RuddyP is 19 years old and from Manassas, Virginia. His government name is Ruddy Paniagua. Back in February, he released the Split EP with XXYYXX. He’s been making (or at least releasing) music for at least one year and also works under the Heavy Deer moniker. His tracks range from Star Slinger-esque Summer hip hop to dismal synth pop numbers. The Split EP is representative of the former. His newest track, “Wait4Me”, is indicative of the latter. Molasses thick and sublimely slow, the track aches along through wavy synths and skittering hi hats resulting in a dreamlike trance. It’s a beautiful Summer song, but not the happy go lucky brand. Perfect for one of those half-way corny, but still touching breakup montages. RuddyP’s free downloads have run out so you’ll have to wait until the first of the month to grab this track for yourself, but give it a listen below.

So earlier, we posted a roundup of mixes from the likes of Baauer, Hudson Mohawke and Nguzunguzu. Well it looks like we spoke/posted too soon. It’s been quite a day for mixes (check out Mixes From The Astral Plane, Vol. 2) and we’ve got three more for your listening pleasure. We’ll make this quick so you get to it.

Dirtybird representative Eats Everything is featured in Resident Adviser Podcast 316 and said the mix was the best he’s ever done. Check it out over at RA. I’m pretty sure everyone besides us was at Sónar 2012 in Barcelona over the weekend, but in case you weren’t, relive Chicago legends DJ Spinn and DJ Rashad play out some classic juke over at Red Bull Music Academy. Houston beatsmith Sines has made quite a name for himself via his own tunes and his recently formed imprint Freshmore. Don’t miss out on his mix for Keep On Repeat.

It’s hard not to mention the age of Marcel Everett, better known as xxyyxx, when speaking to his music. The 16 year old Orlando native has been releasing tracks to his Soundcloud and Bandcamp page since last Summer and has garnered a venerable online following. In march, he released his self-titled debut on Orlando label Relief in Abstract Records, a reverb heavy romp through contemporary R&B and hip hop. xxyyxx sounds a little like Balam Acab’s minimal chamber music sampling cataclysm’s, but is far more direct. He doesn’t make outright hip hop beats like Clams Casino, although he does share some sonic similarities, opting instead for winding tales of hi hats, pitched vocals and yes, plenty of reverb. These are not beats that any MC could rap over. Not satisfied with the success of xxyyxx, Everett has released several projects including his most recent, a two track EP titled DOLOR. The EP is short in length, but not lacking in quality and should serve as a nice stopgap between xxyyxx and his next full length. Stream and download below.

FYF Fest 2011 (Photo by Gabe Meier)

One of LA’s most underrated indie festivals, FYF Fest (formerly Fuck Yeah Fest), will be back in full swing this September. According to the festival’s website, the event will expand this year from one day to two, taking place on September 1st and 2nd at the State Historic Park in Downtown LA. FYF is known for putting together deliciously eclectic lineups, with an appealing mix of well-known artists and newcomers from a wide array of genres, sure to please a variety of musical and cultural tastes. This year, the festival’s headliners consist M83, Beirut and Refused; other notable acts include James Blake (!!!!), Sleigh Bells, Desaparecidos, Simian Mobile Disco, Tycho, Purity Ring, Gold Panda, Chairlift, Aesop Rock, AA Bondy, Dam Funk, and many others. The festival possesses a laid-back, sun-drenched vibe, and its accessibility in Downtown LA makes it a unique setting for some really fantastic performances to take place. This is not one to miss.

Weekend passes start at $77 and go on sale this Friday, the 22nd. Check out the full lineup after the jump.

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I’s been an incredibly busy day in The Astal Plane’s “office”. This morning, we let Volume 2 of our Mixes From The Astal Plane series loose on the public and as far as we know it’s bringing the ruckus somewhere uptown. While we believe our mix is indisputably the mix of the day, several other esteemed acts have released mixes of their own for consumption by the general public. Instead of writing three separate posts, I’m going to take the easy way out.

First off, we have LA duo and consonant enthusiasts Nguzunguzu bringing the heat with this month’s FACT mix. The duo of Asma Maroof and Daniel Pineda come through with an expertly curated selection of bass, Jersey club and pop tunes to get your bood flowing. Short, sweet and simple, Nguzunguzu splay 20 tracks over the mix’s 35 minute runtime, opting for effective/pragmatic mixes over thunder and lightning. Head over to FACT to listen/download.

Our second mix is actually a live as opposed to a pre-recorded deal and comes from Warp and LuckyMe representative Hudson Mohawke. Live from Livin’ Proof in East London, HudMo displayed a masterful grasp of American hip hop new and old. Head over to the BBC and skip to 2 hour 9 minutes to catch the Glaswegian’s set.

If I told you that a certain Brooklyn-based producer laced BBC with a VIP edit of breakout hit “Harlem Shake”, you probably wouldn’t be interested right? Well, it’s true. Baauer was on Radio 1Extra’s Diplo and Friends program over the weekend and laced the world with a series of tarp-y tracks. There was some new Ryan Hemsworth, a little Salva/RL Grime, a little ƱZ. Again, you’re probably not interested. Head over to BBC and skip to the second hour to catch Baauer’s antics.

