On Monday, eclectic Berlin-based label Somethinksounds is set to drop a soul-slathered batch of re-edits titled The Love Below #3. The three-track affair will include reworkings from the likes of Seven Davis Jr, REKchampa, and Eliphino, whose contribution to the forthcoming effort is now streaming exclusively on XLR8R. Titled “Lay Me Down,” the track slyly reworks Black Eyed Peas member Will.i.am.‘s 2001 production of the same name, resulting in a sped-up and funked-out re-edit from the former Bubblin’ Up artist.

The London producer’s deep and grooving production was also recently featured in Seven Davis Jr‘s FACT mix, where the fast-rising LA producer/vocalist also recently premiered his soulful addition to The Love Below #3; a seductive rework of Prince’s “So High.”

Before The Love Below #3 12” is officially released on July 14, Eliphino’s suave take on “Lay Me Down” can be heard in full below.

UK pair Mount Kimbie are set to embark on a brief North American tour beginning late next month, and to help spread the word the Warp outfit have dropped off a new mini-mix. Since the release of its sophomore LP, Cold Spring Fault Less Youth, last year, the pair of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos have done some extensive touring, taking their live show (the set-up for which we discussed with the duo in a From Studio to Stage feature) across the globe several times. The pair’s upcoming return to North America will begin at Los Angeles’ FYF festival on August 23, before continuing on to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Toronto. Mount Kimbie’s full list of upcoming North American live dates can be found below, where the group’s new mini-mix is also streaming in full.

1991 – “High Tech Low Life”
Vinyl Williams – “Space Age Utopia”
Martial Solal – “Electrodes”
Derdiyoklar – “Yaz Gazeteci”
Dalkavuk – “Baris K Edit”
Tommy De Chirico – “Flower In The Factory”
Symboter – “Elektronenstimme”
Yolo Fatoush – “Lloyd”

A restlessly prolific musician, composer, and activist (among many other things), Ryuchi Sakamoto has announced that he has been diagnosed with throat cancer, and as a result, will be forced to put all of his professional projects and performances on hold as part of his recovery. Perhaps best known to XLR8R readers for his many collaborative projects alongside Raster-Noton co-head Alva Noto, Fennesz, and Christopher Willits, Sakamoto began his career in 1978 as part of the Yellow Magic Orchestra before going on to lend his talents to a long list of noteworthy projects, not just in the world of electronic music, but also in the realms of pop, soundtracks, and many points in between.

In a statement posted to his website, Sakamoto shared the unfortunate news stating that he has decided to take time off from all of his upcoming engagements—including his role as a director of the Sapporo International Art Festival—in order to concentrate on treatment. The accomplished artist does sound resoundingly optimistic about the future in his letter, asking fans to “Please bare with me while I regain my health. I promise to return after a full recovery.” Sakamoto’s full statement on his diagnosis can be read below.

Underground Resistance affiliate Manuel Gonzales (a.k.a. MGUN) has maintained a busy release schedule in 2014, and he’s now set to return to the burgeoning Berceuse Heroique label in early fall under his own name. The two-track Full Frontal 12″ follows a slew of recent releases from the increasingly prolific Detroit producer for labels such as Kyle Hall’s Wild Oats, The Trilogy Tapes, Semtek’s Don’t Be Afraid, and Third Ear, and features a collaboration with producer Ramon Ramirez. Ahead of its vinyl release this coming September, both tracks can be streamed in full below.

When it comes to crafting melancholic, garage-influenced collages, few artists match the skills of Four Tet (a.k.a. Kieren Hebden), but apart from that, the UK producer has always had a good ear for A&R, having tapped the likes of Anthony Naples, Happa, and Container for remixes. Today, Hebden announced the imminent release of a new record for his Text label, which will feature remixes of tracks from his last album, Beautiful Rewind, by Jay Daniel, Seven Davis Jr., and PhOtOmachine. No previews have surfaced as of yet—the information was shared via Four Tet’s ever-active Twitter account—but the release will reportedly land in vinyl and digital formats next week.

