Looking for New Posts? Go to www.MMIBTY.com!

I will now be spending 100% of my time posting over at www.mymusicisbetterthanyours.com. The G Spot will remain up and running, but for all things EDM, stay tuned at MMIBTY.

Email me with questions, concerns, and tips: jon@mmibty.com

It's Time for Clayman's Gay Wednesday!

Check out that deep V!

Yes that's right folks - it's Clayman's Gay Wednesday! Since this blog wasn't exciting enough, I thought it was time to spice things up, given recent feedback. I'm a reasonable guy - it's important to take constructive criticism and give the people what they want.

Included this week is an all-time classic and possibly one of the gayest songs ever, more suited to Clayman's preferences (because let's face it - his taste in music goes above and beyond all else). So sit back, hike your skirts up, and enjoy this tune from ABBA in honor of Matt Clayman!



ABBA Dancing Queen

Fuck Yeah Friday!: Deadmau5 Wraps up his Boston Run Tonight

Deadmau5 has been in Boston since Tuesday. That's 4 back-to-back shows after playing 6 back-to-back shows in NYC. That's a lot of gigs for this one-man act that has America by the balls. Bringing with him three 18-wheeler trucks and a crew of 75 people, plus acts like Feed Me, Excision, and Tommy Lee & DJ Aero, this is a huge production to say the least.

Even though I was highly disappointed by his set at Ultra 2011, I've had my tickets since July. This is me giving him another chance, and the desire to check him out in a club setting. I'm just as excited for the openers as I am for his show, and I'm hoping he pulls out all the stops for the finale tonight. I'm talking like I want to hear some "Strobe", some "Brazil", some "Alone with You" in addition to newer songs like "I Said" and "Bad Selection". Also expecting to hear "Where My Keys".

Here is some tuneage for the weekend featuring some delicious selections of mine. The first three are in honor of tonight and the final track is Zedd's latest jam. Enjoy whatever the weekend brings your way.


Deadmau5 Where My Keys (Original Mix)


Deadmau5 & Wolfgang Gartner Animal Rights (Kids At The Bar EDIT)


DJ Aero & Tommy Lee Static (Original Mix)


Zedd Shave It (Original Mix)

Happy Hump Day!: Utku S. & Ferry Corsten

 

Turkey's electro-house genius Utku S. is quickly growing on me. He first came to my attention after hearing his remix of Pulseless' "Party Days" on Tiesto's Club Life podcast. It has a really Summer-y feel but some nice wobbles and a sweet drum fill. I didn't hear much from him (nor did I look for much) until I started listening to The Lazy Rich Show podcasts and noticed Utku S. tracks were constantly featured. One of the catchier songs I grabbed of his can be found below, called "Bass in Your Face".

Utku S. Bass In Your Face (Original Mix)

The other track I want to feature today surprises even me. I've been known to dip my toes into some Trance water now and then, mostly thanks to the Trance Around the World podcasts. I got to say Above & Beyond are one of my favorite DJ/producer groups and because I'm not a huge Trance fan, they usually stand out. Their brand of Trance features heavy drops and now more than ever some crazy wobbles. Recently Ferry Corsten was the guest DJ and he dropped the following Kyau & Albert remix:


Ferry Corsten Check It Out (Kyau & Albert Remix)

Monday Throwback: RJD2 - Ghostwriter

Tonight producer extraordinaire RJD2 comes to Boston's Paradise Rock club. Anytime I hear his music or think of him in general, I'm brought back to my freshman year at UVM when my roommate Theo would play his music. Most notable was "Ghostwriter", which is easily one of RJD2's most popular and recognizable tracks. Theo turned me on to a lot of music, but when I first heard the chords of "Ghostwriter" I had to ask - who is this?? From there I proceeded to grab his albums Dead Ringer (2002) and Since We Last Spoke (2004) and haven't looked back.

Unfortunately I didn't get to see RJD2 at UVM's Spring Fest my freshman year, but I'm looking forward to covering the show tonight for MMIBTY.


Rjd2 Ghostwriter

BONUS:
Over the summer the boys of France's Mustard Pimp, on Steve Aoki's Dim Mak records (Dada Life, Bloody Beetroots, Autoerotique), released their track ZHM. It was remixed by several artists including the mighty Dada Life. Personally I heard the Dada Life remix way more than any other, and I'm thinking the original mix may not have garnered the attention it deserved. It's funky and electro-y at the same time, while featuring some nice female vocals. I fired it up over the weekend and thought the readers of the G Spot needed to go back and give it a listen.

If you're in Boston, don't forget to check them out at the Middle East on October 25!


