I believe that music lovers have a responsibility to share the music we love with as many people as we can. While the digitalization of music has allowed for almost infinitely more opportunities for aspiring artists to get recognized, it is still far too often that we see the same group of artists pushing the same tired songs on us. Dressed up with a slightly different synth and a different vocal maybe, but still the same thing we have heard over and over again at main stages the world over.
There are still thousands of incredibly talented artists struggling to find an avenue to promote their music. I don’t currently have an avenue to reach all that many people, but if I can turn even a few of you on to some great new music, I feel like I’m helping “The Cause”. “The Cause” being pushing that which is new and exciting to the forefront. Stopping the cycle of rewarding artists for refusing to take risks, refusing to innovate, refusing to create rather than recycle. But I digress. Before this turns into a rant against the commercialization of dance music, let me get to the point of this post.
Instead of trying to come up with an arbitrary list of the “best” or “top” tracks or albums of 2014, I want to share my favorite discoveries of the strange and wonderful musical journey I took in 2014. You won’t find artists like Odesza, DARKSIDE and Caribou on this list, even though I did discover them in 2014. That isn’t because I don’t think they are amazing, I certainly do. But my goal here is not to reiterate what we all already know. My goal is to share some lesser known artists that are doing amazing things in dance music. So without further ado, my favorite discoveries in no particular order. I’m not sorting anything by genre, because I believe that great music stands on its own, free of labels. You can be assured that everything in here contains a whole lot of bass and a whole lot of beauty.
Check out Vol.1 of Deep Dive HERE!
Brawler
https://soundcloud.com/drumstep/against-humanity-ammunation
Brawler is like if Figure had a kid and then sent him to Hell to be raised by Lucifer. His music is 90 % rage and 10 % comedy. I mean, how can you not love someone who samples Eric Cartman in his music? Another young guy out of Los Angeles.
Fawks
Another unknown LA producer, Fawks has one of my very favorite remixes of 2014. His remix of Kayzo’s Fired Up was completely unexpected and blew me away. For one, Fawks had been making mostly future house and trap tunes and this was straight jump up drum and bass. Secondly, the song has one of the most unexpected and amazing mid-drop changes I have ever heard. I can’t really explain, just give it a listen. Fawks has also remixed Nero, Duke Dumont, and Zhu this year. He has talent and range in spades. Can’t wait to see what he has in store for 2015.
Jameston Thieves
Jameston Thieves is a lot like LUCA LUSH, part house, part trap, part hip-hop and 100% funky as hell. Real name Jake Maloney, Jameston Thieves has been incredibly busy over the last few months. It seems like every few days there is a new original from the San Francisco native. He loves to collaborate with other up and comers in the future house scene, like Dirty Doses and KRUMM. Try listening to his new track Drop it Low with KRUMM and not start bouncing along to it. I dare you.
FUME
https://soundcloud.com/fume-musik/fume-x-coma-hypnos
Another one for the all caps crew! FUME is from Lithuania and that is basically all I know about him. Honestly, I don’t even know that FUME is a guy. It could be a woman or a group or possibly a figment of the darkest recesses of my imagination. FUME’s Facebook says he is a “fictional character”. The only thing I do know is that FUME makes some of the darkest and trippiest shit since Burial. FUME probably won’t ever be famous and I would bet he or she likes it that way. FUME is not music for the main stage, maybe not music for any stage. But a dark room, a packed bowl, and an open mind? That is where FUME belongs. It’s music that seeps slowly into your soul and takes hold.
