New DJAO – “Time To Stop Waiting”

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January 2, 2013
New Music
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Photo by Patti Miller

Dropping Gems mainstay and Astral Plane favorite DJAO looks primed to have a breakout 2013 starting immediately. On January 16, label of the moment Friends of Friends will release the Show Me The Future compilation featuring tracks from AO, Kid Smpl, Evenings, Ryan Hemsworth and more. There isn’t a truer bet in this fucking industry than FoF so you know the final product will be tip top, but in the meantime you can stream AO’s contribution below. If you’re familiar with the Seattle native’s  past work with Dropping Gems, the effervescent “Time To Stop Waiting” will come as no surprise, but for the uninitiated, ready yourself for full immersion into AO’s underwater universe. More beat-oriented than the Wuhn EP, “Time To Stop Waiting” combines understated wailing vocals and slightly clipped percussion into a simple progression with hypnotic effects. We couldn’t be happier that AO is finally getting his proper due and FoF is the perfect place for that to happen. Stream below and look out for Show Me The Future on the 16th.

John Talabot Remixes The xx’s “Chained”

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January 2, 2013
New Music, Remixes
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John Talabot’s ƒIN LP was released last February, but it wasn’t until the cavalcade of year end lists came around that the hype machine really got behind the Barcelona-based producer’s prodigious debut. Admittedly, we missed the album the first time around, but it certainly didn’t leave the proverbial tapedeck for months after we realized the mistake we had made. At his best with fellow Spaniard Pional at his side, Talabot’s measured, Donna Summers-inflected house numbers represented a decidedly anti-traditional take in a fairly by the numbers year that saw numerous artists gravitate towards a four-on-the-floor structure. After touring with The xx, Talabot put on his remix hat and joined up with Pional to take on the London trio’s album standout “Chained”, adding some much needed playfulness to the often-times dreary original. Like the majority of ƒIN, Talabot and Pional expertly manage the ebb and flow of “Chained”, teasing the listener with plinking chords and an ever-throbbing kick that drops out predictably at times, but remains engaging. Talabot and Pional sample a familiar synth line from The Streets’ “Blinded By The Lights”, but retain a feeling of unfamiliarity throughout despite the propinquous nature of its elements. Stream below.

The Monolithium Interview

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January 2, 2013
Interviews
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Over the past few yeas, the prevailing trend in the electronic music realm has been to laugh at traditional genre barriers, embrace internet culture and engage in constant, often impersonal collaboration. The positive results of this trend are obvious, namely new sounds popping up on a daily basis and collaborations that could never have existed only 10 years ago. The truth is that the internet’s self-congratulatory nature has lent a lazy edge to this trend though, allowing artists and labels to gloat in the most minimal progressions, effectively stunting real, meaningful sonic experimentation. Victoria, British Columbia’s own Chris Long, who produces under the Monolithium moniker, has touched on several ephemeral sounds across his first two EPs, but one would be remiss to toss him onto the ever-expanding heap of musical voyeurs. We spoke with Chris a few weeks ago via a shaky Skype connection and dished on his sophomore Bounce 4 Life EP, his sub|division club night, mutually exclusive listening practices and his favorite New York MCs. Unlike most of the internet production mob, Long exhibits the qualities of an actual music fan, expressing an adoration for everything from gully New York hip hop to Swedish math rock. This is clear in Long’s intricate productions, which draw feelings and colors from his divergent influences rather than borrowing actual sonic signifiers. Read on to get the full scoop and cop Bounce 4 Life here

Let’s get the silly stuff out of the way. Who are you? Where are you from?

My name is Chris Long. I was born in the North of England, close to Manchester, and lived there until I was 11, then moved to Canada, lived in Winnipeg, which is where I really grew up. That’s kind of where I cut my teeth in terms of “who I am.” When I was 19, I basically started moving across Canada and I’ve spent the last decade in Victoria BC, which I love to bits. I’m a music junky, I’ve been hugely into music my entire life, especially urban sounds like rap music and techno. Although I’m into hella other shit as well.

Hit the jump for the full interview…

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Sounds From The Astral Plane (Finality)

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December 16, 2012
Mixes, New Music, Remixes
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We only jumpstarted our Sounds From The Astral Plane series a few weeks ago, but this edition will (unfortunately) most likely be the last of 2012. We do have a few nice features coming your way in the next couple of days so keep your eyes peeled. This week, we have two (!) Missy Elliot reworks, a quartet of amorphous mixes and more on-point Kid Smpl night bus vibes. Much love as always.

