Southern rap drums are not to be messed with. That’s why Halifax, Nova Scotia native Ryan Hemsworth didn’t fuck with DJ Paul and Juicy J’s snares and kicks on his remix of “Late Night Tip.” Three 6 Mafia’s original, off of Chapter 2: World Domination from ’97, is a masterpiece in its own right, but Hemsworth gives it a nice 2012 facelift. With the original percussion intact, Hemsworth speeds up the beat slightly, relieving it of some of its southern twang. Replacing the syruppy vibe of the original, Hemsworth infuses a ton of weird synths that feel like they’re from some altered zone. Feels a little bit like the atmospherics established on Lapalux’s When You’re Gone EP. Hemsworth is a genius for this one. Despite common perception, not all amazing Canadian artists come out of Toronto.
A few weeks ago, we gave a brief introduction to the Austin beat scene and the two incredible events, Applied Pressure and Exploded Drawing, it centers around, promising a more comprehensive feature in the future. In the weeks since, the scene took South By Southwest by storm, bringing in Jonti (Stones Throw), Jonwayne (Stones Throw), Jeremiah Jae (Brainfeeder), Robert Koch (Mooncircle) and more. A group of University of Texas students also finally attained funding via Kickstarter for their film (Beat)En Senseless: Austin Beat Culture, a comprehensive look into Applied Pressure, Exploded Drawing and the artists involved. The cherry on top was last week’s announcement that Applied Pressure will host Com Truise in April. The scene is on the up and up and this guide should serve as a nice overview of the people involved. I spoke with Applied Pressure founder and resident DJ/Producer Hobo D for some background (you can find the full interview after the jump) and got some excellent first hand insights into the scene.
Before delving in further, I’ll give an overview of Applied Pressure and Exploded Drawing. Applied Pressure is a monthly event held at Barcelona in the heart of Austin’s live music district. Hobo D (DJ/Producer), 4th Wall (Visuals/Producer), Kid Slyce (DJ) and BoomBaptist (Producer) are the residents, although the club night regularly brings in guests from across the world, ranging from Samiyam to Dam Funk to Lazer Sword. Beyond the monthly event, Applied Pressure is a collective/crew/family aiming to further the cause of electronic/experimental music in Austin. Applied Pressure was started a little over a year ago as an obscure collective, but has grown into a venerable purveyor of all things beat, not just in Austin, but across the entire state of Texas (and soon the United States). Kid Slyce is the resident mixing maestro, possessing transcendent skills behind the decks. Hobo D is the crate digger, searching out anything and everything from global psych music to old school IDM. BoomBaptist is the studio genius, and in my opinion, most likely to break out. 4th Wall handles all of the visuals and is one of the most talented VJ’s (?) in the game. It’s hard not to draw out the comparisons to Low End Theory, and while the Los Angeles (and now San Francisco and Japan scene has gained worldwide notoriety, it also began as a distinctly regional phenomenon.
Exploded Drawing is similar in style to Applied Pressure, but takes on a significantly different form. Semi-monthly, six” electronic composers, sound collectors and beat makers” take to the stage for 20 minutes apiece to perform all original works. Unlike Applied Pressure, no DJ sets are allowed and originality is paramount to the event’s success. Explode Drawing is hosted by Butcher Bear (who also runs (iN)Sect Records, more on that later) and soundfounder with visuals provided by Nait Ntropy. The name Exploded Drawing is derived from the similar, and now extinct, Sketchbook night in LA hosted by Kutmah. While both Applied Pressure and Exploded Drawing are unique live experiences in the “live music capital of the world,” Hobo D feels that the scene operates pretty exclusively from the rest of the city, instead focusing on 100% originality.
I mention (iN)Sect Records above and for good reason. The record label, started by Butcher Bear, is home to all three Exploded Drawing residents (as well as their respective side projects), BoomBaptist and numerous other Austin stalwarts. The label has also hosted releases from national icons Guilty Simpson, Dudley Perkins and Georgia Anne Muldrow. The label partakes in self-described “Earth Shattering Soul” and releases music both digitally and via limited vinyl runs. Lo Phi, Ntropy and Kinder are just a few of the immense talents who make their home at (iN)Sect.
