Terriers “13/13”

The two Dublin producers of Terriers, Peter Ward and Ronan Downing cheekily describe their sound as “afterhours haus,” though it’s a surprisingly apt descriptor for the outfit’s minimal, atmospheric brand of house music. Sticking to sounds with a bit of dirt around the edges, their arrangements have the natural flow of tracks made live on hardware, not unlike a smattering of artists pumping out tracks for US labels like L.I.E.S. and 100% Silk. On “13/13,” a new tune taken from Terriers’ upcoming Baku EP, a noisy, rumbling intro eventually makes way for a stolid kick and faded, wavering synth melody. A distant vocal sample and fluttering synth flourish occasionally punctuate the rhythm, but Terriers seems less concerned with individual parts, focusing its interest on capturing that ever-elusive “vibe”—and “13/13” has it in spades.

13_13

Sano Sano

One of the most laudable aspects of the Cómeme label is its dedication to songcraft. It’s hard to think of another electronic imprint, especially one with such a leftield bent, whose artists are so invested in crafting “songs,” as opposed to merely turning out tracks that are suitable for DJing. This has been especially true with Cómeme’s LPs, which have previously all come from the larger artists on its roster: Matias Aguayo, Rebolledo, and Daniel Maloso. The self-titled debut full-length from Sano (a.k.a. Sebastian Hoyos) represents something of a departure then, not in terms of its dedication to songwriting, but because the relatively unknown Colombian producer first appeared on the label only last year. Still, Sano‘s 10 tracks show Hoyos to be an artist whose work flirts with more interesting structures than most.

That’s not to say Hoyos’ work has changed much since he issued the Chupa EP, his 2012 Cómeme debut. Much like that release, his new album feels like a creative re-imagining of the past, in which the polished aesthetic of contemporary tech-house is used in tandem with more esoteric references gleaned from ’80s industrial and beefed-up Chicago house. But more than just his sounds, his very structures are evocative of the dance music that evolved from the experimental electronic pop of the ’80s, with everything tightly structured around a central idea that’s sometimes expressed through lyrics. It might not sound like a particularly novel approach, but in practice, it offers a refreshing change of pace.

Moreover, Hoyos’ LP also comes across as a fully realized album. There’s an ebb-and-flow to it that doesn’t feel rushed, as the music is tied together via a kind of late-night paranoia, the kind of dread that starts to come on after a long evening filled with too much partying. He hints at the druggy connotations of such a mood on “Anestesia,” a minimalist narcotic dirge of swirling bass and bending guitars. A few songs later, dissonant pads streak across the surface of “Cotoneate,” leading into the self-dissection of “I Don’t,” a song whose harsh hi-hats serve as an eviscerating complement to its lyrics, “I just don’t know what to do/I don’t really understand anything about life.” It’s depressing, but in a way that weirdly doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Humor has a large part in the record, turning up in the playfulness of the instrumentation, which often exaggerates seemingly serious parts by counterbalancing them with more hammy material. Case in point is “Matasanos,” which throws bluesy ’60s organ riffs over a jarring bassline that sounds like the lower register of a piano run through a cheap sampler—the overall effect is like Nitzer Ebb covering Jay-Dee’s “Plastic Dreams.” Similarly light-hearted are the vocals, which more often than not remain firmly rooted in absurdist territory. “Necrophillic Love (feat. Diegors),” a Chicago-house-indebted song created in tandem with Hoyos’ Chilean labelmate, features extremely silly lyrics that go so far beyond taste that they kind of actually work. At the song’s peak, Diegors affects his best dracula voice and cuts through its horror-house bassline to declare, “I love you, because you are dead!” It’s not exactly high poetry (or high art), but there’s a hard-to-qualify earnestness beneath it all that shows through; it’s absurdity for absurdity’s sake.

And in truth, it’s that sense of absurdity and earnestness that makes Sano—and in some respects, much of the Cómeme catalog—so listenable. Admittedly, it might not be for everyone, but for those who enjoy the weirder currents of dance music, Hoyos’ next few steps are certainly ones to watch.

T_A_M “Tail Snap (Murlo Remix)”

Later this month, the vinyl-focused Apothecary Compositions imprint (run by rising stateside producer Druid Cloak) will launch a new digital arm under the name Apothecary Digital Reserve, with a five-track EP from Aberdeen-based tunesmith T_A_M inaugurating the project. Set to appear on T_A_M’s forthcoming Tail Snap EP is this remix from Murlo, another fast-rising talent and former Bubblin’ Up artist. Where the original “Tail Snap” is a rather hyperactive tune, Murlo’s take is a bit more to the point, beginning in slinky halftime territory before relying on a set of keyboard-born strings and a gurgling bassline to push forward the dancefloor currents. Before the full Tail Snap EP drops on November 12, a preview of the record can be streamed after the jump.

