Indie Shuffle » techno

Maya Jane Coles – Everything (Ft. Karin Park)

Rachel Skotarczyk — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:02:39 +0000

Sounds like: Andre Crom, Storm Queen, HNQO, DEVolution, Gorgon City

Song: Maya Jane Coles - Everything (Ft. Karin Park) [download here]

What's so good?

Here’s a release worth getting excited about! Sounding both like a deep house version of The Knife and if Tegan and Sara had made a GOOD dance album, Maya Jane Coles teams with Swedish wonderchild Karin Park for “Everything” — the first single off her forthcoming album, Comfort.

For those of you just tuning into Maya, she’s probably the raddest and the baddest chick in deep house. Her productions have consistently been spot-on and her mixes, as well as her live show, never miss a beat. With her latest album, not only did she produce and mix the whole thing, but she apparently designed the artwork as well. In the spirit of Destiny’s Child, “all the women who are independent, throw your hands up at me,” because you know it’s not easy being that awesome in a male-dominated industry.

The track carries lyrical sensitivity: ”It must be my heart you are after, it must be my lungs you are breathing from. We are not the winner or the losers, baby we are the fight” — yet there’s nothing timid about “Everything.” Rather, it’s about as decisive and determined as a 50-foot plunge below sea level. “Everything” wraps you in the cool dark of an emotion that inevitably requires a strong and assertive assent to the surface of feeling — it’s like, heart-core house ya’ll. Also, it comes with this nifty video.

Maya’s single, “Everything,” is currently available via iTunes, but look out for the full album release June 28, and if you’re curious about the track-listing visit Stoney Roads for the down low.

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1. Original post: Maya Jane Coles – Everything (Ft. Karin Park)

2. Posted in: Electronic, female vocalist, house, deep house, techno

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

A Trak & Tommy Trash – Tuna Melt

Christiana Bartolini — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:58:28 +0000

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Sounds like: Diplo, Major Lazer

Song: A Trak & Tommy Trash - Tuna Melt [download here]

What's so good?

As soon as I started watching A Trak & Tommy Trash’s video for “Tuna Melt,” my jaw dropped and stayed that way for the whole video.

Filmed by the guys over at Pier Pictures, I was sent the video with a humbly accompanied statement: “We put a TON of work into the project.” I’LL SAY!

This is physics at its modern best thanks to kinetic artist Kinetic King. I was so blown away by the calculated accuracy that was needed to execute this entire video in ONE take and I think you will be too. Not only do these guys use dominos, but they use all kinds of objects, including toast. Fucking toast. I don’t know why that won me over, but it did.

Bravo to A Trak & Tommy Trash for producing such a fresh and fly dance track and many kudos to Pier Pictures and Pomp&Clout for creating this masterpiece of a video!

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1. Original post: A Trak & Tommy Trash – Tuna Melt

2. Posted in: Electronic, dance, house, techno, diplo

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Eagles & Butterflies – Merkabah

Rachel Skotarczyk — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:50:25 +0000

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Sounds like: Cosmonaut Grechko, Booka Shade, Klangkarussell, Jacques Greene

Song: Eagles & Butterflies - Merkabah [download here]

What's so good?

Highlighting both established artists and a few fresh faces, Hernan Cattaneo‘s label, Sudbeat, offers up its first ever compilation.

Available via Beatport, it’s a well-rounded collection of warm tech house and melodic deep house, all with a journey-esque feel. On a whole, the vibes are fairly dark, true to techno’s roots, but with all of that deep introspective determination in one place things can start to feel a bit murky. It’s nice to be able to pull your head up once in a while, and “Merkabah” offers that breath of fresh air.

Once again, Eagles & Butterflies crafts a tune that is as hopeful as it is curious. “Merkabah” is progressive in that its future forward-thinking beat will have you pondering all you can accomplish in life, rather than the opposite. I find it to be the stand-out track on the compilation, but I urge you to be your own judge.

Explore the sounds of Sudbeat and for more on Eagles & Butterflies, follow him via Facebook.

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1. Original post: Eagles & Butterflies – Merkabah

2. Posted in: house, chillout, techno, progressive house, jacques greene

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Rone – Bye Bye Macadam (Stamusic. Remix)

Rachel Skotarczyk — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:21:14 +0000

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Sounds like: Eagles & Butterflies, RAC, Rone, Amtrac

Song: Rone - Bye Bye Macadam (Stamusic. Remix) [download here]

What's so good?

