Tag Archives: Disko

[Indie-Dance/Disko] The Juan Maclean – A Simple Design

Posted by Matthew Bloss - August 13, 2014

The Juan Maclean
A Simple Design

Some labels just manage to carry a weight with them when uttered: in that regardless of who or what is being released people take notice. So when anything from indie-dance imprint DFA bubbles to the surface, we tend to take notice. And what better way to revisit one of our favorite labels than with one of the cornerstones which helped solidify their status as indie icon; The Juan Maclean. The long time DFA staple is ready to release another full LP on September 16, In A Dream, and have brought with them the second single from the album in the form of “A Simple Design”. A moody groover which rides the line between new-wave and darker disko, the tune once again features full time The Juan Maclean member Nancy Whang (of LCD Soundsystem acclaim) front and center. Her effortless vocal stems glide throughout John Maclean’s expansive, spacey dance vibes like never before, consummately fueling a hypnotic hip shaker of a melody. You can preorder In A Dream from iTunes, but for now we’ll be relishing in the beautiful dancefloor rumblings of “A Simple Design” to satiate our anticipation.

[Chill/Disco] Goldroom – Till Sunrise ft. Mammals

Posted by Matthew Bloss - August 11, 2014

Goldroom
Till Sunrise

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The way So-Cal dance-producer-turned-live act Goldroom approached the release of “Till Sunrise” was nothing short of inspiring. By now within most relevant electronic communities, Goldroom has become somewhat of a household name; and with every passing release, it would be quite simple to pick a handful of big name artists to author remixes and pocket a nice penny or two. But, rather than that extremely tired formula, the entire stem package was given away for free weeks ago, allowing any artist with a pirated copy of Ableton to try their hands at an official remix before anyone had even had a chance to hear it. We’ve heard great revisions already from names like MyKill and Justin Faust, which truly only stoked our proverbial fire before its concrete release today. But alas, it is Goldroom’s original tune which of course surpasses anything else done with the song. A wave of soft synth and airy pads give life to the track’s two-steppy stride of a melody before Mammals’ breathy vocal incantations take their seat as our focal point. Goldroom’s slowed down brand of dance plays as luminous as ever, immediately taking our subconscious to late night rooftop parties and beach side soirees with our best friends; which is something we’ve almost come to expect from the multi-faceted dance creator. This one is about to go viral, so be a few steps ahead and stream “Till Sunrise”, which is out now on Binary, above. Trust us, it’s the most perfect Monday tune you’ll have listened to in months.

[Interview/Deep-House] TMN Gets Burnt With SNBRN + 50 Cent – 21 Questions (SNBRN Remix)

Posted by Matthew Bloss - July 22, 2014

50 Cent
21 Questions (SNBRN Remix)

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It’s safe to say that we’ve fallen absolutely head over heels for S0-Cal sunny house maestro SNBRN over the last few months. After two TMN premieres: a remix of Morgan Page’s anthem “In The Air” and a collaborative take with KLATCH on Ace of Base’s “All That She Wants”; both of which caught on like viral wildfire, we thought it was the perfect time to sit down with the blossoming producer and ask him a few questions on behalf of Ninja Land while simultaneously dropping SNBRN’s latest remix of 50 Cent’s “21 Questions”. About the new tune, SNBRN said: “I came across 21 questions a few weeks ago and I thought to myself, I have to remix this track. I wanted to create a fusion of nu disco meets hip hop while still keeping the flow of the vocals. The result was a bouncy, funky remix. Hope you guys enjoy this summer revival and remember to stay burnt.” It’s another refreshing take on a tune we didn’t think would work in the underground, but once again SNBRN revealed his knack for flipping tunes beautifully into dance territory. Check out the SNBRN remix of “21 Questions” above, grab the free download here, and read the full transcript of our interview below.

There always seems to be a wave of eclectic dance music emanating from the L.A. area. Does the surrounding music scene provide a bit of inspiration for you or do you try to shut in and work on your own sound without too much outside influence?

The surrounding scene does have a big roll in the music I produce. LA has become a hub for underground dance music, so I’m constantly being introduced to new tunes. I tend to not jump on the trend bag wagon and make music that I personally want to listen to. I wanted to create a hybrid sound of multiple genres and decades construed into a feeling that a lot of people can relate to.

