House music enthusiasts and record collectors alike should pay close attention to this one. Buzzin’ Fly label head and one half of the English duo Everything But the Girl, Ben Watt, is selling off his incredibly vast record collection in order to clear space and benefit charity. His collection can be bought in bundle form with Watt personally selecting five 12″ singles that have served him for the past 15 years as a house DJ and sending them your way. Fifty percent of all the proceeds will be donated to the UK organization Shelter and the other 50% will most likely benefit a combination of Watt’s rent and bills (but maybe no longer a storage space). For more information, and to purchase a piece of the collection, check out the Buzzin’ Fly shop here.
A handful of weeks ago we filled you in on Paris beatmaker Fulgeance’s new EP for Musique Large, and now we bring you Fulgeance in his Souleance incarnation, a project with partner Soulist. Souleance marks another foray into hip-hop sampling styles and drum kits, this time with an ear towards funk and more whimsical melody. The two will release an EP on November 22 called Soupape on First Word and we have the track “Passarinho” here for download. The song features chopped vocals worthy of a 9th Wonder comparison and Fulgeance’s signature organ melodies that give the track extra warmth and personality.
This February, Sub Pop will release Mogwai‘s seventh full-length album, cryptically titled Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. The record’s debut single, “Rano Pano,” is available for free download on Sub Pop’s website, for the cost of your email address, and a 7″ of the single will be available January 18. You can grab the track and check out the LP’s cover art and tracklist below.
1. White Noise 2. Mexican Grand Prix 3. Rano Pano 4. Death Rays 5. San Pedro 6. Letters to the Metro 7. George Square Thatcher Death Party 8. How to Be a Werewolf 9. Too Raging to Cheer 10. You’re Lionel Richie
The kind of injured electro-soul that Hot Chip‘s Joe Goddard seems to create while barely batting an eyelash is another ideal soundscape to pair with Ghostpoet’s own lovelorn essence. On this remix for Dels‘ (picture above) new single, “Trumpalump,” the well-matched pair have a go at recreating the bombastic number in their own images. While Ghostpoet switches out Dels’ flow for his own take on the personal verbiage, Goddard works out a somber, head-nodding beat with some touching Rhodes flourishes, a lulling bass melody, and a few ethereal harmonies that rise and fall in either ear. He sings the chorus, too, and it sounds just as heartfelt as anything he’s done with his main musical outlet. We certainly wouldn’t mind hearing more from this great collaboration.
Back in March of this year, Swedish duo The Knife released its incredible score for the opera Tomorrow In a Year, a musical collaboration with Mt. Sims and Planningtorock. Now comes news that one of the standout tracks of the score, “Seeds,” is set to be released as a 12″ with remixes from Ghostly International’s Portable (a.k.a. Bodycode) and Intacto label head Shinedoe. The original version of the track (which you can listen to below) is a masterpiece of melodic techno-pop featuring vocals from Swedish pop star Jonathan Johansson and Danish mezzo soprano Kristina Wahlin. Yeah, it’s pretty epic. You can check out the Bodycode remix at Pitchfork, and purchase the remixes starting today exclusively over at Beatport, or wait until the full digital and 12″ release on December 6.
Brighton’s ongoing skweee-loving club night Donky Pitch just established itself as a record label, too, with the release of its first 12″, Slugabed‘s and Ghost Mutt‘s Donky Stomp EP. On that split release is this crunchy remix of the title track by Spanish producer Mwëslee. The hyped-up rework of the roaring tune by Slugabed (pictured above) is infused with a heaping share of incandescent synth melodies and ear-slapping crunk beats à la Hudson Mohawke, Rustie, and the rest of that young Scottish bunch—sounding like the theme song for a hip-hop DJ who doubles as a superhero by night.
Just the other day on Sinden‘s radio show for the Kiss station, the DJ/producer hosted the proud fathers of a brand-new debut album, Lando Kal and Low Limit (a.k.a. Lazer Sword, pictured above). Essentially, the broadcast is split into two halves; the first part has Sinden running things with some tracks from Bullion, LV, and Ikonika, among others, and the latter half features Lazer Sword behind the decks. The duo drops tunes from its Lazer Sword record, a handful of excellent remixes, including a great version of Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody?” by Cedaa, and other choice beat tune selections. You can stream/download the whole thing over on the Mad Decent blog, here, and check out the full playlist below.