I’m going through an “I don’t love anything phase,” which usually means I’m about to shift musical gears; this also usually means musical gears are shifting, via collective conscious and the like.

I’ve been intrigued by a slight resurgence of trance for some time, and while I wouldn’t exactly call Rone (nor this Stamusic. remix) trance, I would maybe call it nu trance.

Both artists demonstrate a progressive, melodic approach, relying on a snowball effect of fuzzy synths and a nice choice of chord changes to carry the song. It’s slightly uneventful, and I don’t love it, but do I like it. There’s a nice vibe and a refreshing break weaving in and out of the melody — kind of like hypnosis.

I would suggest also scoping out the original, as it comes with a pretty nifty video. Enjoy!

------------------------ With countless sub-genres

1. Original post: Rone – Bye Bye Macadam (Stamusic. Remix)

2. Posted in: Electronic, electronic remixes, rac, techno, progressive house

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

xxxy – Taking Me Higher

Rachel Skotarczyk — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:34:50 +0000

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Sounds like: The Juan Maclean, Daso, DEVolution, Hackman, Joy Orbison

Song: xxxy - Take Me Higher [download here]

What's so good?

xxxy drops an exclusive track today via Annie Mac’s Free Music Monday’s, and yup, you guessed it — it’s free for download.

While that’s all pretty exciting, “Taking Me Higher” is a little less enthusiastic. The lyrics ring out “taking me higher,” but the general tone of the track spirals down a deep tech-house rabbit hole giving the impression that “higher” has never been farther away.

Nevertheless, “Taking Me Higher” is a solid track; prepped and ready for late night dance floors where positivity sometimes needs to be heavy to be heard. If you’re looking for a serious perspective, a musical intervention, this is just the track to fit those needs. Enjoy!

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1. Original post: xxxy – Taking Me Higher

2. Posted in: Electronic, deep house, techno, jacques greene, Deadboy

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Jay Daniel – Bubble Cougar

Rachel Skotarczyk — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:45:19 +0000

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Sounds like: Kyle Hall, Dakota Bones, Slufter, The Martinez Brothers, OSCAR

Song: Jay Daniel - Bubble Cougar [download here]

What's so good?

Did you know the techno movement is only about 32 years old? With such a young history, it seems both surprising and totally reasonable that a 23-year-old such as Jay. I mean, he’s almost as old as the genre.

For Jay Daniel, the equation was perfectly balanced by age 11 — he new he wanted to be a DJ. His major influence? Jay’s singer/songwriter mother Naomi Daniel. She is the voice behind Planet-E classics “Stars“ and “Feel the Fire,” both of which were produced by Carl Craig and released in the early 90s. Pretty cool right? Apparently Jay thought so too.

Daniel’s been steadily working the D and globetrotting side by side mentor and mate, Kyle Hall. Actually, you’d be hard pressed to find Daniel anywhere Hall isn’t. Jay’s maintained something of a sidekick status to Hall, but like any proper protege, Daniel has finally come into his own.

Similar in style to Hall and a major influence to Dakota Bones, Daniel’s latest production “Bubble Cougar” is a smoothly crafted techno classic and it’s really bringing out our inner… eh… bubble cougar…? Enjoy!

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1. Original post: Jay Daniel – Bubble Cougar

2. Posted in: Electronic, house, techno, detroit

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Dakota Bones – Here Come the Lions

Rachel Skotarczyk — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:24:41 +0000

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Sounds like: Slufter, Lord Scrummage, Phantasmagoria, Kyle Hall, Coyote Clean Up

Song: Dakota Bones - Here Come the Lions [download here]

What's so good?

I’ve heard buzz lately that techno is experiencing some sort of revival. With all the new artists turning up lately, it does seem techno is on the up and up. I can’t speak for the rest of the world, but I do know that here in Detroit, techno never left — most of us just stopped paying attention. So let’s dial in.

Currently expanding my understanding of music is a crew of beatmakers doing it a little more D.I.Y than the rest. These dudes are the builders and the tinkers; making electronic music as much for the sound as for the physical pleasure of building their instruments. You may never know how much they geek out to weird gadgets and strange sonics, you might not even be able to see them past their wall of synthesizers or gear littered tables. It’s a mysterious world these guys dwell in, and I can’t help but find it intriguing.

Along with Kyle Hall, we have a whole slew of emerging artists rockin the weird beat (Lord Scrummage), the jazzy synths (Slufter), live-mixing and holding up the fort for techno-inspired electronic wizardry.

