It's that time of year, folks.
Summer's winding down, and, well, school is three weeks away. It's reality. Deal with it.
But we're not QUITE done here...so may I present MY picks for the top ten summer tracks of this season that, for me, have made summer, well, SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!! Please enjoy, and feel free to comment and give me your thoughts on my picks. Enjoy...
The Bloody Beetroots - Awesome [10]
Let's kick off the list with an abrasive monster of a track perfect for joyriding into the wee hours of the morning: the Bloody Beetroots' Awesome. With the Cool Kids contributing verses and the chorus, this track is 100% BANG. The metallic, grating synths are classic Beetroots, and give this cut a odd swagger all its own. The bass is still there, bigger and better than ever, plus the synth detuning through parts of the track add to its maddening, almost brutal punch. Most of all though, the drums are absolutely monsterous, clobbering, booming, and thunderous for the entire two and a half minutes. If you ever wanted to piss off the neighbors with that one song, THIS would be that song. Awesome.
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Major Lazer - Hold The Line feat. Mr. Lex & Santigold [9]
Ahh another sound system banger. Dubstep is the new thing, and the production from Diplo and Switch on the kickoff track to the amazing summer album "Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do" is absolutely destructive. Snare stabs abound, plus some of the craziest sound effects you'll ever hear, including horse nays, girly squeals, cell phones ringing, and machine gun fire, create a hectic, manic atmosphere that drives this track at 500 miles per hour through your speakers. The drums ripple and shake, and the A Milli-esque hook sung by Santigold rounds out this package as a crazy-go-nuts drive time speaker breaker of massive proportions. I can almost feel the bass now.
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Dam-Funk - Toeachizown [8]
Where would summer be without the proverbial midnight jam? Enter Dam-Funk, who released his debut on the renown Stones Throw label. If ever there was an instrumental begging for a verse to be laid over it, this is that track. Plonky, funky synths, and sharp, booming kicks spell the funk out, but the track REALLY begins after the first eight bars. Warm, gyrating, almost breathing, the track hunkers along with a smooth, mellow gait despite its monstrous sonic girth. Late night car rides, evenings at home, either one of those needs this track. It may have no lyrics, but dammit, actions speak louder than words. And this one is practically screaming "MIDNIGHT SUMMER FUNK JAM OF THE DECADE" at the top of its imaginary lungs.
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Tiga - Beep Beep Beep (Punks Jump Up Remix) [7]
Released on his own Turbo Recordings label, DJ/singer/songwriter Tiga dropped this and a number of other quality remixes from Soulwax, Emperor Machine, and Loco Dice, among others. But the Punks Jump Up remix by FAR trounces them all. It immediately gets into the swing of things, complete with banging drums, hand claps, and a rippling, wavy synth line, before slingshotting the bass into the mix. The chorus is handled expertly, spiraling through the vocal ohh's and ahh's and beep's over Tiga's matter-of-fact delivery of how the world operates in this mechanical age. The song itself points out the obsession with electronics in today's world, and what better way to celebrate the summer? It reminds me that the days of summer are not spent indoors by yourself, they're spent out with friends, enjoying and living life. "My phone goes BEEP BEEP BEEP, the crowd goes BEEP BEEP BEEP, the whole world goes BEEP BEEP BEEP, but you go ohh ohh ahh..."
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Scope - Night Reeds [6]
http://rapidshare.com/files/216926038/Scope_-_Night_Reeds__Original_Mix_.mp3 (Sorry no vid for this one!)
Sure, summer's great for parties, roadtrips, and intimate moments, but what are we forgetting? Ah yes. The chill factor. Sometimes, it's all but perfect to just sit down and relax. Chillin' with your friends, or by yourself, it's how you get the energy to do all those other fun and exciting summer activities. And what better recharger than Scope's deep house gem "Night Reeds"? Yes, there's a classic, housey beat, but it never plays itself up, which is just fine. This track breathes calm and cool, with a light, breezy horn section that drifts and floats like a cloud over lush, mellow keys. The atmosphere sways and shifts ever so slightly, but it never strays far from typical deep house fare. But by far, this is an amazingly chill cut, and almost feels like a breeze itself, especially with the fluttering flute line and breath-taking strings in the middle. In ever there was an electronic music track to fall asleep too, it would be this one.
