Track of the Weekend #142: Major Lazer + MØ - “Lost” (Frank Ocean cover)

Thump goes the beat, and Major Lazer is responsible for this summer’s heaviest. Already claiming a Track of the Weekend recently, Major Lazer and are back with a cover of Frank Ocean’s “Lost.” It’s everything you want it to be, and more. Big, boisterous, hard like a boulder, Major Lazer fans will be thrilled, if they haven’t already heard it, of course!

Never stop jamming! 

Track of the Weekend #141: Years & Years - “Ties”

The grass in the fields is brittle. The sunshine pours down daily. It’s been a dry summer here in northern France, and the city of light has been the city of heat. Few acts right now are hotter than the temperatures here, but one that’s unquestionably on fire is Years & Years, an English electro-R&B group that has been steadily infiltrating the airwaves. The trio’s latest single, “Ties” capitalizes on their now-famous style: a seductive voice, expertly-constructed melodies, and some of the catchiest lyrics this side of Disney. No wonder “Ties” was the hottest track on Whyd this week. And their album “Communion” is rapidly on pace to become one of the biggest of 2015. 

Track of the Weekend #139: Kendrick Lamar - “Alright”

Is “AlrightKendrick Lamar’s most political song? It does fit perfectly well into America’s modern narrative of black vs. police. One thing is for sure, it’s another visceral experience whose music video is a visual masterpiece featuring Kendrick flying through the streets and rapping atop streetlights before getting shot by a white cop. It’s the latest in his string of hits off of “To Pimp A Butterfly” confirming what we thought all along: 2015 is the year of Kendrick Lamar. 

Thanks to Dans Ton Casque for getting this one to us! 

Track of the Weekend #137: Foals - “What Went Down”

Everyone get ready. This weekend is France’s Fête de la Musique, which is an all-day, all-night celebration of music that takes over cities on June 21st, the first day of summer. There are endless things to do, and as the hour waxes late so do the craziness, filthiness, and drunkenness. Capturing this inevitable feeling of raging is Foals’ new single “What Went Down” from their forthcoming album of the same name. Foals’ fans might be a little turned off by the rawness and clamor, but it represents a new direction for the group, one that more hardcore fans will find a welcome change, and one that’s perfect for this weekend in Paris. 

Thanks to our man le coup du lapin for dishing this one to us! 

Track of the Weekend #136: Lauryn Hill - “Doo Wop” (Poldoore Remix)

It’s been nearly 20 years since Lauryn Hill released her smash hit “Doo Wop” that catapulted her into superstardom. The question then goes: how do you remix such a powerful song? How do you respect the track and its fans, yet creatively bring it into the 21st century? Leave it to none other than our man Poldoore, who has been tearing it up recently. Modern and electronic, Poldoore’s remix provides a layer of funk while staying true to the original soul of the track. The trumpet at the end is the icing on the cake. No wonder it’s been at the top of the hot tracks all week! 

Put this track on when you’re getting ready to go out tonight, and you’ll be assured to pop it off right. 

Track of the Weekend #134: Flume - “Some Minds”

After a few weeks of hiatus, the Track of the Weekend is back just in time for the end of May. And you know who else is back? Our favorite Australian producer Flume, a man who is no stranger to the Track of the Weekend. His latest single “Some Minds” is a haunting orchestral voyage led by Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt on vocals that takes a while to build into Flume’s classic electro riffs. But when it tops off, there is nothing to do but hit repeat. 

We’re already salivating for Flume’s new album! Thanks to Wark for getting it to our ears. 

Track of the Weekend #131: RATATAT - “Cream on Chrome”

Another week in the books, and another weekend on the horizon. The minutes of the clock tick slowly towards evening. With each tock the excitement builds. Layer upon layer, until the excitement explodes into the freedom of the weekend. Summing up this feeling of building is the experimental rock duo from Brooklyn: RATATAT, back on the world scene with “Cream on Chrome.” 

For the fans of RATATAT who have known them since the days of “Loud Pipes,” you wont be disappointed with “Cream on Chrome” which carries the signature electric guitar, funky bass beat, and mathematical construction that enables RATATAT to weave stories and narratives through music with no lyrics. And that’s why it’s #1 on Whyd this week.

Thanks to Maxime M for getting his, like, 25th track of the weekend!

Track of the Weekend #124: Florence & The Machine - “What Kind Of Man” (Nicolas Jaar Remix)

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Ah, what good the sun can do! After hiding behind rain clouds all week, dampening our moods in the wake of the official departure of our beloved Dr. Joly, the sun is a-blazing on this Friday. And it’s pizza day. Fuck yeah. 

Around the corner is March, and that means spring will soon be in the air. But before we enjoy the budding flowers and warmer breezes, winter is not over. It’s not done yet, which is exactly what can be said about the most popular track on Whyd this week, Nicolas Jaar’s epic remix of Florence & The Machine’s “What Kind Of Man.” For more than 12 minutes the song bounces from Florence’s voice to deep house echoes to the classic mix of odd percussion sounds that has come to characterize Mr. Jaar’s prolific career. It’s a veritable banger of a track from someone so used to exploring the quieter parts of our musical mind. 

Thanks to Maxime M for getting it to us first! 

Track of the Weekend #123: Sufjan Stevens - “No Shade In The Shadow Of The Cross”

We’ve been busy hooking some new things up this week here at the Whyd studio. There are lots of screwdrivers laying among bits of wire. Something truly awesome is coming, and we can’t wait to tell you about it…

But it is also the cat days of winter, where the cold is damp and the rain gets stuck in the air, giving up its quest for the ground. For those of us who are riding out the end of the winter, a melody has resonated. The delicate voice of Michigan’s own Sufjan Stevens delivers a heartbroken message across his signature strums and hums. “No Shade In The Shadow Of The Cross” is his grief pure, a window into the place where the love for his lost mother is hiding in a corner, knee-deep in tears. He lays is bare and clear:   

Fuck me I’m falling apart

Thanks to dominique lutier for grabbing this for us! 

Track of the Weekend #120: THYLACINE - “Closing” feat. Dyllan

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Heavy wet snowflakes are falling here in Paris, and winter feels real. There is an indoor feeling, something cozy and warm, calling for a musical cocoon to envelop us. A perfect track for that cocoon is this week’s Track of the Weekend. “Closing” by THYLACINE feat. Dyllan is steady like the ocean waves, elevated on the wings of a soft, angelic voice until it drives through the build and attaches itself firmly into your memory.

The emerging French artist THYLACINE (which was the largest marsupial carvinore, also known as a Tazmanian Tiger, but is sadly now extinct) released his EP “Exil” this week, something to definitely get your hands on

Thanks (comme d'hab!) to Le Coup du Lapin for slipping it into our streams this week!