Tag Archives: remixes

Gotta Hear This Music, Politics, Racism, Media, Culture

Basic Bitches, Hate Labels and an Amazing Kreayshawn Remix

image of Kreayshawn from her Tumblog
Not a Basic Bitch

I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts lately, among them Slate’s Double X Gabfest. In a recent podcast they discussed the concept of the “basic bitch.” Immediately I thought of Kreayshawn’s 2011 hit, “Gucci Gucci” which proclaims “Gucci Gucci Fendi Vendi Prada: basic bitches wear that shit so I don’t even bother.” At one point in the show one of the hosts declared she wanted a remix of that song, and I am here to supply. How can I resist when Party Ben’s remix is so damn good?

The hosts discussed basic bitches as compared to hipsters. They seem to me to be perfect binary opposites. Both groups are lashing out at the presumptions they expect from their counterpart. The basic bitch thinks the hipster is uppity for not following social conventions (I gave a perfect example of this in my first article on hipsters, sourced from Urban Dictionary’s hipster definition). While the hipster thinks the basic bitch is just the sort of girl who made fun of him/her in school for not wearing the right clothes or participating in sports.

If you’ll allow me to further digress, I was having a tangential conversation last night with a Puerto Rican woman I’d just met. We were drunkenly discussing Florida racial politics (a favorite pastime of mine) in particular the ongoing hatred between Cubans and Puerto Ricans.

She felt that Cubans were the ones keeping this going, always accusing Puerto Ricans of selling out, for not revolting against the Yankee oppressor. This parallax view fascinated me. As one raised amongst Cubans, the narrative was similar, but different. My upbringing taught me it was the Puerto Ricans who started it all, with their big flag necklaces and upper-middle-class pride. True, Cubans were proud of their revolutionary status, but the hatred was coming from the Puerto Ricans. They were the ones bragging about their status, thinking the Cubans were lesser, for both their poverty and their questionable legal status.

Now there’s a lot to this conversation, (and much of it that most people wouldn’t be willing to discuss or admit even sober), but the part that is germane here is that in both cases the prejudice towards the other group stemmed from some underlying insecurity. If that Puerto Rican in fifth grade hadn’t gone basic bitch on me for accidentally referring to her as Cuban, I’d not have had prejudices against Puerto Ricans and their pride flags. The prejudice was born out of my own insecurities. And if hipsters weren’t so frequently taunted and bullied as kids, maybe they wouldn’t be so eager to brag about their current elite taste in coffee, music and thrift shopping.

It’s so easy to see one side of that coin, from whatever side a person happens to identify with most closely. What is fascinating to me is that there’s insecurity coming from both sides. That the basic bitches and the Puerto Ricans were hating from a place of insecurity too. It reminds me that deep down there are no bad people, just terribly broken people in search of healing. And that all gets back to the opening of the Gabest episode, where they discuss the gender confidence gap. Nice when things come full circle, isn’t it (discuss!)?

I promise this remix is better than the one used in the closing credits of the Gabfest…though that one was satisfying too.

Kreayshawn – Gucci Gucci (Party Ben’s Bringing Back Fidget remix)

OK I really only meant to start this post as an excuse to share this Kreayshawn remix. This junk will really get you dancing. Seriously one of my favorite remixes of the decade, though Kreayshawn won’t inspire the Oakland hipsters like she used to. And for your patience during my rant, I’ll throw in this cover by suspected-hipster never-to-be-a-basic-bitch Neon Hitch. Neon Hitch drops the “basic bitch” from her version, take from that what you will.

Neon Hitch – Gucci Gucci (Kreayshawn Cover) (2:40)

If you like this cover, it’s in my Best Electro of 2011 list. There may be more there to your tastes.

PS, the women of the Double X Gabfest claimed Kreayshawn is now a “mommy blogger.” As a media professional well-acquainted with mommy bloggers, I’m going to challenge that. Having just visited her Tumblr, I’d say that Kreayshawn is not at all a mommy blogger, but simply a public figure how happens to be a mom and have a blog. A distinction a group of feminists should surely acknowledge!

