Crack Tracks: Feeding Your EDM Addiction

Published: April 21, 2014

By: Jordan Calvano

Crack Tracks: Feeding Your EDM Addiction - Volume 16

The mantra of Crack Tracks is simple: “We scour the Internet so you don’t have to.” Every single day we find stunning tracks that we don’t have time to post, and that can get frustrating. There are too many good artists going unnoticed on The Untz, and this series is our attempt to further put a dent in all the electronic music that continues to stream from far reaching corners of the world.

With Crack Tracks, we want to focus on artists and specific styles that aren’t getting as much attention here. This weekly series will highlight some of our favorite songs that we haven’t already covered, targeting artists releasing music more addicting than crack itself. The type of music you can’t get enough of. One hit just won't suffice. Are you ready to get high with us?

Elizabeth Rose – Sensibility (TOKiMONSTA Remix)

Elizabeth Rose is quickly becoming one of our favorite Australian artists, mixing invigorating vocals with electrifying production to create an undeniably potent sound. The good word of her forward-thinking music continues to spread across the globe, and this fresh remix of “Sensibility” off Rose’s eponymous EP from TOKiMONSTA is only helping her cause. The LA-based producer tossed the track into a musical blender, carefully churning up elements of the original while mixing in countless styles of dance music including drum ‘n’ bass, jersey club, and future bass. It’s all female everything on this one, and we can’t get enough.

Tourist – Patterns ft. Lianna La Havas

Tourist has caught fire. The burgeoning producer was boasting a pretty impressive musical resume by the end of 2013, but these last few months have been absolutely huge for him. First he dropped “I Can’t Keep Up,” then a poignant take on “Sight” from London Grammar, and now we’ve got this stunner. The intricately woven gem released by Disclosure’s Method Records imprint creates a heartfelt amalgam of fellow London resident Lianna La Havas’ soulful and echoing vocals with flickering production from Tourist, meshing together perfectly and leaving listeners breathless.

Sohn – Bloodflows (Twenty9 Edit)

Sohn’s recent album is nothing short of a masterpiece. The British crossover singer and producer has tapped into an ethereal, mildly electronic sound that succumbs listeners to instant addiction, proving himself as one of the industry’s most diverse players. With success like that comes massive remixes, and this recent take on “Bloodflows” from Twenty9 is nothing short of that. Holding on to Sohn’s haunting vocals and pieces of the original instrumental, the French producer takes the tune for a distorted journey while fluctuating between upbeat flares of bass and more low key sections.

El. Train – Rope-A-Dope

Sometimes you need to do a quick purge. Homeowners take care of this process with garage sales, while dedicated producers tired of having so many tracks sitting on their computer just start uploading. El. Train has a knack for this spring cleaning, often releasing multiple tracks a week without every sacrificing an ounce of quality. On his most recent original, we witness the British artist digging into an unorthodox style with “Rope-A-Dope.” Balancing light elements of jersey club and steady house music, the feel-good jam toys with your emotions and allows aptly placed vocal samples to bring the song to all new heights.

Jakwob – Somebody New (Himalia Remix)

Boom Ting Recordings has been subtly killing the game recently. The label doesn’t get the attention they truly deserve, but everything the progressive crew puts out is consistently worth bumping on repeat. On this remix by Himalia, the Lincoln resident takes on fellow Brit and label mate Jakwob’s poignant release “Something New” and gives it a fresh squeezed twist, pulling influence from the original by injecting his own fresh batch of thoroughly dance-worthy yet emotionally charged instrumentations. Himalia keeps getting better, and we can’t stop bumping.

LION KNGS – Poison (LION KNGS & DOM Remix)

Getting the party started is as simple as clicking play on this bass-laden anthem. Combining the highly coveted talented of the LA/CO based duo LION KNGS and Big Gigantic’s own Dominic Lalli, the like-minded producers unveil an unexpected direction that you might not expect. You hear Dom’s name and you expect saxophone and something soulful, but this is an all out rager. No sax, just a dance-floor take on “Poison” from Bell Biv Devoe that will leave audience member screaming for joy when this one drops live.

Hermitude – Ukiyo

It’s been a long damn time since Hermitude has dropped an original tune. The Sydney-based duo release a few recent remixes, but the world was starting to get a bit worried over their absence. Fear not though, because the boys are back and sporting what might be their most appetizing set of soundscapes yet. “Ukiyo” is subtle yet grasping in all the right places, pulling influence as always from their hip-hop roots while bridging an ample dosage of electronic flair. We definitely could use a new Hermitude album. Fingers crossed that happens soon. Like, very soon.

Lykke Li – No Rest For The Wicked (Klangkarussel Remix)

Lykke Li’s new album I Never Learn is dropping in a few weeks, and so far the Swedish songstress has dropped nothing but pure gold singles. This remix from the Austrian duo Klangkarussel of “No Rest For The Wicked” keeps a steady balance, retaining the natural ebb and flow possessed in the original while bringing much more flavor to the mix. The choruses are vibrant as hell, and the whole track feels organic from start to finish. Certain listeners will take the pensive route when approaching this song, while others are sure to play this at full volume during any house party or event. The choice is yours.

Wizard – High
Cream Collective is another burgeoning label that the world needs to pay more attention to. Dabbling in all kinds of styles, the Brighton-based team is messing with a solid group of producers from all across the world. In this case though, they looked no further then Hastings, recruiting a fellow countrymen to unleash a hazy chune that will leave you floating into distant realms of space. Wizard has the beats, and it’s nearly impossible to just let them play out and sit still. You’ve got to dance, or at least flail your arms uncontrollably when things kick into overdrive.

Luke Howard – Slumber (Japanese Wallpaper Remix)

Melbourne meets Melbourne on this closing tune, and we have a feeling you’re going to enjoy this beaut. Composer and pianist Luke Howard recently recruited a team of talented producers to remix his album Sun, Cloud, allowing the artists to bring a new bite to his numbers, calling it Night, Cloud. Not surprisingly, Japanese Wallpaper hit the jackpot with his take on “Slumber” by retaining the ever so important elements of Luke Howard’s original while fiddling with his own unique set of instrumentations that couldn’t flow any better. Fall in love to this music, or just lean back by yourself and contemplate life. Either way, you’re winning.