It’s been five years since “fidget house” stalwart Jesse Rose began his Made To Play label with the idea of pushing dance music forward by drastically shortening the time between the creation of tracks and putting them in the hands of DJs. Now Made to Play is releasing a comp of entirely new originals, remixes, and collaborations from their artist collective (which includes Riva Starr, Zombie Disco Squad, and Oliver $ to name a few). The comp comes as a double-CD with the second disc being a mix from Rose, putting together his favorite Made To Play tracks of the last five years. Replay: Five Years of Made to Play will be released on October 25 and physical copies come with a 48-page book chronicling the history of the label.
Tracklist: Rose & Riva Starr – Start The Weekend Round Table Knights – Cut To The Top feat Reverend Beat-Man (Payme versus Made to Play All-Stars remix) Oliver $ – Ginger Ale (Jesse Rose & Round Table Knights remix) Round Table Knights versus Bauchamp – Calypso (Zombie Disco Squad versus Miman remix) Jesse Rose – Non-Stop (Riva Starr & Oliver $ remix) Renaissance Man, Payme & Idiotproof – Moonlighting Riva Starr feat TRIM – Dance Me (Jan Driver, Idiotproof & Payme remix) Jesse Rose versus Made to Play All-Stars – Yeah Jan Driver & Oliver $ – Down Round Table Knights & Zombie Disco Squad – Endless
Here in the US, it seems like the coasts get all the attention when it comes to tropical bass, global bass, and all the other buzzwords being tossed around to describe the dance music that’s borrowing from and inspired by the sounds of the Third World. But down in Austin, the Peligrosa crew is holding things down for Texas, both with its monthly parties and growing record label. The latest Peligrosa offering is the Siempre Fresco EP from San Antonio producer Sonora, who’s offering all five songs for free download via Bandcamp. Siempre Fresco is powered by cumbia rhythms, slightly screwed reggaeton beats, and plenty of squealing synths that settle somewhere Argentinian cumbia villera and contemporary rave anthems. “Tierra Santa” might be the best of the bunch, thanks to its can’t-miss vocal samples of Colombian legends Petrona Martinez and Toto La Momposina. Even better, the track’s synth-heavy double-time breakdown sounds a lot like something Uproot Andy would do, which is just fine with us.
Since launching their club night Secousse in London back in 2008, the members of Radioclit have been championing dance music from all over Africa and bringing it with them around the world. Now Brussels’ Crammed Discs will be releasing a collection of “Club Secousse Anthems” hand-picked by Radioclit. Radioclit (also two thirds of Afro-electro outfit The Very Best) began the Club Secousse night as a way to energize what they felt was a stagnant and divided music culture by bringing music from the local ghetto scenes around the world to the clubs of London and France. Now, two years after its inception, they have chosen 14 tracks they feel “represent everything we love about ghetto culture: the ability to create something with nothing, the energy, the positivity.” Oh, and don’t forget the part about the dancing! Radioclit Present: The Sound of Club Secousse will be available worldwide on October 19.
Tracklist: 1. Bab Lee ‘Sous Les Cocotiers’ (Ivory Coast) 2. Batida Feat Bras Firmino ‘Nufeko Disole’ (Portugal/Angola) 3. The Very Best Feat Mo Laudi ‘Angonde’ (Remix) (Malawi/South Africa/Sweden) 4. Janka Nabay ‘To Ma Ya’ (Sierra Leone) 5. Lutchiana ‘Eki Bis’ (Congo) 6. Luky Gomes ‘Zeze E Toto’ (Remix) (Angola) 7. Magic System ‘Petit Pompier’ (Ivory Coast) 8. DJ Serpent Noir ‘La Go Attoto’ (Ivory Coast) 9. Puto Prata ‘Zuata Zuata’ (Angola) 10. Jusa Dementor ‘African Air Horn Dance’ (Zimbabwe) 11. DJ Vielo, Dj Anielson And Patcho Debenq ‘Decale Mon Afrique’ (Cabo Verde/France) 12. Naty Kid ‘Sereia’ (Cabo Verde) 13. Ize ‘Tronku Di Mundo’ (Cabo Verde/France) 14. Tshetsha Boys Feat Vuyelwa ‘Mosemana Wa Dikgomo’ (South Africa)
Last week, Toronto house outfit Azari & III—perhaps you remember them from our recent feature—released this new single on Tiga’s Turbo imprint. Where older Azari & III efforts like “Hungry for the Power” and “Reckless (With Your Love)” were big vocal tracks, “Indigo” relegates the (still-excellent) vocals to a support role, allowing the song’s pulsing synths, piano melodies, classic Chicago style, and feelgood spirit to lead the way. Don’t get us wrong—this one can still be an anthem, just not one of the sing-along variety. The Azari boys are currently at work on their debut full-length, which should see the light of day next year.
Bill Salas is chuckling during our email conversation. “I’m in Trier, Germany now,” he writes. “The toilet paper is like cardboard.” The Brooklyn-based producer and DJ is spending most of his summer days tweaking samplers on a European tour as part of art-rock band These Are Powers. But amid the sweaty late-night shows, he is also hard at work on his personal dance music project: Brenmar.
The project’s name is inspired by his brother, who was born with a hole in his lung that made it difficult for him to pronounce certain words. While Salas studied recording and engineering at Columbia College in his hometown of Chicago—”I’d skip class to stay at home and make beats,” he admits—he often hung out with his then-two-year-old sibling. “He pretty much made up his own language,” Salas reveals. “He gave everyone in the family their own specific name. I got Brenmar. Where he got it from? Who knows.”
