Podcast 852: Robin Flux

Inspired by the early era club culture in the US, Robin Flux—a German DJ-producer based in Copenhagen, Denmark—bought his first turntables as a teenager and taught himself to mix records. “My journey into electronic music began at a very young age through the love of dancing, which has always been a big part of my life and identity and an outlet for self-expression,” he says. “It allowed me to learn a lot about myself and find a community that truly accepted me.” Around the same time, he bought some synthesizers and started producing his own music, all the while teaching himself about the origins of club music and dance culture and the artistry and heritage of the QBIPOC communities. Today, he experiments with multiple decks, creating, deconstructing, re-arranging multilayered, heavy sample-based performances, that are situated between house and techno, with dips into ballroom, club, garage, and disco. For this week’s XLR8R podcast, he’s delivered a studio recording featuring tracks from Floorplan, Kerri Chandler, Mr. G, and more—which should give you a good idea of the music you can expect. Tune in for one hour of classy, soulful house.

01. What have you been up to recently?
Last year I toured extensively in East Asia, especially in Japan and Korea, which had a huge impact on my perspective on clubs, music, and dance culture. It was a very challenging and inspiring time, and I am grateful for all the new contacts I made on this trip. Back in my current home in Copenhagen, I am focusing on my local projects such as Universal Language, an experimental club concept that aims to create an intentional, queer-centered, and sober club space where the focus shifts back to dance culture, where original club dance forms such as ballroom, whacking, and house dance can thrive in a non-judgmental environment.

02. What have you been listening to?
Lately I’ve been doing a lot of research into music from the ballroom/vogue culture, as I’ve been spending a lot of time in clubs or at balls in Europe and East Asia. It’s a community and culture that I deeply appreciate and keeps inspiring my work as an artist. Since ballroom is historically intertwined with house culture, it was only logical that I gravitate towards the music of balls and dig into the legacy of legendary places like Sound Factory NYC.

03. What is it that appeals to you about electronic music?
It is the way in which the club brings together people from all parts of society who would otherwise never meet. It is a form of cultural exchange and expression; a place where everyone is equal, regardless of their background.

04. Where and when did you record this mix?
I recorded the mix in Copenhagen this spring while I was preparing for my US tour.

05. What setup did you use?
I have used three CDJs, two turntables, and a mixing desk. DJing for me is closely linked to my experience as a dancer, and in recent years I’ve explored the craft of DJing more as a multi-instrumental live performance—layering two to four tracks at a time, incorporating digital and vinyl records, using chopping and sampling techniques as well as my own edits and acapellas, with the aim of creating a unique experience that gets you into a flow on the dancefloor.

06. How did you go about choosing the tracks you’ve included?
I followed my intuition and chose tracks that made me want to move and dance, that made me feel something. As mentioned before, I find a lot of inspiration in club dance cultures such as ballroom, whacking, and house, which are inherently linked to a variety of dance music genres.

07. How does it compare to what we might hear you play out live?
I curated this mix in the most honest way that felt true to myself and aligned with the way I would play in clubs or at dance sessions.

08. What’s next on your horizon?
I have been focusing on returning to the US. As a dancer and club enthusiast, I feel very connected to the scene, especially in New York. After a challenging few months, I am excited to announce a tour in the US. It starts with a very special gig and fundraiser for the Underground Music Academy organized by 4AM NYC during the Movement Festival in Detroit—one of those full-circle moments and a dream come true. After that, I’ll be spending some extended time in New York during Pride month, playing at Good Room with The Carry Nation, reuniting with queer collective XOXA NYC, and hosting my own club concepts at Bossa Nova Civic Club and Jupiter Disco, among other exciting opportunities.

XLR8R Subscribers can download the podcast below. If you’re not an XLR8R subscriber, you can read more about it and subscribe here.

