Throughout the week, a whole lot of material gets posted here on XLR8R. And while we know—and love—that some hardcore readers will eagerly pour over every single news story, interview, podcast, video, and MP3 download that appears on the site, we also realize that for most people, it’s impossible to see everything, which means that some quality XLR8R content is likely to get missed in the hustle and bustle of everyone’s daily lives. In the interest of making it easier for everyone to catch up, every Friday we present The Lowdown, a weekly wrap-up of the top 10 tidbits from our site.

1. Following a Q&A session on Twitter, Flying Lotus (pictured above) unexpectedly gave away a large ZIP file full of rough beats, demos, and unreleased tunes.

2. Hyperdub surprised everyone by releasing Rival Dealer, the new EP from mysterious UK producer Burial, a full week early. They also posted a stream of the entire EP online.

3. Nicolas Jaar issued a new mix this week. Entitled Our World, it was crafted as a tribute to John Lennon and posted on the 33rd anniversary of his death.

4. As part of our ongoing Best of 2013 coverage, we posted a list of what we thought were the best labels of the year.

5. Our end-of-the-year series also included a couple of lists devoted to the XLR8R podcast series; one focused on our editors’ 10 favorites, while the other detailed which mixes were the most popular in 2013.

6. Just yesterday, we started our countdown of 2013’s 50 best tracks. Part one itemized the first half, while today’s list took us all the way to our top song of the year.

7. XLR8R began the week by looking back at our 2013 slate of editorial features; the article included the 10 features that we liked the best, along with a rundown of the year’s most popular pieces.

8. Sci-fi techno duo Dopplereffekt released a new video, which will only be available online for 21 days.

9. Native Instruments recently released its new Maschine Studio, and this week saw us posting a thorough review of the device.

10. UK producer Jon Hopkins has been popular on XLR8R all year long, so it’s no surprise that our readers flocked to hear the new Pangaea remix of his song “Collider,” which is streaming online.

An expanded version of the The Lowdown is also available via a weekly email newsletter. Those interested in an even more in-depth round-up of XLR8R content, including a complete listing of all the free downloads we’ve offered in the past seven days, should sign up by entering their email address below.

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Having recently released the Cupid’s Head LP (the opening track of which was one of our favorites of the year) via Kompakt under his more common handle, The Field, Axel Willner has announced that he’ll drop a new album early next year as HANDS. Positioned as Willner’s “noise/drone project,” HANDS’ forthcoming The Soul Is Quick LP will see a release via the Ecstatic label, an imprint helmed by Kompakt affiliate Walls. The forthcoming full-length appears to be a highly contextualized effort, with its four tracks sharing the name “Beelitz-Heilstätten” in their titles, a reference—according to the press release—to “a 60-building treatment sanatorium complex southwest of Berlin, and built in the late 19th century to help rehabilitate the growing number of tuberculosis patients in the expanding city of Berlin.” Furthermore, Willner himself describes the album as “a protest record for when you’ve had enough of how the world works, when you find yourself taking inspiration from human decay rather than brighter things.” Said to have been produced using only “a Roland JX-3P, Roland SH-101, Tenori-On, and Elektron Machinedrum,” Willner’s The Soul Is Quick is set to drop on February 10 of next year. In the meantime, its artwork and tracklist are included below.

01 Beelitz-Heilstätten pt6 10.50
02 Beelitz-Heilstätten pt7 09.06
03 Beelitz-Heilstätten pt10 07.13
04 Beelitz-Heilstätten pt11 13.08

Entering its fifth year, the Spanish edition of the renowned MUTEK festival, MUTEK.ES, has announced the first wave of artists set to perform in Barcelona this coming March. Among the initial batch of confirmed performers are virtuoso pianist/electronic composer Nils Frahm (pictured above), Berghain resident Marcel Dettmann, Mancunian producer Andy Stott, and techno/dub mainstay Deadbeat, who will perform alongside his frequent collaborator, MC Tikiman. In addition, the festival has confirmed that it will help celebrate the Hyperdub label’s 10th anniversary with a showcase that will include Kode9, Laurel Halo, and Scratcha DVA. With this initial list of acts serving as only a small sampling of those set to take part in the four-day festival, MUTEK.ES 2014 plans to reveal an expanded line-up next month. In the meantime, those interested in getting more details on the upcoming festivities can do so by heading here.

Experimental Brooklyn trio Archie Pelago, who released the decidedly “chaotic” Sly Gazabo EP back in June, has announced that its next record will arrive early next year. The five-track Lakeside Obelisk EP sees the group pushing the tempos and purportedly “pay[ing] homage to classic sounds while remaining steadfastly original.” The record’s a-side is said to be a breezy listen that “evokes images of a blissful youth;” while on the flip, tracks like “Neighborhood Mephisto” offer a nearly nine-minute voyage that evokes the ’90s-era techno of Galaxy2Galaxy. Archie Pelago will self-release Lakeside Obelisk EP on January 27, with a digital release following on February 10. Until then, the record’s artwork and tracklist can be seen below.

01 D’s Diamonds
02 Chilly
03 Lakeside Obelisk
04 Neighborhood Mephisto
05 Saturn V

Between Scuba‘s upcoming North American tour and Crosstown Rebels‘ 10th anniversary compilation in the works, 2014 looks as if it’ll already be off to a good start for the two dance-music patrons, and we can now add to that a 12″ which finds the Berlin-based producer (pictured above) remixing Pezzner & Amina’s “Exit” single for the UK label. “Exit (Scuba Remix)” is the last track on the forthcoming three-song record, following two original productions from Seattle artist Dave Pezzner and Italian vocalist Amina, and is said to feature “elastic bass and an expanding soundbed of jarring chords and alternating synth lines” alongside the signer’s “Bjork-esque voice”—all of which makes for a “suspense-filled and soaring sonic ride.” Before Pezzner & Amina’s 12″ for Crosstown Rebels drops on February 3, its artwork and tracklist can be found below.

1. Exit
2. Pipes
3. Exit (Scuba Remix)