Breakout German house artist Tensnake has been leaking stray glimpses of his forthcoming artist album for Virgin over the past handful of months, though we’re still no closer to uncovering any of that long-awaited LP’s official details. Unfortunately, that still has yet to change, but thankfully, we now have another new tune from the DJ/producer born Marco Niemerski, which is currently available as a free download. Called “No Relief,” the deep, slow-bouncing production features an appropriately subdued vocal performance from frequent Tensnake collaborator Fiora, and can be streamed and/or downloaded (for the exchange of an email) in the player below.
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As we continue our countdown through the 100 most popular downloads to hit XLR8R during 2013, the numbers keep getting smaller and the names keep getting bigger. The firsttwo installments featured a handful of recognizable artists offering their work as a free download, but today’s group of tracks includes music from the likes of James Blake, Robag Wruhme, Om Unit, Nightmares on Wax, Hackman, Lindstrøm, and Sophie, just to name a few. Track numbers 60 through 41 from this year’s Top Downloads list can be streamed and downloaded at no cost after the jump.
XLR8R’s Best of 2013 coverage will continue throughout the next few weeks, so check back each day for additional year-end round-ups. In the meantime, don’t forget to take a look at the other Best of 2013 pieces we’ve posted already:
It wouldn’t be fair to say that UK DJ/producer Cooly G has keptquiet since last year’s release of her debut LP, Playin Me, but there certainly hasn’t been much in the way of original material released by the artist born Merrisa Campbell—save for that track she produced with her mom, of course. So it’s especially good news that she’ll release a brand-new EP via the oft-reliable Hyperdub label next year. The three-track Hold Me EP is said to find Cooly G creating “extended, spaced-out, and rhythmic house tracks built for the dancefloor,” one of which features co-production from label mate DVA. It’s set to be the first 2014 release for Hyperdub when it drops on January 27, but before then, the forthcoming record’s tracklist and artwork can be found below.
Although the coming together of G-funk mastermind Dam-Funk and legendary West Coast MC Snoop Dogg is the sort of collaboration that makes perfect sense, we never actually thought it would happen. Thankfully, Snoop and Dam felt otherwise, and next week, their joint 7 Days of Funk project will release its self-titled debut album via Stones Throw. Apparently, the pair’s partnership was initially based on the artists’ mutual admiration for each other’s work, which prompted us to do a little bit of digging for some additional details. Specifically, we asked Dam-Funk to pick his five favorite Snoop Dogg tracks of all time, and incredibly found that Snoop was willing to return the favor. Their selections have been catalogued in this latest edition of our Hi-Five series, and as one might expect, the resulting feature just might be the most G-funk’d thing we’ve ever published on XLR8R.
Dam-Funk’s Five Favorite Snoop Dogg Tracks:
Snoop Dogg feat. Kokane “Stacey Adams”
This is a great production by DJ Battlecat with laid-back, on-point lyrics and flow by Snoop. Additional funk-flow vocals by Kokane laced it all up real nice. This is one of my favorites. I rode to this joint continuously upon release of The Last Meal.
Snoop Dogg Presents Tha Eastsidaz “G’d Up”
Dope collaborative joint by Snoop Dogg with Tha Eastsidaz (Goldie Loc and Big Tray Deee), again with production by DJ Battlecat. G-Funk was progressing and at the same time becoming more “refined” when this dropped. Snoop was on-point as usual with his delivery and style, and Goldie Loc and Tray Deee held it all down in top form too. This was a dope party and ridin’ joint upon its release, and was considered totally fresh when it dropped here in LA.
Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell Williams “Let’s Get Blown”
This is a well put together song that enjoyed radio play here in LA. Using elements of SLAVE’s classic “Watching You,” it was great to hear Snoop sing and stretch out into a grooved-out, funk music bed, provided (this time) by Pharrell Williams. This video was one of my faves of Snoop’s too. Just a great song that the ladies loved, as well as the fellas. It worked well in the clubs where folk actually danced or at the very least, caught a two-step at a party. Another solid Snoop joint, for me.
