New Main Attrakionz – “Do It For The Bay” (Prod. Harry Fraud)

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September 3, 2012
New Music
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Say what you will about Main Attrakionz, but they have the best taste in beats. In the last year alone, Squadda and Mondre have worked with Ryan Hemsworth, Supreme Cuts, Friendzone, Beautiful Lou, Keyboard Kid, Spaceghostpurrp, Jam City and Clams Casino. If that list doesn’t make you drool, get out. For their latest cut, the Oakland duo have enlisted New York native Harry Fraud (who helmed Curren$y’s latest project). “Do It For The Bay” is decidedly more straightforward than the stream of consciousness flow and hazy instrumentals that the duo have become synonymous, but Fraud’s triumphant horns allow Squadda, Mondre and DaVinci to wax poetic about the Yay Area. At this point is it suitable for Bay Area tributes to make a comeback? “Do It For The Bay” is off of Main Attrakionz’ next project, Bossalinis & Fooliyones, due out October 22 on Young One Records.

Stavrogin Guest Mix For The Astral Plane (Special Vinyl Edition)

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September 3, 2012
2012, Mixes, New Music, Uncategorizable
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Special Vinyl Edition

Since our inception back in January, London phenom Stavrogin has been making major moves within the world of UK Bass and House music. Think Disclosure. Think Addison Groove. Think Julio Bashmore. That’s high company for a young man with only a few releases under his belt, but don’t be surprised if you hear the next buzz act being compared to Stavrogin in a few months. We were lucky enough to pull the Lewes native in for an exclusive mix that has not and will not leave the rotation for a long while.

Like so many niche forums on the internet, the debate about electronic music has taken a nasty and acerbic turn as of late. I’m curious, do y’all like getting into senseless, roundabout arguments about DJ’s and buttons and whatnot? I didn’t think so. As a result, the newest contribution to our Guest Mix series transcends the debate. That’s right, vinyl. Wax. You feel that well of happiness opening up in the deepest recessions of your body? That’s nostalgia right there. No one can argue with vinyl.

If you like piano crescendos, soaring falsettos or Calvin Harris, this mix probably isn’t for you. If you tend to go for stripped down bass music from the likes of Untold, Ben Klock and Stickman, jump on the party bus. It might get a little smoky. If anything, this mix should make some Stavrogin vinyl seem like a really, really good idea. Record labels, the ball is in your court. Like always, stream and download below and don’t be afraid to gives us some feedback.

Trackiist

WNCL – Coming on Strong [WNCL Recordings]
Gerry Read – Legs [Fourth Wave]
Throwing Snow – Shadower [Sneaker Social Slub]
Tommy Four Seven – Ratu [CLR (2)]
Untold – Little Things Like That [Clone Basement Series]
Stickman – If You Stay [Mindset Records]
Martyn feat. Spaceape – Is This Insanity? (Ben Klock Remix) [3024]
Untold – Bones (Rockwell Remix) [SSSSS]
Wax – No. 30303 (Shed ø San Remix) [Wax (4)]
The Chain – Suffer For Your Art [R&S Records]

New Stavrogin – “Expiration”

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August 30, 2012
2012, New Music
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A few weeks ago, I saw British phenoms Disclosure (or at least one half of the duo) bring down the house at a festival in Germany. Besides being delighted by the performance, I couldn’t help thinking about another up-and-coming British youngster, Stavrogin. The green tea organic percussion, slow-burning synths and effortless vocal manipulation is readily apparent in both act’s brief discographies. “i love…that you know” could easily be a Stavrogin track and vice versa, “Chicago ’46” could easily be a Disclosure creation. Granted, the Lawrence brothers have a little bit more pop accessibility in their repertoire, but the two sound eerily similar at times. Stavrogin’s newest attempt, “Expiration”, is yet another brilliant adventure in patience. The track doesn’t quite build as much as it slinks along underneath the radar in the most engrossing way possible. It’s smooth as hell, but doesn’t give an inch in the bass category. It is bass music after all. Stream “Expiration” below and look out for the exclusive Stavrogin mix in the coming weeks.

Peaking Lights-Lucifer

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August 29, 2012
2012, Album Reviews, New Music
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Been a little slow to get this one up here, but that happens when you work out in the woods for the summer. Peaking Lights dropped what is, in my opinion, one of the best albums of 2012 so far.  Peaking Lights have been emerging onto the scene since the release of their debut album, 936, in 2011. Composed of Aaron Coyes, and Indra Dunis, the duo have already established a a huge following with two lp’s under their belts and a 936 Remixed project. The remixed project features artists Dam Funk, Damu, and Main Attrakionz reworking some of the classic tracks.

The duo capitalizes on hidden guitar riffs and synths interspersed with vocals from Indra. “Lo-Hi” is a perfect example of the smooth production that has been integral to Peaking Lights’ success. Even with the vast conglomeration of sounds on the track, “Dream Beat”, the duo blends these assorted sounds flawlessly.

I highly recommend giving this album a spin and it can be found on the Weird World Record Co’s soundcloud page here along with the 936 album and the remix project. The 936 remixed album also has some gems on it, like this remix from Main Attrakionz. Check out that entire project here.

