Summer is synonymous with jams, those lush, bouncy pop tracks that emerge in June and carry you all the way through August. With summer nearly in full swing, The Feast turned to Mia Moretti to get a primer on this year's freshest crop of tunes.
After working the turntables at New York Fashion Week events, not to mention DJing Chelsea Clinton's wedding last summer, the LA-native turned downtown it girl was named one of Manhattan's top nightlife scene-makers by the New York Times, and since has touched down in SXSW, Cannes and every other jet-setting festival in need of an afterparty DJ. In short, the girl knows a thing or two about reading a crowd and keeping bodies on the dance floor.
From hip hop emcees on the brink to moody Adele re-edits, infectious piano pop to dusted off disco classics, Mia was kind enough to string together a list of 14 tracks that are in heavy rotation during her sets…and should become summertime staples on your iPod. Listen to them at the club, poolside or even while you're behind the wheel this weekend, providing you keep the top down, natch. Enjoy.
Patrick Wolf – The City
"This track hasn't crossed over the pond yet, but the English singer has an infectious voice and the catchy, uplifting pop beats makes it great for summer."
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Midnight Magic – Beam Me Up (Jacques Renault Remix)
"This sultry disco song is perfect for late summer nights…and early mornings."
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Katy Perry – Peacock
"Everyone loves 'Teenage Dream' and 'Firework', but 'Peacock' is my favorite track on the album. Its fun, 90s feel reminds me of neon bikinis, hyper-color tees, hop-scotch and Miami booty-bass. This is a summer tune if I've ever heard one."
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Chilly Gonzalez – Siren Song
"If you don't know Chilly Gonzalez you should check him out on YouTube. It would be unjust to label him a pianist -- he's a cynic, a prodigy, an a**hole and one of my favorite musicians out there right now. A master at what he does, he's able to bring piano into the pop world. If you've never heard an instrumental pop song, download this."
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The Jets - Crush On You
"Because what's summer without a crush?"
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LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change
"Hands down my favorite song of the year; I have this on repeat at my house."
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James Brown - Get Up Offa That Thing
"A classic."
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Les Rita Mitsouko - Andy
"This 1970s French pop song has just enough drama and just enough attitude to keep it relevant forty years after it was produced. If you like the Scissor Sisters, you should definitely try to find some old Les Rita Mitsouko albums."
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Maxine Nightingale - Right Back Where We Started From
"Another oldie but goodie."
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Cerrone - Supernature
"Disco is more popular than ever right now, and Cerrone is the godfather of early French disco."
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Mavis Staples - Eyes On The Prize
Mavis Staples voice is so soulful you will feel these vocals echo throughout your whole body. I wouldn't expect to hear this in a club, but it's a great song to listen to by the pool with a fresh lemonade. Ahh, summer."
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Britney Spears - How I Roll
"Britney's new single is uber pop with a dirty electro beat, but duh, it's Britney, b*tch. (Fun fact-- the male vocals on this track are actually sung by Bonnie McKee, one of the songwriters)."
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Theophilus London - Last Name London
"I love Theophilus! I met Theophilus for the first time at the Diesel fashion show and from that day on I haven't been able to get away from him, he's EVERYWHERE. From SXSW to Cannes Film Festival, Theophilus has been a busy man promoting his album that just dropped in France and is making its U.S. debut any day now. If you don't know him yet, I promise you will know him by the end of summer."
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Adele - Rolling in the Deep (Jamie XX Remix)
"Jamie (of the xx) breaks down this track and gives it a whole new feel, with guest vocalist Childish Gambino adding a quirky play on lyrics (i.e. "you ran back to them bloody ass indie dudes/ James Perse cardigans scuffed up tennis shoes/ wow girl that's what you really wanted huh a Michael Cera knockoff/ I guess I wasn't white enough) you have one of the best re-edits of the season."
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