Somewhere between the melancholic pop sensibilities of The Cure and the lush soundscapes of The Field you can find 2020Soundsystem playing the first single from their second album, Falling. The slow burning number, “Satellite,” floats in an atmospheric swirl of mystery and longing propelled by the song’s steady rhythm section and somber vocal track.
The jet-setting DJ-producer Luciano is releasing a new album on his own Cadenza imprint this winter. Titled Tribute to the Sun, the record is an epic journey through the Swiss-Chilean’s sonic palette, featuring Senegalese kora player Ali Boulo Santo, Tricky collaborator and vocalist Martina Topley-Bird, and Israeli-Swiss percussionist Omri Hason. Utilizing field recordings, live instrumentation, and the intense, synthesized rhythmic complexity that he is known for, Luciano has crafted his most masterful work yet, once again proving that his excellent reputation is well-deserved.
Tribute to the Sun drops October 12 on Cadenza Records.
Tracklisting:
01 Los Ninos de Fuera
02 Celestial feat. Liberty by Keren Ann
03 Sun, Day and Night feat. Martina Topley-Bird
04 Conspirer
05 Hang For Bruno
06 Fran Left Home
07 Africa Sweat feat. Ali Boulo Santo
08 Pierre For Anni
09 Metodisma
10 Oenologue
Latin soul-funk impresario Quantic is leading a 10-piece orchestra on a mini-tour of the U.S. this month, featuring acclaimed pianist Alfredito Linares, percussionist Malcolm Catto, and many other genius musicians from around the world. Quantic’s 2008 tour sold out, so get your tickets soon!
Quantic and His Combo Barbaro Tour Dates
8/14 – San Fran @ Slim’s
8/15 – LA @ The Echoplex
8/22 – NY @ TBA
The latest collaboration to come fresh out of the pressing oven over at Hydra Head Records will soon come thundering down the side of the mountain with a magnitude that’s sure to tip the scales. Pairing up for an October 27 release in CD and double-LP format will be none other than Canada’s ambient dream-metal titans Nadja with the Texan psych-doom destructos in Pyramids. The long list of guest appearances on the album is quite a social gathering for some of the best from the ambient, metal, and noise genres. On board for this project is Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins, This Mortal Coil), Chris Simpson (Mineral), James Plotkin (Khanate), Colin Marston (Dysrhythmia, Behold the Arctopus), Albin Julius (Der Blutharsch) and more. As Chuck D once put it, “Welcome to the terrordome.”
Pyramids With Nadja
01 Into the Silent Waves
02 Another War
03 The Sound of Ice and Grass
04 An Angel Was Heard to Cry Over the City of Rome
Nadja photo Guylaine Bedard
Whittling down the candidates to make XLR8R‘s annual list of Labels We Love is no easy task, but the inclusion of experimental U.K. label Xela) to put together a mix encapsulating the imprint’s unique mix of ambient and drone sounds with just enough pop melodies to keep things interesting. Stunningly gorgeous and never lacking in emotional heft, the Type Records podcast not only features some choice rarities and unreleased cuts—it also just might be one of the most beautiful sound pieces to ever grace XLR8R.com.
01 Grouper “Way Their Crept” (from TYPE020 Way Their Crept)
02 Richard Skelton “Greens Within Brook” (from TYPE055 Landings)
03 Svarte Greiner “Ulsokk” (from TYPE016 Knive)
04 Goldmund “Ouendake” (from TYPE039 Malady Of Elegance)
05 Sylvain Chauveau “Je Suis Vivant Et Vous Etes Morts” (from TYPE025 The Black Book Of Capitalism)
06 Xela “In Misericordia” (from TYPE043 In Bocca Al Lupo)
07 On “Too Many Demons Still Haunt This Land” (from TYPE050 Your Naked Ghost Comes Back At Night)
08 Sanso-Xtro “Minus Ecki” (from TYPE007 Sentimentalist)
09 Rameses III “Across The Lake Is Where My Heart Shines” (from TYPE052 I Could Not Love You More)
10 The Alps “Hallucinations” (from TYPE040 III)
11 Deaf Center “Close” (from TYPE015 Vintage Well)
12 Mokira “Contour” (from TYPE047 Persona)
13 William Fowler Collins “Slow Motion Prayer Circle” (from TYPE046 Perdition Hill Radio)
14 City Center “Gold Girls” (from TYPE045 City Center LP Version only)
15 Peter Broderick “Three Cats” (from TYPE044 4 Track Songs)
16 Koen Holtkamp “Bear Bell” (from TYPE035 Field Rituals)
17 Seasons (pre-din) “03.28” (from TYPE061 Your Eyes The Stars And Your Hands The Sea)
18 Zelienople “Dust Bowl” (from TYPE054 Give It Up)
19 Black To Comm “Hotel Freund” (from TYPE053 Alphabet 1968)
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Dedicated USB controllers are so hot right now, and it seems Denon DJ has been ITCHing to build one. ITCH controllers are hardware certified by Serato Audio Research as built from the ground up with integrated features for DJ software control, and the upcoming DN-HC5000 is one such performance tool. Scheduled to ship in last quarter of 2009, the DN-HC5000 is an A/B deck rackmount system with mini platters and copious cues that gives/receives feedback through Serato’s proprietary HIDI protocol, intended to allow mobile entertainers a new depth of control and response by allowing “one-to-one mapping” with compatible mixing software. The DN-HC5000 is Mac/PC compatible, uses USB 2.0, and has a built-in 24-bit soundcard. Other features include a multi-functional touch sensitive jog disc, vibrant FL tube and text display, and tactile rubber controls. Digital turntablists, this ITCH has the potential to inspire you to scratch.