Joining the ranks is Dakota Bones, aka Ben Christensen. Hardly new to the craft, Christensen’s style is best described as high-tech soul; the elements involved are just that. “Here Come the Lions” is just a small taste of his talents, a tiny insight into the vast scope of his productions. I suggest you dive into his SoundCloud and start to explore just what handcrafted sound it all about.

Christensen sets off on a mini tour starting July 2013, so keep up on his whereabouts on his website – and if you get a chance to catch a performance, expect to be mystified.

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1. Original post: Dakota Bones – Here Come the Lions

2. Posted in: Electronic, synth, electro funk, techno, electro soul

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Ultra Music Festival 2013: Top 10 Artists

aniballuque — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:00:02 +0000

While everyone is still recovering from the Ultra madness that occurred in Miami last weekend, there’s still some of us trying to relive those wonderful 72 hours. If you fall in the latter category, this playlist is for you.

To commemorate another successful weekend at Ultra Music Festival, we’ve compiled a list of the quintessential tunes that created the soundtrack for last weekend’s festivities. For some, it will be closure, for others, nostalgia.

We tried to bounce around all the stages, but naturally, we were drawn to the groovy beats and funky tunes of some of our favorite artists. Here are a few highlights we couldn’t miss though:

The artists who graced the Main Stage successfully satisfied the frenzied masses. Headliners like Avicii and Swedish House Mafia provided their loyal fans with their signature tracks, and even dabbled with some experimentation, mixing in trap bangers and deep house anthems among their big room movers. This year’s breakout act was none other than Thomas Gold, who set the tone for Sunday’s festivities with tracks by Florence + The Machine and his own versions of old-school favorites like “We Are Your Friends” by Justice vs. Simian and “Harder Better Faster” by Daft Punk. He had some pretty big shoes to fill, opening up for Bingo Players and Dirty South.

The Carl Cox & Friends stage lived up to the highest of expectations for techno-house nerds around the world. The legendary namesake played both Friday and Saturday, surrounded by some of the underground’s not so underground stars: Luciano, Adam Beyer, Sven Vath, and Richie Hawtin, to name a few.

Like any other proper music festival, Ultra came equipped with a dedicated live stage. Indie rockers like Matt & Kim and Sleigh Bells had fans in the amphitheater-style arena off their seats and jumping along to seminal tracks like “Daylight” and “Riot Rhythm,” respectively. Thievery Corporation had the crowd swaying along to their jazz-infused electronica, Swedish beauties Icona Pop had everyone “lovin’ it” and the weekend was topped off with the always electrifying performance of Alice Glass from Crystal Castles.

For those looking for something on the harder end, the Trapped stage (part of UMF Radio) had all your bass needs covered. DJ Craze took the decks and the swarming fans on the hill went wild. The energy and intensity of the stage never subsided thanks to intense sets by a cavalcade of the genre’s rising stars — Bro Safari, UZ, Nadastrom, MimOsa, Baauer, Flosstradamus, and Dillon Francis.

The Bayfront Stage was hard to leave; all three days were jam packed with the melodic grooves and flowing basslines of the world’s most respected dance music producers. Compiling a list of highlights would be futile. The stage catered to every type of fan, from industry newcomers like Anna Lunoe and George Fitzgerald to icons and veterans like Kevin Saunderson and Damian Lazarus.

Wherever your musical tastes lie, Ultra provided the fix for your cravings. Just in case you need one last hit before you swear off festivals altogether, check out our picks, relive your favorite moments or live vicariously through these tracks, and let us know who we’ve missed!

1. Original post: Ultra Music Festival 2013: Top 10 Artists

2. Posted in: Electronic, dance, house, deep house, disclosure

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Song: George Fitzgerald - Thinking Of You [Downloa d]

Song: Anna Lunoe & Flume - I Met You [Downloa d]

Song: Justin Martin - Ghettos & Gardens (CvS Remix) [Downloa d]

Song: Danny Daze Feat. Louisahhh!! - Your Everything [Downloa d]

Song: Azari & III - Reckless With Your Love [Downloa d]

Song: Hot Chip - I Feel Better [Downloa d]

Song: Miguel Campbell - Rockin Beats [Downloa d]

Song: Subb-an - This Place (Nic Fanciulli Remix) [Downloa d]

Song: Disclosure - White Noise [Downloa d]

Song: Yeasayer - Henrietta [Downloa d]

The Juan Maclean – You Are My Destiny

Rachel Skotarczyk — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:16:46 +0000

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Sounds like: Temple, Chris Malinchak, Hot Since 82, HNQO

Song: The Juan Maclean - You Are My Destiny [download here]

What's so good?

