This week at SoundTrax, we’ve curated a playlist that sounds like sunsets, shimmers like the ’80s and warms you up like a summer bonfire. Every artist featured here borrows heavily from the dance vernacular but also have a clear affinity for fuzzy, jangly, indie pop. What emerges from these two influences is a sound that is steeped in nostalgia but remarkably fresh. Maybe it is this aspect of retro-futurism; straddling the sounds of the past and future with such dexterity, that make the style stand out so well in the present landscape of recycled pop music. Think of it as the sonic equivalent to Instagram. This is the perfect playlist for the end of a long night with friends, when you still don’t want the party to end, but the ringing in your ears leaves you no choice. There’s equal parts guitar and synth work, just as much kit thrashing as button pressing and enough disco swagger to bring the genre back from the grave.
SoundTrax: Sunsets and Regrets
SoundTrax: Headphones On, World Off
The weather over the last few days has been marked by an overcast, chilly gloom, and after being teased by summer so frequently I feel like my taste in music may have switched seasons a bit too early. I find myself constantly drawn to warm, sample-heavy hip hop—a sound that’s quite removed from the over-synthesized, over-produced, dance-hop populating the airwaves currently, and more inline with the vinyl crackle infused genre of the ’90s (heck, a couple of these songs actually come from the ’90s). The lyrical content places more of a focus on conveying a story rather than shocking the listener with clever one liners (ahem…Drake). In the words of Masta Ace… “this is how hip hop is supposed to sound”. So find your best pair of cans and switch the outside world off for a little bit.
SoundTrax: Summer Festival Preview
As the summer festival series approaches, and the EDM movement shows no signs of letting up; producers and DJs are in full swing pumping out their biggest tracks of the year in anticipation of the neon-clad, twenty-something crowds that will descend on fields and desert landscapes all across the US during the summer months. The “rave” scene in America is slowly morphing out of the awkward teenage years of the big beat ’90s and is beginning to solidify itself as a vibrant, respected aspect of the music industry. With this explosion of popularity, the production of these events has skyrocketed, which means no more illegal warehouses or abandoned airplane hangers. Now they’re out in the open for everyone to see. Featuring extensive light shows, interactive art exhibits, go-go dancers and even carnival rides, raves have become a multi-sensory experience like never before. And so, EDM artists have been forced to up their game in order to hold the attention of our instant-gratification-oriented generation.
The rolling loops of Fatboy Slim, sliced with clever recognizable a cappella’s are no longer enough. The music has morphed, along with the culture, into something that can stand on it’s own. No longer are dance tracks just loop-based building blocks for a DJ to create a set out of—these are legitimate songs in their own right. For this week at SoundTrax, I’ve put together a list of tracks that I think are bound to make huge waves at this season’s summer festivals. Porter Robinson and Madeon kick us off with my two personal favorite tracks from the past month. TheFatRat and Lenno infuse some disco sensibilities into the middle portion, while David Guetta proves that you can be the king of pop-house and still make some respectable dance tunes. Finally, U Tern’s remix of Mark Ronson provides you with a jittery, down tempo tune to help release all the tension.
SoundTrax: Bar Fight
Bar fights seem to be one of those things you hear a lot about, but never get to witness in real life. Sure, the prospect seems totally plausible; place a bunch of drunk men in a small space and there’s bound to be issues. Unfortunately, the spectacle seems reserved for the silver screen. But the one thing both movie-style and real life bar fights always seem to lack is a kick-ass soundtrack. And with the exception of Keanu Reeves’ best film The Replacements, not many have very good post-bar-fight music either. So, this week at SoundTrax we’ve put togther a list of songs that ooze with swagger and grit and enough riff-age to fill an entire album on their own. These hard-hitting, driving, pulsating tunes will get your blood pumping and fists swinging. Just don’t go around blasting this playlist anywhere all willy-nilly, you might start an unwanted rumble at your local coffee shop. Who knows, maybe you did want this to happen….Tyler Durden.
