Earlier this month, Berlin duo Languages released their debut EP, 连体双胞胎 (aka Siamese Twins), via Days Of Being Wild. The label originally teased the “Sleep Stream” single back in June, a cut which now arrives on the full EP with two remixes from Ewan Pearson— a vocal rework and an instrumental—alongside “Siamese Twins” and its Days Of Being Wild remix.
The EP is filled with lazy, laidback grooves, funky bass lines, airy guitar licks, arpeggiated synths, dub delays, and distant vocals. To invite you into their enticing sound world, Languages have offered up Ewan Pearson’s instrumental remix of “Sleep Stream” as today’s XLR8R download, available via WeTransfer below.
You can pick up the full EP over at Days Of Being Wild’s Bandcamp page.
Every day of the year—barring most weekends—XLR8R releases one free track via the ever popular downloads section; in fact, for most of this year, there were two tracks released each day, bringing the grand total of giveaways to somewhere around 600. Amongst that pile, you’ll find world-class tunes from unknown newcomers, returning veterans, and chin-scratching side projects alike, across a range of genres taking in grime, house, footwork, hip-hop, techno, and every imaginable cross-pollination in between. Now that we’re approaching the last couple of weeks of 2016, and to kick off our Best of 2016 coverage, it’s time to announce the top 100 downloads that hit XLR8R this year.
As was the case with last year’s round-up, we’ll be publishing the top 100 in two separate lists of 50; beginning with 100 to 51 today, and wrapping with 50 to 1 tomorrow. Once we’ve announced the final 50, all 100 tracks will be available to download in one zip file via WeTransfer. As a side note, the top 100 have been tallied from downloads from XLR8R and not streams from our SoundCloud page.
Josh Wink‘s “Meditation Will Manifest” is set for its first digital release.
Originally released on vinyl by R&S in 1994, “Meditation Will Manifest” was re-earthed in 2016 by Nina Kraviz and Ricardo Villalobos, 22 years after its original release. On December 16, it will get its first digital release on R&S.
From a young age Josh Wink was exposed to different mysticism and consciousness philosophies. “It wasn’t a big, popular or trendy thing to do at the time, but I was 14 and just did what my mother did… Releasing tracks like “Meditation Will Manifest” and “Higher States of Consciousness,” people looked at me as being this deeply profound spiritual guy, but I never really thought about it in that way, even though I’m really into repetitive, transcendental and meditative rhythms. I don’t do drugs, so I never really had another outlet to get into alternative states.” – Josh Wink (taken from recent Mixmag article).
“”Meditation Will Manifest” is quite rightly regarded as a classic track in the R&S catalog. It’s one of the finest examples of acid house that we’ve released in our 30-year existence and it still sounds fresh today. We’re so glad that the original DAT tape has been found and that a whole new generation can experience it.” – R&S
“It is exciting to see that a track that I made over 20 years ago is touching so many people once again. With DJs like Nina and Ricardo playing it recently, people have been wondering what it was… It makes me happy that the track still sounds relevant and still does its damage on the dance floor. We got in touch with the guys at R&S and decided to remaster the original and release it, as it has never been released digitally. Luckily I was able to my find the original DAT in the studio and we were able to make this happen.” – Josh Wink
“Meditation Will Manifest” is scheduled for December 16 digital release, with vinyl scheduled for February 2017.
Juan Atkins and Orlando Voorn will be releasing a new collaborative album as Frequency vs Atkins on Out-ER.
The Detroit heavyweights released their first EP together on Lower East Side Records in 1992 and on March 6, 2017; now, 25 years after, they are releasing Mind Merge, an LP that blends “Detroit electro, funk and techno with contemporary electronic influences.”
Tracklisting:
A1 / 1. Beyond The Beyond A2 / 2. Entourage B1 / 3. Pure Soul B2 / 4. Mind Merge C1 / 5. Revolve C2 / 6. Spacewalkers D1 / 7. Back To The Future D2 / 8. Shape Shifting Digital Bonus 1. Reloaded Digital Bonus 2. ACE
Mind Merge LP is scheduled for March 6, 2017 release, with “Mind Merge” streamable in full below.
