🎧 Songs of the Week #29: If you don't know what to do, follow me. I'll see you through.
🎧 Songs of the Week #29: If you don't know what to do, follow me. I'll see you through.
📅 April 1-7, 2023: Featuring Michael Calfan (ft. Richard Judge), RetroVision, CID & WILL K, MOTi & ILIRA, and Lost Capital
Welcome to week #29 of the Steel Orca Songs of the Week.
Okay, I’m getting to this pretty late on Thursday, so I’m going to bang it out as quickly as possible while still hopefully maintaining the quality. Before I get into it, great photos by Clara Beth this week of the Bolivian Altiplano. From Wikipedia:
The Altiplano, or Andean Plateau, in west-central South America, is the most extensive high plateau on Earth outside Tibet.
Pretty awesome. Contact her on Instagram if you want more details on these pictures. In our media empire, Instagram is currently in the lead for followers, followed by Twitter, then this newsletter. I could do a better job at marketing, but I also have a day job and a family. I’ve said all this before.
The big update this week is that I pulled the trigger and ordered the thing that I wrote about a few weeks ago in Songs of the Week #27 - a DJ controller:
I’m pretty excited, honestly. I’ve probably wanted a DJ setup for 20 years, and it took me this long to pull the trigger. I already have a Novation Remote 49SL Compact midi keyboard I pulled out and have been playing with again, but this is different.
Yes, this is a pretty beginner setup, but as I told my friend - I’m a beginner. That’s all I need. One step at a time.
My big grand plans for 2023 are simple but exceedingly difficult:
Write a 20-minute EP (it doesn’t matter how many songs, so long as the length is 20 minutes);
Incorporate that into a set with other music;
Play that set live (I don’t care where… Twitch is the most likely candidate, given me being a dad who rarely leaves his house - Popeska is a good guy to model myself off of):
?
I’m also likely to be a coward and take a break after issue 30 (next week’s issue) for about six weeks to move this over to ghost.org and rework the design. I am already paying for a ghost.org license ($150 a year - I already paid it), but because writing this takes up my time, I haven’t had the chance to migrate. Gotta suck it up and do it. Substack randomly breaks stuff all the time with their updates.
The timing is good, though, because it would be a pause on issue 30, a six-week break, and I’d be back on June 1st. It seems like it would make sense. Everything is a nice round number. Good chi.
(“… and he was never heard from again…”)
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Playlist Breakdown
Here are the songs for the week of April 7th, 2023 🐰.
▶️ Youtube Music: Songs of the Week #29
This is a pretty house-heavy playlist with songs meant for the dancefloor, at least compared to some of my more emotional or dark playlists from the past. That’s probably a result of me thinking about my DJ stuff coming in and imagining myself as a house DJ, so I’m picking more house tracks. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy; a snake eating its tail (called an Ouroboros, by the way, thanks ChatGPT).
One thing I did do, though, is adjusted the order near the end. In hindsight, I’m glad I listened to my gut because I put the song with virtually no plays as number one compared to the one with millions. By plays per day, this is my most “underground” selection thus far. The thing about that, though, is I did it before I checked how many plays the songs got, so it wasn’t some charity move. This makes me think that if a song is good, the difference between 15,000 plays and a million plays must have a lot to do with marketing. As a new DJ, though, that’s perfect - the music itself is on a level playing field - it’s only everything that’s music-adjacent/ancillary that can be manipulated. That’s the key to being hip, right there.
Enjoy the playlist.
Michael Calfan - Phase Me (featuring Richard Judge)
Release Date: April 16, 2021
Spotify Plays: 1,485,903
Plays Per Day: 2,064
Label: Headroom Records
Genre: House
Origin: Paris 🇫🇷 | London 🇬🇧
Instagram: @michaelcalfan | @rjudgeofficial_
Twitter: @michaelcalfan | @richardjudgeofficial
Emerging from the pulsating heart of Paris, the prodigiously talented Michael Calfan has been captivating the electronic music world with his melodic and soulful house music. Calfan's distinctive style, characterized by uplifting piano chords and compelling grooves, has garnered him a devoted following and critical acclaim. Having remixed tracks for world-renowned artists such as Duke Dumont and Major Lazer, Calfan has solidified his position as a force to be reckoned with in the house music scene.
Phase Me, featuring the vocals of Richard Judge, is yet another gem in Michael Calfan's ever-growing collection of mesmerizing tracks. The song masterfully intertwines Judge's emotive vocals with Calfan's trademark melodic house beats, resulting in a euphonious concoction. Phase Me exemplifies the seamless fusion of heartfelt lyrics and dancefloor-ready beats, making it a notable addition to Calfan's discography.
I couldn’t find any tour dates for either artist at the time of writing. As always, follow their social media for more info.
RetroVision - In The Place
Beatport: In The Place - Extended Mix - $1.29
Release Date: October 8, 2021
Spotify Plays: 286,704
Plays Per Day: 526
Label: STMPD RCRDS
Genre: Future House
Origin: Nantes 🇫🇷
Instagram: @retrovision
Twitter: @RetroVisionFR
From the picturesque city of Nantes, France, RetroVision has steadily gained recognition for his innovative and spirited future house productions. Catchy melodies, dynamic beats, and lively basslines define his signature style. With an impressive track record of remixing hits for prominent artists such as Don Diablo, Jonas Blue, and Galantis, RetroVision has a firmly established presence in the future house scene.
