Point Blank has announced it will open doors on a new electronic music school in China next year.
With schools in London, Los Angeles, Ibiza, and Mumbai, and a highly active online school, Point Blank will now partner with Chinese internet company NetEase and its dedicated music subsidiary Fever to open the first electronic music school of its kind in Hangzhou, the creative capital of China, which is one hour’s ride on the bullet train from Shanghai. Point Blank’s CEO Rob Cowan noted that the company is “thrilled to partner with Netease and Fever to open the first electronic music school of its kind in China. We are looking forward to training the next generation of Chinese artists and opening the doors to their success in China and on a global scale.”
Point Blank will first focus on delivering a specially formatted and comprehensive year-long Music Production & Sound Engineering Diploma, which includes subjects on music production, DJ skills, music composition, sound design, sound engineering, the art of mixing, audio for games, mastering, and more.
Factory 93‘s Secret Project has released set times for this weekend’s double header in Chinatown, Los Angeles.
Featuring performances by Peggy Gou, Marcel Dettmann, Roman Flügel, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Bonobo, DJ Tennis, Tale of Us, Carl Cox, Âme b2b Dixon, Bicep (live), and Octo Octa, Secret Project is set to go down from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. across both days this weekend in the creative community surrounding Chinatown’s Naud Street. There will be a strong local artist contingent as well, including Masha, Sonns, Jeniluv, Corey Sizemore b2b Richie Panic, and Goddollars & Paradise.
Secret project has also partnered with a range of local businesses, such as David Chang’s Majordōmo, the Apotheke bar, and A Club Called Rhonda to create bespoke experiences on-site, as well as street walls and projects from local artists..
You can find more information and tickets to Secret Project here, with set times below.
Early next month, Swedish producer Dold will debut on Luke Standing’s Blue Hour Music with his latest EP, Express Route.
With the release of Express Route, Dold becomes the first new artist to release a solo EP on Blue Hour, following a string of highly acclaimed releases from Standing’s Blue Hour moniker and a set of high-profile remix EPs. The four-track EP marks the 11th release on the label with a collection of mind-bending techno of the highest order. Driven by an inspired take on breakbeats, the tracks on Express Route explore the retro-futuristic techno landscape with aplomb, confidently striding from the deep and cosmic “Horizon” to the title track’s hyper-active grooves and the classicist electro of “Colliding Worlds.” The standout release marks the next chapter for fast rising label and positions itself as one of the best techno releases to land this year.
Ahead of the release on November 5, you can pre-order the record here, with the title track streaming in full via the player below.
In support of XLR8Rplus and independent music, we’re now compiling 10 of our favorite Discogs gems into an easy-to-digest list each month; all submissions come from independent labels. You’ll perhaps know some but you’re unlikely to know them all—but these are some of the tracks that are on repeat week after week in the XLR8R offices.For our second edition of ’10 Discogs Gems’, we’ve gone for more of a house, garage and minimal inspired list.
XLR8Rplus is a monthly subscription service to complement the main XLR8R site. Each month we share three unreleased tracks from three different artists—both known legends and lesser-known pioneers—that we feel are pushing the scene forward in inspiring ways. These tracks will be available for download in high-quality WAV format for the duration of one month; only subscribers for that particular month will have them. They will not be available anywhere else and there will be no access to archived material. You can find more information here.
You can find information on the latest edition of XLR8Rplus here. XLR8Rplus 004 features cuts from Hunter/Game, Cosmin TRG, and John Dimas.
Mark Archer and Danny Taurus recorded tracks under the name Slo Moshun while co-founding Dansa records in 1993, which is still releasing music today. Influenced by house coming from the US, which was then being sped up on London pirate stations and developed through the Sunday scene parties, eventually evolving into speed garage. After 1996, Danny went on to produce solo tracks and Mark Archer took on the Slo Moshun name solo, which led to the formation of this Cutz remix. Cutz was an original member of Unique 3, a group from the late ’80s, which also included LFO and Edzy. Wait for the changeup midway through “Believe,” a garage party starter that could easily be worked into a house, garage, or techno set now.
Cosmin TRG—real name Cosmin Nicolae—has grown to become one of dance music’s, and in particular techno’s universal figures. He grew up in a post-communist Romania, discovering as much music as he could at a time when access wsa limited due to the political landscape. His earliest material surfaced around 2007, released as TRG, and kickstarted the now legendary Hessle Audio founded by Ben UFO, Pangaea and Pearson Sound. His work was initially amongst the distorted realms of dubstep and its various sub-genres, and contributed greatly to a vibrant UK underground music scene. His recent release for XLR8Rplus—which you can hear below—was inspired by the ‘afterparty’ institution with its slightly lo-fi attitude and “noise-from-next-room” sound treatment.
