French duo and live act Modern House Quintet have just launched a new label and release under the Cyclades moniker.
The EP, Donoussa, follows a host of well-received EPs on their own self-titled label (Modern House Quintet) and serves as a further reminder of their ability to craft irresistibly funky dancefloor tracks. From the melancholic grooves of the EP’s title track to rich chords of “Conte dété” and the banging 909 rhythms of “Grand Amour,” Donoussa is an EP with subtle grace and much dancefloor aplomb.
You can pick up the EP here, with “Grand Amour” available as a free download below.
“Cycle” is the first single shared from Su Na’s forthcoming EP, Coral Angel.
The six-track EP will drop December 1 via Brooklyn label Color Station, presenting a stunning collection of cuts from Minneapolis-based DJ and musician Alec Ness. Ness, although born with amputated fingers, utilizes several keyboard-based instruments and synthesizers in his productions, touching on ambient, UK garage, hip-hop, and house in the process.
The new single, a floating, beat-driven synth jam, was crafted at a highly creative point in Ness’ life and looks to his relationship with anxiety, as he explains:
“When I wrote this song I was in a place where I felt very driven to create, I was making ideas daily. My focus with creating was giving every piece its own unique character and personality. I think in “Cycle,” a lot of personal struggle was unearthed. Mostly this interjected doubt concerning my own voice and a complicated relationship with anxiety and control.”
Ahead of the release on December 1, you can pre-order Coral Angelhere, with the new single streaming in full below.
Back in August, in XLR8R‘s review of FYF festival, we noted that Flying Lotus‘ 3D performance was “extremely underwhelming, and despite Flying Lotus’ considerable talent as a showman and producer, the 3D shtick detracted from the audience’s overall energy.” Now, at a party-focused festival the size and depth of FYF, this wasn’t altogether surprising—I’m sure you can imagine the jarring nature of going from a rave-filled dancefloor to being told to put on flimsy glasses and stand still to catch the 3D elements. The forward-thinking idea of a 3D show is commendable, but with the way technology is—again, the flimsy cardboard glasses being the only easy way to experience it—does it have a place in a dance-focused arena? Well, as luck would have it, Fly Lo’s 3D show was commissioned as a standalone show as part of Red Bull Music Academy Festival Los Angeles, taking place on the Fairbanks Lawn at the Hollywood Forever Cemetary.
Arriving at the stunning venue around 630 p.m., lines to get in were all but nonexistent; and the staff, check-in crew, and security all friendly and helpful with where to go. By our arrival, Hannibal Buress—if you’re not familiar, he’s a comedian most known for his work on the Eric Andre Show—was midway through a hit-and-miss comedy routine. Hannibal is well known for being famously weird with his routines, so the awkward silences and dead one-liners weren’t exactly a letdown. Fly Lo, Thundercat, and the Brainfeeder crew have also always had a comedic edge to their projects, so it also wasn’t out of the ordinary to have a comedian open for them.
Once Thundercat and his band stepped on stage, the mood and vibe instantly changed—a nod must be given to the scheduling of a comedian to a full live band for an instant energy hit. The enigmatic bass player, backed by his sky-scraper sized logo and his huge six-string bass, grooved through a range of material from his recent Drunk LP before jamming across a range of classics, including some of his work with Kendrick Lamar—without Kendrick, mind you. Most likely due to the nature of the performance to come after Thundercat, visuals besides the aforementioned logo were nonexistent. Thundercat did, however, create a great rapport with the crowd, interacting smoothly with them with not only his bass and backing band but also with some down-to-earth chat that became a regular occurrence on the night.
Then—quite obviously due to the huge “Put On Your 3D Glasses” visual—it was time for the main event. As billows of smoke began to engulf the entrance visuals, Fly Lo conjured up interwoven ambiance and some in-your-face vocal chops that, along with the first wave of 3D visuals, really did bend the mind. For the rest of the show, in true Fly Lo style, he pushed and pulled the audience with barrages of beats that were full of beauty, horror, gore, and hallucinatory head-fucks. The music was more than backed up by the visuals in a perfect marriage that had people scratching their heads at one minute, wide-eyed the next, and dancing their asses off five minutes later. At the end of his set, Fly Lo picked up where Thundercat left off, addressing the crowd and stating that to be where he is in his career and playing the tour was a huge honor, especially “for a guy named Steve that just loves music.” He then went on to appear to support his former label member Gaslamp Killer, who was recently accused of rape, with a rant about the internet being a liar—something he has since apologized for.
Having not been at FYF, I can’t comment accurately on the changes in relation to this show, but as a standalone event, when all attendees are steeped in the experience, 3D does have a place in electronic music. As a final note, despite the stunning nature of the Hollywood Forever Cemetary, I can’t help but think that a show of this nature might be better served in a more immersive, all-encompassing space.
