Searching for music is an art form and a labor of love centered around a desire to share with others. Paulo Coelho explained it best when he said, "writing means sharing. It's part of the human condition to want to share things – thoughts, ideas, and opinions."
I myself would like to add music to that list. This powerful quote by Coelho is one of the reasons I got into covering music; this innate and unbearable desire to share and bring good music to good people.
Hip-hop is my first love but the genre of Future in any capacity is also my muse. I would like to share, with all you beautiful people that have come to EARMILK to find new music and be a part of this singularity, an eight-song list, in no particular order, my favorite Future releases of the month. So sit back relax and enjoy!
RL Grime "Feel Free" off of "Nova.'
To start this list off let's start with Henry Steinway, better known by his stage name RL Grime, after four years of silence and touring has graced us, the patient music lover, with a sophomore album, 'Nova.' "Feel Free" the lead song on the album sets that stage right for Grime's reemergence as a Future Bass star. Clearly, he has been honing his craft in his absence. "Feel Free" opens with a bell synth reminiscent of Four Tet or Bonobo and a muted vocal sample that builds and shines with effervescence as Steinway lifts the low pass filter and syncopated drums build into the drop at 1:01. "Feel Free" is a masterclass in production sleight of hand with elegant buildups into positively manic beat drops.
Villms "Anything" featuring KARRA
Next up is Jake Willms, the young talent also known as Villms is an up-and-coming artist worthy of your attention. With an emphasis on Progressive House, his music expresses a unique blend of euphoria and groove. This single with KARRA is heartfelt and oozing with an earnest yearning that captures the essence of the late summer festival season. Villms blends Progressive House with Skrillex-esque arpeggios building into a monster Future Bass beat layered under chopped up falsetto vocal samples. A real piece du jour for either your early morning desires or late night wonders.
Baauer "Hate Me"
Third, I've got Baauer's "Hate Me" a two and half minute banger rife with a groove as delectable as Miquela's vocals. "Hate Me" opens with a self-aware and self-deprecating verse coupled with finger snaps that you cannot deny but bob, weave, and groove to. Baauer shows off his production chops with a bubbling synth popping and wobbling into the second verse which builds into a see-saw style lead that responds to the call of Miquela addressing her struggles with fame and why her naysayers, "Hate Me." A simple little tune chock full of wonder that will enrapture and enchant you throughout the week.
Snavs "Get Away"
Up next is Snavs' "Get Away" featuring Blondage another Future Bass track that has a high pitched ardent and thoughtful female vocal. "Get Away" begins with an opening verse that sets the tone in conjunction with a siren and sparse drums. The build-up is light and centered around Blondage's words, "I am going to get myself in trouble / I just want to get away." You may at this point be finding a theme that runs throughout my favorite selections for August but this selection has a particularly enjoyable shuttered saw wave pad in the meat of the beat is just too much to handle.
Allison Wonderland "Cry" remixed by Rynx
Allison Wonderland's "Cry" is a selection I particularly enjoy, yes, another Future Bass track with a female vocal lead, but more specifically my love for the original came from the Buddy verse at the end to tie it all together. "Cry" was initially released off of Allison's April album 'Awake" but this Rynx remix is so necessary. Rynx does a phenomenal job of separating itself from the original most notably the guitar solo 'verse' at the end in place of the Buddy verse. There is something that is so understated about the electric guitar crooning, almost moaning, in the high energy hits at the end.
Martin Garrix and Khalid's "Ocean" remixed by Syn Cole
Up next, we have EDM boy kid wonder Martin Garrix with R&B boy kid wonder Khalid's collab "Ocean" remixed by Syn Cole. Syn Cole takes this already exceptional single released in the middle of festival season and breathes new life into it. This remix changes the character of the song completely from a subdued and sensual late night vibe into a mainstage middle of the rave banger. There is an obvious ode to the late Avicii with the soundscapes present in Syn Cole's production on "Ocean" a more intense, energy-laden progressive Future style beat with Khalid baring his soul.
Don Diablo "Sun in Our Eyes"
I know what you are saying, "wait, that MØ n Diplo joint was already hot" and I feel you, it was and is, but let me ask you a question in response. How can you make a banger summer song get better? You get a remix from a Future House godfather like Don Diablo. Don Diablo adds his signature swagger to the almost atypical and unsurprising festival money-making duo of Diplo and MØ. The groove on this bass line is symbiotic to the house tent being nine times out of ten being a wholly more enjoyable place to be than the mainstage, where Diplo undoubtedly would be. This remix by Don Diablo injects an almost insurmountable amount of danceability to the base of a MØ n Diplo collaboration.
NGHTMRE and Wavedash "Grave"
Finally, I bring you a collaboration between NGHTMRE and Wavedash called, "Grave" a single that starts out ominously with detuned saw wave bells that act like bumps in the night, which then open into a demonic DMX telling us that we are going, "from the cradle to the grave." The overarching not so demure sense of frenetic frenzy is busting out of the seams of this collaboration. It wouldn't be a Future list if there was not a song on it that melted your face and made you reconsider what your purpose is, so naturally, here it is. If I had to pick my favorite thing about this absolute brain fryer it would be the switch of the trap snare to the dubstep snare after the buildup at 3:02. Keep your eyes and your ears open people and love each other out there!
Special Mention
UK Garage House / Future House gods Disclosure in the past week released their second single of 2018, "Moonlight," and it was so eloquently reviewed by our, mighty and powerful, Senior Editor David Sikorski.
Hopefully, all of you beautiful people out there enjoyed this list, let us know below! See you next month for more, peace.
