illywhacker - Smokin' Aces - 2020

Before we begin!!!

The Smokin' Aces playlist is now available to follow and stream on Spotify, it'll be updated weekly with all the tunes featuring in these blog posts.

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4oV9djxq6DviiZQgroTClE?si=xHHI31N7RXSux1_pEfcTnQ

Entry number 22! This one was delayed as I decided to stop with all of my music tasks last weekend whilst I was celebrating my birthday (30 years old, fuck)! I plan to post a couple of Smokin' Aces blog posts over the next couple of weeks to catch up, as I've fallen behind a little due to various reasons. I'm almost halfway through my planned 48 Smokin' Aces blog posts for this year, the month of December will see me divide and prepare each of the 48 tracks into four separate DJ mixes. For this reason, there won't be any Smokin' Aces blog posts during the month of December, as my efforts will be put into creating and releasing one of the four planned mixes each week of the month.

Anyway, enough waffling, let's get to it!

Last week, I heard the awesome tune 'Tell Me' for the first time in a while, I first discovered this in 2016 and I actually thought it was a tune by deadmau5 at first. This was partly because it was released via the legendary artist's record label, mau5trap, and I thought the 'sound', or, style of the production was similar to that of other deadmau5 records. Upon checking the name of the artist (I had a mau5trap Spotify playlist on at the time, so all these tracks were randomly playing in the background, I only checked the names of the tracks that caught my attention), I realised it was created by someone called No Mana. I was intrigued, so I decided to search out more info and music by the artist.

No Mana (Jordan Orcaz) is an electronic music producer and DJ from Southern California, who subtly blends influences and sounds from genres such as electro, techno and melodic house. I tend to prefer his harder-hitting records, but his melodic house releases are pretty neat too. Tell Me falls into the latter category; this record is driven by the playful and uplifting melody that constantly evolves either side of the main breakdown. The melody is accompanied by the awesome and ridiculously catchy vocal that was, I believe, written and performed by Jessica Ess. It's difficult to find Jessica's credit for this track, however, on the subsequent versions and variations of Tell Me ('Tell Me More' and 'Tell Me Most'), Jessica's name features in both the title and credits.

A quick search on Spotify or YouTube reveals Jordan's versatility and skill at writing and producing music. If you enjoy this production, make sure to check out more of No Mana's music!

You can find Tell Me in the Smokin' Aces Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4oV9djxq6DviiZQgroTClE?si=xHHI31N7RXSux1_pEfcTnQ

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGwDTozj9AY

No Mana - Tell Me