Spotlight Saturdays. #10

It’s Saturday night, I’m broke, I’m tired, and I reek of work. All I want to do is relax, have a beer, and listen to some tunes in my apartment until I fall into a beautiful state of sleep. Unfortunately, but also very fortunately, one of my good friends and guaranteed future super star had yet another amazing show last night followed by multiple offers and new major contacts. Therefore, she is looking to celebrate all night. I guess it’s time to suck it up, suit up, and throw back another caffeine laden beverage to make it through the night of abuse. If you haven’t guessed already, some tuneage is in order to change this mood.

What I’m about to give to you lovely folk is a two hour long mix that every EDM fan should have in their library. Artem Stolyarov, better known as Arty, is a young Russian up and comer in the more melodic electronic music scene. Although he may be relatively unheard of here in North American, he’s been getting some major exposure and support overseas. I’m sure that you can recognize a ton of his original or remixed tracks if you keep up with major electronic artists’ podcasts or set lists. The mix below is one of the most impressive sets I’ve heard in a long time. Tons of variation, seamless transitions and amazing track choices. If you’re a die hard Trance or Progressive fan, you’re in for a treat. If you like what you hear, support Arty by snagging any or all of his many bangers on Beatport or going to one of his shows if he comes to your hometown.

Класс,

Grant.

Arty – BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix [Mediafire]

Tracklist.

1. Paul van Dyk ft. Sue McLaren – We Come Together (Arty Remix)
2. Matisse and Sadko, Arty – Trio (Original Mix)
3. M-3ox ft. Heidrun – Beatin’ Of My Heart (Matisse and Sadko Remix)
4. Dirty South and Those Usual Suspects ft. Erik Hecht – Walking Alone (Arty Remix)
5. Ivan Gough and Feenixpawl ft. Georgi Kay – In My Mind (Axwell Remix)
6. Mat Zo and Arty – MozArt (Original Mix)
7. Arty ft. Tanya Zygar- The Wall (Arty Remode mix)
8. Chris Lake – Sundown (Original Mix)
9. Evol Wavwes – Funkytown (Original Mix)
10. Mat Zo – It Yours (Original Mix)
11. Dirty South and Thomas Gold ft. Kate Elsworth – Eyes Wide Open (Original Mix)
12. Massive Attack – Teardrop (Bart Claessen And Tom Fall Bootleg)
13. Daft Punk Vs Kyau and Albert Vs Mat Zo – Be There One More Time (Mat Zo MashUp)
14. Michael Woods Vs Morgan Page Feat Lissie – The Last Day Of The Longest Road (Maor Levi Mash Up)
15. Knife Party – Tourniquet (Original Mix)
16. Dub Vision – All By Myself (Original Mix)
17. Kyau and Albert – Are You Fine (Arty Remix)
18. Arty and Mat Zo Vs Sebastian Ingrosso and Alesso – Rebound Calling (Arty Mashup)
19. Above and Beyond Vs Arty Vs D-Mad – She Gave The Sun And Moon (Arty Mashup)
20. Daft Punk Vs Adam K and Duro the Third – Harder Faster Stronger b***h (Porter Robinson MashUp)
21. Arty – Around The World (Original Mix)
22. M83 – Midnight City (Eric Prydz Remix)
23. Arty – Kate (Original Mix)
24. Coven – Wake You Up (Original Mix)
25. Ferry Corsten – Punk (Arty Rock-N-Rolla mix)
26. Pendulum Vs Arty Vs Moombean – Island Is The killer (Arty Mashup)
27. OceanLab Vs Eric Prydz – Breaking 2nite (Maor Levi Mashup)
28. OceanLab Vs Mat Zo Vs Arty – Satellite Dynamics (Mat Zo MashUp)
29. Armin Van Burren – In And Out Of Love (Original Mix)

Five Four Fridays. #16

I swear I’m going through poutine and smoked meat withdrawal. I just spent the weekend and part of this week in Montreal for the first time, and it was probably one of the most ridiculous periods of time in my life. My once fluent French having turned into some sort of Spanish/French hybrid didn’t help make things all that much easier either. Just the first night alone was enough to be the basis for the next ‘Hangover’ movie. The fact that we literally stumbled across a Zeds Dead show in an art gallery was the cherry on top.