Mustard Pimp featuring Ze!? ZHM

Happy Hump Day!: Drop the Lime & Al Bizzare

Just found out Drop the Lime is playing a "live" set on my birthday, later this month at the Brighton Music Hall. The BMH is known for bringing indie/rock bands to its stage, so I was a bit surprised to see this man on the bill. Although I am not incredibly familiar with him or his work, I do know he can make the crowd dance, and is a player in the EDM scene (see a recent collaboration with Bart B More and AC Slater below).

Also on this week's edition of Hump Day, I bring you a guy by the name of Al Bizzare, whose song "Blast Wave" was featured on Tiesto's recent podcast. This tune was released on Deadmau5's Mau5trap Records and it turns out Al Bizzare are actually a duo from Saint Petersburg. Thanks to Cam for the tip.

Crank it - and remember, only 2 days until the weekend...


Drop the Lime Sex Sax


Bart B More, Drop The Lime & AC Slater The Bass


Al Bizzare Blast Wave (Original Mix)

Monday Throwback: Ludacris - Southern Hospitality

Remember this image? I do - and it takes me back to middle school. Back for the First Time was Ludacris' first [major label release] album and it was among one of the first hip hop albums I owned. Back when I was still paying for complete CDs this one stood out to me at Newbury Comics, likely because it was the second single, following the incredibly popular "What's Your Fantasy". There's something about this tune that is raw and a sick beat by producers the Neptunes which is Pharell's side project.

I'm hot and cold with Ludacris - some of his stuff I love, some I can't stand. This whole album brings me back to middle school and there were countless times I listened to it from beginning to end, with songs like "Game Got Switched", "Ho", and "Fat Rabbit" standing out. Go back in time with this one...


Ludacris Southern Hospitality

Fuck Yeah Friday!: Chris Lake, Wolfgang, Zedd, and more

Today I took my talents to www.mymusicisbetterthanyours.com for a 6-song "Finally Friday" post. Please go here to check it out and make sure to like us on Facebook!

Happy Hump Day!: Ho's & Disco's

Mord Fustang at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA 9.27.11

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing the Estonian sensation Mord Fustang perform at the sweaty basement of the Middle East. After enduring a half-hour set by Kid Sister, which was a half hour too long, MF walked on stage to do his thing. Until that point I had never seen what he looked like and I was a bit surprised. He is a tall, lanky dude with bangs flipped to the side. This may be a stretch, but his hairdo reminded me of a much shorter version of Skrillex's. He definitely had an Eastern European look, but if you didn't know any better you'd think he was an American born and raised.

To my disappointment, after Kid Sister finished and MF started his set, I noticed people heading for the exit. I always feel bad for the artists when their shows aren't at capacity (or noticeably below capacity). This was a Throwed event, which is notorious for having high schoolers clad in minimal clothing. Maybe because it was 11:30 on a school night there were less 18-year-olds than I expected. I also know that Mord is a relatively unknown producer even though those that do know his work are huge fans. I was surprised to find a lot of my friends who are EDM fans didn't know his name.

Anyways, Mord dropped into his first song which was sweet but I'll admit I had never heard before. According to my friend Mike, this was the Space Laces remix of  "Ho's & Disco's" by Lucky Date (see below, second song). It had plenty of wobbles for everyone and was a great way to start the show. MF then went into both his original productions and various other songs including Deadmau5's new track "Where My Keys". His best-known song "Lick the Rainbow" got a huge response and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Overall it was a great hour-long set, although I wish the Estonian could have played much longer. This kid is a true talent and I hope I get to see him in the near future. I can only see good things coming for him.


Lucky Date Ho's & Disco's (Original Mix)


Lucky Date Ho's & Disco's (Space Laces Remix)


Lucky Date Ho's & Disco's (Zedd remix)

BONUS:
Here's a mix recorded by Mord Fustang and posted on SoundCloud 6 months ago. It shows his mixing talents, his original productions, and some other tracks he's in to. I can say for certain he is a fan of Deadmau5 and Feed Me, as well as some other funky tracks. Peep it for yourself!

Mord Fustang - Live In The Mix by Plasmapool

Monday Throwback: Pretty Lights - Happiness (Troubled Faces)

Friday night Derek Vincent Smith, aka Pretty Lights, came to Boston's Bank of America Pavilion for a sold out show featuring opening act Big Gigantic. For lack of better wording, both parties killed it (as usual). This was my first time seeing BG live, but I am a fan of their productions and I had heard great things about their live shows. They played a lot of originals and even covered songs like Aloe Blacc's "I Need a Dollar" and Skrillex and Diplo's "Amplifire". Needless to say they played a great blend of trip-hop, dubstep, and everything in between, featuring Dominic Lalli on Sax and Jeremy Salken on Drums. The one minor flaw I noticed was that the saxophone kept cutting in and out of the right speakers.

