Podcast 200: Richie Hawtin vs. Plastikman

When the XLR8R podcast began nearly five years ago, the initial premise was simple—get DJs, producers, and labels to put together exclusive mixes, and we would make them available for download. Over the first 199 chapters of the podcast, XLR8R has featured artists and genres from across the musical spectrum and across the globe, mixes put together by veteran hands and promising newcomers alike. Thankfully, XLR8R readers have responded, coming back in droves each week to devour the latest edition. This week, we’ve arrived at podcast number 200, so we’ve gone ahead and done something special. First of all, we’ve broken from tradition and enlisted two artists to assemble mixes. Second of all, both artists are absolute icons. The first one? Richie Hawtin.

At this point, Richie Hawtin doesn’t really require a whole lot of introduction. Simply put, he’s a techno giant. Born in the UK, reared in Canada, and currently residing in Berlin, the man has been pushing techno forward since the early ’90s, most notably as an artist, but also as the head of the Plus 8 and Minus labels. This week, he’ll be performing a live set as Plastikman as part of the MUTEK festival’s Nocturne 03 event, so the timing was perfect for Hawtin to put together this exclusive mix, entitled Richie Hawtin @ Bermuda (Plastikman’s Bermuda Triangle interpretation). We’ll let him explain the concept in his own words:

One of the most common questions over the years has been what is the difference between Richie Hawtin and Plastikman. My most common answer is that Richie Hawtin is, or has become, the extrovert on stage, playing, performing, and partying with/for the audience, while Plastikman has remained connected to my more introverted side. A side that feels more comfortable locked away with my machine or hiding behind a curtain of technology, creating my own unique and personal take on electronic music. For this podcast, I decided to experiment with the idea of how one of my personas would interpret the other: What would happen if Hawtin met Plastikman, or vice versa. So here, you will find a reinterpretation of a live Hawtin DJ set recorded at the Bermuda festival on November 6, 2010. Cut up, slowed down, shifted, and time-displaced to take the feel and experience of Hawtin into the realm of Plastikman.

Those who can’t make it to Montreal this week should know that Hawtin will also be performing as Plastikman at Amnesia Ibiza this August and at New York’s Electric Zoo festival in September. In the meantime, dig in to this exclusive mix.

01 Caution
02 Avenger
03 Chatter
04 Co-ordinate
05 Position
06 Approach
07 Cyclops
08 Abandoned
09 Ghosts
10 Arrival

Go here to check our the second half of our special 200th podcast.

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Podcast 200: Mala

Photo: Laurent Pasquier

The second half of our two-part 200th podcast comes courtesy of another musical heavyweight, dubstep kingpin Mala (a.k.a. Mark Lawrence). Whether operating solo or as one half of legendary outfit Digital Mystikz, the man helped put dubstep on the musical map in the mid-’00s, not only as a producer and DJ, but also as the co-founder of the genre-defining DMZ label and club night with Coki and Loefah. Along the way, he also found the time to start up his own Deep Medi imprint. His work has undeniably influenced an entire generation of bass-loving artists, including a large swath of those folks who regularly appear in XLR8R. These days, when he’s not travelling the globe and reminding people of the power of sub-bass, he’s still turning out new music—most recently last year’s Return II Space album—and now he’s kicking off a new mix series, Sound*System*Musik, the first chapter of which is this podcast for XLR8R. Over the course of its 45 minutes, Mala drops one low-slung, speaker-rattling tune after the next, many of them DMZ dubplates, and almost all of which seriously emphasize the dub end of the dubstep equation. He’s a true master craftsman, someone who manipulates and massages low-end sonics with the precision of a surgeon, making his contribution to the XLR8R podcast series to true pleasure to behold.

01 Mala – Digital Mystikz “Livin’ Different VIP” (DMZ)
02 V.I.V.E.K “Feel It” (Deep Medi)
03 Goth-Trad “Seeker”
04 Coki – Digital Mystikz “Ironshirt”
05 Mala “Enter Dimensions”
06 Kryptic Minds + Youngsta “Arcane”
07 Dark Tantrums “Unborn”
08 V.I.V.E.K “Big Bang” (Deep Medi)
09 Mavado “Dem A Talk (TMSV Refix)”
10 Coki “Revolution”
11 Jack Sparrow “Afraid of Me”
12 Mensah “Gambia”
13 The Dub Mechanics “The Clash”
14 Mala “Bad Spirits on Shoulders”
15 Digital Mystikz “Dun Stinky”
16 Commodo “Saracen” (Deep Medi)
17 Coki “Duppy Sour Sap”
18 Johnny Osbourne “Fally Rankin (V.I.V.E.K. Dub Version)” (Greensleeves)
19 Mala “Education” (DMZ)
20 Old Apparatus “Untitled Intro” (Deep Medi)

In case you missed it, go here to check out the first half of our special 200th podcast.