All, Gotta Hear This Music, Playlists

Top Songs of 2013: Best Dance Music TOP TEN

best artist of 2013 Kukula
While we’re talking favorites of 2013, Kukula was the best artist I discovered last year.

The Top Songs of 2013 playlist continues, with the ten best dance songs playlist. By “best dance songs” I don’t mean “biggest bangers.” Anyone quality producer can lay down a floor shaker and even anthemic crescendos a la David Guetta and Calvin Harris are starting to sound tired. While the tracks below will make your hips shake, they also combine the zeitgeist of EDM right now and the direction dance music is heading.

The Best Dance Music of 2013

10. Smokey Robinson – Being With You (Clark Kent Remix) (4:34)

First posted August 2013 by Earmilk

As I mentioned in the previous post, this year’s crop of best dance tunes had a lot of retro remixes, but you’d not confuse this Clark Kent remix with an earlier dance era. Sure it opens with a ghostly a capella and follows that with a synth that could have come from 1984, but when the dubstep drops in you know this to be firmly 21st century. The washes and the thick bass make the song sick, and I’m just as impressed how he mixed Robinson’s simple piano melody with that very different-sounding synth. But mostly, somehow the Clark Kent remix makes this song sound so much more haunting than I ever thought Smokey Robinson could.

9. Miguel – Do You… (Cashmere Cat Remix) (5:07)

First posted April 2013 by the Astral Plane

I promised Cashmere Cat would make this list and here he is at number nine. I listened to this remix so much that I went and checked out Miguel, but it turns out what I really like about this song is 100% due to Cashmere Cat. Those looking for bangers may be disappointed to see this track on the list, it’s really an early-evening song.  But the best isn’t always the hardest, and I think Miguel is doing unexpected things with his mixes. I love his use of the squeaky bed springs, a tongue-in-cheek reference to sex that’s much fresher than the clichéd sound of a woman moaning. One of the growing trends of 2014 is slowed-down vocals, and this mix demonstrates this nicely. When you first learn mixing, playing with pitch is an easy way to kill a party so I’m doubly impressed to see it done effectively. I also like the way he picked out the particularly fun couplet of this song and focused on it, without making the vocals sound repetitive. Probably because of all that synthy magic he’s mixed together to make this into one delicious soup.

8. Wild Belle – It’s Too Late (Employee Of The Year Remix) (3:13)

First posted in January 2013 by Disco Demons

Speaking of early-evening songs, this Wild Belle remix is probably the slowest jam on the list. Yet I can’t help but want to sway when that disco groove kicks in at :50. What’s sophisticated about this remix is how he perfects the original. It’s a good song, but a little repetitve, and Employee of the Year drops some of that, focusing on the strongest lines of the song. “It’s Too Late” would make a great closer (or opener), or a funny ditty for washing dishes, walking the dog, or romancing a first date. Probably too short at just over three minutes, which is all the reason to play it again. If you like this low-tempo number, you should probably check out my best indie pop list.

7. RESET! – Stealin your soul (Original Vocal Mix) (4:15)

First posted January 2013 by Manalogue

Let’s pick up the pace a little with some house music. What really grabs me about this song is the fantastic vocals. His gospel-worthy voice combined with the short trumpet frill makes this 2013 song sound like it could have been a remix of some old 70s vinyl from the rummage bin. The group is Italian, so I can’t tell you much about them, all I know is that his enthusiasm is infectious.

6. Phoenix – Entertainment (Kastra Remix) (5:12)

First posted May 2013 by Surviving the Golden Age

I was disappointed by Phoenix’s newest effort after their breakout fourth album. The songs didn’t have that addictive quality that made me want to sing along despite the inexplicable lyrics (to be fair, they’re French). All that is quickly forgotten with Kastra’s irresistible electro remix. The song peaked at number 11 on the US alternative charts, but it’s Kastra’s remix that reminds me what makes electro so exciting and fun. Continue reading Top Songs of 2013: Best Dance Music TOP TEN →

All, Gotta Hear This Music, Playlists

Top Songs of 2013: Best Dance Music 11-20

[gif via Reddit]

2013 was another good year for dance music. In narrowing down this list, I focused on songs that capture the genres and artists of the zeitgeist…at least as it appears from my weird indie hole in the wall. Thus, there is no Miley Cyrus here, but I was more likely to include Lorde than a comparable remix that felt out of time. Despite such considerations, I think this list has more retro remixes than any previous year. Could it be that 2013’s producers were daydreaming of the sexual revolution? I’m just gonna assume its so.