Go To Hell!

Open Mike Eagle has been making waves in the weirdo Los Angeles hip hop community for years as a solo MC and a member of Hellfyre Club. On une 26, Mike will drop a new album, 4NML HSPTL, on Fake Four. I’ve heard Mike’s music called nerd rap, avant-garde, and a number of other silly titles. We prefer good hip hop. “Cobra Commander” is the first track off of 4NML HSPTL and features Danny Brown. It’s funny, wonky and oddly intellectual. Stream and download below.

After a slight delay, one of our most anticipated releases of the year has hit the web. Haleek Maul let loose his debut Oxyconteen EP through Merok Records earlier and oh what a debut it is. Macabre in subject matter, production and aesthetic, Oxyconteen is a beautifully disturbing introspective into the mind of the 15 year old MC. Some might be quick to label it horrocore or another similarly disparaging label, but a quote from our interview with Haleek illustrates the EP far more aptly:

Whether or not I should be the good guy or the bad guy, the addict or the straightedge, etc. goes on forever. I kind of realized it was stupid to subscribe to a title. You usually let yourself down anyway by setting those types of goals that restrict your personality. All of that is in me and it makes me the unique person I am.

Haleek projects his insecurities into his music and therefore into your mind. Like he says on “Gully”, “I am not a person, I’m just voices stuck inside your head.” You won’t find a more self-aware release than Oxyconteen this year. Combine that with production from Supreme Cuts, King Britt, EPLP, The-Drum and Strat Carter and this debut will stay in the deck for many months to come. Just give this shit a listen. It’s free. You really don’t have an excuse. Stream below and grab the whole EP right here.

If you’ve been following us for awhile now you will certainly recognize our gushing love for the Dropping Gems label. We recently did an in-depth interview with label head, Aaron Meola, and DJAO from the collective. You can check out the interview here if you missed it. Besides learning the ins and outs of running a label, we also inquired about DJAO’s production process. Like magic, the Seattle producer just posted a new track to his soundcloud, a remix of Devonwho’s “Strangebrew” off of his most recent effort, Perfect Strangers Vol. 1. DJAO keeps true to the original and capitalizes by adding his own crisply tuned bubbling sounds… then the bassline comes in. The track is topped off with what sounds like a space-age xylophone to add some more lush vibes. Stream the track below off of his Soundcloud and be sure to check out the rest of his tracks on the page.

Catch the original tune below

If you follow us on the various modes of social media we frequent, you’ve probably noticed that we have a little bit of a crush on Claire Boucher aka Grimes. Ever since reading the tail of Boucher’s Tom Sawyer-esque houseboat adventure down the Mississippi, we were stricken by the dreamy vixen. That haircut, the fact that she’s from our corner of the woods and her obsession with Blawan all speak directly to our hearts. If you frequent this blog, you are probably also aware of our infatuation with Jersey Club kingpin, and recent tarp purveyor, DJ Sliink. Yesterday, Sliinky Sliink upgraded his Soundcloud (free downloads for all!) and uploaded a brand new remix of Grimes’ standout track “Oblivion” as a sort of symbolic champagne shower (at least in our minds). Honestly not Sliink’s best rework, but fuck it, Grimes + Sliink should make everyone happy. Stream and download below.

Astral Plane contributer, Producer, and DJ Viette put together this mix full of tunes to thoughtfully get you turn’t up in the Summer of 2012/Summer of Trap. Check the tracklist below, there are some bangers nestled in there.

http://soundcloud.com/viette-2/summer-nights-mix-for-astral

  1. Runnin’ – Jessie Ware (Disclosure Remix)
  2. Bubble Di Sistem – Phat Deuce
  3. Van Vogue – Machinedrum
  4. Watch Her – C L I E N T E L L E
  5. What To Do – French Fries
  6. Original Don – Major Lazer (Flosstradamus Remix)
  7. Flaunt It – LOL Boys
  8. The Lick – Dark Sky
  9. Sketch On Glass – Mount Kimbie
  10. Beserk – Jonwayne
  11. Coffee & Swishers – Dro Carey
  12. Wildfire – SBTRKT ft. (Little Dragon)
  13. One Kiss – MORRI$ & Sinjin Hawke
  14. Test Me – Flosstradamus & DJ Sliink
  15. Goin In Hard – Branko Ft. Dominique Young the Unique (Beatacue Remix)
  16. Yo Vogue – French Fries (Leroy Peppers Remix)
  17. Harlem Shake – Baauer
  18. All 4 Tha Hustlers – Tyler Tastemaker & Quarry
  19. DumDum – Baauer
  20. Drop – BoeBoe
  21. Komodo – Salva
  22. Rained The Whole Time – Shlohmo (Nico Jaar Edit)
  23. Crew Love – The Weeknd (Shlohmo Remix)