Exclusive: Stream a New Mix from East End Dubs

East End Dubs first landed on our radar back in 2013 with his debut on Butane & Someone Else’s Little Helpers—the six tracker, with its echoing percussion and stellar vocal sample use, had a deep, stripped back, and spooky quality that sounded fresh as ever at the time, and still stands out as one of the top releases in Little Helpers’ enormous catalogue. Later that year, the London-based artist released the standout Argo EP on Metroline Limited; four funky and upbeat deep house tracks that solidified East End Dubs as a producer to watch closely.

Fast forward just a few short years and the current sound of East End Dubs, while undoubtedly matured and further evolved, remains at the forefront of quality house and techno. This is in part due to the success of his Eastenderz label, which was launched in 2014. Acting as a platform for East End Dubs’ artistic vision, the vinyl-only label has quickly become known as one of the foremost UK-based outlets for groovy house music, championing material that falls somewhere between thumping tech-house and the dreamy minimal popularized by the Romanian scene. The label’s unique branding and visually stunning aesthetic (all Eastenderz releases come on multicolored “splattered” vinyl)—coupled with top-notch releases from the likes of Doubtingthomas, Priku, and the up-and-coming producer Lizz—have resulted in appearances at top clubs and festivals across Europe, the US, and beyond, as well as the launch of Eastenderz label showcases in Berlin, Basel, Zurich, and more. East End Dubs has also earned the support of established artists like Enzo Siragusa and the Fuse London crew, playing several Fuse parties and even contributing to their podcast series.

As the successes for East End Dubs and his label continue, we thought it an appropriate time to ask him to contribute an exclusive mix for XLR8R, which you can stream in full below. The Eastenderz founder also answered some of our questions about the mix, his recent USA tour, and what’s on the horizon in 2017.

Where, when, and how was the mix recorded?

It was recorded in my studio last week with 1210s, CDJs, and an Allen & Heath mixer.

Did you have a specific mood/idea that you wanted to express?

I would say this is very close to a club set of mine: stripped down, deep, and spacey, with sort of an afterhours vibe but still very groovy. I’ve included a few upcoming tracks on Eastenderz from myself, Cosmjn, and viceversa, as well as a track from my debut EP on Fuse London and some new music from friends like Priku.

Describe your journey into electronic music–how did you get into DJing and production?

I’ve been in the game for over 16 years now. Passion brought me here. I’m a DJ, so there is nothing more beautiful than mixing two records into each other, selecting the music and expressing your feelings to others by playing it. Eventually, I wanted to add more to my sets as I thought something was missing and that feeling led to producing. I still only make music to play out.

How do you prepare/select your music for a gig?

I spend lots of time searching for new and old music all the time, so preparation is constant, but I try to find an hour or two before the weekend to sort them out. My record bag is big and it allows me to be diverse. I like to go to the venue an hour before and prepare myself mentally and figure out how to work it.

You recently played at the debut edition of Rapture Festival in Miami before playing a few gigs in New York City. Was this your first time playing in the US?

It wasn’t my first time, I’ve done a US tour before, and I’ve been pretty much everywhere now in States from Texas to Philly to Chicago.

What were your impressions of Miami, NYC, and the American scene in general?

I thought things have changed slightly since my last visit in 2015. The crowd seemed to be more educated and the events were well organized with proper sound systems. Rapture Festival in Miami was very good. I played with Rhadoo, Petre, and tINI on an amazing Hennesey Audio Sound System, possibly the best system I ever heard at a festival. New York was also good fun.

I think the scene is getting stronger every time I visit the States.

East End Dubs performing earlier this year at Rapture Festival's Un_Mute stage. Photo: Valters Boze for RaptureFestivals.com

You’ve also been embraced by the Fuse crew in London, recording a mix for their podcast series and playing at a few of their parties. How did this relationship come about?

I’ve been a regular punter at Fuse since the beginning. We became good friends with the lads and they have been supporting my music for a long time. I got a call in December from Enzo asking if I wanted to be part of it. It didn’t take long to make the decision, I think I said yes before he finished the question. Spending most of my Sundays at Fuse I have been heavily influenced by Enzo. I think he is one of the best out there at the moment with his DJing and scene knowledge. I’m very happy to be part of it.

Your label Eastenderz releases music on limited edition, multi-colored “splattered” vinyl. What inspired this idea?

Uniqueness, I guess. I love the way they look and every single record has a different pattern. I’m a classic guy, so, to be honest, it was a big decision pressing something that stands out visually, but I’m very happy with the outcome.