Tracklisting

01. Interstate “Yosemite” (Shall Not Fade)
02. Santonio Echols “The Poem (I Rise)” (D Records313)
03. Mr. G “Thats Why We?” (Phoenix G)
04. Mute “Ocha” (Gerd Janson Edit) (Running Back)
05. Gary Gritness “Fuel” (My Love Is Underground)
06. Josh One “Contemplation” (1-Off Recordings)
07. Nature Boy “The Major Enemy” (Black Label)
08. Floorplan “Let the Church” (M-Plant)
09. DJ Delish “Oh, La La (Kier Kut Up)” (Self-Released)
10. Fast Eddie & Traxman “Welcome to the Pleasure Dome” (Factory Music Chicago)
11. Tronco Traxx “Runway (As a House)” (Henry Street Music)
12. Scott Grooves “Decimal 2.0” (Natural Midi)
13. DJ QU “Prayer” (Strength Music Recordings)
14. Project Sound “Sweet in the Morning” (HardTrax Beats) (Hardtrax Records)
15. Jay Daniel “Brainz” (Sound Signature)
16. Jovonn “Get Together” (Jovonn’s BND Remix) (Body ‘N Deep)
17. Gary Martin “Lounge Blue” (Teknotika Records)
18. Major Problems “Overdose (The Final Trip)” (Nu Groove Records)
19. The Boss “Congo (D Max Mix)” (Strictly Rhythm)
20. Kerri Chandler “Feelin’ Red [DC10]” (Main Mix) (Kaoz Theory)
21. Don Kamares “Coltrane” (Atjazz Remix) (Self-Released)
22. Nicola Cruz “Surface Tension” (Rhythm Section International)
23. Quest?onmarq “Contagion” (Self-Released)
24. DJ Trajic “The DJ” (Underground Construction)
25. Ride Committee “Get Huh feat. Roxy (Kutz Mix)” (Phat Records)
26. Trax Unit “Brick Beat” (Gyration Station)
27. The Formula “Hold on to Love” (The Loop Mix) (Hardtrax Records)
28. Moogroove “Bonga” (World Mix) (Twisted America Records)
29. DJ Delish “Que Estar Loco” (Self-Released)
30. Hustlers Convention “The Only One” (Stress Records)
31. Nick Holder “Sometime I’m Blue” (CTM)

RS Produções’ Nuno Beats Next on Príncipe

Nuno Beats, a member of the RS Produções crew, will release a new album on Príncipe.

Sai Do Coração is a “very brave, romantic improbability,” we’re told, which averts from “DJ bravado and dancefloor top speed.” We’re told to expect a collection of “richly percussive, slow tempo” cuts, but overall the album is “simple, direct, and yet sophisticated.”

RS Produções is made up of DJ-producer Nuno Beats, DJs Nulo and Lima, plus producer Farucox and MC Pimenta. The founder, DJNarciso, who released an XLR8R podcast, himself DJs and produces, but he releases rarely. The group is based in Rinchoa, a short drive from Lisbon, and it’s known for tight, across the board grooves, working melody and metal beats with equal proficiency.

Tracklisting

01. Sai do Coração
02. With Wine
03. Me Cuna
04. Confusão no Ghetto
05. 7 Apaixonados
06. Muito Sono
07. N_Dengue
08. Na Morau

Sai do Cora​ç​ã​o LP is scheduled for June 21 release. Meanwhile, you can stream the title-track in full below and pre-order here.

Photo: Marta Pina.

Uganda’s Kampire Lines Up Compilation for Strut Records’ 25th Anniversary

Strut Records will release a new compilation compiled by Kampire, a revered East African DJ.

Forging her reputation through memorable performances for Nyege Nyege Festival in Uganda over the last decade, Kampire is celebrated for her sets spanning the full range of African music styles, from the ’70s and ’80s to the present day.

Born in Kenya to Ugandan parents, she spent her formative years in Ndola, Zambia. A Dancefloor In Ndola is inspired by artists and songs that formed part of her soundtrack during that time.

“It is important for me to continually reference Africa’s own musical history,” she explains.

The compilation flows through different East and Southern African genres from Congolese rumba and soukous to 1980s township bubblegum and the rich guitar-led sounds of Zambian kalindula.

“There are styles of music on the compilation which are often considered unsophisticated from rural areas,” Kampire says. “I and other contemporary African artists and DJs draw inspiration from them; it is part of what makes us ourselves.”

Kampire also shines the spotlight on many women in African music from the ’80s, including Congolese legends like Pembey Sheiro, Feza Shamamba, and Princesse Mansia M’bila.

The release lands as part of Strut’s 25th anniversary celebrations. It marks an evolution in the British label’s approach to compilations by showcasing emerging DJ talent from across the world.

