UK duo Bicep (a.k.a. Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar) just closed out a three-week North American tour with a headlining appearance at Toronto’s Foundry event series—a more in-depth look at the pair’s set (and Foundry as a whole) was posted just this morning—but it appears that the outfit has no intention of slowing down. Next month, a new EP—the outfit’s first official release of 2013—will be surfacing via Aus, and the opening track was posted online today. “Stash,” taken from the EP of the same name, will be accompanied by three additional tracks when the effort drops on vinyl and digital on April 15. In the meantime, the song is streaming in full below.
A Brooklyn resident at the leading edge of NY’s so-called outsider-house crop, Anthony Naples dropped a lengthy mix for FACT today. Clocking in at nearly two hours and incorporating a wide range of house music—most of it just slightly overdriven and/or wrapped in refracted soul—the set highlights Naples’ unique and adventurous outlook on the current dance-music landscape, and also shows off his undeniable proficiency with dancefloor grooves. The 100-minute mix can be streamed and downloaded for free via FACT here.
In 2012, Iranian-born producer Amirali proved to be quite the powerhouse for Crosstown Rebels, as he released two EPs and a full-length album with the popular London outpost. He’s starting strong in 2013 with a new single, “Melancholia,” and he’s sent over this bonus cut, “I’ve Been Waiting,” to tease the record. The track undeniably smacks of retro vibes, with a chunky bassline and hollow-sounding drum-machine percussion. The elements don’t build to more than a moderate energy level, creating a sense of restraint that permeates the tune beyond the “I’ve been waiting for this moment” vocal refrain. Physical copies of “Melancholia,” which features two remixes from Swiss producer Deetron, will drop on April 1, followed by a digital release on April 15.
There have been rumbles lately about forthcoming new music from Mount Kimbie, but today, the UK duo has made it official and unveiled plans for its sophomore album. Entitled Cold Spring Fault Less Youth, the 11-track LP will be released on May 28 via Warp. Not surprisingly, the album is said to find a pair that’s “more experienced, more mature, more self-aware” and the music itself supposedly “feels looser, richer and more enveloping than the duo’s past work, yet still retains that Mount Kimbie sound.” The record also features vocal contributions on two tracks from young crooner King Krule.
Ahead of the release, the group has announced plans for some extensive touring, including a lengthy run of North American dates with Holy Other. The duo has also let loose an official stream of “Made to Stray,” a song which first surfaced on Hessle Audio’s Rinse FM show a couple of weeks ago and caused a bit of a stir. Now, the complete version can be heard online and has been posted below, along with the artwork and complete tracklist for Cold Spring Fault Less Youth and Mount Kimbie’s upcoming tour dates. Those looking to download “Made to Stray” can also do so over at the Mount Kimbie website for the price of an email address.
1. Home Recording 2. You Took Your Time (feat. King Krule) 3. Break Well 4. Blood and Form 5. Made to Stray
6. So Many Times, So Many Ways 7. Lie Near 8. Meter, Pale, Tone (feat. King Krule) 9. Slow 10. Sullen Ground 11. Fall Out
Tour dates:
2nd May – Certain People @ Berghain, Berlin, DE 4th May – Sound City Festival, Liverpool 5th May – Night + Day Festival, Lisbon, Portugal (with the xx) 10th May – Poolbar mit Pratersauna, Vienna, AT 11th May – Imagine Festival @ Kaserne, Basel, CH 18th May – Night + Day Festival, Berlin, DE (with the xx) 24th May – London Calling @ Paradiso, Amsterdam, NL 25th May – Field Day Festival, London 30th May – Bowery Ballroom, New York, USA # 31st May – Union Transfer, Philadelphia, USA # 1st June – Black Cat, Washington, USA # 2nd June – The Sinclair, Cambridge, USA # 4th June – SAT, Montreal, Canada # 5th June – The Hoxton, Toronto, Canada # 7th June – Magic Stick, Detroit, USA # 8th June – Lincoln, Chicago, USA # 9th June – Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, USA # 10th June – Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis, USA # 13th June – Fortune Sound Club, Vancouver, USA # 14th June – Neumos, Seattle, USA # 15th June – Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, USA # 17th June – The Independent, San Francisco, USA # 18th June – Echoplex, Los Angeles, USA # 23rd June – Night + Day Festival, Osterley Park, London (with The xx)
Last week Oakland producer Bobby Browser announced plans to drop the Still Browsing EP via the 100% Silk label early next month, sharing a stream of the record’s lead cut in the process. Now, in anticipation of its April 2 release, Browser has elected to also share the EP’s closing track, “Baby Dre.” As can be heard below, “Baby Dre” puts a slightly introspective spin on Browser’s brand of hardware house, dishing out a few poignant synth melodies as the beat sinks into a relaxed shuffle. The tune can be streamed via the player below and the full details of the Just Browsing EP can be found here.
