Season 2 #8: Our Powers Combined

 Nothing better than when two megastars come together to create a truly unforgettable track.  I feel like I saw a pre-release alert for this a while ago, and then it totally slipped my mind.  Armin Van Buuren, no matter your take on his music, is one of the largest DJs in the world right now.  Rob Swire (of Knife Party) brings truly iconic vocals and production.  Combined?  AN ABSOLUTELY SONG OF THE YEAR CONTENDER!  High energy, great vibe that truly combines the best of both of their styles!

While not as globally known, but very respected within the EDM scene, Dabin and Grabbitz bring this very different track from the first one.  Soulful vocals, a slow and frankly haunting melody, makes for a truly emotional and beautiful song that showcases it doesn't have be big and in your face to be a successful electronic song.  I really liked this one and I hope you do too!

Armin van Buuren & Rob Swire - Sound of You

Dabin & Grabbitz - Nothing At All

0665 - Heading Up Technology

First up for you today is another track of Armin Van Buuren's new album called Heading Up High featuring Kensington.  I love this one because it has such a rock feel to it, a bit different from the usual Trance that Armin puts out.  The song is catchy as hell and the rock/trance hybrid really makes for a unexpectedly wonderful track. (Look for Hardwell in the Music Video!)
Also, I have a track from BlackGummy called Plucking Technology.  This big bass track features a catchy and very well put together tonal array, that makes the song feel very futuristic.  I really love it and I hope you do too!

Armin Van Buuren feat. Kensington - Heading Up High

BlackGummy - Plucking Technology

0626 - The Trouble With The Strong Ones

First up this week is a remix from Le Visiteur and My Oh My  of Armin van Buuren's track Strong Ones off his recently released album.  This remix keeps all the wonderful tonality of the originail, something which seems really hard to find in remixes of this song.  Adding a deep house feel really takes this one to a new level, groovy and tonal levels of fabulosity.
Second up is a really groovy and just overall well done track from Marcus Marr and Chet Faker called the Trouble With Us.  It just has a very classic sound and a great groove that is complimented by the vocals, the bassline, and just an overally great design.

Armin van Buuren - Strong Ones (Le Visiteur & My Oh My Mix)

Marcus Marr & Chet Faker - Trouble With Us

0611 - Old Skool Skies

So I know in past posts I have raved about Armin Van Buuren but honestly I honestly haven't been very impressed with his most recent stuff, but there is one song off his album that I really enjoy, Old Skool.  It feels like a party track as opposed to the generic trance and house that he has put out lately.  Good tonality mixed in with a big bass that hits hard and strikes often.  Overall a really great banger track to spend your Wednesday!
Second up today on this Banger Wednesday is from Juicy M called Skies.  It is a great track that has the heavy bass that makes driving dance songs, as well as really catchy melody and vocals that actually fit the track really well.  Not overwhelming itself, this track really caught me off guard as I didn't like it at first but then after actually listening, my ears just gasemed all over my headphones.

Armin Van Buuren - Old Skool

Juicy M - Skies

0490 - Something Strange Comes to Westeros

Before we get to the song for today I want to share a really interesting piece of music.  We all know Game of Thrones has exploded over the past years, so remixes of the theme song had to come eventually, and today I found one from Trance Legend Armin Van Buuren.  I'm not sure how I honestly feel about it but it is pretty cool to hear the reimagined version.  Give it a listen and tell me what you think!

Today's real song comes from Elephante, an original titled Temporary Love.  Driving bass, vocals that work really well into the rhythm, and a really catchy drop make this into another quality Elephante track that I have come to know and love.

Ramin Djawadi - Game of Thrones Theme (Armin Van Buuren Remix)

Elephante feat. Brooke Foreman - Temporary Love (Free Download)

0431 - In and Out of Chords

First up today is a remix of what I hope the Future House genre can turn into.  Channeling both Deadmau5 and Dillon Francis, Jauz releases a killer remix that has flow and I really enjoyed.  Its not meant for clubs or any other kind of dance environment but holy shit is it a great track to just relax and chill to.  Give it a listen!