Tracklisting

01. Princess Aya Sarah “O Wina Tienge”
02. Meta & Feza “Mivé Temoin”
03. The African House Party Project Feat. Splash, Patricia Majalisa
& Dalom Kids “P-Coq”
04. V-Mash “Naughty Boy”
05. Di Groovy Girls “Ririmi Rotsombela” (Kampire Dance Edit – Digital / Cd Only)
06. Tshala Muana “Djepué”
07. Lady Isa “Djambo”
08. Pembey Sheiro “Sala Ni Toto”
09. Princesse Mansia M’bila “Ngoma Mansia”
10. Samba Mapangala And Orchestra Virunga “Mashariki”
11. International Zaistars & Nene Tshaku “Je T’aime Au Pluriel”
12. M.D. Shirinda & Gaza Sisters “Mabazi”
13. Bwaluka” Founders Band “Kimbera”

Kampire Presents: A Dancefloor in Ndola will land on August 2. Meanwhile, you can stream V-Mash “Naughty Boy” in full below and pre-order here.

Press photo: Martin Kharumwa

Kessoncoda Album Next on Gondwana Records; Hear the Lead Single Now

West London-based duo Kessoncoda—the collaboration of drummer Tom Sunney and keyboardist Fil Sowa—will release their debut album on Matthew Halsall’s Gondwana Records.

It has taken upwards of 12 years for the pair to hone Outerstate. We’re told that it stands “firm” between “acoustic tradition and electronica,” while taking influence from rock, ambient, breakbeat, and soundtracks for film, and artists such as Squarepusher, Radiohead, and Clark.

Like former and present Gondwana Records label mates such as GoGo Penguin and Portico Quartet, there’s something “strongly cinematic” about Kessoncoda and their debut album.

There’s also a deliberate undercurrent of post-pandemic unease which is encapsulated in the title.

“This feeling of being within a group of friends, and you’re chatting, and you’re physically there but mentally you’re not at all,” the pair says. “You’re somewhere else, a really weird state of being.”

Lifted from the record, “Greyscale,” the latest single, is the first song that came to fruition after all those years of joint experimentation.

“That was definitely the ‘a-ha moment’,” says Fil, “where my piano playing was everything I wanted it to be, a style I’d been trying to figure out, and Tom’s drums were just underpinning it perfectly.”

Tracklisting

01. The Sum Of All The Parts
02. Greyscale
03. KTO
04. Hammers
05. Talk To Me I’m Sleeping
06. Spaceliminal
07. Dreambend
08. X is closer to A
09. Reverie
10. Amaya

Outerstate LP is scheduled for July 12 release. Meanwhile, you can stream “Greyscale” and “X is closer to A” via the player below and pre-order here.

Grand River Teams Up with Abul Mogard for New Album

Grand River has teamed up with Abul Mogard (pictured below) on a new album for Caterina Barbieri‘s light-year’s label.

On In uno spazio immenso, their first collaborative album, the pair “gaze longingly into the abyss, capturing atemporality, splendour, and tranquility with confident, impressionistic sonic strokes,” we’re told.

“Dynamic and poignant,” the record “balances on a knife-edge between booming, operatic grandeur and soft-focus simplicity, casting as much light on the subtle outlines and illusory rhythms as
it does its dense, almost overpowering textures.”

Grand River, the Berlin-based Dutch-Italian composer and sound designer born Aimée Portioli, has been evolving her unique musical language since she released Crescente on Donato Dozzy and Neel’s Spazio Disponibile imprint in 2017. You can read more about her in her XLR8R feature here.

Abul Mogard, meanwhile, is just one of veteran Italian producer Guido Zen’s many aliases, and over a series of albums for labels like Ecstatic, Houndstooth, and VCO, he’s blended post-industrial ambience and blissful shoegaze memories.

Tracklisting

01. Dissolvi
02. Frantumi di luce
03. Altrove, lontano
04. Archi
05. Sulle barcane
06. Ricordando il giorno

In uno spazio immenso LP is scheduled for June 21 release. Meanwhile, you can stream “Dissolvi” in full via the player below and pre-order here.

Miami’s DJ Fitness Releases New Album

Open Space and Domesticated Records have released an album from DJ Fitness, an alias of Pablo Arrangoiz.

You might not have heard of Arranzgoiz but there’s a reasonable chance you’ve heard his music.

Based in Miami, Florida, the young Mexican artist has quietly been building his back catalog, displaying a variety of styles and genres as Baüzer Vep, Glue Boy, Decima Vittima, Doctor Hotdog, and DJ Fitness.

And through this he has cultivated a small but dedicated cult following across Bandcamp and the United States—which is to say he’s come a long way since he began playing drums at 11. You can read more about him in his XLR8R podcast here.