Once Big Gigantic ended their set, around 8:30, the downpour had subdued for a bit. Pretty Lights took the stage at 8:50, opening with his newest success "I Know the Truth". By this time it had started raining again and he took the chance to play a little of Blind Mellon's "No Rain". Derek then dropped into various songs that span his career, including a couple new ones. Stand-outs for me included "Total Fascination", "More Important than Michael Jordan" Steve Miller Band's "Time" remix, "All of the Lights" remix, and crowd pleasers (and sing-along influencers) "Finally Moving", "Finally Moving (remix)", and "Hot Like Sauce". He kept it interesting by blending some chilled out songs with some truly hyphy ones. If I could remember every single song he played then it means I wasn't having as good of a time as I should have. And as it turns out, I can't remember every song he played. Shout out to Lydia and Bri who Cam and I had the pleasure of meeting while we were waiting to fill our alcoholic needs. Dancing in the seats has never caused me so many bruises.

Overall, Pretty Lights killed it as usual. I liked that he was without his drummer even though I play drums myself. His new light show (unveiled at Bonnaroo) was unreal and contributed highly to the concert experience. And a last shout out to the little person (is that the politically correct term?) who was raging on the seat in front of me, but made sure I could still see the stage, expressing "I know how it is" (was that a crack at me being short too?). My one complaint is the sound at the BOA Pavilion - it escapes too easily out of the sides of the tent. Club/indoor settings are always much better from a sound perspective.

Ask me about the rest of my night, which truly was an adventure. Let's just say things can get interesting when a show like that ends and the crowd is unleashed on Boston at 11pm on a Friday.

Enjoy this Pretty Lights throwback which should ease you nicely into the work week.




Pretty Lights Happiness (Troubled Faces)

BONUS:


Pretty Lights Wrong Platform

Fuck Yeah Friday! Paper Diamond, Wolfgang Gartner, Tiesto, Deadmau5, Basic Physics

Finally. This week seemed longer than most. But in mere hours I'm headed to Boston's Seaport district for the Pretty Lights concert at the Bank of America Pavilion featuring Big Gigantic and NiT GriT. Couldn't be more excited. Although I've seen PL before, he kills it every time. And I love his music. And he's touring without a drummer which means more freedom on his end. And his new light show looks SICK (from pictures and videos I've seen). Finally get to see Big Gigantic.

In other news, I saw Paper Diamond and Michal Menert last night. PD threw DOWN a sick show - I was very impressed. Headed to his tour bus after the show for some festivities.

This week Wolfgang Gartner released his first full-length album. A lot of the songs were previously released, such as Space Junk and Illmerica. It's good, but my expectations were set way too high and I find myself wanting more. The surprise of the album was  "Get Em" featuring Eve, for some reason I find myself going back for it.

Wolfgang Gartner, Eve. Get Em ft. Eve (Extended Mix)

Next is a song Paper Diamond slayed last night. Plenty of wobbles for everyone.

Paper Diamond Can We Go Up

Onwards, my friend Brittney turned me on to a mashup of Avicii's "Street Dancer" with Wolfgang's "Illmerica" with the vocals from "Sofi Needs a Ladder". It's funky as hell.

Basic Physics Illmerican Dancer (Wolfgang Gartner // Avicii // Sofi)

These next two have been around for weeks but I have yet to post them. Deadmau5's latest "Where My Keys" which goes pretty hard and seems to be his sound as of late. Tiesto's "Maximal Crazy" is HUGE and extremely catchy. His new sound is one I like a lot and DJs around the world seem to agree (heard it several times at EZoo).

Deadmau5 Where My Keys (Original Mix)


Tiesto Maximal Crazy - Original Mix

Happy Hump Day!: Tommy Trash

A series of discussions/songs has led me to become a huge supporter of Electro-House producer Tommy Trash in recent weeks. I've been aware of him for a couple years, as he was part of compilations I'd listened to such as the annual Clubbers' Guide and Ministry of Sound Sessions. Mr. Trash really made me reconsider my opinion of him when I listened to Hardwell's set from Electric Zoo - after playing the song "Future Folk" which is currently unreleased but may have been one of the best songs heard during that set (listen below). He produces crispy clean bangers with heavy drops and has a real unique sound (as heard in songs like "The End").