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New Ab-Soul – “Only 1”

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December 12, 2012
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Only God and Ab-Soul know what’s really going on. The government’s after him (both?) after all so you might as well call him the Black Lip Pastor . In peak form, Soulo spits over some DJ Muggs circa 2012-esque production from Willie B, exhibiting the finest in paranoiac cult talk. Fuck with Ab-Soul and stream and download below. You might just make prophet off of prophesy.

New South London Ordnance – “Dune”

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December 11, 2012
New Music
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For a guy that prefers to operate behind the scenes, but doesn’t indulge in any purposeful obfuscation of his image, South London Ordnance has made some absolutely massive waves in 2012. Prone to drop one offs and other sketches on his Soundcloud, the south London (obviously) resident has built a genre-spanning resume of deep, distinctly London cuts that bely his youth. XLR8R did a wonderful feature on him back in September, but the best way to enter his world is by digging around his Soundcloud for old, unreleased cuts. What you’ll find is a huge collection of mystifyingly impressive dubstep, techno, house and, well, everything else. Just beware that you’ll be getting yourself into a 3-4 digging session. SLO’s latest cut comes as part of FACT Mag’s Advent Calendar gimmick and is appropriately titled “Dune”. Whether or not he’s inferring the Herbert novel and/or Lynch movie, “Dune” is as transgressive as they come, refusing to abide by any existing structure. Vaguely techno informed, “Dune” slowly evolves into all-out acid madness, the 303 stealing the show among ambient synth swooshes. So start with “Dune”, then check out his LuckyMe mix and you’ll be off.

New Chrome Sparks – “Send The Pain On”

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December 11, 2012
New Music
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Jeremy Malvin lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan and makes music under the Chrome Sparks moniker. He also plays in Stepdad, fthrsn and sometimes makes music as Promises and Sean Broadway. His Professor Purple moniker has been retired. That’s what I just gathered from Jeremy’s Soundcloud description. I haven’t listened to all of his side-projects, but I really enjoy his work as Chrome Sparks so I will probably check them out at some point. As Chrome Sparks, Malvin makes the type of live instrument driven beat work that could/should make Ghostly International come a callin’. Malvin’s latest song as Chrome Sparks is called “Send The Pain On” and is his best work to date, applying the intricate, warm arrangements of his beat work to a more pop-oriented structure. The grandiose, big band feel of M83’s most recent album is probably a sonic precedent to “Send The Pain On”, although Malvin doesn’t engage in quite as many synth and vocal histrionics as Anthony Gonzalez. There’s a lot going on here, but it feels rightly structured, nothing completely out of place, but nothing too predictably placed either. If I’m not mistaken, the vocal sample is from Chevelle’s “Send The Pain Below”. Apparently, there’s some sort of EP in the works, but in the meantime you’ll have to deal with a stream of “Send The Pain On”.

New Brenmar – “BF GF”

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December 10, 2012
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brenmarLike so many other producers in and/or affiliated with East Coast club sounds, Brenmar has seen a massive spike in popularity in 2012. Luckily for the Chicago-native, his production skills have improved simultaneously, making him one of the rising stars of the club scene. “BF GF” is another formless heater that utilizes a sound similar to the buzzing noise in DJ Sliink’s “Vibrate”. Brenmar’s tracks are formless in their refusal to acquiesce to any genre limitations, opting to traverse between regional sounds from across the country. Stream “BF GF” below.

Lil Ugly Mane Is Shawn Kemp

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December 10, 2012
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lil ugly mane - external files

Still reeling from the untimely death of his computer, Lil Ugly Mane has liberated another collection of bits and pieces, this time the External Files EP under his Shawn Kemp production moniker. The EP was found in a flash drive hidden in a couch and represents the mellow side of Ugly Mane’s production repertoire. There’s some chopped up lounge jazz, a flute and a generally laid-back vibe. It’s somewhat similar to the vibe found on his mixtapes, but far mellower and less abstracted. The EP is free so stream/download it below and give a shout for the lugubrious one to get back on his rappity rap grind.