What’s next for Eastenderz?

It’s our third birthday next month and we will have a series of parties to celebrate. Berlin, Zurich, and Basel are the cities we are having our birthday parties. I’ve also found the right place in London and am planning to do the first ever Eastenderz party there this summer. I will carry on releasing the music I feel and play myself. We also have some new names on board: Cosmjn from Romania, Jack Wickham from Leeds, and viceversa from Italy will all debut on Eastenderz this year. Plus the usual names like Priku, Lizz, and Doubtingthomas will also be back with new releases.

What else do you have coming up in 2017?

Touring continues as usual, plus I have my residency at Sankeys Ibiza and am playing lots of festivals this summer, as well as visiting South Africa, South America, and Australia towards the end of the year. Two new releases are scheduled this year, one of them is on Fuse London and another on Eastenderz. I’ve also done some scoring for a CNN Documentary which is coming out this summer.

Tracklisting:

01. Priku – Dubla (White Label)
02. Cosmjn – Sunset Soul (Eastenderz)
03. WRH01 – A2 (WRH)
04. WRH01 – A1 (WRH)
05. Viceversa – Flat Earth (Eastenderz)
06. East End Dubs – Optimus (White Label)
07. East End Dubs – Real Thing (White Label)
08. SCL008 – B1 (Social)
09. East End Dubs – Warp (White Label)
10. East End Dubs – Mind Traps (Fuse London)
11. East End Dubs – Halfjack (Eastenderz)
12. Andu Simion – 003.3 (Atipic)
13. East End Dubs – Stagger (White Label)

San Proper Becomes The Groin in Trippy New Video With HEAR; Watch it Now

Early next month, Naissance Musik will release a collaborative EP from HEAR and San Proper, titled Elephantoms.

Amsterdam’s San Proper shouldn’t need too much of an introduction to XLR8R readers, over the years, he’s racked up standout releases on esteemed imprints such as Rush Hour and Perlon, providing an idiosyncratic take on electronic music. HEAR, on the other hand, founded Naissance Musik and has, among other things, dropped collaborative works with Move D and with his band Dream Scoring alongside Hakim Murphy.

The duo’s new EP will feature four originals that range from the smooth and hypnotic opening cut, “Up The Hill,” to the tripped-out grooves of “The Groin” and the deep and emotive “Hear This Proper Vision,” which closes out the package with three minutes of ethereal ambience.

Ahead of the release, the duo have dropped a new short film for “The Groin,” directed by Hany Tamba. Staying true to the track’s tripped-out aesthetic, the film stylishly flows through surreal scenes and follows San Proper’s journey in becoming and living as ‘The Groin.’

You can watch the video via the player above, with the EP available to pre-order here ahead of the July 14 release date.

DJ Tennis Mixes Next DJ-Kicks

DJ-Kicks has tapped up Life and Death label founder DJ Tennis for the next installment in its long-running and landmark series.

DJ Tennis is Manfredi Romano, a lifelong music fanatic who has 20 years experience in music and started out managing punk bands, progressed to putting on leftfield events, started one of the most important Italian rock and electronic booking agencies, then started the Life and Death label.

The Italian is the first artist to ever be granted not one but two discs across which to showcases his style. Disc 1 is “a slow burning seventy-minute electronic trip that mixes plaintive piano with suspensory synths, gentle broken beats, and textured sound sources with subtle and supple minimal grooves,” according to the label. It features cuts from Rephlex‘s Bochum Welt, Jon Hopkins, Mouse and Mars, Isolée, and Four Tet, to name a few.

Disc 2, meanwhile, is “more energetic but just as considered, so is perfect for sunny afternoons or long drives.” Big names like Traumprinz and Robert Hood build the tempo, Kenny Dixon Jr. provides soulful party moment and classic electro slickness from The Other People Place help oil things along.

