THE BEST MUSIC: NEW & OLD
Dear HMEr, I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting you recently. Anyway, I’m back now. I hope this will help you to forgive me.
Because this album has a really solid set of big ol’ tracks. A little basic? Sure. But hey, basic can be a lot of fun sometimes.
You will sing along to Not Giving In.
Emeli Sandé will tell you that you’re okay just the way you are.
You will Feel the Love. Ella Eyre is sure to get in on the act too.
Not bad Rudimental, not bad at all. Have a great weekend.
Something a bit different for you this Sunday. A couple of tracks by Chelou.
First up, Halfway to Nowhere is produced by Maya Jane Coles and set to the weird and wonderful magical world of animator Andy Baker.
And to follow, a bit less garden, a bit more intergalactic, another cracker.
You can catch Adam (Chelou) finishing up his European tour in his Camden hometown at the Jazz Cafe in a couple of weeks. Snap ’em up.
Bonus track: Ross From Friends in on the remix action, taking it down a notch
Doin Ya Thing is something a little bit special. Oliver $ sampling Detroit-house royalty Moodymann from a live set he did in Manchester back in 2010.
Moodymann just sounds like the boss. You can find the full mix here – it’s worth it. And my favourite Moodymann here and here.
Bonus track: if you know me, you know I’m big into this one. It’s just got one of those basslines that you just got to step to. All-time top weekend gold.
I just love what these guys do. The music is beautiful, the party is mad. Make sure you don’t miss out next time they roll around. I’ll leave the description to them since I’m still in an afterglow.
“With exclusive remixes and edits crafted for the dance floor, this DJ set and AV show is not a tribute act, but a rave that re-frames the music of Fleetwood Mac. Twirling through disco, techno and house, DJs Roxanne Roll and Smooth Sailing have taken this dance party from Berlin to Burning Man and shared their passion with like-minded hedonists around the world.”
It’s my birthday week and I’m having a couple of celebrations. Friday I’m headed to the Choose Love x Dance For Refuge Easter Fundraiser in aid of Help Refugees at Mick’s Garage. Come with me and see Ben Gomori (obv) and headlining, Man Power.
Here is a remix by the Man himself. It’s a brooding house journey with some latin infused pianos and a large touch of the Nuits Sonores about it. And that can only be a good thing.
If you want to find out more about Man Power, his bio is pretty jokes, find it here. Also on the line-up: Brassica, Iona and MLE. It’s gonna be a party.
Look, what more can I say about this guy. Harrison BDP, the master of the organic-infused bassy roller, has put another EP out and it’s top.
Okay, so I will say this: imagine you are an octopus. Imagine you are going to a little underwater cave party. And because you are underwater, you don’t just hear the music, you feel the music. And because you are an octopus you have 8 limbs, and each limb is covered with sensitive little suckers, you really feel the music. Well, if you’re that octopus, the track you want to hear/feel is Missed the Boat. Proper thudding undersea tune that.
More Harrison BDP here.
Today I’m bringing you one of my all-time favourite house numbers. For some reason it is always overlooked and I just don’t get it. It’s Kele Okereke (of Bloc Party fame) trying his hand at a bit of house on Crosstown Rebels and getting it just right. Yeah it’s not complicated, it’s not a masterpiece, but boy is it groovy. It packs a delightfully deep rolling punch – one you have to hear loud to really get. Props Kele.
Photo credit: Rachel Wright
This is a pocket-sized beaut from Red Bull Studios in 2014. Riton (then new on the scene) presenting a bouncy house number. Two stars of the show here: Meleka and her vibey vocals and that cheeky little Italo squelch on the bassline. It’s a jump-up feel-good kinda track. Don’t overthink it – just enjoy.
I posted some more Riton a couple of weeks ago – check it out here.
Been busy all week earning that cash to get by? I know how it is. Relax, unwind, and chuck this funky beauty on the player. Perfectly paired with some sunshine on a Friday afternoon and a crisp drink.
Highlight is the second track Je Vulesse – no idea what it means, but I like it.
Sports and music have a long and mixed relationship. For every iconic theme tune (Grandstand, MOTD, Champions League) and huge tournament track (hey there Waka Waka, Three Lions, World in Motion) you get an utter lemon (looking at you Ant & Dec). But with sports properties constantly seeking to attract new and younger audiences, reaching them through music is always going to be an attractive option.
Which brings me to this – F1, meet the Chemical Brothers
Will core F1 fans like it? For the most part, probably no. Will fans of the Chemical Brothers like it? They’ve done a pretty good job of weaving F1 content into an authentically Chemical Brothers feel – so yeah. But these two questions kind of miss the point. Through this collaboration, F1 will get their IP in front of a few million young(ish), potential new fans, and create a positive association. That type of positive brand equity is exactly what they’re trying to build, and where the impact will be most felt. Which is great (as long as you don’t pay too much attention to the ‘World’s Fastest Remix‘…)
Bonus track: so I’m big into the Chemical Brothers and I’m pretty psyched about the new album No Geography which drops April 12th . Until then, here’s a previous post and a tasty remix by Riton.
HARRY'S MUSICAL EMPORIUM 