UK imprint Modern Love has announced an ambitious upcoming tour, which will feature a trio of longstanding label affiliates in multiple configurations: Andy Stott is set to appear both solo and as Millie & Andrea with Miles Whittaker, who will also perform as one half of Demdike Stare (pictured above). Throughout September, the artists will play 10 dates in only 11 days, kicking off in Detroit at the Museum of Contemporary Art and winding up at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in LA. Since 2005, both Stott and Demdike Stare have maintained almost entirely monogamous relationships with the label, with Stott racking up an impressive 19 releases (including 2012’s celebrated long-player Luxury Problems) and Demdike Stare having accumulated six full albums and a number of 12″s, while Millie & Andrea’s debut album Drop the Vowels premiered on the outpost in March. All dates scheduled for the forthcoming Modern Love tour can be found below.
Sep 17Detroit – Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MoCAD) Sep 18Toronto – Adelaide Hall Sep 19New York – Output Sep 20Miami – The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse Sep 21Chicago – Thalia Hall Sep 23Austin – The North Door Sep 24Kenyon College – Horn Gallery Sep 25Seattle – Decibel Festival Sep 26San Francisco – 1015 Folsom Sep 27Los Angeles – Hollywood Forever Cemetery
UK innovator Untold (a.k.a. Jack Dunning) is set to release a surprise album in August via his own Hemlock label. The forthcoming Echo in the Valley LP, which comes just a few months after his excellent debut full-length, Black Light Spiral, is being packaged as a limited-edition wooden USB key, which, according to Boomkat, contains the WAV files for “a cryptic suite of modular extractions” and arrives in a “hand-finished box, oil stamped, tied with leather rope, lined with hand-cut Welsh slate.” While the online retailer has already sold out of the 100 keys initially put on offer, the album will also see release as a mix available for free download, as reported by Resident Advisor. Both formats are slated for official release on August 11, with clips available to stream here. A tracklist has been included below, along with album artwork and an image of the USB key.
UPDATE: The mixtape version of Echo in the Valley is now available for free download here, while the USB Box set—which contains separated WAV files of each track—is still available for purchase here.
01. The Miller 02. The Maze 03. The Messenger 04. The Pageant 05. The Guard 06. The Idler 07. The Innkeeper 08. The Curse 09. The Gargoyle 10. The Water Carrier
DJ Harvey (a.k.a. Harvey Bassett) has long been known for his eccentricity. The British DJ—who now lives as an expat in Los Angeles—has spent the better part of the past 20 years developing a reputation as one of the world’s finest and most eclectic selectors. Although he’s often associated with the disco revival of the late ’90s and early ’00s and is usually celebrated for his disco edits and ecstatic late-night Balearic moments, Bassett has also always had another side that’s rooted in the rootsier end of ’70s rock. Wildest Dreams, his new rock outfit, is the latest manifestation of that fixation, and the group’s self-titled debut, which was released late last month by Smalltown Supersound, is a raucous trip through ripping guitar riffs and Led Zeppelin-style drums. Prior to a recent run of gigs in Europe, Bassett was able to take some time out to answer 20 questions for XLR8R about his favorite rock bands, his favorite places to dig for records, and his thoughts on the meaning of life.
1. Where were you born? Middlesex Hospital in central London, recently knocked down and now the Euro-tunnel rail link.
2. How and when did you decide to become a DJ? I fell into it really. I was always a music fan and musician so, yeah, I just fell into it. I take it seriously. I approach those decks and effects and gadgets like an instrument, however corny that may sound.
3. How do you feel you’ve changed since your days with Tonka? In general, human cells regenerate every seven years. I’m probably a good four different people since this time.
4. What was the first Italo disco record you ever purchased? I wish I could remember.
5. A lot of your musical projects—Wildest Dreams included—have been more rock and vocally oriented. What is it about this sound that inspires you? As a child I was deeply moved by my mother’s rock ‘n’ roll collection. This vibration has echoed in my soul to the present day. I make the music I want to hear, really.