Electro-pop chanteuse Annie has signed to the eminently popular Smalltown Supersound label, and her sophomore record drops on November 17. Titled Don’t Stop, the album is an amalgam of different influences, from the boisterous French pop of Serge Gainsbourg to the progressive house stylings of Morgan Page. Given the critical and popular acclaim for her debut, Anniemal, it is certain that her latest work will only cement her reputation as one of the more substantive female vocalists of our times.
Don’t Stop Tracklisting:
01. Hey Annie
02. My Love Is Better
03. Bad Times
04. Don’t Stop
05. I Don’t Like Your Band
06. Songs Remind Me Of You
07. Marie Cherie
08. Take You Home
09. The Breakfast Song
10. Loco
11. When The Night
12. Heaven And Hell
Comin’ straight outta Modesto, CA, D-Lo has become the Bay Area’s new hyphy favorite with his female nay-saying track “No Hoe.” Here, as an exclusive to XLR8R, the recent hit gets treated to a remix with extra verses from E-40, Beeda Weeda, and The Jacka, all delivered with the appropriate pungence over a dark, stripped-down beat.
In the first of a few special web-only Labels We Love features, today we peep the grimy stylings of London’s No Hats No Hoods.
Making a name for your label in the crowded London grime scene is no small feat, but the crew at No Hats No Hoods has managed to become one of the most talked-about labels of the underground, and not simply because of their eminently popular Dirty Canvas parties. With a slew of white-label and dubplate-only releases, most notably from Silverlink and the Tinchy Stryder-related Ruff Sqwad crew, No Hats No Hoods is poised to take over the grime scene with a new mix of the label’s finest players. Label head DJ Magic takes the helm on No Hats No Hoods Volume One, a CD that includes exclusive tracks and older label classics from P Money, Tempa T, and Lee Brasco. Set for release on August 24, the mix is certain to bring in a much wider fan base for the hottest names in current grime and dubstep. Check out some of the label’s recent output below!
Silverlink feat. Jammer & Badness “The Message is Love”
A hyper-speed, soca-grime romp featuring one of the most epic, synth-drenched breakdowns of 2008. With big ups from Diplo, among others, this track is sure to be remembered as one of the best of the year.
Ruff Sqwad “Man Dem”
A monstrous tune with a bassline that’ll blow up your ‘hood.
Tempa T “Next Hype”
A favorite around XLR8R HQ upon first few seconds of viewing. We love it so much that we’ve even installed our own Pars charts on the office dry-erase board.
P Money “What Did He Say?”
Some foreboding, subsonic grime stylings featuring sickly fierce spitting from P Money.
Lee Brasco “Having a Bad Day”
A more spacey, emotive piece featuring epic backing synths and a truly wonky melodic line.
Long before John Tejada earned his stripes in early ’00s microhouse, his sound differed little from the hordes of Clinton-era bedroom hermits who crafted techno for the smoking chair instead of the dancefloor. Recovered is a previously unreleased album from 1995, and Tejada’s influences are laid bare. “Grip” and “Tezetto” resemble b-sides from Autechre’s IDM fountainhead, Amber. Generic elements abound—filtered hi-hats that swoosh about in stereo and pinpricked melodies—but there are some inspired moments, like the dirty bass drops in “Phobia.” Modern audio software has made a glut of minute textures and superhuman rhythms available to any DIY studio tinkerer, but Recovered is a reminder that experimental electronic music was once a more simple and relaxed affair. That said, the album is more of a curiosity than a keeper.