Tracklisting

CD1

01. K. Leimer “Acquiescence”
02. Bochum Welt “La Nuit”
03. Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto “Aurora”
04. Jon Hopkins “Vessel”
05. Adam Johnson “Anex”
06. Pole “Raum 2” (DJ Tennis Technoid Version)
07. Monolake “Pio”
08. Byetone “Neuschnee”
09. Mouse on Mars & Atom TM “Key My Brain”
10. Bauri “Twinkle Stars”
11. Rival Consoles “Recovery”
12. Oval “Textuell”
13. Isolée “Allowance”
14. Caribou “Melody Day” (Four Tet Remix Featuring Luke Lalonde, Adem And One Little Plane)
15. D’Arcangelo “N-Tower”

CD2

01. Basic Channel “Q Loop”
02. Frank Bretschneider “Go! Said The Bird” (Tennis Version)
03. Red Axes “Paratrooper”
04. Traumprinz “Intrinity”
05. Robert Hood “Escapes” (6:47)
06. Kenny Dixon Jr. “Soul Sounds”
07. Rhythm & Sound “Mango Drive”
08. Marcello Giordani “Perché non Vuoi Ballare?”
09. The Other People Place “Let Me Be Me”
10. Biosphere “Ikata-1”
11. Roby J “Crossed Movements” (LOM Extended Version)
12. MBG “Jumping Trip”
13. Loscil “Sickbay”
14. Maribou State “The Clown Feat. Pedestrian” (Axel Boman Remix)
15. DJ Tennis feat. Fink “Certain Angles” (DJ-Kicks)
16. Kona Triangle “Astorias Ascent”

DJ Tennis’ contribution is scheduled for July 14 release.

Cassegrain’s Alex Tsiridis Preps Avian EP as Rhyw

Alex Tsiridis of Cassegrain is set to debut on Avian as Rhyw.

The extended EP is the British producer’s second outing under this moniker, following on from last year’s EP on Tar Hallow. This release, scheduled to drop in July, consists of a “handful of elastic dancefloor workouts alongside a pair of more experimental, ambient reductions.”

Cave Walls (Part One) will be the fifth release on Shifted’s label so far in 2017, following albums from Verge and 400PPM (a.k.a Shawn O’Sullivan), and an EP from The Empire Line, a collaboration between Varg and Christian Stadsgaard.

Tracklisting

01.Aversion to Memory
02. Vixen for Society
03. Iroquois
04. Sylvan
05. Aversion Two

Cave Walls (Part One) is scheduled for July 24 release.

Steffi Preps Four-Part ‘Dollydeluxe’ Series

Steffi is set to release a four-part 12″ series called Dollydeluxe featuring material from her upcoming fabric 94 mix CD.

For fabric 94, which we recently reviewed, Steffi chose to commission all the tracks exclusively. The curated group of close friends and collaborators—which included Answer Code Request, Voiski, Dexter, and Privacy, plus herself and Martyn—were guided to produce tracks “with a certain mindset,” which Steffi has molded and weaved together. Now, the Dollydeluxe series will see the release of this music.

It’ll come as a four-part set featuring all 15 tracks from the mix as well as two exclusives—Mesak’s “Elekieli” and an extra track from STFSHD, Steffi’s collaboration with Shed.

All four records are due out on June 19.

Tracklisting

Dollydeluxe1

01. STFSHD “1.0”
02. STFSHD “1.5”
03. L.u.c.a. “Echo 1”
04. Doms And Dekyers “No Life On The Surface” (12-inch Version)
05. Unbalance “Freedom”

Dollydeluxe2

01. Answer Code Request “Forking Path”
02. Voiski “Sound Of Distance”
03. Dexter “66”
04. 214 “Sound Moments”

Dollydeluxe3

01. UAS “World Gets Crazy”
02. Late Night Approach “Poison Valley”
03. Duplex “Voidfiller”
04. Mesak “Commonaukko”

Dollydeluxe4

01. Privacy “Broke”
02. Dexter & Virginia “Off The Beat”
03. Afik Naim “Saturniidae”
04. Mesak “Elekieli”

Dollydeluxe 1-4 is scheduled for on June 19 release via Dolly.

20 Questions: Robag Wruhme

Gabor Schablizki (now known as Robag Wruhme) has been in the game for a considerable time—since about 1997, to be a little more precise. For over a decade, he was best acknowledged as one-half of Wighnomy Brothers, a collaborative project for which Schablizki handled the production: all releases under Wighnomy Brothers were actually created and produced by Gabor Schablitzki alone. The project then came to an end in the early months of 2010, leaving Schablitzki to work on his solo work as Robag Wruhme.

Sonically, the sound of Wruhme is distanced somewhat from his previous work; while Wighnomy Brothers’ material possessed a high-energy, dancefloor aesthetic, Whrume material is subtle—serene, peaceful, and more delicate, in many ways. It was quite a sharp change of tack. Subsequent releases, over recent years, have landed on Kompakt, Musik Krause, and Pampa—and it was a blissful 2011 Thora Vukk full-length on the latter that really captured the wider world’s attention. Anticipation for a new LP has been high ever since.

