A record packed with dusty samples and jazzy loops, the forthcoming Tough Questions EP from Copenhagen-based producer Royer is set to drop next week via Argot’s Tasteful Nudes offshoot. Before then, the grooving, soul-steeped effort can now be streamed in full.
Though we don’t know much about Royer, save for the fact that he is a “young French producer and designer based in Copenhagen,” Tough Questions is a fine introduction to the budding artist’s craft. Here, his approach to sampling sounds considerably informed by the hip-hop tradition (“Morning Thea” even utilizes the same sample as the beat to Common’s “Resurrection”), making for four simple-but-effective pieces of bluesy, swinging house. Slated to touch down on May 13, Royer’s Tough Questions EP can be heard in its entirety via the player below.
After first detailing Ultima II Massage back in February and gradually leaking a number of the LP’s tracks—not to mention sharing a somewhat disturbing video for album cut “Streaker”—the third solo record from Thomas Fec (a.k.a. Black Moth Super Rainbow frontman Tobacco) is set to drop via Ghostly next week, but is available to stream in full now.
Presenting a diverse range of production styles and sounds across its 16 tracks, Tobacco’s Ultima II Massage LP is said to include “disembodied bits of Boards of Canada, early Def Jam records, and Gary Numan, or maybe just public-access TV and bad VHS dubs of ’80s horror flicks… or the sun exploding and everything you’ve ever loved melting” in its run. Now, those interested can have a better idea of what all that means by giving Tobacco’s latest effort a full listen over on Pitchfork Advance.
Detroit fixture and noted deep house producer Patrice Scott has revealed plans to issue his debut full-length effort later this year, preceded by a three-track sampler EP which is available to preview now. Though the announcement comes with few exact details, Resident Advisor reports that Scott’s upcoming LP will be titled Euphonium and is expected to drop sometime in late 2014 via the artist’s own Sistrum imprint (where virtually all of Scott’s releases have appeared since its founding in 2006).
Before the full Euphonium sees its imminent release, an album-sampling EP of the same title has dropped containing three untitled tracks which will also be included on the LP’s eventual tracklist. Preview clips of those three efforts can be streamed below.
Weaving through scattered percussion, mellow vocal murmurs, and dream-like pads, Guerre‘s “Deatheat” is a tranquilizing blend of delicate textures that appear as moving as they are fragile. Serving as the first single for the Sydney-based producer/vocalist’s forthcoming Ex Nihilo LP, the intimate cut establishes a hazy atmosphere, sucking listeners into a vacuum of lush, ambient sonics throughout its opaque course. Guerre’s Ex Nihilo LP is set to drop on July 4 via Yes Please.
Set to drop via Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label in June, a new cut from Taylor McFerrin‘s Early Riser LP is now available to stream in full. Featuring the vocals of Emily King, McFerrin’s “Decisions” is a lush and patient production, one which utilizes precise drum programming and comes wrapped in thick layers of bluesy haze.
The new track stands as the second effort to surface from the New York-based artist’s debut full-length, after LP cut “The Antidote” was shared with the initial announcement of the album last month. Now, before McFerrin’s LP lands via Brainfeeder on June 3, “Decisions” can be streamed in full below.
Last month, Nightmares on Wax (a.k.a. George Evelyn) announced plans to release N.O.W. is the Time, a collection intended to commemorate the producer/DJ’s 25th anniversary by collecting the artist’s most notable tracks, new and old remixes, and a handful of rare cuts. Now, further details of the upcoming compilation for Warp have surfaced, including the full tracklist and news of the special edition box set which boasts remixes from the likes of Morgan Geist, Special Request, LFO, and Mr Scruff.
N.O.W. is the Time is set to appear as both a double-CD set and a special vinyl box set, with its CD version split into two parts—Nightmares By Day and Nightmares By Night—and containing 29 of the producer’s past productions. The Deep Down: Remixes & Rarities vinyl edition of N.O.W. is the Time will host a number of reworks and hard-to-find cuts from the veteran producer across two LPs. The tracklist for both versions of the forthcoming N.O.W. is the Time comp (out on June 16 via Warp) can be found below, along with a stream of Ashley Beedle’s “Warbox Dubplate Special” refix of “Now Is The Time,” a contribution which closes out the collection’s vinyl edition.
