Afrojack presents Shermanology - Grindin'

Aritst: Afrojack presents Shermanology
Track: Grindin'
Label: Spinnin Records

This tune is a sneaky little guy. First off you expect Afrojack's usual beeps and wah wah wahhs in his song, to the extent where if they go for another minute you might have a seizure. This track is a little bit different though. It's got Afrojack's typical bassline groove, simplistic drums and cookie cutter timing. But right after the break, right around the 3:45 minute mark this song becomes and absolute STOMPER. It comes out of nowhere, then disappears. I'm not even sure what part of a set a DJ would use this for, trying to hype you up or bring you down, but either way I wish the first three quarters of the song were like the last quarter.

(Michael Woods produced) Example - Changed The Way You Kiss Me

Artist: (Michael Woods produced) Example
Track: Changed the Way You Kiss Me (Dub Mix)
Label: Ministry of Sound

I heard this song a couple of weeks ago on Judge Jules' radio show but it was incorrectly track labeled. Until this week when a final, mastered version was played. And it's fire. You can't escape Michael Woods right now, he literally can do no wrong. If he made a 45 minute record of himself farting while clapping and whistling Mary Had a Little Lamb I guarantee you it would get major club play. I'm still looking for the full, extended version, but in the meantime enjoy.

Dezza - Hefty

Artist: Dezza
Track: Hefty
Label: Oxygen

It's about time Dezza started to really take off. This Canadian DJ and producer won Pete Tong's coveted "Bedroom Bedlam" contest in 2009, a contest reserved for upcoming, amateur DJ's and producers. Well Pete wasn't wrong because the kid's got some chops and this track is straight fire. A solid, middle of the set filler, the break is is good enough to grab your attention and bring you back to earth for a minute. Shit, Deadmau5 and Richie Hawtin are Canadian, no reason this kid cant join the ranks.

Mats Mattara ft. Rockman - Opera (World Extended Mix)

Artist: Mats Mattara
Track: Opera
Label: Move Records

Holy good God son of a bitch, where the hell did this song come from?

I was the big winner this past weekend when listening to an Axwell set and my buddy pointed out that this is actaully a Mats Mattara track and not the new Swedish House Mafia track everyone has been thinking it is. I've heard some stuff by this Italian producer before but it was never on this level. This is like big room, epic, can't help but fist pump because you're so god damn excited to be wearing your sunglasses inside music. The only further evidence I can give is how amazingly into this song Axwell is in the below video. Remeber when I posted the Tiesto/Mark Knight song and said it would take alot to dethrone it as the upcoming song of the summer....welp.......

Red Carpet - Alright (Marcus Schossow Remix) + Dennis Ferrer - Hey Hey (Marcus Schossow Remix)

Artist: Marcus Schossow
Track: Alright (Marcus Schossow Remix)
Label: White Label/Tone Diary

Brad Carter's remix of Red Carpet's "Alright" is one of my favorite songs of all time, and one of the very first songs I posted about. I heard Marcus Schossow's remix of it about a year ago and completely forgot about it until this morning when it was the background track in some club promo. Any time you hear the Red Carpet vocals it's instant goosebumps. and with Marcus Schossow giving it his usual tech trance flair, but instead going a bit more progressive, this is the big winner for getting ready for the weekend. Coupled with his remix of last year's massive Ibiza hit "Hey Hey", how can you go wrong? The Swede is coming to NYC in a couple of weeks and playing a huge trance show with Protoculture, so mosey on that way if you're hearing a little bit too well that night.