Sinden’s Mix: Sampha – Rainstars – Young Turks Lazer Sword – Def Work – Innovative Leisure Ikonika – Idiot (Funkineven Remix) – Hyperdub Martelo and Canblaster – Cannibal – Enchufada Incarnations – Make You Mine – Lovemonk Bib Tanga And The Selentines – Be Africa (Goldsworthy Remix) – Throne of Blood Lv Ft Koolkat – Boomslang – Hyperdub Amnesia – Truth – Deep Medi Bullion – Spirit Mighty – Young Turks Didz And Chico – Something New – Ten Thousand Yen Jack Dixon – I Let You (The Phantom Remix) – Silverback Recordings
Lazer Sword’s Mix: Lemonade – Lifted (Shortstuff Remix) – Sunday Best Fantastic Mr Fox – Evelyn – Black Acre Records Nosaj Thing – Fog (Jamie xx Remix) – Alpha Pup Lazer Sword – Batman – Innovative Leisure Records Velour – Booty Slammer – Night Slugs Le Le – Breakfast (Lando Kal Remix) – Magnetron Music Aaliyah Ft. Timbaland – Are You That Somebody? (Cedaa Remix) – CD-R Salva – Soldier of Fortune (Demo) – CD-R Lazer Sword – 4loko – Innovative Leisure Records Lunice – Fancy Forty (Rustie Remix) – Lucky Me
Urban planners will tell you there’s a few ways to combat urban sprawl. For Kevin Carney and his wife, Bo, the owners of LA’s Mohawk General Store, that means locating themselves next to other like-minded shops and getting people out of their cars and onto their feet. “Los Angeles can be a hard place to have a destination shop,” says Carney, who also owns The Generic Man and Generic Surplus clothing and shoe companies. “So we found a spot where we have great support from our neighbors, like Intelligentsia Coffee, Undefeated, and Cafe Stella. It makes it easier for people to park their cars, or bikes, mopeds, skateboards, whatever, if they know that there is more than one place they can visit and feel like they are in a city other than Los Angeles.” The Carneys first opened Mohawk in 2008 in Echo Park, selling their high-end thrifty finds and Generic goods. It went so well that they’re now in a bigger Silver Lake storefont, managing online sales, and incorporating a partner who imports mid-century furniture from Europe. “We are speaking a similar design language as our peers,” explains Carney, “which we feel is very important for a local business: to be in touch with their customers’ tastes and desires… but we still stick to the mantra of, ‘If we would not wear it, then it does not belong in the shop.'” So what does belong? Along with plenty of vintage stereo equipment, headphones, and accessories, a lot of US-made goods from the likes of Woolrich, Tanner Goods, and Gitman, plus Euro favorites Our Legacy, A.P.C., and Comme De Garçons, to, as Carney says, “keep the shop in balance.”
Mohawk General Store is located at 4401 West Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles.
The good people of Sacramento-based Lefse Records have made available a track from the second edition of their ongoing Way Slow series, a “cover” of Soul For Real’s “Being With You” from St. Louis-based producer Phaseone. The track is more of an instrumental reinterpretation than a cover, taking the song’s original chord progression and vocal melody to new and more interesting territory. “Being With You” seems to be in no rush, slowly building on its laid-back R&B vibe for almost three minutes before kicking in with an assault of thick, layered synth pads and smooth, gliding melodies. Expect vocal chops, shuffling percussion fills, and plenty of slow head-nodding from this one. Phaseone’s contribution to the Way Slow series, which also features a “cover” of Keith Sweat’s “Right & Wrong,” will be available December 14.
We had no idea it was even around back then, but according to noise artist Tim Hecker, rave died sometime during 1972. Well, that’s the title of his forthcoming new record, anyway. On Valentine’s Day next year, the Canadian ambient producer will release Ravedeath, 1972 via Chicago’s Kranky label. The 12-song album follows his last LP, 2009’s An Imaginary Country, and has pretty heavy song titles (“Hatred of Music” and “Studio Suicide, 1980” immediately stick out), along with some great-looking cover art. You can check out all that stuff below, along with a handful of European tour dates. (via Pitchfork)
01 The Piano Drop 02 In the Fog: I 03 In the Fog: II 04 In the Fog: III 05 No Drums 06 Hatred of Music: I 07 Hatred of Music: II 09 Analog Paralysis, 1978 09 Studio Suicide, 1980 10 In the Air: I 11 In the Air: II 12 In the Air: III
Tour dates: 12-01 London, England – Luminaire 12-02 Bristol, England – Arnolfini 12-03 Minehead, England – All Tomorrow’s Parties 12-06 Manchester, England – Islington Mill 12-10 Geneva, Switzerland – Presences Electroniques Festival
