Former XLR8Rpodcast contributor Rod Modell has revealed plans to release a new LP, Lanterns, under his Deepchord moniker. According to Resident Advisor, the four-track release will find Modell first presenting an “ode to the eerie red glow that once beckoned sailors to the port of Amsterdam” in the opening set of “Red Lantern” tracks, while later featuring an experimental fusion of “dub techno and ambient” in the subsequent “Blue Lantern” productions. Lanterns is set to see a release on May 22 via the recently founded Astral Industries label. In the meantine, the forthcoming record’s tracklist and artwork have been included below.

01 Red Lantern Parts 1 & 2
02 Red Lantern Part 3
03 Blue Lantern Part 1
04 Blue Lantern Part 2

Future Times label co-head Maxmillion Dunbar has shared a new mix full of “tons of new and unreleased music from Future Times artists and the Max-man himself.” Dunbar’s colorfully titled Gorilla Bliss DJ Mix is billed as an “utterly shlazed yet precision excursion into the FT mindset,” and so comes full of the types of percussion-heavy, psychedelia-tinged house and techno the label has frequently explored over the years, also fitting in a fews surprising detours such as Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me” and abstract Japanese electronic compositions.

Dunbar’s latest mix can be streamed and downloaded in full below. Though the collection comes without a tracklist, the Gorilla Bliss DJ Mix does come with a few of the DC-based producer/DJ’s upcoming European tour dates, which can also be peeped below.

May 01 – LARM, Budapest (Hungary)
May 02 – Ex Forno MAMbo, Bologna (Italy)
May 03 – 65mq, Milan (Italy)
May 04 – Dance Tunnel, London (UK)

Last night, Bok Bok and P.O.L. Style were on the air at Rinse FM, piloting the monthly Night Slugs radio show. During the second half of the program, the two DJs elected to pay tribute to DJ Rashad following the Chicago pioneer’s sudden passing the day before. Today, that tribute was shared online. The audio can be streamed or downloaded from the player below, and was accompanied by the following words:

“You built a bridge from Chicago to the rest of the world. Playing this set reminded us yet again; every track shone with brilliance, bubbled with your unique charisma, even the darker ones. Your warmth and generosity will live on forever in your work. We still can’t comprehend the loss. Rest in Peace our brother Rashad.”

FaltyDL (a.k.a. Drew Lustman) has released music via a number of different labels over the course of his career, including Planet Mu, Ramp, Rush Hour, 50Weapons, All City, and, of course, Ninja Tune, which not only issued his last LP, Hardcourage, but also seems to have become a new home base for the Brooklyn producer. That being said, some of FaltyDL’s finest work appeared on his two records for Loefah‘s Swamp81 imprint, the Mean Streets Part One and Mean Streets Part Two EPs. In something of a surprise development, Swamp81 has announced that FaltyDL will be returning to the fold this week with a new 12″ called Power. Scheduled for release on May 2, the two-track effort can be previewed at Surus. Not much else has been shared in the way of information, but the record’s artwork and tracklist have been posted below. (via JunoPlus)

A. Huff & Puff Bruk
B. Mo

After debuting on RAMP sub-label Fourth Wave with last year’s Skyway EP, Greek producer Dimitris Dimas (a.k.a. ? ?, pronounced “Delta Delta”) returns to the imprint this week with a pair of soft-spoken house productions.

On the Caveman Escapades EP, Dimas appears to favor pillowy textures, which he sets atop his everything-but-the-kitchen sink approach to house rhythms; pitting metallic and wooden percussion hits alongside a reliable four-on-the-floor structure. The two-track affair is also a rather balanced one, with a-side “Caveman” taking shape as a more driving, pulsing effort, while b-side “Escapades” exhibits a more relaxed feel, its languid chords and occasional melodies making it somewhat reminiscent of Lone’s recent work.

Dimas’ Caveman Escapades EP is out today via Fourth Wave, with both of its efforts available to stream in full below.

South London Ordnance has spent much of the past several months furthering the development of his own Aery Metals imprint, but he will soon be returning to Hotflush with a new EP. The UK producer first appeared on the Scuba-run label last year with the “Revolver” b/w “Transmission Funk” 12″, but his second Hotflush outing will be a little more substantial, at least in terms of the volume of music on offer. Slated for release on May 19, the four-track Contact EP is said to be an effort that “that confidently flaunts his flair for brooding atmosphere,” with music defined by “dark, punchy basslines informed by a distinctly UK heritage.” The Contact EP artwork and tracklist can be seen below.

