My Favorite Robot “Dead of the Dance”

Toronto trio My Favorite Robot‘s eponymous imprint is preparing to release the second installment of its Crossing Wires compilation series later this month, a 14-track mix that has been overseen by veteran German producer/DJ Timo Maas, and will feature tracks by the likes of Agoria, Tim Green, My Favorite Robot, and Timo Maas himself, among others. Before Crossing Wires 002 sees its official release on June 23, the My Favorite Robot trio has passed long “Dead of the Dance,” a nostalgically futuristic slab of techno which will appear early on in the mix. Throughout the tune, bursts of brooding synth stabs mingle with organic samples as the quasi-acid bassline and the four-on-the-floor beat chug steadily along. “Dead of the Dance” can be snagged below, while the artwork and full tracklist for the Crossing Wires 002 compilation can be found after the jump.

1. Eric Volta feat. monolitio – Dreams Don`t Turn to Dust
2. My Favorite Robot – Dead of the Dance
3. DJ Sossa feat Kara Square – Consumer W**** (Garbant Wave mix)
4. Discern & Signal Flow – Coarse Language
5. Igor Vicente – Ashes
6. Tim Green – Pleanty of Spiders
7. Martin Buttrich – Bubble Heat
8. Timo Maas – Watching the Robots
9. Villanova – Ola
10. Pezzner – Exit (Sebastian Mullaert Remix)
11. Daniel Stefanik – Edge of Motion
12. Chris Carrier – Wicked Night
13. Timo Maas & Santos – Z Panorama
14. Agoria – For One Hour (Villanova Remix)

Dead of the Dance

Dead of the Dance

Stream Matrixxman’s Upcoming ‘Amulet’ EP In Full

Since arriving last year on the much talked-about Fifth Wall label, Matrixxman has been on a steady rise, with releases for Ultramajic, Unknown to the Unknown, and his own Soo Wavey imprint, which he operates together with production partner Vin Sol. Just this week, the San Francisco-based artist stepped up with a mix for the XLR8R podcast series, and now, days before it’s due to drop on Ghostly imprint Spectral, the DJ/producer has shared a full stream of his latest EP.

Amulet, which was reportedly crafted using an array of vintage Roland gear and officially lands on June 9, can be heard in its entirety below.

Five Minutes at Primavera Sound: John Talabot Talks Disco, Barcelona, and the Joy of Running a Record Label

During the course of Barcelona’s Primavera Sound festival, John Talabot was at the helm of a showcase for his fast-growing Hivern Discs label, which presented a nine-hour stretch of DJ and live sets from the imprint’s inner circle that ultimately stood as one of the weekend’s highlights. (Our full review can be read here). Following his early set in the Bowers & Wilkins + Boiler Room tent on the festival’s closing night, we caught up with the Barcelona DJ/producer to chat for a few minutes about his disco-heavy set, his plans for the Hivern Discs label, and what it’s like to have an event like Primavera in his hometown.

XLR8R: What’s different about playing at a festival that is actually in your hometown?
John Talabot: It’s really nice, because I basically play in a different city in Europe every weekend. A festival like Primavera is very special to me. This festival was the first one that really trusted me with my project. They actually asked me to perform a live show before I had one, and they pushed me to put one together, so the fact that I now have a live show is in many ways because of them. Primavera just always treats me so well and I am always so happy to play here. Primavera is always the weekend I take off—I try to stay in Barcelona and I make sure to tell everyone I don’t want any gigs on the weekend of Primavera.

How long have you been coming to the festival then?
I’ve come for the last eight or nine years I think.

You played quite an eclectic set tonight, with a lot of disco in the first half. Is that where your sets have been headed lately?
No, they had asked me to do a special set. They wanted to make sure tonight was something different. At first, I couldn’t decide between playing electro stuff and disco stuff, then at the end, I ended up playing a lot of the tracks that I always want to play and really enjoy playing, but I don’t get the opportunity as much anymore because I want to focus more on taking people on a mental trip. Right now, I usually don’t get to play as much disco because I feel like it doesn’t fit with the idea I have for my sets and the sort of statement I want to make. Right now, I’m trying to have my sets take people somewhere, which is hard with disco because the mix can’t always be so smooth, sometimes you only have four bars to make the whole mix happen.