There remains, however, a distinct sense of intrigue around Schablizki; despite no shortage of interviews, not too much is know about him or his work. He is, as becomes clear, a distinctly private man who dislikes the travel and widespread acknowledgment that success in this field brings with it. There is no artist biography and he flat out refuses to talk about certain subjects. Given the opportunity, however, XLR8R could help but try to learn some more.

Robag Wruhme will perform at this year’s Hideout Festival alongside some great names, including Leon Vynehall, DJ Haus, Ryan Elliot, to name just a few. This year’s edition takes place from June 26 to June 30 on Zrce Beach, Croatia. More information, including tickets, can be found here.

1. Describe to me your surroundings right now.

I just arrived home after an exhausting but great weekend. Spring is making its way also in Germany. Finally.

2. What’s the most fun thing you’ve done lately?

Sorry, I have to skip this one.

3. Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Rudolstadt and been raised in Apolda, both small towns in the countryside of East Germany. I left my parents early and moved to a slightly bigger town called Jena. Right now, I am based in Weimar and Quito.

4. Who or what do you miss most when you are on the road, and why?

My girlfriend, my son, family, and friends.

5. You said in another interview that you’re “not made for electronic music.” Do you find touring challenging?

I do not like traveling at all. The mix between rushing and waiting kills me. Being on the road bores me to death. You know the food menus, the entertainment programs, the lounges or immigration processes, and all those nervous people you’re surrounded by who want to board or leave planes/trains in a rush are driving me nuts sometimes. Plus, the usual madness which comes along with the business were working in.

But, if the lights in the club turn dark, I start to play my intro, the DJ booth holds enough space for me and my things, there is a toilet nearby and a nice bottle of wine next to me—then I start to feel warm and cosy like there is a warm blanket wrapped around my shoulders.

6. What is the hardest thing you have learned since becoming a full-time artist?

That there is no consistency in our business. You always have to deliver always; there is no time to rest and take a breath, but on the other hand, you need to take care of yourself to not get emotionally blunted.

7. Besides working in music, how do you like to spend your time?

Spending time with my little family makes my day every day.

8. When writing music, do you always start with a specific idea, or do you just experiment until you find something you like?

Usually, I start with the creation of a rough sketch and from this point, I begin to focus on the details. I start to combine the sounds until the smallest piece is set and arranged in the way I want it to be done.

9. Describe to me your studio setup in as much detail as you can—is there one machine that you couldn’t live without?

It’s a secret.

10. Speaking generally, how long does it take you to complete a track?

Sometimes it takes only hours, sometimes days or weeks. This is depending on the inspiration you’re blessed with at a certain time.

11. Is there one track from your catalog that you’re most proud of?

No.

12. You’ve been producing music for a long time. How have your processes changed over this time?

I believe I have become more clear and precise over time. I like music with a lot of different layers, but it’s also important for me not to make it sound overloaded. My early productions were definitely more rough and dirty.

“Each millisecond of my songs is checked a hundred times until I am finished.”

13. Are most tracks pre-conceived or do you spend a lot of time just jamming?

I do not like jam sessions. I need to be one hundred percent in control of every little sound and smallest effect. Each millisecond of my songs is checked a hundred times until I am finished.

14. What’s the best set that you’ve ever played, in your mind?

All of my sets are good (hahaha), but in my opinion, the best sets of me are those where I can feel a weird energy between the audience and me. If this happens things can get really intense and magical.

15. What was the last full-length album you listened to?

Letherette EP3

16. If you could give one piece of advice to a young artist, what would it be?

I believe it’s not easy for the younger artists to reach an established position in the market these days, but some of those young guns are a bit superficial which is kind of annoying to me and it doesn’t help their case. Patience, persistence, and knowledge are very important. You need to be ready to pay a price and really try to find out if music is the right thing you’re doing and if you really love doing it. From this point, love will grow.

“Music needs time to grow—that’s the most important advice I can give.”

17. What’s the best piece of advice you have been given in regards to your music?

Do not force things. This will only go only wrong. Music needs time to grow—that’s the most important advice I can give.

18. How do you maintain the motivation and inspiration with music after so many years in it?

Well, music became my job and this job offers me the opportunity to travel around the globe and discover the world. Although I said earlier that I hate to travel, the chance to see all those different places, meet all these different people, and eat all these different kinds of food inspires and motivates me. It has made me become a more open-minded person which I am grateful very grateful for.

