The Pacific Northwest-based Dropping Gems collective/label has put together an impressive compilation featuring the likes of Shigeto, Sumsun, yuk., and more in an effort to raise funds for cancer research. The comp, entitled Gem Drops, is also where you’ll find this cut from Portland beatsmith Devonwho. “Brushmetal” takes the prize for most g-funkin’ contribution to the collection with its slippery synth melodies and loose, meandering bassline, all complimented by a tantalizing mass of programmed clicks and hisses that fill the spaces rendered empty by the track’s giant kick drums. It’s just one of the many choice beats found on Gem Drops (artwork above), which is available for a “pay-what-you-want” price at Dropping Gems’ Bandcamp with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the American Cancer Society. Good beats for a good cause, who ever said head-nodding beat-junkies couldn’t contribute to society?
Berlin’s prolific Modeselektor duo had embarked on some musical globe-trotting to Nairobi, Kenya last year and are now set to release the results of the voyage with a new single. “Monkey Flip” features some firey rhyme-spitting from two East African MCs, Kenya’s “first lady of hip-hop” Nazizi and now UK-based legend of the East African hip-hop scene, Abbas. The single, slated to be released March 18 on Modeselektor’s own Monkeytown imprint, will also come with an aggressively minimal and chopped Boys Noize remix of the tune on the b-side. You can check the artwork below.
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In the weeks leading up to the release of FaltyDL‘s sophomore full-length, You Stand Uncertain, the hotly tipped DJ/producer has let loose with an album trailer, a music video, some lengthy interviews, and a handful of club appearances (including one at the next XLR8R-sponsored Icee Hot in San Francisco). Most recently, the artist born Drew Lustman crafted a mix for The Quietus that shares much of the material that influenced his forthcoming LP. But this isn’t your average DJ set; Lustman basically made the world a mixtape with a wide array of artists and genres—including Brian Eno, Miles Davis, RZA, Aphex Twin, Mobb Deep, Mariah Carey, Frank Zappa, snippets of a phone interview with Squarepusher, FaltyDL himself, and much more. On his mix, the Brooklyn-based tunesmith says, “It’s exactly the sort of mix I’ve always wanted to do, where you just drop a load of tunes, and genre-wise go all over the place, just play things I love.” You can check out what that sounds like in the embedded player below, or on Mixcloud, here.
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The anticipation is steadily increasing as we draw closer to the release date for the forthcoming Kode9 and The Spaceape LP, Black Sun, but to help hold us futuristic beat junkies over in the meantime, Kode9 has sent along this dub version of “Time Patrol” (which originally appeared on the 5 Years of Hyperdub comp back in 2009). As to be expected from a dub, The Spaceape’s vocals are completely stripped away, allowing the focus to be on Kode9’s lush, booming production. The only trace of vocals left amongst the menacing synth lines and dark horn stabs is the echoing, emotive phrasing of Chinese vocalist Cha Cha, whose contribution to the track marked her first collaboration with the London producer but has since led to her appearing on four tracks for the upcoming LP. In the time before Black Sun drops on April 18, we’re thankful that Kode9 has allowed us to take a little trip into his reimagined past in hopes that it’ll better prepare us for the mind-warping future he is about to deliver.
Our resident stylist Andrew Porter waxes casual on men’s and women’s must-haves.
With spring and summer just around the corner, it’s time to break out the white sneakers. These are my choices for the coming months…
First, we have the white Vans Authentics (pictured above). As Vans is a California company, I only see it fit to pair these with a mid-August trip to San Francisco and a La Taqueria burrito.
Second, we have the white Victoria. I’ll be pairing these Spanish plimsolls with Sonar at the end of May. The sangria will be flowing freely, and by June 1, I expect these beauties to be stained purple.
Third, we have the Spring Court. A French classic I plan to couple with the Cannes Film Festival and a hot date with Laetitia Casta in early May.
Fourth, we have the Superga (a.k.a. “The People’s Shoe of Italy”). I plan to march these with a Ferrari and a speeding ticket when I visit Italy in June. When in Rome!
And, lastly, we have the optic white Converse Chuck Taylors. These will be paired with the couch I wake up on and the realization that the La Taqueria burrito, sangria, hot date with Laetitia Casta, and Ferrari were all just a dream. Alas, it’s 10 a.m., mid-August, 90 degrees out, and I’m 28 years old and still waking up on random couches.
Dosh wallets My George Costanza wallet really got the better of me last summer. At 28, my back was acting 82. Since then I’ve grown to realize that the slim wallet is where it’s at. No need to carry around the 9 million business cards you were handed over shots of Jameson at 3 a.m. Only room for the basics—ID, credit card, debit card, NRA membership. This streamlined, six-card bi-fold wallet is an ideal solution for those tired of carrying a brick in their back pocket. Made from a highly durable, water-resistant polymer, the Dosh Street wallet is also perfect for anybody that might put their wallet through the washing machine, drop it in the toilet, or fall into a river fully clothed. It’s good to know that I can finally replace this Kangaroo leather billfold I’ve been living in fear of water damaging for the past six months.
