Page 2978 – XLR8R

Saint Etienne Boxette

Intended–in the words of conceptualist Bob Stanley–to provide “a new insight into our sick English minds,” Boxette compiles Saint Etienne’s triptych of old, eBay-exciting fan-club CDs (I Love to Paint, Built on Sand and Asleep at the Wheels of Steel) alongside Eric Random, a disc of outtakes, oddities, and collectables. Thus, renditions of Elvis Presley songs, collaborations with German minimalists, and unused soundtracks to James Bonds films appear alongside tributes to the Mayor of London, songs written for supposedly reclusive folk singers, and at least two tracks referencing Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts. This is lovely, lovely stuff that sounds like it has come from a treasure chest rather than a carrier bag in a shoe cupboard.

Sany Pitbull: Baile Funk’s Future

In the last five years, baile funk, long neglected and shunned by the Brazilian press and the Rio de Janeiro elite, has become an established music genre worldwide.

While there’s no question baile funk can move a dancefloor, it has been criticized for a certain lack of depth; a lot of productions use the same sounds, usually the omnipresent (and relatively new) tamborzão beat or samples from the days when Kraftwerk and Afrika Bambaataa were the genre’s major influence. Even DJ/producer extraordinaire Sany Pitbull–the maestro, as he’s known to his peers–agrees that it’s time for baile producers to try a little harder.

“We have this romantic idea that we are ‘magical’ artists, that we are born ready!” says Sany poetically. “But without study and hard work, musicians–as much as a construction worker or a lawyer–can have all the talent in the world and they will always be missing something.”

With his own label, Carioca Funk Clube, Sany is freeing the music from a lot of the rules it has imposed on itself. Meanwhile his party, which also bears the label’s name, is freeing funk events, often held in gang-controlled favelas, from their violent connotations. The club night–where acts like Phabyo DJ, Ba$$ Comando, and DJ Juninho perform–is described by Sany’s partner Adriana Pittigliani as a “neutral zone to hear and practice baile funk, far from [criminal] factions or marketing rules.”

Although Sany transforms The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” Guns ‘N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and Nirvana’s “Come As You Are” into baile funk anthems for his live performances–which involve him going frenetic on a turntable and an MPC–his production work shows a great deal more innovation. Sany’s EP for the Baile Funk Masters series, released through Germany’s Man Recordings, is a milestone for the genre. It boasts new textures, moods, and sound sources–from the construction noises used to build “Funk Alemão” (“German Funk”) to the Japanese gongs in “Tribos” to the Western-influenced “Faroeste.”

Another major change is that the vocals have been minimized, putting more emphasis on the beats themselves. This post-baile funk style is closer to the club music that many Europeans and Americans have been making, but with Brazilian flavor. “There’s still a huge difference when [funk] music is made by [an actual] baile funk producer from Rio, as long as he studies a little beyond the limitations of the past,” says Sany.

And, as far as he’s concerned, things can only get better: “People from all over the world are listening to [the music]; that’s the biggest change. I see the future of baile funk much as I saw it in the beginning, with lots of happiness and fun and freedom, but maybe with a little less social separation and some more hard work.” Hardly a surprising statement, coming from baile funk’s biggest workaholic.

XLR8R Exclusive: Sany Pitbull Hand-Drawn Illustrations

click to enlarge

Parallels

2008 WMC Gig Guide

Every year, XLR8R heads to Miami, for a week of non-stop dance parties coinciding with the city’s annual Winter Music Conference. Here, we’ve picked through the hundreds of events happening this year and highlighted the best ones for every genre from dubstep to techno.

