It’s 2019 and boy did it have a lackluster start for the most part. As always, we’ll be partnering with The QR Network to compile a short 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 Keffe – No More
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“No More” is part of a three-track EP on Gold Digger by Da Keffe. While the other two tracks are interesting in their own right, the clean but chaotic drops in this track sound out above the rest. Unfortunately, the track starts off with the build to the first drop, but the structure would be manageable in a house mix. The drop is the highlight of the track as I mentioned earlier as it blasts you with 1/16th notes with this perfectly distorted sine lead paired with interesting one shots and fills that keeps the party going for the full thirty second. The breakdown features some sampled vocals and simple hummed melodies that you can just close your eyes, sway side to side, and get lost in. The second drop rolls around and features just enough variation to warrant a full listen-through. Even the intros and outros have interesting qualities to them which is certainly a rarity and is much appreciated.
87/100
Melo.Kids & DNF – Believer
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The growing trend continues. Starting with Siks, then Steff da Campo, and R3HAB with his remix, this sound has really made the gamut. This variation has a bit of groove and funk injected into it. The arrangement is bare minimum going straight into the buildup to the first drop and a 24-measure breakdown to the second drop which doesn’t add much more to the first. It’s just interesting to see this sound making its way through the labels, this one being on Fedde le Grand’s imprint. The issue I take with it is that it’s such a distinctive sound, one just must wonder how it’s made its way to so many artists.
70/100
Notalike vs. Alex & Mark – Turnin’
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Fonk has just released its New Year’s EP with a lot of new artists. However, “Turnin’” struck my attention due to the same sound as Dannic & Huntersynth’s “Higher” and Dannic & Thomas Newson’s “No More.” The breakdown stands out as something above average, however the similarities to the label head is just too much to ignore. The minimalistic structure is also a pitfall to the track as it just scrapes by on the basics of the requirements to be called “a song.”
60/100
Hasse de Moor & Curbi – ADHD
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Back for their third collaboration, Hasse de Moor and Curbi, “ADHD” brings both artists back into their comfort zone with an exceptional bass house track. While their last track took their sounds into the higher tempo range to explore, “ADHD” feels extremely solid as both artists are working within the confines of the familiar house structure. Driven by sirens and an unrelenting vocal repeating “ADHD” in a variation of ways, this track could power raves throughout the globe. However, if you’re not in the right zone, the song could come off as irritating with its offensive sounds. As is the struggle with any high intensity music.
83/100
Sunstars – Madrave
“Madrave” is the first release from Sunstars’ new label, Sunstars Official. The reason I wanted to cover this track is to talk about the phenomenon of collaborations resulting in artists taking that collaborative sound into their own releases. While this sound definitely started with Sunstars in “One Time” and was an evolution of his quirky electro groove sound before that, we now see Breathe Carolina taking this sound into tracks as recent as his remix of Sam Feldt’s “Just To Feel Alive.” It seems that their relationship started when Sunstars did a remix of “Heart of the City” for Breathe Carolina and collaborated on three tracks after that. I wish I knew more about the extent of their relationship but it’s just something interesting to keep an eye on as it’s important for me as a listener to know who I’m listening to. Back to the track, “Madrave” is just an ordinary start to the new label and doesn’t bring much new to the table. We’ll definitely looking forward to seeing which other artists they bring on board in the future.
72/100
Barren Gates & Serion – Deep Within
While the intro is a bit much to sit through if you don’t have the patience for, when the vocals kick in, as does the rest of the track. It’s atmospheric, dark, and mysterious. I was roped in from start to finish as it listens almost like a movie. “Deep Within” is one of those special tracks where you can really hear and feel the amount of effort and care the artists poured into the piece. They made their own tracks and went at their own pace, and the result was a welcome reprieve from the more structured side of EDM.
84/100
Promise Land – I N33D
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The reason I picked this song to review as we kick off 2019 is that this is basically another rehash of Zonderling’s sound from the start of 2017. It’s weird to see Don Diablo continue to support this sound on his imprint with so little variation going so far as to make this the first release of the label this year. The song is wholly unremarkable and brings nothing new to the table. Here’s to hoping for more original releases from the label for 2019.
63/100
Bali Bandits feat KSHMR & Maddie Duckes – Lucky Chances
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This song is an interesting culmination of the softening of Bali Bandit’s sound and KSHMR’s occasional venture outside of festival-ready tunes. However, in the presumable quest to reach a more mainstream audience, it seems that both these producer’s sound has gotten so subtle to the point of being indistinctive. Of course, there are parallels to some of both producer’s older works like Bali Bandit’s “All on You” (which has a drop which at least features their signature pitch-blended autotune effect on the vocals) and KSHMR’s “Harder” that was hardly distinctive to begin with. What we’re left with is purely a vessel for Maddie Duckes’ original vocals which are a far cry from being as iconic or memorable as “Wildcard” or “House of Cards.” The song is fine, plain and simple. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it but there is a definite sense that this collaboration would have been much better had Bali Bandits and KSHMR included more of their signature sounds into the mix.
80/100
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!
Hardwell feat. JGUAR – Being Alive
Steve Aoki feat. BTS – Waste It On Me (W&W Remix)
Allax’s Observatory 2018 Awards
WHAT IF? – Blasterjaxx & Tujamo ft. Lil Jon – One More Shot
Winning Team feat. Mad Ice – Outta Control
We have Reviewed the new EDM Album from the Twitch Streamer Ninja!
Wasback & Maeva Carter – Fatal (ft. Drew Ryn)
This recap was provided by The QR Network which is a site for interviews with producers and DJs such as Ibranovski, Seth Hills, SWACQ, SaberZ, Steven Vegas, Micah Martin, and Tom Wilson.
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