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Fink - Sort of Revolution (The Cinematic Orchestra Remix) [5]
http://rcrdlbl.com/artists/Fink/track/Sort_Of_Revolution_The_Cinematic_Orchestra_Remix (Sorry not for this one either!)
It's time to get a little sentimental. Acoustic guitar, and a light percussion section, is all this song needs to make my skin crawl. It's breath-taking, open, and absolutely beautiful. The vocals remind me of Jack Johnson a little bit, or a little more rugged version of Matt Nathanson, and Fink does an incredible job of creating a very warm, inviting atmosphere, especially during the chorus, where the multiple guitars and hums sink through your skin and you just feel...alright. The perfect song to play with that special someone. The rhythm is a little faster than the original, but it gives the slightest bit of urgency that the track needs to become less of a ballad and more of a rushed, beckoning call to enjoy what little time there is left in summer. Simply amazing.
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The Whitest Boy Alive - Golden Cage (Fred Falke Remix) [4]
Whenever I think of summer, I can't help but think of Fred Falke. His production style could be a word-for-word adjective list of summer: relaxing, playful, jubilant, raucous, soothing, the list goes on!! Now, there are a lot of Falke productions I could've used, but this oldie is by far my most treasured. Erlend Oye's vocals work in tandem with Falke's production to turn an already stellar indie rock track into a bed of blissed-out, fluffy, summery joy. It's all here: Falke's signature, lush, catchy keys, French house-esque drum patterns, and equally pleasing breakdowns. The whole track sounds like a dream sequence, something not of this world, something above it, more pleasing, joyful, and ethereal than anything palpably sonic on the face of this planet. But as soon as the beat drops, I can't help but smile. Another perfect, late-night beach party jam courtesy of the sultan of summer.
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Passion Pit - Moth's Wings [3]
Every summer needs its anthemic, rock ballad. And although the five guys from Cambridge may never write an ACTUAL ballad, this is pretty damn close. An electronic guitar riff kicks things off, before a absolute sweeping piano riff takes you off your feet towards the sky. Minimalist drum work does wonders here, never taking away from the majestic atmosphere that swirling and sways for every single moment there is sound, but keeping enough of a rhythm to give the song structure. For roadtrips, there is no better song. The booming chorus with all five voices and uplifting chords breathe summer and the magnificent feeling of joy and freedom that it brings. The chorus alone tears open my mind at the seams to let out all the bad thoughts and troubles, leaving nothing but happiness and pure, unadulterated ecstasy. They speak of friendship without enemies, and the same goes for summer: enjoy it with everyone. No matter who, what, where, when, or why. "Come lay with me on the ground..."
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Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars (Shazam Dub Mix) [2]
Within the first ten seconds, you just almost FEEL the warm, summertime vibes just oozing off this cut. Australian Shazam (BangGang 12s) takes this track from fellow Aussies Bag Raiders (Modular/BangGang 12s/Fool's Gold) and gives it a classic disco twist. Blaring horns, classic four-to-the-floor drum sequences, catchy-as-sin strings, and plonky, dense synths over the original riff. Occasional chorus vocals create an atmosphere straight out of 1973, and Shazam successfully works magic to turn this vocal-tinged light electro track into a grooving, jiving, bouncing behemoth, complete with a tasty bass riff. This is the penultimate barbecue, summer mixer, beach party banger for those late July nights. The only thing missing are verses from Earth, Wind & Fire.
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Sebastien Tellier - Roche (Breakbot Remix) [1]
And here we have it. Number one. Everything about this track says summer. And I mean EVERYTHING. French house maestro Breakbot takes an already decidedly chill piano tune from fellow Frenchman Sebastien Tellier and injects with glittering, shimmering synthwork, tight French house drum production, and a chorus and breakdown so warm and inviting you can't help but try and speak French to attempt to sing along. You can even hear waves crashing in the background! Just close your eyes and allow yourself to be transported to the beach. Instantly. Few songs are so atmospheric that they instantly create worlds and settings all their own, but this track does it. This is the definitive track of summer. It's danceable, relaxing, and bangin' all at the same time. If summer could sing or make noise, this is what it would sound like. To a tee.
Well there you have it. Hope you enjoyed the countdown. Summer's not over yet folks ;)
Have a wonderful rest of the summer and expect a new post in the very near future! Bop out.
-RBGK
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