The DJ Fitness Program, his new album, features a fuel-packed double disc workout plan made exclusively for DJs focused on having health and strength. It features Open Space mainstay EZ Dee, underground hip-hop legend Sensational, and Bugzmain.

Tracklisting

01. Out Of Order feat. Sensational
02. Healthy Beat
03. Get Swole feat. Bugzmain
04. Schvitzing
05. Activ8
06. Look Your Best
07. Mictroton
08. Leg Day

The DJ Fitness Programme LP is available now. You can stream it below and order it here.

Podcast 851: IULY.B

Over recent years, Iuly.B—Iulian Bivolaru—a DJ-producer based in Iasi, a major city in the north-eastern part of Romania, has released music on Rora, Visionquest, Mui en, Subtil, and Fuse London, while opening for DJs including such as Priku, Cezar, Praslea, SIT, Ion Ludwig, Christopher Ledger, Alci. Like all of those artists, he keeps private details to a minimum—but, also like them, his music is loaded with percussive details, crafting deep, hypnotic energies into merciless basslines. Nowhere is this more evident than on Dimensions, his debut album, released last month on Swiss label Adam’s Bite. Across 11 tracks, Bivolaru embraces the long-player format to deliver a range of psychedelic material in his signature, raw and subtly nuanced style. For this week’s XLR8R podcast, Bivolaru has delivered a mixed version of the album—tune in for one hour of raw minimal grooves from a rising talent.

01. What have you been up to recently?
I’ve been working a lot together with the Adam’s Bite team to finalize my debut album. It’s an immense pleasure to finally see it released.

02. What have you been listening to?
I am listening mostly to electronic music but from different sub-genres. Besides minimal house and techno, I am enjoying a lot some downtempo and sometimes I go to drum & bass. Listening to various genres is contributing a lot to my inspiration and to the process of learning by listening.

03. What is it that appeals to you about electronic music?
The drive that keeps me going comes from how I feel when listening to tracks which I really like, especially new music. The journey of discovering new music through digging or simply receiving it from producer friends or new artists brings joy and the desire to look for more.

04. When and where did you record this mix?
I have recorded this mix in my home studio in Iasi, Romania.

05. What setup did you use?
A simple DJ setup was needed: Allen & Heath Xone:92 as a mixer and two Pioneer DJ CDJ 2000 NXS2s. Because the tracks are already planned to flow one from another.

06. How did you choose the tracks you’ve included?
The presented tracks are from the debut album, Dimensions. They are in the same order as presented on the album and I have planned to offer a smooth experience from the beginning to the end.

07. How does it compare to what we might hear you play out live?
Playing a set depends on lots of factors such as venue, people, and feeling. The difference that you may notice is that I can bring a high level of energy when playing live, but the alteration with some dreamy sounds will be the same. I always like to offer contrast.

08. What’s next on your horizon?
I’ll probably have a new EP out by the end of this year, but until then I will focus on my current dates and enjoying the outcome of the debut album.

XLR8R Subscribers can download the podcast below. If you’re not an XLR8R subscriber, you can read more about it and subscribe here.

Tracklisting

01. IULY.B “Seagulls Passing By” (Adam’s Bite)
02. IULY.B”Altered Memories” (Adam’s Bite)
03. IULY.B “Bump” (Adam’s Bite)
04. IULY.B “Aurora” (Adam’s Bite)
05. IULY.B “Ronnie’s Squat” (Adam’s Bite)
06. IULY.B “Dark Safari” (Adam’s Bite)
07. IULY.B “Variations” (Adam’s Bite)
08. IULY.B “Between Worlds” (Adam’s Bite)
09. IULY.B “Atlantis” (Adam’s Bite)
10. IULY.B “Nothing Lasts Forever” (Adam’s Bite)
11. IULY.B “Leaving Out” (Adam’s Bite)

A. G. Cook Releases Third Album

A. G. Cook has released his third studio album, Britpop, via New Alias, his new label.

Inspiration for the album came when the London producer enjoyed a solo sojourn in rural Montana during lockdown whilst working on previous albums Apple and 7G, both of which landed in 2020.

A three-part, 24-song odyssey through Cook’s weird, wonderful, and wildly eclectic sonic universe, Britpop explores electronica, Britpop, and futuristic sounds.

It’s divided into three distinct chapters: Past, Present, and Future.

Disc one, Past, consists mainly of Cook’s signature electronic style while disc two, Present, showcases the aspects of Cook’s songwriting instincts that veer to his idea of “Britishness.” Finally, on disc three, Future, Cook jets off into the future—or his own distinctive understanding of what the future of music really means.

