LISTEN HERE

Download/stream “Expensive Sounds For Nice People”

Platinum producer Felix Cartal releases his 4th studio album “Expensive Sounds For Nice People” via Physical Presents. Also taken from the album are previously released “Mine” with Sophie Simmons, and “Love Me” with Lights; both are certified Platinum in Canada, with the latter one also winning the Dance Recording of the Year at the Junos 2020. Other remarkable tracks on the album include “Only One” with the hit UK singer-songwriter Karen Harding and “My Last Song” with the rebellious Norwegian songstress Hanne Mjøen, “Too Late” with the Juno Award-winning singer and composer KROY (from Quebec duo Milk & Bone), as well as “The Life” with Fjord as well as several solo indie dance anthems from Felix, which find themselves at home on the album. Cartal‘s earlier “Get What You Give” also reached Platinum status, while one of the most recent singles “Happy Hour” with Kiiara was featured on 32 Spotify New Music Friday playlists as well as Billboard’s Best New Dance Tracks.

A release nearly 3 years in the making, “Expensive Sounds For Nice People” covers a range of emotions: from the ecstatic highs of new love to the frustrating lows brought by inevitable heartbreak, all held up by a backbone of unique house music. Felix Cartal lures listeners onto the dancefloor with an array of strong female vocals, showcasing some of the best singers the pop world has to offer one unforgettable track at a time, as each occupies its own sonic realm of indie dance, and none is quite like the other.

Felix Cartal shares the history behind the album: “My fourth album Expensive Sounds For Nice People is part of the second musical chapter in my life. My first two albums were the first chapter of my musical career: a scrappier, undeveloped, experimental phase where a lot of the ideas didn’t quite get executed how I would want from lack of skill or know-how. I’m still fond of that time and those releases, but was ultimately frustrated that I couldn’t make what I wanted come to life exactly how I heard it in my head. The other big problem from that era was consistency, and basically that’s what I’ve become obsessed with. Growing up arguably through one of the worst eras of one-hit-wonders in musical history, I remember constantly being disappointed when I bought an album and there was only one good song. I hated that. And I think remembering that has guided me into this second chapter of my life. Where I’ve just tried to grind it out daily at the studio and work on my skills, and trying to become more consistent. I’m more into the ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi‘ chef approach nowadays, where I just try to log hours every day to refine my craft. Not too concerned with the result from that specific day but knowing that if I stack those hours I will in fact improve. I want every song to be 100% something I’m proud of, or it’s not coming out.“

He goes on to further elaborate: “The title of the album is a tongue in cheek description of all this. The Sounds, to me, are Expensive because I know time is a valuable commodity and I’ve logged the hours to get there. On the other hand, as an artist, who knows what even gives art value half the time? But for me, the fact that people still to this day take the time to write me heartfelt messages about my music, inspires me to keep going and to keep creating. So this album is for them, the Nice People who take the time to care, and for me, because I care too. I hope the album, from front to back, is enjoyable. I’ve worked very hard on every detail for the past 3 years.“

Vancouver-based Felix Cartal has collaborated with several major artists such as Kaskade, R3HAB, Gallant, and has also created official remixes for the likes of Selena Gomez, Zedd, Galantis, Dillon Francis, MØ, Ellie Goulding, Diplo, Anne-Marie & Doja Cat as well as Daya & Shallou‘s “Older.”  He has been featured by major Youtube channels Trap Nation, MrSuicideSheep, MrRevillz, Chill Nation, The Vibe Guide, Selected, xKito, among others, and has earned over 360 million plays across all platforms. He has also seen support from BBC Radio 1’s Danny Howard and Diplo & Friends, and SiriusXM Chill has also heavily supported several singles, while his Weekend Workout radio show is also featured on SiriusXM‘s Diplo’s Revolution.

“Expensive Sounds For Nice People” Tracklist:

01. The Life (feat. Fjord)
02. Over It (feat. Veronica)
03. Harmony
04. Layover
05. Mine (feat. Sophie Simmons)
06. 500 Days (feat. Matilda)
07. Old Self (feat. Ofelia K)
08. We Fall
09. Only One (feat. Karen Harding)
10. My Last Song (feat. Hanne Mjøen)
11. Love Me (feat. Lights)
12. Going Up
13. Happy Hour (feat. Kiiara)
14. Jealous
15. Hygge
16. Too Late (feat. KROY)

“Friday vibes are exemplified on ‘Happy Hour,’ a joyous new collab between Canadian producer Felix Cartal and anti-pop star Kiiara.” – Billboard

“It goes from a cool electro place into some more mellow, halftime vibes during the hook. No earth-shattering drops, no pandering. This is just good music for great people.” – Complex

“Felix Cartal has turned ‘You Get What You Give’ into a full-on EDM blast, the kind of thing you expect to hear at four A.M., as you’re waiting for the sun to rise.” – Popdust

“The platinum-selling producer is back, matching his arena-level electronics to a potent pop touch.” – Clash Magazine

“‘Mine‘ follows the producer and DJ, Taelor Deitcher’s irresistible sonic formula: melting melodic electro-pop sensibilities with slick body-shaking bass lines, this time relaying an ode to lost love with the honey vocals of singer Sophie Simmons” – Wonderland Magazine

Learning music comes naturally to some people, where they can pick it up and have an easy time learning and understanding. Additionally, some have a great ear for music and are able to play songs with ease. However, not everyone is provided such gifts, and even those that have a great ear would benefit from learning the fundamentals of music theory. Here are some basics in a theory guide to help you get started.

