Soundclouds of the Underground: New Meets Old Edition

ABOVE: THE WHITE PANDA.

With an infinite number of websites dedicated to hosting tunes for the laptop-wielding masses, music truly lives online. However, the web’s bottomless pit of blogs isn’t the only place to troll for mp3 treasures—some of the newest and most exciting (Internet-friendly) artists can be sought out via Soundcloud, the online stage that allows musicians to promote and distribute music around the world. In this weekly column, Internet sleuth Christopher Klimovski goes into the depths of the music-sharing site.

As we move into the modern age, it seems as though everything new and old is being reworked. Whether it’s the reimagining of a cult film, modernizing outdated technologies, or blending iconic musical artists with modern day counterparts, the world is on the move. By combining the successes of artists past and present, the following music manipulators manage to give classic tracks a new life.

Terry Urban presents FKA Twigs x Notorious B.I.G: “Give Up The Money”

Who: New York-based DJ and producer Terry Urban has performed in clubs around the world, gaining a slew of celebrity fans including LeBron James, Quentin Tarantino, and even ‘Ye. Urban’s diverse musical nature is influenced by the greater world of art and culture, thanks to his background in semi-pro skating, art school, and graffiti. Blending hip-hop, punk, electro, and rock, it makes him a truly versatile artist, bound only by the unreachable limits of creative exploration.

The Song: “Give Up The Money” is so expertly crafted that it doesn’t seem like a mash-up, but rather what the original track would have sounded like if it were released today. Using the skeleton of FKA Twigs’ track  “Give Up,” Urban adds a heavier hip-hop feel with a steady flow that is only broken by the infamous chant: “Fuck bitches, get money.” It’s pure Biggie bliss.

Current Project: Follow Terry Urban on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up to date with his latest drops and monthly performances.  

The White Panda presents Ginuwine x Feki: “Pony Lasts Forever”



Who: The White Panda formed when two friends individually embarked on mash up careers in college. Tom Evans and Dan Griffith formed the group in 2009 with their first single topping the internet radio charts days later. Dominating Hype Machine with 27 number one singles they have released full length albums, toured with the likes of Mac Miller, Mike Posner, Wale, and Ghostland Observatory, and shared the stage with Tiësto, Benny Benassi, Steve Aoki, MGMT, Gym Class Heroes, Dispatch, and more.

Song: “Pony Lasts Forever” takes us back to the golden age of our youth, when we watched music videos on a Saturday morning and the overt sexual innuendos that compose Ginuwine’s song “Pony” went right over our heads. Maintaining the tempo that made the track a sensual dynamo, this modern iteration includes a beat symbolic of 2015 club tracks with electronic drum snares and can only be described as #FutureChill. 

Current Project: Set to play the Firefly Music Festival June 18-21, you can stay up to date with The White Panda’s latest drops and announcements by following them on Twitter or Facebook. 

Wait What presents Sage the Gemini and Iamsu! x Broke For Free: “Gas Spliffs”



Who: San Francisco DJ Wait What quickly gained notoriety with his first mash up release, “Notorious XX,” which mixed the lyrics of Biggie with haunting beats of The xx. Since then, he has toured the world, playing everything from Fashion Week in Toronto to a show in Kigali, Rwanda, where he performed alongside artists like Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, and Taking Back Sunday.

Song: With “Gas Spliffs” we bend the rules a little—the old is Sage the Gemini’s track “Gas Pedal,” and new rests in the idea that the song is taken in a completely opposite direction. With Wait What’s introduction of downtempo, the former filthy twerk-track becomes a chill-out tune, with soft beats and warble keyboard. The lyrics are still totally badass but this is something that is equal parts fuck-shit-up and calm Sunday cruise.

Current Project: Wait What’s newly dropped eight-track EP, i mean i guess (vol2:winter), can be downloaded via his Soundcloud. Also follow him on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date with his latest drops.

Soundclouds of the Underground runs every Thursday. For more, click here.