by Rasmus on March 9, 2010 in Remixes
Pantha du Prince – Stick To My Side (Four Tet Version)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
As I’ve talked about before, I saw Pantha du Prince warm up for Animal collective last year. Huddled behind the decks, covered in a black hoodie, he played a set of his own releases that the indie crowd didn’t fully understand. The setting definitely wasn’t the right for melancholic techno, but when he shows up at Dunkel in a couple of weeks, I bet we’ll get a better opportunity to appreciate his music.
Four Tet seems like the opposite. From the first beat of his remix of Stick To My Side the hi-hats kick off the groove and are immediately followed by a relentless arpeggiator line. Where Panda Bear’s vocals were the favourite part of the original, the role they play on Four Tet’s remix is much less important. Like most of Four Tet’s production, this is strictly about the groove, and as long as that groove is solid, we will all come back for more.
Graphic high five via Lark About
by Rasmus on March 8, 2010 in Remixes
Foals – Spanish Sahara (Mount Kimbie Remix) (download)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
If Foals made electronic music, would it be dubstep?
The obvious answer would be ‘no way’. They would of course continue making teens drool, tweens scream, and everybody else nod their head in admiration. If you look at tracks like Hummer and Balloons that theory sounds very plausible. But when they don’t aim for dancefloor explosions, interesting things happen.
When Mount Kimbie remix Foals’ Spanish Sahara, they turn up the underplayed vibe that the new dubstep movement has promoted. It’s not melancholic per se. Like most of Mount Kimbie’s productions, the recipe of dubstep, 8-bit and a somewhat ambient feel is professionally balanced. Philippakis’ vocals bounce off the kick and reverb-infused snare making them sound even more longing than on the original.
I’m not sure that Mount Kimbie makes dubstep, but if Foals decided to give their more melodic tracks an electronic treatment, this is close to what it would sound like.
Graphic high five via UnitedVisualArtists
by Rasmus on March 7, 2010 in Mixes
It’s a bit strange to post an event promo mix the day after the event went down. Although this mix will not make you head to the BBQ night at Poland’s Osrodek nightclub, you’ll most likely still get a decent musical experience. If you had been to Osrodek yesterday, you would have bumped into Mosca behind the decks.
Like with most of the dubstep mixes that pop up each week, I’m not afraid to admit that I don’t know half the tracks in Mosca’s mix. Listening to these mixes, I get the feeling that I need to get a better grip on the UK garage history (suggestions are welcome). On the other hand, the surprises make for an interesting listening experience.
When Levon Vincent’s Double Jointed Sex Freak (Part 3) comes in or Joy Orbison’s So Derobe closes the set (isn’t he in every post and mix on here at the moment?), I can’t help smiling. That being said, I’m happy that half of these songs are new to me. To me, that showcases the strength of this movement where everybody seems to bring their own blend of garage, drum ‘n bass, house, and techno to the table.
Graphic high five via but does it float
by Rasmus on March 5, 2010 in Music
I’m writing a couple of semi-late reviews of the releases that have rocked my headphones recently. If you haven’t become tired of seeing these releases turned into eloquent prose, read on.
It’s rare that you see electronic music with cover art this beautiful, so I want to dedicate the first part of this review to the wonderful cover for Pangaea’s self-title EP on Hessle Audio. I have no idea who made it or how it was made, but I know that this is going straight up on my wall. That is if I can resist the urge to play it.
As it turns out, that may be a tough challenge. I had a soft spot for Pangaea’s productions already, although I had never been fully convinced. With his recent EP, things make much more sense. Hearing a handful of Kevin McAuley’s productions simply makes sense. If you enjoyed Why, you’ll be more than happy with the rest of the tracks.
Because of You and Neurons both stand out as first class examples of industrial infused dubstep, but it’s Sunset Yellow that steals the show. The track, which was also featured on Scuba’s Sub:Stance cd, takes one of Pangaea’s classic beats and slowly builds towards a climatic peak with chopped up female vocals.
While it’s always tempting to relate the combination of dubstep and hollow female vocals to Burial’s productions, the parallel doesn’t work here. Burial’s vocals hold a girlish charm and carry an underlying innocence. There’s nothing of that here. Instead, we’re faced with female desperation screaming at Pangaea’s gloomy backdrop. Wow.
Pangaea – Sunset Yellow
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Pick up the Pangaea EP from Juno and decorate your walls and/or your turntables
by Rasmus on March 3, 2010 in Mixes
I’m writing a couple of semi-late reviews of the releases that have rocked my headphones recently. If you haven’t become tired of seeing these releases turned into eloquent prose, read on.
When Scuba releases a mix named after his Berghain night, you know you’re in for a treat. For many of us, I would imagine that Berghain represents the holy land (whether that is through geographical or bouncer-related issues). So if you don’t feel like joining the Easyjetset just now, this is as close as it gets.
