I Could Be The One (Nicktim): Avicci vs Nicky Romero (EDM)

Firstly, WHAT A COOL PICTURE! Super creative way to put Avicci and Nicky Romero together instead of some lame picture of them both djing with their hands raised (which I was about to use before I found this). This tune (nicktim) has been out forever, and been put to countless different lyrics and has gone through some really cool incarnations. This is the official song, and I think all the wait has been worth it (at least for the music video, the songs good, but the video is what makes it!). 

The song seems to speak of the drudgery and misery of a normal life, office jobs, deadlines, and zero excitement or adventure, and that that manner of living isn't really life, but a sad mockery of a fulfilling human experience. Or maybe it's just about partying, who knows. 

The music video is equal parts knee-slapping and heartbreaking. Chronicling a ladies unfulfilling existence and her many fantasies of a better life, it gets raunchy, gets funny, is over the top and inappropriate, but ultimately pretty fun to watch. The ending comes out of nowhere and...well, I won't spoil the surprise. Go out and live life to the fullest! Enjoy!

-Don't read until after music video: 2late was written on the van...

Soko: I Kill Her (Hannes Fischer Remix)

Eerie promises of death and murder aren't usually my cup of tea (I guess I do listen to the Decemberists) , but boy do they work for this song! Soko, the French singer and actress, released this creepy little song in 2007, and it reached the number one spot on the Danish iTunes (don't ask me about the French-Danish connection). She's even been featured in a Cee Lo Green song! This remix really fleshes out the song and makes it even more chilling and tantalizing! The song doesn't really start until a minute in, and then her awesome voice talks the listener through her jealousy and why, ultimately, she wants to kill this other girl. It's spooky at times, so matter of fact that its pretty funny at others, and the whole thing is just very different and fun to listen to! I love 4:26, her voice is great and there's a bit of uncertainty and it sounds like a real conversation. Anyway, enjoy!

ManicanParty: Rebels In The Light

This is a really cool eclectic mix of lots of styles all accompanied by a quite snazzy music video! I haven't really heard anything like ManicanParty in a while, and their sound is refreshing and captivating! Some awesome chanting, awesome female vocals, and to top it all off, at 2:56 some crazy drums and even better chanting comes on and puts the indie cherry on top! Enjoy! 

If you want to snag a download, or want to deprive yourself of watching the very tasteful and well done music video (especially for how small they are at the moment) here's the soundcloud link. 

Hardwell ft. Amba Shepherd: Apollo (Moiez Remix)

Hardwell is this and that, blah blah blah, there's bleeps and bloops, yadda, yadda, yadda, the build is super impressive, yap, yap, yap, classic female vocals, SHUT UP ALREADY! This is an EDM song and it's enjoyable, I'll let your ears do the rest. Enjoy! (It's actually quite good, don't pass this one up!) 

Nicolas Jaar: Encore

Nicolas Jaar defies his namesake, and stays away from anything even slightly 'jaaring' in this song. Encore is just that...a song that you could play again and again and not even know it was happening, so effortless and soothing are its sounds! The opening sample about labyrinths and time and space sets the mood for a wonderful aural journey through the winding and wending twists and turns of an adventurer leading us deep within his own secret soundscape...who knows what you'll find within! Enjoy!

Coldplay: Christmas Lights

My absolute favorite Christmas song. Transitions so beautifully from sad and nostalgic to hopeful and poignant! I tear up most times I listen to, being the ol' softie I am. "When I'm still waiting for the snow to fall, doesn't really feel like Christmas at all," may sum up a California Christmas, but those Christmas lights keep shining on, and all is right! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! 

Foxes ft. Omar LinX: Youth (Adventure Club Remix) (Hip-hop with EDM!)

'Foxes' was already such a great original song, and yet, Adventure Club outdoes themselves, and decide to make it even better! As usual, choosing to remix the COOLEST songs, with the best female vocals, 'Youth' is a classic, and with these fresh verses from Omar LinX (the same Omar LinX who was on the epic Zeds Dead track a while back) this song absolutely has everything fall into place! Check it out! 