San Fransisco-based label Lo-rise Recordings had a reputation for special releases in the early-to-mid 2000s. The elusive Seafoam (Brian Cavender) will be in most dance music aficionados record collection and is somewhat of an icon for those that love deep house in its purest and most effective form. We could have picked a host of his tracks but went for a classic “Dirty Sex,” with its beautiful bassline and endless groove still sounding ahead of its time almost 20 years later. The less said on this one the better, the music does the talking.
Firecracker Records is a world renowned Edinburgh-based house/techno/electronic label run by Lindsay Todd and helped start the career of Linkwood, among many others. Linkwood went on to release one of the best albums of 2015 with Expressions, and a number of outstanding EPs including the recent Fresh Gildans, which came out in early September. His first release in 2004 was “Miles Away,” which landed on a three-track Various Artist EP that emerged with little fanfare, but has gone on to become a track that when brought up in conversations always gets everybody talking in superlatives no matter where you are in the world. It’s a fusion of jazz, house, and soul that can best be described as a piece of art.
The word pioneer is used loosely in this day and age but it is fully justified when talking about Marcus Kaye. The late Drum ‘n’ Bass DJ and producer was instrumental in moving the sound forward, touring and playing out from 1991 until his death in May 2017. He was the owner of the labels Soul:r, Revolve:r, and Birdie and was a figurehead of the Manchester underground. He learnt his trade working in a record shop which is where he met Lee Davenport (ST Files) as discussed in a previous XLR8R feature, “I was into hard Belgian and Detroit techno and the angrier acid house, and he just wanted to buy happy Italian piano-house cheesy bullshit.” Eventually, the pair mellowed out and found a middle ground in producing breakbeat hardcore and proto-jungle, an era Kaye remembers fondly. “I was unaware of potentials then,” he says. “I was just a kid who worked in a record shop and loved music. I lived my life for drum & bass and it was all very stress-free and not complicated. When you start to get success it makes you aware of what you can do and what you can’t do.”
Growing up in West London, Steve O’Sullivan’s early years were filled with dub, reggae, and electro before the ’90s when he unearthed a love for minimal techno, leading him to eventually become one of the biggest influences in the UK underground house and techno scene. The head of the hugely significant and respected Mosaic label, which has been a springboard for the some of the finest talent out there including Baby Ford, Ricardo Villalobos, Roman Flugel, and Mr C. to name just a few. As a producer, O’Sullivan produces slowly-evolving, minimal, soulful club tracks showing his love for subtle sounds and dub effects clearly evident on the elegant masterpiece that is “She Don’t Do Chicks”.
John Dimas grew up in Greece, and found his way into DJing while building a homemade mixer as part of a high school project. He began producing in 2007 has conssitnatly produced quality tracks since, appearing on various imprints across Europe, pushing a minimal-house sound with intricate drum patterns and wonky basslines. In joining the likes of Dubtil, Melodie, and Barac, Dimas became the first non-Romanian to appear on the label. In 2012 he set up the label Elephant Moon, using his skills for record digging to search out and support new talent with releases from the likes of Lee Burton, Lopaski, Zendid, and Plantae, among others. Most recently, the label celebrated its 11th release with Dimas’ excellent album debut, One Against Time. And it’s from here that his XLR8Rplus contribution arrives—stream “Lost Dimension” below.
The final chapter of UK-based label Emotional Response’s beautiful Schleißen series is this charmingly thought-provoking and hypnotizing album. The legendary Colin Potter teamed up with two of Italy’s finest experimental producers in Alessio Natalizia and Guido Zen for two tracks on the A-side. German native and ambient expert Cass. (Niklas Rehme-Schlüter) takes care of the B-side with six incredibly moving songs. We have chosen “Emotioncode” but the whole album is a must.
Martino Bertola and Emmanuele Nicosia are Hunter/Game, two friends from Milan and established producers in their own right who started making music together in 2011. They have since developed a reputation for their blend of deep and brooding techno appearing on Innervisions and Kompakt and it was through the latter imprint that they put out their debut LP towards the back end of 2016. “The Island” features the voice of the talented Bakja and was released through “Last Night On Earth”, a label run by DJ and Producer Sasha. This month they are part of our XLR8Rplus subscription service and gave us their exclusive track “Diffirent Idols,” which can be heard below.
Seeing an Ion Ludwig live set is one of dance music’s great auditory spectacles so it’s no wonder his vast array of productions are so effortlessly good. One of the scene’s most admired yet enigmatic characters with over 30 EPs and three full-lengths to his name, details about him remain scarce, yet he is revered by those who pursue similar soundscapes. During XLR8R’s investigation into the Romanian scene, almost every artist cited Ludwig’s work as an inspiration in theirs. This deep and intelligent house track from Ludwig is one of those gems that you would happily listen to on repeat, simple yet genius with unforgettable piano chords. We also want to highlight “May The Fourth” on the a-side which almost made the cut—a complete record.