Wait for it… no seriously, wait for it — just after the break.

Since his last album, The Future Will Come, producer John MacLean seems he’s taken some time to reassess his style. Putting aside the unabashed, uber space-cadet dance chops, Maclean grinds “You Are My Destiny” down deep. There’s an almost dark tech house feel, yet the bright party vocals from Nancy Whang (formerly of LCD Soundsystem) expertly ease the tension.

“You Are My Destiny” drops in physical form via DFA on April 1, 2013, but if that means nothing to you, April 6 we can all pretend to hug a digital copy and muster up memories of personal connection.

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1. Original post: The Juan Maclean – You Are My Destiny

2. Posted in: Electronic, dance, house, deep house, techno

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

CLOSE – Oscar

David Peter Simon — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 13:03:53 +0000

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Sounds like: Will Saul, atu, Ame, Motorcitysoul

Song: Close - OSCAR [download here]

What's so good?

Another web mystery slowly unraveled. Earlier this year, the blogs were a-buzz wondering who was behind the CLOSE project. It immediately reminded me of The Weeknd – music deeply steeped in visuals and an artist wrapped in anonymity. And while I’m not usually into deep house, when it’s this well-packaged, I had to keep following. I had to know what came next.

By now, it’s been revealed that CLOSE is the brainchild of Will Saul, DJ and owner of sister labels Simple/Aus Music (known for their roots in dub and techno). It’s typical club faire, a project that takes its inspiration from the intricate layers of early 90s techno and the physically intimate setting of such clubs. Will explains,

“I love the futuristic feeling of early Detroit techno – not just the fact that the music was all made on machines but the melancholic/introspective chord progressions combined with the machine driven funk created a quite a special end result and for me is the reason why this strain of dance music still retains its appeal … I wanted to attempt to write an album that you could listen to as a whole and something that you kept discovering layers of details within on repeat listens.”

And with each repeat listen, you do in fact discover and appreciate different layers of details. Try it with sound-cancelling headphones and on loudspeakers with a fat bass — two very different experiences.

CLOSE is an excellent cross-channel project that spans multiple mediums and uses the web as a driving force to build audience interest. It’s always refreshing to see a label use the Internet in a seductive way to entice listeners outside of typical social media marketing. If the website is any indication of what’s to come, you know this is only the beginning.

Visit Will’s Facebook page to stay on top of the next two releases. If you’re interested in learning more about Will or the project, check out his interview on Fabric’s blog.

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1. Original post: CLOSE – Oscar

2. Posted in: house, deep house, electro, techno, progressive house

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Slufter – Blue Skies

Rachel Skotarczyk — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:17:38 +0000

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Sounds like: Lord Scrummage, Plastikman, Hackman, Let The Music Play, New Look

Song: Slufter - Blue Skies [download here]

What's so good?

I caught Slufter’s show at a local Detroit record shop a couple weeks ago, and I felt compelled to share. He’s a rare budding talent whose raw electronic landscapes bring the boogie, the funk, experimental garage — the whole experience was kind of like watching musical history repeat itself.

Slufter, aka Antonio Manzari, is a mad synth genius who’s both effortlessly exceptional and blissfully unaware of his prolific material. I was so intrigued, I pulled him aside to see what makes him tick. Check out our interview below!

What is Slufter up to?
I’ve been working on a Lord Scrummage remix that I’m pretty excited about. It’s been a lot of fun working with Jade Lathan’s vocals especially! I’ve been producing some new material for an upcoming album, but also have been spending time trying to work on my piano chops. I’ve been playing/learning a lot of old NES (nintendo) songs on the piano lately! Whipping out some Mario Bros + Zelda ditties always puts a smile on my face!

What was the thought process behind “Blue Skies”?
Well, I’m a little secretive about it! Hah! Basically, it was all inspired by Barber Shop quartet music. I REALLY love the sound of 4 part vocal harmonies. The chord progressions found in that style are wonderful, and I think there’s something really special about how four people can build chords together because you can adjust pitch to hit really perfect intervals that just wouldn’t happen with equal-temperament instruments, like on a piano. I also was pretty into heavy, aggressive electro music at the time, so I just thought I’d try my best to slam the two very different genres together.

And how was it made?
I won’t give away my sample, which people can find if they try hard enough. I’m a little weird about it. The song is based off samples that I meticulously crafted one day while avoiding some boring graphic design homework. I used an MPC500. Very happy that I bought that piece of gear!