Have you always been a disco head?
Yeah, I’ve always enjoyed it. I grew up mixing that stuff—the first records I collected were disco and funk tracks. Then I got really obsessed with classic Chicago house mixes like the Hot Mix Five and those kinds of crews. They were masters of mixing and they had different tricks to each of their mixing styles. I learned a lot from listening to them. For me, they are like gods.

Is this the first time you have done a Hivern Discs showcase at Primavera?
Yeah, this is the first time we’ve done something like this here. It’s really exciting because having the festival be in Barcelona, the label in Barcelona, and with artists that are all over the world but still focused around Barcelona, it’s what I always dreamed of having. When we were starting the label, part of the goal was to create this community based in Barcelona, but with artists that are from around the world.

Other than the emphasis on Barcelona, do you think there is something that strings together the label’s releases?
People ask me about that a lot, and I think the main thing is really just our tastes. We don’t have many restrictions, we just try to make the label interesting. There are some labels that are really focused on one sound, and they release amazing stuff, but there are not too many surprises. For me, part of the fun of running a label is to put out surprises. I like stuff that is really weird but still works, and I think it gives the label a personality. I feel like the label now does have a personality, but one that formed because of the personalities of the artists we’ve released. That’s something I admired about the old-school labels—they had a personality, but it was one that was made because of the artists that were on the label, not because the label was looking for something specific.

Do you have any goals for Hivern Discs moving forward? Is there anything in particular you’d like to accomplish?
We are going to release some full albums for the first time this year, and I am really looking forward to that. We’ve signed some really amazing artists and we are now just figuring out what is the best way to put out their work out. For our releases, we try to help the artists get good artwork and have a full package, so that they can be sure their music is received properly.

Is that what is fun about running a label? Helping these artists complete their creative vision?
I think so. We don’t do management, but we do some things like that, and we try to help the artists be able to go further than just the label. We try not to treat our artists as just producers; we try to get people that have a full concept of what they are doing and then help them see that through.

How do you find artists for the label? Word of mouth?
We actually receive a lot of really incredible stuff, then those lead us somewhere else, then on to another thing… And now we have Daniel [Baughman] who does our A&R and he brings a lot of new ideas to the table. Since he’s been involved for the last year, we’ve received some really great demos and he is a person you can trust—the artists trust him and so do we. At the beginning, it was just me, but I travel so much that I felt like the artists weren’t getting a fast enough response. It’s nice to now have someone who is really focused on that communication with the artists.

How do you find time to listen to music?
Listening to music can be a hard job. Listening to music for playing or selecting things for the label is something I spend a lot of time doing. I spend a lot of energy listening to other people’s music and trying to give them some advice or my genuine opinion or whatever. To write an email about someone else’s music can really take a lot of energy, and sometimes I feel like I’m losing the energy and time I’d put into my own music in order to try to help other artists, but I think it is something I actually can enjoy even more than doing music. When I put out a record and the record really works, it’s an amazing feeling, even more so than putting out my own music. I really enjoy it and I don’t want to stop doing that.

Stream Kevin McPhee’s ‘Boris’ EP for Hypercolour

Canadian producer Kevin McPhee is set to drop his Boris EP next week, a four-track effort of techno-fueled productions for the Hypercolour label. Before the record—McPhee’s first official release of 2014—drops on Monday, the entire EP can now be heard exclusively via XLR8R.

A former XLR8Rpodcast contributor, the Toronto-based McPhee has somewhat quietly built up an impressive discography in recent years, having released his brand of clacking, shuffling house via 3024, [NakedLunch], WNCL, Idle Hands, Brainmath, and Hypercolour’s Hype LTD label. On Boris, McPhee appears to take a few steps towards the techno side of the spectrum, with cuts like the opening “CC – XXX – YY – NNNNN” and closing effort “DD – YYY – ZZ – OOOOO” taking particularly strong-armed paths through intriguing atmospheres and vividly textured rhythms. Set to see its official release on June 9, Kevin McPhee’s forthcoming Boris EP can be streamed in full below.