Sub:stance could easily be labeled as the definitive guide to the dubstep explosion of the last year. With a tracklist that consists of major acts like Untold, Joy Orbison, Mount Kimbie, Pangaea and of course Scuba himself, this mix is an excellent introduction what may be the hottest scene around.
Scuba’s mix doesn’t come off as a simple mixtape, however. His mixing makes sure that grabbing the full mix rather than just scooping up the various tracks is your best option. The breakdown Untold’s No-one Likes a Smart-Arse mixed with Scuba’s double tempo You Got Me provides just enough surprise to make both tracks sound fresh. And the stabs on Ramadanman’s forthcoming Tempest with a little extra drums is an equally neat touch.
I wish I had something to put up to give you a hint of what you’re in for. It’s hard, though, both because many of these tracks haven’t dropped yet and because splitting up this mix would (of course) mean that Scuba’s mixing wouldn’t survive. If you would like a slice of Berghain, your best shot is to head to Juno.
Scuba – Sub:Stance (buy from Juno)
Tracklist +
01. Sigha – Light Swells (In a Distant Space)
02. Airhead – Paper Street
03. Sigha – Early Morning lights
04. Pangaea – Sunset Yellow
05. Joy Orbison – The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow
06. Shortstuff – See Ya
07. Untold – No-one Likes a Smart Arse
08. Scuba – You Got Me
09. Surgeon – Klonk pt 4
10. DFRNT – Headspace (Scuba’s secret mix)
11. AQF – Born and Raised (version)
12. Badawi – Anlan 7
13. Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo
14. Mount Kimbie – Maybes (James Blake remix)
15. Sigha – Seeing God
16. Ramadanman – Tempest
17. Instra:mental -Voyeur
18. Sigha – Shapes
19. George Fitzgerald – Don’t You
20. Scuba – Minerals
21. Shackleton – It’s Time For Love
22. Mala – Stand Against War
23. Scuba – Last Stand
24. Joker – Psychedelic Runway
Graphic high five via void()
by Rasmus on March 2, 2010 in Music
You can put a lot in a name. I’ve just realized how fitting the name Floating Points is. Just as the name refers to numbers that are to small or too big to be written out as integers, the music somehow places itself between techno, house, and dubstep without being either.
Like the other Floating Points tracks we’ve enjoyed so far, People’s Potential is an unpredictable amalgam of various ideas. It’s part piano house, part wobbly dubstep, and part thumping techno. The beauty is that just when you think you’ve nailed the style, the piano gets turned up or the bassline twists leaving you wondering how you could be so far off. With a heavy focus on offbeat synths, it’s still undeniably a Floating Points track, though.
Floating Points – People’s Potential
Graphic high five via Greg White and a big hug to As Heard (From Mars)
by Rasmus on February 28, 2010 in Music
When DJ Sprinkles reflectively asked “What is house?”, I began wondering. Although I haven’t been a house music fan for long, I’ve seen enough to have an idea of what house music is. Terre Taemlitz answers his own question by writing off the “greeting card bullshit”, and I have spent a great part of the last year unlearning most of my assumptions about house. If you had played Grosskariert to me a year ago, my reaction would have been “If this is house, I want my money back”.
I don’t want my money back. I’m more than satisfied with the genre I’ve come to know. Listening to the cleverly titled compilation on Permanent Vacation proved that to me. The compilation consists of tracks that may not fit your definition of house, but does that definition matter any more? With the myriad of genres coming to life each week, my answer is no.
On Grosskariert, Jacob Korn creates a patchwork of timbres to showcase his interpretation of house. Korn gives this a feel that’s relaxed enough to work in easygoing settings, and a determination that will inspire some dance moves. Take a journey through the different layers of his house until the synths fade out and leave us with the bare bones of the track. Do you want your money back?
Jacob Korn – Grosskariert
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Pick up If This Is House, I Want My Money Back from Junodownload
Graphic high five via dethjunkie*
by Rasmus on February 26, 2010 in Mixes
I’ve lost track of the many dubstep offsprings by now. I’ve lost track of their influences, their middle grounds, their attempts to breed new genres from well-known genes. I still know one thing, though. They’re one of the most exciting things in music right now.
Nobody symbolizes this evolution better than Martyn. While I have not checked out his Fabric 50 mix yet (and I know I should), I’ve heard enough from him to know that he has reached a god-like level among dubstep, house, and techno fans alike. But what makes Martyn so great? That question is answered brilliantly by his mix for XLR8R.
Genre-crossing mixes leave me cold in most cases. Different interests and ideas clash in an unfortunate way, and tracks either play in full, Loft-style, or get sewn together with little regard to timing and feel. That may work fine if you’re asking for a mixtape, but I’m a big fan of proper mixing. And that’s exactly what Martyn presents. There may be some tough transitions, but when you manage to go from Joy Orbison’s latest jams to Prince’s classics while keeping up the pace, you’ve come a long way. And I haven’t even mentioned the tracks from Washed Out, Jakob Korn or my favourite Motor City Drum Ensemble.
