Check out what we’re listening to on this New Music Friday!
TARA JAM – DAILY DOSE
Fulfilling the prophecy of her name, with Tara meaning ‘star’, the Toronto sensation blew us away with her third-ever single, “Daily Dose”. A piano/acoustic melodic blend, the track delivers a different sound to its predecessors but holds true to her outstanding ability to pull together relatable lyrics and warm, blissful sounds. Channeling feelings of universal pain and different forms of self-medication, Jam explores the spectrum of destructive behavior and finds comfort in using songwriting as an outlet.
MOODSHIFT – TOUCH (MNI REMIX) [UNIVERSAL MUSIC]
Kicking off early Spring in the best way possible, Swedish DJ/production triumvirate Moodshift return with a second remix pack, this time around featuring reworks of their third original production, ‘Touch’. The new 2-track EP features a riveting remix from esteemed Oslo-based talent Simon Field, in addition to a driving reinterpretation from the enigmatic project, MNI. MNI’s remix maintains much of the same brooding energy in its first half, before quickly introducing a fun, hefty bass house rhythm into the sonic space. The nearly three-minute endeavor finishes with a barrage of bass, flawlessly rounding out the highly-anticipated 2-track EP with a hard-hitting panache.
RIOT TEN & STARX – GET OUT (FT. BLUPILL & DOPEBOYLO) [DIM MAK]
Whether it’s heavy dubstep, melodic trap, hip-hop, hardstyle or house, Riot Ten has it mastered. “Get Out” is a wicked collaboration with fellow hardstyle and bass producer STARX featuring hardcore vocalist Blupill and rapper Dopeboylo. A musical shapeshifter, Riot Ten’s latest single fuses face-melting, mutated sound design with thunderous hip-hop verses. With praise from all corners of the dance music industry, and endorsements from artists by the likes DJ Snake, Zeds Dead, The Chainsmokers, and Excision, Riot Ten is a certified legend and “Get Out” is no exception.
SHEA DIAMOND – PRESENCE OF A LEGEND [EAST WEST]
NYC-based singer/songwriter Shea Diamond was called upon to writer a song for Luchina Fisher‘s documentary Mama Gloria, which depicts the story of Chicago’s Black transgender icon, Gloria Allen. Of the track, Shea says, “‘Presence of a Legend’ tells the story of all of our LGBTQ+ community leaders that have led the way for our individual freedoms that we deserve today: they taught us, fought with, and for us. We don’t get the chance to see legends like Mama Gloria being celebrated, as many trans women don’t have the privilege of living past 30. For so long the forced narrative has been survival, but trans women are finally challenging the narrative, demanding equality and the opportunity to thrive. Mama Gloria at 75 is our possibility model. Without the OGs of the movement, the world wouldn’t know about me. We will celebrate our trancestors and uplift their legacy so the generations after us will know to stand in the presence of our legends!”
DALTON TAYLOR – VILLA VANE
Inspired by the phenomenon of auditory and visual hallucinations during a sound bath, Villa Vane attempts to recreate the distended perception of time and spatial functionality. Akin to a sound bath practitioner navigating their domain with makeshift instruments, Villa Vane gently introduces you to a variety of familiar yet artificial sounds. The deep kick drum and 303 tethers the listener to the physical realm, while the Udu bassline and synth overtones allow the mind to survey possibilities outside of the electronic characteristics of the track. In a time where COVID 19 has confined many to their own imaginations, Villa Vane can connect, heal, explore, and meditate.