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Moscow artist Vasily Konstantinovsky (a.k.a. Bvoice) began his life as a selector around 1995, DJing some of the first venues offering electronic music in Russia. Bvoice’s tastes were honed on a healthy diet of work from Brian Eno, Harold Bud, Can, Joy Division and Einstürzende Neubauten, and as one of the first artists to join the Deepmix team. From there, his reputation grew exponentially with several residencies at some of Moscow’s most respected venues, including Arma17, Shanti, and Propaganda, as well as RTS.fm, Kazantip Festival, and further abroad at Epizode in Vietnam.
Around 2002, his production chops naturally started to catch up with his skills behind the turntables with the foundation of the Midiots project (Dumb Unit, Treibstoff Rec) with Dmitry Ponomarev. This kicked off a range of fruitful partnerships with various like-minded producers, including Khz (Time Has Changed, Dumb Unit, Airdrop) and, most recently, B.A.D. alongside both Anrilov and Danilov—Michael Mayer has included a dOP & Masomenos remix of B.A.D.’s “Papas Groove” on his forthcoming DJ Kicks compilation.
Bvoice’s podcast contribution essentially acts as an auditory history of his 22 years behind the decks. Across 80 minutes, he weaves together a selection of intoxicating records, from jazz-like grooves to funky house and rare favorites close to his heart.
Where and when was the mix recorded?
It was recorded in a garage session in August 2017 that reminded me Detroit’s street spirit (at least, how I could imagine that). During the recording, I even saw the people who took the wild apples from the garden trees ‘cause there were no doors or windows in my improvised studio room.
On what equipment did you record the mix?
Anton—a good friend who welcomed me to D’n’B sound systems—lent me a fresh mixer, fresh socks, and a couple of CD players.
Was there a particular idea or mood you were looking to convey?
My thought was to associate the tracks, the feelings, and the emotions during my 22 years of mixing to the one recorded story.
You have been at the forefront of electronic music in Russia since the beginning—how have you seen it change over the years and how is it now?
People don’t change…only generations. Sometimes it smells nostalgic, sometimes repetitive but mostly fresh and touchable. I like the scene, it grows in all directions from chill rave to harder warehouse vibes, so everyone can easily find himself within it and then try to build his own reflection.
What else do you have coming up this year and early next?
Our Fellows family is going to continue, there are some cool events, gatherings, and collaborations on the way. Also, I’ll join winter music session of MDRNTY & Epizode festivals. Let it roll cause my groove is always back!
The four-track release will be the Berlin-based producer’s debut on the Belgian label, following on from releases on Cure, Dream Diary, Nilla, and more.
It is said to mark the first release in “an extended collaborative journey” between the label and artist, and the start of a “relationship sure to yield some of the most exciting electronic music in years to come, including Afriqua’s debut album.”
Tracklisting:
01. Aleph 02. Sent 03. Opferator 04. Thanksgiving
Aleph EP will land on December 8, with the title track streaming in full below.
For more information on Afriqua, check out our feature here.
Having a car crash as the catalyst for your first album in 14 years would normally set a bad precedent for the music that was to follow. That is unless you’re Dave Clarke.
Desecration of Desire is the epitome of Dave Clarke’s background tastes. A mature offering of post-punk and vocal electro, written by a gothy-techno DJ who hides himself through a placid facade, and superstar persona. Being the passenger in a car accident coming back from Serbia in 2016 served as the influence for releasing something more personal. Perhaps it was one of those life-affirming flashes you often hear about in films, where the protagonist finds a new meaning for life or just an opportunity for Clarke to gather his thoughts in a moment of reflection. Either way, the resultant piece of work feels like an attempt to leave something behind that expresses a greater level of humanity and desire, more than anything he’s done before.
Clarke began his production career back in the early ’90s making outrageously, daring hardcore techno, in the same realm as Speedy J and DJ Rush. Throughout his early production career, he never shied away from his influences. Hip-hop and electro featured heavily throughout his records, through the amplified breakbeats, and machine constructed kicks and basslines, and homages to Detroit, and Rotterdam techno. But in whatever guise the music came, it was still always techno. In 2016, Clarke released Charcoal Eyes, a remix album of bands of the electro-wave variety. It was a record that embedded and toyed with vocals and construction in a way that brought Clarke closer to the world of bands, wave music, and cult-like rock euphoria, in what proved to be a catalyst for things to come.
Being in the mind of a band is where the album stems from. There are guest vocalists galore on this record. Louisahhh provides the sultry lead for the Department S cover “Is Vic There?”, a track that flips the original on the head, by converting the dated Top of the Pops, boy-punk-band original into something that wouldn’t feel strange being featured on a Dark Entries compilation. Former Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan provides his gristly, whiskey-tainted rasp-voice on two tracks: “Charcoal Eyes (Glass Tears)” —as written by Dave Clarke himself—and “Monochrome Sun.” Both are more abject pieces of sonic design strewn and desert-kissed poetry than actual songs. Berlin-based singer Anika adds a touch of kraut-wave coldness to “I’m Not Afraid,” featuring the sunken-low, bassline as per Keith Tenniswood, famed for his collaborative project Two Lone Swordsmen alongside Andrew Weatherall.
