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Tag: Minor Rain

MP3s: Electronic Rays

Electronic Rays

1. “Soul Makossa (Money)” – Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP. Take the summery flirtatiousness of D.R.A.M.’s “Cha Cha” with Lou Bega’s trumpet-filled “Mambo No. 5,” and turn it up five notches on the dopeness meter. It’s a total pull-this-out-nonchalantly-at-a-party-and-immediately-become-the-coolest-person-there tune; the new “Macarena” we have all been waiting for.

2. “Glider” – Greyhat. This track hails from Foreign Family Collective, where radiant Odesza influence gleams through sci-fi glitch, guiding you through a labyrinth of zips, zaps, bings, and bass.

3. “The Gift of Giving” – CDAD. Labeled as dadstep, CDAD places breathtakingly honest lyrics with deep male vocals for a James Blake-vibe that is somehow rawer and heavier, but just as sensual.

4. “Spring” – Calvert. ‘Easy, Breezy, Electronic Pop Cover Girl’ could be the slogan on this track, which is laden with buttery vocals and a catchy, paisley-patterned beat.

5. “Cave Drops” – Minor Rain. A psychedelic experience in the rain forest and this beautifully textured chillstep track go hand-in-hand, or wing-in-wing–whichever takes you as high as Minor Rain has intended.

6. “Pieces” – Yellow Shoots. Of course, we need a trip-hop track somewhere on here, and “Pieces” is it. Smooth groove, easy vocals, and a soaring build from the start give this one a mellow R&B flare.

7. “sore” – elle le fantôme. Twinkling, like metallic rain, and a drudging-along rhythm create a damp, dreamy setting. The gloomy vocals of elle le fantome and her resisting, determined lyrics create a glittery, yet spooky, experience.

8. “The Real” – Hein Cooper. The ice-cold, abstract album art featuring a blurred Cooper perfectly illustrates this melancholy indie electronic track. “The Real” has a classic rock n’ roll appeal to it, making it one of the most versatile on this list.

9. “Queen” – Jon Zott. This is my kind of house music love song: minimalist, clean, and very obviously focused on declaring he’s found “the one,” his queen, this tempting groove. This one’s for the ladies! [Editor’s note: This song is no longer available.]

10. “Play Out” – Zola Blood. Just like the album art, featuring a hot pink blob of what appears to be a rock molting from the inside, “Play Out” drips and dribbles into catchy dreampop. Lyrics like, “I’ll be the left side, if you’ll be the right/I’ll let it bloom and then let it die,” add an emotive dimension to an already gracefully complex electronic track. —Rachel Haney