Without further adieu, here are the bangers that have been on high rotation this week. First up is a track that may take a proper listen or two to really appreciate. I could see it being a wicked track for someone to drop live at a high energy venue. Next up is a new track off the new record from the Mau5trap signed German talent known as Moguai. Super heavy on the vocals, utilizing real drums, and on its way to being classified as pop, it’s a sweet track to jam to. After that is a classic from two crazy Italians that should require no introduction. If you were watching the Grammys, you would have caught a live rendition of the next track. Pretty cool to see on National television regardless if you love or hate the sudden North American rise in popularity of EDM. Last up is the new remix from Pendulum’s side project. The intro and breakdowns are unlike any other track they’ve done before, but once the drop comes in and kicks you in the face, you remember who you were listening to in the first place.

J’aime la musique électronique,

Grant.

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Tracklist.

Bad Rabbits – Booties (Big Chocolate Remix)

Moguai – Invisible ft. Polina

The Bloody Beetroots – Dimmakmmunication

Foo Fighters – Rope (Deadmau5 Remix)

Labrinth – Last Time (Knife Party Remix)

Get the mixtape – five four fridays. #16 [Mediafire]

Allow me to introduce you to the next big thing. [Logan Grimé & Skyler Kilborn/Midi Matilda]

I’ve been keeping this wicked Californian duo under wraps for a little while now. I first came across them while procrastinating late one night on Vimeo and I stumbled upon Logan’s personal channel. There were tons of amazing videos of intimate recording sessions with other artists, but when I started watching a live rooftop session with a duo called Midi Matilda, I was in absolute awe. I searched for more music from this virtually unknown group and came across four more amazing tracks. I could barely contain my excitement and felt the dire need to get in contact with them. I hadn’t been this ecstatic about a new group since I first heard Foster The People last winter, and we all know how quickly they rose to fame. I can whole heartedly state that I would be utterly shocked if these two don’t follow suit in their success.

The infectiously catchy and incredibly versatile duo is made up of Skyler Kilborn and Logan Grimé from the Bay Area of San Francisco, unfortunately far from here. Their music is definitely a hard one to pin down to just one genre. Instruments used in their tracks vary from the traditional such as pianos, drums, guitars and bass to more synthetic instruments like dreamy synthesizers and subtle electro grooves. Hell, they even have a trumpet tastefully present on Day Dreams. To think that all of this noise only comes from only two individuals is farfetched, but completely true. These two are the poster band for the new era of musicality, combining the virtual and physical sounds of music in seamless harmony. Both Logan and Skyler were kind enough to answer a few short questions I had about them and their music over the past month.

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SSOM: So tell me, what’s the story on Midi Matilda?

Logan: In short, we both met while attending a sound arts college based in the Bay Area back in 2008. We have been writing music together and exploring a bunch of genres since then. Only recently have we decided to put ourselves out into the world.

SSOM: I’ve got this gut feeling you two are going to have an amazing year. Just judging from the quality of your work and the buzz you’ve been making lately on the blogosphere from only four tracks and an acoustic alternate. What’s in store for Midi Matilda for the last year the world will supposedly ever see?

Logan: (laughs) I appreciate your optimism and thank you for the positivity. We plan to keep pushing tracks and videos out to the web, crafting our live show, and spreading our art!

Skyler: Considering that we only have a little less than a year to accomplish our goals, cloning ourselves for maximum efficiency has been discussed.

SSOM: Have you had any shows yet, or plans to bewilder the public soon?

Logan: We have our first show booked in San Francisco on March 27th at Cafe Du Nord. Beyond that, we have a ton of stuff in the works this year. We are really excited to give everyone at our shows a memorable time.