It’s hard to get a good grasp on such a green scene, but Hobo D should help out a little bit in that arena. Here is a brief list of artists/tracks/mixes/EP’s/albums that should serve as a brief overview of the scene and its diverse range of talents:
This is not meant to be a comprehensive list defining the mix. Instead, it should function as a brief and accessible look into some of the most talented artists coming out of Austin and mere jumpstart into your appreciation of the scene. In the coming weeks, we should have an exclusive mix from Hobo D that will shine some more light into the roots of the Austin scene. Hit the jump to read the entire interview as he can tell the story far better than I can. Also, be on the lookout for the release of (Beat)En Senseless, what is sure to be one of the better music documentaries of the year.
A lot of new music surfaced this week, most of it in official release form (weird, right?). Albums/mixtapes/EP’s from Jonwayne, Beach House, Miike Snow, Odd Future, Martyn and Stewrat hit the interwebz in some form or another, but it was a comparatively slow week for remixes, youtube rips, bootlegs and the like. Still, any week you get a new Hudson Mohawke/Lunice track should be considered a resounding success! As a result, here is our slightly stripped down Week Six incantation of Sounds From The Astral Plane. Enjoy.
This one is from Martyn’s Essential Mix we posted earlier in the week. It’s just a low quality rip at this point, but shows a more house-oriented sound from Greene. Maintaining the wafty R&B vocals found on tracks like “Another Girl” and “Motivation,” but includes an acid house bassline this time. Look out for an official releases from Montreal-based producer.
This one debuted as a Big K.R.I.T. remix back in January as part of The FADER and HTC’s X Squared series of artist collaborations. While many (some would say most) Clams productions sound better on their own, this one could really use K.R.I.T. on it and really functions as library fodder. Still, let’s give thanks Clammy Clams for more free music.
Earlier in the week, we wrote about Teen Daze dropping his synths and picking up an acoustic guitar on his side project, Little Chords. Maybe we spoke a little too soon. Obviously, he wasn’t abandoning his synth-y aesthetic, but it’s nice to see him back on his greezy for this remix of Akron/Family member Dana Janssen.
LiveLoveA$AP was one of 2011’s biggest hits and still resonates as much today as it did on its release date. Today, DJ Screw disciple OG Ron C let loose his chopped up not slopped up version of the album. As a bonus, the redone mixtape features an H-Town version of “Purple Swag” featuring Bun B, Killa Kyleon and Paul Wall. The mixtape also features several freestyles from members of A$AP Mob. I’m a huge fan of most of Ron C’s work so this bonus version of the mixtape is quite the treat heading into the weekend. Download the tape for free.99 below.
Alby Daniels is a 22 year old singer/producer from either Brighton or London. Last month, The Guardian called him the “D’Angelo of dubstep.” He released his debut EP, This Dawn, on Black Acre Records, who are releasing Dark Sky’s upcoming Black Rainbows EP, and is also the home of Fantastic Mr Fox. In The Guardian’s feature on Daniels, they lament the lack of open-hearted British R&B singers in the vein of D’Angelo and predict that Daniels might be able to fill that role, albeit not as a pop singer. Daniels is white and lacks the narcissistic self awareness that The Weeknd or R. Kelly embody. Still, he has quite a voice and a production style that is akin to a stripped down Mount Kimbie. You can buy This Dawn at Boomkat and also be sure to check out the mix he did for ClashMusic. If you aren’t feeling Daniels’ vocal performances, check out his remix of the late Amy Winehouse’s “Stronger Than Me” below.
