All in your eyes

Good luck getting this one out of your head. It's one of those classic-rooted house tunes that you won't be able to shake off easily. PLAY/STOP has burst into the Italian electronic scene using sidechain compressions to produce a dynamic range of sounds that make them hard to be left unnoticed.




From Disco Droppings // Artist: PLAY/STOP, Song: All in your eyes by DJ Phantom

Watch out for those neon snakes

Fontan can be summed up into one word: magical. This Swedish duo stirs up a strange brew of rhythm-based psychedelia. One unique thing about these guys is their choice of recording studios which happens to be a bakery shed. They first caught my ear with Land Of The Dragon, a laid back groove which starts with an enchanting echo that builds up into a cosmic disco of trippy basslines that blasts you deep into a place I like to call inner space. I was already blown away by these guys and then stumbled across Neon Snakes which sends you on an a zippy rollecoaster ride of sliding guitar riffs and driving drums. Definitely my favorite flavor of the week.

Hang Ten

It's a Toubab Krewe kind of morning. I woke up on the right side of the bed with a cup of coffee and the sick sounds of the Soko. What a perfect combination. If your ears never experienced the plucking of this African fiddle you're in for a real treat and so are your eyes because watching Drew Heller play it may actually be the best part. His fingers slide furiously producing hyena like barks at one point which seems only apropriate with the tribal beats bumpin'. These guys are seriously talented producing a blend of West African rythms and rock. One of their most notable performances was at Mali's Festival au Desert which is a 3 day discovery of art and music deep in the dunes where everyone gets down barefoot in the sand.

That groove

I've always been a Perpetual Groove fan but never had the chance to see them live until this weekend. I'll some up the show in one word: MIND-BLOWING! Their set list was incredible mixing up their classics with epic covers of some of my favorite songs! Being a Talking Heads fan it's kind of hard to accept any cover of their songs as being even remotely close to as good as the original. In a crazy mixed up music world of synthesizers and voice overs it's kind of hard to tell raw talent from studio editing so I solely judge artists by their ability to perform live. Most fall exceedingly short of my expectations but I was pleasantly surprised when I heard Perpetual groove just killin' it! Their version of This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) had the whole crowd singing along and going insane! The song didn't lose any of its original splendor but instead just did what jam bands do best and just grooved on for an extra couple of minutes. Another party starter was their version of M.I.A.'s Airplanes that made the crowd go buckwild! They finished the show with a cover of the Beatles classic Helter Skelter. What a great way to end the night!

Hairy Candy

Don't be fooled by the name! This tune is a delightful pleasure to the senses.

Let me hear your best growl

I've always said that if I was born an animal I would have been none other than the solo predator Jaguar. I could definitely see myself straight chillin' tail wagging perched in a mossy tree somewhere deep in the rainforest. That being said, Wildcat by Ratatat has easily became my theme song. Ratatat never fails to deliver the funk but adding a big cat growl to the mix of things has me jungle jammin' on a whole new level. So go on, embrace your inner big cat and give Ratatat a listen.

Bonus Track

If you like what you hear and want to take things to the next level I suggest the following:

I let the music take over my soul, body and mind, kick back relax one time

STS9 was one of the first electronic bands I was ever introduced to. My cousin burnt me their CD Live at home and by first listen I was hooked. It was that moment that I realized songs didn't need lyrics to tell a story. The music can take you on a journey itself through synthesized soundscapes and tantalizing bass lines. If your looking for some prettyyy weird new jams check out their new CD Peaceblaster and let it blow your mind and melt your ears off.

Let em know it's time to GO!

Pretty lights have been my musical crack lately. This is one of my favorite go to jams that I know will successfully satisfy my craving. Here's a live version from red rocks that isn't too far off from the studio version. The crowd is bouncin' and what a huge honor to play at such an epic venue as Red Rocks! My favorite part is the people up front dancing to the beat of their own drum zoning out to Pretty Lights land. They have such a unique sound and definitely know how to get the bodies moving.

Heaven is nowhere, just look to the stars.

Moonlight bike ride jammin' to this made me feel like I was in a video game waiting to see what kind of adventure I'll get into next. Rounding turns and discovering unmarked trails racing through the wilderness wondering what I'll discover with every turn. The dark shadows of the forest would usually be a bit eerie but as long as I have Hot Chip bumpin' through my earbuds I know nothing can go wrong.

It's gotta be tha headphones

If you ever want to get the full aesthetic value out of a song, listen to it through these bad boys. They're my favorite accesory when I'm groovin' around campus on the beachcruiser hair blowin' in the wind. Life just sounds better through noise cancelling headphones.