6. What is your favorite British rock band and why? Jimi Hendrix Experience. While Jimi was American, The Experience was put together in the UK, but otherwise Cream too.
7. Considering the raciness of Map of Africa, is there any hidden meaning behind the name Wildest Dreams? None whatsoever, haha. The project had a couple of names and incarnations. My manager and I came up with this. It comes from the saying “beyond your wildest dreams,” and in all honesty, everything that’s happening with it, it lives up to that name.
8. What’s been the biggest difference between playing at your underground Sarcastic Disco parties in LA and on tour? I give it my all everywhere I play. [At] my own parties I play longer, so I get to explore a little more, but the same amount of thought and pre-thinking goes into it every time. I always say, “It may look like I’m sitting on the couch doing nothing right now, but I’m in a deep state of contemplation and consideration,” and I am.
9. Your DJ mixes have always been very thematic. How do you go about planning them out? There’s always some conceptual foundation to my pre-recorded mixes, although I always do them in one take—if there’s a mistake in there, it stays. And although my DJ Harvey recordings have been exploited (some are not even me), I am thinking it’s time to do some more in the future.
10. Where is your favorite place to dig for records at the moment? eBay, Red Light in Amsterdam, and Mount Analog in LA.
11. What is one thing about Los Angeles you enjoy that most people don’t know about? I would say LA in general is America’s best kept secret. It’s a very insider city, everything is changing. You have one last chance to eat at La Fiesta Brava on Rose, a fantastic little family restaurant that will no longer be with us at the end of the year perhaps.
12. What new band or DJ do you think deserves more attention and why? You know we’ve started curating line-ups: Lovebox last year—which was f-ing fantastic—this year’s Bestival with Eric Duncan, The Pachanga Boys, Hugo Capablanca, and Daniel Avery. I’m currently planning another mini-tour thing that is as yet unannounced, and really my taste is reflected in these line-ups. I want to go bigger and curate something that goes all day and night and into band territory too. Wildest Dreams will tour, and I plan to make it quite the happening.
13. Where is your favorite surf spot and why? Asking a surfer his favorite surf spot is kind of like Shazaming the DJ’s rarest record, but that said, I’m really lucky and have a decent break that’s a five-minute walk from my place in Venice.
14. What was the last movie you saw and liked? I really enjoyed Beware of Mr. Baker.
15. What do you like to do in your downtime? I spend an insane amount of time on eBay; that, cooking, eating, and surfing. I have great friends, and I love to hang out with them in my downtime as much as possible.
16. How do you choose the first song of your DJ sets? The first song of my DJ set is usually determined by the last song of the DJ before me, it’s really on the fly. I just make sure I have a lot to pull from.
17. How do you go about packing your record bag? Impossible to answer, but good luggage is key. I still carry a lot of vinyl around and my excess baggage fees always kill me.
18. But really though, what was that one again, Harv? Haha, right. Half the time I can’t remember myself. It’s the blue one with yellow writing that I found in Italy, or it’s the one I found on eBay that I’m not telling anyone the name of.
19. What is the meaning of life? Life has no meaning except what you place on it. Existence doesn’t give a fuck, it’s all about the journey, not the destination.
20. What will you do after answering these questions? I’m about to get on a plane to go play Dekmantel, then Brussels, and then Ireland. I haven’t been to Ireland for years, and I really can’t wait. These are a nice couple of shows, I’m excited.
The initial announcement of Berlin DJ Ryan Elliott‘s upcoming contribution to Ostgut Ton‘s well-regarded Panorama Bar mix series came with few details except for the label’s plan to release all forthcoming mix albums as free digital downloads. Now, after sharing news of two 12″s of tracks exclusive to Elliott’s Panorama Bar 06, full details of the upcoming mix album have at last arrived. With the new details, we’ve learned that Elliott has pieced together 35 tracks for the mix, including contributions from Head High (a.k.a. Shed), Roman Flügel, Marcel Dettmann, Mr. G, Tuff City Kids, Terrence Dixon, and Genius of Time.
