Connan Mockasin’s “Do I Make You Feel Shy” Gets Video Treatment

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April 2, 2014
Videos
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Screen Shot 2014-04-02 at 3.04.36 PM“Come, it’s just one song. Don’t be shy”

What a nice song. What a nice video. New Zealand born, UK resident, Connan Mockasin gifted fans of dreamy, psych-pop with a video for “Do I Make You Feel Shy”, one of the standouts of last year’s Caramel. Connan, if you haven’t heard him before, sounds like Ariel Pink or Mac DeMarco or any other artist that makes you feel sad and in love. This video sees him losing his usual white-on-white-on-platinum white outfit for a leather jacket and a semi-confident smile. The whole episode takes place in an empty Charlie’s, Connan’s favorite Karaoke bar in Manchester, and shows our star getting peer-pressured into performing by two, more confident, ladies. Watch the video below.

New William Skeng – “Two Parts Nightshade”

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March 31, 2014
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In only a few months, rising square wave impresario William Skeng has proven himself as one of the most melodically gifted producers on either side of the Atlantic (or any ocean for that matter). The wily American producer has quickly ingratiated himself in a number of UK circles, garnering support from the likes of Slackk, Tom Lea and Mr. Mitch. Skeng is prolific as hell, but doesn’t just throw half-assed sketches on Soundcloud. His work is polished, equal parts referential and forward-thinking and dynamic to work in a settings. “Two Parts Nightshade” is a deft take on contemporary instrumental grime, a near-trance melody riding over buckshot percussion and meticulously prepared sub-bass. If the sound is familiar, that’s probably because you’ve hear Skeng’s tunes in any number of popular mixes over the past several months. Be on the lookout.

Murlo Remixes Tinashe’s “2 On”

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March 25, 2014
New Music, Remixes
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While “Vulnerable” might have been Tinashe’s don’t-stop-looking-at-me statement, 2014 single “2 On”, featuring Schoolboy Q and produced by DJ Mustard, was the commanding singer’s clear breakout moment. It probably isn’t a coincidence that Murlo let loose his “2 On” refix the same day as the original’s impossibly sexy music video hit the web and the London producer’s filled out, chugging riddim is a perfect addendum to the visual component. Without losing the luster of Mustard’s sultry bassline, Murlo brings a slightly sunnier disposition to “2 On”, making the easier-than-you-might think jump into soca territory.

Niagara Mix For The Astral Plane (w/ Interview)

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March 25, 2014
Mixes
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 A lot of ink has been spilled on Lisbon, Portugal’s Principe imprint over the past several months, but few commentators have focused on the breadth and quality control that the label has achieved in just five original releases. DJ Marfox and DJ Nigga Fox have (somewhat fairly) garnered much of the plaudits from the press, largely because of their wildly creative synthesis of Lusophone-derived production methods, but each of Principe’s releases has shone a different light on Lisbon’s prismatic dance scene. As far as redefinition goes, Principe’s star act is Niagara, the trio made up of brothers António and Alberto Arruda, and Sara Eckerson. Working almost exclusively in the range of house and techno, the trio might lack the polyrhythmic capabilities of some of their label-mates, but they more than make up for it with melodic innovation and a keen sense of the grittier ends of texture. The most obvious contemporary comparison is Actress, but Niagara’s dubby, wind-drag take on house has a sunnier disposition than the London don’s brightest productions. 2013’s Ouro Oeste, the trio’s hardware-driven debut EP, is a six track rough hewn expose on chintzy snares, thick acid basslines and gritty, punchy kick drums. It’s easy to get lost in the fine-tuned analogue basis of the EP, but the sparkling, deceptively complex melodies are what really drive Ouro Oeste.

It’s not that Niagara are re-defining house music as a whole, but like their contemporaries MGUN and Actress, they strive to re-orient the form should be consumed. It can be both glamourous and uncompromising, dusty and sonorous. The following mix features 12 original Niagara compositions that make up 45 minutes of infectious, distractedly lo-fi fun. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t completely obsessed with it and Niagara’s focus on the minutiae of mixing cannot be ignored. I was also lucky enough to share a short email interaction with the group so stream/grab the mix below and hit the jump for the full interview and track list.

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Lotic Disassembles Club Music In Damsel In Distress Mix

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March 24, 2014
Mixes
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This post is late for promotional purposes, but now that I have some time on my hands, I can’t pass up posting it. In anticipation of last week’s massive Nadus, Jam City and Venus X bill at Berlin club night Janus, resident DJ Lotic put together the “Damsel In Distress” mix, a selection that both breaks down and builds up modern club music. An eclectic track list features oddly familiar song titles like “Hummingbird feat. MikeQ, Bobby Johnson, and Miss Modular” and “KIDDIKUGKIDDIKIGKIDDIKIDDI”, but there are only a few bits of recognition in this mix, mostly in the form of ballroom crashes and occasional snippets of recognizable vocal work (with the exception of an extended Beyonce rendition). The mix is full of pauses, brief and not so brief silences and bleating effects. There’s no discernible “flow” here per se, but that works in Lotic’s favor as he misles the listener into a supine state where the macro effect of the piece is more important than its constituent parts. Stream “Damsel In Distress” below and download it here.

