Wolf + Lamb’s Lee Curtiss leads us through dark, narrow sonic passageways on “Life Lessons,” his contribution to Spectral’s Document Pt. 1 mix, compiled by label head Ryan Elliott. Deep kicks and a frothy bass form the minimal track’s backbone, contrasting nicely with mid-range, bell-like synths that still manage to create an ominous atmosphere. Perfect for late, late sets.
Vancouver’s Stephen Hummel (a.k.a. SubtractiveLAD) crafts dreamlike ambient pieces that often come dangerously close to sentimentality. Thankfully, Life at the End of the World wisely seasons in tension and just the right amount of desolation to lock the ear. “Ne Plus Ultra” and “Nautilus” slowly exhale clouds of hymnal drones and delicate guitarwork into pristine music for heartbroken reflection. Likewise, “Once the Stars Have Been Washed from the Sky” weaves a rich, sprawling mass of guitar distortion. Life‘s catch is that Hummel sticks with the same emotional tone so much that the music grows monotonous after a while, not that the half-asleep listener would notice or care.
Chicago native DJ Nate (be wary of that link, as it contains some NSFW content and other pesky randomness) could’ve just become the youngest producer to sign with UK leftfield electronic label Planet Mu. Nathan Clark (who was featured as an XLR8RArtist to Watch not too long ago) has been building a buzz for a while now thanks to his Footwurk Traks, and now the juke-repping beatmaker has penned a deal with Planet Mu to release his “Footwork Homicide” 12″ in September, with a full-length album, called Da Trak Genious, following in October. More specifics will be coming soon on the Planet Mu website.
pictured DJ Nate (middle) and friends
Fuzzy shoegaze popsters The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have a new single on the way. Entitled “Say No to Love,” the records will be pressed on sea-foam green vinyl (some vinyl fetishist out there just got aroused) and will also feature the b-side “Lost Saint.” Go here to listen to a stream of “Say No to Love,” courtesy of Pitchfork. The 7″ will be officially released on June 8 via Slumberland Records, and will also be available at the band’s many summer tour dates, which are posted below.
6.03: Milford, CT – Daniel Street
6.04: Rochester, NY – The German House
6.05: Buffalo, NY – Tralf
6.06: Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
6.08: Memphis, TN – Hi Tone Cafe
6.09: Birmingham, AL – Bottletree Cafe
6.10: Tallahassee, FL – The Engine Room
6.11: Orlando, FL – Club at Firestone
6.12: Miami, FL – Grand Central
6.13: Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits
6.15: Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
6.16: Washington, DC – Black Cat
7.17: Brooklyn, NY – Siren Festival – Coney Island
7.18: Latitude Festival – Derbyshire, UK
7.23: Contempopranea Festival – Alburquerque, ES
7.24: San Sebastian Festival – San Sebastian, ES
7.25: Indietracks Festival – Midland Railway Centre, UK
7.28: Brighton, UK – Concorde 2
7.29: London, UK – Heaven
7.31: Stirling, Scotland, UK – U18s Festival
Though he grew up in rural Switzerland, Dimlite has more in common with the tastemakers of LA’s contemporary beat scene than many of his more techno-inclined countrymen. “Can’t Get Use to Those” is a short little gem of a track, featuring an infectious flute loop, some bossa-style percussion, and a faded vocal that just melts into the piece’s sonic texture. With a new album out on Stones Throw now, Dimlite’s sound is comparable in scope and eclecticism to XLR8R favorites Baths and FlyLo, making him one of the beat genre’s most interesting practitioners.
San Francisco’s Alland Byallo, finally riding a wave of international acclaim following releases on Liebe*Detail, Pokerflat Digital, and Missive, will see his latest EP drop just in time for summer on Berlin’s Dirt Crew label. Featuring four new tracks of Byallo’s dark, atmospheric tech-house, the Eyes Closed, Looking In EP is certain to raise Byallo’s status as a master of the dancefloor.
Eyes Closed, Looking In comes out May 17 on Dirt Crew.
Tracklisting:
1. Eyes Closed, Looking In
2. Nothing?s Calling
3. Three Of Five
4. Rent
A few weeks ago, UK funky don Roska toured North America and then “enjoyed” an extended stay on our continent courtesy of that pesky volcano in Iceland. While in New York, he sat down with the folks from FADER TV and gave some insights into his music, the UK funky scene, and the importance of long-running pirate outpost Rinse.FM.
Usually more minimal in his approach, the opening track from Danton Eeprom‘s latest album sounds like it could have come from a mid-80’s Bowie-produced Iggy Pop track. Etienne Jaumet‘s remix of “Thanks for Nothing” transforms the track with his signature analog synth approach while maintaining the original’s catchy melodic core. The washed, echoing vocals of the original are also left intact for the most part, with a lovely loop riding over the piece’s plodding beat towards its end. Moments of squelch and overdrive make for some great peaks and valleys, giving the feeling that Jaumet has out-housed Eeprom himself, which is a pretty amazing feat.
The fine techno-heads over at Little White Earbuds have just posted the definitive guide to Detroit’s Movement festival, which takes place this Memorial Day weekend in tha D’s Hart Plaza. With acts ranging from Kyle Hall and Shake to Ricardo Villalobos and Plastikman, the guide is indispensable to festival-goers from all corners of the world. Check it out here.
Judging from their latest single, Belgium’s Arsenal might have drunk too much of MGMT’s sweet liqueur, but Gui Boratto does a great re-working of “Estupendo,” taking the original synth stems and transforming them into a darker, more stabbing melody. With the breathy vocals (courtesy of Scott Mason from Offrice) left intact along with some melancholy guitar lines, Boratto’s “Estupendo” is a deep, dancefloor jam that would work well in any DJ’s tech-house set.
