Each week we’ll be partnering with The QR Network to compile a short weekly recap of notable tracks that we didn’t have time to cover during the previous week. We hope you enjoy our selection and if you have any tracks you’d like to see here, please feel free to use our contact form or post your suggestions in the comments.
Da Tweekaz – Jägermeister
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It’s been so long since a song has truly surprised me. The first drop of the track leads with a typical hardstyle acapella followed by the hard bounce approach to hardstyle. It’s when the yodel vocal sample comes in where things start getting crazy. It’s actually pretty hysterical and I genuinely started laughing the first time I heard it. The vocals and yodeling in the vocals just sound like something straight out of a olde dance fair and the hardstyle melody that follows fits perfectly with the joyously comical tone of the whole track. Da Tweekaz has a history of taking unique tracks to remix and put a hardstyle spin but “Jägermeister” certainly stands out as one of their most interesting original works. Its originality is sure to throw any crowd for a loop and create a wonderfully positive atmosphere as everyone comes together to enjoy the absolutely wild story of Jägermeister.
92/100
Husman – Mad King
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The final chapter of Husman’s four-part album, “Rise of the Mad King,” has just been released which includes another wonderful trio of tracks. The one we’ll be focusing on is “Mad King” which is the namesake for the entire series, although you definitely owe it to yourself to check out his hardstyle track, “Future Empire” which we feel is a natural progression for the artist however there’s much to be desired in the way he approached the hardstyle kick. Back to “Mad King,” the intro starts off in typical Husman fashion with his signature percussion set and pitch-blended synths before getting into the break led by a quite clap, atmospheric vocals, and a filtered synth. The main melody kicks in after a beat of silence and is full of powerful, euphoric emotion. This track is filled with climactic elements without going too over the top and overusing elements. Whereas Husman has previously been on the more progressive house side of the big room spectrum, this one ventures over to more festival banger territory with its rhythmic elements and patterns. “Mad King” showcases and highlights some of the best tricks and signature sounds from Husman’s discography and ends this saga on a fantastically high note.
89/100
Maddix – Keep it Jackin’
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The things Maddix can do with just one note is impressive in its own right. His style is definitely generic, but releases like “Keep it Jackin’”, “Lose Control,” and “Zodiac” are just so well-produced that it’s hard not to enjoy them at least on some level. This latest revealed on Revealed follows the same pattern as the others with a one-note drop and breakdown which is engaging. Surprisingly, the second drop is significantly different that the first which is very commendable. While this track doesn’t stand out on its own, it will certainly add or maintain energy in any DJ’s set.
74/100
Willy William – La la la
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The original producer behind “Mi Gente” is back again, but this time conquering bass house instead of rap or moombahton. Catchy as ever with a sort of Damien N-Drix vibe to it, Willy William brings an awfully fun and playful vocal which leads into an equally addictive flute melody which dominates the majority of the track. Not to overuse the melody, there is a vocal break after the first drop which plays over bouncy instrumentals before bringing the flute back for the second drop. This track is short, generic in its production in style, but with enough originality and star power for this to be on your radar.
83/100
Crisis Era & Seth Hills – Basslevel
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When I saw these two names coming together to make a track together, I was prepared for something truly massive. Starting with the break, you can hear hints of Crisis Era’s signature bass swipes before the main melody creeps in and the drop hits. Seth Hills clearly put most of their sound into this chromatic bass house track which is certainly solid, however I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed simply because I had set my expectations too high. As a Barong release, this is an above average track. As a collaboration, it’s a bit of a letdown no matter how much energy they tried to put into the second drop. Had Seth Hills started their project as bass house and not with the wonderfully iconic “Raise Your Hands,” I think that their releases would be much better received simply because we wouldn’t have that masterpiece in the back of our mind every time we see their name.
78/100
Jonth – Delirium
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Jonth has become one of the few future house producers whose tracks could fit into a big room set following in the footsteps of Brooks and Rudelies while maintaining an original sound and style. “Delirium” starts off with a short intro leading straight into another incredibly catchy, frenetic drop with dynamic bass and perfect swing. The break has anthem-ready, foot-stomping percussion with an interesting organ providing the chords in the background. Things continue to ramp up with yet another melody filled with ornamentation and thoughtful accompaniment with a typical big room chording lead. The second drop is nearly identical to the first but it’s still as fun as ever. Overall, another extremely exciting release from Jonth which really exemplifies his strengths as an up-and-coming producer.
86/100
Danny Ores & SNI – Funky Bass
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At first listen, you might miss all of the interesting stuff happening underneath the energetic synths during the drop. This truly funky bass work is what makes it stand apart from other big room releases. The break goes full moombahton and tribal style going so far as to adjust the tempo, but it doesn’t stand out nearly as much as the drop which is reminiscent of mega hits like Kura’s “Calcutta.” Certainly not timeless big room material, those who enjoy the genre will certainly get a few months’ worth of happiness with this song on their playlist. To learn more about Danny Ores and SNI, check out an exclusive interview with them which covers some of their views on the industry and how this collaboration came around.
81/100
Havoc & Lawn, Sunday Noise & Deep Contrast – La Mar
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When it comes to groove and house tracks, it’s sort of a hit or miss situation as so much relies on whether or not you like the primary loop or not. When it comes to “La Mar,” the combination of unique drum choices and catchy vocal make this collaboration work for me. The hints of woodwind instrumentation in the build ups are a nice touch as well. My one issue with this track is that the vocal sample chosen by the trio is very sharp and begins to overstay its welcome by the third drop. I will not deny, however, that the vocal has been stuck in my head ever since hearing the song. For a house or beach party setting, I think this track would fit perfectly in any set. If you’d like to learn more about the making of this track and more about the artists, check out The QR Network’s interview with all three here.
84/100
JustLuke – Sippin
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Playbox is back with another great club tune. This one has plenty of dark vibes which can be attributed to an excellent use of reverb and delay. The vocal sample is monotonous but with a raised, half-step note which adds tension. The bass is deep and punchy with some accompanying side swipes to keep your feet moving. The second drop distorts the main vocal sample which only continues to increase the darkness coming off from this track. It’s simple, it’s effective, but ultimately, it’s just another bass house tune with nothing to quite separate it from the rest.
76/100
We hope you enjoyed our recap of selected songs from last week. If there is a song that you felt should have been on here, be sure to leave it in the comments below and we’ll do our best to give our take on it. Certain songs were not included because they will be covered in more detail in the following days so make sure you’re following our social media pages to see all of our latest posts!
In case you missed it, here are the songs and stories we covered last week!
Kryder feat. Steve Angello – Romani
Deorro x MAKJ x Quintino – Knockout
Excision & Illenium feat. Shallows – Gold (Stupid Love)
Dzeko vs. Riggi & Piros – Anthem
MIDIcal feat. Spencer Tucker – Fall Day
This recap was provided in part by The QR Network which is a blog for interviews with producers and DJs such as Danny Ores, SNI, Drop Department, Halogen, Gustaf Bjornberg, and Roy Orion to name a few.
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