Main Mix)

7. Dennis Ferrer - Underground is My Home with Son of Raw - A Black Man In Space (Sax Mix) with Dennis Ferrer - How Do I Let Go (Charles Webster's Deep Mix)

8. Huxley UK - Creep with Piek - Insorit

9. Jesse Perez - That's Real Muthafuckin' Talk (Original Mix)

10. MK with Nightcrawlers - Push The Feeling On (Gily's 2014 Re-Edit) with Quentin van Honk - Hot Temptation

11. Waze & Odyssey - Bump & Grind 2k14

- KJ

Harrison X The Kount - Falling In Love (Edit)

We take a step back to 1983 today, as Surface's Falling In Love recently had the edit treatment by two Torontonian producers, Harrison and The Kount.  This is a great little funky disco edit. A perfect Mellow Monday track to get you back into the swing of things - that disco vibe is strong and uplifting throughout.

The Falling In Love edit was also released as a free download, so you can grab it right from the embedded player below.  To add a little disco flavour to your music collection, just hit the down arrow in the top right corner.

- KJ

Friday Care Package - March 20th

- KJ

Alesso - Cool ft. Roy English (CRNKN Remix)

Back in mid-February, Swedish producer Alesso released his newest single Cool, which features Roy English on vocals, and CRNKN has just come in with a really nice rework of the original. Where the original takes a more big room progressive/electro route, the CRNKN remix pitches the vocals and reroutes the vibe to fit a stripped back deep/future house direction.  The muted synth runs add a lot of interest in this one for me, and gives this a unique feel to anything I've been hearing lately.  CRNKN alludes to an official release "coming soon" in the track description on Soundcloud, so stay tuned for that.  For now though, stream it below and enjoy.

- KJ

Deep Vibe Vol 5. Mixed By Gavin Crawford

So there are any number of reasons for me posting this mix, any and all of which are true and have contributed to this post.  First, it's a hell of a great deep house mix, by my good friend Gavin Crawford.  Second, this has a nice focus on local artists, which I love to feature - Gavin is from right here in Regina, and the guest mix comes from Shael, from the province over, in Winnipeg. Third, Gavin's mix opens with a track from a label that we are now proudly affiliated with, Deepwit Recordings. Fourth, I think this is a perfect mix to get through a Thursday.  And lastly, it gives a nice little bridge into reminding you that this Sunday on Underground Sound Canada's Mixlr, Fresh Drops Vol. 2 will be aired, along with a guest mix from NuKraft.

With all that said, check out the mix below - tune in, turn up and vibe out.

- KJ