SSOM: And on a recording/performing note, how does that work out? There’s clearly more sound than two individuals could make with two instruments sans layering or some serious multitasking.

Logan: What are you talking about? I play the bass, keys and drums all at once! 😉 We are working out our live set right now and have four other musicians playing with us. Everyone plays multiple instruments and we plan to utilize everyone’s talent!

SSOM: Can we expect another EP or debut full length album in the near future? I know I’m not the only one looking forwards to more.

Logan: Our debut EP is coming soon (now available). We can’t wait to show everybody the latest stuff we have been working on!

SSOM: So, as far as songwriting goes, how do you two come up with your music?

Logan: It completely varies from song to song. There is a lot of back and fourth with us both editing each other’s work and then a lot of “Hey you should do THIS!!” to one another. It’s super collaborative. We are each other’s editors. Personally, Garageband for iPad is my go to for writing these days. That program BLOWS MY MIND!

Skyler: Sometimes it happens all at once, like an idea that only takes a moment to conceptualize. Sometimes the process takes more time but I find that if a song is worth it it feels right from the beginning.  Either way, Logan and I are always collaborative and open minded to each other’s ideas.

SSOM: Where do you guys find your inspiration for music?

Logan: I could give you a whole laundry list but I will give you this example instead. When I go to a big concert, I spend a lot of my time wanting SO BAD to be up on the stage playing. Especially a band that looks like they are having fun. I say to myself, “Alright then, I am doing THAT!!”

Skyler: I agree with Logan. Live performances and concerts have captivated me since childhood. When I see an amazing show it can put me in a great place for days to follow. I suppose the opposite is also true.  Also, anything can be inspiration. Of course a fresh new sound or song can be very inspiring, but I mostly write music once I have a certain atmosphere in mind.

SSOM: Any particular artists that have influenced your sound?

Logan: For me it’s everything from Ratatat to Fleetwood Mac. There are so many artists that find their way into my song writing and I love that. I get to pick and choose inspirations as well as discover what naturally flows out of me when I am writing…which can trip me out sometimes!

Skyler: Cliche I know, but I do listen to pretty much any type of music that speaks to me. It’s hard to narrow it down to a handful of artists. I tend to reach back to older musical movements to find elements that can freshen and energize our sound, and I listen to the most current music I can find to be a part of what’s going on now.  I enjoy well-crafted sounds and songs that are liberated yet tasteful.

SSOM: Skyler, what do you do when you’re not making music?

Skyler: Professionally I’m a live sound engineer. I work with bands at shows all over the bay area to maximize the listening experience for both the band and the crowd. When I’m not doing that or making music I like to hang out and read at coffee shops in my area, go to the city and visit friends, and see shows. I enjoy movies, NPR, and surfing youtube for novelty.

SSOM: Hailing from San Fran, please tell me you two are coffee geeks.

Skyler: I’ve learned to enjoy the taste of coffee over time, mostly out of necessity. I really didn’t have much time to sleep in college. I’m a double skim latte kind of guy.

Logan: I can only speak for myself in that straight coffee make me feel as though my heart is going to pop out of my chest. I take things easy and enjoy my tea.

SSOM: Logan, tell me about your filmography career. You’ve definitely got mad skills with a camera, so if Midi Matilda gets the recognition it deserves, will you choose to put music first?

Logan: Thanks again for the kind words. I have been shooting freelance for the past few years. Music and video have always been a symbiotic creative outlet for me and I plan to keep it that way! Midi Matilda is a way for me to utilize both passions for one experience. I love it.

SSOM: So how did you pull off the video effects in ‘Day Dreams?’ You’ve been getting some serious exposure for it, even Acer took notice I believe. 