Since debuting on Eglo back in 2010, London-based DJ/producer Funkineven has been a champion of raw, acidic analog jams, with his own Apron imprint serving as a platform for the likes of not only himself, but also Greg Beato, Seven Davis Jr., and Adam Feingold. No stranger to collaboration, given his recent work with Delroy Edwards and as FunkinEvil with Kyle Hall, he’s now teamed up with another hotly tipped Detroit talent, Jay Daniel, whose first release came out on Theo Parrish’s Sound Signature label last year. The pair’s two-track Apron 13 12″ is due out via Apron “sometime soon,” and in the meantime, lead track “Discipline” can be heard in full via the player below. Funkineven’s recent XLR8R podcast can also be streamed and downloaded here.

Earlier this week, the folks at Red Bull Music Academy ended months of speculation and began notifying the thousands of artists who applied for this year’s Academy in Tokyo whether or not they had been accepted. Although more than 6000 artists hoped to get in, only 60 were selected, and today, RBMA unveiled the complete list of this year’s participants to the public. Those chosen represent 34 different countries and a wide variety of musical styles. Some of the names will surely be familiar to regular XLR8R readers, while others may be entirely unknown to everyone except their closest friends. This year’s Academy will take place from October 12 to November 14, and will once again be broken into a pair of two-week sessions with 30 participants each. All 60 participants have been listed below, along with a link where readers can discover more of their music.

Ah! Kosmos (Turkey)

Albino Sound (Japan)

Alejandro Paz (Chile)

Arenov (Kazakhstan)

Bienoise (Italy)

Blinky Bill (Kenya)

Boody (United States)

Bosaina (Egypt)

Brigitte Laverne (Spain)

Cat500 (United States)

Christian Kroupa (Slovenia)

Courtesy (Denmark)

Daniel Limaverde (Brazil)

Deltatron (Peru)

Deradoorian (United States)

Douchka (France)

Ekali (Canada)

Estii / Yale (Australia)

Felix (France)

Haioka (Japan)

Ipek Gorgun (Turkey)

Kadhja Bonet (United States)

King Bruce (South Africa)

Krizzli (Switzerland)

La Mverte (France)

Lafawndah (France)

LAO (Mexico)

Larry Gus (Italy)

Laura J Martin (United Kingdom)

Lewis Cancut (Australia)

Mickey de Grand IV (United States)

Mickey Dripping (United Kingdom)

Mimu Merz (Austria)

MMMOOONNNOOO (Portugal)

Mumdance (United Kingdom)

Never Sol (Czech Republic)

Nightfeelings (United States)

Nischay Parekh (India)

NV (Russia)

Olefonken (Norway)

Ossie (United Kingdom)

Palms Trax (Germany)

Parachute Pulse (United Kingdom)

Plasma Rüby (Argentina)

rj (Germany)

Sapphire Slows (Japan)

Silva (Brazil)

Sonnenberg (Poland)

Summer (Australia)

SUMORAI (Sweden)

Sylas (United Kingdom)

Tollcrane (Pakistan)

Torus (Netherlands)

Uio Loi (United States)

Valesuchi (Chile)

Watercolours (New Zealand)

WIFE (United Kingdom)

Xosar (Germany)

Zebra Katz (United States)

Zopelar (Brazil)

Baltimore club is one of the most singular musical styles to have arrived in the past two decades, and a recent article from Red Bull Music Academy explores how a tiny break in a little-known disco track from 1978 formed “the backbone of a musical movement.” In the article, entitled Sing Sing: A Loop History, author Vivian Host talks with iconic Baltimore producers such as Scottie B, DJ Technics, and Mighty Mark about the emergence of Baltimore club, and its transition into the more driving Jersey Club sound that sprung up in its wake. The full article can be read here, and the track that started it all, Gaz’s “Sing Sing,” can be heard below.