The record’s key aesthetic is its spine of sharp, stabbing, percussive kicks. These electro drums, mixed with a gothic narrative, and post-punk bass and structure is reminiscent of what DJ Hell attempted with Gigolo back in the early days. The punctuating harmonics and cavernous synth sounds create a much more modern, and subdued alternative feel to it. One that exudes authenticity—seemingly important for an album so personal. Released under any other name and this record wouldn’t feel amiss on any of the underground, coldwave labels popping up across the world.
Yet with someone with such a history and vocal-passion towards post-punk, it feels amiss that it’s taken Clarke so long to muster up anything that even represents this history of his. Has the world of DJing provided too much of a distraction, as it has done with many of today’s greatest production talents? Being behind the decks for some has become a system more aligned to entertainment, and less of artistry. It has desecrated desire among some of the best musicians out there, as great producers of our time gain more recognition with their touring schedule and RA rating. Which is why it’s great to hear such a record built on experience and passion equally, by a great innovator who set a real precedent for music that’s known for being hard as hell.
Desecration of Desire is still built on everything that Dave Clarke has created to date, but the hardness is gone; and if you look close enough, you might be able to find the soft exterior he’s trying to show. “I have fucked with the past,” Dave writes on “Charcoal Eyes (Glass Tears),” “now I dance with the future…starting to feel unshackled by unwarranted fears.”
Tracklisting
01. Exquisite 02. Is Vic There? feat. Louisahhh 03. Frisson feat. Mt. Sims 04. Plasmatic 05. Dot Forty One (Mute) 06. Charcoal Eyes (Glass Tears) feat. Mark Lanegan 07. Monochrome Sun feat. Mark Lanegan 08. Cover Up My Eyes feat. Gazelle Twin 09. I’m Not Afraid feat. Anika & Keith Tenniswood 10. Death Of Pythagoras
Skint will release The Desecration Of Desire on October 27.
James Holden recently announced his third album recorded together with his newly-expanded band as James Holden & The Animal Spirits. The Animal Spirits will be released November 3 via his own Border Community label.
The video is directed by Dan Tombs (who also contributes visuals to Holden’s expanded band live show) and stars dancer and choreographer Lucy Suggate clad in a neo-folk costume of colorful ribbons. The hypnotic video layers up multiple takes of Lucy’s unique improvised interpretations of album title track “The Animal Spirits,” where bestial howls of wind and brass collide with the ebb and flow of Holden’s arpeggios.
Speaking of the video collaboration Holden said:
“Lucy is a part of this record even though she doesn’t make a sound on it: she and I met regularly throughout the time I was writing—in dance studios and rehearsal rooms, her practicing her improvised dance, me practicing my improvised music to a perfect audience of one. This song became what it is in those sessions, her wildness was in the record before we made this film of it.”
The Animal Spirits will be the first full-length release from Holden since 2013’s The Inheritors. The band consists of longtime collaborators Tom Page (RocketNumberNine) and Etienne Jaumet as well as Marcus Hamblett, Liza Bec, and Lascelle Gordon.
Recorded live in one room in single takes and born out of the sheer unbridled joy of live performance, Holden’s third artist album The Animal Spirits is described as “the momentous culmination of a radical transformation, as the former trailblazer of the early noughties computer music revolution is dramatically reborn as live musician and bandleader.”
Nicolas Jaar will soon release a new ambient record.
The news came yesterday when the US artist announced two last-minute gigs via Twitter, both happening today at The Kitchen in Manhattan.
The proceedings will start with a launch event for Maziyar Pahlevan and Africanus Okokon‘s book “Sound Works / Art Works,” which Jaar issued via his Other People label. He’ll then perform a fully improvisational solo noise set, with an opening performance by Africanus Okokon and Vamba Bility.
At 9 PM, there will be another show where Jaar will perform the “majority” of his “new ambient record” live.
More details are expected to be announced soon.
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Back in September, legendary electronic producer Laraaji dropped a immersive double-album on All Saints Records, titled Bring On The Sun. The album was also preceded by a meditative drone work called Sun Gong and the first ever career-spanning Laraaji retrospective, Celestial Music 1978 – 2011, both released by All Saints.
Over the last few years, there has been a renewed interest in Laraaji’s work, with a string of reissues sitting alongside brilliant new material like Bring On The Sun and Sun Gong, and performances at forward-thinking festivals like Unsound and Moogfest. Both Bring On The Sun and Sun Gong were the result of recording time spent in Gary’s Electric Studio in Brooklyn with engineer Davey Jewell, nine hours of which was further edited and mixed in Los Angeles by Carlos Niño to form the two distinct albums.
In support of both LPs, Laraaji has offered up a remix of “Ocean Flow” by Seahawks, who twists Laraaji’s original into a drone-filled soundscape full of deep ambience and field recordings.
You can grab the remix below, along with November tour dates for Laraaji and Carlos Nino.