Oakley Frogskins I’d like to tell you that I was at home revisiting Swann’s Way last night, but, in all honesty, I was eating Oreos in bed, surfing the net, and watching Ski Patrol. A lot of bold fashion choices were made in this masterpiece, but the one that stuck out was the abundance of Oakley Frogskins. I really love these sunglasses. Yes, they sort of scream “’80s party boy,” but you should be fine as long as you don’t wear them with a neon green snow suit. The colors are always great, but they sell out fast so grab a pair while you can.
Huf Plantlife Socks My mom always gives my girlfriends “fun” socks (side note: Ladies, I’m single). I thought she was a total loon until one laundry day I entered into the world of fun socks. Turns out my mom was right all along. Jazzy socks can really spruce up your day when things are looking grey (Feel free to put that quote on my gravestone.). I came across these HUF socks last weekend over soup dumplings in Flushing, Queens. My friend Dan had them on and he was all positive vibes. Was the positivity a product of the delicious dumplings? Was it the joy of leaving Portland for the weekend? Nope, I’m pretty sure it was the socks. All you Bay Area folk can check them out over at the HUF store. The rest of you can view them in cyberspace. Stay jazzy, San Francisco!
Two years after the release of their third dancefloor-friendly, synth-pop album as Junior Boys, Canadian artists Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus have just announced the forthcoming It’s All True LP, which will drop on June 14 via Domino. The nine-song record will be preceded by a single for album closer “Banana Ripple” that comes with remixes from The Field and Tom Moulton. But even before all of that, Junior Boys is giving away one of its album tracks for free. If you head here and type in your email address, you’ll be rewarded an MP3 of “ep,” the eigth track from It’s All True. You can also check out the album artwork and tracklist below.
Itchy Fingers Playtime You’ll Improve Me A Truly Happy Ending The Reservoir Second Chance Kick The Can ep Banana Ripple
As the first non-Dam Mantle release to drop via the aformentioned artist’s Growing label, the Sorry I Took So Long EP (pictured above) is a collection of three oddly smooth, beat-centric electronic productions from London-based musicmaker My Panda Shall Fly, paired with five remixes from an array of tunesmiths. This alternate version of EP opener “Injury” was put together by up-and-coming bass head Throwing Snow, who breaks apart the original’s buttery synth pads and sparse beat work to reformat it all into a sometimes-stuttering, sometimes-shuffling, sometimes-sailing club tune that remains beautifully ominous throughout. You can catch the rest of MPSF’s EP when it’s released on April 11, but until then, there’s a teaser video to tide you over, which you can watch after the jump.
Before Subeena had a single to her name on Planet Mu, was featured in our Bubblin’ section, or began running the Opit imprint, the UK-based producer co-headed the now-defunct Imminent (originally Immigrant until a later name change) label alongside fellow producer Dot. Now that these recordings are largely sold out and/or impossible to find, Subeena is releasing a collection of nine tracks from her Imminent past as well as two unreleased tracks on an album entitled 23 (her age when most of these songs were originally released back in 2008). The collection of tunes finds Subeena crafting more dubstep-leaning productions, but also serves as a starting point to map her eventual progression to the current genre-hopping productions she’s been steadily releasing ever since. 23 will be released next week. You can check the artwork and tracklist below.
Tracklist: 1. 2080 2. Circular 3. Znare (feat. Violet) 4. Dereflex 5. Call It Anger 6. System Message 7. Boksd 8. Pepepe – Agosto Morado (Subeena Remix) 9. Circular (The Bulgarian Remix)
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Soft-skinned UK MC Ghostpoet released his debut LP, Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam, just earlier this year, and now we have a couple of remixes for lead single “Cash & Carry Me Home,” one which has an accompanying video, too. Above, you can watch the artist responsible for the tune work in the studio with veteran wordsmith Kano on an alternate version of the single, courtesy of Red Bull Music Academy. It’s an oddly upbeat clip, given the nature of the song’s downtrodden vibe, but it’s nonetheless enjoyable and interesting to see the artists in such high spirits while listening to their newly completed track. You can download the song below, and also grab an edit of Ghostpoet’s number from Various Production‘s Ean over on FACT.
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The newly minted Lightworks imprint is set to release its first single in the form of two tracks from London-based producer/DJ Ossie and have sent this extra, non-single track along to help spread the word. “Reverse Mind Control” (most likely named after the track’s reverse vocal snippets) finds Ossie crafting the brand of bubbling future-house he’s been steadily catching the ears of UK’s current taste makers with. Funky chords lead the track as they bounce around the stereo field, firing at regular intervals in coordination with the tune’s skittering, housey beat. A few breakdowns here, a filter sweep or two there, Ossie gently moves us through this pulsing cut while adding layer after layer of precise percussion to keep the momentum building. Ossie’s forthcoming “Tranatula” b/w “Creepy Crawlies” single (which also features a remix from fellow Londoner Funkineven) is set to be released on March 14 with a follow-up single from the hotly tipped producer being readied for release later this year on the renowned Hyperdub label.
