Happy Friday! Let me be the first to congratulate you on making it to the weekend. This week's Beats & Pieces — an opportunity for a different Daily Beat writer to curate a playlist chock full of their favorite tracks from that week (plus the occasional throwback) — is the 25th edition of our weekly series. Not sure why they let me have the honor of doing the 25th one, but here we are. Last week we heard from Jacob Piotrwoski who delivered the rowdiest of playlists, jam-packed with bass music from the likes of QUIX and Tuslo x Holly. While my playlist might not be as theme-specific as Jacob's (the man has a way with sticking to a genre), it makes up for it in heart. And by that, I mean new releases from this week — and some newer artists — that'll keep you on your toes and get your body moving.
1. Zeds Dead x Diplo - Blame (ft. Elliphant)
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Released yesterday, Blame is the first track off of Zeds Dead's forthcoming album, "Northern Lights". The tune is a collaboration with Diplo and Elliphant, who worked with Diplo and Major Lazer on Too Original not too long ago. If this track is any indication, "Northern Lights" is set to be a rollicking release that showcases Zeds Dead's heavy beats while pushing the duo's boundaries through a wide range of collaborations. "Northern Lights" is due out in September.
2. Desiigner - PANDA (WHY SO SERIOUS Remix)
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Just as I thought I was getting over Desiigner's Panda, WHY SO SERIOUS releases this short and sweet — literally one minute long — remix of the track that took the first half of 2016 by storm. It's a nice bass/electro house remix that is high-energy. WHY SO SERIOUS is a mystery duo that popped up in the last two months and has been releasing music via their Soundcloud. I'm not kidding, there's little to no information about their identities. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook and you'll see what I mean.
3. Tate Tucker - 7/11 (prod. JULiA LEWiS & Invoker)
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7/11 — yes, released on July 11 — is the most recent release from Tate Tucker via Proper Vibes. Tate Tucker is an LA-based hip-hop artist and vocalist and this track gives you a taste of both. The man's voice is honestly like butter; I can't help but get lost in it every time I hit play on this. The beat is the work of JULiA LEWiS and Invoker, and really brings the entire track together. I like to think of this song as that song you discover towards the end of summer that helps you seamlessly transition into fall. Definitely keeping this one on-hand.
4. KLYMVX - Come Closer (ft. Cozy)
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Come Closer is the debut single from KLYMVX (pronounced "climax"), a duo from France who came together in 2014 to make tropical house remixes of popular tunes. Featuring vocals from Cozy, this track sounds like the upbeat, heavier wave of tropical house that we've come into — while still keeping everyone's favorite instrument of 2015, the pan flute. It's upbeat. It's happy. It's exactly what you need to get into the summer mindset.
5. morgxn - love you with the lights on
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morgxn's single, love you with the lights on — his first release — made its debut on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show for Apple Music — that's mega. And that's not without good reason. This track from the Echo Park-based artist is hauntingly beautiful; morgxn's vocals pine for love, cutting very quickly to the chase. The production work is amazing and I can't wait to see what comes next from morgxn.
6. DJ Snake - Ocho Cinco (ft. Yellow Claw)
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Wanted to close out the list with this track because this week DJ Snake announced that his album — "Encore" — will be released on August 5th, then he released the track list, and Zane Lowe premiered this track on Beats 1. Excuse my French, but this track is a fucking banger. It's straightforward, in your face, and downright nasty. The release of Ocho Cinco — featuring Yellow Claw — just showcases how massively skilled and capable DJ Snake is, and how his place within the electronic music space transcends intra-genre labels; his sound is very much his own and does not bother with fitting molds. Just look at his three most recent releases: Ocho Cinco, Talk, and Middle. Each one is completely unique in their style and approach. "Encore" is shaping up to be something else.
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