On this week’s Sunrise Sessions, we discover a rare vocal track that’s heavily seeped in docile Progressive tones as we graciously welcome back an old friend back into the troughs of our great, musical community, Regular time readers of Sunrise Sessions will no doubt remember the tremendous emotional power of the amazing Blood Groove & Kikis duo. Their affinity towards harmonious musicality has captured many hearts with their beautiful, spirited melodies and rich, elegant texture designs. We recently covered their remix to Paul Thomas‘ Sunrise and also have covered them on Sunrise Sessions before with their fantastic remix to Lunarbeam‘s Panic, (which you can explore here: https://www.youredm.com/2014/05/18/sunrise-sessions-lunarbeam-ft-marija-trapkiewicz-panic-blood-groove-kikis-dub-mix-progressive/ ). Earlier this year, the Latvian duo proudly released their debut album entitled Wonderland and its monumental success was only overshadowed by the intensity of their detailed production and hard work. Each track was intricately crafted with love and passion, and many can hear their souls cry out throughout each and every track. Their final track of Wonderland was an unusual collaboration with vocalist Richard J Aarden entitled Afloat, which was chiefly described as, “the most accurate one-word description of the listener’s mood throughout the ‘Wonderland‘ journey.” Now, four months later, a surprising Progressive talent has taken the stage to completely rework Afloat towards a stunning display of overarching thematic artistry.
Gregory Esayan is yet another Progressive artist who has done many great things for the scene over the years, but lately, he has been on a leave of absence trying to figure out his purpose behind the music that he creates. We have all been at those all too familiar crossroads and thankfully, he has returned to the scene in full force with a rejuvenated spirit and stride, and his remix to Afloat is a masterpiece of metaphorical storytelling. It starts off with a crisp, bubbly groove as the collection of lovely Progressive synths, water splashed percussions and flowing vocal clips are all brought together through the mellifluous lead vocals of Richard J Aarden. Uplifting subtleties, such as fluid harp arpeggios, faint bells and an intriguing guitar riff molds the piece into a definitive Ibiza theme that’s perfect for those intimate moments on the beach as the burning sunset begins to fade away. During the breakdown, a flutter of guitars create a gorgeous arrangement of melodies with the assistance of beachside percussions; (such as tambourine and triangle); female vocal cuts and a radio signaled dispatcher that gives the track a more human element towards the entire arrangement. As the caressing, yet punchy percussion pulls back into the fold, the energy intensifies towards a rich and glossy hue that glows with elation and pride of the joys of life, which only increases in intensity with the addition of rejuvenating, upper register melodies.
Gregory Esayan’s remix of Blood Groove & Kikis‘ Afloat will be out tomorrow on Silk Royal via Beatport, so make sure you purchase a copy and support real talent!
Keep the music alive. -Q
On Sunrise Sessions, we find tracks that best exemplifies the chilled, low energy vibes of early Sundays to start your day off on the right foot. We want to show you what many are missing and help you discover an entire ecosystem of music that’s waiting to be explored. Not to be held down by genres, we look into music in a variety of styles, including Progressive, Deep House, Ambient and even tracks that aren’t a part of EDM! Every week, we unfold a wide variety of artists ranging from established, well known names to producers who purely reside in the underground.
