First broadcast live from Berlin in November—following shortly behind the release of his XLR8R Pick’d debut LP, Flatland, via PAN—Objekt‘s most recent Boiler Room session is now available to stream and download in full. Spanning 100 minutes, the set sees the Berlin-based producer/DJ piecing together a disparate array of selections, though the darker and more industrial ends of the electronic spectrum are certainly the focus of much of the mix.
Objekt’s full Boiler Room session (which arrives without an accompanying tracklist) can be streamed below and downloaded here, where a video version of the recording can also be found. Unsurprisingly, an Objekt production was recently selected as one of XLR8R‘s top 50 tracks of 2014, the full list of which can be found here.
Earlier this year, Berlin-based producer Shackleton issued a surprise 12″ via his own Woe to the Septic Heart imprint, the two-track effort’s arrival signaling the beginning of the artist’s Deliverance Series. Now, four months after its launch, the series’ second 12″ has landed. Appearing on the website of Berlin shop Hardwax, Shackleton’s Deliverance Series No. 2 record again features two tracks, which—according to the record shop—sees the adventurous artist “delivering the unexpected, inspired musical goodness.”
Though no word has come as to when Shackleton’s latest slab of vinyl may hit more stores, the record can currently be previewed here, via Hardwax; the artwork and tracklist for the 12″ have also been included below. (via FACT)
How to Dress Well (a.k.a. Tom Krell) has provided the latest entry into LuckyMe‘s advent calendar, for which the Glasgow label and collective is giving away a different track each day leading up to Christmas. Following previous offerings from Hudson Mohawke (remixing Four Tet), Jacques Greene, and Claude Speeed, among others, Krell’s “Tomb for Anatole” was recorded during the sessions that led to his 2012 album Total Loss, but never saw an official release. (From his more recent LP, Krell’s “Repeat Pleasure” single was recently highlighted last week as one of our top 50 tracks of 2014). In keeping with his melancholic, R&B-influenced signature, the track is built around shimmering synths and Krell’s somewhat nostalgic falsetto, and can be streamed and downloaded below, while all the other tracks shared by LuckyMe so far this season can be grabbed for free here.
Panda Bear—the solo project of Animal Collective member Noah Lennox—has unveiled a striking, 3D-animated video for “Boys Latin.” Taken from his forthcoming Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper LP, which arrives midway through January via Domino, the video was directed by Isaiah Saxon and Sean Hellfritsch of San Francisco-based animation studio Encyclopedia Pictura, and reportedly tells the story of a young woman whose hike along a coastal tide pool “turns unreal when her encounter with a sea anemone triggers a phantasmagorical reaction.”
“We tried hard to bring out the vibe of that alternating melody that Noah is singing,” Saxon says. “We wondered what that should look and feel like from a synesthesia perspective. We’ve always believed that shapes and forms themselves have emotional meaning. For example, round things are often cute and non-threatening, while spiky things usually seem dangerous. We ran with that idea by creating these dynamic forms that grow out of our characters as they deal with their emotions.”
Further details of Panda Bear’s forthcoming Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper album can be found here, and the video for “Boys Latin” can be watched below.
Continuing the stream of recorded lectures from Red Bull Music Academy‘s Tokyo edition—which have featured artists like Ben UFO and Robert Hood—a recent session with Eglo co-founder and celebrated UK producer Floating Points (a.k.a. Sam Shepherd) can now be watched in full. Throughout his 90-minute chat with Deviation’s Benji B, Shepherd covers a lot of ground: from early training in classical music and jazz to the influence of London venue Plastic People on his career, the mixer he designed with Isonoe, record collecting, and his recent collaboration with Moroccan Gnawa musicians. For RBMA’s breakdown of all topics covered, head here; otherwise, the lecture can be watched in full below.
Here at XLR8R, we often find that our readers have as much passion for the music they love as they do for learning about the tools and techniques behind it, which is why we aim to provide a steady stream of insight for budding and experienced producers alike with our In the Studio, Artist Tips, and other gear-focused series. That’s also why we’ve elected to close out the second week of our Best of 2014 coverage with a list of the top new pieces of gear to arrive this year. Whether these bits are valued for their innovative approach, jaw-dropping feature sets, impeccable sound, or are just hitting a unique sweet spot somewhere in between, these are the five pieces of production equipment that, for us, stood out above the rest in 2014.