After school, Salas hightailed it to Brooklyn. At the time, Brenmar was a one-man band of effects pedals, turntables, loopers, samplers, and keyboards. He opened for These Are Powers in 2006, and they hit it off. When a replacement percussionist was needed, he was first on the list.
Aaliyah – “R U That Somebody (Brenmar Windy City Remix)”
As Brenmar, though, Salas has gone through many musical phases, from pop to ambient to noise, before focusing on dance music. With tunes informed by hip-hop, R&B, the London bass scene, and especially Chicago juke and ghetto house—staple sounds of his youth—he is quickly becoming known for his amped-up remixes of tracks by forward-thinking artists like Javelin and Blondes, as well as Chicago ghetto-house master DJ Deeon, pop songstress Cassie, and R&B crooner Jeremih. His Windy City Remix of Aaliyah’s seminal tune “R U That Somebody” is three parts juke, one part UK funky, and 100% dancefloor friendly. “I wanted to play these R&B tracks but keep a certain momentum and energy going within my DJ sets. I also didn’t much care for the big house and trance versions of those tracks floating around, so I made my own remixes,” Salas explains. “I’m trying to keep the sex and sensuality there—just up the tempo a bit.”
Earlier this year, he also released a couple of original tracks. “Heavy Pockets” begins with ultra-slippery percussive beats before upbeat sirens kick in and make it seem like the rave police are coming for you, while “Kicked Beneath Too” features retro synths, frog croaks, and a male vocal sample that proudly repeats the words “bass kickin’.” These tunes serve as previews for forthcoming releases—an EP for Discobelle and another for Sinden’s Grizzly label, as well as collaborative EPs with Austin producer Dubbel Dutch and LA duo Nguzunguzu. If they are any indication of what’s to come, a steady stream of Brenmar-brand dancefloor bangers are on the way, crafted by this up-and-coming producer who feels like he’s found his sound. “I feel like I finally really know what ‘Brenmar’ is, and where I want to take it,” he says.
Fabled Detroit record store Vibes New and Rare Music may be a thing of the past, but its owner Rick Wilhite remains an important figure in the city’s music scene. This month saw the release of a Wilhite-curated compilation on the Rush Hour label, fittingly entitled Rick Wilhite presents: Vibes New and Rare Music. The comp features tunes from the likes of Theo Parrish, Kyle Hall, Urban Tribe, and Wilhite himself, operating under his alias The Godson. “Nova2” is one of his efforts, albeit one created in collaboration with DJ RayBone. It’s a pretty standard Detroit cut, one with a taut beat and a simple, yet soulful, string melody and some scattered synth flourishes. In true Motor City style, Wilhite’s production doesn’t have a lot of flash, but frankly, it doesn’t need any.
Good news has arrived for those who have been waiting for a way to seamlessly use Ableton Live and Serato Scratch Live together, the two companies have collaborated and are now releasing The Bridge. The Bridge allows users to have the tools of each program work together simultaneously so you can launch clips and scenes, control instruments and devices, mix, mute and solo from Scratch Live or record Serato DJ performances as Ableton Live Sets. To use The Bridge you just need the latest versions of Ableton Live and Serato Scratch Live which you can download here, as well as check out some helpful videos.
Earlier this month, Brooklyn sound-collage specialist and leftfield beatmaker Lobisomem unveiled his Onze Pedras full-length, and now he’s following that up with some remixes of album cut “She’s Made of Clay.” This one comes from the all-star Dutty Artz collaboration of DJ /rupture and Chief Boima, the latter of whom recently relocated to Brooklyn after a long stint in Oakland. While Rupture and Boima’s involvement might lead one to expect a tropical-minded dancefloor cut, the pair maintains the chill vibe of Lobisomem’s original while inserting a warbling synth melody and some drums that do slap just a touch harder. Discerning ears might even catch the snippets of what sounds like highlife guitars—apparently Rupture and Boima can play the sound-collage game too.
She’s Made of Clay (Remix by DJ_rupture & Chief Boima)
She’s Made of Clay (Remix by DJ_rupture & Chief Boima)
Techno giant Richie Hawtin will be releasing a complete retrospective of his darker alter-ego Plastikman, spanning over a decade of work from 1993-2010. Arkives will be released by Hawtin’s own label, Minus, as a huge box set including 12 discs and a 64-page book. Earlier this year saw the reemergence of Hawtin’s Plastikman moniker and he has been busy taking his visually and aurally intense show all over the world including performances at Coachella, Sonar, and Detroit’s Movement festival. The behemoth of a release, the biggest for Hawtin’s label to date, will only be available via pre-order from the label’s website from October 10 to December 31. All pre-orderers will get a special treat from Minus, their name printed in the book, and a Christmas card from Richie (seriously) because nothing says “Happy Holidays” like a card from a dark techno alter-ego, right?
German trio Saroos (featuring members of Iso68, Lali Puna, and The Notwist) is offering up a song from its upcoming Odd Nosdam-produced album, See Me Not. “Yukoma” sounds like a mix of all its contributors, as a chopped breakbeat chugs beneath large, fuzzy chords the song carefully takes shape and becomes a tranquil accumulation of its melodic elements. A definite head-nodder for those who like their electronica slow and serene. See Me Not will be released on November 9 via Anticon in the US and Japan and on The Notwist’s Alien Transistor everywhere else.