The SoundCloud page of Houston newcomer j.Faraday is plastered with minute-long sketches of syrupy, bass-minded beats, but “Don’t Need U” is a considerably more developed piece of audio. The slow, fully fleshed-out head nodder purportedly hints at Faraday’s evolving production style, something which is likely to be featured on a proper release in the near future. However, before then, Seattle’s Hush Hush imprint has decided to offer up a collection of the Texas producer’s more quickly assembled works for a 20-track digital “beat tape.” The simply titled Beat Tape #1 (artwork above) is out now and availible at a price of the downloader’s choosing via Hush Hush’s Bandcamp.
All month long, Toronto has been playing host to the inaugural edition of Foundry, an ambitious new event series held over five separate weekends and incorporating a wide array of forward-thinking electronic talent. Seeing as how the bulk of the artists performing have received their fair share of attention here on XLR8R over the years—prior weekend headliners included Shlohmo, Omar S, Andy Stott, and Juan Atkins—when the Foundry organizers extended an invitation for us to attend a couple of shows, we were more than happy to accept. After all the trip not only afforded an opportunity to check out DJ sets from the likes of Martyn, Bicep, Nautiluss, Kevin McPhee, and others, but it also offered the chance to explore Toronto’s club scene, something which largely remains a question mark for most people outside of the city. After two long nights of partying, we definitely learned a few lessons, and have elected to share our findings here.
BLK BOX, Friday Night
The BLK BOX Theatre is a quality venue.
Situated in the city’s increasingly trendy West Queen West neighborhood, the BLK BOX Theatre has served as Foundry headquarters. Situated in a basement, the space was formerly an old theater, but has recently been refashioned into a fairly raw locale that—true to its name—is essentially a big, black box. This is not a bad thing, as it’s also been outfitted with an impressively booming Funktion-One rig. Between the gut-rattling soundsystem and unpolished aesthetic, it’s not a stretch to say that being at BLK BOX harkened back to a bygone era of raving that has all but disappeared in 2013. At the same time, Foundry didn’t have a particularly illicit or “underground” feel—the production was far too professional for that—even if the experience of being at the parties was also a far cry from being at a proper “club.” The music was loud, the venue was a little grimy, there was nowhere to sit, people were dancing, and the vibes were positive.
BLK BOX, Saturday Night
Still, one shouldn’t get the impression that the event organizers simply booked the talent and showed up to turn on the soundsystem. Each night featured custom visuals, which unquestionably enlivened the space and managed to do so with becoming overbearing. Rather than assaulting the senses, the array of lights, lazers, and cut-out installations (the giant renderings of the Bicep logo on Saturday night were a particularly inspired choice) subtly enhanced the overall experience.
Bicep is at the top of its game—and really likes techno.
Bicep headlined Saturday night’s proceedings at Foundry, and the duo’s nearly three-hour set—its last of a three-week North American tour—demonstrated why the pair has seen such a rapid ascent during the past year. Although the Belfast-reared, London-based outfit is often tied to the current wave of ’80s and ’90s house nostalgia, Bicep’s range extends well beyond retro-flavored enthusiasm. This isn’t news for those who have been following the pair’s blogging or DJ exploits over the past few years, but for those who only began paying attention once “$tripper” and “Vision of Love” surfaced, it may come as a bit of a surprise. In fairness, Bicep’s selections at Foundry did include some of the uplfiting piano melodies, bouncy basslines, and skittering hi-hats one might have expected, but the set was largely focused on techno, much of it with some serious low-end heft. Granted, the duo’s inherently playful spirit continued to shine through, but it was encouraging to see that the group has elected to continue evolving and expanding its musical reach instead of merely resting on its laurels.
Nautiluss and Kevin McPhee lead Toronto’s impressive crop of local talent.
Looking over the entire Foundry schedule, it’s clear that organizers sought to do more than simply stage a bunch of shows with tastemaker-friendly talent. Celebrating Toronto was undeniably part of the agenda, and Foundry did a nice job of weaving local acts into the mix; for instance, the opening weekend saw Deebs supporting Shlohmo while Gingy and Alixander III opened up for Juan Atkins. Friday and Saturday’s show were no different. Before Bicep stepped behind the decks, the dancefloor was warmed up nicely by Toronto’s own Lapelle and Members Only. The former got things started with a well-mixed selection of vintage (and vintage-inspired) house cuts, smartly building a vibe without taking things over the top. Members Only jumped on around 11:45 p.m. and took things in a decidedly groovier direction, dabbling in disco and classic house before upping the energy and banging things out a bit as the floor swelled toward capacity.