And if you're still lacking the original Adventure Club version, or just have an aversion to the hip-hop, here's the epic original remix (haha, ironic). This one hits a little harder...


Oh yah, and the whole point I chose the song 'Youth': I turned 19 today and still feel like a little 14 year old...growing up is no fun! :(

The Bird and The Bee: Carol of the Bells

Well...it's probably time to start posting Christmas music! This is one of (if not the) coolest Christmas song I've ever heard! There's just some epic, otherworldly, slightly creepy, quality to it, and especially to her voice, that is just unreal! Listen for yourself, you won't be disappointed! First post as a 19 year old! Enjoy!

Local Natives: Breakers

I can't think of a better not-the-apocalypse-we-thought-it-was-going-to-be post! If the world had ended, the blog would have begun and ended with the Local Natives, which seems fitting, and now that we get to trudge ever onward into a zombie and alien-less future, the Local Natives get to usher in a new era!

An era of more music and delight and discovery than ever before! Speaking of delight and music...these guys still got it. 

They still got it like crazy. 

'Breakers' is gorgeous and makes my excitement level for Hummingbird (the sure to be ground-breaking, earth-shattering, toe-tapping, heart-pounding, body-bouncing new album due out January 29th) go out the roof and fly about on wings that can flap 55 times per second (these are the hummingbird jokes people, get em while they're still here! Those critters can fly at 25mph so they're going fast). 

Anyway! 

Their trippy hipster music video, paired with their classic unforgettable, unbelievably amazing song structure and sound makes for something stunning. I'm on my 8th (count 'em, 8th!) replay of the song just this evening, never mind the over 3 weeks since the song has been out! It's a keeper! Enjoy! Oh! And by the way, the backwards, uphill rolling in this is truly a marvel. I'd be prepared if I were you. These guys know what they're doing in that exclusive niche field of uphill rolling . Listen!

Now after--and only after--you've full-screened the above song and drank it in in all its glory, you are allowed...only out of desperation...to download the official Superhumanoids remix, which is stellar and great and all that crap, but can't hold a candle to the original. This is only to be done out of a deeper moral understanding that your infallible human nature will cause you to seek out unsavory means of getting the original 'Breakers', and that the only solution is a substitute song, a nicotine-patch for the soul if you will. Here's the remix, use it wisely, and may it hold you over until we all get our Local Natives fix next month! 

You also, of course, can buy the single on iTunes...

End Of The World (An array of apocalypse themed tunes!)

So the Mayan calendar ends tomorrow...whether you believe anything will happen or not (or are a debbie downer and are pointing out that nothing happened in Australia, where it's been the 21st all day) you can't deny the huge cultural impact this event has. 

Here's some apocalypse themed music to get you scared, get you dancing, get you through, and hopefully to ultimately still be played for many a year to come! 

Eh, screw the scaring you! Let's get right to the dancing. Love or hate her, Britney has a great end of the world song! 

There's also that Jay Sean song '2012' but I just can't bring myself to post that on here, look it up yourself if you must. 

So you're dancing, you're celebrating, yadda yadda, but now you pause for a second and you're like, "Damn, I don't really want to die...I wish Paul McCartney had some sad yet hopeful songs about accepting death". Well it's your lucky day (besides the whole 'end of days' business) because he does! Some not great whistling in the middle, but other than that, smashing! 

Now you're at that, "Well, it's too late to do anything about it at this point, it'll either happen or not, I should just find someone I love and we'll watch the world either crumble before our eyes, or hey!, be treated to a sunrise!" Luckily Said The Whale's got your back there too, with 'A Cold Night Close To The End'. 

I wish you all the fondest of Winter Solstices, be it our chaotic last, or just another in a long string of wondrous ones. I'll leave you with some pleasant end of the world photos! 

Deadmau5: The Veldt (Project 46 Happy Technology Pancake Remix)

You can't really pass up a 'Happy Technology Pancake Remix'...and you should be sure to keep this one from falling off the griddle! Pancake jokes aside, this song flips (sorry, I'll stop now) a Deadmau5 classic and stretches it out, and joyifies it...kind of like what a pancake is now that I think about it! Huh, those clever Project 46 guys! This 7:00 journey has lovely calm parts, the same great lyrics from the original, and of course, cool bleeps and boops (phew! that almost slipped past my editing and was posted as 'boobs'). Enjoy! 