Be sure to pack these tunes with you next time you feel like the local watering hole might turn a bit hostile. And we’ll take care of your post-coital audio needs at a later date.
The Strokes help build up the tension before things get too crazy, while Pearl Jam provide the backing track for the initial pushing and shoving that always starts out as a good-natured joust. Next, 2nd HALF pick up the pace and keep the action driving forward with an unrelenting track that’s got some balls. Say Anything drop a little comic relief into the scene with the playful intro to their mini rock-opera, before the fists start flying once again. Next up, Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown get the feet involved with a tune that features impressive guitar work, a catchy hook and a crazy amount of 70s swagger. Before the bass heavy track by Red Hot Chili Peppers grounds things a bit, Cold Conspiracy’s story of heartbreak makes for a chugging, head-slamming track that would be great in any Madden franchise. Finally, The Cranberries close us out with their angst-ridden ’90s classic.
SoundTrax: Shaken and Stirred – ‘Happy To You’ by Miike Snow
Part of what we try to do at SoundTrax is give some credence back to the idea of having tracks in a certain order. With the rise of the “single”, less attention has been paid to the order of a playlist or album, and frankly, we just think people have become lazy. There’s no set formula on how to build an album, but there are certainly albums that were put together with more care than others. So we’re trying something new for this edition: Instead of soundtracking a specific event with music from various artists, I’ve gone ahead and re-arranged the latest release from super-producer trio Miike Snow in an attempt to create a more coherent album.
Here’s a little taste of the story that Miike Snow are soundtracking with this latest record:
This is not an album review—there are plenty of those for you to read already. Read on for an alternate interpretation of the idea Miike Snow attempts to get across, whatever that happens to be.
Continue reading ‘SoundTrax: Shaken and Stirred – ‘Happy To You’ by Miike Snow’
SoundTrax: Beachside Bonfires
In the age of the playlist, everyone has access to collections of songs hacked together due to arbitrary similarities. But what does that accomplish other than aid our forever shortening attention span, while making the idea of an “album” obsolete? SoundTrax is here to provide you with playlists that are more thought out, but still provide you with that instant gratification.
This week we’ve put together a soundtrack that will let you escape your daily grind, dig your toes into the sand, crack open a Corona, chat with friends and smell like a chimney for the next three days. Catchy choruses, funky rhythm sections and campy lyrics hightlight this playlist, so sit back and enjoy.
OurStage band Bronze Radio Return kicks things off with their feel-good vibe, and when the whole band starts singing together during the hook you won’t be able to resist. Dispatch picks up where Bronze Radio Return leaves off and pushes the tempo just a bit, before The Kooks rattle our nerves with an infectious hook and incredible arrangement. Mumford & Sons are the epitome of campy, sing-a-long rock-n-roll, so how could we not include them in the power slot of this soundtrack? Get Back Loretta and Ivory Drive have totally different styles, but both manage to infuse a sense of funk and a breath of life into the second half of this playlist, sandwiching indie-dance-rockers Foster the People. Finally, Dave Matthews Band closes us out with a summer classic from ’96.
Metal Monday: Metal Soundtracks
Inspired a bit by Rami’s Soundtrax column, this week’s Metal Monday focuses on the most metal movie soundtracks Hollywood has to offer. You might be wondering “Are there even enough metal movie soundtracks to make a list?” The answer is yes, absolutely. Admittedly, however, some of these albums are much better than others. While not totally metal, the idea of a metal soundtrack started with movies like This Is Spinal Tap and similar films. So, where should we start? How about with the most “Extreme” soundtrack on the list?
SoundTrax: Cop Chase
One of my favorite cinematic chase scenes is the climax of the ‘99 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. You can check out the scene here. Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” layered over the quick-cut shots make for an incredibly fast-paced and tense foot chase through the MET. The claps that never seem to line up, the playful piano melody, Nina’s powerful vocals and the frantic video editing all add up to a beautifully executed piece of cinematic art.
