Autograf jumps into the tropical house vibe with their remix of Lorde’s Team. While it doesn’t quite capture that genre defying creativity of the Stevie Wonder Superstition remix, the production remains top notch.
Thrupence comes through with a mixture of Bonobo and Tycho that befits the first real week of fall in Portland.
Beacon delivers a phenomenal vocal track over the remix of Tycho’s See.
Seattle-based Odesza released their second LP on Friday, evolving their percussion-driven, downtempo sound with a roster of guest vocalists and a smattering of world music influences. Very relieving to see a group that created their own style not only adhere to and evolve it, but also fly in the face of other current electronic trends. Not only that, but you can see their efforts from the 2013 EP My Friends Never Die and 2012’s Summer’s Gone (both available for free download here) helping influence some of bass music’s more tribal and organic styles of late.
Special recognition to the track All We Need featuring Portland native Shy Girls, an incredible collaboration that highlights the best of both groups.
Goldroom has been at the forefront of the Nu Disco and Indie Dance scene since first exploding onto the blog scene with the bongo-laden Morgan’s Bay in 2011. In addition to touting one of the most ear-wormy guitar hooks you’ll hear, it earned LA producer Josh Legg a spot on the blog charts with each subsequent release.
On Monday he put out his latest release, Till Sunrise, which seemed as good a time as ever to put assemble a playlist of some of his best originals and remixes. Expect a lot of warm, padded synths, disco-inspired basslines, liberal marimba usage and unspeakably catchy choruses.
And yes, upon seeing that Goldroom image you may have an idea of where the inspiration for the Esthetick header came from.
Little bit of Miami Horror, part Niles Rodgers style guitar riff, a dash of Len’s Steal my Sunshine, some LA nu disco and a whole lot of summer vibes: The Knocks’ latest single Classic featuring Powers instantly garnered a spot on many a feel-good summer jam mix.
Not only that, but they wrote a very heartfelt letter announcing that this tune is the pinnacle of what they’ve been striving for for years. And it’s hard to disagree.
While the average end of the week playlist here focuses on sounds you would seek out from the hours of 9pm to 3am, this one should be able to carry you through everything in between. It’s a smattering of things with the common theme of an absurdly catchy chorus: a breezy Kygo remix with one of the best vocal-chopping hooks you’ll hear, a funky pop tune seemingly from another era brought to you by UK lady group JUCE, a couple of heartbreakers from the HAIM-esque Shura, finished off with Banks’ newest jam. This is tested-and-true park-lounging music.
Bonus tropical chill remix of Swedish House Mafia’s ONE. What!
The virtually un-googleable K Stewart popped up on the feed yesterday thanks to her recent collaboration with the young, immensely talented UK dance producer Karma Kid. Their combined efforts yield the song Speechless: a 90s RnB inspired, Banks-esque, future-soul wonder. Below that is her first collaboration with Karma Kid, Tell Me ‘Bout That, which is one of the most swanky, inspired productions that’s been released this year.
Her appearance on TCTS’s deep house tune Games is not to be overlooked, either: K Stewart’s vocals are quite a force to be included on any song.
Back in 2010, LA band HEALTH was having a moment. Their release of the raw-synth laden USA Boys fit right in with the likes of Crystal Castles and has managed to stand the test of time, being both an on-trend tune at its release and an equally compelling listen four years later. Around the same time they released a remix album, with equally great results. One standout was the remix of Nice Girls by Little Loud, who eventually became Tourist, which has one of the most overwhelmingly euphoric second-acts you’ll ever here.
HEALTH – USA Boys
HEALTH – Heat (Javelin Remix)
If yesterday’s fuzzed out sounds from Jungle didn’t quite satiate your need for sitting-around-in-the-sun music, then go ahead and try on this hour of slow-jam disco. Grab your favorite wine cooler and portable speakers and go get your sunburn on.
A couple of notes: 1. The first two songs are from my personal favorite mixtape of all time, Goldroom’s Sole Fixtape 7 and in tandem they were made for vacations. 2. A well-done edit of The Bee Gees can never go wrong and 3. The nine-minute re-imagination of Toto’s Africa to cap off this playlist is deserving of its self-described epicness.
Esthetick 