The Weekend Selections series feature some of my favorite tracks of the week curated for your enjoyment, whatever your weekend may have in store. Tracks featured are an assortment of new releases, old favorites, and fresh finds.

Welcome to the second post in the Weekend Selections series. Just two dance-focused selections this time around, hope you enjoy.
(FYI - me thinks a separate post on Kendrick Lamar’s latest will be more appropriate.)

FOR YOUR WEEKEND CREATIVITY SESSION…

GHOST CULTURE - NUCLEUS EP

James Greenwood, also known as Ghost Culture, shared his latest EP earlier this year on Phantasy. This is a groover. Nucleus' opening track, Coma, is slowly becoming a new favorite of mine. The fuzz interlaced throughout the track is something I have yet to hear in quite some time. In contrast to Crack Magazine’s review (which happens to be a review I very much enjoy), I think Coma is a very satisfying track. Maybe I just prefer a subtle progression. The following tracks are of a different vibe, intricate and synth-heavy, with a different form of subtle progression in the shape of vocal samples and a tsk tsk tsk. I won’t dive in too much deeper into this one and let the EP speak for itself. And something I just learned - James Greenwood helped shape much of Daniel Avery’s Drone Logic, which is an absolute favorite of mine. I’ve yet to see him live and it’s my mission this year to do so. Listen to the EP, available on Spotify and Discogs, while I avidly refresh his Resident Advisor profile for tour updates. If you’re looking for more, Mouth on Ghost Culture’s self-titled release from 2015 is a good one to bounce to.

FOR THE PRE-PARTY…

Pional - When Love Hurts EP

This is a fun one. Pional, reigning from Madrid, is a slightly newer producer on my radar. I saw him make his debut at Monarch when he came to town last month. If you enjoyed my recommendation of Jacques Greene’s Feel Infinite from last week’s Weekend Selections, this will be right up your alley. Released on September 30, 2016 (my 24th birthday!) on Counter Records, this 4-piece collection exudes emotion, angst, and a feeling I can only describe as “maybe next time.” A feeling of missed opportunity, reflecting on loss of the heart, but with an aim to seek the next best thing. Opener Casualtyis a charmer; are those cowbells I hear? But I have to say, the star of the EP is the closer, The Way That You Like, with an assist from Empress Of and her sultry vocals. This entrancing breakup song is a hit on the dance floor. I’d love to hear an extended mix of this. Crossing my fingers for one soon. The EP is available on Spotify and Bandcamp.

The Weekend Selections series feature some of my favorite tracks of the week curated for your enjoyment, whatever your weekend may have in store. Tracks featured are an assortment of new releases, old favorites, and fresh finds.

Hi friends. Welcome to the first post in Weekend Selections. I hope to share some tunes that will get you groovin’/relaxin’ on your time off, whenever those days may be. I’ll share these posts on Friday, as Friday evenings are the start of my weekends.

For Saturday morning COFFEE…

Ólafur Arnalds & Nils FrahM, Stare

One of my all-time favorites, so much so I purchased on vinyl (well, for Nick) and one of my go-to sleepytime albums. Fear not, it is perfect for a weekend morning coffee, especially if there is a pitterpatter on the window. Ólafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm are exceptional artists on their own, and when they come together, magic that I didn’t think was possible transpires. This collaboration immediately sweeps you away, the music has crescendos for days, beautiful and soft texture throughout. I have to say, music with a sense of melancholy – thoughtful and introspective and peaceful, never eerie – is my version of ASMR. This short little work fits the bill. It is available on Spotify, but please do consider purchasing it on vinyl through the Erased Tapes site, should you enjoy it as much as I do! A bit more about this piece, “Erased Tapes label mates Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm recorded and mixed their first collaborative record between Reyjkjavík and Berlin as a surprise release for label founder Robert Raths.”

For Saturday night when you decide to stay in and relax…

Sascha Funke’s new LP, Lotos Land

Set to release on June 9, 2017 on Mule Musiq’s Endless Flight label, Lotos Land will be Sascha Funke’s first solo album since 2008. Friday mornings are some of my favorite email experiences, as the XLR8R newsletter drops. XLR8R is my go to resource for newest releases, cool interviews, and their weekly podcast. It holds a special place in my heart. Their weekly podcast was my gateway into electronic music, while I was an angsty teen in 2006. I could talk about my love for them all day. So naturally, I was beyond excited to see Sascha Funke listed in the email subject line, knowing that the Berlin-based DJ-producer is due for some new releases. Take a look at XLR8R’s preview of Lotos Lands and take a listen to the clips published on Soundcloud. I have to say, track 03 “Purple Hill” is just doing it all for me. I’m a sucker for tracks that are perfect for a lazy drive in the car, and this one is just that. Really looking forward to hearing the full track, and the full LP. I discovered Sascha Funke’s Mango album after 2008 (when it was released), and have been eagerly awaiting some new content from the producer. Take a read through Resident Advisor’s review of Mango, and throw the title track on repeat at the end of your evening.

For Sunday grooves

Jacques Greene, Feel Infinite

This one recently came out, in early March. Jacques Greene is one of my favorites signed to LuckyMe (a real top notch label in my humble opinion). It is Montreal-based Philipe Aubin-Dionne’s first full release of his career, and what a breathtaking album it is. So much heart, so much soul, this one is. LuckyMe describes it as, “a shimmering album that straddles modern and analogue house, techno and garage to pull out some of the pathos of modern youth.” Can a sentence truly describe me, I mean, this album, much more than this? I saw Jacques Greene perform this week in San Francisco at the Swedish American Music Hall. The room was gushing with ‘modern youth’ - all around me people were swaying, jumping to the music, completely in tune with the freedom of going to a concert on a Wednesday night in San Francisco. “To Say” and “I Won’t Judge” are my top tracks. Take a listen on Spotify and read through the album’s story on LuckyMe’s site. Here’s Pitchfork’s take as well.