Music to Cruise To (September 2015)
With as much time as we spend driving our cars, whether it be for a leisurely stroll or the hellish work commute, one thing's for certain: we all tune in and listen to something. Passing the time with a podcast, the sweet (simple) sound of an exhaust or whichever Spotify playlist is on deck, I see music as a necessity. As much as I love cars, I'm also a big music lover, always searching for beats and grooves ranging from all sorts of genres. Since I scan through so much music, I thought it'd be good to fill you in on my current playlists/tracks, something I'll update on a bi-weekly basis. Check back often, and if you have suggestions, drop a comment since I'm always looking for more music to keep me preoccupied. September 2015: For fans of hip hop, old school R&B and dance music. N.W.A. - "Straight Outta Compton" (Grasp's 110 ReFunk) "Straight Outta Compton" is extremely nostalgic for me, literally the first album I bought with a parental advisory warning. It was the summer of '88, I was 11 and I'd seen the music videos on "Pump It Up" and read about N.W.A. in different rap magazines - seeing it break the Top 40 charts after all these years thanks to the mega-successful biopic is really cool. I had no idea what I was getting into after convincing the sales guy to let me buy it, except that cassette became something I'd put on repeat for many years to come. This remix of the title track is a few years old but bumps super hard. Crank it up and let the bass kick.
Michael Jackson - "Rock With You" (The Reflex Revision) "Rock With You" is one of those classic jams that needs no introduction. I love this remake for its simplicity; the intro is what really sets the whole track off. Each component builds slowly, you're not even really sure what it is until the guitar comes into play and Michael "hoo!"s. Perfect sunrise or sunset jam to cruise to.
Vanilla - "Sure" Any Al B. Sure fans out there? This cool, little remix is chopped up, a funky number. Head nods are sure to follow. A smooth Al B. breakdown vocal in the middle before it snaps back into remix mode.
Roy Ayers Ubiquity - "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" Sampled many times over, this isn't a new song by any means. But this really struck a chord with me watching the "Straight Outta Compton" biopic, a young Dr. Dre was listening to this in his bedroom without a care in the world. Beautiful and sweet, this should be played often as the summer slowly dips out.
Years & Years - "Desire" (Gryffin Remix) This electropop group from the UK is relatively unknown in the States but Years & Years tracks are often remixed by popular nudisco/house DJs/producers. This upbeat remix is available only on the "We Are Your Friends" motion picture soundtrack, by Gryffin. Though I'm sure it would be wild to hear this at a festival at full volume, it's perfectly fine for jamming out to in the car. Dig these tracks? Hate 'em? Leave suggestions in the comments below!