20. BANKS – Fall Over Djemba Djemba Remix

First posted in April 2013 by Earmilk

Normally I don’t go for a song that’s so house-y there’s a sample of a dude shouting, “BASS.” What hooks me on this one is the way they lengthen her vocals, so it sounds like she’s just holding that note for half of forever. It has a dreamy quality too, not as in dreamwave, but as in mystical. There’s a melody in there that could have been ripped from a New Age meditation CD. It’s positively other-worldly.

infinite patrick
If the Banks remix were an animated gif [image via Imgur]

19. American Authors – Believer (Hyperbits remix)

First posted in August 2013 by Kick Kick Snare

Wait, is that a banjo? That breaks into a sick synth? Why, yes that’s precisely what happens at 1:20. Bonus points to Hyperbits for remixing a nifty up-and-coming band.

18. The Colourist Little Games (Saint Lucia remix) (4:33)

This is your morning on St. Lucia [gif via Reddit]

First posted in April 2013  by Hilly Dilly

If you run out of coffee, this rousing number may be the thing you need to get you moving in the morning. Gorgeous harmonies over light tinkly keyboards and so many washes you’ll think you’re in the shower.

17. The Magician – When the Night is Over (4:00)

First posted in September 2013 by No Nací en Manchester

“Leave your high heels, on I love it.”

If that St. Lucia remix was a little too chipper for your taste, have a bite of this dark, sexy number with some serious bass.”When the Night Is Over” sounds like the kind of song you’d first hear while meeting your new favorite one-night-stand on the dance floor. But it could easily become the kind of song you sing along with on your favorite dance mix. If you wondered what the heck Aeroplane was up to in 2013, it’s because the fellows behind it split. Stephen Fasano of Aeroplane is now The Magician. I hope he plays this name for all its worth: the tux, the rabbit, the wand.

16. JD Samson & MEN – All The Way Thru W. Jeremy’s Other Side Remix (6:32)

Thanks to Earmilk for being the only blogger of 2013 to share this track. August 2013

For those of you who don’t know JD Samson, s/he’s the beats behind every feminist’s favorite underground electro performance artists. I favor musicians that are a little subversive or queer, even when the music isn’t, so there may be some bias here. But this is a groovy, simple disco number that pleases me every time it pops up on my playlist. It’s not a 3 a.m. song, but it’s one of 2013’s best early songs. The odd metaphor, “My love is so deep it goes all the way through” will get folks flirting.

15. Lorde – Royals BWen Bootleg Remix

Only posted in November 2013 thanks to The Music Ninja

I’m not going to get into whether Lorde is an indie musician gone pop or whether she’s a pop star faking indie. Regardless it’s obvious that Lorde is 2013’s biggest teen sensation, grabbing the attention of hipsters and yuppies alike.  “Royals” was all over the radio and, though it is a silly pop song, on a deeper level I think the lyrics resonated with the zeitgeist. The song isn’t particularly danceable, yet it was so wildly popular last year that it brought a lot of people to the dance floor. Thus it seemed fitting that the very best “Royals” remix wind up on a best of 2013 list.

I listened to every remix of this song I could get my hands on, and then did the same process all over again at the end of the year. Both times, there were really only two remixes that got my attention, this one and the “Royals” remix by San Francisco’s Wild Boyz!. I was surprised that while some of the other remixes had thousands of reposts and likes, this remix only got posted once, on The Music Ninja. So, while I’m confident it’s the best, I’d love to hear your favorite “Royals” remix of the year—and whether you think this one tops it.

