Hello and welcome to The House That Jack Built! In this series, I’ll be taking you through some of the tracks that I think would be excellent choices to soundtrack your summer, and the songs that follow range from recent releases to old school classics, via a whole host of genres. So without further ado, let's get to it....
1) Don’t Forget - JackLNDN
This is a recent release from perhaps my favourite producer of the moment, JackLNDN. His next EP is due out soon and is to be called ‘Summer Never Ends’, a name which perfectly sums up his sound. This is all about the shimmering chord stabs and a rolling melodic bassline which drives the track forward, turning this into a versatile tune, perfect for both chilling out on a warm day in the park or for having a cheeky dance in the sunshine. Turn it up and enjoy.
2) Ghost (Lost Kings Remix) - Halsey
This track is sugar-coated pop crossover perfection and one of those tracks which you could stick on at any point when the sun is shining to make everything seem just that little bit better. The glorious vocal line from L.A. resident Halsey is complemented fantastically by the euphoria-drenched, chord-driven sound of Lost Kings, and to top it off, the xylophone line which follows every chorus is one of the catchiest melodies of 2015. Put this on your pool playlist and give everyone you’re with a lift.
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3) Differentology (Greymarz X MBP Remix) - Bunji Garlin
There’s nothing not to love about this song. A slow burning house-rendition of what’s become a soca classic from Bunji Garlin which has an incredibly powerful vocal line, a perfectly chilled demeanour and some lovely percussive elements. I remember being woken up by this song at Boomtown Festival last year, with the sun shining, and crawling out of my tent thinking it was the most wonderful moment in the world. A real summer classic.
4) On Trees and Birds and Fire (Sam Feldt & Bloombox Remix) - I Am Oak
Sam Feldt is quickly becoming one of Spinnin’ Records’ hottest properties, and on the back of remixes like this it is extremely easy to see why. Percussive drums underlie the guitar and reverb - drenched vocals of I Am Oak before the song explodes into a jazz-house masterpiece with a crisp trumpet line that screams of joy. This is coming up to a year old now and still feels as fresh as the day it was released.
http://justsoundz.tumblr.com/post/103738222282/https-soundcloud-com-spinnin-deep-i-am-oak-on-tre
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5) RIVA (Restart the Game) - Klingande
Klingande, with his jazz-influenced signature sound, has been something of a summer playlist stalwart for a couple of years now and shows no signs of slowing with this bouncy, country- flavoured jam featuring the vocals of Broken Back, which dropped earlier this month. A real summer feel-good track with an incredible harmonica line just to really mix things up.
6) Talking Body (Gryffin Remix) - Tove Lo
Tove Lo is a Scandinavian pop sensation but this rework is all about the Gryffin sound. The N.Y. based producer has a habit of taking fantastic pop songs and turning them into outrageously good remixes (his remix of Ellie Goulding’s Burn is a must listen), but this for me is the best of all of his efforts. It has a phenomenal vocal from the Swedish songstress, a guitar line which perfectly complements the melody and a fun, bouncy beat which in combination, elevate this to near sonic perfection.
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7) Hold On Be Strong vs. Big Poppa (Matoma Remix) - Tupac & The Notorious B.I.G.
Before you get all angsty about a random slice of hip-hop cropping up on this playlist, sit back and listen to this Matoma-created piece of bliss. Close your eyes, and imagine you’re sitting on the deck of a boat sailing out of a harbour somewhere in the Caribbean with a load of your friends, cracking open a few drinks as Pac and Biggie’s lyrics wash over you with an uplifting power unlocked by Matoma’s tropical reshuffle. Everything seems to be as good as it’s getting, and then, out of the blue, at 2.24, that sax line powers its way into the forefront and everything goes up a notch. This is how to drench hip-hop in summer vibes whilst keeping its raw emotional power - Matoma is on top of his game.
8) Get Get Down - Paul Johnson
Sometimes there’s nothing better than a classic from the late 90’s to get you into the mood for lively summer nights, and this record is a reminder of how to make a track that is simple and still brilliant. There’s nothing fancy here, just a killer baseline on repeat, a perfect piano house line and the most basic of vocal samples, all combined by Paul Johnson to make one of the most danceable tracks of all time. Impossible not to groove along to, this one is for the end of the day to give everyone the perfect pick-me-up before a big evening.
