We've got a pretty eclectic group of music lovers working the controls here, so each week, we put together a batch of our favorite tunes for your listening enjoyment. We do this on the regular, so keep hitting up the Work & Playlist tag to see the latest sounds we love.
Selvagem “Chitty Disco” & “Portonic por Favor” (Disco Deviance)
For those who need a little disco in their life (couldn’t we all use a little right now), I got you. Rather, Selvagem has got you. The São Paulo–based duo turns out a high-spirited, hands-in-the-air, tropical disco behemoth of the highest order, released a few days ago via one of my favorite re-edit labels, Disco Deviance . The horns, the bass, the Latin brass, the 4/4 kick—“Chitty Disco” brings all the bubbling pieces together for one helluva party. If the Selvagem boys keep doing like they did on this one (and their handful of previous releases), I predict more hollering, because these guys are bound to make an impact. They’ve got the groove nailed. They can even rock a Balearic disco vibe—peep “Portonic por Favor” on the flip. Disco Deviance just added yet another memorable addition to their catalog of releases. —Boojie Baker
Follow Selvagem on Facebook | SoundCloud
A-Track & Tommy Trash “Lose My Mind” (Mija Remix)
If you ask me, there simply isn’t enough French house; luckily, Mija is here to give us our fix. Giving the tune a boost of energy and making things a bit heavier, she turns the slow-rolling funk tune into something reminiscent of some of the Ed Banger records of the early 2000s. Mija went in on this one, keeping the vibe and basic elements of the original but spicing things up with some edits that will keep you on your toes on the dancefloor, and sprinkling some superb vocal chops throughout that give it a bit more dancefloor appeal. Mija has come out of the gate full-charge, and while she has mostly stuck to bass music, she’s quickly proving that her touch is golden, regardless of the genre. —Alexander Dias
Follow Mija on Facebook | Twitter | SoundCloud
Mark Reeve “Mainstage”
The ironic thing about this track is that it carries quite the opposite sound from that normally heard at the mainstage. Mark Reeve has been one of my favorite discoveries of the summer, and I’ve found myself getting aurally slayed by his pure and heavy sound during every mix or track I’ve heard of his. That’s including this one off the Mainstage EP, set for release September 19 on his very own SubVision—the tiny (for now) label that’s poised for some major releases following a relatively quiet 2015. Like so many of his brilliant counterparts, Reeve sticks mainly to the scene in his local Germany; here’s to hoping that the exploding techno scene here in the States will bring him to this side of the pond soon. —David Matthews
Follow Mark Reeve on Facebook | Twitter
808 State “In Yer Face” (Bicep Remix)
If you’re lucky in life, you’ll wander aimlessly onto a hot dancefloor mid-set. The DJ will feel your energy and you’ll feel theirs, and in one fell swoop, by the power of one track, the person behind the decks will show you the light. It happened to me this past weekend at a music festival in Los Angeles, when Bicep took my breath away, melted my face, and murdered my dancing feet, all in the length of one space-disco song. I’ve since searched the far edges of the internets just for a trace of this mystery song, but no luck so far. It’s right at the tip of Shazam’s tongue, but I’ve put my search on pause for now.
So, this is not said song, but rather a new remix from the Bicep boys to hold me over. It’s an update of the 1991 UK hit “In Yer Face,” from the legendary 808 State. In it, Bicep smooths out the original’s hard-edged ‘90s rave core with bleep-bloop bliss. It’s been 25 years since the release of the original, which is now seeing new life via two new remixes from Bicep, set for release this September via their own Feel My Bicep imprint. Stay tuned. I will, too—for you know what. —John Ochoa
Follow Bicep on Facebook | Twitter
Ross From Friends “Durum Wheat”
I never really understood the draw behind lo-fi beats. The thought of artists going out of their way to intentionally make their music sound crappy (ahem, vintage) remained a huge mystery in my mind, until recently. Yes, I’m happy to report I’ve come around to appreciating the niche subculture and the secondhand-sounding, sample-heavy standard it demands. Ross From Friends, despite having a name I can’t say with a straight face, has helped open my eyes to see the artform for what it is: the audio equivalent of scrounging through thrift stores for rarities not sitting on display at a storefront for the common consumer. Consider me a lifetime lo-fier from this point on.
It was Ross’ forthcoming EP—Talk to Me (You Understand), due out on Lobster Theremin—that really pried me out of my predispositions. But “Durum Wheat”—which he recently uploaded to SoundCloud and, for some odd reason, dedicated to pasta—is pushing me further down the wormhole. It’s a carb-loaded cut, with its secret spice stemming from the crackling, rundown treatment he places on the brain-tangling arrangement of it all. Plus, it’s a song about pasta, and I’m super down with that. —Sam Yu
Follow Ross From Friends on Facebook | Twitter
