The Lowdown – This Week’s XLR8R Top 10 with Shigeto, Tyree Cooper, Brenmar, and More

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. In the latest edition of our ongoing In the Studio series, we visited Ghostly affiliate Shigeto’s Detroit workspace to talk about his array of gear and the creative process behind his new album, No Better Time Than Now.

2. Our latest weekly contest offers XLR8R readers the chance to win a set of studio monitors from JBL.

3. Recent Hyperdub signee Jessy Lanza shared an exclusive mix, featuring tracks from DJ Rashad, Kode9, Egyptrixx, Shlohmo’s collaboration with Jeremih, Actress, and more.

4. Chicago house veteran Tyree Cooper delivered this week’s XLR8Rpodcast, taking listeners on an extended ride through soul-burnt house and disco with an expert’s touch.

5. After spending a week in Germany at the invitation of the country’s Initiative Muzik project, XLR8R reflected on the five things we learned whilst exploring the country’s contemporary music and culture scenes.

6. Before UK duo Waze & Odyssey begins its stateside tour next month, the pair offered its edit of Adonis’ classic “We’re Rocking Down the House” tune as a free download.

7. Following right behind our feature with Shigeto, we reviewed the producer’s new LP for Ghostly, No Better Time Than Now, deeming the excellent album an XLR8R Pick.

8. For the latest Trainwreck feature, globetrotting NYC DJ/producer Brenmar shared his story of almost missing his first DJ gig in Atlanta due to an emergency landing in Knoxville, TN.

9. UK producer Ventress offered up “See Through,” the woozy bonus track from the man’s debut EP under his new Worn alias, for free download.

10. Jacques Greene’s unabashed love for R&B again yielded some essential pieces of audio, as the Montreal producer gave away two new edits of R&B songstress Ciara.

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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Mau’lin “Visitor”*Diskotopia*

British producer Mau’lin is a relatively new artist with a record for Diskotopia arriving on August 26. “Visitor,” a bonus track from the digital version of his Quotient EP, trades in the type of complex techno that has populated Berlin’s musical landscape for over a decade. Mau’lin’s production adds a Detroit toughness to the dark, driving rhythms, as he twists a simple arpeggio riff into various guises along the way. Never overbearing the listener with too many elements, Mau’lin adds a sly, pitch-shifting synth phrase and a quiet, rumbling vocal sample as its counterpoint, bringing just enough variation to keep the arrangement on edge. What’s more, an abridged version of the EP’s title track has been paired with some psychedelic visuals, which can be seen after the jump.

Visitor

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Hi, Doctor Nick! – Is Touring Hell? The Highs and Lows of Life on the Road

At this point, we’d like to think that just about any regular reader of XLR8R is familiar with Nick Hook. Every week, the good doctor—who, of course, is not actually a doctor—stops by to answer questions about music, gear, DJing, travel, production methods, and more. Basically, if someone has a question about life in the music world, he’s ready to answer it. Send queries to [email protected] and bask in his knowledge. (Minor programming note: the column usually appears on Thursday mornings, but Dr. Nick encountered a few detours in the Deep South this week, so he’s popping in one day behind schedule. We’ll be back to normal next week.)

Yooo. I’m in Atlanta. I love it here. Shout out to Treasure Fingers, Distal, SL Jones, Scotty ATL, and the illest vegan restaurant in the world, Soul Vegetarian No. 2.

I made a new mix and Diddy tweeted about It. Haha. Give it a listen.

Thanks for all the demos and little presents. All the positive feedback about the column never gets old. Keep the questions coming. [email protected].

Also, happy birthday to my most loyal reader—my dad. Thanks for all the support 🙂

Hi Doctor Nick,
First of all, I’m a huge fan of what you do. I read the column every week, and hope to able to live like you do some day. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us, man.

On to my question. I spend all of my time making beats in my bedroom or playing random local gigs as a drummer, but I’ve never performed my beats at all. It’s always been my dream to go on tour, more than anything. However, a lot of stuff I’ve read about touring from other musicians makes it sound kind of like hell. I need to ask someone who’s been doing it a long time—is it possible to go on tour, have a blast, see the sights, and not go crazy? Do the discomforts of living on a tight budget and traveling every night always have to take away from the experience? How do you go about having the fun of a tour without getting spoiled by the intense schedule?
Matthew

Thanks! Glad you’re enjoying what I do here. I’m not sure if I would wish for anyone to live like me, but it does have its perks at times.

Let’s preface this whole thing by noting that we are all crazy—out of our minds even. I’m talking about anyone who reads this. So not going crazy shouldn’t be a concern.

As for touring… it’s complex. In my experience, it’s been both the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. You give so much to get so much and at the same time get so much to lose so much.