5. Arturia BeatStep Arturia’s BeatStep is a USB MIDI controller that doubles as a hardware step sequencer with both CV and MIDI outputs. What this means, essentially, is that the BeatStep can be used, sans computer, to sequence hardware drum machines and synthesizers. With 16 steps and key, scale, swing, and timing controls, the compact unit is plenty capable of accomplishing a number of tasks; and it certainly helps that the pads are pressure- and velocity-sensitive for when one needs to punch in notes instead. Over the past year, the BeatStep has become increasingly popular with folks throughout the modular community as a portable controller (thanks in particular to its CV output), but whether one’s production set-up is hardware- or software-based, it’s tough not to find a use for this immensely portable piece of kit.
4. Elektron Analog Rytm An Elektron drum synthesizer with MPC-style controls, the Analog Rytm is one of the boutique Swedish company’s most compelling pieces of gear to date. The unit boasts an eight-voice analog/digital sound engine (with digital noise/envelopes/LFO), fused with a 13-track sequencer, which all combines with a multi-mode filter and some impeccable send and master effects, which come finished off with that trademark Elektron crunch. Furthermore, the Analog Rytm’s interface should be pleasantly familiar to anyone that’s previously used Elektron gear (and there are some diehards out there), while the engine has the vibe of an 808 or 909. When you want a drum sound, you load the Machine desired, choose a mode, and all the parameters are instantly at your fingertips. In many ways, it recalls Dave Smith Instruments’ Tempest as an all-in-one machine that just begs to be played and mastered.
3. Moog Sub 37 Moog’s latest monophonic synthesizer is one of its most feature-packed instruments to date. On the surface, it’s familiar, as the hallmark Moog wood paneling bookends the solid metal chassis, upon which rest 37 aftertouch- and velocity-sensitive keys. Particularly unique is its paraphonic Duo Mode, however, which allows the Sub 37 to play two independent pitches (one from each oscillator), both of which are then sent through the juicy Moog 20Hz-20kHz ladder filter. Moog added an arpeggiator here as well, complete with a rate knob, tap tempo button, and a slew of pattern and octave variation options. There’s even a built-in sequencer, which lets one create 64-step sequences without any external gear, and further helps make the Sub37 one of the most playable, feature-rich Moog synthesizers to date.
2. AKAI APC40 MkII Before Ableton’s Push came out—a machine, it’s worth noting, that was also produced by AKAI—the APC 40 was the de facto controller for Ableton Live. While Push certainly changed the game, it is heavy and to a great extent comes with its own built-in workflow. Likely with that in mind, the second incarnation of the APC 40, the APC40 MkII, focuses on portability and live performance. Here, AKAI has transformed the unit’s 5×8 grid from small grey squares to colorful rectangles, with a full RGB color range; this means users can see their clip colors clearly, which makes a big difference in terms of usability (and makes it much easier on the eyes as well). The changes to the APC 40’s form factor have also made it more portable—it’s lighter now, roughly the size of a 17-inch MacBook Pro, and fits into most any bag. A tool more focused on clip launching and modulation than creating new parts from scratch, the APC40 MkII is a machine designed for the live performer, and in its newest incarnation, it’s a controller that seems fit to continue serving as a staple of the electronic music community for the foreseeable future.
1. Roland Aira Series This year, Roland finally released its modern update to the 808, the TR-8, which captures the beloved sound and workflow of the original, but through rather modern means: something the company calls “Analog Circuit Behavior.” Essentially, the TR-8 is a digital drum machine that uses a new software “engine” to recreate analog circuits in 1s and 0s. Not only does the TR-8 largely succeed in capturing the warmth of the original, the unit also emulates some of the natural wear and tear that actual physical circuits acquire over time—the much discussed “character” that makes every 808 out there its own unique instrument. Truly, the TR-8 is designed with simplicity and live performance in mind. The front panel has an intuitive one-knob/one-function sensibility that makes it easy to understand, and that makes the beatmaking workflow fast and addictive. Every control and function is instantly accessible, and it’s all done without fussy screens or menus.
While the TR-8 is the centerpiece of Roland’s Aira line, the series of modules also includes the System-1 synthesizer (which utilizes “Plug-Out” technology, allowing for different synth engines to be loaded for standalone use), the TB-3 bassline composer, and the VT-3 voice transformer. The machines are all smartly designed to work in concert with one another, and stacking a few of them together makes for even more exciting sonic possibilities. In the end, the Aira series may not have been exactly what analog purists or dogmatic gear heads were hoping for, but for those open minded enough to see the potential in these compact (and considerably affordable) units, the Aira line of gear was a welcome step forward for Roland.