(UPDATE: The full mix is now available as a free WAV format download from Ostgut Ton’s website and SoundCloud.)
As Resident Advisor reports, Elliott had very specific aims for the mix, telling the site, “The most important thing to me was that the mix actually sound like a night at the club, and that it would contain tracks that I’ve played in the club many times,” before adding that the new digital format allowed him to “make the mix as long as it should be, without thinking about time limitations.” Before it lands next week, the full tracklist for Elliott’s free-to-download Panorama Bar 06 mix album can be found below.
01. Portable – Shadowdancing (Dancecapella) 02. Newworldaquarium – Thousand Oaks 03. Tuff City Kids – Breacher 04. Daniel Jacques – End Of My World 05. JT Donaldson – Mindsmoke 06. Norm Talley – More Powder 07. It’s Not Over – Late At Night (VIP Mix) 08. Different Noodles – Banana Resort 09. Alex Falk – BF 10. Makam – Girls Night 11. Octave One – Track 3 12. James Duncan – Shades Of House (A2) 13. Wincent Kunth – Re Entry 14. A Sagittariun – Conquering Lions 15. Deadbeat – Whoa! 16. Hard House Banton – Reign 17. K-HAND – Clap Yo Hands 18. Groove Chronicles – Your Power’s Taking Over 19. Head High – Power Seat 20. Taka Boom featuring Chaka Khan – Groove Like That 21. Mr. Tophat & Art Alfie – House Music 22. Mr G – Womb 23. eLBee BaD – Don’t Wanna Lose Ya Love 24. Bluelite – Enlite 25. Will Azada – Pump That Shit 26. Tronic Pulse – Hit That 27. Heiko Laux – The Bridge 28. Roman Flügel – The Odd Lobster 29. G. Marcell – Breathe (Exhale Mix) 30. Borrowed Identity – Leave Me 31. The Oliverwho Factory – Take It Slow 32. Genius Of Time – Tuffa Trummor Med Röst 33. Nick Höppner – Track For Eb 34. Terrence Dixon – Innocence 35. Marcel Dettmann – Light
Shortly after the release his latest EP, The Machine, Huxley has shared further details for his debut album, which arrives via the Aus and !K7 labels in October. The London-based producer born Michael Dodman—who is a former XLR8R podcast contributor—has long stood at the head of the UK garage-influenced house scene, with EPs for imprints such as Hypercolour, Tsuba, and 2020 Vision. His upcoming Blurred LP reportedly stands somewhat apart from the style of his previous releases, and will feature original vocal performances from Gorgon City collaborator Yasmin, Thomas Gandey, FEMME (a.k.a. Laura Bettinson, a vocalist in Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich’s group, Ultraísta), and more.
Blurred is officially due out on October 20, with a preceding single, “Give 2 U (ft FEMME)” due to drop on October 4. Both artwork and a full tracklist can be found below, as can upcoming tour dates scheduled throughout the US and Europe.
