Stuck In My Skull 527 -- "Proxy" FREE DOWNLOAD

Song: "Proxy (Original Mix)" || Artist: Martin Garrix || https://soundcloud.com/martingarrix/proxy-original-mix ||


Comments: Good morning and happy Wednesday, everyone! Even though I ended Free Music Week, I'm always on the lookout for great free music, and boy have I got a great one for you today! Martin Garrix is one of the hottest artists in the electronic music scene right now, riding his tracks like "Animals" and "Wizard" all the way to the top of the charts and into your ears. In appreciation of his fans, Mr. Garrix has made this track available as a free download from his Soundcloud. This song is excellent. "Proxy" has all of the brilliance of the more popular Martin Garrix songs, but to my ears sounds a little more house and hardstyle than the trap-twinged hit "Animals." But forget about me trying to label this song, go give it a listen. I think you'll love it.

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Stuck In My Skull 514 -- "Addiction"

Song: "Addiction" || Artist: Medina || http://youtu.be/3tiexHjBt3w ||

Comments: Good morning everyone! Today's song is a track I know very, very little about. I originally found it sitting around my old Google Music (now Google Play) library, and I have absolutely no idea how it got there. I can only guess it must have been a free track that I picked up somewhere and forgot about. So, I went to look up this artist on Wikipedia, and found the article about her to be somewhat informative but fairly sparse. That being said, I'm going to assume that Medina is both the vocalist and the producer of this track, which would make sense given the fact that she's apparently signed to Ultra. But enough about the artist, let's talk about the song. This is a fairly mellow dance track, and it's excellent. The vocals have just the right amount of intensity and emotion, and fit perfectly with the beat and melody. I definitely enjoyed this song, and could see myself both dancing and relaxing to it. You should definitely give this song a listen. Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 511 -- "Slow Down"

Song: "Slow Down" || Artist: Showtek || http://youtu.be/X5Adj6XJFTQ *** ||

Comments: Good morning everyone! I'm pleased to announce that things have finally settled down in my life and regular posting will now resume. I'll get the complete entries from last week finished up soon. For today, let's talk about Showtek. For some reason I've never really gotten around to listening to Showtek until yesterday, when I decided to give their Ultra 2014 set a listen. It's lovely, by the way, and you can check it out here. Their set actually opens with this song, which was something of an eye-opener for me. "Slow Down" is one of those tracks I've heard all over the place but never known the name of, and for some reason never bothered to look up either. That was a mistake, because this song is great. It really brings out Showtek's hardstyle roots while being eminently danceable, and it's just all around amazing. Give it a listen!

***The video isn't strictly NSFW, but there's enough skin in this video that you may not want to watch at work.

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Stuck In My Skull 504 -- "Enjoy the Ride"

Song: "Enjoy the Ride" || Artist: Krewella || http://youtu.be/97xnWVZYq_Q ||

Comments: Hello, everyone! Today I'm trying out the 'writing on Tuesdays' thing to see if it helps, and by the fact that this is getting written, it's looking like writing on Tuesdays works. Today's song is a fairly new track from Krewella which I ran into last night. It's a bit more house-y than I'm used to hearing from Krewella, but it's really an excellent track. It's just the right mix of dance and hard, and I really enjoy. Give it a listen!

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Stuck In My Skull 496 -- "Rainbow Road"

Song: "Rainbow Road" || Artist: nanobii || http://youtu.be/a0Aauep0VWs ||

Comments: Good morning, everyone! To get the week started off on the right foot, let's kick out Monday Syndrome with an amazing song from the album Monstercat was giving away last week. "Rainbow Road" is without question or doubt simply amazing. It's cheerful, catchy, and will make you dance in your seat or get to your feet and jam. Seriously, this song is amazing. I'd never heard of nanobii before this, but I will be looking for more great tracks from this artist. Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 486 -- "Mode"

Song: "Mode" || Artist: Bingo Players || http://youtu.be/OoDHA8dy7JM ||

Comments: Happy Friday, everyone! Just keep it up through the rest of today, the week is almost over! To help you make it through today, have an amazing song. I just heard Bingo Players for the first time not too long ago when this song came up on a Pandora station I was listening to. Unfortunately, according to the Wikipedia page about this group, one of the two members recently passed away, and the band appears to be over. That's really sad, because Bingo Players have an awesome sound. I am in love with this song, it's so amazing. It really just makes me want to get up and dance. This is what house and dance music is supposed to sound like -- give it a listen, and enjoy the weekend!

