Another month means another roundup of submissions, this time from August. Once again, the quality across all these tracks is breathtakingly high, and we’re stoked to hear music coming from so many new voices—the brooding acid of Malta’s Acidulant and the uplifting disco from Stockholm-based duo Tomode both spring to mind.
There’s also new music from Aspetuck, an XLR8R favourite (read his feature here), who delivers a mix of all-originals, and a fizzing remix of Nightmares On Wax by Sheffield, England-based producer HART. Asta Hiroki, whom we’ve also featured before, returns with more jazz-tinged beats, and we’d like to wrap up this introduction by pointing you towards Michael Keever, a producer based in north London, whose vocal-laden beats really captured our attention. If, like us, you think the joy of music comes from discovery, this month’s roundup is full of treats. As always, thanks for your continued support.
For those unfamiliar, XLR8R+ is a member-supported music community and curated music experience. Every month, you will get three exclusive tracks, and sometimes more, by a wealth of amazing artists that XLR8R has supported over the years, as well as access to the member’s area where you can submit tracks and DJ mixes to be showcased in this feature series and to the XLR8R+ community. There’s also exclusive editorial content, mixes, FREE passes to music festivals and events, playlists, and more. You can find out more here.
Dataruin “Echoes” (Original Mix)
On Anjiraf, for Dubai’s KitchenSync Records, Dataruin has set out to capture the feeling of drifting—whether that’s the haze of nostalgia within “Peaks,” an after-party on “Sunrise,” or a night drive with “Fog.” With “Echoes,” however, he captures the feeling of drifting with political inaction. Expect a wonky minimal tune for the early-morning hours.
Nightmares On Wax “Warrior” (HART Remix)
HART, from Sheffield, England, is a producer of smooth, soulful, jazzy arrangements, as well as progressive nu-jazz designed to massage the ear canals. Over the summer, she shared a remix of “Warrior,” originally released by Nightmares On Wax, and we couldn’t stop tuning in!
Acidulant “Drankx”
Malta’s Acidulan, real name Neil Hales, is a self-confessed acid freak, and just recently he released “Drankx,” a deep, dark, and moody hypnotic trip. It’s the standout track from CR002, the second release on Co-Accused Records, the label of Scottish DJ and production duo Co-Accused. It features alongside tracks from Sosak, Fear-E, and Co-Accused.
Funk Sinatra “Klaus Clause”
Eyal Goldman, better known as Funk Sinatra, is mostly known for his funk and disco edits, but on his latest album, When Shade Was Born, he delivers outings in electro, techno, and dub. “Klaus Clause” is one of the standout tracks.
Olympic Pool Maintenance League “The Buzzard”
Olympic Pool Maintenance League (a.k.a Chris Bennie), a producer based in Brisbane, Australia, has released ambient, dub, and techno on labels including Mord, Natura Viva, and Occultech. He released “The Buzzard,” a brooding techno track, as part of Occultech’s Hypnotic series in 2020, and it’s still one of his standouts.
Tomode “Conversation Starter”
On “Conversation Starter,” Stockholm-based disco duo Tomode deliver a track that strikes a curious balance between uplifting disco and melancholic Scandinavian pop, as they pay homage to legendary disco giants Chic. Conceptually, they wanted to express that inescapably uncomfortable feeling of striking up a conversation with someone at a party, and it “just not clicking,” they say. The track is taken from Riviera, their second EP, following on from 2021’s Synergy.
Asta Hiroki and Tristan de Liège “Time Out”
Having spent over half a decade as long-distance friends, Asta Hiroki and Tristan de Liège decided to embark upon a joint project in late 2021, meeting up in person. Their aim was to produce a collection of tracks exploring left-field electronic styles with an emphasis on live instrumentation. “Time Out,” which is taken from the album, is a gorgeous slice of electronica on the dancier end of the collection.
Michael Keever “Fake“
The style of Michael Keever, a producer and vocalist based in north London, stems from a childhood spent gobbling up charity shop vinyl to make beats, and through this process he immersed himself in all kinds of strange and wonderful music from all over the world. Naturally, this has informed his style, which is beat-driven but with influences from jazz, funk, African, and ambient. “Fake” is taken from INVERSIONS, his debut album, released in January.
ASA 808 “Boy, crush“
Pushing the boundaries of techno, house, and bass elements, ASA 808 (born Ansgar Rudolf) combines classical instruments with analogue synths and drum machines. Some of you will recognise the project from George FitzGerald’s ManMakeMusic, Soundspace, Blank, and their own TOYS imprint, having kick-started their career in music six years ago with a five-track EP called Hasta la otra méxico!.
Well, “Boy, crush,” a delicate piece of electronica, is the title-track from ASA 808’s latest EP. The comma in between the two words is meant as an invitation for all men to collectively “crush manhood and all its toxic traits.”
“Even today, club and DJ culture are still dominated by testosterone-overdosed masculinity,” the release announcement says. “To finally free ourselves from the restraints of patriarchy, we need to start looking deeper within ourselves and change from within. By freeing ourselves we also help others to be free.”
Kamyar Keramati “Satelliet Studio”
Raised in Tehran but now residing in Berlin, the Iranian artist Kamyar Keramati has become known for his meandering club voyages that are equally dark, melancholic, trippy. A few weeks ago, he compiled a mind-bending mix for Satelliet Studio, based in Berlin, that we enjoyed and wanted to share.
Aspetuck “REC-09-16-22” (100% Unreleased)
Aspetuck, real name Griff Fulton, is an American DJ-producer from Vermont. You can read about his work and more specifically the gear behind it in his XLR8R feature here. For this month’s submissions, though, he’s recorded a mix comprising his own unreleased music, including some of the tracks from his upcoming album along with some new and old bits that he’s been slowly chipping away at.