 14. Chief Keef – Hate Being Sober (Team Bayside High Bootleg) (4:51)

First posted in June 2013, also by The Music Ninja

hypno kitty gif
“Hey man, someone put on the Chief Keef remix”

To me the biggest musical innovation of 2013, at least for EDM, was the growth of trap music. It seems to pick up where dubstep was beginning to become tiresome, and merge with exciting new directions in hip hop. Team Bayside’s remix is a fine example. It’s a little bit dubstep, a little bit electro, and a little bit hip-hop, combining all synergistically into something better, newer and heavier. It takes a somber hip-hop song but adds the sonic trills of electro with the dark whooba whooba bass of dubstep. This is a 4am song for club revelers long past sober, ready to dance dirty and do all drugs mama warned them about.

13. The Toyes – Smoke Two Joints (Terravita Remix) (5:36)

First posted April 2013 by Earmilk

legen wait for it dary NPH HIMYM
How this remix makes me feel

Speaking of late-night druggie songs, here’s a familiar favorite with a drop that will hit you like a ton of bricks. Reggae lends itself well to dubstep, and this Toyes song from 1983 has been just begging for a truly solid remix. Last year it got its comeuppance. I wasn’t sure if the remix was truly from 2013, so I asked Terravita on Twitter, and he replied “some time in 2013,” an answer vague enough to make me think he’s been taking advice from a man in The Toyes. If you’ve had just about enough of dubstep, the Smoke Two Joints Terravita remix may just have you changing your mind. His wobbly makes that simple reggae guitar melody sound epic. Sick-sickity-sick.

Queen – We Will Rock You (Kiely Rich Remix) (3:37)

First posted April 2013 by Surviving the Golden Age

And speaking of epic songs from the days of yore, everyone loves a Queen remix and this Kiely Rich take is no exception. You’d think a remix of a classic song everyone loves would be a no-brainer, but such remixes tend to fail more often than not. The drunks get surly when they can’t sing along, thus too many DJs ruin a classic with too many chops and cuts. The Kiely Rick “We Will Rock You” remix does slice and dice Freddie Mercury’s vocals, but keeps the refrain chant-worthy, while mixing in some new magic to Brian May’s guitar wizardry.

That’s ten remixes for now, but once nap time is over get ready for the top ten dance songs of 2013.

Culture, Gotta Hear This Music, Movies and TV

The Freaks and Geeks Parents

Just wanted to share this photo of the parents from Freaks and Geeks. This was a screencap that I grabbed that just happened to be where the show was paused. I thought it was a great shot, each of the parents looking uniquely funny. Supporting cast never get enough love, you know?

This is from Episode 15, “Moshing and Noshing”.

Freaks and Geeks parents

Oh, I know, ya’ll are so spoiled you expect a music track on a silly little post like this. OK, fine, but only because Childish Gambino happens to have titled a song as a tribute to the show. Here’s a remix from Star Slinger, who is one of the hottest electro DJs to come on the scene in the past few years. There’s a free download too.

All, Bay Area, Gotta Hear This Music, San Francisco, Concerts

Fake Blood and Alex Metric

Sadly I wasn’t able to get tickets to the Bag Raiders, Classixx and RAC show a few weeks back. So I’ve picked up tickets to Fake Blood an Alex Metric as a consolation prize. And as consolation prizes go, it’s sure to be better than a red ribbon.

Fake Blood plays the Mezzanine tonight
Fake Blood

Fake Blood

While last month’s featured DJs are known for dreamy remixes heavy on synth, Fake Blood builds bangers. Continue reading Fake Blood and Alex Metric →

Bay Area, Gotta Hear This Music, Playlists, San Francisco, Concerts

Bag Raiders, Classixx and RAC play the Mezzanine this Saturday

Bag Raiders Classix RAC promo image from The Mezzanine

A good friend just told me that June 1st three fantastic DJs—Bag Raiders, Classixx, and the Remix Artists Collective—are going to be at the Mezzanine. All three of these DJs should be on your must-see list, as they’re consistently putting out memorable remixes of indie bands you already love (or should). But don’t take my word for it, have a listen for yourself. Continue reading Bag Raiders, Classixx and RAC play the Mezzanine this Saturday →

Gotta Hear This Music, Playlists

Top Ten Dance Songs of 2012

The Best Dance Songs of the Year

fanning my vagina for these hot dance songs

With joy I present the hottest dance songs of 2012. These have been tested on random samples of teenage girls, drag queens, and punk rock kittens. Well, actually just on me, but those folks all live in my heart. And deep within my heart, when they hear these tracks they dance.

