Until now Porter Robinson has been considered a prodigy of sorts in regards to his production skills, and overall approach to his music. Over the past year or so, he’s grown into his role of full on touring dj, touring in the vein of world class djs all over the world, and at some of the bigger festivals(he transformed the Neon Garden sidestage into the mainstage on Saturday at E.D.C. Vegas). All the while working on remixes and refining a signature trance/electro/house sound that have earned almost unanimous rave reviews, name drops aren’t even needed at this point.

This E.P. was his answer to maybe the only voice doubting him, the one in his head. It comprises of six tracks, dripping with a new simplicity, yet still retaining that heavy sound we all know and love and associate with P.R. But you’ll find it doesn’t rely only on his own heavy-electro feel, he piles in the prog-house, trance lines, and throws down hard on two dubstep tracks.

The individual songs are good, not great. His effort to explore different sounds seemed to make him more focused on only the production aspect of things, rather than track structure(my favorite track of the e.p., Seconds, takes three minutes to drop). The dub tracks he nails down says I, but there’s too many random suprises throughout the other songs (not to mention exploring three different “genres”)that give it a level of inconsistency, something terribly important in an e.p. or album release. I have to say I’m ok with branching out with new sounds to find your voice, this record is def. party music and bet on hearing these tracks played out with a slew of remixes about to come down on our heads, I just hope the next release is a little more Porter.

Head here to pick up a copy, all in all, the remixes balance is out and make it a killer first release.
Spitfire on Beatport

Porter Robinson – I’m On Fire

Picco – Venga (Porter Robinson Wobblemix)

Heiko & Maiko – Wer Ist Sie (Porter Robinson Remix).mp3

Yes!

After a few days of deliberating, I decided to go ahead and kick off a new weekly mix series for you guys, gonna feature mostly electro, but really is gonna comprise of whatever I’m rocking out to that week, some oldies, some goldies, either way it’ll be a good time. Head over to the soundcloud page for a full tracklist, if any tracks catch your fancy let me know, I’d love to link you to a nice fat 320 dl.

Some solid electro in here, I dip into a couple of moombah tunes for a bit, but mostly its party music.

Spread the word, You Only Live Once!

-Mr. Vos

It’s hard for me not to get really, really into whatever Chris Elliot aka Nom De Strip puts out, his production, energy, and signature sound are all on point. Hes got too much talent to sound cheesy, his songs actually follow some structure and melody, and you can pick him out of a lineup of random songs. These things were made for the club, so grab some over-the-ears and head over to his soundcloud and pick up your favorites.

Tommie Sunshine feat. Tiffany Roth – Tonights The Night (Nom De Strip Remix)
BEENS vs. Dachstuhl – Fogger (Nom De Strip Remix)

I love Dada Life, but it seems like the last two singles they released(although monsters they both are), have a little too much in common. Head to the drop at 1:30 on the ZHM Remix, then play the brand new Happy Violence from the start. Although the basslines are used differently, both songs feature a pretty identical version of the other, complete with the same claps, with a tinny melody on top. Again both songs I think are fantastic, but can’t help but be a little bummed out with my favorite Swedes. Thoughts?

Mustard Pimp – ZHM (Dada Life Remix)
Dada Life – Happy Violence

Wrapping up this week I’d LOVE to introduce an up-and-comer in my neck of the woods. I usually pride myself on my hunting-downability of new artists and music coming from wherever, but the fact that this dancey, dark, slightly European stuff got past me for this long gets me down. No problem, I get to share it with you! Ladies and germs, I give you MPHD.

Autosuggestion – MPHD & Soccius
Soccius – Zoo Colors (MPHD Remix)+++
SebastiAn – Yes (MPHD Edit) (Hey, I CAN dance to this song!)

Right? Yeaaaaaaa. These guys are label mates over at Bad Shoes Records, look forward to more stuff coming from that direction.

Wear good headphones and support the music!

^ That’s how I feel about these mixtapes. So stoked to see a change of pace from a dj without it going into a “side project” or being hyped beyond belief. These are just good, rare, rad (yes rad) tunes being spun together at a mellow little pace (Jay Dee chills), highlighted with some light scratching for effect. It’s a rad opportunity to get inside the (no doubt extensive)library of one of the more mysterious and ominous producer/djs out there. He released these three mixes in the past three weeks, each exactly 7 days apart, and he says he’s not done. Listen and download below, do your ears and soul a favor, you’ll honestly find some gold in there.