In some ways, it’s definitely hell. I’ve gone over 15 G’s in debt. Once I got charged like two G’s by Ryanair and lost all of the tour money because of that. I’ve sacrificed relationships. At the same time, I’ve been to places I never fathomed that I would go, and I’ve met incredible new people who have shown me art, taught me culture, and expanded my mind.

Touring is one of those things that changes over time. After you have lost the initial shock of being to all the new places, the grueling aspect of moving fast day to day and not really seeing that much sets in. At that point, the whole thing has to become about money, at least somewhat. In my case, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been trying to live a more stable lifestyle versus the crazy volatile one I used to have. I’ve slept in the van, on the floor, and all those things—and it made me who I am—but now it feels good to be able to actually get a hotel and try to live nice while I am traveling. Going for months just eating garbage is tough. Going months without seeing your real friends and your significant others is tough. Keep that in mind.

These days, I like to set up my travel so that I can stick around each city for more than one night. You end up learning the city, building relationships, and maybe playing an extra show or making beats with someone in town. Sometimes, those things are the most important parts of the whole trip, and the benefits of traveling multiply.

On the whole though, traveling isn’t really hell. It can be incredible; we are super fortunate to do this and I think the tough parts just make you tougher. Even when you’re at your worst on the road, you just have to step back and be like, “Yo, I’ve had 26 of the worst jobs in the world and this trumps all of them.”

You just have to get out there and do it. Take it one step at a time. The best part is that you can take everything in your hands and develop a base of people that fucks with you, and continues to fuck with you. I love traveling just to see what people are doing in the clubs from Tokyo to Seoul to Paris and how it all relates back to what we’re doing in New York. It’s super inspiring to be in their realm and see the way we all influence each other. Plus, when the touring is done, I can go back and be like, “Wow, I learned so much from all of these amazing kids in Seoul,” and keep funneling that energy and knowledge back and forth. I love that the internet can do that for us.

Good luck my G.

Hi, Doctor Nick! appears every Thursday on XLR8R. Do you have a question for Doctor Nick? Please submit your inquires to [email protected]. Nick Hook can help you.

Listen to Teebs’ Remix for Raffertie

LA beatmaker, Brainfeeder affiliate, and Prefuse73 collaborator Teebs (whose studio we checked out earlier this year, and is pictured above) has just served up a lush remix of “Rain,” the new single from Raffertie‘s recently released Sleep of Reason album for Ninja Tune. Teebs’ version of the song slips the Londoner’s vocals into the background, and opts instead for a focus on multiple layers of atmospherics and reverb-soaked harmonies. “Rain (Teebs Remix)” will appear on Raffertie’s forthcoming single when it drops on October 7, but before then, the track can be streamed in full here.

Download a New Mix from Demdike Stare

Modern Love‘s resident sonic experimentalists Demdike Stare have been tapped to deliver the latest mix for online music and art journal Secret Thirteen, and it is now available to stream and download for free. Across 70 minutes of audio, the Manchester-based duo crafts an expectedly eerie and dense collage of sounds, jumping between abstract drones, shuffling dance music, and even a bit of jazz during the course of the mix. Demdike Stare’s new set for Secret Thirteen can be heard via the player below.

Jacob 2-2 “Red Heather, Yellow Heather”*King Deluxe *

Hailing from Brooklyn, budding beatsmith Jacob 2-2 is a producer concerned with the more psychedelic points at which instrumental hip-hop and electronic production cross. Pulled from his forthcoming Herbivore LP for Canada’s King Deluxe imprint, “Red Heather, Yellow Heather” is a particularly stoney cut, in which Jacob 2-2 unravels a seemingly never-ending supply of floaty chords and washy synths over a bit of relaxed percussion and an appropriately sluggish bassline. While much of the current crop of hip-hop/electronic hybrids seem to favor big beats and dancefloor-ready bass weight, Jacob 2-2’s approach is refreshingly less formulaic, leaving plenty of room for listeners to effortlessly become absorbed in its easy-flowing textures and hand-assembled movements.

Red Heather, Yellow Heather

Red Heather Yellow Heather

Check Out Live Mixes from DJ Rashad, RP Boo, and More

After sharing Jacques Greene‘s Boiler Room set from the Pitchfork Festival Afterparty earlier this month, we now have another video from the same night: Teklife crew’s Boiler Room takeover with Hyperdub artist DJ Rashad (pictured above), footwork veteran RP Boo, DJ Spinn, and DJ Manny. Collectively, the four Teklife affiliates threw down an especially lively Boiler Room set, and the 45-minute video of the event can be seen below, where a free download of the audio from the performance can also be found. (via FACT)

This Week in Music Tech: Shigeto’s Studio, Production Tips from Untold and Gavin Russom, TouchAble2 for iPad, and More

The time has come to again gather up the most relevant bits of gear and production news for the week. Today, we peer into the production techniques of Ghostly beatmaker Shigeto, forward-thinking UK producer Untold, and NYC analog wizard Gavin Russom. We also take time to check out TouchAble2, an update to the popular iPad control app for Ableton which is on its way soon.

