Hi everybody and welcome back to the Shuffle Button. We’re following our well-worn formula of progressing from softer grooves to harder tracks this week. So, we won’t beat around the bush. We’re just going to jump right in.

Caribou – Can’t Do Without You (Tale of Us & Mano Le Tough Remix)

To start off, we’re digging up a timeless classic. Even though Tale of Us and Mano Le Tough’s remix of “Can’t Do Without You” is a few years old, it’s got the kind of emotion that imprints on your soul. Once the tones and the vocal comes on, it immediately invokes feelings of familiarity. It’s love encapsulated in electronic music.

The remix is by no means a dramatic rework. Tale of Us and Mano Le Tough perfectly capture the rhythm and emotion that Caribou imbued in the original. The remix takes an unstructured feeling and polishes it into a fully formed masterpiece. The bass-line and dreamy elements keep the vibe of the original while enhancing the effects. There’s a reason we’re still playing this song years after its release.

Austin Ato – Song For Mr. Lewis

“Song for Mr. Lewis” is a complicated proposition. When it starts, the listener is immediately thrown into a moving bass-line with bongos and chimes providing the mood. When the rest of the tune comes in, the strings are positively delightful and set you into a relaxed mood that puts you completely at ease.

Then the vocal comes in and it’s a snippet of an inspiring speech by an unknown orator. What follows is a plea to examine the toll that gun violence takes. It implores the listener to take this issue seriously and take action to do what’s necessary to reduce this menace. Just as abruptly as the vocal comes in, it goes out and leaves the listener with some jazz piano.

It’s a jarring composition that snaps the listener in and out of different moods. However, the contrasting elements serve to highlight the effectiveness of each. There’s no denying how mellow and groovy the song is, but it’s also a reminder to stay vigilant in the defense of your principles and values.

Riton feat. Kah-Lo, Mr. Eazi, Davido – Money

This column is starting to descend into much deeper discussions than anyone expects to have while listening to dance music. Where “Song for Mr. Lewis” uses surprise to get its message across, “Money” is a bit more upfront about it. However, much like the previous track, it pairs the message with a sensational instrumental composition.

The Riton and Kah-Lo combination regularly makes hit music. Their collaboration usually results in tracks that have an African/tribal flair that urges you to get on the dance floor and start moving. “Money” also features a dueling vocal that adds another element and gives the track more substance. The debate that Kah-Lo and Mr. Eazi have about how much money is needed to be happy is laced perfectly into the music and provides another facet to the already great Riton produced beat. It’s the catchiest lifestyle debate you’ll ever hear.

Crookers – I’m Not The Same

Crookers is back and he’s bringing a whole new sound. “I’m Not the Same” is not quite fidget, but it’s different than anything out right now. It’s fantastically goofy and spectacularly wacky. Trying to fit this song into a deejay set would be an accomplishment because it has a vibe all its own.

It’s a simple song but it’s one-of-a-kind. If this is the new Crookers sound we can’t wait to hear what comes next.

Magnetude – Snatch

We at RaverRafting are big fans of the kind of jazzy, groovy, and heavy drum and bass that Magnetude throws down on “Snatch”. It brings together sounds that you don’t generally hear but complement each other so well. Usually with this kind of track you trade off some of the heft and aggressiveness in favor of rhythm, but this song maximizes all of the components. The flute, upright bass, and horns contribute to a jazzy sound that is slowly overridden by a heavy bass-line.

A lot of movies use drum and bass songs as the background to chase scenes or intense montages, and you can totally see why. It seems to tell a story. You can almost picture this as the soundtrack to the climactic scene in a heist movie.

CHOOOOOOOON of the Week

Kirk Franklin – Looking for You

Given how many songs that have been featured on this series with some sort of gospel element, it goes without saying that the genre is well liked here. We figured we’d cut out the middle-man and just put up some pure gospel to finish off this week’s addition.

Gospel songs are so uplifting and make you happy from your head down to your toes. No matter what kind of mood you’re in the music makes everything better. If you’re feeling down, it’s hard not to crack a smile when a song like this comes on. And if you’re already happy, look out, you’ll be flying by the end.

Kirk Franklin and Co. absolutely crush it here. They take an classic soul sample and ratchet up the proclamations. If this doesn’t leave you flying high, nothing will.

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