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Powell “Atomic Tricks”

Many producers at work in the Ableton-centric realm of electronic music tend to favor ‘soundcraft’ over ‘songcraft’, which is all well and good, but a balance of the two certainly works in everyone’s favor. Parisian tunesmith Powell certainly leans heavily towards the art of sound design, but thankfully has a toe or two dipped into the pond of catchy hooks. His brand of funky, electro-tinged bass music is rife with rubbery synth tones, swarms of neon space noise, and gut-punching beats, and, as heard on “Atomic Tricks,” Powell will every so often wrangle those sounds from their disparate locations in the mix to work out an invigorating dance groove. Those moments are few and far between, not to mention short-lived, but damn if they’re not worth the wait. You can nab the whole lot of them on Powell’s seven-track Densui EP, here.

Atomic Tricks

Atomic Tricks

Tessela “Push”

Although the All City imprint first caught our attention with its impressive series of 10″ releases highlighting the varied talents of the Los Angeles music scene, the Irish label has proven itself to be a reputable home for all kinds of high-quality bass music. Past releases have included offerings for Martyn, Mike Slott, Hudson Mohwake, Onra, Krystal Klear, and others, and now UK producer Tessela is set to join the fray. Taken from a forthcoming three-song 12″ (artwork pictured above) scheduled to drop in June, “Push” is propulsive cut punctuated by snapping snares, subby synths, some carefully placed vocal snippets, and a thunderous bassline. This West Country beatmaker might be a relative newcomer, but his work already appears to be on par with that of his All City cohorts.

Push

Bok Bok Southside EP

It’s hard to dispute that Night Slugs was the breakout UK label of 2010. Beginning with Mosca’s landscape-altering Square One EP and continuing with an impeccable series of releases from Egyptrixx, Kingdom, Girl Unit, Jam City, Lil Silva, and others, the imprint and crew headed up by L-Vis 1990 and Bok Bok quickly solidified its position at the head of the current class of bass-centric, post-everything producers and DJs. Oddly enough, all of this happened without an official release from Bok Bok (a.k.a. Alex Sushon), making his ascent all the more impressive in an era where most DJs’ stature is defined foremost by the tunes they’ve produced.

Now, nearly 18 months after Night Slugs’ first salvo—and even longer since L-Vis 1990’s and Bok Bok’s joint Night Slugs EP on Dress 2 Sweat—Sushon has unveiled the Southside EP to an incredible amount of anticipation, not to mention some pretty lofty expectations. Thankfully, the pressure hasn’t stopped Bok Bok from taking some real chances on the five-song release, and the end results are quite good.

That said, some listeners might initially be a little puzzled, as the Southside EP is a bit of a curveball. As much of the bass-music world gravitates toward classic house and Detroit techno, Sushon has gone in another direction, looking inward and indulging his well-documented love of grime. Lead track “Charisma Theme” begins on a lighter note, pairing a catchy, chime-like melody with the familiar inventive percussion and bent neon synths that so define the Night Slugs sound. But two minutes in, Bok Bok takes a radical left turn, dropping out the melodic elements and introducing a taut, brawny riddim. It’s this aesthetic and sound palette that ultimately defines the Southside EP, although in all fairness, the tactic shouldn’t be considered a major shock. The groundwork was already laid on last year’s Night Slugs Allstars Vol. 1 compilation, specifically Bok Bok’s remix of Girl Unit’s “I.R.L.,” the main riddim of which has actually been reprised on “Look (Dub),” the new EP’s final track.

“Silo Pass” is the obvious star here, and not only because it’s the tune that influential DJs have been rinsing over the past few months. The song pairs a muscular grime foundation with thick bass, bright synths, and a touch of crunk braggadocio, and is easily the most realized effort on the EP. “Hyperpass” and “Reminder” aren’t far behind, the former employing a relentless sci-fi menace while the latter lays pointed, pulsating tones and, cheekily enough, some hints of sinogrime over thundering beats with just enough swing to keep your head nodding.