Wednesday, March 26

Freak N’Chic Showcase
Music By: Dan Ghenacia, Marc Antona (live), Shonky, Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Droog
Venue: Townhouse Hotel Rooftop, 150 20th St.
Details: 3 – 12 p.m., $20, 21+
myspace.com/droog_la

The Goods
Presented by Nordic Trax, SoSound Recordings, and Great Lakes Audio
Music By: Mark Farina, Alexander East (live), Luke McKeehan, Jazzy Eyewear, Lawnchair Generals, Latenight Society, Jay West, Tovar
Venue: Templo, 619 Washington Ave
Details: 10 p.m. – 5 a.m., $15, 21+
Link:nordictrax.com

Ovum vs. Poker Flat
Music By: Josh Wink, Steve Bug, Shlomi Aber, Martin Landsky, Argy, Benny Rodrigues
Venue: The Vagabond, 30 NE 14th St.
Details: 10 p.m. – 5 a.m., $20, 21+
Link:thevagabondmiami.com

Thursday, March 27

Earlybird: dirtybird WMC Afterhours
Presented by XLR8R
Music By: Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin, Worthy, Christian Martin, Tanner Ross & Riva Starr
Venue: Studio A, 60 NE 11th St.
Details: Doors open 5 p.m., 21+
Link:dirtybirdrecords.com

Anjunabeats 100
Presented by Made
Music By: Above & Beyond, Andy Moor, Super8 & Tab, Mike Shiver, Fine Taste, Boom Jinx, James Grant, Electrobios
Venue: Nocturnal, 50 NE 11th St.
Details: 10 p.m. – 8 a.m., $25, 21+
Link:anjunabeats.com

Minus 10 Year Anniversary Showcase
Presented by Made, Native Instruments and Traktor
Music By: Richie Hawtin, Magda, Marco Carola, Paco Osuna, JPLS (live), Heartthrob (live), Ambivalent (live)
Venue: Nocturnal Terrace, 50 NE 11th St.
Details: 11 p.m. – 12 p.m., $30, 21+
Link:m-nus.com

Friday, March 28

We Love House & Dolce
Music By: DJ Spen, Victor Simonelli, Groove Junkies, DJ Meme, Rocco, Morten Trust, Sarah Foote, CDJ Louke, Mr Mike, Miles Numan, Dario D’Attis, Chilly, Marc Marshall
Venue: Hotel Astor, 956 Washington Ave.
Details: 4 – 11 p.m., Free w/ Badge, $15 w/o
Link:mapdance.ch

One Night Only… an AM Only Event
Music By: Adam Beyer, Adultnapper, Dirty South, Ewan Pearson, Green Velvet, Josh Wink, King Britt, Magda, Mathew Johnson, Richie Hawtin, Steve Bug, more
Venue: Karu & Y, 71 NW 14th St.
Details: 10 p.m. – 12 p.m., $40, 21+
Link:made-event.com

Saturday, March 29

Listed Loves Mobilee
Music By: Anja Schneider, Sebo K, Pan-Pot, Ralkf Kollmann
Venue: Townhouse Hotel Roof, 150 20th St.
Details: 12 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Link:mobilee-records.de

The Odyssey
Presented by Spectral Sound, Traktor Skratch, and Resident Advisor
Music By: Audion (live), Pår Grindvik (live), Kate Simko (live), Ryan Elliot, Seth Traxler, and Konrad Black
Venue: Aqua Yacht, 4441 Collins Ave.
Details: Doors open 4 p.m., $25, 21+
Link:ghostly.com

Destruction
Presented by shocklee.com
Music By: Bomb Squad & the International Futuresound Soldiers, Mala, Skream, Joe Nice, Seckle, Moldy, The Professionals, SGT Pokes, Surprise Guests
Venue: The Miami beach Resort & Spa, 4833 Collins Ave.
Details: 12 – 6 p.m., Free w/ Badge, 21+

Fixed WMC Freakout
Presented by XLR8R
Music By: Simian Mobile Disco, Gui Boratto, Erol Alkan, Boys Noize, Radio Slave, JDH & Dave P
Venue: Studio A, 60 NE 11th St.
Details: 10 p.m. – 8 a.m., $25, 21+
Link:myspace.com/fixednyc

Get Your House in Order
Music By: Lawnchair Generals, Pete Moss, Jazzy Eyewear, Luke McKeehan, Chris Harris, Santiago & Bushido, Marshall & Kai, Tovar
Venue: SIXX Miami, 653 Washington Ave.
Details: 10 p.m. – 5 a.m., $10, 21+
Link:nordictrax.com

Mobilee Loves Sobebeats
Music By: Anja Schneider, Sebo K, Pan-Pot, Ralf Kollmann
Venue: JakmelArtGallery, 3501 NW 2nd Ave.
Details: Midnight to close
Link:mobilee-records.de