Also up today is a chilled out remix of Armin Van Buuren's track In and Out of Love.  Lost Frequencies is one of my favorites, always delivering killer remixes.  The remix has amazing tonality and gives a really mellow feel to this trance song.  Keeping it minimal with piano and a driving but not overwhelming bassline, the vocals carry this one in my opinion because holy shit the range.  Give it a listen and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Deadmau5 x Dillon Francis - Some Chords (Jauz Remix) (Free Download)

Armin Van Buuren - In and Out of Love (Lost Frequency Remix)

0287 - You Can Hear Bangers Anywhere

Two bangers for you today both of which are great and should see club time for sure.  The first is a Tiesto and Dzeko & Torres Remix of John Martin's Anywhere for you.  They still maintain the beautiful vocals and combine then with some great low key stuff, slowly building until the drop hits hard and heavy.  It hits hard but it still maintains tonality and sounds excellent compared to a lot of remixes now that take out the sequences in the drop and just replace it with big room garbage.

Second up is the Audien Remix of Armin Van Buuren's legendary track, This is What It Feels Like.  I love the original and am usually a fan of Audien's work, but every other remix of the song I had heard was absolutely garbage.  This one was strange though, as it was a very subtle rework instead of trying to make it into an entire new track.  Give it a listen!

John Martin - Anywhere For You (Tiesto and Dzeko & Torres Remix)

Armin Van Buuren - This Is What It Feels Like (Audien Remix)

0195 - Ultra was Ultra (Updated 11:10 AM)

I hope you all caught some of the live streams from ultra that were being played all weekend because some incredible tracks were played and some very confusing actions took place.

First of all, Deadmau5 dropped an old mcdonald remix....I was literally speechless because I was so "WHAT ON EARTH IS HE DOING".  Overall though, some great sets were played.  My favorites were prolly from Hardwell, Armin Van Buren, Afrojack, Jack U, and Danny Avila (who I had never heard of before).  I will let you know when these sets become available because they are usually available for download very recently after the festival is over.  Armin's set is actually the first available and you can listen to it if you missed it here.  No mashup today as I didn't really find anything worthy of sharing.

First up is the video of Armin's set at Ultra. 45minutes pure happiness, great music, and burning jealousy that I couldn't be there myself.

Armin Van Buren Ultra 2014

UPDATE: Jack U (the new combination of Skrillex and Diplo just released their live set and it was pretty kick ass, check it out!

Second up is a something cool and new from Monstercat.  Did you know they have a podcast now?  No talk, a straight hour of music that will be coming out weekly (it seems).  They are already in their second week and let me tell you, it is a fantastic and pretty expertly chosen hour of music.  Check it out and see how it compares to your other podcasts!

Monstercat Podcast Ep. 1

0136 - My Main Man Armin

Kat Krazy's track Siren featuring elkka is great by itself, let alone a remix by a big name superstar of the genre.  This remix by Armin Van Buuren is really awesome, featuring an incredible build up and vocals that will leave you with goosebumps.  Or maybe thats the crazy temperature (its -8 right now in Columbus without windchill).  Please stay warm everybody and if you don't have class then just relax and have a great second day off (IM SO JELLY YOU COULD CALL ME SMUCKERS).  Plus this version features the extended video to fit the remix  Enjoy the song!

Kat Krazy feat. elkka - Siren (Armin Van Buuren Remix)

100 - Triple Digits!

Before I start anything, let me just say HOLY SHIT I love you all so much.  100 posts and 2,000+ page views, and I am honestly speechless.  This blog has been such an incredible outlet for me to share the music I love with people, and the response has been mind blowing.  Thank you so much for coming back day after day and listening to my rants, enjoying music with me, and contesting my opinions with "cabbage".  Seriously, I can't express my thanks enough.  So here's to hundreds more posts and hundreds of more songs!

I have chosen some very fitting songs for today; one of which is chill and one of which is funky as a mother.

First off is the chill track, brought to you by my new top tier main man, Armin van Buuren.  I chose this song because the song is titled, "This is What It Feels Like".  Very fitting to today's unique situation, especially because the song is awesome, just like every single one of you that come back here every day.  Check it out and kick up your feet, because trust me, it feels damn good.

The second track is all about the funk.  Funky is seriously one of my favorite genres to search for and share, because holy smokes is there some crazy unique stuff out there.  Cabinett really delivers with this track; It has a bit of a sprite feel, a nice and smooth build, and drops into pure funky gold.  I swears it.  Give it a listen!  Have a great and awesome weekend everybody, see you back here Monday morning!