So far you’ve remixed a couple tunes which premiered on The Music Ninja which were both on fairly opposite ends of the spectrum. First you reworked Morgan Page’s big-room anthem “In The Air” into an incredibly groovy indie-deep cut and then put a deeper, almost gargey lean on Ace of Base’s 90’s pop smash “All She Wants”. Now you’re taking another classic, this time of the hip-hop persuasion with 50 Cent’s “21 Questions” into “burnt” territory. How do you decide which tracks to remix for the most part?

The most important thing to me is originality, remixing tracks that haven’t been touched or that would take people by surprise. I usually start by listening to a bunch of tracks and artists I have written down over a few weeks and see if the track already has 1000 remixes. I then look for an acapella online and typically start by writing an entirely new chord progression to the vocals. I don’t like to use lots of pieces from the original, but more creating a whole new song from the vocal.

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[Nu-Disco] Carousel – My New Friend (Avenue Remix)

Posted by Matthew Bloss - July 2, 2014

Carousel
My New Friend (Avenue Remix)

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One of our favorite synthy pop tunes of 2014, Carousel’s “My New Friend” received a welcome and worthy makeover from 19 year-old Toronto based dance producer Avenue, and we still haven’t managed to shake those clubby rhythms from our consciousness since we gave it a first spin. It’s always inspiring to hear a tune from an act you love undergo a transformation through the lens of another artist’s perspective; especially when the result is as warm and bubbly as this. Avenue shifts cadence from the original towards a more club-friendly stride with a strong focus on an expanse of uplifting airy synths to surely pull a bit of hip-wiggle and an insuppressible grin from its listener. This one’s being gifted as a free download, so nab a copy here, listen above and be on the prowl for more Avenue material in the near future.

[House/Nu-Disco] The Magician – Sunlight feat. Years & Years

Posted by Matthew Bloss - June 24, 2014

The Magician (Official)
The Magician : "Sunlight" feat. Years & Years (Original)

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If you find yourself in need of a mood-shifting auditory pick me up today, look no further. Long known for his excellent output of tastemaking mixtapes, the Magic Tape series, and slate of impressive remixes; The Magician dropped this lovely little original tune on us in collaboration with electro-soul-pop trio Years & Years, “Sunlight” to indulge in this this morning and we’ve been all smiles since our first aural consumption. “Sunlight” lumbers out of the gate wielding a four-four muted kick-drum and garage leaning shuffled hi-hats before a deep swell of hazy pad work climbs through the backdoor, becoming a welcome initial focal point. Just as The Magician sculpts the tune’s first groove though, a light and absolutely in-sync vocal from Years & Years blends consummately amongst a sonically textured bass line and precise percussive stabs to take its place as the track’s lead. By the time its second verse is fully in swing, we were already so lost in an abundance of our own gyrating hips and flowey dance moves that we almost forgot we needed to somehow do this one justice in the form of clever adjectives and snarky commentary. If deep-house, nu-disco, pop/club-house, indie-dance or any combination of these dance genres populate your listening history then we think you, lovely reader, should experience this stream of listening consciousness as well. Like, right now.

[House] Duke Dumont feat. Jax Jones – I Got U (Jonas Rathsman Remix)

Posted by Matthew Bloss - March 6, 2014

Track Premiere: Duke Dumont feat. Jax Jones
I Got U (Jonas Rathsman Remix)

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Let’s face it. Duke Dumont’s uber-addictive single “I Got U” was bound to father a slew of remixes from the moment it began receiving its due diligence in live sets from the world’s most influential dance artists. So when we heard about an entire EP being put out behind the clubby house tune, we crossed our fingers hoping that a suitable slate of talented producers would be there to move “I Got U” under their vision. We were more than pleased with the way remix duties were handed out, especially when we discovered Swedish artist Jonas Rathsman was amongst those commissioned. We last featured Rathsman on a stunning original track “I Feel What I Feel” late last year, which was put out on tastemaking dance imprint French Express and in the time since, the Swedish producer has remained relatively quiet except for a few remixes. Suffice it to say, when we got a chance to glue our ears to his trademark brand of dreamy house and disko painted over the Duke’s dance-floor hit, we couldn’t help but be thrilled. Jonas executes his version masterfully, using much of the original stems as its core but infuses a healthy bit of atmospheric tinge throughout. If you’re feeling this one like we were, be sure to look out for the entire EP, featuring remixes by TMN favorites MK, Tensnake, Bondax, and High Contrast. Get shaking a little early today and stream Rathsman’s remix above.