New Sorcerer LP Due in August

In the current climate of today’s electronic music scene, the word’s “smooth,” “chill,” or “groovy” don’t seem to warrant much attention, but times change and we here at XLR8R couldn’t feel more refreshed. Tirk Recordings, the U.K’s purveyor of Krautrock, disco re-edits, and other assorted “smooth” musics, announced today that San Francisco’s cosmic-disco patron, Sorcerer, is casting a new spell of an album this August, entitled Neon Leon. The 10-track long-player arrives just in time to help you round out your summer with groovy beat production, jazzy guitar riffs, and subtle, classic electronics. The spaced-out tracklist is found below.

1. Algorhythm
2. Day Glow
3. Chemise
4. Ride the Serpent
5. Push to Freeze
6. Shaolin Style
7. Raydio (Play It)
8. Jump Rope
9. Distort Yourself
10. El Condor

Jahdan Blakkamoore “Dem Nuh Like It”

Dutty Artz vocalist Jahdan Blakkamoore has dropped us a track from his upcoming Bazooka Shot mixtape. Fresh off of his collaboration with Major Lazer and in preparation for his debut album, Buzzrock Warrior, Blakkamoore has made a classic dancehall anthem in “Dem Nuh Like It,” chock-full of bouncing beats, thick bass, and plenty of melodic MC work that features help from 77Klash and Spoek Mathambo.

Dem Nuh Like It (feat. 77Klash and Spoek Mathambo)

Georgia Anne Muldrow Umsindo

After devoting the past year and a half to collaborative albums, releases under pseudonyms, and prominent features on albums by Erykah Badu and Mos Def, singer-songwriter/producer Georgia Anne Muldrow continues her evolution with her third studio album. Umsindo (Zulu for “sound”) finds her bravely musing over life (“Roses”), death (“Daisies”), the human condition (“I.Q.”), and the bliss of new motherhood (“E.S.P.”). Bustling with jangly Arto Lindsay-like guitar chords (“Seminole Unity Chant”), West Coast funk (“Fonky Day,” “Slice It,” “Sermonette”), and angular acappella harmonies (“Diaspora”), Umsindo is a bold natural progression from a fearless artist on the cusp of greatness, an earthy offering that simultaneously traverses and embraces the sonic boundaries associated with soul music.

Merge Records Releases History Book

Merge, one of the world’s most enduring independent record labels, and which has brought us classic albums from the likes of Superchunk, Neutral Milk Hotel, and The Magnetic Fields, has put a book together to tell you all about the journey. Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records, which arrives this September, chronicles the many tales of Merge from the label’s inception in 1989 throughout their 20 years of releasing stone-cold indie-rock classics. If this sounds way too awesome to wait for, the Merge crew has built a website so you can have a sneak peak into what the book will offer. And when you’re sold on it, you can pre-order here.

pictured Magnetic Fields

Risil Non Meters Vol. 1

Whether you’re an amateur or a professional, everyone loves making their own noise. The fact couldn’t be more true for Guillermo Scott Herren, the man and mind behind experimental hip-hop guise Prefuse 73, folktronic outfit Savath & Savalas, and now Risil. A collective that includes members of Tortoise, Battles, and Hella writes and records without a set goal of achieving a specific sound—and it’s abundantly clear on their debut album, Non Meters Vol. 1. Each of the disc’s 14 atmospheric songs are almost completely interchangeable. The occasional vocal or guitar interlude rises and falls in the mix of aimless electronics and free-form drum work. Tracks like the twinkling “Was Once for Zanzo” and the vocal-heavy “This Air I Breathe” head in the direction of a cohesive piece, but fall short of the mark before their half-way point. Put the album on while home alone if you’re curious as to what this super-group sounds like, but don’t expect to find a song in the haze of experiments.

Daniel “Goodbye Silhouette”

After nearly three years of silence, Detroit’s Daniel has returned with Lazrus, an album of melancholy electronic pop. Summoning Jamie Lidell’s soulfulness and Ben Gibbard’s plaintive vocals, “Goodbye Silhouette” is a gem of lovely melodies from a city more known for its hard-edged techno.

Daniel – Goodbye Silhouette

Kid Sister Album Finally Ready for October

It’s been years since the young and talented Chicago MC Kid Sister released her first single, “Pro Nails,” on DJ A-Trak’s Fool’s Gold label. Now, backed by heavy hitters Kanye West, XXXchange, and Yuksek, to name a few, Kid Sister is finally dropping her debut album—originally called Dream Date back in September ’08, when it was first slated for release—Ultraviolet, on Fool’s Gold/Downtown this October. The record, a 12-song pastiche of electronic beats and club rap, plays seamlessly from start to finish, creating what the press release calls a “continuous mix of songs that contain an innovative approach to their perfectly honed pop sensibilities,” not to mention Kid Sister’s own take on the MC game. The tracklist for the whole jam is below.

Tracklisting:
1. Right Hand Hi
2. Life On TV
3. Daydreaming
4. Let Me Bang 2009
5. Big n Bad
6. Pro Nails (feat. Kanye West)
7. Step (feat. Estelle)
8. Switch Board (feat. DJ Gant-Man)
9. Get Fresh
10. 53421
11. You Ain’t Really Down
12. Control

Waves Releases CLA Compressors

A collaboration with GRAMMY-winning rock/pop mixing engineer Chris Lord-Alge, making the name doubly appropriate, the CLA Classic Compressors are studio tools modeled by Waves Audio. Waves made its name on peak limiters, and now adds to its lineage of DSP punch with Lord-Alge’s presets on four plug-ins (MSRP: $800 Native/$1600 TDM, or as part of Waves Mercury bundle). The smooth CLA-2A emulates a mid-’60s electro-optical tube compressor’s frequency-dependent behavior, while the CLA-3A is said to be highly transparent with subtle harmonic distortion; both are ace for vox, bass, and guitar. The CLA-76 Blacky and Bluey, meanwhile, offer mid-’70s Class A line-level limiting amps, with a super-fast, edgy attack claimed as ideal for drums. Waves invites you to fire up as many zero-latency instances as your system can handle, using just two to four dials to stand out on the radio dial.

Page 2678 of 3781
1 … 2,676 2,677 2,678 2,679 2,680 … 3,781