Logan: Yeah it’s pretty amazing that we have been able to reach so many people with the video. FIRST we spent two years developing the dance routine in the video. (laughs) Just kidding. 🙂 The video was first shot on a green screen, and then the green was replaced with a black background. After that, every other frame of the video was projected on a surface around the Bay Area and a picture was taken of it. Its like watching an animator draw every frame of a classic Disney movie BUT instead of drawing, we are just using a projector as the pen/skills/illustrator and something like a dumpster as the pad of paper! 🙂

SSOM: So I’ve gotta know, why did you two choose the name Midi Matilda aside from the fact that it sounds wicked?

Logan: The name is actually based off of my great great grandmother’s name, Mini Matilda de calca jour who owned one of the first Gold Mines in Virginia City. My dad then created a fictional character around 20 years ago and that was based off of her name. It was named Midi Mitilda who is a music making robot. The only thing that exists still is this awesome drawing that my dads friend drew for him as concept art.

SSOM: Last thing, I’m always curious to know what other artists listen to. What are your top five tracks at the moment?

Logan:

Steve Winwood – The Finer Things

Steve Winwood – Valerie

Tycho – Hours

Gotye – Someone I Used to Know

Penguin Prison – Desert Cold

Skyler:

Capital Cities – Safe And Sound

Tom Waits – Clap Hands

The National – Bloodbuzz Ohio

The Drums – Money

Francis And The Lights – Darling, It’s Alright

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Be sure to keep a very close eye on these two over the next year. They’ve already been tearing up the blogosphere and gaining some serious hype without even having played a live show, so it will be interesting to see how far their talent takes them. You can head over to their Bandcamp and snag their Debut EP for the price of your choice or, if the widget below works, you can get it right here. If you’re reading this and by chance live in the Bay Area or anywhere in SF you should not by any means miss their debut show. Imagine, you could have the right to say “I was front and center for their first show ever” when the world starts to take notice of the incredible music created by just a humble filmographer and an engineer.

You know you want to be a music hipster,

Grant.

Midi Matilda – Red Light District (Live Acoustic Version) [ListenOnly]

Twitter.

Facebook.

Bandcamp.

Debut Show Tickets.

Spotlight Saturdays. #9

It’s been a little while since I’ve highlighted and focused on just one particular electronic artist. About four days ago, when I logged onto SoundCloud in the morning, Jon Gooch’s new album was patiently waiting for me. If you weren’t following this blog when I first posted about Jon, you can read about it here. Essentially, he used to perform Drum & Bass under another alias, but a little green sinister character has taken it’s place as the image of his most recent project. The reason I have so much respect for him as a producer, is that he constantly sets out to create music in more than one genre or repetitive style. This new collection is no exception whatsoever. Even though it was barely even noon, I got comfortable, plugged in my headphones, and surrounded myself in a sea of insane sound.

The album starts out with Trapdoor, a track that will kick you wide awake if you’re not paying attention. For this song, Jon brought on another British act from the Punk/Grunge scene. He carries this trend throughout the rest of the track, using real drum sounds as opposed to synthesized beats and even throwing in a bass slap every so often. The pace of the song and rock vibe give us a taste of what to expect in the tracks to follow: A whole new style with typical Feed Me flair.

Feed Me – Trapdoor ft. Hadouken [Purchase]

This next track took me completely by surprise. It’s pretty clear that Jon’s been taking some lessons in Progressive from the likes of his label mates, Deadmau5 and Moguai. For the first couple minutes, I was just waiting for an insane drop that would never come, and I couldn’t be happier with the lack thereof. Relocation is a melodic masterpiece, especially coming from someone who creates some of the most insane electro out there. The fact that he uses the melody from Blood Red in the outro is just the icing on the cake. This track solidifies the fact that Jon is incredible at diversification and can succeed in just about any genre thrown at him.

Feed Me – Relocation [Purchase]

Counter Strike fans will love this one. This track was leaked a few days early by Jon himself, and when I first heard the sample about forty seconds in, I had a flashback to a YouTube video I once saw many years ago. In all honesty, I think the track could have done without the vocal sample, but it made me smile and laugh nonetheless. I’m sure if I was in a venue filled with avid fans, sweat, and excessive amounts of energy, I’d go just as insane when hearing the sample as I would the rest of the track. Here we start to get some more of the typical Feed Me sound and energy level, making One Click Headshot an assured crowd favourite.

