Bodhi – “Satisfaction”
UK production duo Bodhi have developed a tight, modern house sound that still exudes the funky and flavorful sound that the genre was built on. With previous releases on labels like Ten Thousand Yen, Future Classic, and the Street Tracks compilation, the pair’s latest EP, Satisfaction, comes via Exploited and features three organic sounding dance tracks with a warm feel and enticing grooves. The title track includes a subdued, yet functional vocal sample that keeps the track moving over soulful chords and silky smooth percussion. Listen to a clip of the track below as well as “Soul Music” and “Truth,” also included on the EP out September 22nd.
Baba Stiltz – “Reality Sparks”
Stockholm, Sweden-based producer Baba Stiltz has tracks for cloud-rap sensation Yung Lean credited to his name as well as for the playful house label Studio Barnhus. The young artist’s debut album, Total, is set to be released on October 13th and according to Studio Barnhus is “as lucid and strong as it is obscure and beautiful”. “Reality Sparks,” one of twelve tracks from the album, presents itself as a mellow, contemplative sounding house track with uplifting synth work and an overall blissful, yet restrained feel, using each element to maximum efficiency and creating a compelling, minimal sound. Listen below.
The Weeknd – “What You Need” (Jacques Greene ’11 Edit)
Despite the fact that three years have passed since The Weeknd’s House of Balloons mixtape helped break through the moody, atmospheric R&B sound that is still favored currently, the future-soul production on “What You Need” still feels fresh with its’ understated, spacey beat. Montreal born house producer Jacques Greene has favored similar textures in his productions, merging house and garage rhythms with hazy R&B aesthetics. It comes as no surprise then, that the artist decided to rework the breakout track in his style, sharing a previously unreleased edit on his soundcloud earlier this week as a free download. Complete with his distinctive drum production and ethereal, slow-burning synth textures, the track brings to mind the producer’s Ciara-sampling track “Another Girl” that turned heads back in 2011. Listen/download the edit below.