There’s no doubt that the music plays an integral role in providing the needed tension, and directors have burned through hundreds of musical styles looking for the “perfect” chase music. While I don’t think you can get much better than Pierce Brosnan’s calculated mayhem in the MET accompanied by the lovely Nina Simone, we’ve compiled a playlist of the some of the most adrenaline pumping music out there.
This week at SoundTrax, we’re throwing you a bit of a curve ball by juxtaposing two seemingly unrelated genres into one collection; the head-pounding, alternative rock of some great OurStage bands and the bumping electro-house from some of my favorite national producers. The styles of music lend themselves to something a bit more fast paced than a foot chase, so make sure to have your getaway car ready before you rob the bank.
SoundTrax: Shower Stall Rock Star
This week, we’ve compiled a list of our eight favorite sing-a-long tunes to let the rock star living inside all of you shine. In typical SoundTrax fashion, I’ve done my best to avoid falling into a specific time frame or genre. These are all songs pulled from my personal library that I can’t help but belt out whenever they come on shuffle. While I would probably avoid some of these songs like the plague in my everyday listening, I’ll be honest: There is only so many times you can listen to Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way” without feeling the urge to join in on the chorus.
Pivotal scenes from Almost Famous and Risky Business highlight the healing power of a sing-a-long (and how much fun it can be to rock out in your skivvies). The “Tiny Dancer” sing-a-long from Almost Famous is a personal favorite that I feel perfectly illustrates the spontaneity and sheer joy that can come from singing a well-known tune with your buddies.
For those of you who don’t feel comfortable belting out your favorite songs at your local karaoke night, the shower is often the only venue where you can truly express the vocal prowess you have. If you can’t sing, we ask that you don’t let the acoustics of your bathroom fool you: please keep the singing contained to the shower. There’s no need to terrorize the innocent patrons who didn’t realize it was karaoke night at the bar, or your kids sitting in the back seat of the minivan,
So grab your hairbrush, but please refrain from stripping down to a button-up and tighty-whities, and rock out to this playlist of rad sing-a-longs.
SoundTrax: Running Free
In the age of the playlist, everyone has access to collections of songs hacked together due to arbitrary similarities. But what does that accomplish other than aid our forever shortening attention span, while making the idea of an “album” obsolete? SoundTrax is here to provide you with playlists that are more thought out, but still provide you with that instant gratification.
Do you remember that scene from Season 5 of Entourage when the boys take a “trip” out to Joshua Tree, eat a bag full of shrooms and embark on their weekly thirty-minute hijinks filled adventure? It’s hard to forget, as one of the funniest episodes from the show’s eight-year (three too long in my opinion) career. What viewers often do forget four years after the episode premiered, is that the boys went out to Joshua Tree because Vince had a big decision to make regarding which movie role he would embark on, and they didn’t feel like such a monumental decision could properly be made in a big city.
Escaping the hustle and bustle of our daily lives is a universally appealing thought, but often disregarded as an irresponsible adolescent ideal. At SoundTrax we say “Screw that!” Take a day off from work, hop in your car and head out to your nearest Joshua Tree (an open field will do just fine). Forget the cell phone and laptop, all you’ll need is a sleeping bag, a handful of good friends and maybe a flashlight or two. While we do condone playing hooky from work, we can’t advocate drug use, so maybe lay off the magic mushrooms.
The music found on this playlist features bombastic, sprawling arrangements, often highlighting a heavy use of strings, with guitar riffs that chug along in repetition until they’re engrained in your soul. This is music made to run through open fields, arms outstretched, head to the sky, screaming at the top of your lungs, just because you can. And when you’re done, sprawl out on your back and watch the stars and moon swirl above you. Each song builds to a climax much greater than the sum of its parts, pulling the listener on an emotional and sonic journey that has a clear trajectory, but one that is open enough for the listener to fill in their own story.
Now that I’ve fulfilled your daily quota of thoughtful hippie musings, take a break from your stressful day and enjoy this stellar collection of tunes.