A1. Contact
A2. Sabre
B1. Ritual to Romance
B2. Output

Over the weekend, the news that DJ Rashad had unexpectedly passed away due to an apparent drug overdose shocked the music world, not to mention his many fans around the globe. This morning, an official statement has been released in regard to his death. The entire statement has been posted below.

UPDATE: The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that an autopsy proved inconclusive in terms of determining the cause of Rashad’s death. The newspaper added that “toxicology studies are being conducted to determine how he died, according to the medical examiner’s office.”

DJ Rashad aka Rashad Hanif Harden, 34-years-old (born in Hammond, IN – October 9, 1979), the Calumet City, IL-based DJ and producer, passed away around 1:30 PM Saturday, April 26, 2014 on Chicago’s Lower West Side. He leaves behind a nine-year-old son, Chad and his parents, mother Gloria Harden, and father, Anthony Harden. The cause of his death has not yet been determined.

Rashad’s father told the Chicago Sun Times on Saturday: “Since he was a kid, he’s been doing this. He knew what he wanted to do, and a lot of us don’t get a chance to make our dream come true.” His manager, Wes Harden: “Rashad was a kind soul that left an indelible mark on the music world as the torchbearer of Footwork and Juke. Rest assured that all of those close to him will make sure that the legacy lives on for a great man whose life has been cut far too short.” Kode9 from Hyperdub: “I was honored to release music from Rashad on Hyperdub. I’ve only known him for around 3 years, but he had become a good friend and one of my biggest musical influences. He was one of the funniest, most positive people I’ve ever met and a true innovator. Everyone at the label is devastated by his passing and wish to send our sincere condolences to all his friends and family in Chicago, the Teklife crew and anyone anywhere who was graced by his presence and uplifted by his music. I’ll never forget singing duet with him in a karaoke bar in Tokyo”

DJ Rashad was a quintessential figurehead in the evolution from Ghetto House to Chicago Juke to Footwork and one of the artists to have to consistently pushed the evolution of the Footwork genre forward. He was born in Hammond, IN and moved to the deep south suburb of Calumet City, IL soon after. Rashad started out as a dancer (around the time he was in seventh grade) cutting his teeth with some of the most respected dance groups including House­O­Matics, The Phyrm, and Wolf Pac. He quickly thereafter took up DJing with some of his first public gigs around 1992 at spots like his sixth grade high school club Jubilation. He met his longtime ally, DJ Spinn, during homeroom class at Thornwood High School in 1996. They quickly began producing tracks at each others’ houses. During this era, they DJ’d parties with the likes of RP Boo, DJ Clent, Gant-­Man and others.. His first release to make it to vinyl was the track “Child Abuse” on Dance Mania (mislabeled as DJ Thadz) in 1998. Following the release of his single ‘Itz Not Rite’ (Planet Mu) and his inclusion on the ‘Bangs and Works’ album (Planet Mu) circa late 2010 he was constantly in demand around the world and spent the majority of his time on the road touring the world as a DJ, more often than not in tandem in with his closest, lifelong friend, DJ Spinn. He was involved in many Footwork cliques – including Beatdown House (founded by DJ Clent), the Ghettoteknitianz (with DJ Spinn) and Teklife. As a producer his crowning achievement was the October 2013 release of his album ‘Double Cup’ on Hyperdub Records featuring collaborations with DJ Spinn, Taso, DJ Phil, Manny, Earl and Addison Groove. His last performance as a DJ was at Vinyl Club in Denver, CO on April 24, 2014. A new EP ‘We On 1’ is slated for release today Monday April 28th via a new Houston-based label called Southern Belle. His collaborations “Acid Life” with Gant-Man and “Bombaklot” with DJ Earl and DJ Taye are featured on the forthcoming Hyperdub 10th anniversary celebration album ‘Hyperdub 10.1’ which will be released May 20th. His music will live on eternally.

Today, UK producers Happa and Manni Dee drop their first collaborative EP together as Habits of Hate, a two-track affair that is now available to stream in full.

Appearing on Rob Booth’s fledgling Electronic Explorations label, the outfit’s self-titled debut offers up two red-lined club tracks which pit strong-armed sonics against an endless array of gritty textures. As intrepid a statement as any debut in recent memory, Habits of Hate pulls no punches, with neither “Limelight Rolls” or “A Rebel from the Waist Down” waiting long to flush the stereo spectrum with gnarled dancefloor pulses. Officially out today, the first effort from the promising pairing of Happa and Manni Dee can be streamed in full below.