Jules Rosset (a.k.a Povoa) is preparing to release “Yel,” a new single via Moshi Moshi Records. It’s the second track to be taken from his forthcoming Hiatus EP, following the release of his debut single, Okopipi.
Povoa explains that “Yel” offers “a groove without boundaries,” evidenced as he weaves psychedelic splashes of color into a danceable groove. “My aim for Yel was to turn familiar scenes into abstract visuals, in order to create tension and intensify that incredible bassline,” he continues. “The use of water helped to create the sense, and pace, of the music continually moving forwards.”
Rosset formed his Povoa project whilst studying at the American School of jazz music in Paris, where he fell in love with electronic music in the dark basement of Paris clubs. From that point on he began to produce his playful and immersive take on electronic music.
In support of the upcoming Hiatus EP, out next month, you can download “Yel” in full below—or here for EU readers due to temporary GDPR restrictions.
Peter O’Grady (a.k.a Joy Orbison) has dropped a new EP, 81b.
The six-track EP, out now, has landed via Hinge Finger, the label Grady runs alongside The Trilogy Tapes’ Will Bankhead. It follows Tom Of England’s The Care To Destroy EP which landed earlier this year.
It’s O’Grady’s first solo EP of the year, having earlier released a split 12″ with London-based saxophonist Ben Vince, Transition 2 / Systems Align, and a 90-minute mixtape via Cav Empt. He released two EPs in 2017.
Tracklisting
01. Seed
02. Coyp
03. Tennov6teen
04. Belly
05. Sin Palta
06. 81b
81b is out now digitally via Hinge Finger, with vinyl coming soon.
On November 9, Brooklyn-based label Bastard Jazz will launch the fifth volume in their Tempo Dreams compilation series, curated by Los Angeles producer Free The Robots. In each run of Tempo Dreams, the curator presents music from artists who are “on the fringe of widespread acclaim,” highlighting people they’ve connected with all over the globe that are still digging their roots into the public consciousness. Previous curators in the series include Pomo, Teeko & B. Bravo, Soul Clap, and Tall Black Guy.
Free The Robots selected an eclectic mixture of artists for Tempo Dreams, Vol. 5, bringing together new works from Mophono, Never Ending Echo, Kuromoji, RSI-MSK, The Breathing Effect, Cazal Organizm, Lefto, Chubby Boss, Caliph8, TITLE, NOIS IV, The Heavy Twelves, Mu., and Markey Funk. We’re told to expect a reflection of his “eclectic and evolving sense of taste” that bridges “jazz, psychedelia, hip-hop, electronic, and sounds from the unknown.”
Ahead of the digital launch of Tempo Dreams, Vol. 5, you can stream the opening track from San Francisco-based Mophono, titled “Bernardwuar”. Full of hard-hitting drum breaks and psychedelic motifs, the layering is minimal yet the tonality is powerful, winding down a darkened corridor of sound. You can pre-order Tempo Dreams, Vol. 5 here, with the track and tracklisting below.
Pintate los labios que nos vamos de after is the new min-LP from Spanish DJ and producer Modernphase.
One third of Gameboyz alongside fellow Spaniards Xar Lee and Da’well, Modernphase is also co-owner of Spanish label Melómana Records. Pintate los labios que nos vamos will be Modernphase’s debut on Shara Music and features six deep and trippy acid tracks. Each cut goes down the acid rabbit hole with twisted, warped bassline and all encompasing atmospheres.
In support of the album, Modernphase has offered up “A que hora cierra,” an early-morning club cut, as today’s XLR8R download, available via WeTransfer below.
Novation has announced the next generation of its SL keyboard controller range.
The controllers, which come in both 49 and 61-key versions, are designed to act as a studio centerpiece, able to “connect, control and create with your entire setup.” Featuring an eight-track polyphonic sequencer, the SL MkIII controllers are equipped with USB, MIDI in, out, and thru, two CV/gate and Mod outputs, three pedal inputs, and an analogue clock out. The controllers are also fully integrated with Ableton Live—the full color LCD screens give you full visibility of your parameters—and any major DAW with its InControl software. The keyboards also feature expressive synth-style semi-weighted keybeds, with a sprung action and Novation’s highest scan rate.
You can find more about the controllers over at Novation, with a performance video below.
Titled Romantic Fiction, the album draws influence from his youth growing up in NYC in the ’80s, as well as a range of styles Curses has made his own over the last few years, namely new wave, post-punk, EDM, and industrial. Across the nine tracks—hint: there’s a hidden track on the vinyl release—Curses skillfully weaves these styles into a set of immersive songs equally at home in headphones as they are the club. On the album, Curses manages to mine the past whilst creating a modern sonic palette full of escapism, angst, and introspection. Romantic Fiction also features guest spots from Perel and Dischi Autunno boss Jennifer Cardini.
Ahead of the forthcoming release, Curses has offered up a full stream of opening cut, “Surrender,” a seductive slice of post-punk, available via the player below.