Tail Snap (Murlo Remix)

Baio Mira EP

Chris Baio’s main gig as bassist for Vampire Weekend has little to nothing in common with his solo work as Baio, aside from one factor: an intense attention to detail. Baio’s latest EP, Mira, proffers four bombastic, Balearic house cuts that testify to Baio’s aptitude as a producer while showcasing his honest enthusiasm for exploring a wholly different arena than the one occupied by his indie-pop dayjob.

Mira‘s title track is the inarguable highlight, with deft filter stabs that amplify the pivotal beat by an order of magnitude. Every sonic element rests sensually in the mix, as the various pieces have all been arrayed with a comfortable amount of space in between them. In the song’s last half, a plaintive vocal hail leads to an unforeseen, freefall drop, demonstrating an excellent command of dynamics. “Welterweight” gets more slinky and personal, exhibiting Baio’s vocals for the first time, and his raw singing style reeks of sincerity, even if the delivery is a little weak. The cut’s main refrain also utilizes a vocal-warping technique that Vampire Weekend liberally employed on its third LP, and it functions just as well on this jovial house track.

The second half of Mira doesn’t quite match the first, especially on “Zona,” which ventures a little too far into Disney electric-carnival territory. The overly buoyant cut’s expressive synth melodies seem to dance and converse like animatronic forest critters; it brings to mind the work of sunny sample purveyor El Guincho, but lacks the Spaniard’s flagrant sexiness. Like the rest of the EP, the closing “Banj” offers bright sounds and serves as another exercise in carefully manicured space, though the house-leaning cut is more moody and unsettled than its predecessors. Still, despite the myriad of rhythmic details in play, the production always maintains a semblance of cool control. Baio’s aim to combine organic and machine-like tones pays off handsomely here, making “Banj” pop in hyper-detail whenever an acoustic guitar, hand drum, or finger snap drops onto the scene. So long as Baio persists in his devotion to detail—currently in the form of spirited, ornate house—he will continue ascending as a solo producer.

Read a Brief History of Detroit Electro Pioneers Cybotron

Legendary Detorit electro outfit Cybotron (a.k.a. the combined efforts of Juan Atkins and Rik Davis) is set to have its pioneering 1983 electro/proto-techno LP, Enter, reissued by the Fantasy label in the coming weeks. In anticipation of the forthcoming release, a new article has surfaced examining the paths that led Atkins and Davis to begin experimenting with electronic music, and how the pair’s seminal work pushed Detroit music forward.

Penned by noted author and music journalist David Tompkins and featuring portions of Tompkins book on the history of the vocoder, How To Wreck a Nice Beach, the illuminating piece details how the pair met while taking electronics courses, also delving into Davis’ time as a soldier in Vietnam and the unique musical atmosphere and hardships which characterized an impoverished Detroit and helped fuel Cybotron’s creative output. Tompkins’ full article can be read over on Spin.

Snakehips “On and On (Alba Remix)”

The original version of “On and On” by London duo Snakehips hits several pleasure centers at once, forging a smooth vocal performance from sinewy singer George Maple into a tight, nuanced production that manages to incorporate retro and forward-thinking sounds simultaneously. On this remix of the track by Alba (pictured above), the Australian pair chooses to extract much of the bulk, instead focusing on a sleek, pared-down rhythmic take that recalls the fringes of UK garage. Not unlike its recently posted “Knokke” single, the pair knows when to keep things simple, as the slippery, reversed percussion and delicately processed vocals of “On and On (Alba Remix)” keep the listener thoroughly absorbed.

On & On (Alba Remix)

On & On (Alba Remix)

Vatican Shadow Shares New Remix of The Field

As we discovered in our recent catch-up feature, Axel Willner’s latest full-length as The Field (pictured above), the intrepid Cupid’s Head, was borne from a slew of personal frustrations and the exhaustion that comes from international touring. So it’s somewhat fitting that this remix of the title track from Vatican Shadow (a.ka. Dominick Fernow, Prurient) seems to play in the dark corners of the track. Fernow does away with the original version’s vocal-led intro, and instead forges a newfound low-end chug to simultaneously shroud the once pellucid production in a thick, low-hanging cloud of grey smog and obscure Willner’s quick-running arpeggios. “Cupid’s Head (Vatican Shadow Remix)” can be streamed in full below.

Distal, Clicks & Whistles, and Mite Announce East Coast Tour

Embassy label founders Distal (pictured above) and Mite will team up with fellow Southeastern duo and roster mate Clicks & Whistles for a brief East Coast tour beginning next week. Actually kicking off in the Midwest (Detroit, Michigan to be exact), the five-date expedition will find the crew representing the diverse sounds of the Embassy label twice in New York with additional stops in Miami and Clicks & Whistles’ home state, North Carolina. The complete list of dates can be found on the flier below.

“I Don’t Think We’ll Ever Explicitly Make Jungle” – Raime Talks Influences, the Future, and Food at the Mountain Oasis Festival

XLR8R traveled to Asheville, North Carolina last weekend to take in Mountain Oasis, the city’s new electronic festival. (You can find our review of the proceedings here.) Taking some time away from the festival’s stacked three-day lineup, we sat down for a chat with London duo Raime (a.k.a. Tom Halstead and Joe Andrews), who touched on topics like the influence of jungle on the group’s music and psychedelic pizza parlors.

