This slice of sleek, contemplative techno from veteran producer Santiago Salazar comes to us as part of the Soul Aid Project , a project that gives away music in hopes of soliciting donations to help the currently devastated country of Japan and its community of musicians. The Underground Resistance affiliate takes this one pretty far out on a late-night tip, leaving only a bouncing bassline and skipping tech-house beat to hold down the groove amongst the tune’s more ethereal elements. The track showcases a slightly different side of the LA-based producer than the last time Little White Earbuds delivered one of Salazar’s top-notch beats for free, but we’re just as happy to pass it along. (via Little White Earbuds)
Minnesota’s preeminent purveyor of retro-tinged bliss pop, John Maus, has dropped a video for “Believer,” the closing track from his forthcoming full-length, We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves. The heavenly, vastly expansive tune is matched by a similarly dense layering of abstract and psychedelic images to stunning effect. And for those seeking more Maus-related video, we’ve dug up an XLR8R TV episode from the 2008 vaults, which features the weirdo-pop craftsman waxing philosophical on his music, lyrics, and the like.
From Ghent, the production trio known as Voltron just might be on its way towards completely taking over the world’s dancefloors. In addition to the club-lovin’ outfit’s own hyped-up tunes, these three Belgians are also the masterminds behind the up-and-coming Silverback imprint, which releases similar bass-dedicated jams from the likes of UK tunesmith Damu and LA-based duo Nguzunguzu. “Don’t Stop” comes from Voltron’s just-released Freshmen EP (pictured above), and finds the three-piece kicking off its release in deep, soulful fashion. Straightforward house rhythms, rubbery synth hooks, tweaked vocal snippets, and a focus on all things tastefully uptempo rule this production, which is paired with remixes from XXXY, J. Dixon, Nguzunguzu, and more on the release’s tracklist. You can hear all of those tunes, along with a few handpicked extras, on Voltron’s brand-new Freshmen Mix, below.
The genre-hopping, collaboration-hungry Eliot Lipp has released a free remix album as part of a project he’s calling Brolabs. The free collection features 11 remixes of the Brooklyn-based producer’s tracks from a host of futuristic beatsmiths that manage to manipulate the original tunes into a wide-ranging spectrum of syrupy boom-bap. Some highlights include Mux Mool‘s dark, skittering take on “The Outside,” and an effort from Colorado’s Pretty Lights, who coaxes a slick slice of heavy funk from Lipp’s “It’s Time to Leave.” The Brolabs remix comp can be downloaded for free (well, for the price of your email address) over at Lipp’s site. Check the full tracklist below.
Tracklist: 1.“It’s Time to Leave” (Pretty Lights Remix) 2. “The Outside” (Mux Mool Remix) 3. “Sandcastle” (Paper Diamond Remix) 4. “Baby Tank” (Leo123 Remix) 5. “The Meaning” (Kelpe Remix) 6. “The Machine and The Wind” (Subtitle Remix) 7. “Yeah” (Big Gigantic Remix) 8. “Beam Rider” (Ben Samples Remix) 9. “Sentinel” (DeathFace Remix) 10. “So Stoked You’re Calling Me” (OB City Remix) 11. “It’s Time To Leave” (The Opus Remix)
In advance of the debut LP set to drop from Canadian house outfit Azari & III in July, the Turbo label will release a fresh batch of remixes for the 2009 single “Hungry for the Power.” The record is scheduled to hit retailers on May 3, and will feature versions of the tune from Jamie Jones, Art Department, Guy Gerber, and up-and-comer Sei A, along with an original mix and a dub mix from Azari & III. Before it’s out, you can check out the artwork and tracklist for Hungry for the Power below.
01. “Hungry for the Power (Jamie Jones Ridge Street Mix)” 02. “Hungry for the Power (Art Department Remix)” 03. “Hungry for the Power (Guy Gerber Day And Night Remix)” 04. “Hungry for the Power (Sei A Remix)” 05. “Hungry for the Power (Azari & III Dub Mix)” 06. “Hungry for the Power (Azari & III Original Mix)”
Our resident stylist Andrew Porter waxes casual on men’s and women’s must-haves.
