The 13 Best Releases on Jeffree's So Far

In December of 2011, Mad Decent kicked off a new idea: The Jeffrees, an imprint that wasn't about strictly putting out the biggest stars or the bigges

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Complex Original

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In December of 2011, Mad Decent kicked off a new idea: The Jeffrees, an imprint that wasn't about strictly putting out the biggest stars or the biggest sounds. Diplo envisioned it to continue on the Mad Decent ethos, exploring the sounds of the underground when they're hot, not six months down the line, and giving them away for free. In time, they would released Jeffrees compilations (seven as of March 2013), giving these artists the opportunity to get some shine alongside their peers, but really, it's a tool to bring up emerging talent, and it has done well for itself and the EDM scene.

The Jeffrees is the first place many heard Baauer; it's also where UZ got his first proper release. Artists we fall in love with today, from ETC!ETC! and Flosstradamus to Zeds Dead and GTA are all featured on the imprint as well. It captures the sound of now, and has a solid catalog of releases. Which ones were the best? Thart's where we come in! Here are the 13 best releases on The Jeffrees so far...

Sibot - "Magnet Jam"

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Date Released: January 3, 2013

One of the best things about The Jeffrees is that its an outlet for artists you might not be up on; in this case, an African producer with eyes pasted to his shirt and hat, dropping some intergalactic beats like it's no thing. He goes from his own twisted version of trap to a downright funky space jam in "Tronarist." It's an intriguing look, and let's you know that Jeffrees isn't just about trap.

Zeds Dead & Omar LinX - "Victor"

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Date Released: March 19, 2012

Many didn't hear of Zeds Dead until their music with Omar LinX, which blended dubstep and '90s-era hip-hop into an interesting blend. At seven tracks, some worked better than others (particularly "Rude Boy" and "Coffee Break"), but it was great to hear them experiment in sound this way, with an MC that was willing to dive into some tracks that many rappers might not readily spit over.

Gents & Jawns - "Holler"

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Date Released: August 2, 2012

If you ever needed a hint of that moombahton with a hint of that New Orleans bounce, Gents & Jawns had you covered. This one was huge, and inescapable. The fact that Valentino Khan and David Heartbreak each got to flex their production muscles on this single?! Awesome look at the future of the EDM scene - hopefully you hadn't slept on this one!

Doorly ft. Soraya Vivian - "Rush"

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Date Released: November 29, 2012

We're not sure what was better: the fact that Doorly gave a release away to Jeffrees or that it was such a throwback '90s flavored house record. You can't escape those pianos, even if you tried! The best part? It was built like a CD maxi single from the 1990s, with alternate versions being brought out from a number of diverse producers, including a beastly juke version from Lenkemz.

Flosstradamus - "Total Recall"

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Date Released: February 23, 2012

Flosstradamus' entry in the Jeffrees' canon was released not too long after they helped construct the trap foundation with the "Original Don" remix, and was a precusor to the "trapstyle" sound (blending trap beats with hardstyle samples) they would further explore on X. "MOTA" was actually the more deep/experimental of the two, with "UR Life" playing things more straight-forward, with a vocal that screamed "anthem."

Djemba Djemba - "I Just Go"

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Date Released: September 13, 2012

While this single was named for what could technically be considered the b-side, it was the marching drums in "Oh Ok Yeah That's Cool" that had us realizing how much more could be done in the trap sound. There was a focus on rhythm that was more than the simplistic 808 beats we hear six ways to Sunday on your Internets. "I Just Go" was more of an uplifting footwork track bathed in synth washes. A really timeless release.

GTA ft. DJ Funk - "Booty Bounce"

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Date Released: November 8, 2012

GTA are some of the next ones up, and we should've realized that when this DJ Funk-assisted Miami bass banger dropped last Fall. It's called "Booty Bounce" for a few reasons, but mostly because that's what's said throughout the entire track, but it's also what happens when this one drops. Some might forget that this is elecronic DANCE music, and the end result, after stroking chins and writing essays, should be going out on the floor and enjoying yourselves. Right? And for good measure, "Shake Dem" instructs you to shake whatever parts that "Booty Bounce" missed.

DJ Snake - "Bird Machine"

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Date Released: February 21, 2013

This is one of the more recent Jeffrees releases, and yes it's that damn good. "Bird Machine" has made it to the front of plenty of DJ's bins in a short period of time, and the battling drum beats mixed with those birds? Pure trap fun. We were more partial to the huge drop in "Together," and when you realize how ill both of these tracks are, you begin to see why we hold it in such high regard.

UZ - "Trap Sh*t 6/9"

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Date Released: June 21, 2012

For many who were unfamiliar, UZ was the trap sound that emerged last summer. It might have had a lot to do with the fact that no one knew who UZ was, so that mystery might have played a big part in his rise, but he had the infectious trap beats to keep people invested. The first batch of "Trap Shit" installments hadn't been made available in a set, so it was dope to hear him give away these trunk rattlers, via an outlet like Jeffrees no less. Other producers might have surpassed him in what they've done with the sound, but you can't neglect one of the torchbearers of the sound.

Paper Diamond - "Wavesight"

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Date Released: May 3, 2012

Paper Diamond is one of those critical names that, while they don't have a catalog of releases stacked up, they are renowned for the music all the same. This EP dropped in May of 2012 and highlighted the different styles of bass music. Paper Diamond doesn't just start and stop at dubstep, and the electro and moombah leanings on this EP should be proof enough that his is a name you should make a mental note on. Plus, "AirLift" is just a thing of beauty.

Baauer - "Harlem Shake"

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Date Released: May 17, 2012

We hope you knew that Baauer's Billboard Hot 100-topping "Harlem Shake" wasn't the soundtrack of the latest viral craze first, but an introduction for many of the quirky side of trap music. Lion roars, a pair of choice vocal samples, and a bouncy trap aesthetic made this one an instant winner when it dropped in May of 2012. The flipside, "Yaow," is no slouch either; repetitve use of the "yaow" sample be damned, this one has an undeniable knock that many slept on, for obvious reasons.

ETC!ETC! x Brillz x Diplo - "Bueller"

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Date Released: August 23, 2012

This trap rendition of Yello's "Oh Yeah" was bubbling as an unreleased tune from ETC!ETC! and Brillz for a bit, so many of us weren't ready for the full version, which featured both Diplo and Chuck Inglish, who dropped a def 16 over the intro. There was no escaping the drop on this one, as that "Oh Yeah" loop just fit perfectly. "Swoop" is no slouch, either, and the basis of the flack ETC!ETC! and Brillz had with Azealia Banks, but outside of the drama, it's another scorcher that slayed any club it was dropped in.

Diplo ft. Nicky Da B - "Express Yourself"

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Date Released: February 17, 2012

While this one did get released officially on iTunes, it was listed as a Mad Decent/Jeffrees release, and has always been treated as such. Not only did it spawn a tantilizing, rump-shaking video, the litany of #ExpressYourself pics that Diplo got sent became a meme themselves, with ladies trying to find the most impressive ways to hit the "express yourself" stance. The actual track? Raucous piece of dancefloor mayhem, with Diplo visiting the New Orleans "bounce" sound. Nicky Da B on the lyrics helped this immensely.

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