Armin van Buuren feat. Trevor Guthrie - This Is What It Feels Like

Cabinett - Sky Diver

090 - Weekend Swag

The weekend is finally here.  Hope that everyone is alright after Halloween last night.  Im not but thats only because the power at my house went out for a bit and the storm kept me from going to see the midnight release of Ender's Game.  Oh well, the weekend is here.  Time to let your inhibitions fly and go to Halloween Parties, just relax, or go to a convention (which is what I will be doing).  In honor of a rough week, I present you with one dose of funky, one dose of just awesome, and one dose of spooky.


 DOSE 1: The Funk
Sparx - The Odyssey
Funky as they come and you can't handle it.  This one is seriously funky and I love it so much.  A great combination of funk and electro house, this track by Sparx really delivers just about everything you could want in a unique funk track.  Check it out for sure!

DOSE 2: The Awesome:
Armin Van Buuren - Pulse (Cosmic Gate Remix)
I will be honest, though I listen to everything Armada Music releases, a large portion of it is very repetitive, boring, or just plain not interesting.  However, there are a few diamonds in the rough, and this track happens to be one of them.  A remix of Armin Van Buuren's track Pulse, Cosmic Gate does a truly excellent job of bringing this track back to life.  Seriously, this one is one that is not to be missed!  The video came out today and for some reason I can not embed it, so click the link above!

DOSE 3: The Spooky
Click here for Trip or Treat vol 2!
This is an awesome 11 song Mixtape called Trip or Treat volume 2 that is available for free download through thissongissick.com.  These songs are all a little out there and pretty unique in a spooky, but satisfying way.  I think of all 11 tracks the first is my favorite, because of beginning and the drop is satisfying as hell.  Even though its not Halloween anymore, this mixtape is for sure worth the free download!  Below is the first song off the mixtape.

071 - Manipulating Monday

I will be honest with you, mashup Monday is getting hard for me to write once a week and discover new mashups because I seem to be posting the same artists over and over again.  Therefore Monday will now be treated as a normal music day, with mashups thrown in every other week still on this day.  I will look around and see if maybe I am just looking in the wrong places and will bring it back asap if this is the case.

Today I bring you a special treat.  As most of you know, tomorrowworld was just recently.  To those who don’t know what this is, it is one of the biggest electronic music festivals next to Ultra and basically has everyone you ever need to hear and see.  Well, for those of us who didn’t want to camp out for 3 days, the website This Song is Sick has posted all of the sets from the best of the best.  Most of the big names have hour long sets and some of the lesser known ones have 30min sets but all are great and for sure worth your time!  My favorites are the sets from Armin and R3hab!  Take this opportunity to listen to an artist you may not have heard much from and find a new talent!  None are available for download but all are available to stream for free!  Enjoy and see you back here tomorrow!

 Almost every set from Tomorrowworld! Stream them all Here!

062 - Rant About Going Wrong

So I guess this is rant week.

Big songs can really come in all shapes and sizes.  A huge bass isn’t necessary to make a song a massive club banger that is necessary to make it popular.  But then again on the other side, you cant just throw an electro beat behind crappy vocals and bad lyrics and expect it to be a number one track.  Sadly that is how top 40 seems to be going.  They assume that Miley Cyrus can be popular by making a song with the lyrical intelligence of a dead horse.  The sad thing is, PEOPLE EAT IT UP.  True, there are some exceptions to this (I like Rihanna and Calvin Harris together), but most are pure ear torture.  It does depend on the electro artist as well, some seem to get sucked into the game and will do music for anyone, People like Madeon are doing it right.  Overall, loving the influx of electronic into pop and top 40, but it needs to be done the right way. 

ON THAT NOTE, this song is incredible.  The stinger for me is the set of vocals that send chills down your spine (which if you haven’t noticed is one of my favorite aspects of house songs and electronic music).  Armin Van Buuren is a big name and a big player in this genre, yet it surprises me how many people haven’t heard of him, or hear his name and instantly discount him as a nobody.  He is a extremely gifted artist and this remix of one of his own songs really speaks to me in the way that even if a song isn’t perfect, you can always mix it again the second time around.

062-Going wrong (Armin’s Universal Religion Remix) – Armin VanBuuren & DJ Shah ft. Chris Jones