Tempo And BPM

Tempo is the pace of a song. It can be either fast or slow, of course in relativity. A beat is a standard unit of time in music. Tempo is measured in beats per minute or BPM. The higher the BPM, the faster the tempo and the faster the song. This is important to consider for pacing when you are trying to play in harmony with others, or in music production where you have different instrument sounds and are trying to match them with each other to create synchronicity. Drummers and other rhythm instruments are often tasked with keeping this consistent tempo, and DJs will need to consistently match BPM on their playlists and mixes to create a seamless transition between songs. 

Time Signatures

The concept of time signatures expands on the previously explored concepts of tempo. You will use this in order to determine how to count your music. Utilizing fractions, you will measure the beats that you will find in each individual bar as the top number, while the bottom number in the fraction will signify the length of the note to count. An example of the most common time signature looks like 4/4 and means there are four quarter notes to account for. Keep in mind, this is shown this way specifically for music purposes, and unlike math, would not be reduced to 1. The importance of time signatures breaks down to organization and creating an easy identify the structure for musicians to understand and be able to play.

Frequencies And Notes

A note consists of a pitch of a sound and its duration. A pitch refers to the frequency of the sound, which translates to how high or low the note is. The frequencies are more commonly known and associated with the letters A through G, creating what most musicians will feel familiar with as notes. The notes will then repeat, just in different In a single octave, there are 12 notes to account for. These include sharps and flats as well. Grasping the basics of notes is your first step in musical notations. This is important because you have to be able to read music in its written form in order to properly play music if you cannot reasonably memorize entire songs, and when you also want to create pieces of your own. When you are first learning music and instruments, learning the piano provides a strong foundational basis, as the notes are aligned in order. 

Sharps And Flats

Sharps and flats are unique types of notes used to reference when you play certain notes a semitone or a half step higher or lower. For sharps, the semitone is higher, while the flat denotes a lower played half step. When it comes to sheet music, sharp is indicated by the # while a flat is indicated by ♭. On a piano, you will find sharps and flats easy to identify as they are the black keys. Keep in mind, sharps and flats can share the same keys, since they are either one semitone higher or lower than a root note. For example, a C sharp is also known as the D flat. Both are correct and used, depending on the situation or key that a piece or song is in.

Octaves

An octave is used with notes that are of the same frequency but played at different speeds, creating different sounds. They are the distance from one note to the next same note, either lower or higher. Octaves separate the groups of notes by their pitch, as you will notice a significant difference in notes played from different octaves, as they have easily distinguishable pitches from one another.

Chords

Chords are multiple notes played in harmony at the same time. The most common note is composed of three notes, creating what is known as a triad. Triads are often the most common note you will find, hear, and play. A chord is named after its root note or the note that you start with when you are playing your chords. 

Before you progress in any learning environment where the material can be complicated, it is important that you always begin with the basics. This is the same for learning music, as the theory and fundamentals are important to build before you proceed to more in-depth learning. 

DEBUT AA-SIDE SINGLE FROM
JESSIE WARE / JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW AND THE JOY
OUT NOW ON TRANSGRESSIVE RECORDS

STREAM / LISTEN HERE

ADESSO MUSIC VIRAK – ‘KAOLACK’ (JUNIOR JACK REWORK) OUT NOW Junior Jack’s prolific career has seen him become one of the most loved, listened to and coveted house artists of his time. As DJ, Producer and label head of Adesso Music alongside Pat BDS, Junior Jack continues to diversify his sound and reaffirm his talent through his releases and by additionally championing new artists from around the world. Exemplifying this through his commitment to advocating young talent, Junior Jack has been utilising the background of his work to bolster Thailand based, Virak. Following the release of his debut ‘Sugar’ single at the beginning of 2021, Virak returns to Adesso Music with Junior Jack’s rework of ‘Kaolack’. Progressively building energy through melodic grooves and tribal rhythms, Kaolack (Junior Jack Rework) reaches peak time euphoria through its sonic moulding and vocal hooks. Junior Jack is up there as one of Italy’s finest house music exports. With achievements that are multitude, as a producer he’s created some of the highly regarded house records of the early 2000s, becoming a big star as well as a major contributor to the sound and style of the time. Since then, he has continued to vary his sound and produce music for the underground. Virak is also no stranger to the DJ booth. Now residing in Thailand where he has a number of residencies, he started his career in 2006 and has frequented many of the prestigious clubs in France such as Les Caves: (Courchevel), Le Milk (Montpellier) as well as open format sets at some of the world’s most tropezian bars and beach clubs. Championed by Junior Jack, the Adesso Music team and beyond, Virak’s creative productions that combine European house with international inspirations are a credit to his masterful techniques. Virak ‘Kaolack’ (Junior Jack Rework) is out now on Adesso Music

Connect with Virak

Connect with Adesso Music

Connect with Junior Jack

June 28, 2021 0 comments

0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

BUY/STREAM: MARLO – NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE

Follow Nice Biscuit online:

New Website!

