Special Features...

Over the past year Special Features has been absolutely tearing up the electro world and continue to do so with their recently released remix of the well-known Deadmau5 track, Strobe. Don't hesitate to download these gems. If you haven't heard of Special Features then you're in for a pleasant surprise. Enjoy. 

Strobe (Special Features Remix) - Deadmau5

Happy Violence (Special Features Remix) - Dada Life

In My Mind feat. Georgi Kay (Special Features Edit) - Ivan Gough, Feenixpawl, Axwell

Feel So Close (Special Features Remix) - Calvin Harris

-K

Roundup

Today's post has no theme.  No motifs.  And there is no need to worry, you should be fine as long as you download every single one of them.  Now.  Do. Not. Hesitate. 


My Lady Don't Mind (Modek Remix) - Blatta & Inesha


Listen To This (Original Mix) - Harvard Bass & Bart B More


Rope (Deadmau5 Mix) - Foo Fighters (Removed by Request) [MAKE SURE to grab the entire new Foo album, it may not be electro, but Dave Grohl is a GOD among men, this album is insanity]


Doing It Right - Afrojack [brand new, dropped at Ultra, FIRE]


This Is (Original Mix) - White Heat


Ears Will Bleed - Matthew Sterling


Forever (Radio Edit) - Wolfgang Gartner ft. will.i.am. [fortunately, the black eyed peas don't ruin another great electro producer's track; trust me, it's worth a try]


What A Feeling - Alex Gaudino ft. Kelly Rowalnd [Club Anthem Status]


With Love,
-dub//squared

Progressive House

Today we take an in depth look into one of the original sub genres of electro, progressive house music.  Widely known as prog house, this genre is mostly heard in clubs by resident DJ's.  The components of prog house, as well as any progressive music, are long builds that lead to repeating drops and steady bass.  Pretty much what this means is that the song builds for ever, but instead of having a banger drop, it will usually just go back into the melody but add more harmonies.  Some of you might be confused, seeing as this sounds A LOT like trance.  But the difference is that it still is house music.  You can still rave to it, instead of getting bored with it like trance.  


Producers specializing in prog house are also some of the biggest names in the scene, and you have probably heard a few of their songs maybe without realizing that it had it's own genre and culture.  Producers include Fedde Le Grande, Michael Woods, some Deadmau5 and occasionally Afrojack, but the true embodiment of progressive house has to be Avicii.  


And here are some tracks to add prog to your library. 


Rapture (Avicii's New Generation Extended Mix) - Nadia Ali 


Sweet Dreams (Avicii Remix) [Avicii Sweeder Dreams Re Work] - Eurythmics


Bungee (Original Mix) - Afrojack & Bobby Burns


Hello (Michael Woods Remix) - Martin Solveig ft. Dragonette


First Aid (Original Mix) - Michael Woods


Autosave (Original Mix) - Fedde Le Grande


Missing 2011 (Fedde Le Grande Remix) - Everything But the Girl


Put Your Hands Up For Detroit - Fedde Le Grande


Sometimes Things Get, Whatever - Deadmau5


I Remember - Deadmau5 & Kaskade


With Love,
-dub//squared

Looking Back/Looking Forward: Deadmau5

Recently, Canadian DJ, Deadmau5, (Joel Zimmerman) has announced that he will be releasing another new album some time in 2011. This news comes just two months after the release of his 3rd studio album, 4x4=12. So, you have the new album to look forward to, but there is some bad news. Zimmerman has also said that he won't be releasing any singles between now and the time his new album drops. I guess were all just going to have to wait a little bit to hear some new Mau5.

I have decided that even though the album came out two months ago, and I'm sure most have you guys have heard it all at this point, I'm going to post all the songs with my personal ratings and comments. Overall, I don't personally like 4x4=12 as much as his previous 2 albums, but I do still like it, especially his experimentation with dubstep in a few of the tracks. I give the album an overall 4 stars...here are all of the tracks.

Some Chords - Deadmau5 - 5 stars - probably my favorite song on the album, all 7 minutes are insane

Sofi Needs a Ladder - Deadmau5 - 4 stars - good vocals, insane bass

City in Florida - Deadmau5 - 4 stars - sick bass, plays around with some dubstep

Bad Selection - Deadmau5 - 3 stars - kind of boring, nothing special

Animal Rights - Deadmaus & Wolfgang Gartner - 4 stars - love gartner, two djs styles work very well together

I Said (Michael Woods Remix) - Deadmau5 & Chris Lake - 4 stars - classic deadmau5 sound with some great woods stuff thrown in

Cthulhu Sleeps - Deadmau5 - 4 stars - very long into, captivating rhythm

Right This Second - Deadmau5 - 5 stars - want to see this track played live SO bad, reminds me of old deadmau5, ridiculous bass

Raise Your Weapon - Deadmau5 - 4 stars - dubstep, chilling vocals

One Trick Pony - Deadmau5 - 3 stars - dubstep, boring vocals

Everything Before - Deadmau5 - 2 stars - probably the worst song on the album, boring

cheers,

-Holden

Electric ZOO

NYC's main outdoor electro festival, Electric Zoo, is right around the corner, so here are some of my favorites from the headliners

Kelly Rowland - Commander (David Guetta's Fuck Me I'm Famous Remix)

Benny Benassi - I am not Drunk (Bloody Beetroots Remix)

Benny Benassi - Satisfaction (Afrojack Remix)

Lady Gaga - Alejandro (Afrojack Remix)

Kid Cudi - Pursuit of Happiness (Steve Aoki Remix)

Ghosts N Stuff vs. Disco Babes (DJ Dan & Mike Balance mash-up) - DJ Dan & Mike Balance vs Deadmau5