Artist: Dennis Ferrer
Track: Hey Hey
Label: Objektivity

Swanky Tunes - Their Law + Swanky Tunes & Hard Rock Sofa - Feedback + Swanky Tunes & Hard Rock Sofa - Thank You

Artist: Swanky Tunes
Track: Their Law
Label: Spinnin Records

Call these guys the Russian version of Swedish House Mafia if you want, but like all things cultural coming in and out of Russia, it takes a while to set in. They were named 2006 and 2007 "Best Musical Artist" at the Russian Dance Music awards and are the biggest things next to Bobina in their native land. Since landing at dance music juggernaut Spinnin Records, these guys have really taken off in the west. David Guetta, Tiesto and Pete Tong have been hammering their tracks for a while, but it wasn't until I heard their head bobbing reinterpretation of Prodigy's "Their Law" that I knew they had the chops the make it in the big rooms. Maybe they bite their style a little off of Eric Prydz, a bit of Axwell, a touch of new Marco V; but you can't blame them if it seems to be working.


Artist: Swanky Tunes & Hard Rock Sofa
Track: Feedback
Label: Spinnin Records


Artist: Swanky Tunes & Hard Rock Sofa
Track: Thank You
Label: Spinning Records

Markus Schulz feat. Ana Criadov - Surreal (Markus Schulz Big Room Reconstruction)

Artist: Markus Schulz ft. Ana Criadov
Track: Surreal (Markus Schulz Big Room Reconstruction)
Label: Coldharbour Recordings

I heard this song again over the weekend during Dash Berlin's set, and Markus Schulz always delivers with his "Big Room Reconstructions" of his original productions. He essentially takes all the elements that absolutely blast you away when on the dance floor and jacks them up x100. In this case it's a big drop and BIIIIG synths. I wanted to include a rip from a live set just so you can hear how nutso people get when the drop hits. Every DJ I've seen that plays this absolutely blows away the club when they mix in this track, right around the 3:30 minute mark. Goosebumps.

Mark Knight & Wolfgang Gartner - Conscindo

Artist: Mark Knight and Wolfgang Gartner
Track: Conscindo
Label: Toolroom Records

This is one of those songs that I have to say I embarrassed I didn't post, that just slipped through the tracks with all the other massive bangers taking off last summer. I know I've posted about head of the round table Mark Knight a couple of times. I also do believe I've posted about Wolfgang Gartner previously elaborating on his style as "if Deadmau5 and Daft Punk had a baby, it would be Wolfgang Gartner". Hearing this song again today, seeing the sun peak out a little bit, and also being extremely jealous that the rest of the world is in Miami with their shirts off and shades on jamming to this song; I had to give it another run. Solid Mark Kight drums and bass line, typical Gartner sample; this is one of those songs you're dancing to with a little plastic cup full of something delicious/highly alcoholic outside by a pool at 2 PM and it's normal.

David Tort- One Look (Axwell vs. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Remix) + David Tort & Norman Doray - Chase the Sun + Gui Boratto - No Turning Back (David Tort Remix)

Artist: David Tort ft Gosha
Track: One Look (Axwell vs. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Remix)
Label: Axtone

This Spanish DJ has been around for a while and has been making big waves in the tech house area for almost a decade, but his newest release on Axwell's Axtone imprint is pure gold. His signature deep bass sound resonates in each one of his tracks, but the hook in "One Look" absolutely kills it. His effort with Norman Doray and remix of Gui Boratto's "No Turning Back" has been making the rounds with the heavy hitters, so I don't see Mr. Tort going anywhere soon.



Artist: David Tort & Norman Doray
Track: Chase the Sun
Label: Joia Recordings


Artist: Gui Boratto
Track: No Turning Back (David Tort Remix)
Label: The Mansion Recordings

Anhken pres Kahn - Unwanted

Artist: Anhken pres Kahn
Track: Unwanted
Label: Fraction

This is just a straight, big room banger. No description needed. PLAY VERY, VERY, VERY LOUD. Welcome to the weekend.

