Five Minutes at ADE with Derrick May

If it wasn’t clear enough from bothparts of our ADE coverage, this year’s festival had a far-reaching roster of artists, including some absolutely legendary names, of which the DJ, (former) producer, label head, and all-around electronic-music guru Derrick May was one of the biggest. At this point in his career, May really has a lot of knowledge to share, and he enthusiastically did so over two ADE panel discussions (one of which was a Q&A with fellow Midwestern pioneer Frankie Knuckles, who also sat down with us for five minutes) with a focus on the past and future of electronic music as well as the current state of dance music in the US. Once we finally got a chance to sit down with the man (who, by the way, will be bringing his Hi-Tek Soul tour with Kevin Saunderson to Seattle, San Francisco, and LA in early November), we continued to delve into these subjects.

XLR8R: What do you think has made it harder for US cities to have really substantial scenes in the last few years?
Derrick May: The fact that promoters are at a super small quantity. [Artists] are going to have to reach out and show the initiative to make their own gigs, like I did when I was younger. When I was first starting out, I did my own parties. If there was a party, I did it myself. But things can cultivate. Even myself, I need to go back and put something into my community. I can’t expect a flower to grow without water. I’ve got the water and I need to utilize the opportunity to help that flower grow.

Was there something that made the dance-music culture catch on more in other places than in the States?
It wasn’t a viable business venture for the American music market, so they simply turned their back on it. Canada, on the other hand, especially Montreal, has always had a dance-music culture. Toronto for quite a while had one, but things have changed there quite a bit, but you still can find clubs. Maybe it’s not your club of choice, but you can still find clubs. In the States, except for Chicago, San Francisco, and New York, the country’s dry.

So, you’re back in Detroit now?
Yeah, I’ve been back for a few years. But I’m on the road all the time, so I thought it would be a good thing to go back home and put some energy into that.

Does that mean you’re putting together parties and such there?
Not really. I’m going to start developing these things. Myself, Richie [Hawtin], Jeff [Mills], everybody’s gone. We’ve left it kind of high and dry, so we can’t hold anybody responsible for what’s happening in Detroit. It’s our fault.

And now you’re trying to give back to Detroit’s musical community.
Well, we have to, otherwise we’ll be responsible for what happens to the community. We will have fucked it up.

Do you think there’s a new generation in Detroit, guys like Kyle Hall, who are carrying the torch for the city’s music scene?
It’s not enough. Kyle [Hall] is one guy and he shouldn’t be responsible for carrying the torch. He should just be able to play his music and have fun. Rolando took a step back cause he didn’t want to be that guy. He just wanted to make his music.

Do you have any new projects in the works?
I am busy with trying to figure out what I’m going to be busy with.

And your label [Transmat] is still active?
Yeah, I started the label again. Greg Gow, DVS 1, John Beltran, and a few other upcoming releases is the plan.

How did you find out about new artists? Do you see them play clubs?
You know what, I don’t go to clubs anymore cause I live in this world, so when I’m not working, I don’t go out.

It’s no longer an escape for you?
Hell no. [Laughs] No way.

Then how do you find new music?
It’s genetic and impulsive for me. I find music and music finds me. It’s always going to be like that.

HGLDT “The Calling”

With a collaborative 12″ between himself and fellow Montreal producer Hissy Fit slated for release next Tuesday, November 1 (artwork above), HGLDT has shared this previously unreleased track, “The Calling,” to help spread the word. Although this tune is considerably less club-oriented than the collaborative effort to be found on the forthcoming single, it nonetheless still proves to be a fine example of the Canadian’s talents, this time showing that he knows how to craft pillowy, laid-back house with patience and precision. After giving “The Calling” a listen below, you can also stream HGLDT and Hissy Fit’s “Last Summer Dub” and the accompanying Martin Kemp remix after the jump.

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The Calling

Jack Dixon Knowledge EP

Jack Dixon is both the given name and artist moniker of an exciting London-based producer operating under the ever-expanding umbrella of contemporary house, techno, and garage music. Though he’s released a small handful of fine singles and EPs over the last couple of years, the four-track Knowledge record finds Dixon topping himself on all fronts. The individual tunes are each more defined—with wide variations on elements of lush atmospherics, shuffling rhythms, and dropouts into deep introspection—but remain entirely cohesive. It would seem that even though the UK artist is still looking for his own style, he is heading in a straight line towards the point of acquiring an artistic identity.

The all-encompassing vibe of these four productions is more or less what we’ve been hearing from Hotflush’s roster in the past few years. More specifically, Dixon’s tunes sound like the work of label boss Paul Rose. The first of the bunch, “Jessica,” is a bulbous slice of rolling tech-house that comes off as an outtake from Scuba’s excellent Triangulation LP, albeit more direct and less moody. Standout cuts “You Old” and “Ironside” both go straight for an updated dub-techno template, à la SCB, but with enough haze drifting around in the peripherals to help fill in the odd rhythmic crack. And Dixon plays with some slow-burning dancefloor heat on “60 Miles,” which is as ready as anything to pick up where Rose left off when he re-discovered ’80s electro and freestyle on “Everywhere,” the b-side to his recent “Adrenalin” single.

That’s not all to say the Knowledge EP is an exercise in sonic plagiarism; Dixon largely excels when it comes to crafting fresh sounds for use in his high-quality productions. His drums are at once eclectic and familiar—the best for setting an inviting mood in a club—while remaining unique to each track. Vocal samples are treated more like sparse, flitty synths, as the producer often utilizes the note of one syllable before sending it through a gauntlet of spacey effects. On Knowledge, it’s apparent that Dixon knows what he wants to achieve and how to get there; we’re just listening to another step in his gradual process.

