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FoF Music Presents ‘Show Me The Future’

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January 14, 2013
New Music
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Never ones to dwell on the past for too long, Los Angeles based imprint Friends of Friends have kicked off 2012 in proper form with the seven track Show Me The Future compilation. We’ve already posted the Ryan Hemsworth and DJAO (both former Astral Plane interviewees!) contributions, but the remaining five joints are brimming with quality and shed quite a bit of light onto what FoF will be bringing to the table in the coming year. In the coming months, Lazy Brow and crew will hit the world with new material from new and old members of the crew including a new Shlohmo EP (!!!) and Evenings’ debut for the imprint. For now, enjoy the sublime nocturnal vibes of Smpl, the Final Fantasy-sampling Hemsworth and Dreams’ sweaty/sexy garage riddim. The tape sounds like nothing FoF has released to this point, which is exactly its purpose and whether or not you believe these to be the sounds of the future, they’re certainly thought provoking in the best possible way. Stream and download Show Me The Future below.

New Wolf Cub – “Kerouac”

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January 14, 2013
New Music
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In which Transmission Collective don Wolf Cub continues to fine tune his updated take on classic Chicago house and tactful garage on “Kerouac”. Transmission Collective, and Wolf Cub in particular, make tunes for all the kids (literal or not) who have never heard a Kerri Chandler song in the club. They make songs for all the people who have grown up in an era that completely lacks subtlety, surrounded by the brosteppers and electro maniacs. Anyone hating on these revivalists clearly don’t understand the contemporary electronic music landscape, because really context is everything. Stream and download below.

New xxyyxx – “Backroom #8”

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January 14, 2013
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Orlando producer xxyyxx never appears to be satisfied with one particular sound. While just about everything Marcel Everett has released to this point is rooted in American hip hop and R&B he’s traipsed across American, British and Mainland sounds without stopping for breath. Everett’s latest one off, “Backroom #8”, is half-based (and it is oh so based) in classic garage territory and half in the complexities of Autechre and Boards of Canada. Sampling Malaysian singer Yuna’s “Lullabies”, “Backroom #8” comes off as a simple version of the contemporary R&B sampling trend at first, but quickly rises from the malaise from which it came via some brilliant sound design that allows the vocals to reverberate and a simply, hypnotic key to draw the listener in. The track has run out of free downloads, but you can still stream below.

New Future – “Mark McGwire”

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January 14, 2013
New Music
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Something has to be said for an artist coming out of nowhere with a fully developed persona and sound. It’s no surprise, with roots in Dungeon Family and whatnot, that Future and his debut LP Pluto have been hugely successful, but the cohesiveness of what the Atlanta MC/crooner represents has to be noted. Mike Will has A LOT to do with that cohesiveness of course, but Future’s voice crack is unmistakeable whether you hate it or love it and is a big reason why Mr. FreeBandz is so wildly successful. While his sensitive thug side has probably garnered more praise, Nayvadius has also gone off on some Sonny Digital productions with aplomb, if not waxing poetic then beating the listener down with an often blunt force (often at the same damn time as say, cooking dope or talking on the phone). “Mark McGwire” falls in the blunt force category and will probably turn off all the people hating on his “freestyle” over that new TNGHT production on the most recent Pitchfork Selector feature. Like the famed (and now much maligned) Cardinals slugger, Future takes the shortest route to the finish line (or fence if you prefer the convoluted metaphor), name-checking Jeezy, Boosie and Antawn Jamison (?!) while simultaneously proclaiming himself king (same damn time again!!). Based on “Mark McGwire”, it doesn’t appear that Future’s upcoming FBG: ‘The Movie’ tape (dropping 1/15) will fall short in its quest for greatness like Marky did.

New Jeremiah Jae – “BlackMyth” and “Lost and Found”

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January 14, 2013
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Over the past week-plus, Brainfeeder’s in house mic killer Jeremiah Jae has taken to Soundcloud with a vengeance usually reserved for Flying Lotus collaborations. Jae has released 10 new tracks to be exact in an effort he’s calling Black Jungle Radio. The majority of the tracks feature Jae on MC duties although he stays behind the boards for YBP, Raja Black and F.A.B.L.E. cuts. While fairly hit or miss overall, Black Jungle Radio spans the gamut of Jae’s sounds and influences, ranging from the lo-fi funk of “BlackMyth” to the ridiculously smooth, Exile-esque “Lost and Found”. In fact, Jae takes cues from Blu & Exile (for better or worse) for the majority of the series. I say for better or worse, because   Jae exhibits Blu’s hustler everyman persona on some tracks and is utterly lazy on others. Of course, Jae’s Black Jungle Radio isn’t represented as an album or official release like much of Blu’s low quality work. Jae certainly won’t be played on the radio, but maybe that’s a good thing. Stream “BlackMyth” and “Lost and Found” below and download the latter here.

