Soundcloud Selects takes you through our top picks this week from the online platform’s forever-scrolling catalog of remixes, edits, bootlegs, unofficial releases, mixtapes, and more.
This week we welcome Adrián Méndez a.k.a. MΔTΣ to the team to help us track the best of the best from the strange depths of Soundcloud.
Narcoiris - "Vailando Así (KSPTA Mixxx)"
Straight from Mexico City’s ’90s era-themed label Exxxtra Picante comes this piece by a rather unknown project called Narcoiris. Aside from all the sketchiness surrounding this artist and label, what we have here is a rather strong dance floor banger with some strange vocals en español that really give all that serious techno a fun twist. –Adrián Méndez
El Alfa - "No Te Panike"
https://soundcloud.com/alofokemusic2/el-alfa-no-te-panike
@elalfa18
El Alfa’s diss track to El Mayor Clasico is kinda the best work he’s done so far. For someone who got big in dembow with a Power Ranger’s reference for a name, the last thing I thought he’d be doing was beefing with someone who has an equally annoying delivery. Bubloy’s productions also seem to transcend rapper beef, which is a blessing because his tracks are clearly the best in the game. –Marco Gomez
Gabriel Garzón-Montano - "6 8"
@MrGabrieLorenzo
My buddy Marlon Bishop put me on to this artist, describing him to me as “the Colombian Stevie Wonder” (which is probably only because we’d just gone to the Stevie MSG show and it was so good it made us temporarily forget other music exists). I’d say Rhye comparisons are probably more apt — Garzón-Montano shares their stripped down, soulful R&B approach, and this track’s minimalist production lets his cool, languid vocals shine. From the second I heard him croon “Rock me real slowly” I was sold because this song is clearly the sex. –Andrea Gompf
Mumdance - "Take Time, Stand Up (Sines Edit)"
https://soundcloud.com/sines-1/mumdance-take-time-stand-up-sines-edit1
@Freshmore_tx
Happy Grime Revival Fridays, everyone. This edit takes me to peak dance floor feelings while I stream this track in the middle of the afternoon; Sines lays Dizzee Rascal’s “Stand Up Tall” acapella over Mumdance’s old school-reminiscent “Take Time” instrumental to maximize the stripped-down beat. –Sara Skolnick
Venus X & Fatima Al Qadiri - "Superego"
@venusxgg, @fatimaalqadiri
Venus X and Fatima Al Qadiri provided the soundtrack for HBA’s SS Superego collection debut in Paris. The two artists decided to go head-to-head to create a surreal soundscape that incorporates Fatima’s melodic signature sound and original vocals with Venus’ rumbling sample bank of NYC’s underground scene. –Marco Gomez
DJ Lil Generous - "Sadness To Madness"
@tentoesturbo
Being that things move faster than they ever have before thanks to Internet workings, we now get to have Chicago producers releasing material on Mexican juke and footwork-oriented labels more than the other way around. From Veracruz’s very own Ten Toes Turbo label comes this track, a brief, strong piece that’s part of DJ Lil Generous’ (Teklife/TekkDJz) recent New Age EP. It’s dark and moody but quite soulful, definitely the sound of next generation Juke-inspired music. –Adrian Mendez
Gingee - "More Than Gold
@gingeeworld
Gingee is back with a tasteful dancehall-inspired track, and she recorded some original vocals for the occasion. There’s an improvisational, sincere quality to the lyrics, perhaps a product of her live percussion/DJ sets that she holds down across LA. “What you create is worth more than gold,” she says over a meditative beat. Yes indeed, hermana. –Sara Skolnick