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Stuck In My Skull 475 -- "Wizard"

Song: "Wizard" || Artist: Martin Garrix and Jay Hardway || http://youtu.be/KnL2RJZTdA4 ||

Comments: Hello everyone, and happy Friday! Today I bring you a song I heard on Pete Tong's radio show last week. I'd heard of Martin Garrix before, ever so briefly, in conjunction with his hit "Animals." I've never heard of Jay Hardway, though, but I suspect we'll be hearing a lot more of both of them based solely on the strength of this track. "Wizard" is amazing -- it's the perfect combination of classic dance rhythms and funky new innovations. It's not that I've never heard of temple drums before, but Martin Garrix uses them masterfully here. Check this song out, and enjoy the weekend!

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Stuck In My Skull 472 -- "Leave the World Behind"

Song: "Leave the World Behind" || Artist: Swedish House Mafia and Laidback Luke feat. Deborah Cox || http://youtu.be/_HMP36Jb0EM (video; radio edit) || http://youtu.be/xG4AhAnyqvE (original mix) ||

Comments: Good morning everyone! We're going to start off another week of great music with a classic track from Swedish House Mafia and Laidback Luke. The artist on this track is listed as all three members of SHM under their own names, but this is definitely Swedish House. It's a classic of that dynamic trio, and neatly folds the influences of Laidback Luke into a typically Swedish House upbeat club track. Their steady beats are about as fast as their usual fare, clocking in around 130 BPM by my count, but the track feels a little more relaxed than most of their hits. On top of the typically Swedish House beats is a wonderful piano line and features the vocals of Canadian R&B singer Deborah Cox. Both mixes of this song are excellent, but as I originally heard the song in an album meant for continuous play (Until One), I prefer the original mix. While it's true that too many chefs ruins the soup, four DJs definitely do not ruin this song. Check it out, and remember to enjoy the day!

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Stuck In My Skull 469 -- "Pon de Replay"

Song: "Pon de Replay" || Artist: Rihanna || http://youtu.be/oEauWw9ZGrA ||

Comments: Good morning! I woke up this morning with this song stuck in my head, and I (as usual) have no idea why. I can tell you why it hasn't left, though -- Rihanna being Rihanna, this song is full of infectious beats that won't leave me alone. Everyone's favourite Barbadian hit-maker has known for a long time how to write an awesome song, and her debut single is no exception. Give it a listen -- you won't regret it.

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Stuck In My Skull 467 -- "Infinity"

Song: "Infinity" || Artist: Guru Josh Project || http://youtu.be/jzy2dgEUOhY ||

Comments: Hello everyone! After Tuesday's entry, I realized I'd never actually posted the Guru Josh Project song I was talking about. Today I am correcting this massive oversight. "Infinity" is an amazing song, and I love it. True of many electronic music videos, this song has a music video that makes no sense and attempts to catch the user's eye with attractive people, so if that bothers you just skip the video and listen to the song. The song is totally worth it. "Infinity" is a smooth track with a good beat and a catchy rhythm, backed by of all things a trumpet. An amazing trumpet, which if I'm not mistaken appeared again in "Ray of Sunshine." This song is one of my favourites, and I'm so glad Guru Josh is producing music still. Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 466 -- "Ray of Sunshine"

Song: "Ray of Sunshine" || Artist: Guru Josh || http://youtu.be/kEEd4NZhNHw ||

Comments: Holy crap, one of my favourite 'one hit wonders' just released a new song! GURU JOSH IS NO LONGER A ONE HIT WONDER. Forgive the caps-spam, but I am literally having to exert a conscious effort to not be jumping up and down screaming right now. Guru Josh (Project, the Project behind his old name with two other members) hasn't released a song since 2009's "Crying in the Rain" which flopped, and hasn't released a song that did well since "Infinity" in 2008 and it's subsequent remix. I have no idea what Guru Josh has been up to in the intervening years, but I am glad that he's back. This song is excellent. Please, go listen to it now. You won't regret it. It's upbeat, happy, and awesome.

