This weekend, as part of our annual trip to the Seattle-based immersive electronic music experience known as Decibel, XLR8R and CreativeLive have just announced that they have teamed up with Decibel Festival to celebrate the end of dB Conference 2015 and kick off the festival weekend with an exclusive online performance.
Immediately after our official dB Conference panel “How to Get your Music Heard,” taking place on Friday at 4:30pm PST at The Crocodile, XLR8R and CreativeLive will be offering up a live broadcast on XLR8R TV, featuring a performance by Berghain resident and Infrastructure New York label boss, Function.
Decibel is offering this event as a free show to the community, and with the help of CreativeLive, the show will broadcast directly on XLR8R. Join us in person at the Crocodile in Seattle, WA at 5:30 PM or tune in live right here on XLR8R. You can also join us for our Official Afterhours party taking place at Q Nightclub, as part of the Decibel 2015 program.
A recent poll of millennial-generation electronic-music consumers reveals that for many of them, Felix da Housecat is most known for his electroclash-era work, notably the scene-defining Kittenz and Thee Glitz album. Admittedly, this was a somewhat unscientific survey—we basically asked a few friends—but it still points to a problem for the man born Felix Stallings Jr.: When you make something as iconic as Kittenz and Thee Glitz and songs like “Silver Screen Shower Scene” and “Madame Hollywood,” it can be difficult for fans to think of you as being capable of doing anything else. Admittedly, Stalling’s version of electroclash was a bit more thoughtful than that of, say, A.R.E. Weapons or Avenue D (though we’ll admit a soft spot for the latter’s “Do I Look Like a Slut?”). But the Windy City native has a reach that extends far beyond the surface-sheen charisma of his early ’00s material; some of his ’90s house and techno releases, in particular, were inspired and inspiring. His 12-inch output under various names on such seminal labels as Strictly Rhythm and Djax-Up-Beats; albums like 1995’s Metropolis Present Day? Thee Album, a sublime, contemplative long-player that, for many, stands alongside Larry Heard‘s most emotive music of the same era; and not least, his rough and raw, technoid output under the Aphrohead moniker—these all demonstrated that Stallings, as much as anyone, understands the power and potential of the 4/4 beat.
After a decade and a half of dormancy, the Aphrohead name was brought back for last year’s “Grown Man Cry“; released on Crosstown Rebels, the track was a straight-up, no-messin’-around techno charger, one which bode well for a promised Aphrohead album. And now we have it: the aptly named Resurrection, also put out through Crosstown, has just hit the shops. To call it a “return to form” isn’t quite right—you won’t get that shock-of-the-new buzz that older clubbers felt when the early Aphrohead tracks were first played in the clubs, and Stallings has never really slowed down anyway—but still, Resurrection shows that he still knows his way around a gritty rhythm. As you might expect, it’s an album brimming with the spirit of house’s early days—but it’s imbued with that spark, that special frisson—that pizzazz—that Stallings brings to most everything he touches.
Stallings’s called the music on Resurrection “train music,” and that pretty much nails it; most of these tracks come rattling down the rails with a chugga-chugging vibe that, at least for four-to-the-floor fans, will be immensely appealing. The album leads off with “KlymaXXX,” a song that with its new-wavy, vaguely Euro melodic sense feels like a toughened-up version of his early ’00s output. It’s a fine tune, but things really get rolling with the next cut, “Come to Me” —with its ascending bassline, eerie spoken vocals and lo-fi sound, it could pass for a lost Nu Groove classic. The distorted kick, rat-a-tat snare and bare-bones minimalism of “Let’s Prance” would kill over a big sound system (the Radio Slave & Thomas Gandey remix already has, at pretty much every big festival we’ve been to over the past few months); the equally stripped-down but marginally weirder “Elevator (I’ll Take The Stairs)” is a industrial-age theme song of sorts, all clattering percussion and angular synth lines; and “Medusa,” not to mention pretty much the entire last third of the album, is forceful, burly, relentless techno. Resurrection may not be as seminal as Stallings’s early work (what could be?), nor will it prove as iconic as Kittenz and Thee Glitz—it’s a stellar set of sturdy, pure club music, nothing more and nothing less. But Aphrohead is back—and for that, we’re thankful.
As the collective music world gathers together to say farewell to 50WEAPONS, the Monkeytown sub-label that has treated us to productions and remixes from the likes of Truncate, Marcel Dettmann, and FJAAK, we can rejoice in the fact that there are still a couple more releases to come from the label as it navigates towards a closing date at the end of this year. The final full-length album to be delivered on 50WEAPONS comes out this Friday, and is from none other that Benjamin Damage, the first artist to release on the label other than Modeselektor. Following this LP, 50WEAPONS will prepare the final releases on the label, including an box set that comes with 11 different 12″ records and a custom USB stick that is available for pre-order now. To celebrate the upcoming release of the Benjamin’s album, XLR8R is proud to debut the music video for the single “Pulse Width,” directed by Konx-om-Pax & Michael Tan. The video also includes exclusive album art created by Stefan Endress. The video and song represent all of the emotion and style that we have come to love from 50WEAPONS, and we couldn’t be happier to help debut this piece of art, for all the world to see.