Disc One: Nightmares By Day 01 You Wish 02 Mind Eye 03 Argha Noah 04 Calling 05 Dreddoverboard 06 Thinking Of Omara 07 Be There 08 Les Nuits 09 Morse 10 I Am You (Live In Chicago) 11 Passion 12 Give Thx
Disc Two: Nightmares By Night 01 195 Lbs 02 70s 80s 03 Flip Ya Lid 04 Be, I Do 05 (Man) Tha Journey 06 Now Is The Time 07 Bless My Soul 08 Da Feelin 09 African Pirates 10 Mega Donutz 11 Mission Venice 12 Dextrous 13 Aftermath 14 I’m For Real 15 Set Me Free (Piano Dub) 16 Nights Interlude
Deep Down: Remixes & Rarities (Vinyl): A1 Dextrous (JD Twitch Optimo Remix) A2 Biofeedback (Morgan Geist Remix) A3 A Case Of Funk (Loco Dice Remix) B1 Aftermath (LFO remix) B2 Aftermath (Special Request Redux) B3 Aftermath (Acid Mondays) C1 Burn Me Slo ft. OC C2 Keep On (86 In It Mix) ft. De La Soul C3 Gambia via Vagator Beach (Mr Scruff Remix) C4 Survival Dub D1 Hiyaself D2 Da Mess Sticks D3 Da Feelin (Hungry Ghost Remix) D4 Now Is The Time (Ashley Beedle Warbox Dubplate Special)
Following last year’s Behind LP, youAND:THEMACHINES (a.k.a. Martin Müller) today drops the Behind Reshaped LP, a remix album featuring contributions from the likes of Basic Soul Unit, Boo Williams, Steve Bug, and Legowelt. Featured here, “Domain Specific (Legowelt Remix)” is a hard-hitting techno workout, one which transforms the original track’s shimmering palette of tones into a darker set of textures. The production closes out with the same haunting set of powerful percussive strikes and crackling noise it began with, leaving a lasting sense of tension from start to finish. Out today via Ornaments, a preview stream of youAND:THEMACHINES’ new remix album can be heard after the jump.
After having dropped his Power 12″ last week, Blueberry label boss FaltyDL continues his steady stream of work with a brand-new remix of “The Mechanism” by Disclosure and Friend Within. FaltyDL’s take on the track carefully preserves many elements from the original, driving the production towards a subtler aesthetic while accenting the piece with an intricate percussive toolkit. The meticulously detailed “The Mechanism (FaltyDL Remix)” can be heard in its entirety below.
First surfacing during a time when most people were eager to claim that grime was “over,” London’s Elijah & Skilliam have spent the past several years pushing a colorful, high-energy variant of the genre, both through their Butterz label and Rinse FM broadcasts. (It’s worth noting that the pair’s XLR8R podcast from 2010 is still an excellent listen.) Nowadays, grime has essentially been fully reanimated, and though a new crop of up-and-coming producers has emerged, there’s little question that Elijah & Skilliam remain at the forefront of what’s become a truly international scene. On May 19, the duo’s entry in Fabric‘s esteemed Fabriclive mix series will be released. The diverse effort finds Elijah & Skilliam skewing toward newer selections, but when given the chance to speak with the pair, we found ourselves wanting to know more about their past. As a result, for this edition of Hi-Five, the London selectors have elected to look through their archives and come up with five tunes from Wiley, one of grime’s most storied figures. More importantly, the tracks they’ve chosen demonstrate why, in their own words, “Wiley is king.”
Wiley “MC Pon 141”
This was part of Wiley’s infamous ZIP Files free download, in which he leaked over 100 of his tracks a few years back. He worked so well with Maniac, it is a shame they didn’t get a chance to work together more. This, “Bow E3,” and “Grime Kid” as an MC and producer combo are probably our favorite ever. The way he samples Chipmunk in this track is pretty clever; wish we put this out really. For the American readers, “141” is a number you put before a telephone number if you want to withhold your information.
Wiley “123 Lets Go”
He shows up all the MCs on this track, again from those ZIP Files; it’s shocking he gave this away. He’s on production too—only Skepta comes anywhere near Wiley in terms of being a prolific producer and MC at the same time.
Wiley “Night Bus”
Wiley is his best when at war with other MCs, and he has never backed down from a clash. This is also my favorite production from him by far; he had a few similar sounding beats at the time, but the structure and intensity of this one always wins for me. Once you listen to this song, it is hard to get into anything present day that has taken cues from his productions, because none top this.
Phaze One “Nicole’s Groove (Wizzbit Remix)”
Under the alias Phaze One, Wiley sampled Nicole Wray’s “Boy You Should Listen” and this came as his first release in 2001. To this day, it is still an underground classic. It doesn’t really match up with the rest of his more known music styles, which is why it stands out. You don’t have to be a hardcore grime or Wiley fan to enjoy it. Both this Geeneus (a.k.a. Wizzbit) remix and the original get regular spins at our Jamz party.
Wiley “Ice Rink”
This was one of the first riddim-style instrumentals that we came across in grime, and it feels like Wiley made a bit of a statement by not doing a version himself at the time. It is stripped to the basics—there is no melody or anything in sight. It’s a perfect DJ tool. The simplicity in the structure makes it perfect for an MC to tear apart and get their point across, especially with the cheeky breakdown in the middle. The most prolific version is Dizzee Rascal’s.
Questionable artwork aside, Bauchamp‘s Our Victory Over the Dark EP gets off to a good start with “Magnolia.” With the producer’s upcoming release aiming to “bring back love and emotion to the dancefloor,” “Magnolia” properly indulges in the more romantic ends of house, presenting an array of sparkling textures, floating chords, and delicate guitar riffs as the track bounces along its four-minute run. Set to drop later this week (May 10, to be exact) via the Argent Sale label, Bauchamp’s five-track Our Victory Over the Dark EP can be streamed in full after the jump.