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AMANDA-- "WORK B**CH" by BRITNEY SPEARS

Good morning everyone! Today I'm bringing you the latest and greatest from none other than Britney Spears. Tabloid drama aside, she has worked really hard to evolve and re-invent herself over the years. You may not personally find her music appealing but her work ethic is deserving of some respect. It has gotten her very far in the music business and happens to be the subject of her newest single "Work Bitch." Largely in spoken word, Spears tells listeners that if they want toachieve success in this world they had better get busy working not unlike Ru Paul's "Supermodel (You Better Work)." The thing perhaps most striking to me is the strong club beat contributed by Otto Knows. The song, produced and written by will.i.am, is ladden with synth and undoubtedly her most EDM inspired  track to date. "Work Bitch" is more satsifying than I care to admit and the perfect music for dancing the night away or getting motivated to do work! Enjoy and have a great weekend!

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Stuck In My Skull 457 -- "You Make Me"

Song: "You Make Me" || Artist: Avicii || http://youtu.be/2GADx4Hy-Gg ||

Comments: Good morning and happy Monday, everyone! And it really is a happy Monday. Today's song comes from Stuck In My Skull's own Amanda, who tossed me this song when I couldn't find anything else I wanted to blog about. This track is the latest from that dynamic DJ and producer Avicii, and it is fantastic. The music video to this track was just released today and feels very "Scott Pilgrim vs the World," but let's set that aside and talk about the song. According to the Wikipedia page about the track, the vocals here are provided by Salem Al Fakir, who I'm really enjoying the sound of. This is the second single from Avicii's not-yet-released debut album "True," which I'm now even more pumped about. The song incorporates some classic dance-hall beats and clocks in around 125 BPM, putting it as a solidly danceable track. I absolutely love the vocals even if I have no idea how to describe the effects done to them. Basically, Avicii is showing off -- he's one of the most dynamic producers currently active, and he's letting the world know it. To that, I say, "Well done!"

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AMANDA-- "APPLAUSE" by LADY GAGA

Good morning everybody! Hope your day is going well. Mine is in part because Lady Gaga's newest single "Applause" has just hit the airwaves. This, along with latest from Katy Perry, was leaked by fans a few days ago, prompting the artist to release the official song earlier than scheduled. I'd be lying if I said I was immediately taken with it. It's no secret that Gaga envisions herself as an artist and arbiter of culture but here she seems to take her ridiculousness to new found levels. As the song title suggests, she needs only to hear the applause of her fans and gives little thought to what critics have to say about her or her music. I'm not entirely sure I'm buying what she's selling. Also, while I enjoy the chorus, some of the lyrics, in true Gaga fashion, are rather puzzling. Furthermore, "Applause" is not her strongest work to date but it has piqued my interest in her next album ARTPOP, which comes out in November. A lyric video is currently in the works so keep an eye out for that in the next week or so. Happy listening!

Update: you won't have to wait any longer for the lyric video. It's out and features many fabulous drag queens, which I so approve of. Enjoy!

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AMANDA-- "BURN" by ELLIE GOULDING

Hey all! For those of who are fans of Ellie Goulding, you should be pleased to know that the artist has released yet another Halycon single. "Burn" is classic Goulding if I've ever heard it and more proof that she isn't going anywhere anytime soon. With two months left of summer, this track has all the makings of a club hit and I cannot *wait* to hear the remixes that are sure follow. Here Goulding has departed somewhat from themes of love, heartbreak, etc. and appears to just be having some fun and loving life as seen in the official video. As gorgeous as it is, I did enjoy the fan video for the song released on Vine a few weeks ago. There's no doubt in my mind that the young musician will be burning the charts up with this one. Enjoy!

 

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Stuck In My Skull 429 -- "I Need Your Love"

Song: "I Need Your Love" || Artist: Calvin Harris feat. Ellie Goulding || http://youtu.be/AtKZKl7Bgu0 ||

Comments: Hello, everyone! If you're here for the first time by way of DJ Abso-Newt-ly, welcome! If you have no idea who he is, look here for some sweet songs. Speaking of sweet songs, let's talk about this track. To quote said DJ, Ellie Goulding has the voice of an angel and the beats of a god. I literally had this song stuck in my head most of the afternoon, and it's hardly a surprise. The hook on this track is ridiculously catchy, that synthesized piano backed by thrumming bass that I just can't get enough of. Simply put, this song is epic -- if you haven't heard it already, go listen. Enjoy!