Do you have a favorite synth or are you constantly discovering new ways to make music?
Yes! I have SO many favorite synths! I have a Roland Juno-106. I love it. I will never, ever get rid of it. It’s a wonderful, affordable analog synthesizer from 1984. The cool thing about it is that it’s polyphonic AND has MIDI, and it’s REALLY fun to program. Every parameter has its own knob/slider, so you can be very expressive with it. I’m REALLY big on hands-on synth programming. Digital menus are a serious buzz-kill. Don’t get me wrong though, I love digital synthesis, too.

Yeah, I’m always looking for new ways to make music. That’s why I play multiple instruments. It’s fun to jump around from drums, to synths, to piano, to bass, to guitar, or to sampling because you start to borrow techniques and applying them in strange places. My drum background really helps with all instruments, and especially with sampling. The samples in “Blue Skies” are a result of drumming around on the pads. I’d rather drum around then edit samples with a mouse all day. Playing bass has been helpful, and it definitely effects the way I play synth and piano. I guess what I’m trying to say is that music is very self-generative. It’s easy to draw inspiration from yourself if you just try to flip what you normally do upside down.

So there you have it. For more on Slufter and his endlessness, follow his SoundCloud or find him on Facebook.

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1. Original post: Slufter – Blue Skies

2. Posted in: Electronic, experimental, synth, minimal, Experimental electronic

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Friday Five: Detroit Speak, Decoded

Rachel Skotarczyk — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:58:21 +0000

Detroit can be the most innovative place on the planet if one knows where to look. We’ve got a burgeoning underground comprised of just about every type of music you can imagine, and while we’ve been looking to the UK for most of the new emerging styles in electronic music, the musty basements of Detroit and its bored suburbs are still a great untapped resource.

Here’s a tiny taste of a few of Detroit’s artists establishing themselves as the raw and gritty brothers of future garage, the distant cousins of techno, or the new breed of whatever the F they feel like calling it.

1. Original post: Friday Five: Detroit Speak, Decoded

2. Posted in: future garage, indietronica, techno, synthwave, detroit

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Song: Husky - Step Back [Downloa d]

What’s interesting about Husky is he skates from break beat to hip hop, techno, funk, classic sounds, future sounds, whatever, he doesn’t care– he’s doing it all, and there’s a cohesiveness to it which makes it that much more amazing. In his latest track “Step Back,” what Husky calls ‘nu step’ mirrors a lot of stuff coming out of the UK, but this may very well be the first of its kind for Detroit. With self-proclaimed genres like $$$, Sleep, and <3 I’m guessing Husky’s trying to tell us that defining music is completely irrelevant, either that or he’s letting us know that his music is the defining factor.

Song: Ancient Language Ft. James Linck and Mister - Fire Hydrants [Downloa d]

This one’s like a tripple Detroit whammy: beats by Chris Jarvis (Ancient Language, Phantasmagoria,) Mister spitting the flow (Passalacqua) and James Linck showing off those mean pipes. I honestly have no idea what they’re trying to say, but I can only assume “Fire Hydrants” carries some sort of phallic suggestion. The Freud in me says I’m so dead on.

Song: Kyle Hall - untitled [Downloa d]

Attention is in the detail. ”Untitled” is a simple track with a depth of complexity, a quality of sound that trumpets, ”I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly.” Oh wait, no, that was Beyonce. But here in Detroit, Kyle Hall carries just as much weight — and rightfully so. As a child and pupil of the techno city, Hall represents our past as much as our future, yet his fascination with pushing the limits of organically created digital music has set him in a category all his own. For 22-year-old label owner, world traveler, and electronic mastermind, Hall doesn’t have to say much to prove his prowess, but, man, is the guy good at saying stuff anyway.

Song: Lord Scrummage - We All Need Honey [Downloa d]

Let’s thank Lord Scrummage for being so refreshingly honest — we all need honey, yes, we do. As the primary subjects in Sundance’s New American Noise: Lords of Detroit, apparently LS has a surplus of it, too. Someone needs to tell these guys (and gal) to share — their fellow Detroiters (eh hem, Jamaican Queens) could use a little sweet talk.

Song: Jamaican Queens - Water [Downloa d]

According to the Jamaican Queens, water nourishes us, love does not. Maybe a little pessimistic, but hey, Detroit is a city that’s always a little “half empty.” JQ’s latest video might lead one to believe Detroiters are a little half-crazy, too — must be in the water.