Birdwell Beach Britches Okay, so we’ve got about a month until Ibiza jumps off for summer 2011. Thank god! Finally, I can get out of this Goan beach bungalow, hang up my full-moon rave hat, and return to normal civilization. This season is going to be big. And if one thing is for certain, it’s that you don’t want to hit the beach looking like a total bum. When it comes to new swim trunks, there are a lot of options out—and a lot of bad choices to be made. You don’t want to be the guy in the below-the-knee boardshort. Leave those to the flat-brim-Volcom-and-Black-Flys-wearing Southern Californians. Alternately, you don’t want to be the guy in the too-high-on-the-thigh American Apparel trunks. Leave those to the 20-something Brooklynites. For you, I recommend the classic Birdwell trunk (pictured above). Founded in 1961, family-run Birdwell has been making trunks here in the states for over 50 years. They’re simple, basic, and built to last. Most importantly, they look great! See you on the beach…
LRG Tank Tops Man, a good tank top is hard to come by. Every time I wear one, I feel like “tank top guy.” Anybody know what I’m talking about? Well, the fact of the matter is that it gets hot as hell here in New York and some days you just have to do it. I tend to go with old basketball jerseys (heck, I don’t want to see this Shawn Kemp jersey go to waste) but I understand that not everyone wants to look like the forgotten member of House of Pain. So I scoured the interweb of wonder in search of the perfect tank top. There’s some nice stuff at Barney’s and Oki-Ni, but who wants to spend a hundred bucks on a tank top? Finally, I stumbled across LRG tank tops. Real talk, I never thought I would recommend a product by the people best known for that god awful skeleton hoodie, but hey, these look fresh! Really spot-on color choices, super-small logo, and a totally affordable price. What’s not to love?
Polo Patchwork Madras Gear Cap I’m a big Polo fan—been a collector since I was a kid. Unfortunately, the past few Polo lines have been sort of a bore. Too much heritage=inspired stuff. It’s 2011, and I’m not trying to dress like the Ivy League dad I never had. I came across this hat the other day while engaging in one of my favorite pastimes: hanging out in the Garden State Plaza. Seriously, check it out: The GSP offers unparalleled people-watching and a Cinnabon. Need I say more? I like patchwork Madras clothing a lot—from shirts to shorts. Five-panel hats always look pretty good as well. Introduce the two and you’ve got a marriage that’s built to last. If that doesn’t sell you, then might I add that this hat is perfect for the streets or weekending on the Cape. Finally, you don’t have to worry about how to pack that pesky Panama hat. FINALLY!
In conjunction with Polish party starters Loud & Clear, Leeds-based DJ/producer Jamie Grind (pictured above) sent over this bubblin’ remix of the title track from Hackman’s More Than Ever EP for Ramp. Grind’s version bumps, slides, and wiggles around much like the original “More Than Ever,” albeit with a bit of futuristic sheen opposed to Hackman’s analog-heavy production. We also get a bit more of the pitched-up vocal samples in this remix, which gives it just a slightly extra touch of soul (not to mention we’re suckers for warped R&B croons, regardless).
The next installment of one of the compilation series curated by Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label, Brownswood Electric, has been unveiled, and is set to drop on June 27. Among its 14 fresh tunes, you’ll find up-and-coming producers such as DJG, Anenon, HxdB, and Jus Wan, among many others, all delivering new kinds of the bass-heavy dancefloor goods we loved on the first Brownswood Electric. You can check out a preview of Brownswood Electric 2, along with the full tracklist, below.
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01. Ta-ku – Hey Kids 02. Monky – Drunkerdz 03. Anenon – Shifts 04. DJG – Automatic 05. Frederic Robinson – Mood Swings 06. Synkro & Indigo – Knowing You 07. mfp – Future Hopes 08. Jus Wan – Miles Away 09. DJ Dials – Pillowforts 10. Funk Ethics – Step In 11. Jack Dixon – By My Side 12. HxdB – Savage Pets 13. Stray – Break Your Legs 14. AEED – Under The Alps
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Here’s a fresh remix of Taragana Pyjarama‘s lovely “Ocean” by a fellow Danish lover of deep house and ambient sounds, named Paxton Fettel (pictured above). The producer calls his reimagining of the micro-techno track the “Coastal Sunset Remix,” which nicely encapsulates the warm melodic hues, breezy field recordings, and Balearic dance rhythms he created for the piece. While the original “Ocean” seemed to evoke the size and majesty of its namesake, Fettel interprets more of what it’s like to be next to the ocean, enjoying its climate and scenery in any number of celebratory ways, into the vibe of his track.
On June 14, Norwegian cosmic disco lover Diskjokke will release his third full-length record, the six-track Sagara. That album follows just under a year from his last, and is finished out by this lengthy cut of swirling live electronics. In fact, “Panutup” seems like a strange choice for the first tune to leak from Diskjokke’s LP, as it’s practically devoid of the driving dancefloor beats we’ve come to expect from the producer. The whole seven-and-a-half-minute song is instead rife with deep analog synths, calming aural textures, and heartwarming melodies—like some kind of mood music for people with good taste. It’s only after we’re halfway through “Panutup” that we get a quick jolt of upbeat rhythms, though they’re quickly replaced by the gorgeous ambient sounds again. Let’s hope we get more of these well-balanced sounds when the rest of Sagara is released via Smalltown Supersound.