Bastille: Oh Holy Night

This guy is epic! One of the most varied and interesting producers/singers/everything that I've encountered! He picks the coolest samples and then weaves them with haunting or uplifting music and every song is so unexpected and incredible! I'm digging his stuff! It's like discovering 20 different artists at once!

In the Christmas spirit, I guess I'll feature 'Oh Holy Night' which begins with a sample all of you better recognize...I won't reveal what it is, let you discover for yourself. Then his lovely voice comes in and delivers a gorgeous rendition of the christmas classic! Sounds almost spiritual! Be warned, the last few seconds have gunshots, which come as a surprise! Enjoy!

Since that was short enough to not bore you, but sweet enough to pique your interest, here's another song of his from the complete other side of the musical spectrum...also epic! Love his samples! This one has such a sweet beginning, then explodes at 1:33 with some sick female vocals cutting in. The rest of the song is pure exhilarating anticipation as it brings in more cool samples, great vocals, and lovely, orchestral backgrounds! Enjoy!


Finally, the last one I'll bore you with, 'Forever Ever' has the coolest spoken part throughout all of it! Haunting, sad, and still really enthralling! Enjoy once again!


If you dig these...guess what! Both of his mixtape albums are absolutely free!
Visit http://otherpeoplesheartache.com/ for both 'Other People's Heartache' albums!

Freelance Whales: Locked Out

The Freelance Whales are such a terrific breath of fresh air! Their first album was sparkling, luscious indie pop at its finest, and now they have matured and perfected their unique sound for their second album 'Diluvia'. It's been some time now since Diluvia came out, and I'll admit at first listen it was not the instantly catchy and very-easy-to-sing-along-to sound I had come to expect from their first offering, but recently I've been listening to it more and more, and every song is just layered and gorgeous! Don't believe me? Check out the single, 'Locked Out' and grab it for free from their website...After a few listens of this I'm sure you'll be picking up the full album in no time! If you love this song, check out 'Dig Into Waves', which melds beautifully with the end of this song and together they make for a sumptuous aural journey indeed! Enjoy! 

Free download: http://www.freelancewhales.com/stream/

Born Ruffians: Little Garçon

These chaps may have been born ruffians...but from the sound of this song, I'm going to guess that they all went on to discover softer sides of themselves, and live happy, fulfilling, non-ruffian lives. Just a guess though.

Sweet, charming, and with a tranquil melodic build to a gorgeous call and response clap session at the end, this song is a pleasant, laid back, good time! 3:47 and on is fun! Whether you're a little Garçon ('boy' in French) or a little Fille ('girl'), you're sure to enjoy this! 

Wilhelm Tell Me: So Into You (St. Pauli Remix) (Dance Your Hipster Glasses Off Music)

I jammed so hard to this song today. Driving all day from Southern to Northern California isn't exactly the most exciting thing in the world to do...that is unless you you have this! On repeat for a good half-hour span, I was car dancing like crazy. Some girls behind me even got out their phones and were blatantly filming my dance fiasco for a while. When that goes viral, remember you heard about it here first! 

Anyway, this indie song is remixed to perfection and is literally just euphoric and joyful in its masterful rendering. So good! I'm so into it! One of my favorite songs I've heard in a while! Thanks to Meghan for introducing me to a treasure trove of sound! Ahhhh! Listen! Turn this way up, put on some dancing shoes, dancing pants, your dancing face, and dance! 

Wolfgang Gartner: The Way It Was (Trampboat Remix)

Some refreshingly different EDM sounds by none other than the supposedly legendary-in-concert Wolfgang Gartner! Great funky build ups, a rad synth-line, and an amazingly simple vocal that stays engaging the few times it pops up! Enjoy! 