XLR8R’s Best of 2014 coverage will continue throughout the next few weeks, so check back each day for additional year-end round-ups. In the meantime, don’t forget to take a look at the other Best of 2014 pieces we’ve posted already:
Throughout the week, a whole lot of material gets posted here on XLR8R. And while we know—and love—that some hardcore readers will eagerly pour over every single news story, interview, podcast, video, and MP3 download that appears on the site, we also realize that for most people, it’s impossible to see everything, which means that some quality XLR8R content is likely to get missed in the hustle and bustle of everyone’s daily lives. In the interest of making it easier for everyone to catch up, every Friday we present The Lowdown, a weekly wrap-up of the top 10 tidbits from our site.
1. Without question, our Best of 2014 series dominated the site this week, and our list of the year’s top 25 tracks was by far the most popular installment.
2. Not surprisingly, the first half of our tracks list, which counted down from #50 to #26, also garnered plenty of attention.
3. Caribou (pictured above) shared a remix of Our Love album cut “Your Love Will Set You Free” by Detroit techno stalwart Carl Craig.
4. Prolific synth obsessive Legowelt kicked off the week by offering up a surprise ambient LP, which he colorfully described as “not just some jumbled up random chiliwave overcompressed 80s retro soggy biscuit jerkoff.”
7. Ghostly International and Adult Swim announced the impending release of a second Ghostly Swim compilation, which will feature music from Shigeto, Dauwd, Anenon, and many more.
8. LA beatmaker Shlohmo shared the news that he had signed with Brooklyn’s True Panther label. He also posted a stream of a new track and announced a spring North American tour.
9. Our Best of 2014 series is also going to include a Readers Poll, so we’ve put out a call each day asking the members of our audience to cast their vote.
10. UK producer Floating Points announced his plans to start a new reissue label focused on classic soul, disco, and boogie records that have become “anthems” at his You’re A Melody nights at London’s Plastic People.
An expanded version of the The Lowdown is also available via a weekly email newsletter. Those interested in an even more in-depth round-up of XLR8R content should sign up by entering their email address below.
While in Berlin earlier this week—before heading on his way to Bolgona, Italy and Kiev, Ukraine—Stateside producer (and former XLR8R podcast contributor) Huerco S. stopped by Berlin Community Radio to helm the airwaves for a few hours. Invited to provide the audio for the station’s regular Welcome to the Room show, Huerco S. used the opportunity to cover a wide swath of electronic sounds, beginning with some rich ambient selections from the likes of Gas and others, before moving on to include bits of jazzy house, hiss-lined techno, percussion-fueled dancefloor workouts, and many points in between. Initially aired on Wednesday, December 10, Huerco S.’ full session for Welcome to the Room can be streamed in its entirety below.
Having already sung the praises of Roland‘s TR-8 rhythm machine (and the rest of the Aira line, for that matter) in XLR8R’s Best of 2014: Gear round-up earlier today, word has now come that the company will soon release an expansion pack for the unit including samples from its heralded TR-707 and TR-727 drum machines. Deemed the 7X7-TR8 Drum Machine Expansion pack, the collection will allow TR-8 users access to every single sound contained in the ’80s-era drum machines, which will come “faithfully reproduced using the original PCM wave data and detailed models of the original circuitry.” Furthermore, the expansion will also contain a number of “newly modified TR-909 kick and snare sounds with enhanced attack characteristics,” as well as a handful of new TR-808 sounds including “Noise Toms, Noise Clap, and Finger Snaps.”
The 7X7-TR8 Drum Machine Expansion will officially become available on December 19 with a price tag of $95. In the meantime, the videos below give some insight into the creation of and technology behind the expansion pack, and also give those interested a chance to see/hear it in action; more info on the upcoming sample collection (which, we should point out, is specific to the TR-8 and can not be used with any other hardware/software devices) can be found here.
Yesterday saw California producer Vin Sol reveal plans to issue his Off the Chain EP via Clone Jack for Daze, and now news of another forthcoming effort from the label has arrived, with the prolific DJ Haus also set to land with an EP of his own on the imprint early next year. The upcoming Helta Skelta EP appears set to continue what has been an extremely productive run for DJ Haus over the past 12 months, seeing him issue a number of records via his own Unknown to the Unknown label (and its various offshoots) throughout 2014, and most recently dropping the Peekaboo EP via Crème Organization earlier this month (and also sharing a video for the record’s title track earlier this week).
Set to arrive early next year (most likely in January), DJ Haus’ latest outing can be previewed below before it kicks off what we imagine will be an equally busy 2015 release schedule for the London-based producer.