The latest edition of our ongoing In the Studio series brought us to the Rivertown neighborhood of Detroit, where we visited Zach Saginaw (a.k.a. Shigeto) and took a look around the man’s gorgeous studio space. We talked about gear, playing instruments live, and the production process behind Saginaw’s new album for Ghostly, the XLR8R Pick’d
No Better Time Than Now LP. Our full interview and picture set with Shigeto can be found here.

Forward-thinking producer and Hemlock label boss Jack Dunning (a.k.a. Untold) recently stopped by Dubspot‘s NYC campus to highlight the inner workings of his creative process, revealing that the uncommon production software Reaper and Native Instruments’ Massive are some of his main tools.

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DFA mainstay Gavin Russom recently took part in a Brian Eno-inspired EP commissioned by Self-Titled Magazine, for which producers were enlisted to use only Moog gear to create a new tracks. A new video showing Russom manipulating a table full of hardware as he builds his contribution to the EP, “In Our Streets,” has shed some new light on the man’s creative process.

The popular Ableton Live control app for iPad, TouchAble, teased video of TouchAble 2, an updated version of the comprehensive wireless control software. The update, which is said to be “coming soon,” will be free to download for existing users and brings with it updates such as the ability to edit notes, create sequences, play melodic patterns, and draw one’s own controls right onto the app.

In the latest edition of Point Blank‘s ongoing 9 Lives of Ableton 9 (get it?!?) video tutorial series, instructor Anthony Chapman lays out the basics of importing and manipulating audio in Live. If viewers can ignore the unfortunately poor quality of the music being worked on, the tutorial should actually prove quite useful for Ableton beginners or those hoping to brush up on the fundamentals of the program. The rest of the series can be watched here.

Press Play: Jimmy Edgar, xxxy, Paul Woolford, Basement Jaxx, and More

We’ve got quite the selection of sounds in today’s Press Play feature, including DJ sets, EP streams, remix premieres, and top-notch original productions from the likes of Jimmy Edgar, Huxley, xxxy, Ghostpoet, L.I.E.S. signee Vereker, DJ Q, Jel, Hyperdub up-and-comer Jessy Lanza, Maxmillion Dunbar, Wiley, and more. Some of it is downloadable, some of it can only be streamed, but all of it is worth a listen or two.

Here’s a free download of Jimmy Edgar’s remix of “Restless (feat. Natasha Kmeto)” by British duo Letherette.

London DJ/producer xxxy turned in this remix of Austra’s new “Painful Like” single for Domino.

Check out our premiere of Paul Woolford’s remix for Ghostpoet, a version of the UK wordsmith’s “Cold Win” track from the Some Say I So I Say Light LP (out on September 24 via [PIAS] America).

Basement Jaxx has been churning out the singles lately, and this take on “What A Difference Your Love Makes” is the latest iteration of the duo’s new music from UK DJ/producer Huxley.

This hard-edged “refix” of Wiley’s “100%” single arrives today as a free download from former Various Productions affiliate Ean.

DJ Q’s latest single for the Local Action label is the vocal-led house tune “Let The Music Play (feat. Louise Williams).”

For anyone on the look out for a challenging DJ mix, check out the third podcast of the L.I.E.S. podcast series from Vereker.

Following Jeremy Greenspan’s remix of Roland Tings’ new remix for Club Mod, don’t miss Maxmillion Dunbar’s remix of “Cagean Sea.”

Bay Area-based Anticon co-founder Jel returns with a new single from his upcoming album, the title track “Late Pass.”

As we lead up to the September 17 release date of her Pull My Hair Back LP for Hyperdub, Canadian singer/producer Jessy Lanza unveils another tune from her debut album, the strangely catchy “5785021.”

Just before it drops via the Curle label, Talbot Wood shares a full stream of the brand-new Dream Sequence EP.

After having premiered this week on The FADER, Co La’s Paranoid Summer mix can now be streamed and downloaded for free.

Check out the latest release from High Sheen, Pegasus’ brand-new “Air” single, which comes complete with remixes from Innershades and Lovers’ Rights.

Abstract Mutation ” Expert Loner”*1080p*

Melbourne producer Abstract Mutation may reside on the other side of the world, but the experimental techno artist has clearly set up camp in the ephemeral, low-tech world that such American personalities as James Ferraro and Oneohtrix Point Never occupy. In his track “Expert Loner,” taken from the upcoming Fake Keygen release (out on August 27 via 1080p), reversed and blurred soundscapes are paired to militaristic hi-hats and borrowed ’90s bass loops in an even-keeled, unassuming track. Like Ferraro’s Far Side Virtual, which made use of sounds borrowed from Muzak and forgotten consumer culture, “Expert Loner” is rife with archaic timbres which Abstract Mutation describes as “goofball dance signifiers.”

Expert Loner

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