“Used” Vol. 1

“Used” Vol. 2

“Used” Vol. 3

He also put out a teaser yesterday for his upcoming EP “DEEP RED”, to come out in a few weeks on Cheap Thrills and F.B.’s own label, Blood Music. Gotta say I’m not too stoked about the first two tracks, and Medieval (although a rad track)has been around for awhile now. Kinda meh’d on this one. Thoughts?

Really stoked for this show. I’ve wanted to see more dedicated Electro/Dubstep shows, rather than massives of one or the other. Honestly I love both, and two personal favorites, The Others and Mustard Pimp are somewhere in the middle of the night. Promises to be a good night, if you’re in the Bay Area, do yourself a favor and go grab a ticket before they sell out.

Onto the music.

This track is a beast. ZHM holds it own as a creepy hard hitting electro track (and if you havn’t seen the music video banned from youtube, hide the kids and peep it here.) The Dadafied remix pumps it up by making good use of their sausage fattener plugin, and delivers a HUGE synth down your earholes. Big noise.
Mustard Pimp – ZHM (Dada Life Remix)

Hailing from the UK Joe Garston is our young’n of the week. At only 19 years old, hes already signed to Plasmapool and has charted in Beatport with this electro-house anthem. Although this sub-genre seems to repeat itself quite often, this track stays fresh with a crisp beat and solid production skills. Expect big things from him in the coming years, and follow his soundcloud.
Top of the World – Joe Garston Removed By Request

Next up is yet another remix of a song with Robyn, and I’ve heard this song played out to the extreme. Not much goes down in the first 1:30, sync up and get through those vocals, but holy god that’s an awesome drop. R3hab serves it up again.
Rye Rye feat. Robyn – Never Will Be Mine (R3hab Remix)

So more surprises from the man himself, Dillon Francis last week released a dubstep EP called ‘Ultra’. He went to work with his former mentor Cory Enemy and what resulted were three bass heavy monsters. Here’s the title track, give a listen, then go grab the full EP here for free.
Cory Enemy and Dillon Francis – Ultra

Finally, one of my favorite tracks of this summer got released yesterday, Bart B More dropped it at my favorite set at EDC, and since then I’ve been on the hunt for it. After a few delayed releases, it’s finally upon us. Go grab a copy at beatport, its the right thing to do.
Bart B More & Tommie Sunshine – Bodywork

As always, wear good headphones, and buy the music!
-Mr. Vos

Back again for your (ir)regular but as always juicy slice of grooves and beats. This week sees a harder dose, spurred by Blatta+Inesha’s recent visit to Motiv in Santa Cruz. I was ready, but I wasn’t prepared for what they had in store, a set filled with hard-driving electro from across the pond, flawlessly mixed, with enough energy to carry an hour and a half set. Keep an eye out for these guys on their soundcloud and facebook, their new track “Senegal” gets released on Dim Mak Records in a few weeks!

Here’s probably my favorite track of theirs, which just came out in March on Crux Records. The Modek remix was indeed a fantastic outing, but I personally love where this song goes in the first 3:20, a killer sub-bass, eerie vocals, and a killer drop. Ladies and gentlemen, this here’s a classic.
Blatta+Inesha – My Lady Don’t Mind

This new remix by German group D.I.M. is one of the more perfect songs I’ve heard in the past few weeks, these guys in my eyes, can do no wrong.
Fiora – Rediscovery (D.I.M Remix)

Next up is Lucky Date’s newest remix of Frankmusik’s “Do It in the A.M.”. He released his previous effort with Eli Smith a few weeks ago(one of my favorite tracks recently), this is a slowed down, more laid-back approach. Still got Lucky Date allllll over it, this has a got a really clean percs to open up, with a super funky bassline underneath. A cool throwback to simpler times, and a great track for the end of summer.
Frankmusik – Do It In The AM ft. Far East Movement (Lucky Date’s ’06 Remix)

Next up we got a MASSIVE dubstep track from Sex Cult Records‘ Alvin Risk. This guy doesn’t know how to slow down, churning out insane dubstep tracks, and some of my favorite moombahton originals this year alone, and this one’s no let down. Has an overall dark theme, which I think the american dub scene has lacked recently, and this guy is going nowhere. Go check his soundcloud, then peep some of the junior Sex Cult crew, big sounds coming from guys you’ll hear more of.
Example – Stay Awake (Alvin Risk Remix)

Monstrous, dark, gritty electro from Skitsnygg.
Haunting, superb electro/dance tracks from yourdirtyhabit.