Perhaps the EP’s only weakness is that as stand-alone songs, the five tracks may seem a little long—the first four songs all exceed five minutes—and even a tad repetitive. But it’s important to remember that at this stage in his career, Sushon is most accurately classified as a DJ first, producer second. As such, it’s not surprising that he’s put together a collection of supercharged DJ tools, tracks whose true magic is only revealed in the context of a DJ set. In that setting, it’s easy to envision them all being employed to absolutely smash up the dance.

Go here to stream tracks from the ‘Southside’ EP.

Crewdson “Cascade”

Crewdson is a fresh UK producer soon to be inducted into the Hall of Precious Electronic Sounds, particularly following the release of his debut LP, Gravity. Our first glimpse of that inaugural offering is the flitting found-sound collage of “Cascade,” a song which rushes quickly into your ears (much as its name implies), then swims and swirls around for six and a half minutes before trickling back out. Many comparisons could be made to fellow members of the Hall of Precious Electronic Sounds—names like Four Tet, Gold Panda, and Lali Puna spring to mind—, and they’d be apt; but if the flurry of miniature field recordings, the sounds of crunchy percussion, and the lilting melodies are any indication of the Crewdson’s Gravity album, we expect some refreshing and original ideas, too. Look for it on June 20.

Cascade

Our 200th Podcast Arrives Tomorrow… Who Will It Be?

Over the last few years, we’ve brought you some pretty slick podcasts. Among those 199 entries have been some out-and-out crowd-pleasers (Bok Bok, Nicolas Jaar), some instant classics (Moby’s ’90s rave set), and some polarizing horn-lockers (Pictureplane, DJ Rashad and DJ Spinn). Tomorrow, it’s time to reveal who’ll be helming the mix for our highly anticipated 200th podcast! Feel free make your guesses in the comments below, or get at us on Twitter or Facebook to weigh in.

Outbox: Justin K. Broadrick

Guitarist/producer Justin K. Broadrick is no stranger to the pages of XLR8R, having shown up here in numerous guises, like Techno Animal (with The Bug’s Kevin Martin), Jesu, and Pale Sketcher. So on the occasion of Jesu’s recent release, Ascension, we decided to quiz him about his heavy-metal past, his favorite artists of late, and what that mysterious “K.” stands for.

How did you first start getting into metal and industrial music?
I got into metal as a kid once I heard my first Black Sabbath album, but punk and post-punk were my first musical loves. The band Crass led me to industrial, namely Throbbing Gristle. I was hungry for more, so I enquired a lot and discovered so much.

Who were your childhood heroes?
My step-father, for being musical (he was a guitarist, influenced by Hendrix and Dave Gilmour) and exposing me to great records. Hugh Cornwell, guitarist/vocalist from
The Stranglers—the band that first really impacted me as a child, and by child I mean pre-teenage, which I guess you do too. Before the above, in 1977, when i was eight, I think Darth Vader was my biggest hero.

What does the “K.” stand for?
I have two middle names—first Karl, second Michael—but never liked the KM, so K does the job.

You are easily one of the most prolific artists in your field. What drives you to be a part of so many different musical projects?
A love of hearing and making music, and a love of the depth of music and the depth of expression available. If one has the time and energy to devote most of their life to making music, then why not? I strive to make ‘perfect’ records, yet I know I never will, so I chase that dream by attempting to realize the sounds in my head. I chase that dream on an almost daily basis. I’m often schizophrenic with my music. I am thoroughly immersed when I make a record, so much so, that by the time I complete it, I am so sick of it and its vision, I have to move on—usually to something that is the polar opposite.

Follow up: When (if ever) do you sleep?
Believe it or not, I do, and through age and possibly now through vigorous exercise, I am not an insomniac anymore, kept awake by constant buzzing ideas. I can’t sleep long, but I do actually sleep… haha.

What’s the best new metal band you’ve heard? Best new industrial band? Best new ambient/noise band?
That’s hard to answer, all of them. Mainly due to the classification aspect. Hmmmm, I am not even sure what ‘industrial’ is anymore or what it ever was, to be honest. Prurient has been my favorite ‘new’ ‘noise’ artist, but he has also been making music for some time. He could be termed ‘industrial,’ too, since I see industrial as noise-based music, not essentially rock music. Ambient, also, is endless in its definition. I used to think of ambient as ‘beatless,’ in a very Brian Eno sense, but people call my band Jesu ‘ambient’!!! So I have no idea… again. ‘Metal,’ too. With metal, for a number of years, if it’s new, it’s generally black metal that I listen to… or, say, Meshuggah. I don’t listen to much new metal, nor old metal, for that matter… haha. “New” to me would probably be defined by around the last two years, so ambient could be Taylor Deupree—not really new, again…hmmm.