As I flipped through Twitter last night, I noticed some discussion on Tommy Trash's remix of "Carry Me Home" because it has been heard during Tiesto & Porter Robinson's College Invasion Tour. Well, I checked it out and it didn't disappoint. Below you can find that track as well as a couple other Trash highlights.

In other news, Wolfgang Gartner's first full-length album dropped yesterday and you can see a write-up of it HERE.


Grant Smillie ft. Zoe Badwi Carry Me Home (Tommy Trash Remix)


Tommy Trash The End (Original Mix)


Tommy Trash Future Folk (live, Unreleased)

Fuck Yeah Friday!: New Porter Robinson & Boys Noize, older DallasK & Dada Life

This week, Porter Robinson sent ripples through the EDM world by releasing his most recent effort: The Spitfire EP. Released on Skrillex's newly-formed OWSLA records, it has already reached the Beatport #1 position for album releases. It features 6 original tracks and 5 remixes by artists such as Knife Party and SkisM. Needless to say, it's filthy and things just keep getting bigger for Robinson. He is currently on tour with Tiesto and then will tour the country playing club shows for this release. Read my write-up about the EP here. Today's selection from the EP is Downlink's Remix of the incredible "100% in the Bitch". The original track is fire, but Downlink's remix of this Moombahton track rivals it pretty hard. Check it for yourself.

Anther notable release this week is Boys Noize's newest track "Adonis". Personally speaking, I think it deviates from the Boys Noize sound I'm used to. This song is by no means a banger, and has more of a minimal/tech-house feel to it. It's almost loungey (aka something you'd hear at a lounge rather than a club). I do appreciate the drums/hand claps he uses, however, because I have come to enjoy that as a unique Boys Noize sound.

Finally this week, I bring you some new-ish DallasK, who is just 20-years-old but produces some heavy bangers, and some older Dada Life. The DallasK song "Front/Back" was shown to me last night by Cam and it goes hard. It was released back in July and I'm not sure how I missed it. The Dada Life track is a remix of Avicii's "Alcoholic". The original song was released under Avicii's alter-ego Tim Berg, but I've heard this remix on several mixes and during live shows. It goes hard.

Have a stupid weekend.


Porter Robinson 100% In The Bitch (Downlink Remix)


Boys Noize Adonis (Original Mix)


DallasK Front/Back (Original Mix)


Avicii Alcoholic (Dada Life Remix)

Monday Throwback: Arrested Development - People Everyday (Metamorphasis Mix)

 

This one comes to you as a Pandora discovery from a while back. It's been a few weeks since a Monday Throwback so my apologies on that front. This track was the very first hit single by Arrested Development, debuting in 1992. The Metamorphasis Mix is the version everyone knows and was the one released on the radio. The album "People Everyday" comes from is 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of.... and was certified FOUR times Platinum in the US. The track is funky and soulful at the same time, as I often like my hip hop to be on Monday mornings. 

"Say whoaaaaa, say yeaaaaaaahhh"

Arrested Development People Everyday [Metamorphosis Mix]

Fuck Yeah Friday!: Electric Zoo Wrap-Up

Electric Zoo Day 2, Main Stage with David Guetta

So that's it, another summer festival season has come to an end. I'd say I had a pretty good run, attending three EDM festivals in Ultra Music Festival, Identity Festival, and Electric Zoo. Each one has its highlights, its low lights, and stories tied to it, but I'll leave those for another time.

Electric Zoo was pretty spectacular this year. Although I attended last year, I did not have a full appreciation of the artists who were there at the time (including Wolfgang Gartner, Axwell, Chuckie, Avicii, Pete Tong, Chris Lake, Funkagenda, etc). So I could definitely sense some missing acts this year after a full year of daily EDM under my belt. And that's not to say EZoo '11 didn't have its fair share of awesome acts - I was kept busy over the three days and constantly had to make choices like who should I see at which particular time and what kind of mood I was in as far as EDM sub-genres go. I'll try to keep this post brief and post the highlights from each day as well as 5 tracks to take away from the weekend.

Day 1 highlights: Bart B More (my first time seeing him, he played bangers as expected), Joris Voorn & Nic Fanciulli (got my dose of minimal/tech-house), Feed Me, Rusko, Moby, Tiesto. Moby was the biggest surprise, Rusko was exactly as awesome as expected, and Tiesto disappointed (relatively speaking - I had high hopes for him, but he stuck to his Tiesto roots).

Day 2 highlights: Day 2 was a little thin and there were some acts I wish I got to see, like Sub Focus, Sander Van Doorn, Mat Zo, and Beardyman, but this was all solved by Porter Robinson, who I think was the MVP of the whole weekend. He played nothing but bangers and his DJ skills have improved immensely. Skrillex and Above & Beyond were other notable performances, but Skrillex's sound was way off for the first half of the set.