CYPHR’s ‘Brace/Gloss FInish’ Out Now

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March 20, 2014
New Music
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Last June, Her Records caught our attention with the unique, R&B-inflected club vibes of CYPHR’s Girl Shake, a free EP that set the stage for Miss Modular’s wildly popular “Reflektor Pack”, although hasn’t received nearly as much popular acclaim. With Sudanim’s The Link EP already under their belt, it’s clear that the Her crew are looking to flex their shit in 2014 and today brings  release of CYPHR’s Brace/Gloss Finish single. More unbridled than Girl Shake, both “Brace” and “Gloss Finish” abandon the R&B trappings of CYPHR’s first Her release, the former opting for a growling, percussive monster and the latter straining ebullient vocals and analogue synth work into a techno framework. Both tracks are wildly efficient club efforts and allow CYPHR the room to remove himself from the shadow of his fellow Her artists. The single is out now and can be bought at the Her store.

Iglooghost Mix For The Astral Plane

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March 19, 2014
Mixes
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iglooghost

In the general sphere of “beat” music, the instrumental hip hop sound both directly and obliquely centered around Los Angeles’ Low End Theory club night, it’s an incredibly difficult task to differentiate oneself from the competition. While the club night has diversified and expanded (by leaps and bounds) since its inception in 2006, there’s a resounding sense that much of its original sonic make-up has become staid and predictable. With the exception of several recent projects, notably Teebs’ E S T A R A, it’s rather difficult to find producers invested in pushing the boundaries of experimental music. Which is exactly where the United Kingdom-based Iglooghost enters the picture. Encompassing both the direct and oblique connections to Low End Theory, the teenage producer is presently working on an LP with Hellfyre Club member-cum-laude Milo, the obvious connection. Iglooghost also represents an ever-growing camp of international producers adapting, expanding upon and sometimes aping the sounds of Los Angeles.

In January, Error Broadcast released Iglooghost’s first official EP, Treetunnels, an effort that saw him adding R&B flavor and vocals to his jazz-inflected productions. With productions under his belt for the aforementioned Milo and Kool A.D., he has also made strides into the hip hop world, resulting in collaborations that belie the oceanic distance between rapper and beatsmith. Outside of his work with rappers, he brings an expansive take on hip hop to the table, showcasing an impressive comprehension of sound design and composition. Iglooghost’s Astral Plane mix features a mature sound that starts with drum and bass and quickly dissolves into immersive ambient space. We first listened to the mix after a weekend at Death Valley and were quickly enveloped in a semi-coherent haze by 32 minutes of richly melodic, deeply rewarding beat work. The track list might not be immediately familiar, but rinse yourself in the mix and it will take you away.

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New DJ Nigga Fox – “L.X.M.B. Noites”

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March 14, 2014
New Music
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Last year, DJ Nigga Fox’s O Meu Estilo EP blew many a mind with its percussive basis and dub-y, dank flair. In the time since, Nigga Fox has become the heir apparent of Lisbon, not only as scene figurehead DJ Marfox’s apprentice, but as a global ambassador of the tarraxinha, kuduro, funana, etc. sounds that arise from the city’s periphery lusophone communities. “L.X.M.B. Noites” is actually one of the more linear Nigga Fox songs, lacking some of the polyrhythmic madness that pervaded O Meu Estilo. Nonetheless, the uncanny synth work and a steady four-on-the-floor pattern opens the door for a second “chorus” as infectious as they come. It’s a real pleasure to cover Nigga Fox and the whole Principe crew these days.

New Young Thug – “Bossy” (Feat. Slug)

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March 14, 2014
New Music
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With 1017 Thug as the platform and “Danny Glover” and “Stoner” (which is being pushed by Atlantic) as the statements, Young Thug has quickly become the most fascinating man in rap. We all want to know who Young Thug is these days. Anyways, his latest cut features associate Slug (aka Lil Tick) and some triumphant horns at the hands of Starter. “Bossy” doesn’t have the indomitable hook of Thug’s past hits, but no one is touching him as far as  reconstructing the art of flow goes.

Tomas Urquieta Remixes DJ Tameil’s “Body”

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March 13, 2014
New Music, Remixes
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Hailing from Viña del Mar, Chile, Tomas Urquieta is one of several impressive South American producers channeling American and UK club sounds through their own unique filter. It would be silly to harp on it, but the proficiency at which Urquieta and Imaabs  ingest Bmore, ballroom and grime and spit out their own exciting results is remarkable. For his latest cut, Urquieta looks to Jersey, lacing DJ Tameil’s “Body” with a bevy of think breaks and whipping the original into a rumbling, squeaky clean lump of heat. Stream below and grab a free download in exchange for a “like” at Urquieta’s Facebook page.