Facebook

Twitter

Soundcloud

Bandcamp

YouTube

Billie Star (vocals, keyboard, percussion)

Grace Cuell (vocals, keyboard, percussion)

Nick Cavendish (bass)

Jess Ferronato (guitar, vocals)

Kurt Melvin (drums)

 follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook

Download / Stream

DVBBS team up with fellow Canadian and alternative sensation Powfu for their new track “Losing Sleep,” which sees the duo experimenting with a masterful blend of alt-punk and electronic music. Opening with mellow instrumental melodies, Powfu‘s heartfelt vocals shine through as “Losing Sleep” laments on a lost lover. DVBBS‘s influence comes in soft basslines during the culmination of the track, which is guaranteed to pull at any listener’s heartstrings. Powfu has been riding the wave of his TikTok popularity from “death bed (coffee for your head)” song, which got him signed to Columbia Records and just surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify alone. “Losing Sleep” is the latest from DVBBS‘s forthcoming album “SLEEP” and follows their recent “Lose My Mind,” for which they sampled Yebba, and “Fool For Ya” – a dancefloor filler, which announced the forthcoming LP. You never know what kind of sound this adventurous duo has up their sleeve next, so stay tuned for more from the new album!

“‘Losing Sleep‘ is the definition of fresh, we’re excited to share this one.” – DVBBS

“‘Losing Sleep‘ is an acoustic idea I wrote a few years ago and posted on my IG. It’s really cool to see DVBBS take it to the next level” – Powfu

Only a few producers have risen to the top in the electronic music scene as quickly as DVBBS, who captured the industry’s attention with hits like “Tsunami” and “Not Going Home” and never let it go. The Canadian brothers Alex and Christopher have been continuously cultivating their sound since their debut in 2012 and have racked up an impressive display of collaborations with renowned names from diverse musical backgrounds, such as blackbear, 24kGoldn, Jasmine Thompson, Belly, NERVO, Juicy J, and more. DVBBS continue to prove there’s nothing they can’t accomplish. Their hits such as “La La Land,” “Gold Skies,” and the breakthrough “Angel” are staples in every dance music fan’s library. Prior to the global pandemic, DVBBS performed a staggering 250 dates per year at some of the world’s hottest music festivals and top-tier clubs, including Tomorrowland, EDC Las Vegas, Ultra Music Festival, Hakkasan Las Vegas or Ibiza‘s Amnesia, and Ushuaia. Throughout their career, DVBBS has proved they are relentlessly dedicated to expanding their global footprint and bringing cutting-edge new music to their listeners.

Download / Stream

Multitalented Sam Blacky returns with her newest single “No More,” the perfect track to be your anthem to turning a new page and living it up this summer. It bears her signature tech-house style, running on a deep, driving bassline that incorporates plenty of rhythmic shakers and synths, complete with soulful and captivating vocals. Like most of Blacky‘s music, “No More” feels right at home being played at clubs or festivals in some of the world’s most beautiful venues, since she draws most of her inspiration from her worldwide travels. Out on her own imprint Stabby Records, the single follows up Sam‘s latest “Paradise.” With the pandemic rapidly receding in many areas of the world, keep an eye out for where Sam might be making appearances in the coming months.

“‘No More‘ is super special to me not only because of the message in the lyrics, but also because this song can empower those who hear it and sing along in an almost cathartic way, saying goodbye to past negativity. It’s all about moving forward and realizing what you’re worth. I definitely feel “No More” being played out in clubs and festivals this summer as a sort of ‘f*ck you’ anthem to anyone or anything that has hurt you.” – Sam Blacky

Samantha Black is a multitalented DJ/producer, model, and influencer professionally known as Sam Blacky. Originally from San Diego, Sam spent several years in Australia, where she first fell in love with producing music and performing live. Since moving back to Los Angeles, music and performing have taken a front seat in her life. In addition to her hectic modeling schedule, Sam has performed live across the world from 2017 to 2021, from Mexico to Ibiza to Bali, racking up over 120 gigs a year at some of the premier electronic festivals and clubs on the planet. With the global pandemic in 2020, Sam released a series of videos on Youtube called “A New World,” where she streamed live sets from some of her favorite places in Mexico, giving viewers a taste of vacation vibes even while staying safe at home. Before all the music, her modeling portfolio included brands such as Nike, L’Oréal, Galore, Marie Claire, Superdry, Guess, Sports Illustrated, Malibu, and Playboy, giving her a unique creative perspective to all types of cultures and styles to bring to her music. With the launch of Sam Blacky‘s label, Stabby Records, and her first releases, 2021 is set to be a breakout year for Sam as she expands her artistic brand.