LAVO NYC celebrates its one-year anniversary with EDX and Laidback LukeLAVO LaidbackLuke 1YrAnniversary Photo Cred Seth Browarnik

LAVO NYC celebrates its one-year anniversary with EDX and Laidback Luke

LAVO NYC celebrated its first birthday with a party so over-the-top that the extravagant details began outside the club itself. For example, a huge gondola was stationed out front, full of scantily-clad models in ancient Roman-inspired attire lounging and posing. Once inside, guests were treated to vodka-soaked grapes and LAVO-branded party hats. Dancers decked out in Marie Antoinette-esque costumes and makeup walked around the space on mile-high stilts, while other girls, dressed like butterflies, worked their fabric wings. A-list guests included Tony Romo, Chace Crawford, Jerry Ferrera and Doug Ellin, but all of the party-goers went wild for Laidback Luke and opener EDX.

LAVO NYC celebrates its one-year anniversary with EDX and Laidback LukeLaidback Luke ED LAVO1 E1318280543620

EDX

Italian prog-house producer EDX spun an opening set that didn’t disappoint, delivering mostly bootlegs and a few of his own original remixes, all of which boasted amazing vocals. Most of the guests didn’t know who EDX was when they arrived, but they sure did when they stumbled home. People poured onto the dance floor with each progressive mash-up, pushing to get closer to the DJ booth. EDX finished off strong, with a series of high-octane remixes (Avicii’s take on “Drowning,” among others); countless sparklers and in-your-face lights and fog only added to the intense fun. Check out these five tracks to know:

1. Sebastian Ingrosso & Alesso vs. EDX feat. Sarah McLeod – Calling Out of Love (EDX’s Love Mash-Up)

EDX released this free bootleg on his Soundcloud last week to much acclaim from the blogosphere, DA included. Ingrosso and Alesso’s instant classic “Calling” only gets better with Sarah McLeod’s soaring vocals, making it a track we’ll definitely hear in many sets to come.

(“Calling Out of Love” was removed from EDX’s SoundCloud, but you can download it here )

2. Gala – Freed From Desire (EDX No Xcuses Remix)

EDX modernizes this 90s dance track to dramatic effect. The combination of the original synths with EDX’s own piano flare makes it an infallible party-starter.

3. Martin Solveig vs. Chris Brown & Benny Benassi –  Ready 4 Beautiful People (Hardwell Bootleg)

“Ready 4 Beautiful People” combines Hardwell’s remix of “Ready 2 Go” with Chris Brown’s silky-smooth “Beautiful People” vocals. With these vocals on the verge of overexposure, this bootleg offers a fresh new take that sounds even better than the original.

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4. Grand Smilie feat. Zoe Badwi – Carry Me Home (Tommy Trash Remix)

This “Carry Me Home” remix has a hard, pulsing synth and an epic buildup. Though the trance-influenced Hard Rock Sofa version is worth a listen as well, Tommy Trash’s version garnered major attention from his fellow DJs – and it’s easy to hear why.

5. Avicii vs. Martin Solveig vs. Axwell – Hello, I Found Levels (Gauffie Mash)

“Levels” has been mashed up to death, but Gauffie’s bootleg, which features vocals from “Hello” and “I Found U,” worked flawlessly on the dance floor.

Download the bootleg for free here.

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Laidback Luke

Recently, the definition of DJ has been become increasingly ambiguous as electronic music producers have been forced to actually take to the decks to perform their hits. Make no mistake, first and foremost, we believe that it is all about the music. But the instant that you see someone like Laidback Luke perform you begin to understand the value and importance that actual skill makes behind the decks. The second that Luke queued up his first track the inside of LAVO was instantly transformed by infectious dutch beats. A barrage of bootlegs, mash ups, live synth slams and horn blasts erupted in celebration of LAVO’s 1 year anniversary.

These are the tracks you need to know:

1. Example & Laidback Luke – Natural Disaster (Benny Benassi Remix)

We could have listed every single Laidback Luke original and remix that he played that night because quite frankly, they are all tracks that you need to know. “Natural Disaster” is his latest original with Example and this Benny Benassi remix is our favorite of the lot. It just thumps in all the right places.

2. Alex Metric & Charli XCX – End Of The World (TWR72 Remix)

Rogerseventytwo and The Walk have been remixing and producing tracks together since 2004, only recently changing their name to TWR72.  Like many of their tracks, this song has a great groove coupled with an infectious hook.

3. Calvin Harris- Awooga (Hujje Remix)

Who the hell are Hujje? Where did this remix come from? How can two guys named Josh and Josh from Iceland improve an already monstrous track? By adding an understated bassline and subtle piano rolls. Sometimes remixes don’t need to be drastic to be great. Check them out on Facebook because these guys are just getting started.

4. Funkin Matt – Tazer

Holy hell, this track is a dutch house dream. Reminiscent of Ralvero & Bassjackers track “Rambo” its got a wild, almost 16-bit bass line with big builds and a ton of energy.  It’s like playing Sonic the Hedgehog on acid.

5. Blink, Gianni Marino & Metsi – Bahasa (Original Mix)

A huge progressive track, it’s understated and simple until the last 40 seconds but those 40 seconds are all you need.

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BOOTLEG BONUS:

Niggas Satisfaction In Paris (Chuckie’s Pass The Dutch Bootleg)

It wouldn’t be a Laidback Luke set if there weren’t tons of incredible bootlegs and mash ups; we had always thought we’d never want to hear “Satisfaction” again but this bootleg by Chuckie artfully mashes the two together with incredible results.

Nero – Me & You (Hatiras Bootleg)

Are you ready? I hope so. Hatiras swings for the fences on this one and, unlike A-Rod, actually hits one when it counts.

Editors Note: Sadly, we couldn’t get a hold of any high-quality clips of his other bootlegs, but check out YouTube for “Smells like Teen Spirit” with Fedde Le Grand’s “Back n Forth,” Red Hot Chili Peppers “Otherside” versus “Flash” and Laidback Luke and Diplo versus Aloe Blacc “I Need A Hey” mash up. 

 

Co-Contributor: Andrew Spada 

Photos: Kirill Was Here and Seth Browarnik

 

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