Remixing the Night Away

I'll be honest with you guys, it takes a LOT for me to consider a remix when I'm already a fan of the original. This goes to show, that as an avid Ellie Goulding fan... I've only considered a small handful of remixes of her material. The first one that cracked my complicated style was Blackmill's Dubstep remix of EG's stellar cover of "Your Song" originally performed by the one & only Elton John.

True life: I still melt every time I hear this song. Since then I've totally opened up to remixes, it just takes a good solid listen or seven to figure out what it is that I love about it in comparison to the original. Sometimes it's amazing, and sometimes it's just god awful. Here are a few current remixes that I've stumbled across by luck, and hey - they're pretty good regardless of the mood you're in.

Enjoy! xx 

First off, this is a free download, so definitely grab it while you have the opportunity to! I love this stripped down version of the track from Young Wonder's recently released EP titled Show Your Bones Check out the video for the original track here! As I've admitted on previous posts, I've fallen in love with Feel Good Lost & what they've done in terms of directing videos for Young Wonder! 

P.S. Still obsessed with this video for "Time" that's also featured on Show Your Teeth.

I consider myself blessed to work in an environment that plays music that I can appreciate just like this remix by Ryan Hemsworth featuring Angel Haze of Cat Power's "Manhattan." 

being one of the several tracks that are featured in our daily mixes each week. "Manhattan" is my favorite track off CP's latest studio release Sun, and honestly it took me a few listens...but hey, you can now colored me ecstatic because I love this remix.  

Another free download that I am currently in love with. I love that Tycho can take a song and still include a little something-something that makes you automatically think "wow that kind of sounds like Tycho." It's 100% instrumental, and I'm 100% in love with it.

Truth be told, I  first heard this Jacob Plant remix of Iggy Azalea's "Work" before I actually heard the original several months ago. I can't imagine ending this post on a better note then with this gem of a remix. Hopefully this will be one of the tracks that will hit you the same it did for me.  I can't help but start every "getting ready" process without this remix, it's just that good. 

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One AMAZING Way to Start Your Morning :)

For me personally, getting ready in the morning is something that cannot be done without listening to MUSIC. Listening to something that's upbeat is a MUST! Sorry espresso, but you're not #1 on my list of pick-me-ups when I'm looking for something to start the day off right (although there are days when a pit-stop for coffee is more than necessary). My preference for music in the morning varies with the type of day it's going to be. Some mornings I immediately go straight for Yeasayer's latest album Fragrant World, and then there are mornings where I blast LCD Soundsystem like there's no tomorrow and it turns into a one-person dance party with my hairbrush in hand. Take it from me, LCD Soundsystem does wonders especially when you have to wake up at 4:15AM for your 6AM shift. ;)

The playlist featured below is more of a mellow (but nowhere near as mellow as a Bon Iver track) selection of songs! These are the songs that I immediately turn on the second I walk out the door of my apartment complex, and into the chilly Philadelphia weather. There's a great chance you've heard a few of the tracks before. My morning playlist is never the same, so there will be different versions popping up throughout the next couple of weeks, hope you find them just as helpful as I do!

LATELY.

I'm back from Outside Lands, and it's definitely a bittersweet feeling. You cannot beat good times with great people & live music. Highlights of the weekend were indeed Tame Impala, Tennis, Portugal. The Man, MSTRKRFT, Passion Pit, and Bloc Party. I must admit it was nice to sleep in my own bed though. Unfortunately, it's crunch time with 3 weeks left in my last quarter of undergraduate studies EVER! Below are a handful of fresh tunes that I just couldn't pass up, hope you like! :)

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Daughter - "SMOTHER"

You can always count on this trio from North London to deliver a song that's equally beautiful as it is emotionally heart-wrenching. "Smother" will be released as a single on October 7th with "Run" as the B-side, and will be available digitally on September 3rd! This is a brand new track from Daughter, and I was so excited to find Philadelphia on the list of dates for their first North American Headline tour!

For those of you in California:

October 29th -The Independent, San Francisco

October 30th - The Bootleg Theater, Los Angeles

Ellie Goulding - "ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN"

If you know me personally, you can bet your bottom dollar I shrieked the second I read on Ellie Goulding's twitter that the "Instagram Fan Lyric Video" was up for the public eye. Ellie has a new album coming out on October 8th in the UK & 9th for the US titled Halcyon, and this was the first track that I heard about from it! I have nothing negative to say about this track due to how long I've been waiting for something original from Ellie. This album is going to be nothing less of powerful, especially if Xaphoon Jones has anything to do with it. 

Cat Power - "CHEROKEE"

Not going to lie, I was so distracted by how powerful "Ruin" was that I nearly missed this gem. "Cherokee" is another track off Cat Power's forthcoming album Sun that will be released on September 4th on Matador Records. Nicolas Jaar released a beautiful remix of this track last week, and you can check it out here to see what the hype is all about. :) Sun is definitely one of the albums I'm looking most forward to within the next couple of months.

Bondax - "YOU'RE SO (Star Slinger Refix)"

Star Slinger did a great job with this tweaking this track that I had stumbled on a few months ago. There's a lot more going on in this "refix", yet it doesn't stray from Star Slinger's casual style of sound.

Lucy Rose - "BIKES"

Since Lucy Rose's debut album Like I Used To won't be released in the US until next year, I was excited to find out that a proper video for one of the tracks was released yesterday. It will be amazing to hear the entire album as a whole as there is a low supply of studio versions for the songs available. 

Com Truise - "CHEMICAL LEGS"

Here is the latest track to be released from the Adult Swim Singles Program, and as usual I feel like I'm stuck inside an arcade game. Com Truise's style definitely isn't for everyone, but I can appreciate his music from time to time. His most recent album In Decay is definitely worth checking out if you're into low-key electronic music. 

Poolside - "CALIFORNIA SUNSET"

This duo from Los Angeles is currently on tour supporting Twin Shadow, and I am looking forward to hearing them live when they play in Santa Barbara this Saturday at SoHo! Check out their SoundCloud account where you can listen & download most of their music for free! 

Getting Back Under The Covers: Part II

Welcome to Round 2 of my favorite cover songs! Hope you weren't expecting to see the "Rhiannon" cover recently destroyed by Best Coast. Yes, I did give it a listen and the benefit of the doubt, but it was so painful that I couldn't stick around to hear the end. 

If you would like to see for yourself, click on the links below. 

Best Coast version

Original version by Fleetwood Mac

First Aid Kit - "PLAYING WITH FIRE"

(Rolling Stones Cover)

Bombay Bicycle Club - "WHATCHA SAY" 

(Cover of Jason De Rulo's Cover of Imogen Heap)

A cover of a cover? It's funny in the beginning, but just give it some time and soon enough you'll be hooked on it. 

Ellie Goulding Ft. Tinie Tempah - "HANGING ON"

(Active Child Cover)

Birdy - "1901"

(Phoenix Cover)

Bon Iver - "COMING DOWN"

(Anais Mitchell Cover)

Cat Power - "WONDERWALL"

(Oasis Cover)

The Kills - "DREAMS"

(Fleetwood Mac Cover)

Pitchfork was kind enough to put together a list for "The Worst Covers of 2011", and if you're curious to see which ones made the list 

----> here ya go!