Gui Boratto – Haute Couture

David Peter Simon — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:01:10 +0000

Visit Indie Shuffle to download.

Sounds like: Max Coopers, Booka Shade, Deadmau5, Gold Panda

Song: Gui Boratto - Haute Couture [download here]

What's so good?

Here’s some rather rare electronic for you. The beginning definitely sounds more like club techno, but as it continues, it sounds like a progressive house take on synth-pop. Great pick up around 1:14, super upbeat. You get maximum enjoyment out of some minimal sound.

One of the last times we covered Gui was a Massive Attack remix back in February 2010, where we quoted dailybeatz as calling it “full of intensity without being in your face all the time.” That’s probably the best description you’ll get of Gui Boratto. Music that’s understatedly epic.

And so is Gui. The Brazilian producer hasn’t put out much since 2012, but that’s got to be because he’s busy wearing one of his other hats — like running A&R for Megamusic or working with a major artist like Manu Chao. The guy’s also had a career in advertising and is a trained architect. What’d I say? Understatedly epic.

You know, I love that this track is called “Haute Couture.” Imagining some high-quality, expensive fabric being sewn by a master dressmaker with extreme attention to detail fits the bill for these little beats that turn out big noise. You can listen to more excellent Gui Boratto music on Myspace or stay on top of his output on his homepage. More epic mixes hopefully on the way…

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1. Original post: Gui Boratto – Haute Couture

2. Posted in: Electronic, house, minimal, techno, deadmau5

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Smokey Robotic – Musium

Christiana Bartolini — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 15:32:51 +0000

Visit Indie Shuffle to download.

Sounds like: N.E.R.D., Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West

Song: Smokey Robotic - Unlike Anyone [download here]

What's so good?

I have been highly anticipating the release of Smokey Robotic’s Musium album, and I am without a doubt not the least bit disappointed. After hearing a few teasers, I couldn’t wait to here what this whole album was all about. Let me tell you, it’s an infectious, fresh perspective that Smokey Robotic should be really proud of.

If you’re looking for a high-energy, incredibly danceable and innovative genre-bending album that melds pop, R&B, hip hop and dance together, look no further. There’s a song on this album for everyone. In order to produce an album like this, you have to be fearless and you have to be confident in what you’re creating; these guys are both. Some songs are heavy on the beats and trippy effects, other songs are breezier, with a funk-pop beat that’s bound to get you up and moving.

Musium is nothing less than visionary. This is truly a group of guys making music for a new generation with a taste for the delectably unknown. Musium drops on February 12, 2013, and this is one album to own and get to know because Smokey Robotic isn’t going anywhere but up.

------------------------ With countless sub-genres

1. Original post: Smokey Robotic – Musium

2. Posted in: hip-hop, dance, R&B, pop, electronic hip-hop

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Alex Metric – Rave Weapon (Amtrac Remix)

Rachel Skotarczyk — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:08:04 +0000

Visit Indie Shuffle to download.

Sounds like: Booka Shades, Hudson Mohawke, RAC

Song: Alex Metric - Rave Weapon (Amtrac Remix) [download here]

What's so good?

Amtrac is at it again. He’s brought an energy similar to “Those Days“ in that it’s got that same progressively epic build.

Pushing and pulling at all the right moments, this remix of “Rave Weapon” is a bright anthemic jam as suitable for the dance floor as it probably would be for the best workout of your life.

But more than creating a remix musically synonymous to treadmills and faux caffeinated sensations, Amtrac demonstrates an excellent sense of timing and never shies from all those tricky dynamics. Not that every EDM track has to have massive builds and dips, but at least Amtrac has got it down to a science. And anyway, if you call a track “Rave Weapon,” you better be able to back that ish up.

Also, it’s free for download. Enjoy.

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1. Original post: Alex Metric – Rave Weapon (Amtrac Remix)

2. Posted in: Electronic, dance, electronic remixes, rac, techno

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Bondax – Baby I Got That (Justin Martin Endless Summer Remix)

aniballuque — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 20:48:26 +0000

Visit Indie Shuffle to download.

Sounds like: Disclosure, Shadow Child, Claude VonStroke

Song: Bondax - Baby I Got That (Justin Martin Endless Summer Remix) [download here]

What's so good?

The boys from Lancaster are back with some Balearic soul for you to enjoy. This time, their hit single, “Baby I Got That,” comes re-packaged à la Justin Martin. Martin, a San Francisco native, once again delivers another amazingly fun track to round out his already stellar repertoire. Coming off the successful release of Ghettos & Gardens on Claude Von Stroke’s Dirtybird Records, Martin cemented himself as one of the most ubiquitous producers of last year.