Juan Atkins and Orlando Voorn will be releasing a new collaborative album as Frequency vs Atkins on Out-ER.
The Detroit heavyweights released their first EP together on Lower East Side Records in 1992 and on March 6, 2017; now, 25 years after, they are releasing Mind Merge, an LP that blends “Detroit electro, funk and techno with contemporary electronic influences.”
Tracklisting:
A1 / 1. Beyond The Beyond A2 / 2. Entourage B1 / 3. Pure Soul B2 / 4. Mind Merge C1 / 5. Revolve C2 / 6. Spacewalkers D1 / 7. Back To The Future D2 / 8. Shape Shifting Digital Bonus 1. Reloaded Digital Bonus 2. ACE
Mind Merge LP is scheduled for March 6, 2017 release, with “Mind Merge” streamable in full below.
Bristol-based producer Kin Klavé (a.k.a Kris Caprani) recently released Volare, his debut experimental EP that exposes his talents in combining experimental dub-step, jazz and hip-hop.
Caprani explained that Volare “was a chance for me to explore sound whilst letting my subconscious self steer me towards music that I enjoy listening to. I saw it as a way of bridging my musical influences into a form that represents my current tastes and mood.”’
Following the EP’s October release, Caprani has offered up “Drums & Sounds 1” as one of today’s XLR8R free downloads. Recorded live in one take, the cut exposes a stripped back Kin Klavé where his drumming skills take the lead.
Tracklisting:
01. As the Forest Giant Speaks 02. Isola 03. Mantissa 04. Helvellyn 05. Drums & Sounds 1 06. Soa
“Drums & Sounds 1” is available to download via the WeTransfer button below.
Bristol-based producer Kin Klavé (a.k.a Kris Caprani) recently released Volare, his debut experimental EP that exposes his talents in combining experimental dub-step, jazz and hip-hop.
Caprani explained that Volare “was a chance for me to explore sound whilst letting my subconscious self steer me towards music that I enjoy listening to. I saw it as a way of bridging my musical influences into a form that represents my current tastes and mood.”’
Following the EP’s October release, Caprani has offered up “Drums & Sounds 1” as one of today’s XLR8R free downloads. Recorded live in one take, the cut exposes a stripped back Kin Klavé where his drumming skills take the lead.
Tracklisting:
01. As the Forest Giant Speaks 02. Isola 03. Mantissa 04. Helvellyn 05. Drums & Sounds 1 06. Soa
“Drums & Sounds 1” is available to download via the WeTransfer button below.
Both Maschine and Traktor now come with Ableton Link integration, which allows for syncing with any other supported audio software—DJ softwares like Serato DJ or DAWs like Bitwig Studio, Ableton Live and FL Studio, for example. Syncing via Link requires only the push of a button and allows for the connection of devices over a wireless network (therefore without the need for MIDI cables).
Speaking about the update, the company’s president, Mate Galic, explained: “Link integration in Traktor and Maschine opens new doors for creative expression, extending DJ performance set-ups with production tools for even more personalized and engaging performances. It will also allow for seamless collaboration between multiple users and champion hybrid set ups between DJing and electronic music live performances.”
Maschine 2.5.5 and Traktor 2.11 are both available now as free updates for existing users. Check out the promotional video below for an idea of the new possibilities.
Claudio PRC will release his next album in January.
Volumi Dinamici, Claudio Porceddu’s second studio full-length (following on from his 2012 debut on Prologue), will be be released via Svreca‘s Semantica imprint early next year. The Italian techno producer previously contributed to the label with a solo production in its 10th anniversary series earlier this year, as well as remixing an Abdulla Rashim & Axel Hallqvist collaboration.
The forthcoming album is made up of 11 dark techno and ambient tracks, accompanied by the same number of illustrations, all of which are “characterized by a common technical and compositional approach.” It borrows its name from a work by Italian artist Luigi Russolo and was inspired by the futurist movement’s (which Russolo was a part of) concepts of movement and dynamism. Porceddu collaborates with Blazej Malinowski and Dino Sabatini on a couple of the album’s cuts.
Volumi Dinamici will be released January 30, 2017. Pre-order it and stream snippets at Deejay.de.