Snoop Dogg “Who Am I? (What’s My Name)”
Lead single and video from Snoop’s classic album, Doggystyle, which turned 20 this year. The beat is hittin’ and G-funked up. The sound is great and Snoop goes! Everything about it was and still is “A+.” Instant classic production and song. Dr. Dre killed it on the production. Perfect.
Snoop Dogg feat. Nate Dogg, Kurupt, and Warren G. “It Ain’t No Fun (Demo Version)”
I personally bought this here in Los Angeles at the Slauson Swap Meet sometime in 1993. Around that time, Snoop’s debut album was yet to be released, but it was buzzin’ big time. Somehow, this demo version of “Ain’t No Fun” hit the streets (with a different verse by Warren G) prior to its official release on Doggystyle. This was super G-funk, and is still my number-one pick today. R.I.P. to Nate Dogg. Peace and congrats to brutha Snoop Dogg on 20 years since the release of Doggystyle.
Snoops Dogg’s Five Favorite Dam-Funk Tracks:
7 Days of Funk “Faden Away”
I can’t even lie. This is my favorite song right now, period.
Dam-Funk “Hood Pass Intact”
This is my shit right here, especially when cruising through the Eastside of the LBC. Always gotta remember where you came from.
Dam-Funk “Toeachizown”
Another one of my favorite Dam beats.
Dam-Funk “Can’t Stop (Dam-Funk G-Mix)”
Here’s another dope collabo I did with Mayer Hawthorne. This Dam-Funk “G-Mix” though, is on some “Computer Love,” Zapp & Roger-type shit.
Dam-Funk “Mirrors”
Dam’s tracks always come with his signature slap. We might have to do a special remix for this one!
NYC DJ/producer Free Magic, a man who co-heads the local Discovery party and label, has been enlisted to produce a dub version of “Got Somebody,” a vocal-heavy cut by stateside producer Moon Boots that was originally released last year as a free download via French Express. On his rework, Free Magic puts the tune under a brighter light, adding bursts of melodic arpeggios and bouncing organs to the R&B-led cut. He also makes certain to beef up the low end, ensuring that his dub version is just as well-suited for dancefloor play as Moon Boots’ original production.
There’s something reassuringly upfront about Ben Sims. Refusing to raise his head above the parapet of underground techno for two decades or so, the Theory Recordings boss approaches the booth with principles based upon hip-hop turntablism and showmanship, only they’ve been read through a distinctly muscular club lens. Of course, the sledgehammer-solid, nigh-on banging, and occasionally manic end of techno has been receiving plenty of attention in the last year or so, with Blawan’s rise to stardom (which has been fueled in part by his collaborative Karenn and Trade projects) and the music being turned out by key figures like Objekt. As such, Sims’ long-awaited entry into the Fabric mix series couldn’t have come at a better time in terms of public interest.
Notably physical whenever DJing, Sims makes the most of that talent on Fabric 73, crafting a quick-fire, adrenaline-packed dancefloor assault. A high-energy meld of punchy kicks, driving rhythms, and rapid mixes pushing forward into stormy and hectic, rave-inspired sonic territories, the mix more than evidences what legions of die-hard fans have known for years.
Of course, this music is not for everyone, especially not the faint-hearted. Opening on Joton’s “GS01,” old-school introductory samples harken back to the golden age of mixtapes, wherein those in control were there to show off tricks and technique as much as record selection. This ethic continues throughout the huge, 43-strong tracklist, which arguably only climaxes with Special Request’s closing “Broken Dreams,” a dub- and jungle-tinged breaks outing crammed full of snares and filter effects that finally ends with a dated, newsreel-style sample.