Martyn – XLR8R Podcast 125 (download)
Tracklist +
1 Washed Out – Get Up (Mexican Summer)
2 Lukid – Veto (Werk)
3 King Midas Sound – Lost (Hyperdub)
4 Rotating Assembly – Orchestra Hall (Sound Signature)
5 Anthony Shakir – Shake it Up Dub (Remix) (KMS)
6 Robert Owens – Bring Down the Walls (Trax)
7 Lone – Once in a While (Werk)
8 Jacob Korn – Grosskariert (Permanent Vacation)
9 Joy Orbison – The Shrew Would Have Cushioned the Blow (Actress Remix) (Aus)
10 Prince – When Doves Cry (Warner Bros)
11 Dez Williams – Abandoned Emotions (Cheap)
12 DJ Duke – Future Blast (Music For Your Ears)
13 Glass Domain – Interlock (Clone)
14 Drexciya – Lost Vessel (Tresor)
15 The Future – Daz (Black Melody)
16 Aardvarck – Tulti (Eat Concrete)
17 Motor City Drum Ensemble – Raw Cuts #5 (Faces)
18 Basic Soul Unit – Hopy Unity Vision (New Kanada)
19 Adonis – No Way Back (Trax)
20 K-Alexi – Vertigo (Transmat)
21 J Dilla – Nothing Like This (Stones Throw)
Graphic high five via Anatoly Zenkov
by Rasmus on February 25, 2010 in Mixes
I don’t usually post promo mixes on here, simply because they always carry that “look at us, we’re going somewhere” tag. That may just be my regrettable jealousy shining through, although I think mixing just for the sake of tooting your own horn becomes a little dull. Occasionally, though, people pull it off. I’ve made exceptions before, and now it’s time for another one.
My favourite Finnish act in the history of Finland have now found the time to pack together a dozen of tracks to promote their upcoming gig at Forma.t. I’m talking about Renaissance Man, of course, and they deliver a glimpse of what we can expect from them in this lovely mix. Other than filling it with more fresh and exclusive tracks than your average Brodinski chart, they’ve once again made my mouth water with their solid mixing and excellent sense of timing.
Needless to say that we’ll all be eagerly awaiting the Renaissance Man remixes of Solo (didn’t see that coming) and Crookers (cue jokes about polishing excrements) after spinning this. When listening to these two tracks in the mix, it becomes clear why they manage to make us all wet ourselves time after time. Just when you think they’re about to break into the commercial house sphere, they’ll release a remix that’s weirder, groovier, and more complex than anything you would have imagined.
Renaissance Man – USA Promo Mix (download) (via Forma.t)
Tracklist +
1. Renaissance Man: Babbadabba – Made To Play
2. Siopis: Pesti Nasty – Ntrop
3. Kasper Bjorke: Alcatraz (Zombie Disco Squad Remix) Edit – CDR
4. M.In and Franksen: Drum of the beat – Souvenir
5. Cajmere: Percolator – Cajual
6. Crookers: Hold Up Your Hand (Renaissance Man Remix) – CDR
7. M.A.N.D.Y & Bookashade: Donut – Living The Dream
8. Solo: Afreaka (Renaissance Man Remix) – Deadfish
9. Claude VonStroke feat Bootsy Collins: The Greasy Beat(JPhlip Remix) – Dirtybird
10. Round Table Knights: Drop The Dow – Made To Play
11. Oliver $: I Hope – Made To Play
12. Jody Finch: Jack Your Big Booty – Let’s Pet Puppies
Graphic high five via: jorindevoigt.com
by Rasmus on February 23, 2010 in Music
I don’t know how Hudson Mohawke pulls it off. I mean, no other artists manages to be horribly uncool and remarkably cool at the same time. The recent disco revival provided plenty of moments where the edge between the impossible cool and the very possible cheesy seemed very crowded, but Hudson Mohawke pulls us in both directions while remaining quite enjoyable.
To celebrate his upcoming UK tour (and why am I not surprised this is dubbed “Pegasus Rising”?), Mohawke dropped a couple of gems on the Warp site. It seems that his universe is still themed with hawks, crazy 80s typography-love, and synths for every last penny, so I wasn’t worried about being disappointed. And with good reason. In addition to a Valentine’s mix of corny 90s ballads, Mohawke provides even more camp moments with Freek.
Heaaavy layers of synth coat an over-the-top pop sample, that I somehow wish I knew what was (but after a bit of googling wish I never heard). In the midst of vocoder action to a degree that would make even the Chromeo boys raise their eyebrows and lyrics about waking up horny, he once again manages to make the final mix way cooler than the components.
Hudson Mohawke – Freek (download)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Graphic high five via Colectiva.tv
