Night Slugs co-head L-Vis 1990 has taken it upon himself to retool Steps Ahead’s 1984 composition “Radio Active,” and is now offering the resulting edit as a free download. For the most part, L-Vis 1990’s “Club Edit” of the tune reinforces what was already there, adding bits of modern percussion and a thickened bassline to the track while sharpening the original’s sax solos and quirky synth tones.
L-Vis 1990’s edit of of his self-proclaimed “jazz heroes,” Steps Ahead, can be streamed and downloaded via the player below.
Last month, NYC transplant Bobby B (a.k.a. Bobby Browser) announced his forthcoming History / So True EP, a four-track record which is set to include a rework from Barcelona staple John Talabot. Now, Bobby B’s “So True” and Talabot’s accompanying remix are streaming in full. Where Bobby B’s original is a soulful, shuffling tune smeared with loose Rhodes chords, Talabot’s remix extends the track into a more synth-led voyage, locking into hypnotic rhythms that build alongside bright arpeggios and subtly swelling melodies.
Before the History / So True EP sees a release via the SF-based Icee Hot imprint (which, we should point out, is co-run by XLR8R editor Shawn Reynaldo) later this month, Bobby B’s “So True” and John Talabot’s elongated “Espiral Mix” of the track can both be streamed in full below.
Ran by Vancouver producer Michael Red (whose contribution to King Deluxe’s 2999 project appeared on XLR8R earlier this week), the Low Indigo label has been operating for just over a year now. For the label’s upcoming fifth release, Red has decided to revisit the fledgling imprint’s catalog, enlisting a handful of remixers to take on tracks from OKPK, Kline, and himself in the process. One such remixer is 8prn (a.k.a. fellow Vancouver producer Project Pablo), who morphs Red’s slow and dramatic “Top” into a more head-nod-worthy production, wrapping a new low-end bounce and layers of bright chords to the otherwise airy track. 8prn’s remix will be joined by others from Beamhead, Self Evident, and OKPK when the Low Indigo label’s first remix EP drops on May 22.
After launching his own R3 (a.k.a. Roland Rocha Records) label last month, techno mainstay Rolando has unveiled details of his upcoming second EP for the new imprint. Titled the Wheesht EP, the two-track effort finds the former Underground Resistance member constructing two solid techno workouts, with a-side “Wheesht” lacing a set of swelling resonant chords with a heavy-handed stomp, while flipside “Untold” focuses on hi-fi rhythms and airy FX to make for an efficient DJ tool. Both new productions from Rolando can be previewed below before the Wheesht EP officially drops on May 26.
Next week, South London Ordnance will issue the Contact EP, his second release in what’s shaping up to be a busy 2014 for the UK producer. The four-track effort also finds him returning to Scuba’s Hotflush label, which was responsible for last year’s “Revolver” b/w “Transmission Funk” 12″. However, beyond that, it’s hard to say much more about the current state of South London Ordnance. He’s clearly a talented artist, and one who colors his techno-leaning creations with dark and driving tones, but he’s also someone that generally prefers to let the music do the talking, even when it’s seeing the light of day via his own Aery Metals imprint. In an effort to dig deeper, we invited the London producer to put together the latest edition of our Hi-Five series, and his response was, well, interesting, to say the least. Most artists use Hi-Five as an opportunity to highlight some of their favorite tunes, but South London Ordnance’s mind went to advertising; specifically, he compiled a list showcasing some of his favorite syncs. (For those unfamiliar with the term, a “sync” is when a song is licensed for use in a commercial, movie, television show, videogame, etc.) It’s an unusual direction, but when one considers the increasingly central role of licensing within the music industry’s many mechanizations, South London Ordnance’s choice of topic is actually quite timely.
Pirelli Tires: Caustic Window (a.k.a. Aphex Twin) “Garden of Linmiri”
Absolute classic—Pirelli collars Richard James for “Garden of Linmiri,” released under his Caustic Window alias in ’93. Carl Lewis pelts it round a track before performing various messianic feats, including running on water and then vertically up the Statue of Liberty. Towards the close of the advert, Lewis lifts his sole, revealing the metallic tread that has allowed him to do all this—a nice parallel to AFX’s own work with the machines that helped provide the soundtrack.
Classic BOC, released in 2000 as part of the In a Beautiful Place out in the Country EP. By no means a personal fave, but it certainly bears all the hallmarks of the Scottish duo’s most popular work—shuffling, crushed percs, woozy synth lines, and so forth. The ad itself features a slightly nerve-wracking premise, as a woman prepares to dive head first into a swimming pool with no water in it. It contrasts well with the Sandison brothers’ downtempo lope, which I assume is the idea.
