DA’s Sunday Morning Medicine: Volume 145

by: Michael Cooper Sep 4, 2016

Sunday Morning Medicine is a feature from Dancing Astronaut dedicated to the mellower side of electronic music. We bring you our favorite therapeutic selections — old and new — in an attempt to alleviate the agonizing effects of a long weekend of partying.

1. In many ways, this weekend marks the end of summer. To appropriately bid the season farewell, this week’s Sunday Morning Medicine kicks off with a track that packs a bit more of a punch than usual: Viceroy‘s remix of Boehm‘s latest original, “Swallow My Pride.” In this selection, sultry vocals and smoothed out sections eventually make way for percussive piano stabs that evoke a classic house vibe while maintaining a palpable, summer-centered breeziness throughout.

2. Next up, a young gun from Australia slows the tempo way down with an original composition, “Cocoon.” Japanese Wallpaper has seen his career start to skyrocket, having already logged suitable supporting spots for artists such as M83 and CHVRCHES. All of the song’s synths have rounded-off edges (only the snares possess any snap), which creates a gentle atmosphere that envelops the tracks catchy, languid vocals.

3. This week’s apex manifests itself in a remix, courtesy of Ta-Ku. The Australian producer provides his spin on Snakehips‘ recent collaboration with Zayn, “Cruel.” While the British duo’s original has tinges of future bass, Ta-Ku amps up the R&B influences on his rework, managing to increase the song’s inherent sexiness — no small feat given Snakehips’ sultry track record. Zayn’s vocals remain intoxicating over a production of watery, wobbling patches and a bouncing bass-line that propels the remix forward.

4. For Vol. 145’s penultimate contribution, Rage Logic makes a rare SMM back-to-back appearance with “i still care.” The track’s locomotion is provided by a thumping kick drum and busy snares, which allow the rest of the production the freedom to linger and evolve slowly. The low end is anchored by a rumbling sub while a cornucopia of reverb-laden synths filter in and out, keeping the melodic content varied and interesting.

5. Finally, Vol. 145 ends with a remix of Usher‘s “Climax” provided by Lyric Walls. Retitled “run away” because of the revision’s most prominently-used sample, Lyric Walls molds Usher’s classic track into a futuristic package. Synths wobble, whine, and wisely undulate, allowing Usher’s world class vocals do most of the heavy lifting. Lyric Walls’ update is a clever one, showcasing deft sound design and production abilities, while at the same time performing restraint in allowing the vocal hook to shine most brightly.