The Dwarf Cast & Richard Armitage: Misty Mountains

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was mind-blowing! Go see it this second and then again, and again, and again! Magical, much lighter than Lord of the Rings, hilarious, still epic, and all around a legendary once (or in this case, thrice) in a lifetime experience! GO GO GO! If just the mention of The Hobbit gives you chills, then prepare for the chilliest 1:45 of your life! The dwarfs song 'Misty Mountains' is just as stirring and beautiful as in the trailer, and literally grabs my very soul and moves it all around. So good. So cool. So brilliant. Such a great cameo by Bret from Flight of the Conchords. Legendary. Period. Enjoy. 

And in case you're missing good old Lord of the Rings:

This song is magical and always brings me right there to the lovely Shire. Howard Shore's face is so overjoyed as everything comes together! Beautiful! 

Alright, It's now 4:30 in the morning and I must sleep for my final today. Good morning to all and don't wait to embark on unexpected journey's of your own! 

The Wombats: Price Tag (Jessie J Cover)

That Wombats picture is ironic, because this is the Wombats at their pop, pop, poppiest, covering Jessie J of all people. Matthew Murphy says of the original, "Its just a massive, bulletproof, pop song, with, with, you know, quite a nice sentiment I guess!" They just want to make the world dance, and I just want to dance along with them. These guys are absolutely in my top 5 bands of all time and everything they do is magic, and even this uber pop excursion turns out wonderfully! Enjoy!

Parts of this song are just so great! It starts off, "Okay coconut man, moonhead and pea, are you ready?", then near the beginning he forgets the words and just mumbles through and it's all bleedin' brilliant! LISTEN! They say they're currently working on album #3 and I couldn't be more stoked. Keep an eye peeled! 

The Mowgli's: San Francisco (Little Daylight Remix)

The Mowgli's the name, jubilation is the game! They describe themselves as: 

8 friends from Los Angeles who are making music with love, and making love with music.

I can't really describe them more than that, just know that this song is happy, indie, and given that final magical touch by Little Daylight! 

Kavinsky: Nightcall

If you haven't seen Drive...go do that. It's pretty cool, not what I was expecting, and has a sweet soundtrack! If you haven't heard 'Nightcall' by Kavinsky yet...DO THAT RIGHT MUSIC-ING NOW! Amazing track with some of the coolest female vocals I've heard in recent history. Creepy, chilling, and darkly beautiful, don't sleep on this one (and lets face it...it's finals week, you're not sleeping anyway). Enjoy! 

Mutemath: In No Time (Pierce Fulton Remix)

In the Christmas spirit I'm optimistically proclaiming that finals will be over 'In No Time'. This laid back indie remix of Mutemath will hopefully help get you through the week. Great vocals, sweet background soundscape, and enough energy to propel you while staying chill enough to not break your concentration, this song is sure to become a favorite on the study playlist! Enjoy!

Alternative download link: http://www.facebook.com/PierceFulton/app_137541772984354

San Cisco: Rocket Ship

Oh Australia. You're no New Zealand: Flight of The Conchords aren't from you, Lord of the Rings isn't filmed there, you hop around on your bloody kangaroo's all day (Dave from FOTC's words, not mine), but at the end of the day, you produce some great music! San Cisco consists of some young kids having fun, making cool songs, and being signed to a snazzy sounding label called Fat Possum Records. Their big song is called 'Awkward', which is super catchy and good, but my personal favorite would have to be 'Rocket Ship', which just has that fun-loving indie pop sparkle that I love, and has a less pretentious music video and just looks fun! Enjoy!!!!!!!

P.S. I think I just enjoy music videos a lot more than most people, because invariably, no one has ever seen all the ones I have, but if you are to watch one, this would be it! There're helmets, pig costumes, synchronized diving, watermelon, dancing cooks, wigs, lots of being upside-down, more watermelon, people happily getting covered in chalk underground, exuberant grocery shopping, mattress surfing, pictures of rugs, farm animals getting crunk, girls sliding down hills, plenty of dancing, and most of all just a sense of pure joy! If that last sentence doesn't get you to watch...I might as well just give up. 