You can pre-order your copy of Obsidian right now by visiting Monkeytown website, and “Pulse Width” is now available for immediate download when pre-ordering the album on iTunes. You can check out the glorious video for “Pulse Width” by clicking on the player below.
London-centric beat-makers Finn Casey and Thomas L are the faces behind the new Silk 86 project that is responsible for tracks such as “Buying Time” and “Could This Be“, which were featured on its last EP giveaway, “On The House Vol.1.” Having cut its teeth over the last decade DJing and promoting in the underground scene of East London, Silk 86 resolved to disregard genre stereotyping in favor of incorporating its eclectic musical background as its calling card. A cultured upbringing drenched in hip-hop has brought together a unified ethic to the sound, with a penchant for smooth basslines, hypnotic synths, and crisp percussive cuts that highlight a production prestige and confidence that outweighs its years. Picking up where it left off, On The House Vol. 2 features seven new tracks from the duo available for download right now. On The House Vol. 2 kicks off with ‘Dem Curves,’ which premiered on Radio One via George Fitzgerald’s residency show. The full package features a host of original works that you can grab by heading over to their website.
Silk 86 will also continue its residency at XOYO over the year, with the next date falling on October 3rd with Carl Craig & Busy P.
Tehran-born Kasra V‘s sophomore EP, Atlantis, will land on the vinyl-only LIPS imprint on September 28.
Now based in London, Kasra’s built a strong reputation as a DJ off the back of his bi-weekly ‘Paradise’ show on NTS Radio, and his various residencies around London’s underground circuit. Launching into the production realm with his debut EP, The Persian Prince—also released on LIPS—Kasra now returns with the three-track Atlantis, an EP filled with the sort of off-kilter, balearic-tinged grooves he has built his name off. Fusing samples, stirring sound design, dubby basslines, and cosmic synth work, Atlantis presents three varied and world-class cuts of old-school indebted house.
Ahead of its release on September 28, Atlantis can be preordered here, with all three cuts from the EP streaming in full below.
It’s very rare that a festival finds the right formula for its first edition—and Oasis in Marrakech is no different. Hosted inside the rather luscious grounds of the Fellah Hotel, a luxurious location that encompass both a small farm and several impressively adorned villas, the opportunity is there for an event to find a comfortable home in a heavily saturated market—but there are a number of issues that must first be resolved.
For the sake of convenience, I shall begin with the negative—most notably the production. The entire event was small, with no more than 2,000 people— many wealthy English and French—coming through the gates each day, spread between just two stages: Desert Oasis and Bamboo Arena.
While the presence of a large swimming pool in the former lent itself to a great Ibiza-like mid-afternoon party, allowing people to lounge around and cool off with the likes of Gerd Janson or Axel Boman spinning the discs, this set-up did not transfer to the later hours when the sun had set. In effect, there was no real dancefloor besides a small dusty area positioned almost directly below—but almost completely out of sight of—the DJ booth, which is placed high up in one of the neighboring villas. The DJ could not see the crowd, and the crowd could not really see the DJ—and this disconnect created an atmosphere of banging techno music that was almost entirely absent of any sort of if narrative or intimacy.
On the flip side, the sound, provided by multiple Funktion-One stacks, was very good—much better than that of the Bamboo Arena, a small, intimate stage nestled within a small woodland that could have used more speakers directed towards the center of the crowd. Similar questions must also be asked of the location of the DJ booth: The small island in the middle of the dancefloor could not have been more perfect for a festival focal point, and would have allowed the crowds to wander around the stage. Provided capacity for the festival was increased slightly, this would then serve as a magical area to experience the music.
Related to the above (and something that could also be easily addressed) is timing. Make no mistake: The setting of Oasis festival is nothing short of spectacular, with the clear night skies and the beautiful Atlas mountains perched on the horizon—but the organizers should exploit this by extending the hours until after sunrise. Admittedly, the event already feels long, stretching from 1pm each afternoon to approximately three the following morning, but I have no hesitation in suggesting that it should start and end later, catering for both a sunrise and sunset set. A case could even be made for just extending the hours by allowing allowing DJs more time in the booth. Besides DJ Harvey, who gave a spectacular four-hour show, each artist was restricted to just a two hour window, which seemed rather arbitrary.
The final, though smaller, issues were the extortionate prices of the refreshments and the behavior of the security personnel. It’s only basic economics for festivals to charge more for food and drinks within the grounds, but a price of 100 Moroccan dirham— approximately US$11, £7 or €9—for a regular sized beer seemed excessive. The food—though admittedly delicious and perfectly varied—was similarly priced and left one feeling slightly short-changed—given, of course, the length of the party and the €180 fee for a basic three-day festival ticket.