Diddy-Dirty Money feat. Skylar Grey - Coming Home (Dirty South Club Mix)

Artist: Diddy-Dirty Money ft Skyley Grey
Track: Coming Home (Dirty South Club Remix)
Label: Bad Boy

Now I have a big fucking problem with this track. It starts off so good, little bit of a ting ting ting beat going, the vocal drops, you're saying yeaaaaa I'm feeling this a little bit. All off a sudden you press the old repeater button and it starts this massive build up and keeps building and building and building; and you're like ohhhhh shitttt here is comes. All hands up in the club, the DJ blows the air horn, the strobes are going at max intensity, everyone's starts jumping in the air, ohhhhhhhhhhhhh ANNNDDDDDDDDDD

fucking nothing. I've never been so angry at a drop in a song my entire life, i literally yelled "THAT'S FUCKING BULLLLLSHIITTT" loud as fuck, and I work in a corporate environment that's as quiet as a mouse.

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I expect more out of Dirty South or maybe I expect more out of dance music in general. Growing up with a progressive and hard trance upbringing, you expect big build ups and big drops. It's like the movie Billy Madison when Adam Sandler's in story time about the little kid who lost his dog. He gets so mad he yells "Whoa whoa whoa, Miss Lippy. The part of the story I don't like is that the little boy gave up looking for Happy after an hour. He didn't put posters up or anything, he just sat on the porch like a goon and waited. That little boy's gotta think 'You got a pet. You got a responsibility.' If your dog gets lost you don't look for an hour then call it quits. You get your ass out there and you find that fucking dog." Well where I come from when u say your gonna drop a face melting beat after a huge build up, you better fucking drop it. It's your responsibility.

Marlo - Forward Thinking + Marlo - Semtex + Marlo - Magnetic

Artist: Marlo
Track: Forward Thinking
Label: Reset Records

This Dutch/Australian producer and DJ has been behind some remixes and productions that you never realized were by him. Just some real high quality hard trance/tech trance here, get over the Wednesday hump.



Artist: Marlo
Track: Semtex
Label: Reset Records



Artist: Marlo
Track: Magnetic
Label: Reset Records

Sander van Doorn ft. Carol Lee - Love Is Darkness (Basto!'s Bigroom Baby) + (Original Mix) + Basto! - Gregory's Theme

Artist: Sander Van Doorn
Track: Love Is Darkness (Basto!'s Bigroom Baby)
Label: Doorn

The main point of this point is to highlight the talents of Basto!, but I had to include the original Doorn track because the man deserves his due as well. I heard this played during Cosmic Gate's set a couple of months ago, and those synths..... just went BOOOOM. But back to the point, Basto! is an up and coming Dutch producer who's been making some waves after some of the world's biggest house DJ's started pumping his tune "Gregory's Theme" (below). And for good reason, it's a banger. Everyone from Tiesto to Seb Ingrosso to Pete Tong have been slamming this down in the middle of sets for a couple of months with it's massive, big room break. Enjoy.


Artist: Basto!
Track: Gregory's Theme
Label: Spinnin Records



Artist: Sander Van Doorn
Track: Love is Darkness (Original)
Label: Doorn

Tiësto & Mark Knight ft. Dino - Beautiful World

Artist: Tiesto & Mark Knight ft. Dino
Track: Beautiful World
Label: Toolroom Knights/Musical Freedom

I WILL CALL IT RIGHT NOW. THIS WILL BE THE SONG YOU HEAR ALL SUMMER.

Unless someone bigger than Tiesto and Mark Knight combined comes out with a track that absolutely destroys any Swedish House Mafia song of the last two summers, every one's gonna play the shit out of this song. And for good reason, listen to it. Mark Knight drums, Tiesto bass line and sampling, Dino vocals. Even the video is entertaining. You gotta give it to a guy like Tiesto who literally helped invent a genre of music, absolutely dominated it for a decade, leaves his own label and then goes on to reinvent himself bigger than ever to an entire new generation of club kids. I will admit I went on a Tiesto ban for a while because I thought he sold out, turns out the guy just wanted to make some good music. Amen brother.

Mat Zo - Synapse Dynamics (Arty Remix) + Ferry Corsten - Punk (Arty Rock-N-Rolla Mix)

Artist: Matt Zo
Track: Synapse Dynamics (Arty Remix)
Label: Ajunabeats

The young Arty absolutely kills it on both of these remixes. Kills it. Nothing like a little Friday fire to bring you into the weekend. Listen to these both very, very loud.