Here’s your goosebump-inducing track of the day. Producer mastermind Clams Casinohas taken Florence + The Machine‘s “Never Let Me Go,” which was already a huge, heart-wrenching track, and combined it with his signature noisy, reverb-heavy, somber-yet-insanely-listenable style, and the result is fantastic. This track is a welcome departure from Clams’ usual distinctively mellow feel, because Florence’s vocals provide such an epic, emotional pedestal for the echo-y drums and muddy, multi-layered instrumentals. This remix will be featured on the b-side of Florence’s limited-edition Never Let Me Go 12″ single, which will be released on April 9th.
Since we started this blog back in January, there have been several artists that have caught our eye and really stuck with us. Pennsylvania producer Lytesho is one of the brightest of those. Lytesho makes scuzzy hip hop beats that are often accompanied by the droning vocals that “witch house” artists like Salem have become known before. They are as hazy and psychedelic as they are boom bap-y. Like most talented artists, Lytesho has associated himself with other talented artists. Senzu Collective is a group of experimental hip hop producers and MC’s from across the United Sates pushing the boundaries of the genre. Like so many other crews/collectives of our time they love their symbols, ∆∆∆ in this case, and while that imagery is overwrought at this point, it is more of a sign of their internet savvy than their youthful naiveté. In October 2011, Senzu began a monthly compilation series featuring members of collective as well as artists from elsewhere. Knxwledge, Giraffage and RL Grime have all been featured in the past as have other members of wedidit, Dropping Gems, Resonate and other highly touted labels/collectives. A few days ago, the sixth edition of the compilation was released, and like usual, it includes a truly unique blend of disparate elements of hip hop. UK bass music and the LA beat scene are prevalent on numerous tracks as are the recent alternative R&B explorations of The Weeknd, Jamie Woon and Miguel. The tape is inconsistent as a cohesive product, but compilations, especially monthly ones, aren’t necessarily meant to be cohesive. Instead, it serves as an update containing what Senzu and friends are working on and the direction their sound is moving. Find past compilation tapes at the collective’s Tumblr.
In the aftermath of music conferences/festivals like South By Southwest or Miami Music Week, there is always an influx of collaborations, both between artists that have worked extensively together prior and others who have never met. Collaborations between Friends of Friends artists are almost always fruitful and Shlohmo’s remix of Tomas Barfod’s “Broken Glass” is no different. Barfod is a recent FoF signee and the drummer for indie rock band WhoMadeWho. Barfod is also Danish and brings some international flair to the FoF roster. “Broken Glass” is a marauding track, accentuated with vocoder’d vocals, that slowly builds, until, marked by crashing glass, a disco bassline breaks through and the track transforms and last 1:15 are dance floor bliss.
Stream/Download: Tomas Barfod – “Broken Glass”
Shlohmo, as he usually does, takes a different route on the remix, abandoning the earthy sounds that have defined his past few releases and pitching down the vocals to create a brooding atmosphere without slowing down the BPM. Shlohmo’s drums crack and sizzle over the original to create a more complex, although not necessarily superior effort. Whichever version you enjoy better, it’s great to see artists like this work together and hopefully we’ll see more material from the two in the near future. Barfod’s FoF debut, Salton Sea (love the title!), will be released in May. Stream the Shlohmo version at the Boiler Room.
There’s really no sense in attempting to understand Blu at this point. After releasing his Madlib collaboration album, UCLA, he succinctly pulled it from his Bandcamp. Furthermore, like so many other Blu releases, the album was entirely unmastered and bordered on unlistenable at times. With all the talent in the world, one would expect Blu to invest in a little mixing here and there. Yesterday, he uploaded a new project to his Bandcamp (luckily still up there), this time a remix tape of 2010’s NoYork!. The nine-track release features Knxwledge, Hezekiah, Von Pea and more. It is, unsurprisingly, incredibly low quality, but it’s too nice to ignore. Von Pea’s remix of “My Sunshine” is outstanding. Unfortunately, Blu is asking for nine dollars for the tape, but I’m sure you can work a little bit of internet magic and unearth it.