While the original mix toys with the chilled-out R&B feel that the teen duo is known for, Martin shows you how well that Bondax sound comes out on the other side of the dance spectrum. Mr. Martin keeps the jangly piano stabs, but speeds up the tempo a bit, filters through those ethereal vocals, and adds some disco bounce to this amazing remix.

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1. Original post: Bondax – Baby I Got That (Justin Martin Endless Summer Remix)

2. Posted in: Electronic, dance, house, nu disco, disclosure

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Moderat – A New Error

David Peter Simon — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 14:02:06 +0000

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Sounds like: Apparat, Pantha du Prince, Modeselektor, Caribou

Song: Moderat - A New Error [download here]

What's so good?

I’m not much into absolutes, but I think this was my favorite track of 2012. Or at least my go-to when I wanted to listen to some upbeat electronic glitch. Repetitive beats wash over you like tsunami waves, never leaving any room to breathe. It’s a massive sound circa 2009, which came back to us via the epic trailer for Laurence Anyways.

Moderat formed in ’02; they are Sascha Ring (aka Apparat), Gernot Bronsert, and Sebastian Szary (aka Modeselektor). As with most bands who are usually filled to the brim with talent, they broke up shortly after the release of their first EP. It wasn’t until ’09 that they came back together to release their first album, featuring this addictive track. C

Called an “audio-visual declaration,” it also featured 10 videos from fellow Berliners Pfadfinderei. As the trailer for Laurence Anyways proves, it pairs well with any visuals, but the music video for this song is pretty fucking sweet.

Not much from Moderat since. Meanwhile Apparat and Modeskeletor continue to release good music, so be sure to check that out.

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1. Original post: Moderat – A New Error

2. Posted in: Electronic, techno, glitch, idm, modeselektor

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Happa – Freak

Sean O — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 13:13:07 +0000

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Sounds like: Blawan, Jamie xx

Song: Happa - Freak [download here]

What's so good?

By now you may have heard of Samir Alikhanizadeh, aka Happa. He’s a 15-year old house/techno producer based in Leeds, UK. I wrote back in July that Happa had “an unprecedented knack (in my humble opinion) for turning sparse, sprawling beats in to something much more. Kudos to him for shining a funky light on some of the dark crevices of the future garage and techno caverns.”

After listening to “Freak” several times, I stand behind what I said about the young beatmaker. Happa’s approach reminds me slightly of what Jamie xx delivers with his DJ sets — minimal, dry house. Jamie usually includes some tropical cuts, which is not what Happa’s known to deliver. I can just sense his influence there. Then again, who isn’t Jamie xx influencing these days?

Happa’s tracks sometimes disappear off SoundCloud, so I’d enjoy this one while you can.

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1. Original post: Happa – Freak

2. Posted in: minimal electronica, minimal, Jamie xx, techno, UK

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Scuba – Hardbody

Dwayne — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:07:07 +0000

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Sounds like: SCB, George Fitzgerald, Joy Orbison

Song: Scuba - Hardbody [download here]

What's so good?

Scuba’s latest release, “Hardbody,” continues his recent good form, and has him again toying with melodic, at times euphoric trance-inflected vibes heard on the likes of other tracks like “Adrenalin” and “Never.”

Slightly more restrained than his last release, “Talk Torque,” Scuba has “dialed things back from the arena to the club, trading anthemic bluster for a slightly more subtle and technical sound,” according to XLR8R.

Works for us. “Hardbody” is out now!

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1. Original post: Scuba – Hardbody

2. Posted in: Electronic, house, dubstep, minimal, techno

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

SCNTST – Future Love

Elizabeth Walker — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 18:57:28 +0000

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Sounds like: Gold Panda, Seams

Song: SCNTST - Future Love [download here]

What's so good?

SCNTST is an electronic producer out of the beer and sausage country that is Germany. Having taught himself Abelton as a young teen, this now slightly older adult has enough experience under his belt to craft some heavy, mature tracks as SCNTST.

Via Boys Noize’s label, “Future Love” is a tune filled with some forcefully hitting percussion and just a spot of diffused vocals about halfway in. Reminiscent of Gold Panda’s sound after his time in Germany, “Future Love” is dense and danceable all at once.

I’ll leave you with this fun fact: although SCNTST holes up in some German Hobbit hole producing techo music, he’s only been to one club in his entire life. TRUTH.