Artist: Ferry Corsten
Track: Punk (Arty Rock-N-Rolla Mix)
Label: Flashover Recordings

Bedrock - Heaven Scent (Flashtech Prog Mix) + Bedrock - Heaven Scent

Aritst: Bedrock
Track: Heaven Scent (Flashtech Prog Mix)
Label: Bedrock

An all time classic getting a 2011 rework. This track has been floating around in a couple of trance and progressive DJs sets recently, and for good reason. One of the top IDM songs of all time, I doubt anyone forgets the first time they heard this hook. My first time was at the end of the move "Groove" (if you've never seen it, go rent a copy). Straight 1999 classic from Mr. John Digweed.


Aritst: Bedrock
Track: Heaven Scent
Label: Kinetic Records

Dominik De Leon - Everybody (Andre Wallukat Remix) + Green Eye - Boobs & Drinks + DuMonde - Never Look Back

Aritst: Dominik De Leon
Track: Everybody (Andre Wallukat Remix)
Label: Big and Dirty

Now just hold on one God damn second. When I was a teenager and really getting into the trance scene, there were only two things that truly made me love dance music, both coincidentally German Trance. The first being underground rave act and DJ, Nostrum. The second, Dumonde.

Dumonde was comprised of DJ Jam-X and de Leon, and without a question were a driving force in trance music in the 90's and early 2000's. They broke up a handful of years ago, but their song "Never Look Back" was not only my first ever vinyl purchase, but was the culminating track I always played when I was DJing. The energy and the build up is second to none and they continued this trend and style with other tracks like "Tomorrow" and "God Music".

You would expect my surprise when none other than Dominik de Leon himself (of de Leon fame) has started to pop back up as an electro/progressive house DJ both under his name and alias Green Eye. Seems that the resurrection of old Dutch powerhouse, ID&T aka High Contrast Recordings signed de Leon to their electro imprint, Big and Dirty (home of Mell Tierra, who I posted about previously). Somewhat disappointing to me, as trance is officially bigger than ever, but its good to see an old friend back in the game.


Artist: Green Eye
Track: Boobs & Drinks
Label: Big and Dirty



Artist: DuMonde
Track: Never Look Back
Label: Spinnin Records

Alesso - Dynamite + Alesso - Loose It

Artist: Alesso
Track: Dynamite
Label: Refune Records

Taken under the wing and fully supported by none other than Sebastien Ingross himself, Alesso consistently churns out big room hits. With only a handful of certified releases under his belt, the future is bright.


Artist: Alesso
Track: Loose It
Label: Jola Records

The Glitch Mob - Drive It Like You Stole It + Nalepa - Monday (The Glitch Mob Remix)

Artist: The Glitch Mob
Track: Drive It Like You Stole It
Label: Self Released

It's hard to label The Glitch Mob's sound and try to pin them into one genre of electronic music. A mixture of breakbeat, big bass, 2-step, electro and as many other electronic music categories you can think of, they are. Though a departure from the usual style of IDM posted here, The Glitch Mob deserves credit where credit should be due. If you get a chance, explore some of their music, you might be surprised how good it is.



Artist: Nalepa
Track: Monday (The Glitch Mob Remix)
Label: 1320 Recordings

Cirez D & Acki Kokotos - Tomorrow + Cirez D - Glow (Original Mix)

Artist: Cirez D & Acki Kokotos
Track: Tomorrow
Label: Mouseville

Cirez D aka the techno alter-ego of Eric Prydz has been putting out some pretty damn good techno and tech-house recently. His track "Glow" (below) was an absolute stormer. His pairing with Acki Kokotos has really taken on more song structure than his previous Cirez D releases. Especially towards the end, Tomorrow begins to get a bit tech-trancey. I'm not complaining at all, this is a hell of a head bobber.


Artist: Cirez D
Track: Glow
Label: Mouseville