Top Dance Songs of 2012

  1. Azealia Banks – 212
    From the June 2012 EP 1991
    This properly belongs on my hip-hop list, and you’ll find it there, but it deserves the top spot on my Best Dance Songs list. I tried to avoid duplication, but it truly deserves a high-ranking spot on both lists. I only DJed a few times in 2012, but every time I did, this was the song that people came up to me and asked who the artist was. The beat is positively primal and her fast simple rhyme scheme will have you trying to rap along. You’ll find Azealia is too fast for your tongue, so you may as well give in and let the rhythm move you.
  2. Brodinski (feat. Louisahhh!!!) – Nobody Rules The Streets
    Released June 12, 2012 on the single Bromance #3
    Those who turn their noses up at dance music often complain about the repetition. “Nobody Rules These Streets” is a perfect example of how repetition in dance music succeeds. Louisahhh!!! only has one sentence in this song, and she sings it many times, but I don’t think a single time is identical to any other time. With every measure, Brodinski brings takes the song somewhere new. This is the hottest drop of the year, for dark sexy moments where the ladies bend their legs and dip as low and slow as they can. Even though the song only has one line, “Nobody Rules These Streets” still tells a story: Louisahhh!!! is a big fish in a big, dirty, nasty pond.
    If you like this one, also check out “Tonight’s the Night” on the Top Dance Music of 2012 11-20 list.
  3. Lisa Mitchell – Neopolitan Dreams (Sound Remedy Remix)
    First posted May 24th, 2012 on Indie Shuffle
    You may have noticed that I don’t put a lot of dubstep on YNFB/FIF. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that I like it in small, exceptional doses. I prefer it to change the mood, not to set the mood for the whole night. Whether you’re hesitant to get on board with dubstep or a longtime fan, check out Sound Remedy’s remix, as it is truly exceptional. He somehow manages to take this light and pretty pop song and make it both dubstep and glitchy 8-bit. Positively a gorgeous remix that’s bringing something new and unique to the dubstep genre.
  4. Robert DeLong – Global Concepts
    From the October 2012 EP Global Concepts
    Robert DeLong is the electronic musician I am most excited about for 2013. He makes electro with percussion that gives a nod to the Jamaican sound popularized by artists like Diplo and MIA. Maybe it’s because of the unexpected two-step pulse, or maybe it’s because he uses, like, REAL drums. “Global Concepts” is filled out with effects that sound like a rain stick. As a bonus, DeLong’s lyrics aren’t the same crap you usually get with dance music. Sure, the refrain “Did I make you fucking dance” is as good an anthem as any, but the rest of the song is filled out with lines like “After I die, I’ll re-awake / redefine what was at stake / from the hindsight of a god.” And who uses words like “entropy” in a dance song? It’s nice touches like this that make Robert Delong one of my favorite discoveries of 2012.

    NPH and Grover like the Top Ten Dance Songs of 2012
    Five More: Bring It!

    Continue reading Top Ten Dance Songs of 2012 →

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The Top Twenty Dance Songs of 2012: Part I

5 Comments

I have three lists to get through here, the top dance songs, the top indie pop and the top rock songs, and I want to get those top tens to you as soon as possible. So no descriptions for most.

This is not a list of the best dance songs I discovered in 2012, I take care to determine that these songs actually first appeared in 2012. For remixes that can be tricky, so I’m giving credit to the first blog (as far as my research can show) to post the remix. It’s also a way for me to give a nod to the music blogs that helped make 2012 another fantastic year for music fans.

Want to put it in your pocket and take it home with you? Right-click on the song and select “save as” to download. But you knew that already, you crafty babies.

Top Dance Songs of 2012
Image via Freebx

image via Freebx

The Best Dance Songs of 2012 11 – 20

  1. Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (Hypercrush remix)

    First posted Feb 26th, 2012 on D Squared
    “Yeah let’s fuckin’ RAGE!”  Honestly I think this should have been in the top ten but I just found it last week and, erm, well the top ten list is already written. Your remix still rages, Hyper Crush.