The album includes vocals from Charli XCX and contributions from Caroline Polachek, Alaska Reid, Addison Rae, and Oliver Leith.

Tracklisting

Disc 1, Past

01. Silver Thread Golden Needle
02. Britpop
03. You Know Me
04. Prismatic
05. Crescent Sun
06. Heartache
07. Television
08. Luddite Factory Operator

Disc 2, Present

01. Serenade
02. Nice To Meet You
03. The Weave
04. Green Man
05. Crone
06. Greatly
07. Bewitched
08. Without

Disc 3, Future

01. Soulbreaker
02. Lucifer
03. Emerald
04. Butterfly Craft
05. Equine
06. WWW
07. Pink Mask
08. Out of Time

Britpop LP is available now with a full stream below.

Artwork: Timothy Luke

Photo: Sinna Nasseri

DJ Lag to Release Second Album

South African DJ-producer DJ Lag, the alias of Lwazi Asanda Gwalahas, will release his second album, The Rebellion, next month.

The Rebellion marks a “bold evolution” of his distinctive gqom sound, we’re told, and builds on the success of his previous album, Meeting With The King.

Across 13 tracks, he solidifies his status as a trailblazer of the genre by “infusing innovation while honoring his musical heritage.”

The album promises an eclectic offering, exploring sounds like 3Step, afro-tech, amapiano, hip-hop, and even drill. It features a stellar roster of guest artists.

Originating from Durban, Gwalahas pioneered the gqom sound, crafting original tracks with little more than FruityLoops during his school days. His music quickly gained traction, with taxi drivers in Durban using his tracks to attract customers as early as 2012. Since then, he has embarked on numerous international tours.

You can check out his XLR8R podcast, an outing in nerve-shredding gqom, here.

To coincide with he announcement, Gwalahas has shared “Oke Oke,” which blends South African rhythms with Jazz Alonso’s vocals.

Reflecting on the collaboration, Gwalahas says: “Collaborating with Jazz was exhilarating. Her sound deeply connected with me, and our partnership unfolded seamlessly.”

Tracklisting

01. Iza Ngamandla feat. Sykes, Vanco
02. Bamba feat. Workaholics
03. Hade Boss feat. Mr Nation Thingz, K.C Driller
04. Trouble feat. NovaBoy
05. Yebo feat. Kamo Mphela
06. Dubula feat. Da Man
07. Oke Oke feat. Jazz Alonso
08. Ubhiya
09. Kwenzakalan feat. Blxckie, Leodaleo, Dezzodigo
10. Shay’sana feat. Kamo Mphela & Robot Boii
11. Yeyeyeyeye feat. Sane, Charlie Magandi
12. Gqom/Drill feat. YoungstaCPT, Dee Koala, Holy Alpha, Kay Faith
13. Hade Boss Re-Up feat. Mr Nation Thingz, K.C Driller, DJ Maphorisa, Kamo Mphela, Robot Boii, 2woshort, Xduppy

The Rebellion LP is scheduled for June 21 release via Black Major. Meanwhile, you can stream “Oke Oke” featuring Jazz Alonso below and pre-order the album here.

Ali Berger Next on Scissor and Thread

New Jersey-born Ali Berger will release a new EP on Scissor and Thread.

Berger is a producer now based in Pittsburgh after spending the 2010s in Boston and Detroit. His catalog of original music spans over 60 releases on his Trackland label and imprints like Spectral Sound and Sequencias.

On his debut for Scissor and Thread, he shares a multitude of sounds and atmospheres across the five tracks.

The record collects tracks from the last three years, plus “0221 (Serious Mix),” which is from 2018.

“There’s a full cross-section of production techniques represented here, from one-take jams to multi-tracked compositions, but through it all there’s a deep melancholy which (I hope) is tempered by enough groove to be uplifting,” Berger says. “Maintaining emotional balance takes constant, caring attention; music is a part of that process for me and these tracks reflect that.”

Last month, Frank & Tony, the founders of Scissor and Thread, put together a mix for XLR8R, which you can stream here. You can hear Francis Harris‘ podcast here.

Tracklisting

01. Rhythm & Simplicity
02. A New World To Forget
03. Tape Jam Pt. 2
04. 0221 (Serious Mix)
05. Motion Anthem

Serious EP is scheduled for May 31 release. Meanwhile, you can pre-order here.

Editor’s Note: we’ll add clips to stream as soon as they become available.

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