Though Red Bull Music Academy is undoubtedly occupied with the business of launching its 2011 courses in Madrid this week, the music/culture hub still managed to send us this latest clip from its world tour, featuring the sights and sounds of Melbourne, Australia. The video piece features a number of interviews with the likes of Canadian dub-techno artist Deadbeat, UK sound experimentalist Tim Exile, and iconic Detroit DJ/producer Mike Huckaby, who talk about the burgeoning music scene in Melbourne and the importance of Underground Resistance and the Detroit techno legacy, among other topics. Catch that footage, as well as a bits of live performances from the RBMA World Tour 2011 event, up top.
Canyons “See Blind Through (DJ Harvey Remix)”
We’ve had our eyes on Australian duo Canyons since late 2009, when we highlighted the pair as an Artist to Watch. After a few delays, the boys will finally be dropping their debut full-length album, Keep Your Dreams, via Modular on November 15. (As it turns out, Canyons’ countrymen in Australia can actually grab the album tomorrow.) And while we’re a little dismayed by the duo’s recent turn toward vocal-oriented, pop-leaning production, we certainly can’t argue with the selection of DJ Harvey as a remixer for the new album’s lead single, “See Blind Through.” His quirky, extended house jam will be available on the official single, which comes out the same day as the LP and also features remixes by Mic Newman and Heroes of the Galleon Trade.
Vybz Kartel Half on a Baby (Remixes)
Remix EPs are tricky. While it’s always fun to hear new takes on a song, especially when the original was a quality tune in its own right, remix records don’t exactly have a great track record as being essential releases. In the case of Vybz Kartel’s Half on a Baby (Remixes), those trends have held firm.
“Half on a Baby” first appeared on Kingston Story, the Dre Skull-produced full-length which dropped earlier this year. It’s an infectious slice of pop dancehall, a track with steppy drums, trance-leaning synths, and a whole lot of Auto-Tuned Kartel on the mic. It’s certainly one of the stronger tunes from the LP, making it an obvious candidate for the remix treatment.
Austin’s Dubbel Dutch, who recently signed to Mixpak himself, steps up first, delivering a version that’s remarkably faithful to the source material. If anything, he cools things down, adding some white space and swapping in some lighter synths and a more inventive drum pattern. The end result doesn’t hit as hard as the original, but it’s a pleasant listen. More effective is the remix turned in by UK producer Mosca, who crafts a hooky piece of ’90s-flavored house that nicely lays Kartel’s vocals over some choice keys and weaves in some diva snippets to top things off. It’s undeniably the best track here.
German duo Schlachthofbronx takes an interesting approach, as the pair’s remix begins as a slow-burning, almost crunk spin on the song, utilizing little more than Kartel’s voice and some hip-hop drums. However, things shift gears dramatically about halfway through, as Schlachthofbronx cranks the tempo and transforms the tune into a sampling of bass-heavy power soca, complete with chimpunk vocals. Bert on Beats attempts to create something similarly hard-hitting, but unfortunately turns in the lowlight of the EP, as his farty synths and wobbly bass simply overwhelm the song.
Rounding things out is a remix from UK outfit Funkystepz. While the crew’s production usually relies a stripped-down, drum-heavy UK funky sound, here they’ve taken a maximalist approach, employing a variety of manic synths. There’s a slightly tropical feel, but the drums almost sound like an afterthought. It’s not a bad offering, but one can’t help but wonder what something that played to Funkystpez’s strengths could have sounded like.
Todd Terje Nerds Out on New Blog
Earlier this week, Norwegian space-disco producer Todd Terje joined the blogosphere and launched a new site focusing on production and sound recording. For his first post, Terje chatted with DFA bossman James Murphy about his approach to recording drums, compression settings, and favorite synthesizers. As you might expect from a blog titled “Let’s Nerd!,” the discussion can get a little technical for novices, but may offer insight and ideas for those willing to get wonkish. Welcome to the blogosphere, Todd!