Last this week we got a heavy electro remix from the 19-year-old up-and-comer DallasK, with his huge remix of Nero’s Guilt. Honestly after some of their previous releases, Guilt could never hold its own for me, but this track has completely brought it back to life. His “Front/Back” track has been tearing up Beatport and moved this kid to “Serious” status I’d say pretty damn quick. eyes peeled on this kid.
Guilt – Nero(DallasK remix)

As always, wear good headphones, and buy the music!
-Mr. Vos

Right now it seems like a ton of my favorite producers are gearing up for some serious business. Felix Cartal has promised to stop making remixes for his upcoming EP, Dillon Francis is working on his, and Alex Gopher just put out a monster of an EP called “Invasion”, featuring remixes by Mumbai Science, Sovnger, Etienne de Crecy and….just buy it here.

Good stuff this week, recapping some early summer releases along with some fresh new tracks to keep those sunny vibes flowin’ and them feet movin’. We’ve got a big one to start us off…..

Gregori Klosman has been a huge favorite of mine the past 6 months or so. Everything he does seems to be presented in a nicely layered manner, with a little but of imbalance and outright nastiness. I LOVE hard-electro that goes places within the track, and Gregori nails it with his new banger, Low Battery. Get to 2:30 and hold on.
Low Battery – Gregori Klosman

Style of Eye has kept things quite real as of late, their “Save the World” remix for Swedish House Mafia saved the track for the harder crowd, and the Wet/Dry EP is one of the best this year. Nothing over the top, but a gorgeous production value (esp. in the percussion)with some quality remixes. The Zombie Disco Squad remix of “Dry” is stellar, but for summer, nothing beats steel drums and stomping bass!
Style of Eye – Wet

Love, love, love, this track. Funky, snappy, groovy. Claude has been a fav. producer of mine for a bit, but each time I hear this remix I’m simply blown away. The percussion is awesome, keeps the song simply moving forward, the bass is what’ll knock you on your ass. This one’s a jewel, staying in my library for awhile.
Girl Unit – Wut (Claude Vonstroke “Undressed” Remix)

This is a pretty loud remix of the 8th Grade slow dance jam, California King Bed by Rihanna. Not usually into this kinda stuff for my personal listening, but I’ll be among the first to admit that the girl’s got a set of pipes. Sped up a bit mixed with a signature Bassjackers club sound, and you got a pretty damn catchy tune. I like the off-timing they use with the synth, they avoid completely sounding like 800 other house songs. Makes live crowds nuts.
California King Bed (Bassjackers Club Mix)

Next up we got a pair of remixes of the INNERPARTYSYSTEM hit “Not Getting Any Better”. A big room version from L.A.’s own No Body and a straight danceable remix from S.F.’s funk-masters, Realboy. In terms of my own style and tastes, the Realboy mix kills it for me, the production is top-notch, and when the song drops at 1:15, the funktastically heavy bass is too much to ignore. No Body’s mix exhibits their prowess for the big room sound, and with a group that has successfully nailed multiple genres(Moombah, Electro-House, B.R. etc.) this is just another notch on their belt. Both make good use of the vocals in the song, which is why I play both in live sets. Keep an eye out for both these groups this year. Don’t say I didn’t tell ya.

Not Getting Any Better – INNERPARTYSYSTEM (No Body Remix)

Not Getting Any Better – INNERPARTYSYSTEM (Realboy Remix)

Lastly, one of my all time favorites Clockwork is finally releasing his Breaker EP on August 1st on Wearhouse Records. “Breaker” has been a personal favorite of mine since he dropped his exclusive mix over at Gotta Dance Dirty (which, if you dont have it, go here before anything else and cop it). Weighing in at four tracks hefty tracks, what’s offered is a heaping pile of big room house complete with no b.s. percussion, sublime synths, and a groovy undertone that seems to stem from his deep passion for hip-hop. This stuff is gold, can’t wait to see where the future takes this guy.
Clockwork – Breaker EP Minimix

Keep an eye out for some Monthly mix installments I’ll be doing here at C+A+D, still figuring out my approach, but expect one sooner than soon.

Mr. Vos