Monday Choon: Alesso, Sentinel, Sick Individuals - Upside Down

Many say he should have been the fourth member of the Swedish House Mafia but, for me, Alesso brings a different dynamic to house music and while he may hail from Sweden as well, he has managed to build his own legacy in the electronic music industry, so much so that he is one of the most requested DJ's for major festivals. His remix of Nadia Ali's pressure still remains one of my all time favourite songs, today's featured track from Alesso has been featured on a number of his sets at festivals over the past year, and it's finally been released. "Upside Down" see's him team up with Sentinel and Sick Individuals, and they have produced a banger that has already had crowds at festivals off their feet, so you know its good. 

Monday Choon: ARTBAT & Benny Benassi - Love Is Gonna Save Us

 

Ukrainian production DJ duo ARTBAT have been lighting up stages worldwide at festivals with their unique style which I can only describe as trance, techno with a sprinkling of hardstyle. Their set this past weekend at Ultra Miami was incredible and as soon as its available to watch on YouTube, I highly recommend giving it a watch. For this weeks featured track, they team up with Italian DJ maestro Benny Benassi who brought us the timeless classic "Satisfaction" for the track "Love Is Gonna Save Us". Its a great collaboration between new and old and I think that is what makes this track standout from previous ARTBAT productions. I love the track and I hope you do too. 

Monday Choon: HUGEL, Diplo - Forever (feat. Malou & Yuna)

 

It seemed like an eternity that Diplo has been teasing this track on his socials with us, the track in question was an Afro-tech-house mix of the 2013 track "Lullabies" by Yuna. The track was featured in the 2013 Ultra Miami 'thank you' video was more of a techno house style track. Diplo teamed up with Latin house DJ Hugel to add some latino spice to the track but with a very deep Afro house influence. Bringing Yuna back on the vocals was the masterstroke as the pace of the song has been sped up more than the original and with the added sounds and elements, it needed a fresh re-take. While only snippets of the track were shared over the past 7 months, it lived up to expectations and will get you moving from the second the song starts till it ends.  

Monday Choon: Armin van Buuren & Hardwell - Follow The Light

 

It feels like dance music fans have waited an eternity for this one, Armin first dropped this one at Ultra Miami back in March. Since then, both him and Hardwell have been dropping it in their sets all over the world but kept us waiting for the official release. Well, last week Friday they finally released it and it was worth it. Following their 2015 collaboration 'Off the Hook', which became a global hit with over 100 million streams, the two superstars fuse their respective styles once again, blending Armin's signature euphoric trance melodies with Hardwell's cutting-edge big-room techno to deliver a powerful festival anthem that will undeniably thrill fans. Already a popular track in both artists' sets throughout 2024, the legendary pair teased the collaboration earlier this year during a special back-to-back set at A State of Trance Rotterdam, sparking a frenzy of excitement from fans both at the event and online.

Monday Choon: Martin Garrix & DubVision - Empty (feat. Jaimes)

Dutch DJ and Producer Martin Garrix has a knack of playing tracks on his sets, the tracks becoming popular but releases them further down the line with a set of vocals on it. His latest offering is no different with the song featured today. "Empty" was first heard at Ultra Miami last year and played in mash up with his track Ocean featuring Khaled but since then he has played it every set, including his mammoth 3 hour set in Amsterdam late last year. The track was official released in the second week of March and is a collaboration with DJ duo DubVision and features the vocals of Jaimes. The track is very much the Progressive type house music we've come to know and love from Martin, its the type of music that uplifts and gets people moving which is why his sets are often the most sort after at large music festivals. With Ultra Miami happening this weekend, we're pretty sure we will hear this banger along with many others from him during his set.

Ultra Music Festival 2018 - Aftermovie

If there's one aftermovie I look forward to every year, it's definitely Ultra Music Festival's in Miami. The production and great editing by Final Kid Productions is next level, they encapsulate what the festival is all about and get you so engrossed that you feel like you were there and makes you want to buy tickets for next years festival. Essentially that is it's purpose as Ultra always launch the Aftermovie when tickets go on sale for the following years festival. With Ultra Music Festival 2019 venue being in jeopardy with the city siding with residents around the Bayfront Park area to ban the festival from taking place there next year, it is still unclear if a resolution will come about or Ultra will choose another location, but for now, lets just enjoy another great aftermovie.

Monday Choon: Tiesto - I Like It Loud

It's that time of the year where new releases just flow like the Amazon river and with Miami Music Week being just over a week ago, it normally is the best place for artist of the electronic genre set their new work free. Tiesto is one of the many who dropped a bunch of new singles at the Ultra Music Festival, one of which was officially released a few days after, and we have it for you now! I like it loud, which see's him team up with John Christian is a track many EDM lover would find familiar as it samples a song by the German group Scooter, the original song was released 9 years ago, it crazy to think where time has gone! It has been given a revamp and brought up to speed with today's sounds, and has cut out most of the lyrics, but you never know if a few months down the line it's re-released with lyrics. I'll be honest, I was big fan of Scooter back in the day, and after listening to both versions, I prefer the original but maybe this one will grow on me.