Preview the Knowledge EP:

Mr. Oizo Announces New LP

French electro-house weirdo and veteran producer Mr. Oizo will soon drop his fourth proper studio album via his longtime label home, Ed Banger. The new LP is called Stade2, and features 13 fresh tracks that were all crafted by the experimental artist at the Edgecliff-Gym studio in LA. Before Mr. Oizo’s new record drops on November 11, you can check out the artwork and tracklist below. (via Resident Advisor)

01. Introeil
02. Camelfuck
03. Douche beat
04. Datsun
05. Ska
06. EDN
07. Cheeree
08. Oral Sax
09. France7
10. Chiffon
11. Pompe
12. Stade2
13. Druide

Orbital “Never”

Veteran electronic duo Orbital unexpectedly offered up a new song yesterday, reportedly in preparation for a new album that’s on the way in 2012, the pair’s first since 2004. “Never” starts out in serene fashion, rolling out some plinky keys and dreamily tweaked vocal snippets, the whole thing bathed in a warm sonic haze. It’s enough to make you fondly remember classic tunes like “Chime,” “Halcyon + On + On,” and “The Box,” and think, “You know, Orbital used to be pretty rad, maybe they’ve still got it.” Unfortunately though, all that nostalgic whimsy quickly goes down the tubes at the 2:12 mark, when the song’s drop hits and a sea of mediocre, electro-ish synths and a limp kick drum take over the track. Oh well. (via Pitchfork)

Never

DJ Funeral to Release EP on Body High, Drops a New Mix

The name DJ Funeral first appeared on our radar when we profiled Samo Sound Boy as part of our Bubblin’ Up series, as he listed the mysterious producer as one of the artists set to release music on the new Body High imprint. And although we still haven’t learned much about this ominously named artist, a new EP bearing his name is set to drop at midnight on Halloween. The four-track EP is entitled Last Breath (pictured above), and combines horror-film vibes with hard-hitting club and hip-hop beats. All of the tunes are featured in a new mix DJ Funeral put together for DIS, which is cleverly titled Hits from the Grave and also features a high-energy bevy of bizarre Baltimore and Jersey club tunes, screwed dancehall weirdness, and other spooky dancefloor bits. Head here to peep the trippy animated-GIF collage that accompanies the post, or simply listen to and/or download the mix below. We’ve also posted the complete EP tracklist.

Last Breath EP
1. Last Breath
2. The Killing
3. Bounce Dat
4. Nitemare

Hits from the Grave

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Maya Jane Coles to Release New EP via Hypercolour

Breakout UK house producer Maya Jane Coles has announced that she will drop yet another record in 2011, a four-track EP called Don’t Put Me in Your Box. The release is scheduled to arrive on November 28 via Hypercolour, and is said to include elements of deep house, dub, and other contemporary dancefloor sounds. You can check out the full tracklist for Coles’ Don’t Put Me in Your Box EP below.

1. Parallel Worlds
2. Something in the Air
3. Dub Child
4. Cutting it Fine

Raziek “Love That Thing”

On “Love That Thing,” French producer Raziek effectively combines pitch-played vocals with skittering, UK-influenced percussion to create a piece of bouncy bass music with a touch of sultry R&B flavor. The song is from his new EP, Love Vs Bass, which was released last week via Finnish label Top Billin. The four-track EP combines R&B vocals with juke- and booty-inspired bass music and can be streamed in full after the jump, where we’ve also posted the artwork and tracklist.

1. I Can Do It
2. Steppin Up
3. Love That Thing
4. Addiction

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Love That Thing

Video Premiere: Oliver Huntemann “Dark Passenger”

German techno veteran Oliver Huntemann has commissioned a series of videos for each track on Paranoia, his forthcoming full-length album. Here, we have a clip for the menacing “Dark Passenger,” a video that features a cool car, a hot girl, lots of sunshine, and some fun with knives. Paranoia will be released on November 2 via Huntemann’s own label, Ideal Audio.

Fulgeance “Sweet Sofia”

Recent years have seen a steady stream of EPs from French producer Fulgeance, and during that time he has had ample opportunity to travel the world and dish out sets to audiences far and wide. His upcoming LP, To All Of You, is dedicated to the electronic-music community that has supported him in his globe-trotting adventures. Each of the 10 original compositions on To All Of You, Fulgeance’s first full-length effort, is inspired by a city he has visited in his travels. We’ve never been to Bulgaria’s capital and largest city, but the hip-hop beats, hypnotizing arpeggiation in a minor key, and steady bassline of “Sweet Sofia” may have bumped the city a little further up on our places-to-go list. To All Of You will be released by Melting Pot on November 20; the album artwork and tracklisting can be found after the jump.

1. La Cite Des Anges
2. Hiver Normand
3. Glasgow Lunacy
4. Vilnius Bump
5. Montefalco Mato
6. London Falling
7. Sweet Sofia
8. One for Bestown
9. Espresso Fredda (I Athina einai teleia)
10. Tokyo Blue Nostalgia
11. Hiver Normand (Josip Klobucar Remix)
12. London Falling (Brokenchord Remix)
13. Sweet Sofia (1000names Remix)
14. Tokyo Blue Nostalgia (Yosi Horikawa Remix)
15. Vilnius Bump (Baron Retif et Concepcion Perez Remix)
16. Vilnius Bump (Ben Butler & Mousepad Remix)

Sweet Sofia

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