With so much on the disc, it’s simpler to focus on how the whole thing is formed, rather than the mix’s individual elements. This is a club set through and through, so dissecting each bit outside of Sims’ intended context ruins the point. That being said, Fokus Group’s industrial-clad stomper “Nut Nut,” L-VIS 1990’s percussive monster, “SDS5000,” and Doc Daneeka’s spring-loaded “Recursion” all warrant attention, as do plenty of others. But, realistically, referencing how the latter descends perfectly into the pulsating low end of Sims’ own “Raise Your Hands” (as remixed by Mr. G), or the way Julien H Mulder’s “Symmetric Timeline” and its repetitive, eerily euphoric chimes wind up echoing atop “90’s,” a jacking, acid-infused number by Rod, is much more appropriate. Full of heavy, upbeat four-fours aimed at the jugular, the main disappointment of Fabric 73 is that most listeners won’t get to hear it at the volume these sounds were made for.
Russian producer Hmot‘s musical landscapes are largely made up of found sounds and lo-fi filters. His Oneirology mini-album (available here) is a collection of seven tracks that processes psychedelic ambience through deep-house mechanisms, binding the field recordings of animal calls and running water to rhythmic structures. Record cut “Tartu”‘s six minutes carry an aquatic quality with sampled wind chimes embellishing a steady four-on-the-floor kick. A house-inspired beat floats to the surface of Hmot’s production as melodies are haphazardly pitched around and the track oscillates between astral bliss and swelteringly sour tones.
South London producer Louis Carnell (a.k.a. Visionist) has released a deluge of EPs and singles this year, and this latest effort marks his debut for the long-running RAMP imprint. “M” b/w “Secrets” continues his foreboding line of stripped-down bass sounds, but also finds the UK artist tightening up his production technique without deviating far from his established formula. In a brief nine minutes, Carnell’s self-assured, minimal pair of cuts presents itself with little fanfare, but the release is still a worthy complement to September’s I’m Fine EP.
With its shakers and hi-hats, “M” starts out sounding like a minimal ’80s film theme, but eventually, a sinister bassline eventually sets the mood straight and the song’s vocal tones interlock with the percussion. The timbre that Carnell employs with his voiced pads often straddles a border between creepy and sexual, and this single’s refrain is concurrently playful and menacing. As is the case with much of Visionist’s work, the finely honed percussion excels, and his use of some bizarre delay effects results in a textural glitchiness that somehow churns rather than stutters. “M”‘s successes are built from modest means—drum programming, keyed choral melodies with interweaving, airy pads, and subtle bass that barely peeks above the rhythm.
“Secrets” similarly makes use of uncanny vocal presets, but this cut is fairly tempered, as it’s been propped on delicate percussion and a liberal amount of vinyl crackle. Halfway in, a sniffle-like rhythm augments the kick-and-cymbal progression, evoking a machine’s labored breathing. With a more subterranean feel than “M,” “Secret”‘s synth plonks seem to emulate dripping basement pipes, and the track’s slinky bass sounds cavernous and dulled around the edges. In truth, both “M” and “Secrets” seem like offerings from a producer with little to prove, revealing a main framework early on and only veering slightly over the course of each composition. This lack of dynamism could leave some underwhelmed, but fans of Visionist’s recent output will find more to admire here.
Following the announcement of Sacremento producer Lee Bannon‘s signing to Ninja Tune and readying his debut LP Alternate Endings (due out on January 13), Lee Bannon has unveiled another new track in the form of this impressionistic music video. Deliriously splintered, the clip for “Value 10” shows a woman in workout gear sensually performing calisthenics. The camera wavers as it scrolls the length of the woman’s body and follows her as she walks city streets, matching the visuals with the intimate tone of Lee Bannon’s quick-paced production.
Two days ago, unstoppable UK artist Four Tet performed a live set at the Hostess Club Weekender in Tokyo, and for those of us who happened to not be in that particular part of Japan on December 1, a recording of the music Kieran Hebden played that afternoon can now be streamed in full. The DJ/producer eases into his drum-heavy set with a particularly lush rendition of Beautiful Rewind cut “Ba Teaches Yoga,” and eventually gets the dancefloor warmed up with the twinkling, polyrhythmic grooves of the “Jupiters” single from his superb Pink album. Plenty more fan favorites appear throughout the hour-long recording, all of which is available to hear via the player below.