As for the security guards, they were overzealous in their endeavors. This was evident when three of them positioned themselves in the front of the Bamboo arena, looking out into the thinning crowd. But the problem was really highlighted when they threw—not ushered—out several gentleman for smoking marijuana. Security at these events is paramount for a reason (especially in a developing nation), and they can’t condone the intake of illegal substances, but common sense must prevail if there is to be the relaxed vibe that will be so central to the the event’s success.
Having read the above, it would be easy to assume Oasis festival’s first edition to be a failure, but there is no doubting that the promoters will be pleased with their work—and rightly so. The organization, from the shuttle buses between the main sites to the accommodations, was great. And, though numerous and of notable, all the aforementioned changes can be made without too much difficulty. The dancefloor problem can be corrected by bringing the stage down from the tower and shifting it 90 degrees (which should actually have been done after the first night of the event)—and the security guards can be instructed to relax, a little more. It must also be said that such changes should be accompanied by an increase in capacity to create more of a festival atmosphere, rather than an exclusive-party vibe.
Credit must also go to the organizers for attracting such a stellar lineup, with particular note going to the likes of Âme, Adriatique and Blond:ish, all of whom played spectacularly. A case could also be made for adding a little bit more variety, but Oasis is never going to compete with the likes of Dekmantel or Sonar when it comes to the range of talents on offer. The Oasis experience is as much about the culture as the music, and so this year’s lineup served its purpose very effectively.
Away from all this evaluation, it is a hope of mine that the festival does succeed. Besides the pleasure that it gave to most, if not all, of those who attended, the benefit to the local community must not be overlooked. It goes without saying that the presence of such an event will work wonders for the Moroccan music community, but the benefits stretch well beyond this by providing work in security and hospitality—all of which was locally sourced.
Many first-time festivals will fail because there is no gap in the market, even though they have done the best with their resources. But Oasis is different: The formula is there, but it has just not been properly executed yet. My leaving thoughts are that the founders have stumbled upon a small gap in the market for affluent people who wish to explore the Moroccan delights and have a penchant for electronic, but wish to avoid the large-scale crowds and camping that are so commonly associated with weekend-long music events. Provided the above changes are successfully made, Oasis Festival could turn out to be a great success.
Shortly following the release of his debut LP Grind on Dial, White Material co-founder DJ Richard has delivered the latest installment of Resident Advisor’s podcast series. In keeping with the album’s brooding, rough-around-the-edges production style, the mix samples ’80s-era Dutch, Belgian, and UK obscurities plucked from the bins at Berlin’s Record Loft. RA describes the 75-minute session as “a transmission from the dark corners of the subconscious.” Stream it in full and read a brief Q&A with the Rhode Island School of Design alum here.
Detroit artist Zach Saginaw (a.k.a Shigeto) has a new EP dropping next month via Ghostly International, after a two-year hiatus. This latest project precedes the release of his last full-length on the label titled: No Better Time Than Now, released in 2013.
On why it took him this long to release new material: “I’ve been on the road for a long time now and also have been working on other projects,” he goes on, “I haven’t found the next step for me yet. I’ve been making loads of music as always, but I’m still looking for that concrete new path.”
According to a press release, his latest Intermission EP represents: “a snapshot of the artist’s transition between ideas and inspiration.”
Intermission will drop via Ghostly International on October 30, 2015.
TRACKLISTING:
1. Pulse 2. City Dweller 3. Gently 4. Do My Thing 5. Deep Breathing 6. Need Nobody
Klasse label funder Luca Lozano will deliver a new EP via Hypercolour on November 20. Over the past year or so, the ever-active Berlin producer has turned out a pair of 12″s with Sex Tags’ DJ Fett Burger, plus a joint EP with Mr. Ho on Creme Organization. According to a press release, the forthcoming Gun Fingers finds Lozano paying homage to his early years in Sheffield with “the breakbeats, edits and bleeps of his native city.” Two flipside remixes are supplied by another Sex Tags rep, DJ Sotofett, and are reportedly aimed at “those who spend time chasing around motorways in search of the party.” View the EP’s complete tracklist below, and stream clips here. (via Resident Advisor)
A1 Gun Fingers (Original Mix) A2 Calling All Dancers B1 Gurn Fingers Massive Mix By Dj Sotofett B2 Dj Sotofett’s Gurn Redouble Riddim
Just as the work of the Detroit pioneers he’s always worshiped, Eduardo De La Calle‘s music has the rare quality of transmitting universal emotions through simplicity. The Spanish producer has a knack for distilling melancholy with analog machines, and his second release for John Talabot‘s Hivern Discs is no exception. Nanoscopic Scales features four soothing techno tracks dealing with different facets of his sonic palette, and comes wrapped in a very special artwork by Barcelona-based studio Affaire.
Ahead of the EP’s September 25 release, a video to mark the release of the EP and “Format Times” can be exclusively streamed in full below.
Tracklisting:
Side A Format Times Hope
Side B I Think I Love You Passage 2561
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