Day 3 highlights: this was the mother load and due to circumstances I don't want to explain, we missed a lot of the sets we wanted to see. For the ones we DID get to, highlights include Calvin Harris, Fake Blood, Michael Woods, Jack Beats, Diplo (chose to see him instead of Afrojack), Boys Noize, and the last half hour of an epic Armin Van Buuren set.

The song of the weekend was easily "The Calling" by Sebastian Ingrosso & Alesso, those fucking Swedes. Here are some of the key take-aways from the weekend:



Sebastian Ingrosso & Alesso Calling

Dirty South & Thomas Gold ft. Kate Elsworth Alive (Original Mix)

Michael Woods VMS (Original Mix)

James Blake Limit To Your Love (Benny Benassi Remix)

Mr Blink Gecko (Burns' Start-Stop Remix)
(as played by Boys Noize)

For an extended amount of sets recorded live from EZoo '11, follow this link HERE

Happy Hump Day: Electric Zoo is in 2 Days?!

What the fuck? Did the past year really just go by as quickly as it feels? At this time last year I was gearing up for 1.) My first Electric Zoo Festival 2.) my first electronic music festival 3.) my first music festival - ever. I was giddy like a little girl and I had no idea what to expect. I barely knew any of the DJs spinning and simply allowed my friends to show me the ropes.

Now it's all changed. EDM is in the forefront of my life and I have a LOT of EDM shows under my belt, including (but not limited to): Ultra Music Festival, Identity Festival, Rusko & Boys Noize, Skrillex, Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Laidback Luke, Wolfgang Gartner, Pretty Lights, A-Trak, and the list goes on.

I am insanely pumped to see a lot of DJs I haven't caught live (Diplo - I got distracted last year), Alesso, Joris Voorn, Bart B More, Porter Robinson, Calvin Harris, Michael Woods, Hardwell, Jack Beats, and more.

Today I am in a weird mood so I'm going to bring you some weird songs. This will likely be my last big post before the festival begins Friday so hopefully I'll be alive next week to tell you about it. Enjoy the tunes and hit me up if you'll be at the Zoo!


Green Velvet Shake & Pop

Froidz Finnally (Mord Fustang Remix)

DJ Aero & Tommy Lee Static (Original Mix)

Berou & Canblaster Kapongo Dance (Congorock Remix)

Jack Beats Get Down

Happy Violence Day!

Today was a hugely anticipated day for fans of Dada Life and for fans of EDM in general. Dada Life have officially released their latest single, titled "Happy Violence."

On my first couple of listens, it has that classic Dada Life sound we've come to expect over the past year that has seen them, for lack of better words, blow the fuck up. The bass line is always the most distinctive, recognizable part because they know how to get a deep heavy sound by using their Sausage Fattener plug-in (that I always reference). The leads (the melody) are a little iffy for me so far, just because they're weird-sounding. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing because that's the best way to set yourself apart in a hugely saturated EDM world. The chorus-y part reminds me of an old Nintendo game, something like the Legend of Zelda.

Regardless, the newest Dada Life track is here and you can bet your ass you will be hearing it during live DJ sets and as part of mixes/podcasts. The anticipation is only building for their next album release, which is rumored to come out Spring 2012. Let me know what you think of "Happy Violence" by commenting here!


Dada Life Happy Violence (Original Mix)

Fuck Yeah Friday!: Kaskade Mashup, R3HAB & Afrojack, An Oldie But Goodie

Kaskade Live @ Identity Festival, Mansfield, MA 8.20.2011

Well, it's already Friday again. These weeks go by faster than ever. Not only is everyone talking about Summer being over (yeah I'm friends with some pretty depressing people), but how about the fact that Electric Zoo is only a week away?! It's hard to believe it's been a year since the EZoo 2010, which was one of the best weekends of my life. This year it's due to be only more insane. Sandwiched between Identity last weekend and EZoo next weekend is R3HAB performing at the Ocean Club in Quincy, MA this weekend. The dudes at Mass EDMC hooked us up with some backstage passes and here's to hoping the impending hurricane doesn't change those plans.

This week I bring you some random goodies, both old and new. I start off with a track Kaskade has been playing at these ID Festival shows, which is a mash-up of Marco V vs. Kaskade vs. Tiesto, Hardwell, & EDX. It's got a great drop and some uplifting vocals and takes everything good from these 3 songs.