Feed Me – One Click Headshot [Purchase]

Following the fashion of the last track, Embers gives us a taste of the signature Feed Me wobbles, samples, and style. Although it starts out with the same Progressive vibe as Relocation, the drop brings it into a pace and feel reminiscent of Talk To Me. Lindsay’s vocals and the recurring subtle synthesized melodies manage to keep the entire track moderately toned down. Good thing too, because a breather was needed after the last track and before the two that are to ensue.

Feed Me – Embers ft. Lindsay [Purchase]

I’ll admit that Trichitllomania, although a wicked word, is my least favourite track on the album. The tongue twister is the name for a condition which causes one to twist and pull out their own hair. It wasn’t drastically bad enough to make me follow suit, I was just a little disappointed that it was rather mundane the entire way through. I think the hook in this track would have been awesome  in combination with a drop or two. Still, there are some pretty cool sounds in the almost seven minute long piece.

Feed Me – Trichitllomania [Purchase]

If you hadn’t heard this track when UKF leaked it about a week ago, grab hold of something, because you’re in for one hell of a ride. Right from the first few seconds, the two producers crank the intensity dial to high, using epic string samples in combination with spacing between short jabbing synths. When the drop comes down, it hits hard and includes some of the craziest samples I’ve heard in a while. It’s almost as if they took the sound of a failing jet engine or pod racer and digitalized it. What caught me the most off guard about this track was the reggae-like breakdown a few minutes before the end; a sound that I’ve noticed a few other artists take on to a track or two. Fans of Skrillex, or just a track to lose themselves and go nuts to will highly, highly enjoy this one.

Feed Me – Whiskers ft. Gemini [Purchase]

I’d strongly recommend any Feed Me or EDM fan to purchase this album, especially considering it’s only $3.99 on iTunes; something that Jon made sure would happen. The six original tracks truly showcase Jon’s talent to conquer any genre, and give us a taste of what we can expect from Feed Me in the future. Who knows, maybe he’ll be next in line to get a Grammy nomination.

I’m hungry all of a sudden,

Grant.

Take with plenty of Vitamin D.

I’m calling shenanigans on this whole brutal East Coast winter thing. It’s currently February, and if I look out my window I see clear blue skies and folks walking around in spring jackets zipped open. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining by any stretch of the imagination. Just slightly perplexed as to the reason why I had to spend so much effort into finding boots and thick sweaters for the winter that I was expecting: A real life rendition of The Day After Tomorrow. To compliment the sunshine, I put on my massive sunny day playlist when I was walking to class.

Mid frolic, one of my all time favourite tracks came on. If you don’t know of Matt & Kim, you’re in for such a treat. This Brooklyn couple have been making music together for about seven years now, and playing their instruments for exactly the same amount of time. That is one of the many things that makes them so great; their sound is raw, something I’m a huge fan of. Another reason I love these two is that they put on an awesome show. When I saw them a few years ago back home, they were jumping, dancing, and climbing non stop for the entirety of the show. The only time the madness momentarily ceased, was when Matt took the mic in hand and told us how much the two of them love playing music for people, to which the entire hall sat down and just listened. Don’t ever miss seeing them if you get a chance.

Seriously hope I didn’t jinx this weather,

Grant.

In case you’re wondering, their last two albums, Sidewalks and Grand,  are well worth the pocket change from start to finish.

Matt & Kim – Good Ol’ Fashion Nightmare [Purchase]

Matt & Kim – Daylight [Purchase]

Matt & Kim – Good For Great [Purchase]

Matt & Kim – Cameras [Purchase]

Bonus.

Matt & Kim – Daylight (Troublemaker Remix ft. De La Soul) [Purchase]