Flat, wide golden discs of tone spin along planar expanses, forming the foundation of Novel 23’s experiment in building a better beat. Architectural Effects is all square angles, straightforwardly melodic, and solidly synth; it so verges on a Discovery Channel-esque vision of the future that you half expect an animated diagram of a space station to rotate before your eyes as you listen. Still, Novel 23’s music pleases with its easy symmetry-set your mind to “unmanned flight” and float on.
Future Funk Squad Sorcery
Big things are gonna happen for my man Glenn FFS this year. People know him for his bass-heavy beats but will be shocked when they hear the versatility of the album. This is the first single lifted from it, featuring a British MC with both wit and a tight delivery. Very dancefloor-friendly and a good single to kick off with.
Beastie Boys No Sleep Til Brooklyn (Bootleg)
I was wondering when someone was gonna step up and give this a work over. The original’s tempo was quite fast anyway (no pinky and perky pitching). The booty man who laced this kept with the vibe of the original song and boosted the low end to a better effect. Plenty of guitars and energy to set the room off in any part of the world. Under a counter near you.
Grand Buffet Pittsburgh Hearts
Witty, comedic rap can be a tough sell. Do the listeners get the joke? More importantly, do they care? But when referring to Pittsburgh’s Grand Buffet, this point is moot. Dispensing tongue-in-cheek rhymes, irony-drenched choruses and intentionally lo-fi, dance-friendly production, the rap duo Jarrod Weeks and Jackson O’Connell-Barlow shows no love for popular opinion. On tracks like “Americus (Religious Right Rock),” GB’s satiric religious/political banter and bubblegum beats, underpinned by the duo’s razor-edged wit, induces teary-eyed laughter. Although some listeners might question the creative approach, the candy-like appeal is undeniable. Rap delicacies never sounded so sweet.
Gene Harris Los Alamitos Latin Funklovesong (Bugz In The Attic Rmx)
This is one of those perfect “end of the night” songs, with its uplifting vibe and smooth production. The remix side starts slow and smooth; halfway through, it shifts and ends in an uptempo bang. This track is also good for scratching double time over the first half. Not sure about the retail copy, but the promo is blue vinyl. Nice!
Americhord Americhord EP
The Americhord EP is a great example of how to keep techno funky and danceable at the same time. Dublin meets Detroit in this space-age digifest where “Sunray” and “Phoenix” are the standout songs with something for the floor. This record is cheered for every time I play it and 95% of the people don’t know what it is yet. Americhord (a.k.a. Maura O’Boyle) will be around for a very long time. If you ever have a chance to see her live set, don’t miss it!
Ben Sims aka Emote Second Coming
Ben Sims’ production skills are nothing short of brilliant on this. His repertoire opens up to include “Second Coming,” which sounds like a new take on an old-school rave classic. The beauty behind “Image Of…..” and “Superstitions” is that they can be played in a banging techno set but also pitched down and played in a house set. These songs are great tools for DJs to create something even greater in the mix. A top release from Mr. Sims!
11 Years and A Whole New Look
XLR8R celebrates 11 years with a fresh redesign. Illustrator Doug Lee’s takes on instrumental hip-hop magician RJD2 for the cover, while the inside bursts with electro warriors Two Lone Swordsmen, Cannibal Ox‘s solo star Vast Aire, house legend Frankie Knuckles, dancehall quartet TOK and the Netherlands’s Twilight Circus. Visual artists have captured their meaning of “11” in print. Also featured: Colleen, Telefon Tel Aviv, Love Unlimited, Blockhead, Wordsworth, and Shy FX.
