Taken from World Family Vol. 1, the recently released inaugural edition of a new compilation series from Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label, “Summer Badness” is a soulful slow jam from the minds of Puerto Rican producer Chuck Maurice and London-based DJ/producer Simbad (who also happens to be the compilation’s co-curator along with Lefto). The pair of music makers lay down a couple of sample-heavy grooves—made mostly of horn loops, disembodied “ooh”s, a syrupy bassline, and a solid hip-hop beat—to carry most of their tune, and occasionally brighten the corners of their somber tune with flurries of astral synth melodies and other twinkling sonics. It’s certainly a fitting cut to close out the 27-song, two-disc compilation, as “Summer Badness” prompts one to close their eyes, sway back and forth, and imagine that beat-lovers around the world are all doing the same.
In this first issue of 2011, the young David Kennedy (a.k.a. Ramadanman and Pearson Sound) leads London’s still-burgeoning, post-funky bass scene into 2011, with the likes of fellow UK natives Lone and Elijah & Skilliam, who follow close in tow, also featured. Dancehall killer David Rodigan shoots us an email in Outbox, Horsepower Productions and Demdike Stare show us around their studios, and we visit South Africa for a taste of the house scene before chatting with the likes of Games, Jacques Greene, and Matthewdavid, who all bring the heat for the chilly months. Download the mag in PDF for free right here, or view the entire issue online at Issuu.
In this first issue of 2011, the young David Kennedy (a.k.a. Ramadanman and Pearson Sound) leads London’s still-burgeoning, post-funky bass scene into 2011, with the likes of fellow UK natives Lone and Elijah & Skilliam following close in tow. Dancehall killer David Rodigan shoots us an email, Horsepower Productions and Demdike Stare show us around their studios, and we visit South Africa for a taste of the house scene before chatting with the likes of Games, Jacques Greene, and Matthewdavid, who all bring the heat for the chilly months. Read about them here, or view the entire issue online at Issuu.
Here, Britain’s Baconhead has a go at reformatting one of the latest bits of laptop-born, glitch-flavored beat work from Tigerbeat6 stalwart Cex, “Secret Monog.” The UK duo, made up of producers Ebola and Autobee, sequesters handfuls of the track’s pristine audio, applying them to a head-knocking bass tune that boasts as much funky club swagger as it does glistening sonic austerity. You can nab more versions of Cex’s “Secret Monog,” as well as other remixes of his jams and a couple original tunes, when Tigerbeat6 drops the Megamuse EP on January 25. But if you can’t wait that long, preview the whole thing here. (You might as well keep a look out for the forthcoming Cex full-length, Tiny Creature, while you’re at it.)
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We’d have to say it’s not often (if ever) that we see a video made for a remix of a song, but seeing as how LA producer Nosaj Thing had a whole album of the damn things crafted and released on behalf of his Drift LP, a video made up for one of those cuts is certainly warranted. Good thing it’s a nice looking one, too. While a menacing rework of Nosaj Thing’s “Us” track by UK producer Jon Hopkins plays out its sinister beats and bass, some equally disturbing images are presented by directors Anthony Ciannamea and Mark Wisniowski. Strangely, what at first appears to be close-up shots of a murderous witchdoctor working on an unknown concoction of sorts is revealed to be something far less evil and much more appetizing. And if Hopkins’ accompanying production appeals enough to you, you can stream and download the track in the player below. (via 92BPM)
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Yesterday, the new PMR label dropped its first release, a new EP from Bristol producer Julio Bashmore (pictured above) entitled Everyone Needs a Theme Tune. Lead track “Battle for Middle You” has been buzzing since late last year and popping up in DJ sets all over the place, and now XLR8R has got its hands on a remix of the song by another top-notch UK producer, Ramadanman. Set for release in the next few weeks along with another remix by Midland, the remix actually finds Ramadanman operating under a new moniker, Maurice Donovan. We’re not sure exactly why he’s called it the ‘Maurice Donovan Dub”—the man has already got one alias, Pearson Sound—but Ramadanman remains in fine form, chopping up the chilled funkiness of the original and inserting some snappy percussion. Give the track a listen below.
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While we wait patiently for the first official release from their Nite Funk side-project (remember when we made that excellent collaboration happen?), a remix of Nite Jewel‘s forthcoming single for the Mexican Summer label by Dâm-Funk will just have to suffice. The LA tunesmiths’ sounds mesh well together on this version of “It Goes Through Your Head”; the galactic-boogie maestro’s deep, analog synth hooks work with the single’s original drum-machine rhythms, fleshing out a thick groove, over which the bedroom diva’s understated voice floats undisturbed. Nevertheless, this jam is obviously a Funk-centric production, as the prolific artist lengthens Nite Jewel’s song by about two minutes to make room for his spacey keytar riffs while Nite Jewel takes a vocal break. (via Gorilla vs. Bear)
Now that we’re nearly two weeks into 2011, artists and labels are slowly starting to emerge from holiday hibernation to share with us their first offerings in the new year. Coming from UK electronic label Planet Mu as its first release of 2011 is a compilation that collects pieces of what the label dropped in 2010, as well as some new and previously exclusive tunes. Appropriately titled 14 Tracks From Planet Mu, the forthcoming disc features a good portion of the label’s current roster, including Tropics, Solar Bears, Oriol, FaltyDL (pictured above), Ikonika, Starkey, Ceephax Acid Crew, Floating Points, and many more. Also coming down the pipeline are records from Chrissy Murderbot, Venetian Snares, FaltyDL, DJ Spinn, Boxcutter, and Nasty Nasty, though specifics on most of the releases are sparse. We know FaltyDL’s second LP will be called You Stand Uncertain and will hit retailers on March 14, Venetian Snares’ EP is called Cubist Reggae and drops sometime in April, as does Nasty Nasty’s first single for Planet Mu, and the records from DJ Spinn and Chrissy Murderbot will be released towards the end of February. While you wait for all of that to come to fruition, you can check out the artwork and full tracklist for the 14 Tracks compilation before it’s released on January 31, below.
1. Oriol – Solar 2. Solar Bears – To Be With Her 3. Floating Points – K&G Beat
4. Tropics – Give It Up
5. The Internal Tulips – Parasol 6. Boxcutter ft. Brian Greene – Ufonik 7. Kuedo – Starfox 8. Ceephax Acid Crew – Topaz
9. Starkey ft. Anneka – Stars (Slugabed Did A Remix) 10. FaltyDL – Endeavour
After nine years since his last album, Napoli techno star Marco Carola will return with a new full-length titled Play It Loud!. Out March 7 on Minus, Play It Loud! features 18 new tracks, and rather than stand-alone tunes Carola decided to blend them in the spirit of his DJ sets. Peep the tracklist and album sleeve below.
1. Intro 2. The Jingle 3. Magic Tribe 4. Kimbo 5. Light House 6. Black Box 7. The Tool 8. Suspense 9. One Man Show 10. Freak On 11. Groove Catcher 12. Rolling 13. The Method 14. Equinox 15. Pop Up 16. Play It Loud! 17. Over Love 18. Question of Time
Made up of an unknown number of members, the mysterious hip-hop production group 3:33 is well-versed in murk. Signed to underground label Parallel Thought, the group will release a full-length on April 5. Unsatisfied with the superfluous addition of track titles, this instrumental number bears a hip-hop resemblance if only for the drum beat, though its distortion-filled take on the genre recalls vintage DJ Shadow and the salad days of Mo’ Wax Records. Between snarls from a surrounding swamp of feedback and other dying sound loops, a crippled piano line emerges sounding like it barely made it out of Mobb Deep’s The Infamous.