Get Lost 3
Presented by Crosstown Rebels
Music By: Damian Lazarus, Pier Bucci, Jamie Jones, Clive Henry, Seth Troxler
Venue: Studio A, 60 NE 11th St.
Details: 5 a.m. – 12 p.m., $20, 21+
Link:crosstownrebels.com

Bass Reaction: Bay Area Blow Up Special Edition

Welcome to XLR8R’s monthly installment of all things sublow and dutty. Normally, we scour the globe for the latest dubstep record releases, events, news, tours and other bassbin fodder. Here, however, we’ll turn the lens on our own backyard, the San Francisco Bay Area, where the major rumblings aren’t from another earthquake, but from the area’s propulsive dubstep scene that encompasses scores of producers, labels, promoters, DJs, radio shows, and of course, amazing fans.

We’re gonna keep this overview brief, space won’t allow mentions of all the great people and places; call this a Golden Gate dubstep snapshot! However, one way to keep up with all the runnings is via former Bay resident Dina Marie’s excellent Groundscore’s dubstep forum–all the local heavies log-on here and announce their events and recordings regularly.

The main reason for our local rewind: several Bay Area producers and DJs just returned from a successful trip to London. DJG, Matty G, Nick Argon, SamSupa, and Miro got deep at Plastic People’s FWD, DMZ’s anniversary dance, and lead a stateside invasion on DJ N-Type’s Sunday Rinse FM radio show.

I caught up with DJG and SamSupa to get their take on Londontown.

On the SF crew’s London trip:

DJG: I flew to London just to spend three days there, then turn around and go home. It was a major financial sacrifice for me–I literally packed a loaf of bread in my suitcase along with cheese, ham, mayo and a ton of nutrition bars. I’d been to London a few times before and I knew how expensive it is. My friends I was traveling with all laughed at me, but also took pity and bought me beer and stuff.

SamSupa: As soon as we landed, we headed to BM Soho to visit Youngsta who works there Fridays. While I was in BM I felt some one come up behind me and grab me–it was Caspa, glad to see us and excited to be out in the Bay soon. Surefire and Full Melt are bringing out Caspa and Rusko it should be sick! We met up for a cigar and some drinks with Sgt. Pokes from DMZ before FWD and we asked what to expect Saturday and he said they were expecting twice the amount from last year’s anniversary. Later on Boomnoise and Kuma Reso stopped by the bar, as well as the lovely and talented Georgina Cook. FWD was amazing–the sound is clean and the bass hits in the chest. Youngsta, Tes La Rok and Bun Zero played and I got to meet Toasty and say hello to D1 and Eddy Woo and of course the SMOG boys from LA. I got pretty ripped at FWD–big up DJG for the way back to the hotel!

On DMZ’s Anniversary Party:

DJG: Being at the DMZ three-year anniversary party had special significance for me as a dubstep producer; it was my personal one-year anniversary with the music. The party was great; Mala is such a guiding light–I admire him as a producer and a grounded, moral person. Goth-Trad stole the night. Absolutely blinded everyone with his set. He had some tune that got like four rewinds.

SamSupa: The main room was so rammed you could not move. Dubwar NYC’s Joe Nice and Dave Q were on and rocking it heavy. All the rooms were open including the Third Bass room with sets by Applblim, Shacketon and Plastician and others. I hung out by the bar skanking about and catching up with many people Grand Distance, Cyrus; met TRG in the stairwell and caught Walsh before he went home. The night ended with Plastician and Kode 9 and we left at like 6:20 am to get food before figuring out how to get back to Shoreditch.

On DJing at RinseFM:

DJG: Matty G, myself, Sam Supa, Nick Argon, DQ, Chef, LD, 24karat and N-Type all got to throw down on a four-hour mashup set at RinseFM, hosted by N-Type and Beezy. Again, it had special significance for me, N-Type’s Rinse show has had a huge influence on me personally and musically, and he’s been my biggest supporter in the UK. Just to see the studio was a total trip, and such an awesome experience.