 

 

Haleek Maul and Supreme Cuts Debut Chrome Lips via Mishka

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August 28, 2012
2012, New Music
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Since we interviewed Haleek Maul back in May, the young Barbadian has been on an absolute tear. In June, Maul’s debut Oxyconteen EP put his tattered mental state on blast, giving fans new and old one of the rawest listening experiences they’ll have in a long minute. What we’ve really been waiting for though has finally emerged today. Back in May, Maul spoke on an upcoming mixtape with Chicago production duo Supreme Cuts who are leading the back when it comes to viscous hip hop bangers. Chrome Lips finally emerged today, featuring 17 originals from one of the most uncouth minds in contemporary music. Maul’s eclectic, dexterous flow allows Supreme Cuts to dip and dive from the airiest peaks to the dankest dungeons of their production dichotomy. Verses from Deniro Farrar, MondreMan and Squadda B offer short respites from Maul’s often severe flow, vastly improving the overall flow of tape. Mishka is giving away the tape for free as they’re known to do and you would be making a mistake not to snatch this one up right now. Another high profile mixtape dropped today, but Chrome Lips is the one that people are going to remember (no shots). Stream and download Chrome Lips below.

Mixes From The Astral Plane, Vol. 3 (Mixed By Kong)

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August 27, 2012
2012, Mixes
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For the better part of a decade, the UK has been the home for all things bass music. From Croydon record shops to the fabled Warehouse Project of Manchester, the Brits can never seem to get enough low end frequencies. Over a similar period of time, a number of previously insular and heavily localized brands of club music have broken out of their shells and entered the mainstream consciousness. Blunted hip hop, go-go and club can now be found in locales far removed from the streets of L.A., D.C. and Baltimore. On Volume 3 of Mixes From The Astral Plane, Vancouver resident Kong conflates takes club and bass and makes them one. Kong makes you forget all the sub-genres I just ignominiously named and allows you delve deep into sounds of the future. Download Volume 3 below and catch the tracklist after the jump.

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Captain Murphy and TNGHT Move Weight

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August 20, 2012
New Music, Remixes
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When Lunice and Hudson Mohawke came out swinging at the American hip hop consensus, many assumed (myself included) they were aiming their fine-tuned WMD at the Southern hip hop conglomerate. Their first remix of Flocka’s “Rooster In Rari” reinforced that assumption and the EP was even pigeonholed by some as an extension of the trap phenomenon. Oh how we underestimated the project. When Lunice and HudMo hinted that they had MC’s lined up for every track on the EP, I assumed the features would be a menagerie of well-known Southern MC’s with maybe an A$AP Rocky or Danny Brown thrown in for good measure. This though? They have certainly outdone themselves Captain Murphy: you probably know the name by now. He sounds a lot like a pitch shifted Tyler/Earl combination. “Shake Weight” involves the Captain going the fuck in over the bubbling, immense heap of braggadocio that is “Bugg’n”. The doors are wide open folks. I’m looking forward to Canibus throwing his next paranoid rant down over “Gooo”. Fuck, and this video? I jokingly posted a while back that we were just going to become TNGHT stenographers, but would that really be such a bad thing? Grab the free download below and watch the video above (preferably under a controlled substance).

Download: Captain Murphy – “Shake Weight”

New Shlohmo is v. actual 4 us + Groundislava

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August 8, 2012
Uncategorizable
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Shlohmo is one of those musicians that has always held this sort of magnetism over me; his dark, moody productions are satisfying without fail. He manages to keep a pop sensibility in his melodies, harmonic progressions, and percussive elements while creating a thoroughly otherworldly vibe on the whole. His latest effort, which exists only as youtube rip (embedded below) from Benji B’s radio show the other day possesses all the aforementioned characteristics while still feeling fresh and new, a clear progression from his Vacation EP era material. The drums are really what get me here, skittering tuned percussion that maintains the energy of hip-hop while swinging like a UK garage cut and staying weird and non-quantized enough to keep a beat scene kid breaking his/(her?) neck to it. No word on a release yet, I’m hoping to hear this on a sophomore Friends of Friends LP (or underneath Abel Tesyafe’s beautiful, demonic crooning).

Speaking of that wonderful LA label, check out a stream of a cut from the upcoming FoF debut LP from that fool on the left, Groundislava, right here. It’s some real trap shit, but without biting anybody’s style. I see big things in Mr. Lava’s future.

BadBadNotGood + TNGHT

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August 6, 2012
2012, Live, New Music
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As you should know by now, we raved quite a lot about the new Hudson Mohawke and Lunice collaboration TNGHT. Their EP is absolutely massive and we couldn’t be more excited to see that BadBadNotGood covered the duos breakneck banger, ‘BuggN’. BBNG performed this cover live at the Mad Decent Block Party. It’s the perfect track for the group to perform and the track is huge.

Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990 Go b2b In The Boiler Room

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July 27, 2012
Live, Mixes, New Music
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Back in the day, Bok and L-Vis 1990 played back 2 back sets on a regular basis at the Night Slugs club  night. The regularity of those affairs is the stuff of legend, but every so often now, the two label-heads strut their shit. Most recently, they hit up London’s Boiler Room, the pitch perfect location for 40+ minutes of space age club music. You can now stream their set from back in June courtesy of Boiler Room. They know us all too well. Stream below.