XLR8R: This is your first time in the South. How do you like it so far?
Joe Andrews: Awesome, man. Obviously, we’re here at the right time. It’s pretty crazy out there, a lot of interesting people. It’s not what we were expecting, that’s for sure.

We’ve been pretty impressed with the quality of the food here, which goes well beyond Southern cooking. Have you guys been eating some good meals?
Joe: We got here last night and we went to… what was it called? Mellow Mushroom for pizza. The pizza’s okay, but the place is pretty hilarious.

Tom Halstead: They’ve got like a psychedelic Ronald McDonald outside.

JA: We had a pretty amazing time.

TH: You don’t go there for the food, I don’t think.

Your FACT mix from a few years ago seemed to anticipate the drum & bass revival that’s happening now. Will those influences make their way into your music as Raime, or do you reserve that for DJing?
JA: I don’t think we’ll ever explicitly make jungle. We’ve got one or two small projects happening that might mean we get closer to it, but I don’t think Raime will ever produce jungle. But who knows? It’s an influence that’s been there for a long time. Atmospherically, I think it’s quite an integral influence actually. It’s always there in the music. There are lots of other integral influences that make up the melting pot, but it’s always there in some shape or form.

What shows are you hoping to see tonight, if you have time before your early flight?
JA: Godspeed You! Black Emperor. We’re rushing over after we finish, we’re just gonna leg it over there. I think the last time I saw them was 10 years ago. Their last record was great.

Did you have a chance to see anything last night or did you get in too late?
JA: We just went to Mellow Mushroom. What else do you need?

Are you playing any other shows before going back to London?
JA: We’ve got two more shows coming up. We’ve got one in Philadelphia, at the chapel there, and then on Halloween at Output in New York with Vatican Shadow and Silent Servant.

And you just played a few shows on the West Coast, including one put on by Mount Analog, right?
JA: Yeah, those guys are great, man. It’s one of those times when you walk into a record shop and your taste is totally catered to in every area. It’s also filled with other bits and bobs from books, fanzines. They’re really doing a service I think. We played downtown, in this gallery space that they sometimes use for events. I can’t remember the name of the space, but it was near Little Tokyo.

Mexico City also has some amazing venues. Where did you play for MUTEK.MX?
JA: It was the theater, do you know that one? The one with all the stalls going up quite high. [Editor’s Note: It was the Teatro de la Ciudad.] It was pretty incredible. We played with Matmos, which was pretty cool. Their show was brilliant.

The food there is unbelievable, too. The micheladas are wild.
JA: Mezcal, too! We’d never done that. That was interesting.

Listen to Slava’s New ‘Dark Arts’ Mix

NYC-via-Moscow producer Slava has been tapped to deliver a DJ set for Halloween, blazing through almost 30 tracks in just over 45 minutes on his new Dark Arts mix. As Slava displayed on his debut full-length earlier in the year, Raw Solutions, he is not hesitant to jump around and combine genres at will, and this mix for Dazed Digital certainly reflects that, as the man moves through styles almost as quickly as he changes selections. Covering all sorts of house, R&B, pop, and a somewhat surprising portion of global bass music, Slava’s full Dark Arts set can be streamed below, where its tracklist has also been included.

Big Bang – “Bad Boy (Intro)”
Black Daylight – “Beyonce’s Release”
Shining Force – “Esperanza”
Shaun D – “Dat A$$”
Secreto El Biberon – “Pa Que Me Mate El Dolor” (Prod. By DJ Sammy)
Physical Therapy – “Million Years Crushed (Allergey Season)”
OL – “FRK Edit”
“Arabski Club”
Divoli S’vere x Britney Spears – “Work Bitch (Gaginating Ha Remix)”
Walton – “Cool It VIP”
Jhené Aiko – “Mirrors”
Eve feat. Gwen Stefani – “Let Me Blow Ya Mind (Artistic Raw Bootleg)”
Lotic – “Amygdala Hijack”
MESH – “Scythians1long”
Terror Danjah – “Explode”
Rizzla & False Witness – “Baile Tra”
Misk – “Silsila Ye Chahat Ka (Bootleg)”
Chits – “Custom Hype (Slava Remix)””
Black Daylight – “Startrack Reloaded
DJ Gutta – “Bad (@Wale) (Jersey Club Remix)”
Club Fun (Flubba & Cream Dream) – “Da Fun”
Mohegan Son – “Spirit Balm (Broke City Summer Collection)”
DJ Richard – “Benzos”
Jacques Greene + Tinashe – “Painted Faces”
Ashanti – “Movies (Murlo Refix)”
Katy B – “What Love Is Made Of (Brackles Remix)”
El Alfa – “No Wiri Wiri”
GR8 Skin – “Piano Improvisation (C) 2”

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