Kaskade vs. Tiesto, Hardwell, EDX & Marco V. Angel On My Shoulder Reaver 76 (Kaskade Mash Up)

Next up is R3HAB's collaboration with Afrojack called Prutataaa. This has been a song heavy in DJ sets, probably because of the vocals at the end. R3HAB is on Afrojack's Wall Recordings and is definitely an up-and-coming star in the world of EDM.

Afrojack & R3HAB Prutataaa (Original Mix)

The next two tracks are oldies but goodies. The first is a track by the awesome Australian duo Vandalism, who have done remixes of Claude Von Stroke's "The Whistler" and Dennis Ferrer's "Hey Hey". I discovered this song on the compilation Clubbers Guide to 2009 when I was in Australia and it remained one of my favorite songs, because I was new to the whole EDM scene at that point. It's got a nice Latin vibe and some Justin Timberlake-esque lyrics to go with it.

Vandalism Hablando

Finally I had to throw in the Madeon remix of Pendulum's "The Island". Yes, this is another oldie but goodie and I guarantee either you've never heard it or you never give it the attention it deserves. It's a lot more funky than the original and uses the same lyrics. Madeon continues to impress me, as the young prodigy he is.

Pendulum The Island (Madeon Remix)

Enjoy your weekends and tell the rain gods to stay away for Sunday's R3HAB show.

The Party Rock Anthem: Remixes

What’s the hottest song out there right now? It’s easily the “Party Rock Anthem” by the goofballs in LMFAO. When I first heard this track I didn’t think much of it – I simply thought it was just another house/electro-house song. I quickly realized how popular it was when I was riding the train through Boston and a couple ten-year-olds were singing it. Then I realized it was on the radio all the time and almost everyone I knew was in love with it. While I don’t mind the song (it’s certainly not the worst top-40 song I’ve heard in recent years), there are definitely some hot remixes of it out there. I bring you this post today to shine some light on a few of them.

First up is by far my favorite by groove master Russ Chimes. Chimes removes the lyrics and keeps the general sounds of the chorus in there, but gives it a 100% Russ Chimes makeover (read: funky as hell).

LMFAO Party Rock Anthem (Russ Chimes Dub)

Next up is veteran Benny Benassi's club mix. Benassi keeps it extremely Housey (real deep House, actually) as he is known to do, and the lyrics remain in tact. It has that Benassi sound that he is recognized for and this one will absolutely keep dance floors moving.

LMFAO Party Rock Anthem (Benny Benassi Club Mix)

Kim Fai is just another young European making his name known with original productions and remixes. He has gained recognition from great House names such as Steve Angello, Mark Knight, and Pete Tong. He has also collaborated with AN21 and Max Vangeli. And this version of "Party Rock Anthem" is for sure a banger.

LMFAO Party Rock Anthem (Kim Fai Remix)

Lastly I bring you some Dubstep. Because what's the fun in bringing you four House tracks? Arion has remixed not only Party Rock Anthem, but also Dr. Dre's "I Need a Doctor" and Skylar Grey's "I'm Coming Home." He hails from Ontario, Canada and is looking to start his first tour - hoping he makes it to Boston!

LMFAO Party Rock Anthem (Arion Dubstep Remix)

Monday Throwback: Jay-Z - So Ghetto

DJ Premier & Jay-Z

Identity Festival exceeded expectations this past weekend and I am in recovery mode. Make sure to check out My Music Is Better Than Yours for a full write up/review and make sure to "like" us on Facebook if you haven't already.

Today's Monday Throwback comes to you from 1999's Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter by Jay-Z. It was produced by one of the best hip hop producers & DJs in the game: DJ Premier (formerly of Gang Starr).

The chorus goes as follows, with scratching by DJ Premier in quotes:
I'm so gangsta prissy chicks don't wanna fuck with me
"Iceberg, Slim baby ride rims"
I'm so gutter, ghetto girls fall in love with me
"You know him well.." "..by the name of Jigga"
I'm so gangsta prissy chicks don't wanna fuck with me
"You can love me or hate me.." "..Jay-Z"
I'm so gutter, ghetto girls fall in love with me
"Roc-a-Fella lock the whole block down"

Seeing as this came out over 12 years ago, Jay-Z has softened his lyrics a bit since then and I don't think you'll be hearing him say how gangster/ghetto he is these days. Although he has a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...


