Longtime UK funky patron and Rinse FM host DVA announced today that he will drop a new single (pictured above) before the end of the year and his debut full-length in 2012, both via Hyperdub. The three-track 12″ features vocalist Vikter Duplaix on lead tune “Madness,” which is paired with an instrumental of the warped R&B jam and b-side “Polyphonic Dreams.” The single will be available on November 14, while DVA’s LP, Pretty Ugly, has no set release date yet.
It’s really no surprise any longer when you find out that one of the more interesting up-and-coming producers you’re into is still a teenager, but it’s not entirely common to come across one with the kind of knack for emotional subtelty that London’s Will Archer (a.k.a. Slime) has. Take “Break Fall” from his debut EP, Increases (out now via Tough Love), where Archer pairs half-whispered vocal melodies with softly strummed guitars and sparse synth flourishes for an effect that’s both heartwarming and alien. You can hear hints of both James Blake and The xx emanatinge from Slime’s music, but we’re nonetheless interested in hearing more from the budding artist.
Experimental LA duo High Places released its third studio album, Original Colors, yesterday via the Thrill Jockey label, and with it this video for “Sophia.” The song is a poppy, indie-ambient creation that finds Mary Pearson’s vocals lightly echoing over bassy syncopation. The video has a similarly eerie-yet-beautiful feel, and features minimally choreographed dancing by Busy Gangnes of Telepathe. Dates for High Places’ fall tour can be found below.
Oct 15 Los Angeles, CA – Atwater Crossing (Dublab 12 Year Anniversary Happening)
Oct 21 Oakland, CA – Liminal Space
Oct 23 Portland, OR – Holocene
Oct 25 Seattle, WA – Healthy Times Fun Club
Nov 04 Los Angeles, CA – The Smell (Post Present Medium 10 Year Anniversary)
Nov 08 Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
Nov 10 Baltimore, MD – Softhouse
Nov 13 Grand Rapids, MI – Pyramid Scheme
Nov 14 Toronto, ON – Garrison
Nov 15 Montreal, QC – Il Motore
Nov 18 Brooklyn, NY – Glasslands
In this particularly technical installment of our video premiere series for Red Bull Music Academy World Tour 2011, the travelling musical extravaganza descends on the Motor City to talk with techno, rock, hip-hop, and soul legends about their culturally vibrant hometown and the sounds its residents have created. The likes of Theo Parrish, Carl Craig, Wayne Kramer, Amp Fiddler, and Juan Atkins, as well as some truly enviable old-school gear, make appearances throughout the star-studded piece.
In recent weeks, the blogosphere has been alight with praise for Austin’s Sleep ? Over and the dreamy soundscapes that populate her new album, Forever. Along with the praise has, of course, come a bevy of remixes (see here, here, here, and here), most of them tackling “Casual Diamond” or “Romantic Streams,” the two standout tracks from the record. For those growing weary of the same sort of airy remix sound, this may be a better option, as bass-exploring LA duo Nguzunguzu (pictured above) takes Sleep ? Over’s dreamy synth-pop, pitches up the vocals, strips away the instrumental layers, and adds off-kilter percussion until the song is nearly unrecognizable. [via Dis href=”http://dismagazine.com/blog/23964/sleep-%E2%88%9E-over-romantic-streams-nguzunguzu-remix/”]
Simply put, Ben UFO (a.k.a. Ben Thomson) is a DJ. Sure, his rise to prominence during the past few years is tied in part to his role as one of the founders of the consistently impressive Hessle Audio label, but most of the praise sent his way can be traced back to one simple fact: the London-based artist is an impeccable selector. As such, it comes as no surprise that Rinse: 16, his first official mix CD, offers a musical journey of the highest quality.
Journey really is the key word when it comes to Ben UFO. Admittedly, the notion that DJs lead their audiences on some sort of music-fueled visionquest is both cliché and trite, but it’s hard to think of another term that better encapsulates what it is that Ben UFO does. He’s a DJ’s DJ, the kind of selector who melds the freshest dubs with carefully curated vintage gems and ultimately crafts a cohesive statement, one that draws lines between a myriad of cities, styles, and eras. Ben UFO isn’t looking to hit anyone over the head; the occasional big tune may appear here and there, but they’re used as punctuators, not tent posts.
Rinse: 16 is no different. Over the course of its 70-plus minutes, Ben UFO smoothly glides through a variety of house, techno, UK garage, avant-pop, and bass selections, and while the tracklist does include a sprinkling of legendary names (Kode9, Aaron Carl) and select contributions from some of Thomson’s heavy-hitting contemporaries in the UK bass scene (Bok Bok, Joy O, Actress), the mix itself is impressively devoid of jaw-dropping moments. Make no mistake, it’s not a boring or even an underwhelming listen. It’s a testament to his skill that Rinse: 16 remains compelling throughout without needing to prompt listeners to throw up gun hands every few minutes. Much like the DJ himself, the mix is subtle, precise, and remarkably consistent.
The video for Dennis Ferrer‘s newest single, “No Difference,” is simple and stripped down—much like the track itself—but also compelling and stimulating. His first release since last year’s “The Red Room,” Ferrer’s new song is a collaboration with his longtime touring partner, Dusseldorf-based DJ André Hommen, and was released yesterday through Objektivity. The video matches the track’s deep, funky house with clips of Ferrer and Hommen rocking a party, all with superimposed images of animated rabbits grooving to the beat.
German producer Call Super, who shared his track “Timora” with us a couple of months back, has updated the classic “Gabriel” from Chicago house legend Roy Davis Jr. His remix keeps the rolling bassline, but tweaks the original’s sound into something darker and stranger by pushing the vocals into the background while adding shimmering synthesizers, acid squelches, and more complex percussion.
2011 is shaping to be a big year for globetrotting DJ/producer Maceo Plex. He’s already got an EP out on Crosstown Rebels, a single coming via No. 19 Music, and now, he’s announced that he’s starting up his own imprint and releasing another EP. The two songs of “criminally seductive” house music featured on High & Sexy, “Stay High Baby” and “Ain’t That Love,” are scheduled to drop on November 21 as the inaugural record for Plex’s own label, Ellum Audio. (Trivia: The name Ellum is a reference to Deep Ellum, an arts district in Dallas, Texas that played host to a number of early-’90s warehouse parties and other events that ultimately proved quite influential in Maceo Plex’s early career.)
NYC artist Adam Brainbridge (a.k.a. Kindness) shared this video today for his new single, “Cyan,” a sort of subdued disco tune in the vein of Caribou and Arthur Russell. The clip, which was directed by Ben Fries, is something like a visual ode to the busy streets of Brainbridge’s hometown that occasionally syncs up perfectly to what the artist is softly crooning about over the impeccably produced instrumental track. Look for Kindness’ 12″ to drop on October 25 via Terrible Records and Female Energy.
