Boom Shake the Room

As I sit here in my snowboard pants soon to be leaving for what might finally be a "real" day of spring riding here in Whistler I decided to dig into what awaits us tomorrow night. Tomorrow night is of course "The End" party and I must say I was a bit skeptical as I've been to the last 3 all of which were rather disappointing. The venue holds about 1600 and when let's say only 500 hundred show up the place never gets a sense of of a packed energetic house where everyone is vibing off each other. Well yesterday when I bought my ticket there was only 200 left, so this will be a packed house, and I'm also extremely excited for the line-up more than any other year. RJD2 will be headlining who is likely the cause of the majority of hype and ticket sales. His tracks have been featured in a few different snowboard films as some of his older stuff totally emits that chilled out and groovin vibe perfect for a snowboard video part.

But besides the main man we've also got the "Ghetto Funk" showcase, which includes The Funk Hunters, JPOD, Sticksbuds and Bryx, a collective of DJs and producers who have been pushing forward a new funky wobbly breaks scene, and dam this shit it hot! It's slower and grooveir than traditional electro/trance club music, but it still fits in those deep basslines to shake your soul. Here's is 2 tracks from The Funk Hunters to give you as little preview!

Download Links: (Left Click, then right click "save as" on actual file)
The Funk Hunters - Shake the Room
Red Hot Chillipeppers - Under the Bridge (Pimpsoul and the Funk Hunters Remix)

And if you have not heard Benny Freebound's new mix that includes this remix of the Chillipepers give it a listen because it is a wonderfully crafted musical journey and can be found right here.

Fort Knox 5 kicks it off.

Today, April 14 2011 marks the start of the sweet 16th Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival. And of course the best part of the festival, as I'm not a fan of all the corporate shit giveaways, is all the free music you get to see in the afternoons when you come down from the mountain and the sun is out, or in the case of this April it is still snowing. Whatever the weather Fort Knox 5, a 4 piece DJ act from Washington D.C. will be taking the stage this afternoon, and I plan to go rock out to what is sure to be some funky, groovy, soulful, remashed, banging, breakbeat electronic type goodness. Here's a few tracks to see what they're about.

Fort Knox 5 - The Sax Pusher vs Bambataa (DC's Finest Remint)
Fort Knox 5 - Calling Out a Winner
Fort Knox 5 - Insight

Reptile and Skrillex

Released on April 5th was an album called Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired By the Warriors, and is executive produced by JFK of MSTRKRFT. Each of the 12 tracks on the album takes one of the chracter's theme and is redone by a different producer. Track 6, Reptile's theme happens to be done by Skrillex. No dubstep and wobble here, this track is screechy raging electro track which might inspire a fight on the dancefloor from people getting too crazy. And of course what would be a Mortal Kombat remake without a sample of "whoopsy" and "fatality" in there.

Download Link: (Left click, then right click "save as" on actual file)
Skrillex - Reptile's Theme

The Knocks

I must admit I've always loved Diana Ross's "You Can't Hurry Love" both for the great sing-along effect it has, and the warm feeling you get from absorbing the very true lyrics because some things just can't be hurried. It was here that I first found The Knocks. Based out of Manhatten The Knocks are making some pretty smooth and catchy tunes these days, one of them of course being a great cover of "You Can't Hurry Love". Nothing beats the cuteness of the original but they did a good job of giving a fresh take on the classic. The next track called "Blackout" is something I think many people in Whistler can relate to, yes it it is about blacking out and forgetting the conversation they had with a girl and only remembering getting it on. Their style is very catchy dance-pop music that will have you singing along in no time.

Download Links: (Left Click, then right click "save as" on actual file)
The Knocks - Can't Hurry Love
The Knocks - Blackout
The Knocks - Make it Better

Everybody Loves the Sunshine

As the sun continues to come out and melt the masses of snow we've had all winter long in Whistler I continue to get more and more obsessed with Funky Breaks, and most appropriately as these types of tracks just scream summer party. I had the pleasure of seeing A Skillz almost a week ago here in Whistler as he played to a small but and ram-packed house, too full to move in fact. Though he did play a good, more club-oriented set I did not hear him play either of the tracks I'm going to share with you today. Nevertheless, these tracks are truly funky booty shaking breaks.

The first two tracks are from A Skill and the Beat Vandals, and with the main lines from each song being "The beat don't stop til the break of dawn" and "Everybody loves the sunshine" you can assume what you're in for. I have also included a more mellow mix of "Everybody loves the Sunshine" for when you're really chillin. And as a bonus, an amazing remix that A Skillz just did, but I can't even seem to buy on beatport because of territorial restrictions, whatever sense that makes in the digital world I'm not sure. Either way, I've had this remix on repeat this morning. It's that good. Check it out on soundcloud.

Download Links: (Left Click, the right click "save as" on actual file)
A Skillz and Beat Vandals - The Beat Don't Stop
A Skillz and Beat Vandals - Sunshine
DJ Cam Quartet - Everybody Loves the Sunshine

Whistle - Just Buggin' (A Skillz Remix) by championrecords

Muffins and Beaches

Today I did not go ride the hard groomers of a cloudy march day in Whistler. Instead I stayed home and baked some Bran muffins, and they are delicious. Today, and last night, and recently in general I've just been listening to some superb mellow rock music. I call it surf rock, even though I don't surf, I imagine that if I was chilling on a wide open beach this would be a great soundtrack. No disco influences, phat basslines or sick drops here, just some tunes to nod your head slowly to and pretend it's really sunny out. These are all fairly new except for an old favorite of mine from Sam Robert's first album.

Download Links: (Left Click, then Right Click "Save As" on actual file)
The Young Friends - Be My Baby
The Bees - I Really Need Love
The Holidays - 6AM
Oh Mercy - Lay Everything on Me
Sam Roberts - No Sleep

Bass at the Creek Base

Two nights ago at Bass at the Creek Base we had the pleasure of hearing a banging set form Joseph Martin from Vancouver. A small but energetic crowd danced til end. And it was right near that end that a track blew my mind... an electro breaks banger! I asked Joseph what it was called and he was quick to reply. So see here it is!


Dom G - Work (DJ Dan & Mike Balance remix) by djdanmusic

Download Link:
Dom G - Work (DJ Dan and Mike Balance Remix)