Jay-Z So Ghetto

Fuck Yeah Friday!: Identity Festival Essentials

Steve Aoki's massive new stage set up created exclusively for ID Festival

What else can I say that I haven't already said either here or on My Music Is Better Than Yours (MMIBTY)? Identity Festival hits the Comcast Center in Mansfield, MA tomorrow and I am pumped. I honestly can't believe how many people I know going to this event, whether it's the UVM crew, the Natick High Crew, or anyone else in between. It's sure to be an awesome day full of dirty beats and because of my affiliation with MMIBTY you will find me in the VIP section with press credentials. Make sure to check MMIBTY for our write ups and stories.

With that I bring you five essential Identity Festival tracks, which I wouldn't be surprised if you heard tomorrow. Be sure to check out my two ID Fest previews here and here. The second post spotlights DJ Shadow, who will be doing the closing set on the Dim Mak stage tomorrow -- I highly recommend checking him out. Make sure to hit me up any time tomorrow if you're there!


Rusko + Reso Lick The Lizard

Kaskade & Tiesto Only You (feat. Haley)

Nero Guilt

Afrojack & Steve Aoki No Beef (Vocal Mix) ft. Alyssa Palmer

DJ Shadow Organ Donor

Happy Hump Day: Cazzette and Dillon Francis and ID Fest in 3 Days!

 

Identity Festival is finally just three days away and I couldn't be more excited. My last festival was Ultra and that was way back in March so you can imagine that my anticipation is through the roof (and it's killing me). Not only am I looking forward to some of the dirtiest beats produced by some of the best DJs in the world, I am also looking forward to enjoying them ALL DAY outside on one of the last summer weekends of 2011. Of course, this comes as a teaser for the massive Electric Zoo which is just over two weeks away. Both will be fun and both will leave my ears ringing the next day. As for Identity, I've never known so many people going to one show/festival and that truly excites me - hit me up if you'll be there.

My Top 5 Acts to See @ ID:

1.) DJ Shadow - a pioneer in the DJing game. You will be blown away

2.) Avicii - he's just too good and too hot to be missed right now

3.) Rusko & Nero - some dirty dubstepping Brits

4.) Steve Aoki - he's a headliner of this festival & his new stage set up looks unreal. Sure to be a sweat party

5.) Booka Shade - leaders in the minimal movement, have yet to see them and love their tunes

Today I bring you a couple tracks to get you excited for the weekend. The first is a song that's been stuck in my head since I first heard it and it's by one of my new favorite producers in Dillon Francis. "Beautician 2.0" is a chilled out Moombahton version of his original dubsteppy "Beautician" and it's been on repeat all week.

The next song is a remix by Cazette of the massively popular "Seek Bromance" by Avicii, who goes under his Tim Berg identity. Cazette is quickly growing his fan base and for good reason. You can see him perform with Avicii in New Jersey next month.

Dillon Francis - Beautician 2.0

Tim Berg - Seek Bromance (Cazzette meets Ash Vocal Mix)

Monday Throwback: Brother Ali - The Travelers + a Song Stuck in my Head

The Album Art for 2009's Us

There's something about this track that really puts me in a nice groove considering it's a rainy Monday morning here in Boston. Thanks again to Pandora I found this gem hanging out as part of one of my hip hop stations (I can't remember if it was Mos Def or Digable Planets) that I regularly cycle through. The beat is the first thing that stood out to me, as usual. And it's one instrument in particular that does it for me amid the hip hop drums: the Marimba. I could be wrong in my identifying of the instrument - it may very well be another mallet instrument similar to the Marimba but that's what I'm going with. Being a long-time drummer and percussionist things like this always stand out to me.

Ali's flow is sick as usual, coming from a rap-battle background and being an incredible story teller. Some of the lyrics that stick out to me are:

Everything that the passenger do
The driver experience too
So if humanity is one
Then we all get burned when it's hell that we're traveling through

This brings the word Karma to mind but it's definitely open to interpretation. The album Us was released in 2009 and was produced entirely by Ants of Atmosphere. Brother Ali has been a practicing Muslim for 13 years and hails from Minnesota. He's a white dude and pretty ugly so you're welcome for not featuring his mug on this blog entry.

Brother Ali - The Travelers

*See Lyrics after the JUMP*

BONUS:
Here's a song that isn't quite new but it has been stuck in my head for quite some time. It comes from the trance trio Above & Beyond featuring Gareth Emery and has deep hitting bass with some nice uplifting vocals. This is by no means a "new" song as it was released in 2010 after receiving a makeover from the previous 2009 version.

Above & Beyond and Gareth Emery Present Oceanlab - On a Good Day (Metropolis)

Fuck Yeah Friday!: It's a Knife Party!