01 I Want You 02 Barne Dance 03 Give 2 U (ft FEMME) 04 MXR 05 Road Runner (ft Obenewa) 06 Reassign 07 Say My Name (ft Yasmin) Wayfarer 08 Wayfarer 09 Broken Dreams 10 Cakewalk 11 Callin’ 12 Never Easy (ft Thomas Gandey)
UK: September 19th: TBA, Manchester September 20th: Fez Club, Sheffield September 26th: Rainbow Warehouse, Birmingham September 27th: Brickworks, Nottingham October 3rd: The Forum, Aberdeen October 10th: In:Motion, Bristol October 10th: Solus, Cardiff October 11th: Cosmic Ballroom, Newcastle October 11th: Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh October 17th: 02 Academy, Oxford October 23rd: Mint Club, Leeds October 24th: Fabric, London October 25th: Concorde 2, Brighton October 31st: The Warehouse, Southampton
USA: November 1st: TBA, LA November 4th: Bardot, Miami November 5th: Grasshopper Lounge, Detroit November 6th: TBA November 7th: Coda, Toronto November 8th: TBA
Stryker Matthews is a burgeoning London-based talent who is set to explore a range of bass-focused, club-music hybrids on his upcoming Shook EP, his first effort for New York’s fledgling Doom Dab imprint. Ahead of the release, Matthews has passed along “Sticks,” an active production which shifts through rhythmic patterns—chopped breaks, stuttering hats, and tuned snares help the track briskly glide through its three-plus-minute run, led by a sneaky flute melody and airy vocal cuts. Out next week, Matthews’ Shook EP can be previewed after the jump.
Nathan Fake and Wesley Matsell have announced a joint label venture, Cambria Instruments, which launches today with a split single from the two founders. A longstanding affiliate of James Holden’s Border Community, Fake has been issuing off-kilter, melodic dance music via the label since 2003, which also oversaw the release of Matsell’s Total Order of Being 12″ earlier this year. According to Resident Advisor, Cambria Instruments is named for the he ancient English/Latin word for Wales, Matsell’s home country, and was inspired by Fake’s interest in British history. The debut Cambria01 release (artwork above) includes a track from both producers, which reportedly offer “new esoteric melodies and textures previously unheard from both artists,” and can be streamed in full via RA.
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. Last weekend, XLR8R went to Amsterdam for the second annual Dekmantel festival (pictured above), and our official review documented how this year’s go-round was just as good, if not better, than the excellent first edition.
2. On a sadder note, it was reported that the autopsy of the late DJ Rashad confirmed that his death was caused by an accidental drug overdose.
3. The first installment of our new Ask the Experts series debuted this week, and featured Modeselektor answering readers’ production and studio questions.
4. The latest XLR8R podcast was an exclusive mix put together by Skull Disco alum and UK bass veteran Appleblim.
5. Barcelona’s John Talabot shared a recording of his set from this year’s Melt! festival, which found him taking things in a surprisingly techno direction.
6. The top tune in our Downloads section this week was a remix of Mr. Flash’s “Midnight Blue” by UK producer Jon Convex.
7. Fresh off the release of his new Kuang EP and with a new LP on the way, Lee Gamble debuted a stark new video for EP cut “Mimas Skank.”
8. Akai unveiled the the AMX and the AFX, two compact controllers designed for use with Serato DJ.
9. Ahead of the LP’s release next week, a stream of FKA Twigs’ LP1 was shared online.
10. Rising LA producer Aerial popped up in our Downloads section, offering the precise “Strut” as a free giveaway.
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.
Longstanding LA-based producer and Palette label head John Tejada will add to his extensive discography with three sharp new cuts on the upcoming Times Like This 12″. Set to see a release via Berlin’s Slices of Life label, the forthcoming effort is said to show off Tejada’s “high-level production skills” across three tracks infused with “driving energy and an occasional wink of humor.”
The Los Angeles mainstay’s Times Like This 12″ sees its official release on September 1, but before then, can be previewed using the player below.
Released in June via Kompakt, Maceo Plex‘s “Conjure Superstar” was intended in part to question the hype cycle of superstar DJ culture, and to ask what becomes of one’s musical integrity as they ascend the ranks. Now, the US-born, Barcelona-based producer has revealed a new video for the track that similarly reflects upon the underbelly of electronic music’s party culture. With some explicit drug use, and brief bits of nudity and violence included throughout, the clip follows the pursuits of an iPhone thief, a hack DJ, and a few other partygoers as they make their way through a raucous evening. The full NSFW video for Maceo Plex’s “Conjure Superstar” can be watched below.