Update: Download the entire tape via Bandcamp after the jump.

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Jamie Grind Remixes Thieves’ “Dilate”

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January 11, 2013
New Music, Remixes
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Photo by Shaun Bloodworth

Jamie Grind is from the far North of England, but you wouldn’t know it on first listen. While he now resides in London, the Leeds-native produces upbeat garage-informed music that belies his bleak surroundings. Grind achieves achy euphoria via a less is more production philosophy that emphasizes the most important facet of each and every track. On Grind’s remix of Thieves’ “Dilate”, that facet is the infectiously bouncy bassline. Instead of immersing it in a malaise of chopped vocals and shuffling percussion like the original (a fine track in its own right), Grind isolates the phonk and brings it out for maximum effectivity. At several points throughout the track, Grind entirely isolates the bassline, leaving just a single squiggly line of the track’s various vocal, percussion and synth arrangements left. The uplifting pads certainly aid the euphoria, but it’s that damn bounce that really gets you. Stream below and head over to XLR8R for a free download.

New Lapalux – “Guuurl”

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January 10, 2013
New Music
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Every once in a while, I come to the conclusion that too many producers are sampling mid-90’s to mid-2000’s R&B and that the trend will die out and become passé at some point. The pool of quality songs from that era isn’t that big after all and at a certain point Ginuwine and Aaliyah can get a little old. That’s usually the point when I lay down in bed, listen to Jacques Greene for an hour straight and forget my silly inhibitions and theories. More recently, Lapalux has taken Greene’s place as de facto sexy solitary music. Whether working with Mario’s immortal “Let Me Love You” or enlisting the always wonderful Kerry Leatham, the Essex-based producer has nearly perfected his vocal + chunky synths formula, which will surely be apparent on his upcoming debut LP for Brainfeeder. That’s right LP! After releasing the Some Other Time and When You’re Gone extended players through the Los Angeles imprint last year, Lapalux has gotten the green light for Nostalchic, due in March of this year! This year!   For now, you can sample the death defyingly beautiful “Guuurl“. Like most Lapalux tracks, the vocals seem to teeter on the edge of the mix, neither completely enveloped  nor entirely separate. I haven’t placed the sample quite yet, but maybe one of you can (;. Stream below and long live the R&B sample!

Mosca Reconnects With Eva Mendes

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January 10, 2013
New Music, Remixes
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There isn’t a song that better exemplifies British label Hypercolour’s appeal than Mosca’s 2012 hit “Eva Mendes”. The track has plenty of techy underground signifiers that get the heads leaning for more, but everything from the track title to the vocal sample had big time dancefloors going nuts since its June release. Labelmates Huxley, Tom Demac and George Fitzgerald hit similar tones throughout what had to be Hypercolour’s largest year to date. Earlier today, Mosca let loose a treat for all the ravers in his well played VIP of “Eva Mendes”, a slightly beefier, more groove-oriented version of the original. The London producer doesn’t appear willing to let the VIP loose on the general public in download form just yet, but maybe he’ll come to his senses eventually. Stream below.

Kid Smpl Remixes The xx’s “Fiction”

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January 10, 2013
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In a sense, Kid Smpl’s remix of The xx’s “Fiction” demarcates the logical furthest extent of the London trio’s vision. It’s made up almost entirely of infrequent, out of breath kicks, melancholy keys and atmospheric found sounds. Rommy’s vocals are pushed so far into the mix that they almost operate as random found sounds and the beat (when there is one) is as airy and atmospheric as they come. Without expectations, Smpl has crafted an effortlessly beatific night time anthem that achieves more with less and might remind some listeners why they fell in love with The xx in the first place. Stream and download below.

Riley Lake Remixes Baauer’s “DumDum”

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January 9, 2013
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Last Friday, we debuted Riley Lake’s very real “Request Line” mix as part of our very real and very professional early 2013 music bidnes coverage. We’ve sat on the originals for FIVE WHOLE DAYS, but it’s probably about time to let the dragon out of the bag. To start off the edit induced run of madness, Riley’s Boddika influenced remix of Baauer’s shmassive “DumDum” deserves some individual shine. In proper techno form, Riley has clearly been indulging in some dark UK ish and is sounding more and more like Mannie Fresh/Bangladesh/DJ Toomp locked in the Berghain basement with every new upload. We all ❤ Sunklo after all so stream and download below and keep your ears perked for more edits on the horizon.