SamSupa: Sunday we went to Rinse for the international takeover. We had a great time and I was so honored to play Rinse again and also play some West Coast Cali artists to a bigger audience. We brought all of our left over whiskey, vodka and Stella’s to make it a party. I wish I could have stayed until Thursday to see Magnetic Man, a live act featuring Artwork, Benga and Skream who performed Wednesday at Cargo night. Big up my travel gang Miro, DJG and Mitch-Proxy.

Props to the folks who make the SF Bay scene basstastic:
SamSupa, Subtek, DJ Munk, Jus Wan, Cyan, Enzyme, Miro, Dub U, Ripple, Emcee Child, Jamin, Audio Angel, Axiom MC, Lexxus, Djunya, Juju, DJG, Kozee, Ultraviolet, Kush Arora, Maneesh The Twister, Kid Kameleon, DJ Collage, Matty G, Babylon System, Roommate, Nick Argon and many others.

Photo of DJ G by Miroslav Wiesner.

Upcoming SF Bay Dubstep Events:

Friday, March 14:Narco.Hz presents Subtek V. Cyan, Kozee V. Antiserum, Djunya V. Jus Wan, Emcee Child. Underground SF, 424 Haight Street, San Francisco.

Sunday, March 16:Dub Mission featuring DJ Collage (live), DJs Maneesh The Twister, DJ Sep. Elbo Room, 647 Valencia Street. San Francisco

Friday, March 21:Grime City with guest DJ Djunya, plus residents Cyan, SamSupa, DJ Munk, Enzyme and Emcee Child. Anu Bar, 43 Sixth Street, San Francisco.

Saturday, March 22:Surya Dub with Dhruva, Flying Lotus, and Ras Gilbert, plus residents Kid Kameleon, Maneesh the Twister, Ripley, Amar, Jimmy Love, Ross Hogg, DJ Neta, Kush Arora. Club Six, 66 Sixth Street, San Francisco.

Friday, March 28:Argon presents Tes La Rok (Finland), 12th Planet, Nick Argon, Babylon System, Matty G. Club Six, 60 Sixth Street, San Francisco.

Saturday, April 5:Full Melt and Surefire present Caspa & Rusko, DJG, Matty G, Ripple, SamSupa, Kush Arora, Coup D’VilleDJ Collage & MC Zulu, and more. Jellys, 295 Terry Francois Blvd. San Francisco.

Awesome Color Electric Aborigines

Long live rawk. This upstart trio brings the noise and riffage with aplomb, smashing your face to the glass of your time machine with a smile. Take-no-prisoners chargers like “Already Down” make you want to find a slam pit and hit it, while freak-out episodes like “Eyes of Light” might make Caustic Resin and Comets on Fire patent their guitar solos, to say nothing of Jimmy Page or Jimi Hendrix. They stumble a bit, ironically enough, on the trouble funk of “Step Up,” but they catch themselves with the balanced assault of “Outside Tonight” and sludge of “Evil Rose.” As a whole, the meat of Electric Aborigines is a rewarding feast for what’s left of your ears.

Supreme Beings of Leisure 11i

Chilled as ever, the stylish electronics of Supreme Beings of Leisure have lulled listeners into smoky digital atmospheres. And now they need it themselves, after delaying this laid-back exercise since 2002 because of offspring, deaths, fires, and other family affairs. Perhaps that’s why things sound so personal when songbird Geri Soriano-Lightwoood croons, “My darling/Our love was not meant for this world” on “This World.” One can’t help but add back story with titles like “Angel Head,” “Oneness,” and “Lay Me Down.” Even when they amp up the proceedings on glitchy stompers like “Mirror,” the Supreme Beings of Leisure sound like they are still working off the drama. And nothing goes better with drama than dance music.

Munk “Disco Clown (Digitalism Remix)”

Munk had a few remixes kicking about around the time his debut album was released. Gomma has now collected and repressed them as a single EP entitled Remixed, which features Digitalism, Passarani, and Zongamin behind the mixing board. Oddly enough, the tracks here sound more like they came from 2008 than 2005, which might say something about the lasting appeal of the Munich-based artist’s music.