Monday Choon: NWYR - Dragon

After featuring their debut single Voltage not so long ago, the talented duo NWYR have dropped their second single, Dragon. It's been played both at Ultra Miami and at Tomorrowland during their ASOT set. It's one of the many tracks we've been waiting for them to release and now that's its out, we can enjoy it. While W&W have been quiet on their hardstyle music, we're definitely loving whats coming out of the studio's under this alias. Keep it up guys!

Monday Choon: Tiësto & KSHMR - Harder ft.Talay Riley

This song has been stuck in my head for most of the weekend, its the new one by Tiesto and KSHMR and while it's not officially released yet there are many fan made videos on YouTube, the video below is taken from his live set at Ultra Miami. It's a brilliant track and I can't see the Dutch maestro out doing himself this year with any other song. It was first played at Ultra Miami during his sunset set where he had KSHMR join him on stage. I'm not sure when the song will be released officially but judging by the reception its getting already, its sure to be a chart topper, listen to it for yourself then you'll know why 

Ultra Miami Memoirs

Ultra Miami 2018 tickets are now on sale, it will be the 20th anniversary of the world's biggest dance music festival and it will be taking place from the 23rd till the 25th of March 2018. The popular dance music festival has grown in leaps and bounds of the 20 years and coincides with the Miami Music Week which originally started off as Miami Winter Music Conference which saw DJ's and Producers from around the world descend on the tropical US City. It turned the place into a party capital of the world for that week and so on it went. People who have pre-registered can buy Tier 1 and Tier 2 GA tickets but last I saw, Tier 1 has already been sold out so act fast to get Tier 2 before they get snapped up too!

To find out what went on at this years Festival, watch the memoirs clip which was released on Monday to give you a good idea on what you're missing out on. UMF Miami is still my ultimate music festival and even though I have not attended one year I try to watch most of the live streams or listen to the sets after it has been completed, maybe one day I can be there to witness the madness for myself.

Monday Choon: Tiesto - Boom

It's not quite Monday but with most of the world having the day off yesterday, well the counties which the British colonized, we can pretend it is. Ultra Miami is the perfect place for new releases and many DJ's dropped their latest work, one of which being Tiesto who played his new song "BOOM" which he made in conjunction with Sevenn. He calls its Brazilian bass and it's pretty catchy and he seems to love it as he's been dropping it every where, most recently at the Kings Day Party in Netherlands. 

Monday Choon: Kygo & Selena Gomez - It Ain't Me (Tiesto AFTR:HRS Remix)

It's been about a year since Norwegian DJ Kygo first made his name on the EDM scene with his fresh new sound that was dubbed "tropical house" which was a fusion of electronic, house and the sounds of the Caribbean. He killed it on the Ultra Main stage and soon thereafter had much success world over. Fast forward a year later and he released a new track with Disney Superstar turn actress and singer, the gorgeous Selena Gomez. The track "It aint me" enjoyed some time in most of the charts but it got a special remix treatment from Tiesto which he featured on his AFTR:HRS compilation. Yes, I know, another track taken from that set, if I could I'd feature the whole damn thing on here, it is seriously that good and I can foresee many other tracks from there being released as singles. 

Monday Choon: Sander van Doorn x Fred Pellichero - The Snake 2016

Some times you just need some hard bass and that's what this weeks featured track is all about. Dutch  progressive house legend Sander van Doorn is back with "The Snake 2016" a reword of the 2006 track by Fred Pellichero and it is a banger of note. It was one of the featured tracks on the Ultra Miami Aftermovie and a firm favourite to many who enjoy the progressive scene. The two just rocked the Amsterdam Dance Event this past weekend and should be hitting the road on other tours soon but for now lets enjoy the song.

Monday Choon: Wolfpack & Warp Brothers - Phatt Bass 2016

Many will remember this familiar sound from the Blade series of movies which was first released in 1998! Damn I feel old now, but in anycase, back then the original song was done by New Order and titled "Confusion" with the Pump Panel Remix being the main song for the movie. It was a favourite at many raves back in the day and now Wolfpack and Warp Brothers have brought it back and succeeded in making it even darker and as the title suggests, added more bass to it. The official music video also follows the lines of the movie with more blood sucking creatures of the night, at least they're driving a nice car. The song is a great rework and many lost their shit to it when Dash Berlin dropped it at Ultra as his opening track. 

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Monday Choon: Zara Larsson, MNEK - Never Forget You (Dash Berlin Remix)

The thing about big music festivals is that the DJ's who play there want to showcase their latest work and once we get a listen to great tracks which were played for the first time, we want to hear more of it but we have to wait till their official release. One such track is the Dash Berlin Remix of Zara Larsson's & MNEK's track. Dash dropped it during his set on main stage at Ultra Miami, no word yet on when the official release will be but I can't wait to share it with you guys. The original song from Zara Larsson and MNEK is doing rather well on the charts and getting loads of airplay on the local radio stations but Dash does what Dash does best in remixes and just made the song that much more better. Here's the song taken from his live set at Ultra Miami 2016.