March 11, 2014

Yellow Claw – DJ Turn It Up (TIGHTTRAXX & ETC!ETC! Remix) [FREE]

by Jake Groch EDM, Funky, Happy, Heavy • Tags: Animals, big room, Dance, Deep House, DJ Turn It Up, Download, Downtempo, EDM, EDM Blogs, electronic, ETC!ETC!, Festival, Free, house, It, Jake Groch, Mad Decent, Martin Garrix, music, Rager Onions, TIGHT TRAXX, TIGHTTRAXX, Trap, Turn, Twerk, Up, Yellow Claw

Every once in a great while, which in terms of electronic dance music releases, usually spans a couple of months, there exists a monumental song that vicariously embodies the collective sound of the most popular, universal style at the moment (a great example would be Martin Garrix’s “Animals” from several months back). To us here at Rager Onions, this next track is exactly of the variety we had just mentioned prior to this statement.

Big Room House + Trap = mainstream EDM right now.

We hate to see this because unfortunately, as a result, the two genres have become more watered down than the twenty dollar drinks at your favorite night club (the same club that plays these redundant “bangers”). And we’re not getting drunk off these big room anthems or generic trap songs anymore. It sucks and we hate to say it, but it’s true.

However, with that being said, TighTTRAXX and ETC!ETC!‘s remix to “DJ Turn It Up” by the recently deceased (may he rest in peace) and now idealized producer, Yellow Claw, is an utterly gigantic and surprisingly refreshing version of whats “hot on the streets right now.”

Give thanks to Jose Guerrero of ETC!ETC! and Alextek of TIGHT TRAXX for once again showing us that not all is lost for EDM when it comes to Trap and Big Room. The duos creative coagulation of the two stylistic motifs precipitates beautifully in the trap resemblant introduction and its reappearance during the downtempo section immediately following the first big room break. The two even manage to use that classic, big room “hollow wood block” effect at a BMP more indicative of a standard trap track, we love it slowed down.

Overall, Jose and Alex did a great job of cycling through tempo, mood and brought a ton of energy (and fun) to this remix from our deceased brethren Yellow Claw.

(this is where we pour a 4o out on the curb for YC)

January 6, 2014

…While We Were Away [Just A Couple Tracks]

by Jake Groch EDM • Tags: 1950, AFK, big room, Big Sandz, Cash Cash, Diplo, Drum and Bass, drumstep, Dubstep, EDM Blogs, Electronic Dance Music, Fireflies, Flaxo, Glitch Hop, Grizzly Bear, Jake Groch, JIKES, Modestep, Moombahton, Nori, Rager Onions, Remix, Spenca, Take Me Home, The Robot Dentist, Time, Will Calls

We have been away for some time.

And for that we apologize.

However, everybody needs some chill time every once in a while. The past few weeks for us was exactly that. Cut us a bit of slack, will ya’?

We are back, baby. Here a just a few tracks we’ve kept on repeat throughout the break.

(no particular order)

1. DOPEST DOPE.

2. Beautiful drumstep track from JIKES and Nori.

3. Great remix to an already fantastic original.

4. Hard rock and even harder dub.

5. Nothing but Chi-Town love.

December 9, 2013

Spencer Brown | Ascension/Lockout EP [Artists Spotlight]

by Jake Groch EDM, Happy • Tags: AFK, Ascension, Ash Pournouri, Avicii, Bassnectar, big room, Dallas, Datsik, Drums, Dubstep, Durham, EDM, Electronic Dance Music, Firepower Records, house, Jake Groch, Kill the Noise, Le7els, Lockout, Lockout EP, Mixcut, original mix, Percussion, PRMD, Progressive House, Rager Onions, Rusko, Spenca, Spencer Brown, Spencer Bruno

Interestingly enough, one of my colleague’s clairvoyant articles regarding “5 Songs To Remind Us Why EDM is the Future of Music” had indeed taken a gaze into a subsequent moment in time (now) and spotlighted this next artist, Spencer Brown, who is currently being championed by none other than EDM legend, Avicii.

Working closely with the Swedish progressive house master himself and the newly established record company founded by Ash Pournouri, PRMD (pronounced “pyramid”), Spencer Brown is certainly off on the right foot when it comes to developing his sound and exposing it to the world. We found Ash to be an especially compelling individual, making the Billboard’s list of Most Influential Dance Music Executives last year. Apparently the man owns a night club, manages artists, owns a new music label and is still working as an attorney by day. Damn, talk about motivated.

Spencer has always found a certain comfortability around music. Taking root in playing the drum and percussion, he eventually transition to the realm of music production, where his creativeness could firmly solidify and precipitate in the form of hip-hop and dubstep productions (inspired by the Dallas scene at that time).

At this point in time Mr. Brown was operating under the alias “Spenca”, garnering support from artists like Rusko, Bassnectar, Kill The Noise and Datsik. After releasing a few tracks on Firepower Records, Spencer Brown had a change of heart. For some time now, he had become increasingly interested with an entirely different and more subtle style of electronic dance music: House.

Determined to change the face of progressive house music, Spencer has said to have had a life-changing epiphany while experiencing a show by Eric Prydz in 2012. Spencer has now began to produce music under his full name with his premier release, “Echoes”, debuting on PRMD a few months ago. Today, with the help of Avicii, Spencer dropped his first EP under PRMD featuring two brand new tracks called “Ascension” and “Lockout.” Call this writer a fool, but it seems awfully coincidental that these were two of the greatest maps on the best FPS video game of all time: the Halo series.

Both tracks definitely bring about a slight Avicii-esque vibe, but they are whole-heartedly unique in their own right. We are particularly enamored with Spencer’s airy, stratospheric synthesizers. The first song “Ascension” has this funky feel throughout the intro that gracefully decays and slowly culminates into a beautiful build that regresses back to the introductory sounds. “Lockout” is assuredly our favorite of the two pieces. Here, Mr. Brown utilizes those resounding synthesizers we mentioned earlier to create a curiously euphoric aura set for some distant, deep-space planet. When this thing drops, every listener (and their mother) deserves to jump on board. It will be a wild ride.

We look forward to seeing what else this young talent from Dallas has to offer. With Ash and Tim by his side helping him along the way, there is absolutely no way Spencer Brown can go wrong.

Cheers mates.