Man it feels good to be back for a Fuck Yeah Friday post. And this week I bring you pure filth - I hope you're ready to have your face melted completely off. Knife Party is a new club project of Rob Swire (featured on Deadmau5's Ghosts N' Stuff) and Gareth McGrillen of the Australian dance band Pendulum. While I haven't really gotten into Pendulum, they have a huge following world wide. Knife Party is more up my alley, with crazy drops and electro-house roots that go very hard. They've been working with Swedish House Mafia, Skrillex (see the awesome Moombahton collabo below), and putting together disgustingly awesome beats. If the following tracks don't get your parties started this weekend then I will have failed you. Crank it up and let me know what you think!

Swedish House Mafia - Save the World (Knife Party remix)

Knife Party & Skrillex - Zoology (preview)

Nero - Crush on You (Knife Party Remix)

Knife Party - 25 Minute Studio Mix by GBallz
Knife Party - 25 Minute Studio Mix from Ibiza (track listing after the JUMP)*Click the down arrow below "Info" to download the mix*

BONUS - An older Flux Pavilion song to groove to:

Flux Pavilion - Night Goes On

Happy Hump Day: New Tiesto

I'm back from the homeland and excited to bring you new music straight from the top of my dome piece. Israelis love dubstep but today I am not bringing you any. I am first bringing you Tiesto's new track called "Work Hard, Play Hard" which  goes real hard and seems to be a nice change from Tiesto's old cheesy trance. This dude's music is evolving with the times and it even sounds like he's using Dada Life's Sausage Fattener plug in. Nice beat and good vocals. As Brian said on it's anyone's guess when Tiesto finds the time to put something like this together. He tours the world constantly, has a weekly podcast, and collaborates with various other artists on tracks. And yet, this tune is as good as any out there.

I had the pleasure of seeing Lazy Rich kill it last night at the Middle East in Cambridge. He brought so much wobbly electro-house to the basement of the venue and I wish he played longer than an hour. Find a bonus track by him below.


Tiesto - Work Hard, Play Hard

Fuck Yeah Friday! : Kaskade Livin'

Cam Harris checking in for the last time on the G- Spot as Mr. Gballz returns this weekend and I take off for retreat to lovely Cape Cod for the week. Nevertheless, this Fuck Yeah Friday is all about Ryan Raddon. Better known as his stage name, Kaskade, this guy has been destroying the charts this year putting in immense time at the studio and having it be reflected in his countless shows. He has been on tour for the better part of this entire year and makes a stop at the Comast Center August 20 for the highly anticipated Identity Festival which he is headlining along side the likes of Avicii and Steve Aoki. I had the opportunity to see only a quick glance of his set at Ultra Music Festival, therefore, I am highly excited for Identity and seeing him in full effect. To kick off your Friday into what I hope is a great weekend, I have posted one of my favorite songs that I cant seem to avoid when bumping the tunes in my car. Also, posted a few of his other mixes which are sure to get you upbeat and ready for whatever the weekend may brings. It's been a pleasure, and happy Fuck Yeah Friday!

Call Your Girlfriend - Kaskade Remix


Stars Align Tomorrow - Kaskade Mashup


Invisible - Kaskade Remix

Happy Hump Day: In Honor Of Mr. PowerStroke Being In The 617 Tonight

Cam Harris checking in for my last couple of posts here before G-Ballz himself makes his epic return back to the US from the Motherland. In wishing him a safe trip back in a couple of days, this post is a tribute to him and one of our favorite minimal artists, Mr. Powerstroke, or better known as Claude Vonstroke. Claude has given the city of Boston the great opportunity to see him live tonight over at Phoenix Landing in Cambridge. For those of you looking for a way to spice up your Wednesday night, I highly recommend trying to get over there and catching a once in a lifetime show. I had a chance to pop my Vonstroke cherry at Ultra Music Festival earlier this year and to say the least wow. He played in a tent full of jungle gyms and dusty people to bring his small crowd his intense music which I was informed was categorized as "jungle house". Nevertheless, he kills it. So this week I decided to dedicate some tracks to show you what I mean. So take a listen and if anything check out his artist page on facebook. Happy Hump Day to all and hope this picks up the pace for those of you with a slow work week. Enjoy!

The Whistler - Vandalism Vocal Mix



Wut - (Claude Vonstroke Remix)


Figure I would leave you with one Bonus track to keep the week rolling. Wolfgang Gartner has been on his grind this year and continues to do show after show after show to show his fans how much he loves playing for them. For this one, I leave you with what he calls his BRAND NEW track, even though he has been playing this on tour for quite a while now. Either way, the guy is a true producer and DJ, Enjoy


Menage A Trois - Wolfgang Gartner (Original Mix)