We’ve been fairly absent from the blog this week, because of various nature excursions and other computer time limitations. Luckily, we’re back now and ready to continue bringing you the phonk. Amid a hectic SXSW filled week, a large amount of new music was actually released, much of it from the hip hop world. As a result, we bring you this special edition Sounds From The Astral Plane as a summary of the week’s happenings.
Stream: Nas – “The Don” (Prod. Salaam Remi, Da Internz and Heavy D)
Nas never ceases to amaze me with his tenacity on the mix. Dude has been in the game for over 20 years, and while there will never be another Illmatic, Nasir will go down as one of, if not the greatest, rappers of all time. Following last year’s “Nasty,” a sickening tear over minimalist percussion, Nas brings us “The Don,” produced by Salaam Remi with a helping hand from Da Internz and the late Heavy D. I can imagine Nas turning on the radio, hearing “Work Out” for the millionth time, calling up Salaam and hitting the studio. This shit is gully.
Sene is one of those MC’s who everyone has heard of, but no one really thinks twice about. He’s worked extensively with Blu, but none if it has made waves like the latter’s collaborations with Exile, Fashawn and Mainframe. It might be time to give Sene a little respect. “Backboards,” conveniently featuring Blu, is downright beautiful, eliciting comparisons to The Visionaries. Also, Blu on a mastered track? Pretty unheard of over the past couple years. “Backboards” is off of Sene’s upcoming Brooklyknight album, dropping April 24 on Plug Research.
There isn’t much to say about Danny Brown that hasn’t been said. Read this Passion of the Weiss post for details. “Baseline” is as minimalist as Brown gets, allowing the MC to get ugly with the rhymes. If glorified drug usage, misogyny, and one of the most unique flows in contemporary hip hop interests you, then download “Baseline” above.
Squeaky production from Toki and majestic vocals from Rucyl = chilled out bliss. Hopefully this is a sign that the wait for a followup to 2010’s Midnight Menu will soon be over.
Chicago DJ/producer Brenmar has publicly stated that one of his main goals is to get “people to hook up at the club.” This track will certainly do that. Brenmar ramps up the sex appeal for his take on Texas crooner Kirko Bangz’s “Drank In My Cup,” turning the syruppy original into a dance floor anthem. This is club music at its best.
“Worst Job Of Good luck” is off of London label Bullet Train Records’ Bullet Train Allstars compilation. It’s the best track off the comp and features incredibly clean production from Pale mixed with some pitched down vocals. Nice minimalist cut right hurr.
Stream/Download: Dam-Funk – “Serious”
There is never a shortage of new material on Dam Funk’s Soundcloud page. It fells like every week or two, he throws a superb new cut on their as a free download. Dam plays all the instruments on “Serious,” a jazzy track with that trademark Dam Funk sound. It’s no surprise that Dam can meld his sound into a jazz aesthetic, but it is still damn impressive.
Stream: Nocando – “Miyamoto Musashi” (Produced by DNAEBeats)
Low End Theory is in Japan right now. Nocando released a song about legendart samurai Miyamoto Musashi. Sounds about right.
Action Bronson supplies the raps. Party Supplies supplies the beats. It’s fantastic. Oddly enough, the first track, “Pouches of Tuna” uses the same beat as the Sene’s track above. Not sure if Party Supplies made it, or what, but I have to say that the Sene version is better. Beyond that confusion, “Thug Love Story 2012” sounds like classic Ghostface-ish. That comparison is getting a little old at this point, but it’s just too hard to ignore on tracks like this. Download Blue Chips from DJ Booth above.
Watch: Nacho Picasso and Blue Sky Black Death – “Rammin”
More visuals from Lord of the Fly, this time for the grimy “Rammin.” If you can get over the overdone effects, this is a pretty enjoyable vid. This is what The Weeknd sees when he hits the club. Some real XO shit.
Since we started this blog back in January, there have been several artists that have caught our eye and really stuck with us. Pennsylvania producer Lytesho 
The Astral Plane 