SKRILLEX

     Those who have any interest in electro/dance music that haven't been living under a rock, will surely have heard of Skrillex.  Skrillex, aka Sonny Moore, is a name that has created huge amounts of debate about whether he is a music God, or a talentless hack.  Seriously, both sides are fiercely entrenched in their positions.  Many dubstep and electro music lovers have very much taken to the utterly brutal sounds of Skrillex, and have bridged a line between ravers and moshers recently.  There are others, who tend to be more snobby hipsters, that believe that Skrillex has no place among famous DJs, and puts out music that is just unbearable to listen to.  I feel it is now a good time to speak on the matter, and inform you who is really right.  Kidding of course, but here's my take. 

     When I first heard Skrillex, I was blown away.  The music genre of dubstep is still in its early stages, having been somehow created in English garage sometime in the 90s.  But Skrillex is not simply dubstep.  His first full-length EP, Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, is a mixture of heavy-hitting electro, choppy break, and filthy dubstep.  Together, they make proper good head-banging techno music.  The thing is, it's not going to be for everyone- even for people who like both genres individually. 

      For me though, I tend to like any artist or musician that comes up with something that I find original, and I believe Skrillex is one of those artists.  He started off as an emo-rock singer, and has transformed his sound into something that is instantly recognizable.  I must warn anyone who hasn't heard of Skrillex- because they probably have no idea what I've been talking about this whole time, but this music is not for the faint-hearted.  To the untrained ear it can sound like pure noise, like transformers having sex, or a futuristic and robotic Terminator-machine club rave.  Have a listen, and decide for yourself which side of the Skrillex debate you yourself land on.

La Roux - In for the Kill (Skrillex Remix)  (This is the track that really put Skrillex on the map)

Skrillex - Scatta (The drop at 1:05 might melt your face off)

 

Skrillex - Equinox  (One of his latest and a personal favorite)

Summer Synths

     I can't speak for anywhere else around the world but in Florida, SUMMER has begun.  Let's be honest though, in Florida, summer basically begins in March anyway.  What this means though, is that it is my duty to provide a small playlist of summer tunes.  In keeping with the Sun theme of the blog, the songs have been categorized into times of the day when they are most appropriate.   Feel free to listen to any song whenever you like of course, this is only a guideline :) The list should be eclectic enough for anyone to find at least one song they can jam out to in proper summer style.

Sunrise / Morning

Dead or Alive - Yuksek

-Yuksek has a new album coming out, and this song is a perfect preview of the greatness to come

U Got It - Frank Ocean

-Frank Ocean is the hottest new name in R&B, and if you haven't heard of him already..you will soon. (P.S. You just did).

*Rolling in the Deep (Cassian Edit) - John Legend cover

-Everyone and their mother has remixed/covered/been obsessed with this song now, but it will never get old!  Cassian takes John Legend's awesome cover and smooths it out for all to groove to.

Sun in the Sky / Afternoon / Pure Summer

Rocketeer (Starsmith Remix) - Far East Movement

-There's a reason this post is entitled 'Summer Synths'.  Starsmith always turns whatever song he touches into gold, and this song is no exception.  Prepare for a really cool twist to an otherwise forgettable rap song.

Blue Cassette - Friendly Fires

-These aren't old songs either that I'm giving out here, these are all new or have yet to been released.  This one is off Friendly Fires latest album, Pala.  Get it.

*Embody -SebastiAn

-SebastiAn is the French master of filth, and his songs and remixes can often just sound like pure noise to the untrained ear.  Embody is the first single of his long-awaited EP, and is surprisingly melodic.  Plus, the video is awesome.

Sunset / Dusk / PARTY

Aces High Prutata - Afrojack & R3HAB

-Not the biggest fan of Afrojack to be honest, but he churns out some gems once in a while.  Rehab is the newest name in Dutch house and his remix of Lady Gaga's 'Judas' is pretty sick too.

Two Hearts - Digitalism

-Ohhh Digitalism.  The 'Pogo' days are over.  I became disheartened after seeing them live, and after not having released anything for a couple years now.  I've really taken a liking to this song, if only because of its simplicity and catchyness.  Regardless, it's great for a little night drive with the top and windows down.

*Nillionaire - Alesso

-Alesso is a fairly new name in the house scene, but is blowing up the Beatport charts with 'Nillionaire'.  It's easy to see why he's friends with Swedish House Mafia.  This song has great production and a sound that could be boring, but never is. This song will grow on you, if you don't love it instantly.

*If you like any or all of these songs be sure to check back for more!

MONARCHY

I love Monarchy.  Their production is fantastic, their synths are smooth, and their grooves are danceable.  Not much info is known on where they're from, as they're a relatively new band.  In an interview they admitted to having a real interest in outer space, which is evidenced by some of their videos as well as their overall sound.  Monarchy's sound is synth-heavy, and could be considered electro-pop or DreamWave.  I would love for these guys to gain some recognition and popularity, because their infectious melodies are constantly stuck in my head throughout the day. 

Don't be surprised to hear about Monarchy in the near future, especially if you've got some electro hipster friends.  They are supposed to have an album due out later this year, so I'll keep you posted.  For now, here are two videos I could find, as well as 'Gold in the Fire'-- which has been on repeat on my iPod for god knows how long now.

 The Phoenix Alive - Monarchy  



Love Get Out of My Way - Monarchy

 Gold in the Fire - Monarchy ***(fav.)