If you have a song you want me to talk about, hit me up! Comment on this post, drop me a line on https://www.facebook.com/stuckinmyskull, or email musictourettes@gmail.com!

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Stuck In My Skull 416 -- "Live It Up" [Pop Week II]

Pop Week II, Part 1 || Song: "Live It Up" || Artist: Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull || http://youtu.be/BofL1AaiTjo ||

Comments: Good morning, everyone! Today's song opens Pop Week II, where we take a look at the current state of 'pop music.' Don't worry -- I have good taste. (I think...) To open the week, I decided to use this track. Less than a month old, this song confirms my long-held belief that Pitbull is always better as a featured artist. I tend to dislike songs where the canine-inspired rapper is the principle artist is the primary artist, but he sounds great when he is working on another artist's track. Additionally, this song was written by RedOne, that hidden power-behind-the-throne of pop music. As a song, I like it. It's a tad too heavy to be a quintessential 'summer song,' but it works nicely as a dance track, and I foresee this song having a long career in FM radio song rotations. I think its structure is a tad too irregular to be a good club hit -- the several times where the song stops the beat for the Pitbull verses and champagne-popping sound effects really breaks the tempo, in my opinion, which I suspect will prevent it from getting much use on the dance floor. That being said, I'm a fan. I'm not sure that I agree with the Wikipedia entry that calls this a europop or a dance-pop song, but either way it's a good song. I just think more of Cascada or Inna or Edward Maya or Alexandra Stan when someone says europop. The video's not bad either -- a Pitbull song without Pitbull advertising some alcohol? Count me in.

I'm going to be doing five entries this week, so check back every day this week for more!

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ETC #77 "Reload"

Song: "Reload" ~ Artist: Tommy Trash

~ http://youtu.be/NjI2CHup07M ~

Comments: Happy Friday!  Sorry for the delay this morning, everyone. I am going a little out of my shell today and bringing some electronic music. I have never heard of Tommy Trash before today, but the two songs of his that I heard are the essence of electronic.  This song has an amazing pounding beat and beautiful transitions (and because of this it is great motivation to run harder while working out I found). Anyway, happy listening!

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Stuck In My Skull 398 -- "I Can Walk On Water"

Song: "I Can Walk On Water" || Artist: Basshunter || http://youtu.be/BLyHWIXTrlI ||

Comments: Basshunter, you are fantastic. I really can't think of a much better way to start a Monday than with a nice Basshunter track. I have to say, this is one of my favourites. It's slow buildup into an easy, dance-able beat that's just hard enough to groove to and just soft enough to be happy-sounding is a masterful intro. Complimented by the cheerful-sounding synths and fairly uplifting lyrics, this is one of the happiest dance tracks I've ever heard. If you really hate Mondays, give this a listen -- I think you'll be glad you did.

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ETC #66 "Gettin' Over You" and "2Nite"

Song: "Gettin' Over You" ~ Artist: David Guetta and Chris Willis Ft. Fergie and LMFAO

~ http://youtu.be/x98sYaPDc6g ~

Comments: Hey, everyone!  I'm sorry for the lateness of this post. I have been hitting up Vegas on vacation and with the time change I've been exhausted and this slipped my mind. Being over here I have heard lots of new songs in the genre of techno, dance, electronic, etc. and so I'm bringing you a couple of those today. Usually I provide the same artist on Tuesdays, but instead I'm just showing a couple of new things I've heard. This song I heard and instantly fell in love with it. It includes some fantastic artists and the beat is infectious. The lyrics aren't anything fantastic, but what it lacks in lyrics it makes up for in its rhythm.

Song: "2Nite" ~ Artist: Felguk

~ http://youtu.be/rgt7Q5a_npo ~

Comments: This second song is one that has caught my attention and gotten stuck in my head.  I have never of this Brazilian duo, but the song is pretty good. I am curious to hear some of their other stuff. I might be sharing more of them.  If you want to read up more on them here's the wiki. Unfortunatley, I don't have much to say about these guys, but happy listening!

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