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1. Original post: SCNTST – Future Love

2. Posted in: Electronic, electro, techno, gold panda, Seams

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Harald Björk – Glimt

Dwayne — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:59:01 +0000

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Sounds like: Acid Pauli, Matthew Dear

Song: Harald Björk - Glimt [download here]

What's so good?

As winter approaches, music from the cold lands of Scandinavia seems more and more appropriate.

But at the same time, a lot of the tracks we’re seeing seem to have a certain warmth. Take Stockholm producer Harald Björk‘s “Glimt” for instance. There’s an almost fuzzy element to Björk’s work, using minimal instrumentation to create a cozy sound, adding an organic element to his tech house stylings.

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1. Original post: Harald Björk – Glimt

2. Posted in: Electronic, house, minimal, techno, matthew dear

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Jessie Ware – Night Light (Joe Goddard Remix)

Elizabeth Walker — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:25:10 +0000

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Sounds like: Hot Chip, Penguin Prison

Song: Jessie Ware - Night Light (Joe Goddard Remix) [download here]

What's so good?

Another Jessie Ware remix notch on our belts this month, oh happy day. Joe Goddard (of the stellar group Hot Chip) has bequeathed his take on the budding British musician’s “Night Light,” giving listeners a suped up look at the single.

Goddard, focusing on Ware’s lush vocals, pretty much blew up this track with a finger snappy and completely danceable melody. Drawing the comparison to Disclosure’s awesome remix of “Night Light,” as the blogosphere predictably is doing, Goddard definitely took another approach to his musical metamorphosis – one with red bull and sweat beads.

And, dear reader, if you haven’t checked out Ware’s 2012 LP Devotion, stop whatever you are doing and listen immediately. It’s not to be missed.

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1. Original post: Jessie Ware – Night Light (Joe Goddard Remix)

2. Posted in: Electronic, remixes, synth-pop, disclosure, techno

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

George Fitzgerald – Every Inch (Deetron Remix)

Elizabeth Walker — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:37:19 +0000

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Sounds like: Jacques Greene, Daso

Song: George Fitzgerald - Every Inch (Deetron Remix) [download here]

What's so good?

Here’s a massive remix from Switzerland’s Deetron for your musical tasting today. This is a sample of the full remix, due to drop on November 19 from Hypercolour.

I’m a big fan of Deetron’s productions. They are always powerful, intelligent, and the kind of tracks that make you yell “ohhhhhh shiiiiiiiiit” on the dance floor. Although from sound alone I consistently want to attribute Detroit to Deetron, it’s really not a material thing to be able to enjoy his music.

Using Fitzgerald’s already awesome track as a baseline, this remix is an example of perfection in electronic form – deep, dark, and makes me smile just thinking about it. Oh, and I can’t forget to give props to the huge, rolling bass line, which — when it hits — makes every inch of my body want to immediately dance my face off.

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1. Original post: George Fitzgerald – Every Inch (Deetron Remix)

2. Posted in: Electronic, remixes, dance, house, techno

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Jessie Ware – No To Love (George Fitzgerald Remix)

Dwayne — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:59:37 +0000

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Sounds like: Sampha, SBTRKT, Joy Orbison

Song: Jessie Ware - No To Love (George Fitzgerald Remix) [download here]

What's so good?

One of the highlights of Scuba’s recent Fact Mix was this forthcoming George Fitzgerald remix.

The London house producer really brings out the soul elements of Jessie Ware’s original track, adding another element to the dark, textured house heard on her Child EP.

The track will be released on PMR Records.

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1. Original post: Jessie Ware – No To Love (George Fitzgerald Remix)

2. Posted in: Electronic, house, dubstep, future garage, female vocalist remixes

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.

Duke Dumont – The Giver (Locked Groove Remix)

Dwayne — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:48:41 +0000

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Sounds like: Scuba, Ben Pearce

Song: Duke Dumont - The Giver (Locked Groove Remix) [download here]

What's so good?

The Locked Groove remix of Duke Dumont is four minutes of pure classic house vibes.

With classic Chicago house style R&B vocals and a bouncy beat layed down by Belgian producer Locked Groove, this is a track that might sound like hundreds of other tracks. And it it still has that extra special something to make it distinct and unique.

Tiga’s Turbo Recordings will be releasing the remix soon!

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1. Original post: Duke Dumont – The Giver (Locked Groove Remix)

2. Posted in: Electronic, house, techno, duke dumont, locked groove

3. Find more music on Indie Shuffle's Indie Music Blog.