The sweet, sweeping chords and delicate melodies which mark “Ultralight” come from a somewhat unexpected source—DavidAKZ, otherwise known as half of London electro outfit autoKratz. Clearly, DavidAKZ is a multi-faceted talent, stepping away from his usual adrenaline-charged sounds for something more laid back and touched with a deeper groove. “Ultralight” is the b-side set to appear on the producer’s debut solo EP, All We Are, dropping soon via the Autokratz-helmed Bad Life imprint.
Cologne’s Michael Mayer may be best known as a DJ, the man behind the lauded Immer mix series and an equally legendary Fabric mix. But, as he reminded everyone last year, he’s also a producer, dropping the long-awaited and somewhat divisive Mantasy album, the follow-up to 2004’s Touch. As is the case with many dance albums, Kompakt is now complementing it with a series of remix EPs. This first edition is not as garish as the long-player, and its modifications might win over skeptics as a result.
The a-side is taken up by Philipp Gorbachev‘s stiff, EBM-style take on “Voigt Kampff Test.” It’s entirely befitting of his roots on the frequently stripped-down Cómeme label, as he laces its stomping rhythm with planar arpeggios that recall TV news shows’ “breaking news” music. Barnt‘s (a.k.a. Daniel Ansorge) mix of the same track is similarly rigid, albeit with considerably more forward motion—the producer’s predilection for autobahn music, showcased on his releases for Cómeme and his own Magazine imprint, shines through. He implements a jaggedly chugging guitar undercurrent, deploying dramatic string stabs and thundering drum rolls as the piece barrels toward an ominous endpoint. The odd track out comes courtesy of The Mole (a.k.a. Colin de la Plante), who swaths his transformation of “Baumhaus” in curtains of filtered ambience. Although de la Plante is known for cheerful disco-house, there’s a rare and welcome moodiness on the remix, as the producer unfurls layers of downcast melody above insistent drums and a low-slung bassline. Its contemplative approach sets it apart from the rest of the EP, but it is a similarly wearying listen. The tracks on Mantasy Remixe 1 are all about sustaining their respective themes, and while they are impressively tense at times, they can just as often slip into monotony.
In the latest installment of Resident Advisor‘s Real Scenes documentary series, the electronic-music outlet profiles the current house scene in Johannesburg, exploring the ongoing narrative around its artists and culture. Featuring interviews from DJs, producers, promoters, and label heads, the 20-minute piece tells stories of hardship, apartheid, and the resulting poverty and struggle which Johannesburg’s people overcame, partially through local dance music and its growing patronage. You can watch the illuminating and inspiring documentary below, and read more about the piece here.
Today, we have London-via-Sri Lanka DJ/producer My Panda Shall Fly‘s “Kandy,” an introspective tune that spirals around a melancholy melody of crisp synths and deep, humming bass. The artist born Suren Seneviratne balances futuristic FX and distorted synths with light rhythms from subdued handclaps and snare taps, resulting in an eclectic and woozy beatscape. “Kandy” will be released as a part of the Sine of the Times compilation curated by London DJ and broadcaster Rita Maia, who hosts a radio show on London’s Resonance FM by the same name. In addition to My Panda Shall Fly, Maia’s handpicked collection of tunes features the likes of Visionist, BD1982, and D. Franklin of LV, among others, and will be released early next month via European low-frequency aficionados Badmood.
LA’s Friends of Freinds label has put together a new compilation showcasing a handful of burgeoning North American producers, including Octo Octa, Dreams, and recent Bubblin’ Up featuree Kid Smpl. Deemed Show Me the Future, the comp is now being offered up as a “Name Your Price” download. Rounding out the tracklist, the collection also taps Seattle beatmaker DJAO, newcomer Pcoat, Virginia native Evenings, and recent Wedidit recruit Ryan Hemsworth for a seven-track effort that is heavy on bass, beats, and mood. You can stream the entirety of Show Me the Future below, and head here to download the music for whatever price you deem fair.
Longstanding Parisian DJ/producer Joakim (pictured above) will soon launch a vinyl-only record label called Crowdspacer with the release of No Time to Waste, a collaborative single from Everyone (a.k.a. Joakim and NYC artist Kindness with Night Slugs‘ L-Vis 1990 and Jam City as Vincent L’Traques). Joakim, who also founded the eclectic Tigersushi outpost almost six years ago, describes his new label as being “about dance, sweaty clubs, techno primitivism, trans-gender house, tropicalist trance, mutant disco, fun avant-garde, timeless futurism, and the body and soul.” He also posted a YouTube video on his new label’s website of a “1989 illegal, acid-house rave” as a hint of what we can expect from Crowdspacer. Crowdspacer’s first record will be jointly released with Kindness’ Female Energy label sometime next month, but you can check out the aforementioned video before then, below.
Not unlike Four Tet’s moment of charity from earlier today, London DJ/producer and R&S affiliate Pariah, who also produces chunky techno sounds with Blawan as Karenn, has shared a ghostly, unreleased track as a free download, called “Numbers Station.” Described by the artist as an “old, beatless track,” Pariah’s tune features decayed, trembling vocal samples and a hauntingly subdued knock in the background. You can stream and download “Numbers Station” for free, below. (via Juno Plus)
19-year-old London—by way of Bristol—resident Ashley Thomas is a budding producer who has in recent months shared a number of free EPs under his handle of choice, Otik (pronounced “oh-tick,” like this strange film). The young artist is set to appear with an official outing for the fledging Prism Tracks label later this year, but for now, has offered up the loaded house of “Tremble” to introduce himself to the XLR8R faithful before that record drops in the coming months. If the weighted low end and effortless skip he manages to lace this tune with are any indication, Otik sounds like yet another Londoner we look forward to hearing more from.
Today, inimitable DJ/producer/musician Kieran Hebden (a.k.a. Four Tet) posted a surprise album called 0181 onto his SoundCloud, offering the music as a free download with word that a vinyl version will be released via his Text label soon. The new material follows Hebden’s excellent, XLR8R Pick’d Pink LP from 2012, and features jazzy cuts that were produced between 1997 and 2001 but were unreleased until now. While Hebden hasn’t announced any specific details about the vinyl version of 0181 yet, you can check out its artwork and download the 38-minute album via the player below. (via Resident Advisor)
Tender-hearted beatmaker Shlohmo took to his website today to upload a brand-new tune from his forthcoming EP for Friends of Friends and the producer’s own Wedidit label/crew, the five-track Laid Out. The artist born Henry Laufer will digitally release his new record—which features an appearance by lo-fi R&B singer/producer How to Dress Well—on March 5, with a limited vinyl release arriving on April 2. But before his new record drops, Shlohmo will take his live show on the road starting on February 27, which will find him touring around North America with fellow Wedidit affiliate D33J. You can get a taste of what you’ll hear at those shows, as well as what the Laid Out EP sounds like, by streaming the brand-new “Later” tune below, where you’ll also find the details of Shlohmo’s upcoming tour and release.
1. Don’t Say No (feat. How to Dress Well)
2. Out of Hand
3. Later
4. Put It
5. Without