Members Only
Friday’s party—which was billed as a 3024 label night—opened in a slightly more abstract direction, as local staple Mymanhenri delved into various strains of beats and bass while partygoers took their time arriving. He did an adequate job, but the evening’s top honors undoubtedly went to Nautiluss and Kevin McPhee; in the wake of both producers appearing on the recently issued Dovercourt EP, the two teamed up at Foundry for a rare back-to-back set. Although Nautiluss and McPhee are accustomed to playing individually, they proved to be quite the tandem behind the decks. Beginning with some classic house sounds, the pair gradually turned down the polish and turned up the low-end rumbles, moving slowly toward a raw brand of warehouse-ready techno. Leaning heavily on new cuts, the duo demonstrated that the nebulous zone where house, techno, and bass music come together continues to yield some incredibly compelling results. Both artists have multiple releases slated for the months ahead, and it will be exciting to see where they take things in 2013.
Martyn is a badman DJ.
This won’t be shocking for anyone who’s previously seen the 3024 boss in action, but Martyn was excellent during his headlining set on Friday night. From a purely technical standpoint, he’s an impeccable DJ, but his brilliance goes beyond mere execution. Simply put, Martyn is an artist who insists on evolving; after more than a decade in music, he’s already left his mark on drum & bass and dubstep, and now finds himself ostensibly operating in the techno sphere. That said, he never comes across as a trend hopper—his changes have always felt natural and organic, and though his musical history may be varied, he hasn’t filed away his past ventures into a drawer to be forgotten. On the contrary, Martyn utilizes them as a sort of creative reserve, fleshing out his current endeavors with choice tidbits he’s picked up along the way. This was certainly the case during his set at Foundry; there aren’t many DJs who can drop in a seminal cut like “I Feel Love” without it coming across like a gimmick, but Martyn slipped it into the maelstrom of his usual dark and pulsing rhythms as though the combination was the most natural thing in the world. Of course, the set also featured a few of Martyn’s own cuts, along with a number of enticingly unknown and sonically hard-to-pin-down selections.
Lapelle
Now is the right time for Foundry in Toronto.
Toronto is the biggest city in Canada. Without question, it’s a major artistic, cultural, and musical hub, and a place that’s home to throngs of forward-thinking, open-minded people. Yet when it comes to electronic music, the city is rarely named as an important locale or seen a hotbed for new talent. Although it’s hard to pin down exactly why this is happening, many local artists we spoke with over the course of the weekend cited a severe lack of venues, particularly small- and medium-sized ones. The city’s current development and condo boom isn’t helping matters, and neither is the fact that most places have to turn off the alcohol and wrap up the party at 2 a.m.
Nautiluss
That said, these issues aren’t unique to Toronto—much of North America suffers from similarly trying circumstances. At the same time, Toronto does stand out in one very real way—few cities with these problems can claim to have a comparable wealth of talent. In just two nights at Foundry, it was truly impossible not to notice just how many quality DJs, producers, and promoters populate the city. More importantly, they all seemed to know and support one another. Moving through the Foundry audience, it often seemed like there were just as many quality artists in the crowd as there were on stage. Of course, it’s quite possible that many of them will eventually be tempted to follow the long-standing tradition of Canadian electronic artists pulling up stakes and relocating to Berlin, but right now, there’s unquestionably a foundation in place for the Toronto scene to make the proverbial leap onto a larger stage. It’s simply a matter of someone putting the pieces together and calling attention to what’s going on.
That’s why an event series like Foundry has the potential to be a real milestone for the city. Even with its relatively forward bookings, the events we attended were packed, and not just with tastemaker types. Granted, the crowds of 500-600 people weren’t exactly massive, but they more than filled the space and certainly outstripped the size of the average “cool” electronic event one would come across in most North American locales. More importantly though, a night at Foundry simply felt like a party filled with a variety of adults who just happened to like credible electronic music. As such, the dancefloor was refreshingly free of candy ravers, confused EDM enthusiasts, and douchey club refugees, making for an undeniably fun night out. Foundry was focused on music, not spectacle, and for that, its organizers are to be commended.
Kevin McPhee
Perhaps the most telling quote of the weekend came from XI (a.k.a. Christian Andersen), a Toronto-based producer who recently returned to the city after a stint in Berlin. Like many artists we encountered, he was not performing at Foundry, but was nonetheless in attendance at Friday’s 3024 showcase. Talking about the event, he said, “Lots of people here are wondering why they haven’t been going to parties like this for years.” It was a simple observation, but one that spoke volumes about where Toronto is at in terms of electronic music. Although Foundry is an event series without many real parallels in the city, being at the party felt remarkably normal, which is certainly a very good sign. Sometimes, being ready to take a step forward is just as important as the actual act of taking the step, and if this weekend’s Foundry parties were an accurate indication, Toronto is prepared to move.