I’m not a massive fan of this track personally, though the NSPCC advert is undeniably very powerful. Eno’s work is obviously always going to be fertile ground for sync biz really, so it’s no surprise this particular track alone has featured in a load of adverts. It’s also important to note that the YouTube is also home to some of the most heart-wrenchingly emotive comments, including, “Why does this song reduce me to tears every time I listen to it. So, beautiful it’s sad,” “Miss you dad!,?” and “This song reminds me of my first blowjob.”
Vauxhaul Corsa: Leftfield “Black Flute”
I feel bad. I can’t find the link for this [advert], but I promise it’s out there—it’s just evading me today. Obviously, this isn’t the most famous Leftfield sync—Guinness had “Phat Planet” off Rhythm and Stealth soundtrack its “Surfer” advert to great effect, but I’m not a massive fan of that one, so we’ll go with “Black Flute,” which is a decent track.
I’m cheating slightly here. It’s obviously not an advert, but I make no apologies. Seminal game, seminal soundtrack—I could have picked anything off the Wipeout 2097 OST, but this is genuinely one of my favorite tracks. Pure apocalyptic breaks.
Polet‘s upcoming La Vie D’une Autre will mark a lot of firsts when it drops on June 20. The three-track affair will inaugurate the Plex! label while also serving as the debut of Polet, a new undertaking by Basque Country producer Sanchesqui. To preview his upcoming release, Polet has sent along EP cut “Soma,” a fun-loving, organ-fueled house track that takes shape as a welcome reminder that with summer coming ever closer, there are plenty of sun-filled dance parties ahead.
A producer who concerns himself with the many derivatives of juke and footwork, Oslo’s Slick Shoota will drop his Keep Bussin’ EP next week—a hard-hitting six-track affair which includes remixes from Om Unit and Addison Groove and can be streamed in full now exclusively via XLR8R.
Slated to drop on May 19 via Druid Cloak‘s Apothecary Compositions imprint, Keep Bussin’ finds Slick Shoota incorporating a number of hyper-speed rhythms into his productions , wrapping his precise drum programming in sleek chords and efficient layers of fine-tuned FX. Joining the Norwegian craftsman’s four full-bodied originals are a pair of remixes from dependable UK producers Om Unit and Addison Groove who each find inventive ways to put their own stamp on the proceedings.
The Keep Bussin’ EP will be available in both digital and 12″ vinyl form when it sees its official release on May 19; in the meantime, the Slick Shoota’s upcoming EP can be streamed in full below.
Pulled from his recent Phantom Vibrate EP for LuckyMe, Jacques Greene has shared a new video for “Night Tracking.” Using footage from the DIY-shot Getaway in Stockholm film, the clip appropriately strings together nighttime footage shot from racing street cars. Moving at a rapid pace, the blurred, streaking lights of various cityscapes and other vehicles prove a fitting accompaniment to Greene’s production, which finds the recent New York transplant weaving thick synth melodies and moody chords around a detailed procession of lightly shuffled drums. The full video for “Night Tracking” can be watched below.
Originally enacted in 1948, Japan’s Fueiho law—which states that venues under 66 meters-squared cannot obtain a license to allow patrons to dance—has been used as a means to dampen the country’s nightlife in recent years. The fight to reverse this draconian law has grown in visibility recently as well, with the title of DJ Sprinkles’ 2013 mix album for Mule Musiq, When Dancefloors Stand Still, intended as a reference to the law, while Resident Advisor’s excellent Real Scenes: Tokyo documentary provided an in-depth look at the situation on the ground. Now, word has come that a Japanese government committee has voted to loosen the controversial Fueiho law.
Japanese website Mainichi reports that a government committee unanimously voted to loosen the law, recommending further that “dance clubs be covered by the same law that regulates restaurants, allowing them to stay open until late at night.” The committee’s vote does not simply reverse the law though as its findings will need to be formally reported to other parts of the government before any substantial action can take place. Still, the vote appears to be a big step in the right direction for Japan’s nightlife with committee chair Motoyuki Oka even going so far as to call the law “out of date.” While the process to loosen Japan’s Fueiho law begins its bureaucratic chain of events, RA’s recent documentary on Tokyo’s electronic music scene can be watched here. (via Resident Advisor)
Following the release of his genre-splicing Waterfall EP for Tri Angle back in March, busy UK producer Evian Christ (a.k.a. Joshua Leary) has announced a string of upcoming North American tour dates beginning later this month. Kicking off on May 28, Leary will first be accompanied by Canadian DJ/producer Jacques Greene for a pair of shows, before joining forces with Body High co-head Samo Sound Boy, and later Gang Gang Dance affiliate Dutch E German. The 11-date excursion will find Evian Christ making his way down the West Coast, jetting over to the Eastern shore, and then eventually concluding his stint in Austin on June 27. The full list of Evian Christ’s upcoming North American tour dates can be found on the flier below.
