Operating since October of 2009, the UK house and R&B-flavored Well Rounded imprint has released standouts from C.R.S.T. and Hackman, not to mention Deadboy’s (pictured above) breakthrough cut, “U Cheated.” This year, Well Rounded is expanding by launching a sister label called Well Rounded Housing Project. As the name suggests, the new imprint will focus entirely on straight-ahead, throwback house music, releasing vinyl-only 12″s to boot. The label’s first release, expected in April, will be a split 12″ between James Fox and UK producer Leon, the latter of whom remixed funk group Mean Poppa Lean for the record.
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Yesterday, gloomy New Orleans duo Belong released the highly anticipated follow-up to its 2006 debut, October Language. Released on Kranky, Common Era finds the band working in more overtly pop territory, experimenting with voice and melody in the foreground rather than burying it in fuzz. That said, “Never Came Close” comes off the new record, and is anything but crystal-clear pop. The ghost of Ian Curtis lurks in the song’s dulled drums while a warm fog of processed voice and guitar coalesces into a wonderfully ominous brew.
Rising UK producer Becoming Real (a.k.a. Toby Ridler) has, much to XLR8R‘s appreciation, put the “house” in witch house. Over the last few months, Ridler has lent UK tour support to witch-house poster children Salem, and provided remixes to folks like Forest Swords. This official video, directed by Matthew Reed, is in support of his latest 12″ Antarctic City, out now on his own Cold World Industries imprint. Reed’s video takes a television’s picture-in-picture function to new realms, juxtaposing swiftly moving images with near static ones, an effect that nicely reflects the rhythmic breaks and vocal stutters of Ridler’s emotionally volatile production.
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We introduced you to Glaswegian DJ/producer Koreless back in February, sharing his promising “Up Down Up Down” tune and news of his recent signing with UK label Pictures Music. Well, the fruits of that conjoining are now upon us in the form of the limited-edition “4D” b/w “MTI” 12″, the release of which is joined by this free, unreleased track, “Maria.” This production exhibits a decidedly chilled-out side to Koreless’ growing sound, but still shows the artist’s audio sculpting skills in full form. The low-end frequencies envelop your head while the crackling vocal samples, pattering rhythmic sounds, and reverb-drenched piano melodies cut straight through the mix, simultaneously dancing on your eardrums and flirting with your heartstrings.
The third installment of Downliners Sekt‘s EP triolgy will be released next month via Barcelonan imprint Disboot. Meet the Decline follows the Hello Lonely, Hold the Nation and We Make Hits, Not the Public EPs, and features four similarly soulful, bass-laden electronic productions from the duo. Look for the 12″ in stores in mid-April, and the digital version on the Downliners Sekt website, here. Before then, check out the artwork and tracklist below.
1. All I Can Hear Now 2. Rising Saudade 3. Locked Faces 4. Hockey Nights in Canada
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In memory of Steve Reid, the legendary jazz drummer whose prolific career included working with James Brown, Miles Davis, and Kieran Hebden, among others, before passing away last year, BBC Radio DJ/Brownswood head honcho Gilles Peterson has founded the Steve Reid Foundation. The foundation aims “to fund raise on behalf of struggling musicians in need of help and support,” which has particular relevance to Reid as last April he succumbed to a throat cancer that went untreated due to the artist’s lack of funds to receive necessary medical assistance. Moved by these unfortunate circumstances, Peterson has established the foundation and already has a set of fundraising events planned, including running in the London Marathon on April 17 on behalf of the foundation. For now, as the organization applies for charitable status, all funds raised by Peterson’s running in the marathon will be donated to the Musicians Benevolent Fund, which aids “the plight of struggling musicians, especially those with long-term and life- threatening health problems.” You can donate to Peterson’s marathon effort here.
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This May, multitalented UK tunesmith Tony Williams (a.k.a. Headhunter, Addison Groove) will release a brand-new 12″ single via Martyn’s consistently on-point 3024 label. The two tracks—produced under the Addison Groove moniker—are called “It’s Got Me” and “Minutes of Funk,” and both boast genre-defying strands of the ever-evolving UK bass sound mixed with elements of juke, dubstep, and house. Before Williams’ new record drops on May 2, you can stream previews of both tunes and check out the artwork, below.