When we tapped Lapalux (a.k.a. Stuart Howard) to assemble an XLR8R podcast last year, the UK talent returned with an eclectic mixed bag of songs that shared little in common, save for an experimental approach to slow-moving composition and lots of low end. A similar sensibility often carries over into his production; clearly, the man has a lot of influences, yet his music stands out thanks to an ability to arrange an impressive number of elements into seductive, bass-heavy, and often pop-leaning songs. While it could be said that the appetite for and frenetic manufacturing of lush, off-kilter beats has somewhat subsided since Howard first released a handful of EPs in 2011 and 2012, he has nonetheless returned to Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label for his first full-length effort, Nostalchic. Listening to the album, it certainly appears that he’s staying loyal to the beat-scene zeitgeist.
After delivering a standout performance on “Forgetting and Learning Again,” an engrossing pop track from last year’s Some Other Time EP, vocalist Kerry Leatham returns for two cuts on Nostalchic. And once again, Lapalux’s collaborations with her prove to be among the most captivating songs on the record. “Without You” plays out like a sleepy R&B lullaby, with tri-tone melodies that seem to spin in circles and pockets of silence that bloom into layered vocal harmonies. Leatham returns on album closer “OEA,” as Lapalux embeds tiny snippets of her ragged singing into a bobbing beat that eventually disintegrates into a wave of ambience.
That said, Lapalux’s skill manipulating the human voice extends beyond his collaborations with Leatham. Throughout the record, his most breathtaking productions often occur when he’s working with a vocalist or vocal samples. The soft voice on “Walking Word” that purrs the lines, “When you fall to pieces in my arms/It buries that part of me,” delivers one of the album’s most unshakeable hooks, and the sparkling instrumental that surrounds it is one of his tightest productions. “Dance (feat. Astrid Williamson)” will be familiar to those who heard Howard’s XLR8R podcast—it appeared there as a Lapalux remix of the stripped-down Williamson original. Howard’s rendering fills in all of the bare space in the source material with warm, cooing sounds and a dilapidated hip-hop lurch.
Lapalux’s productions are never stark or stripped down; if anything, the opposite is true, which is perhaps why his vocal-driven tracks tend to be his most successful. At his best, Lapalux manages to remain in complete control of every bit of sonic minutiae he uses by anchoring them to sturdy beats and catchy vocals. “Swallowing Smoke,” for example, embellishes a sturdy rhythmic foundation and recurring vocal sample with so many sheets of glittering noise that each rich detail seems to take on a life of its own.
But occasionally, things go off track, leaving a few songs sounding a bit messy and hard to follow. “Kelly Brook” is a prime example; a shapeless track that overflows with arrhythmic drum hits, skittering cascades of notes, slippery vocal samples, and a haze of synth pads, it ultimately feels sloppy. Likewise, “Flower” is a sprawling jumble of shimmering, yawning noises, chirping vocals, and skittering beats. Organization is clearly an issue here, but what’s more important is that these tunes are simply not as memorable as the ones Lapalux imbues with bone-deep grooves and sticky hooks. Those structural elements give listeners something to hold on to, which is key, particularly when he’s leading us through such a flurry of sounds and influences. Nostalgic is an exciting journey, but during the moments when Lapalux fails to provide a coherent roadmap, it’s a bit too easy for the rest of us to get lost.
Over the past few months, Coco Bryce‘s profile has steadily risen in the wake of some impressive collaborations, remixes, and original productions, all of which synthesize a blend of old-school jungle textures and footwork-indebted drum programming. Now, Bryce has dropped his sophomore album, Club Tropicana, and has shared a clip for the record’s title cut to help spread the word. The visuals for “Club Tropicana” are delightfully lo-fi, offering a swirl of cheap, often charming animations that reflect the tropical soundscape that colors the track. Bryce’s debut LP is out now via Fremdtunes; its artwork and tracklist can be found below.
01. Raw Update 02. Polaroid Sunset 03. Sonic 04. 004 05. Club Tropicana 06. Bronze (with Halp) 07. That’s Life 08. Lucid 09. Loopa 10. All Day 11. On Love Holmes (with Emufucka) 12. Bright Lit 13. Lily’s Song 14. Let Me Put My Poems Into You
Barcelona’s Alizzz is a producer concerned with the more space-age ends of hip-hop-indebted electronics. His productions frequently feature a mixture of lazery synths and perfectly synchronized collections of tuned kicks and snares, and Alizzz’s remake of fellow Spanish artist Timoti is no different. Stripping the original of its vocals, the man relies on a set of slippery synth leads to hold the listeners focus as he crafts a more booming production from the song’s subdued-R&B beginnings. Alizzz’s remix of the tune is just one of three found—along with the original—on TiMOTi’s “En Otra Ciudad” single, out now via Arkestra.
