iEDM's Spotlight Sessions: Tracks For October 2016

It is universally known that October is by far everyone's favorite month of the year. With October comes Halloween, crunchy Autumn leaves and crisp air, pumpkin-flavored basically everything (no literally, everything) and of course, the October installment of iEDM's Spotlight Sessions.

We're making this edition of Spotlight Sessions themed around the month of October, as we are feeling ~seasonal~ AF. All the tracks featured this month will either revolve around October, Halloween, get some sort of fall vibe going or just be overall spooky.

You know the drill by now when it comes to Spotlight Sessions and what they're about- we show you flame new music/shine some light on oldies from all sorts of genres and you dig it. So kick back with your pumpkin spice *insert name of whatever food or beverage your inner basic self prefers here* and enjoy:  

1) 'party girls' - octbr

It says it all in the artist's name. Octbr should not only be relevant in the month of October, but all year round because this is one of the brightest, most original talents that I have ever had the pleasure of coming across during my deep, intense dives into the musical realms of SoundCloud. I truly cannot wait to see him blow up because a talent like this deserves to be known of by the masses.

Of all of octbr's tracks, it was hard to choose just one to feature because I would honestly dedicate an entire Spotlight Sessions installment solely to him, especially after hearing my personal favorite tune of his, 'telepopmusik//breathe'- but 'party girls' stuck out and fit this month's vibe the most. The track is the producers spin on the Mr. Carmack and GANZ remix of Cashmere Cat's 'Party Girl' and this is definitely a time where a remix (or flip/edit) is better than the original. I can't even begin to describe how incredible the musical arrangement is and how hard the repetitive notes hit- just do yourself a favor and listen. 

2) 'Melancholy' - REZZ ft. Laura Brehm

Our girl is back at it again in another installment of Spotlight Sessions after being featured in our September edition, but I couldn't help but include REZZ again following her MASSIVE and long-awaited 'Something Wrong Here' recent EP drop. The only thing that is wrong here is the fact that the public didn't hear this track sooner.

'Melancholy' starts off soft with Laura Brehm's eerie and chilling vocals, and faint guitar melody in the background- only to literally blow your mind with a transition that no one was expecting. There's something very spooky about this beautifully dark tune that will leave a mark in your soul with it's heavy and captivating drop, that shows a more delicate side of the young producer while yet still encompassing that signature REZZ sound. A must-have tune on your Halloween 2k16 playlist, folks.

3) 'Wander To Hell' (Locked Groove Remix) - Vaal

The move for Halloween for many of us, as well as myself, would be to get the warehouse vibes going until the wee hours of the morning while letting our body become one with those techno untz-untz's we all live for. Everything down to the artwork and title of this brilliant Locked Groove remix of Vaal's 'Wander To Hell' just oozes that perfect level of sinister that we crave this Halloween.

Released on Tale Of Us' Afterlife imprint, Locked Groove's take on this tune encapsulates the very essence of what Afterlife has always been about, which makes the track a great edition to the overall brand. The techno track will hypnotize you and transport your soul to the dark depth's of the underground with it's flawless fusion of synths and percussion, and haunting vocals.

4) 'Field' - Tycho 

Tycho are a group of artists that we all hold near and dear to our hearts. There's a good chance you've heard of them from all the praise and love surrounding their iconic sunrise sets at festivals like Burning Man and EDC Las Vegas. But lemme tell you one thing- if you haven't heard of Tycho before that, then you truly have been missing out.

Nesting on the opposite spectrum of the electronic music that many of you are accustomed to, Tycho, led by Scott Hansen, creates art that derives from elements of nature and everyday sounds that blend into this ambient, downtempo form of electronica/post-rock that leaves us breathless. A little less than a month ago, Tycho surprised all of us by dropping a brand new album 'Epoch' (and yes, I may or may not have cried upon hearing it). The last track on the album 'Field' will cover you in chills as it creates this image of literally standing in a field on a Fall day with the sun in your face and crisp, autumn air wrapping itself around you- well, that's what it makes me feel at least.

5) 'Aleph' - Gesaffelstein

Okay honestly, did you really think I could do a spooky/October themed Spotlight Session installment without including one of the most CHILLING tunes to have ever been created? Obviously I had to- and this is one of those moments where the term "old but gold" comes out to play because this timeless tune transfixes us every. single. time.

Exactly three years ago from the 28th (strategically right around Halloween), the Parisian prince of dark beats, Gesaffelstein, shocked us and re-defined music as we know it with 'Aleph,' which sounds like it's sampled from Beethoven's classic 'Moonlight Sonata.' There's just something about this track that gets the spooks going every time, but in the best possible way. Whether it's the chilling yet simple chords or the delicate, angelic "ahhhh" that comes and goes in the background every now and then, this track is indescribably powerful and is one of those rare tracks that can alter your mood and energy.