The title track for your Seventh Heaven EP seems to be a new direction for Pale Sketcher. What’s currently influencing the music you make under that moniker?
A lot of what I used to love about old-school ‘electronica’ and some of the new… again, a wide range: Aphex Twin, The Field, Oval, a lot of old drum & bass, early garage/grime, RZA, Basic Channel, Rhythm & Sound, what I do with Jesu, Brian Eno.

Ever try your hand at drawing?
Drawing was my first choice of expression as a kid, before I turned to instruments. I’m fairly incapable now though, unfortunately. Should’ve pursued it.

What was it like playing in Napalm Death? Were those guys totally out of their heads?
Errrr, well, the version of Napalm Death I was a part of, the Scum LP 1985-86 period, is not the same guys that are in the band now. Additionally, we were all around 14-16 years old when we were Napalm Death, so we were all a little unhinged. I would say any young kid making that music and that age must have had problems… hahaha.

Make the gearheads weep. Tell us about your most coveted piece of equipment.
There’s a few… hard to choose, but I love my TL Audio tube mixing desk. I also really love my Anamod ATS-1: It’s a hardware analog tape simulator, and it emulates two-inch tapes. I use it on everything.

Your old collaborator, The Bug, just remixed “Seventh Heaven” for your EP. Any chance we can expect a Techno Animal reunion?
Yeah, he did that as his King Midas Sounds guise, which is actually three of them, not just him… No, there’ll never be a T/A reunion. Kevin, quite rightly, never goes back. I, quite wrongly, sometimes do… haha.

Work with any good bands in the studio lately?
I only ever work with myself in the studio, currently—less arguments, more peace and quiet. I produce others without them being present. It’s nice.

Of every song you’ve ever had a part in, which three do you hope to be remembered for most?
I’ve not made them yet. I hope one day I will. I hope one of the songs off the new Jesu album, Ascension, will be a strong contender for one of the three.

If you could spend the rest of your life doing anything outside of music, what would it be?
Trying to be able to make music, probably.

Ascension is out now on Caldo Verde.

Kate Simko Lights Out

It’s hard to believe that Kate Simko is only now releasing her debut album. After years of EPs, 12″s, and even a full-length soundtrack project, Simko’s solo work has felt (and sounded) like an established techno fixture since the release of her Strumm EP in 2006. And yet, here it is, her debut long-player, the warm, analog-dressed Lights Out. Inspired by her time spent in Buenos Aires, the album maintains Simko’s signature brand of laser-guided dark techno while a warm sense of detail and hints of cross-rhythm gesture toward the album’s point of inspiration. The dancing low-end of “Mira Vos” is an early highlight, and when taken alongside “Last Breath,” Simko’s usage of giddy basslines and combination of minimal techno with balmy mood wouldn’t be out of place alongside the work of Gui Borrato or Matias Aguayo, who mine similar sonic territory. The only sizable missteps on Lights Out are the three tracks featuring guest vocalists, which break from the otherwise impressive sense of space and propulsion on the 10-track debut. Namely, “Flight From B.A.” is an awkward letdown after the beautiful opener, “Beneath,” as the song’s tight groove is marred by the presence of Kevin Knapp’s singing. However, those vocal tracks remain minor flaws, as Lights Out stands as a strong summation of Simko’s breadth of talent, and serves as another well-placed step forward in her already impressive discography.

Video: BNJMN “One Sea (Lukid Remix)”

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After releasing his stellar debut LP on the illustrious Rush Hour imprint, multi-faceted UK producer BNJMN keeps his momentum going with a brand-new EP set to drop on June 13 via Svetlana Industries. That release will feature four original tunes from the house artist, along with two remixes from Lukid and Kelpe. Above, you’ll see we have a music video for “One Sea (Lukid Remix),” which is as strange and mesmerizing as the music itself. Visual artist Devon Hensen crafted this colorful clip, and invokes many of the more disorienting and ‘trippy’ moments of Enter the Void in his work. We expect the piece is equally fitting to watch while you listen to the preview of BNJMN’s 141 EP, below.

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