John Williams: Binary Suns (Coyote Kisses Remix)

You thought Star Wars was all lasers and pod-races and lightsabers? You presumed it couldn't get crazier than Darth Maul and Jar Jar Binks and Dagobah? You expected it to end with an obliterated Death Star and the fall of the Emperor? Well think again. 

This aural feast is recognizable from the opening seconds, and unforgettable from then on! As one Soundcloud comment put it, "This song is is too epic to even comprehend unless you're a Jedi." I think even then your Medi-chlorian count may not cut it...

Crazy and glitchy at times, like gungans fighting battle droids, and poignant and stunning at others, like the binary suns of Tatooine, this remix has it all. If you're looking to get your dance on, your nerd on, and your electro on, look no further than this spacey, sumptuous, sunset of a song! Enjoy, and snag a free download on the Soundcloud page!  

Mariah Carey: All I Want For Christmas Is You

Let it be written that today, December 5th, was the day that I--Miles Yazzolino--caved under the pressure and finally cracked. This fateful day...I posted a Christmas song (*looks embarrassed to the ground, averting eyes from beloved blog followers*). I love Christmas to death, it's so joyful and communal, and wonderful, but let's be honest. The music can get a little old.

So this afternoon, Miles (known around the dorm as Scrooge) was tromping off to his room, stressed about finals, a thousand things on his mind, not an ounce of Christmas spirit yet in his system, when all of a sudden...what should he hear within Ben, Garrett, and Naz's Tripped-Out-Triple, but the faint opening bells of a carol that was sure to melt even the grumpy, Christmas-music-reluctant ears of Scroogolino. 

What ensued can only be described as a 19 days 19 hours 43 hours and 51 seconds until Christmas Miracle! Ben Amann--the infinitely wise gentleman and scholar--was playing 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' and Garrett and no-longer-as-Scroogelike-Miles couldn't help but dance merrily around the well furnished room, singing along and fully possessed by the ecstatic Christmas Spirit. 

Don't believe me?

                       

My most fervent early Christmas wish is that you too are possessed by the urge to dance, to wrap presents, to carol, to ice-skate, and to skip about with reckless holiday abandon to this song! Be warned, all happiness breaks loose at the 50 second mark! Enjoy!

Dirty South & Thomas Gold ft. Kate Elsworth: Eyes Wide Open (Project 46 Remix)

The EDM posts are the hardest to write, because you can only say "cool beeps and bloops and buildups" so many times. While it is certainly true that most dance music follows a fairly generic and unexciting formula, there is still nothing like the euphoric feeling of a great build, and the pure exhilaration of a drop. You don't need to know the lyrics (or can probably pick up the gist of them in a few heartbeats), and can just lose yourself in a genre which is actually extremely generous, accepting, and fun. 

With that said, here's another typical EDM song with the classic female vocals, the not-unheard-of slow build up, and, though you might not think it, a lot of heart. Let's all stop hating and start dancing. Enjoy!

(Download link on Soundcloud page)

Walk The Moon: Anna Sun

If you like bands with moons, songs with suns, infectious energy, wonderful music videos, underground raves, magical doors, super silly and awesome choreographed dancing, face paint, slow motion color dance parties with beautiful people, and a five and a half minute popular song that mangages to never be boring or repetitive, then go make one of those yourself! 

I joke, I joke, all of these wonderful things and more are contained in this stunning music video for the equally (perhaps even exceedingly) joyful song 'Anna Sun' by Walk the Moon. This is a situation where, even if you've already heard the song, you should really watch the video, it's a worthwhile experience! The video was shot in one take using friends of the band, and I honestly don't know if I'll ever get over the regret of not being one of Nicholas Petricca's friends...

Enjoy this happy, epic looking video and check out the rest of Walk the Moon's stuff, it's all high quality! 

The Great Flood Catastrophe: Fallen Love (Kill Paris Remix)

This Sunday jam should help propel you through todays homework, and fuel your finals studying over the next week. Crazy distortions on the vocals, loco breaks, redonkulous slow parts, and an overall funky yet sweet vibe, Kill Paris and The Great Flood Catastrophe have a winner on their hands here! Enjoy!