Munk – Disco Clown (Digitalism Remix)

Echoes of Karlheinz Stockhausen

“Whenever we hear sounds, we are changed.” – Karlheinz Stockhausen

The validity of this simple statement, when applied to the work of eclectic German composer and panoptic music visionary Karlheinz Stockhausen, who died last December at the age of 79, carries a profound resonance and clarity. After all, his philosophical approaches to composition, electronics, dub techniques, and musical theater have grown to become central themes in contemporary sound and music practice–even scoring him a spot on the cover of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band LP.

Arguably one of the most controversial figures interested in the exploration of “sound in space,” the mere mention of Stockhausen can polarize a room with amazing speed. At almost every level of his work (and life) Stockhausen created tension and flew in the face of accepted norms.

In music, his conceptual works challenged not only commissioning budgets, but also conventional taste and the very edge of countless musicians’ abilities and patience. Take the 1995 “classic” Helicopter String Quartet, in which each member of the quartet played their part of the score in isolation, listening to one another through headphones, whilst flying in their own chopper–certainly not the most carbon-friendly performance piece.

Equally as shocking, Stockhausen’s ill-articulated and ultimately misquoted comments about the “art” of the unfortunate happenings of 9/11 caused huge waves of discontent and unintended ramifications, from cancelled concerts to the eventual proclamation from his pianist daughter that she would no longer perform under her given name.

Ultimately, though, it’s his contribution to the reinvigoration and reconstruction of musical understanding that will leave an indelible mark on 20th-century sound culture. “I can’t think of another contemporary composer who has appeared in British sitcoms, been the bait to tempt people into at least acknowledging the avant-garde, and caused such a stir with both his music, words, and ideas,” comments U.K.-based composer and conceptualist Scanner. “In his exploratory work, [Stockhausen] crossed the lines between structuralism, tape cut-ups, electro-acoustic experiments, and ambitious dramatic theatrical presentations, foreshadowing many of the shapes and sounds we commonly experience today.”

His intensely methodical yet fanciful music drifted from post-serial-inspired works in the early ’50s through to expansive explorations into electronic sound (including the incredible “Gesang der Jünglinge” and “Kontakte”) and ultimately into opera–since 1978, Stockhausen spent much of his time working on the highly theatrical seven-phase operatic epic “Licht” (which, to this day, has yet to be performed in full).

For many, though, it’s his work in the 1950s and ’60s that solidified his place in sound culture. “When I hear early pieces,” U.S.-based sound artist Stephen Vitiello surmises of Stockhausen’s impact on sound, “especially ‘Kontakte,’ it’s hard not to be amazed at all that he was doing–and often before anyone else. With those pieces, I feel like he was the first person who really made electricity sing. It’s clear that he helped lay the groundwork for the future of electronic and experimental music.”

The question now, of course, is: Who will fill the ever-increasing musical and philosophical void?

Lawrence English is an Australian sound artist. He runs the Room40 label.

Podcast 31: Them Jeans

Los Angeles-based Jason Stewart–a.k.a. Them Jeans–provides us with this rocking mix of electro, rock, and disco tunes, along with a little Fleetwood Mac and Radiohead. Stewart is widely known for the numerous edits and mash-ups he’s sent to every corner of the blogosphere, his work as a graphic designer, and his remarkable height. Check this mix and download to use as the soundtrack to your next house party.

Tracklisting
1. Holy Ghost! “Hold On” DFA
2. Thom Yorke “The Eraser (XXXChange Remix)” XL
3. Sebastian Tellier “Sexual Sportswear” Lucky Number/Record Makers
4. Hercules and the Love Affair “Blind” DFA/EMI
5. Fleetwood Mac “Little Lies (Dub)” Warner Brothers
6. Sally Shapiro “I’ll Be By Your Side (Rude 66 808 Remix)” Diskokaine
7. Fred Falke “8:08 pm @ The Beach”/Hot Chip “Ready For The Floor” (Them Jeans Blend) DFA/EMI
8. MIdnight Juggernauts “Shadows (First Love Intro)” Siberia
9. Alter Ego “Jolly Joker (Vampire Weekend M79 Blend)” Klang
10. Treasure Fingers “Cross the Dancefloor” Fool’s Gold
11. The Outrunners “Cool Feeling” Valerie
12. Of Montreal “Jimmy (M.I.A. Cover)” Unreleased
13. Radiohead “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” XL

Support Independent Media