Ifan Dafydd “Miranda”
We first heard the debut 12″ from Ifan Dafydd back in July, which featured “Miranda” and “No Good.” Having been compared to James Blake on numerous occasions, Ifan Dafydd is a Welsh producer who continues to not be afraid of translating his blatant influences into profound melodies, as “Miranda” diffuses the soulful sounds of Usher’s “U Remind Me” into lush harmonies. (via NME)
Salva “Obsession (feat. B. Bravo)”
Before LA-based producer/Frite Nite label boss Salva drops the follow up to this year’s solid Complex Housing album, he’s sharing a tune from that five-track EP, Yellobone. The production on “Obsession (feat. B. Bravo)” boasts a heavily purple vibe, thanks in part to Salva’s boogie-loving co-conspirator, but effectively skirts average genre classifications with a large helping of inventive percussion sounds and other funky elements. Look for this one to drop, along with two more original tracks and remixes from Shlohmo and LOL Boys, on November 15.
Actress to Release New Single, Remix 12″ via Honest Jon’s
If you’re at all familiar with the pages of XLR8R, you’ll know that we’ve been huge fans of Actress since the release of Parallel World on UK producer Darren Cunningham’s own Werk Discs label. Now, we can expect his first release for Honest Jon’s since last year’s excellent Splazsh LP, a two-track 12″ single. The “Rainy Dub” b/w “Faceless” record is scheduled to drop some time in November, and purportedly proceeds a new album from Actress, which is said to be on its way via Werk Discs sometime in 2012. Actress will also wrap up the Meets Shagaan Electro remix series, which features work from artists such as Theo Parrish, Hype Williams, Demdike Stare, and Ricardo Villablobos, with another two-sided 12″ in the near future. You can check out the artwork for Actress’ “Rainy Dub” b/w “Faceless” 12″ below. (via FACT)
Kastle to Release New EP, Offers New Mixtape
On November 7, San Francisco-via-Pittsburgh bass producer Kastle is coming out with a new EP through the Silverback label. The five-track So You EP is his second release of the year, and finds Kastle continuing in his vein of synthy, syncopated bass music. In the meantime, Silverback has also commissioned a new mixtape from Kastle, which you can stream and download below. Also posted are the So You artwork, tracklist, and the artist’s upcoming US tour dates.
01. So You
02. Could U Want Me
03. You Know That I Know You Know
04. Could U Want Me (Chaos In The CBD Remix)
05. Could U Want Me (Blackwax Remix)
Tour Dates:
10.29.11 – Denver, CO
11.11.11 – San Francisco, CA
11.19.11 – Madison, WI
11.20.11 – Louisville, KY
11.22.11 – Tampa, FL
11.23.11 – Miami, FL
11.24.11 – Orlando, FL
12.10.11 – Petaluma, CA
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01. L-Vis 1990 – Lost In Love (Night Slugs Allstars Street Mix)
02. Bambounou – Heroic Deeds
03. Kastle – So You
04. Kastle – Could U Want Me
05. Mak & Pasteman – Leave With U
06. The Weeknd – The Party & The After Party (Kastle Remix)
07. Krampfhaft – Makin Magic
08. Jason Burns – Either Way
09. Kastle – You Know That I Know You Know
10. Ldfd – Outtacontrol
11. Kidnap Kid – Losing It
12. Wachs Lyrical – Resonate
13. Brenmar – Temperature Rising
14. Kastle – I Know (Krueger Remix)
Horsepower Productions to Release New 12″ via Tempa
After unexpectedly reappearing with a new album, Quest for the Sonic Bounty, late last year, and following that up with some salvaged older material on the recently released The Lost Tapes EP, dubstep veterans Horsepower Productions are set to release two more new tracks, “Good Ole Dayz” b/w “Justify” via Tempa on November 14. Both cuts from the new 12″ are jazz-laden hip-hop pieces with quirky vocal and spoken word samples, but “Good Ole Dayz” has plenty of the thick sub-bass Horsepower Productions helped pioneer and popularize. Horsepower Productions also has a full-length in the works, tentatively titled Crooks, Crime and Corruption, due for release on Tempa in 2012.
Divine Interface “Eventually”
This latest track from Atlanta producer Divine Interface (a.k.a. Drew Briggs) was released yesterday as part of his second EP, You Got My Mind, via the Two Circles imprint. We already supplied the record’s opening number, “Fool Me,” and this track provides the other bookend to the six-song EP. “Evenutally” is a sparse and somber effort, one full of washed-out sonics and tweaked vocal bits that eschews volume and directness in favor of subtlety and emotion.