Hi-Five: Mark Barrott Digs into His Archives and Shares Some of His Favorite Balearic Gems

Earlier this week, Mark Barrott released a new full-length, Sketches from an Island. Recorded in his adopted home of Ibiza—the British producer previously resided in Punta del Este, Uruguay, where he founded his International Feel label—the album compiles tracks from two previous Sketches from an Island EPs, both of which were limited-edition, vinyl-only offerings. Barrott’s music channels the relaxed, sunny spirit of classic Balearic sounds, yet his tracks can’t be boiled to a single genre tag. Simply put, Balearic is something that ultimately boils down to a vibe, and Barrott has proven himself to be something of an expert. As such, we figured that he would be an excellent candidate for our Hi-Five series, and coaxed him into sharing a few of his favorite cuts.

Mark Barrott: The super important thing to always remember about Balearic is that it’s all about the context—you could listen to these pieces in isolation and wonder what the hell is going on, but if you imagine you’re in the Ku Club dancing under the dawn sky as the sun comes up with Alfredo playing everything from ’80s pop to techno to proto-house to nu beat, or listening to Jose Padilla orchestrate the sunset at Café Del Mar… you’ll get the vibe.

Now Now Now “Problem (Enzo Edit)”

When I was halfway through the Sketches album in the early winter, I kind of lost my way a little bit in terms of the story I was trying to tell and how the individual tracks fit into that. I was lucky enough to hook up with Paul Byrne, who runs the Test Pressing blog, and during those conversations and [by listening to] the music he sent me to vibe off, I got back on track. This was the first song on the playlist he sent over. I loved it the moment I heard it. For me, it really defines Balearic at the moment; it’s simple yet complicated in a naive way, with a bit of cheese thrown in.

Andreas Vollenweider “Stella”

This reminds me of when I started International Feel. I’d just moved to Uruguay at the end of their summer (February 2008), and I was driving up and down the Atlantic coast listening to the Quiet Village album. One of my favourite tracks was “Utophia,” which is basically an edit of a Vollenweider track, so although I knew him from a previous life of being a music consultant (the president of Hyatt loved him!), this made me rediscover him all over again in a different context. This particular track is my favorite. I always play it near the start of a sunset DJ set in Ibiza—it’s the perfect scene setter. There’s just enough momentum to pick up the pace as you stare out to sea.

Linda DiFranco “TV Scene”

A pretty famous Balearic classic to those in the know, introduced to me (of course) by Balearic Mike. I wish I could say I first heard it in the late ’80s under the stars played by Alfredo at Amnesia, having dropped pure MDMA for the first time, but in reality, it was on Mike’s signature on the DJ History forum. I always have a massive sense of curiosity, so I checked it out. Of course, as any student of Balearic will tell you, there is nothing more Balearic than good, slightly obscure mittle European pop music—the Linn Drum, the sax, the shoulder pads. Actually, on reading this back, the Alfredo/MDMA story sounds a lot better, so in the true spirit of Tony Wilson (never let the truth get in the way of a good story), let’s all pretend that that’s what happened.

Marvin Franklin with Kimo and the Guys “Kona Winds”

I was out in Venice with DJ Harvey and this actually came on the radio whilst we were sat by the beach having breakfast, looking at the early-morning surfers. I thought it was a cassette he’d brought along to play ‘cos of the amazing spoken intro that just captured the mood, but when I asked him what it was and he said, “I dunno,” I figured out it was the radio and actually rang US directory assistance for the first and last time in my life to get the number of the station to get a track ID. I NEVER EVER EVER get bored of the spoken intro; in fact, last summer I was a little worse for wear in the middle of a DJ set by Es Vedra and I just looped the spoken intro and left it running for 30 mins… it sounded fine to me.

Gigi Masin “Call Me”

The other half of Test Pressing (Dr Rob) sent this to me raving about it and as soon as I heard it, I knew why—it’s the perfect sunset track, as witnessed by the reaction I got when I played it at my first sunset last week. People kept coming up and asking what it was—it’s amazing to think that it was made 20-plus years ago. It’s timeless and glorious and hearing music like this, that achieves such sophistication through simplicity, makes me keep trying harder with my own music. All of you owe it to yourselves to check out Gigi Masin’s new album on Music from Memory. But remember kids, if you can only afford one album this year, Sketches from an Island is the one!