In The Place is a pulsating and invigorating track that showcases the artist's flair for crafting irresistible dance anthems. The song weaves thumping beats, vibrant synths, and an irresistibly catchy hook (“Everybody in the place clap your hands”). In The Place is a testament to RetroVision's talent for blending energetic rhythms with unforgettable melodies, creating a euphoric sonic experience that is both uplifting and dancefloor-ready.
Unfortunately, RetroVision didn’t have any tour dates at the time of writing.
CID & WILL K - OoooH
Beatport: OoooH - $1.29
Release Date: May 27, 2022
Spotify Plays: 3,518,199
Plays Per Day: 11,204
Label: Repopulate Mars
Genre: Electro House
Origin: New York City 🇺🇸 | Melbourne 🇦🇺
Instagram: @cidmusic | @willkofficial
Emerging from the vibrant heart of New York City, DJ, producer, label boss, and radio show host CID has captivated fans with his groundbreaking and invigorating electro-house tracks. Boasting an impressive portfolio of releases and collaborations, CID has worked alongside renowned artists such as Kaskade, Galantis, and Don Diablo, cementing his position as a luminary in electronic dance music.
Originating from the bustling metropolis of Melbourne, Australia, WILL K is an exceptional talent renowned for his skill in crafting pulse-pounding electro-house beats. His distinctive sound and impeccable production expertise have garnered the admiration of dance music connoisseurs worldwide, earning him support from industry heavyweights like Axwell, Steve Angello, and Afrojack.
Ooooh is one of those songs that makes me realize that I have no idea how music production and sample releases work because a large chunk of this song (the great vocals) is Ciara’s (Mrs. Wilson herself) from her song Oh (feat. Ludacris) - which has a scant 73,808,048 plays on Spotify. That might have something to do with how great this song is. Does Ciara get enough credit? I feel like she doesn’t. She was awesome back in the day. This song is definitely getting that residual Ciara drip, but the point is, would this song destroy a dancefloor? Yes, it would.
CID’s tour dates are listed here. He is playing a lot this summer. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any tour dates listed for WILL K.
MOTi & ILIRA - Sushi
Beatport: Sushi - $1.29
Release Date: July 30, 2021
Spotify Plays: 2,193,279
Plays Per Day: 3,566
Label: Zero Cool
Genre: Dance Pop
Origin: Amsterdam 🇳🇱 | Pristina, Kosovo 🇽🇰
Instagram: @motiofficial | @iliramusic
Twitter: @motiofficial | @iliramusic
From Amsterdam, the exceptionally talented MOTi has been winning the hearts of electronic music enthusiasts with his multifaceted and dynamic sound. Encompassing genres such as electro-house, big room, and dance-pop, MOTi's production skills have propelled him to the forefront of the electronic dance music scene. With an impressive array of collaborations with industry titans like Tiësto, Major Lazer, and Galantis, MOTi has undoubtedly established himself as a force in electronic music.
Emerging from Pristina, Kosovo, the enchanting ILIRA has swiftly risen to prominence with her mesmerizing vocals and bewitching pop melodies. Drawing inspiration from her rich Albanian and Swiss heritage, ILIRA's distinctive and versatile sound has resonated deeply with listeners worldwide, earning her a passionate fan base.
A scintillating collaboration between MOTi and ILIRA, Sushi is a dance-pop masterpiece that artfully melds MOTi's pulsating production prowess with ILIRA's irresistible vocal charms. This effervescent track is brimming with hooks, rhythmic beats, and an exuberant melody that guarantees a dancefloor frenzy. Sushi is a testament to the extraordinary chemistry between these two artists, culminating in an unforgettable auditory delight.
I found no tour dates for either artist at the time of writing.
Song of the Week 🙌
Lost Capital - Funky For You
Beatport: Funky For You - Extended Mix - $1.29
Release Date: March 5, 2021
Spotify Plays: 15,246
Plays Per Day: 20
Label: Generation HEX
Genre: Electro Funk
Origin: Yerevan, Armenia 🇦🇲
Instagram: @lostcapitalmusic
Twitter: @lostcapitalofcl
The winners of the most underground DJs featured on the Steel Orca playlist thus far, Armenian house duo Hovhannes Hovhannisyan and Ashot Petrosyanhas from Yerevan, comprise Lost Capital, who has been steadily capturing the attention of fans with their fresh and invigorating electro-funk sound. By blending funk, house, and electronic music elements, they have crafted a unique sonic identity that sets them apart from the crowd. Their most popular song is their take on Gangsta’s Paradise. RIP, Coolio 🙏🏻.
Funky For You is a vibrant and groove-laden track that masterfully fuses the essence of funk with contemporary electronic music production. The song is brimming with lively basslines, irresistible beats, and funky guitar riffs, resulting in an utterly danceable and feel-good anthem. The only thing I can think is that this sounds like an old-school Detroit house track. These Armenian guys are onto something. I’m predicting big things. This song is criminally underappreciated.
Let’s all say it together now: “I found no tour dates for <this artist> at the time of writing.” Better luck next time.🎲
That’s it for this week from all of us here at the Steel Orca.✔️👋
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