“It’s Got Me”
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“Minutes of Funk”
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In this issue, we talk with dubstep’s elder statesmen, Kode9 and The Spaceape, about their new LP, Black Sun, and what’s become of dubstep in the last decade. We also chat with dubstep periphery seekers Instra:Mental on their new album, and venture into the sweaty ballroom underground with the likes of DJ MikeQ, Angel X, and Vjuan Allure. Bulgarian techno from KiNK, fresh house sounds from Maya Jane Coles, straight-up weirdness from Hype Williams, and plenty more to keep you warm until things get really sunny.
When we made a quick stopover in Stockholm, Sweden a few weeks back, we got to meet up with producer Peder Mannerfelt (of the Van Rivers and The Subliminal Kid production team). We chatted a bit about his studio with work Blonde Redhead, Fever Ray, and Glasser (which you’ll get to check out in an upcoming issue of XLR8R), but he also tipped us to his other side-project, the motorik, Kraut-influenced duo Roll the Dice, with friend Malcolm Pardon. Today they’ve announced here first that their Live In Gothenburg – August 7, 2010 EP will feature 15-minute versions of two tracks from their self-titled debut last year, recorded, as you’ve already gathered, live in Gothenburg last year.
To promote the Record Store Day exclusive release, the band has also put together a minimalist-rock miasma of a mixtape for fans to enjoy for free, and it’s embedded below. Of the mix, Pardon comments: “We felt we would like to have the same approach choosing tracks for the mixtape as we do in the studio… Basically trying to improvise, and let one thing lead to another. Sometimes this makes the shift from one track to another very organic and makes perfect sense…and sometimes the transitions are more abrupt.” In the mix, entitled This is How We Roll, you’ll find everything from Lou Reed to Zola Jesus to Mike Dehnert to ODB. Check it out, along with the tracklist, below, and then snag Live In Gothenburg – August 7, 2010 when it’s released on April 16, in both vinyl and digital formats via The Leaf Label.
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This is How We Roll tracklist 1. Tsegué-Maryam Guébrou/Mothers Love 2. Spiritualized/Electric Mainline 3. Jonny Greenwood/Proven Lands 4. D.A.F/Absolute Körperkontrolle 5. Lou Reed/The Bed 6. Daniele Lombardi/Gorgogliatore 7. Mike Dehnert/Outro 8. Beach House/10 Mile Stereo 9. Tangerine Dream/Dr.Destructo 10. Pino Donaggio/Bucket Of Blood 11. FIRE!/You Liked Me Five Minutes Ago 12. Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions/Bavarian Fruit Bread 13. Zola Jesus/I Can´t Stand 14. Giorgio Moroder/The Apartment 15. Ol’ Dirty Bastard/Shimmy Shimmy Ya 16. Talking Heads/Listening Wind 17. Ralph Stanley/O Death 18. Ø/Twin Bleeps
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Back in January, we announced that after 20-plus years as a contributing member to the worldwide dance music community, Detroit house legend Rick Wilhite was set to finally release his first artist album, Analog Aquarium (artwork above). Well, today is the day his LP is set to hit the streets, and we’ve got a little album taster here in the form of “City Bar Dancing (Basement Mix).” With its one dark chord, frighteningly deep bassline, and miniature tribal percussion, the feeling the track evokes isn’t too far off from its title. Wilhite is slow to build upon the initial groove, letting the song’s elements repeat until they’ve enveloped the listener in a trance-like state, eventually adding rhythmic vocal loops and some soulful oohs and ahhs along with a short-lived funky synth sample in methodical fashion. At times, it sounds like the song was taken directly out of a DJ set, as Wilhite inserts drops and even runs the entire track through a flanger effect for a bar or two. An intriguing peek into Wilhite’s creation and one you can build upon by getting your hands on Analog Aquarium today.