Luke’s Anger “Cotton Mouth”

Luke Sanger has been known to craft tracks under a number of different names, the most prominent of which are Duke Slammer and Luke’s Anger. Sanger’s latter alias is set to release a 12-track LP via the Bonus Round label later this month entitled Show Me Some Lazer (artwork above). To help spread the word, the UK producer has dropped off “Cotton Mouth,” an adventurously strong-armed techno production that wraps note-less sequences and analog FX around the track’s sharp pulse. Set to see an official release on June 23, a preview of the forthcoming Luke’s Anger LP (which will include a collaboration with dub kingpin Lee “Scratch” Perry) can be heard after the jump.

Cotton Mouth

Hear Matthew Herbert Remix Maya Jane Coles

Material from Content, the upcoming 20th anniversary compilation from 2020Vision, continues to surface. Last week, Simian Mobile Disco’s contribution to Content received a full stream, and today the forthcoming collection’s remix of Maya Jane Coles‘ “Senseless” production from accomplished sonic mastermind Matthew Herbert (pictured above) has surfaced. The original “Senseless” appeared on Coles’ Focus Now EP, which naturally saw its release via the 2020Vision label back in 2011. Now in the hands of Herbert, the subtle, vocal-led house tune has been transformed into a more chugging affair, complete with thick organ chords, popcorn melodies, and new layers of textured percussion. The resulting rework can be heard in full below before the Content compilation drops on June 30.

Twins “Love Runs Deep”

Twins is the alias of Matt Weiner, an Atlanta-based producer and former member of the the Featureless Ghost outfit. Dropping next week, Twins’ two-track Love Is a Luxury 12″ will see a joint release via the fledgling Geographic North label and Weiner’s own CGI imprint. Featured here, “Love Runs Deep” is the forthcoming record’s lush a-side. Built around a relaxed, swung procession of hardware rhythms, Twins’ production oozes with rich synth tones—from the initial pulses of filter-swept chords and soft melodies to its rounded bassline and droning pads, “Love Runs Deep” is a synth-obsessed expedition. The patiently expansive 12-minute production can be grabbed below, while Twins’ entire Love Is a Luxury 12″ (officially out, in vinyl form only, on June 9) can be heard after the jump.

Love Runs Deep

Darq E Freaker Shares Grotesque New Video for “Minger”

A few weeks ago, London producer Darq E Freakerannounced news of his “Minger” b/w “Yeah Yeah Yeah (Dun Know)” single for the Glaswegian Numbers label. Now that the two-track offering has seen its official release, the grime-inclined Freaker has shared a twisted new video to accompany the single’s a-side cut. Directed by Sally Sibbet, the piece commences with Freaker following a seductive woman down a dimly lit alleyway that eventually leads to a carnival of unsettling close-ups drenched in crimson. With no distinct narrative or setting, the alarming imagery effectively emulates the track’s skewed and rapid synths, which teeter over a heaving beat. The disturbing, slightly NSFW video for “Minger”—a word one is not advised to use lightly in England—can be watched below.

Chancha via Circuito Streams New Single

A mainstay of Buenos Aries’s increasingly divergent digital cumbia scene and longtime ZZK affiliate Chancha via Circuito (a.k.a. Pedro Canale) has provided a stream of “Coplita,” his upcoming new single for Wonderwheel. Set to drop in digital and 7″ vinyl format on June 17, the soulful single comes in anticipation of a new Chancha via Circuito full-length record, which will be unveiled in September. “Coplita” is a collaboration with singer Miriam Garcia (who also featured on Canale’s acclaimed 2010 Rio Arriba LP and is pictured above, right) and starts off with a marching rhythm built from various types of beaten percussion. The slow, tropical beat then sets the pace for Miriam’s hypnotic crooning, which is accented by dramatic woodwind flourishes.

Details of Chancha’s forthcoming album are yet to be revealed, but in the meantime his “Coplita” single can be streamed via the player below before it sees an official release later this month, with an instrumental version of the tune serving as its b-side counterpart.

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