  2. Carousel – Let’s Go Home (Sound Remedy Remix)

    First posted on Hilly Dilly Oct 21, 2012

    For a while, I skipped this song, because it starts out all slow and pretty—not what is called for when getting your dance on. But this is just the sign of a finely crafted dance song. Dance music has a lead-in to make it easier for the DJ to mix, Sound Remedy just chose to do this with a lovely opening rather than the naked bass, as weaker DJs do.But the song doesn’t show why it’s one of the best dance songs of 2012 until 1:49, when it drops some retro 80s-esque bliss on your ears.  At 4:20 you get a siren and a bit more flair, and the song explodes into a synth wet dream.

  3. Ruda Krishna – Tonight’s The Night

    Posted ONLY on Aerial Noise April 13th, 2012

  4. Ladyhawke – Black White and Blue (Treasure Fingers remix)

    Treasure Fingers actually posted this on their site April 4th 2012. The first blog to post it was  Panda Toes Mar 6th, 2012

  5. Childish Gambino – Heartbeat (Dino Roc and Chris Jones remix)

    First posted on White Folks Get Crunk March 2nd, 2012

    This is my second-favorite remix of “Heartbeat”, the best remix of is the Justin Faust remix from 2011.

Ready for more of the best dance songs of the year?

dance! Continue reading The Top Twenty Dance Songs of 2012: Part I →

Gotta Hear This Music

Mashups of Duck Sauce – Barbra Streisand

Duck+Sauce++PNG.png
[Image from Last.fm]

I suspect that "Barbera Streisand" is the dance jam of the summer. Mainly because it's around, but not on the radio so your average radio drone hasn't heard it a thousand times. I imagine revelers saying, "Oh I know this! Wasn't it on Glee?" and their reveler friends saying "I dunno, but it sure makes me want to dance!" As it should. 

But you know I like to mix it up so, I'm sharing some of my favorite mashups of Duck Sauce's Bab's hit. The song barely has vocals so it's easy to mash and mix. It's like the song is a perfect beat and climax waiting to dress up any song. I mean really, is there any song you can't mash with "Barbra Streisand"? I accidentally had it playing at the same time as Beirut's "Santa Fe," and I gotta say that sounded pretty tight. But not all Duck based mashups are worthy of taking the time to upload. These are:

My least favorite, but mostly because I think "Vogue" is still overplayed. Still compulsively danceable.

At first I was skeptical of this next mashup. I actually love "Walkin' on the Sun," as a child of hippies I've always identified with the lyrics. But it seems that any radio hit gets so overplayed that it takes at least ten years before music snobs can stand to listen to it again. On top of that, the bass is all wobbly a la dubstep, which frankly I'm getting a little bored of. But then some magic happens after the three minute mark. Sickness is what happens. Sickness so so sick it gives me the shivers.

Uffie is on my list of rappers that need better producers to combine her nice rhymes with hot beats. I'm a fan of the Armand van Helden remix, but that one cuts out most of the lyrics. Here Elocnep has mashed Uffie's latest with "Harder Faster Better Stronger" and "Barbra Streisand." You can't do better for a universally loved dance platter than classic Daft Punk, here marinated in Duck Sauce for a scrumptious snack.

Finally here's the original so you mix masters can shape up some magic of your own. 

Posted via email from Like Dancing About Architecture

Gotta Hear This Music

Adele overplayed? Remix it, mash it, cover it

tumblr_lkqvsk1yX81qaancqo1_500.jpg

If you've been out in the world lately, or even if you haven't, you've probably heard Adele's "Rolling in the Deep." At the mashup night where I like to dance, they are in the habit of playing it two or three times in the same night. But, hey, it's a great song and Adele's fame is much deserved–no doubt the woman can sing. 

But at this point, we need some different versions of it because the original is getting tiresome from overplay. Here's a favorite remix, cover and mashup to allow you that Adele fix while escaping monotony.

Posted via email from Like Dancing About Architecture