19. Do you have any pre or post-show rituals?

I do have some kind of routine which is in due to the fact that I do not like hanging around in hotel rooms, waiting there alone until the promoter picks me up and throws me into a crowded club. So, after dinner, I usually join the promoter and go to the club to try to get in the mood for the night. I hate the feeling of being forced to drink some drinks to reach a point where you are able to fulfill expectations regarding my entertainment level.

20. What’s the first thing you’ll do after answering these questions?

Grocery shopping.

Binh, Evan Baggs, So Inagawa, and More Feature on Cabaret Compilation

Cabaret Records will soon release an eight-track label compilation, titled Alien Family.

Included on the compilation are tracks from artists who have already linked with the label, including Binh, Evan Baggs, TC80, and U-More. In addition to this are some new faces or projects, most notably Ekbox—the collaboration of Evan Baggs and Katsuya Sano—and Evideon, a new alias of Spacetravel.

Tracklisting

A1. Binh “Wova”
A2. U-More “Lost Up There”
B1. Evan Baggs “AZS”
B2. S-Audio “Remote Circuit”
C1. EK Box “Watair”
C2. TC80 “Flake”
D1. So Inagawa “Solitary Affair”
D2. Evideon “Game Over”

Alien Family is scheduled for July release, with clips streamable below.

Call Super, Shanti Celeste, Helena Hauff, and More Complete Horst 2017 Lineup

Horst Festival has completed its lineup for this year’s edition with the addition of Call Super, Shanti Celeste, Helena Hauff, and more.

Horst is a two-day celebration of art and music held in a 15th-century moated castle nestled in the green Hageland hills of Belgium. The festival collaborates with a vanguard of talented artists and offers a well-selected worldwide collage of electronic music and visual arts.

In the search for new, undiscovered subspaces, this edition will offer thought-provoking insights into the framework of the medieval site. This year’s program will explore the creation of temporary places, highlighting existing elements and creating a variety of new and exciting spheres on the castle grounds.

An underlying theme of this edition is the dialogue between art and architecture. Connected to this, organizers have invited two internationally acclaimed studios—namely Assemble Studio and architecten De Vylder Vinck Taillieu—to each build one of the two experimental stages of this year’s festival setup.

The full lineup for this year’s edition is as follows:

Music

Friday

Gilles Peterson, Helena Hauff, Funkineven, Jay Daniel, San Soda, Shanti Celeste, Red Greg, Lefto, Jayda G, Tako, Nosedrip, Le Motel, WWWater (live), soFa, Sugarhouse Records.

Saturday

Motor City Drum Ensemble, Egyptian Lover, Special Request, Young Marco, Romare (live), Call Super, Kornél Kovács , K15, Mehmet Aslan, DC Salas, Bjeor Beatsforbeaches, DTM Funk.

Arts

Assemble Studio

architecten De Vylder Vinck Taillieu

Batia Suter

Gabriel Lester

Chaim Van Luit

Horst 2017 takes place in and around the castle of Horst Holsbeek on Friday, September 8 from 16:00 to 04:00 and Saturday, September 9 from 14:00 to 02:00. For more information, including tickets, please click here.

For more information on last year’s edition, please read our review here.

Premiere: Stream a Cut from Setaoc Mass’ Return to SK_Eleven

Mancunian Setaoc Mass is set to return to his own SK_Eleven imprint, following one solo EP and a collaborative EP on Figure, the label of Len Faki. The four-track Decipher EP will be the fledgling label’s fourth outing and one that confirms it as an emerging home for purist, highly-distilled club cuts.

Ahead of the EP’s, release, “Floating” is available to stream in full below, a track that sees the Berlin-based artist explore a dystopian wasteland populated by cavernous reverb-drenched claps and a nagging, mutant synth chord.

Tracklisting

01. Seethrough
02. Passive
03. Floating
04. Disrepair

Decipher EP is scheduled for June 16 release.

Deep Medi Musik Artist Compa Launches CPA Records

On June 16, Deep Medi Musik affiliate Compa will launch his new CPA Records imprint with his latest single, “No Hype.”

The launch of the label follows Compa’s inclusion on Red Bull’s Red Bull UK Tour at the end of 2016, which also featured a selection of UK Grime MCs including, among others, Jammz, Dave, Footsie, and AJ Tracey. For the first single on his new label, Compa collaborates with fellow tour alum and respected grime pioneer Footsie of Newham Generals, alongside the deep and fierce b-side track, “In Check”.

Ahead of the release later this month, which you can pre-order here, you can stream b-side cut, “In Check,” via the player below.

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