Friends of Friends | The Astral Plane

In which Jerome LOL continues to tweak the sound first found on the Changes EP, reapplying it to labelmate Tomas Barfod’s “November Skies”. I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that Jerome could easily be producing (if he isn’t already) for some of the biggest names in the industry. On “November Skies”, he invents a child-like element, represented in the chipmunk vocals and twinkling chimes. Not childish, but child-like. Innocent. Bashful. The synths bounce off of the track walls in bouts of controlled excitement as the live-sounding percussion tumbles over itself resulting in an Animal Collective-esque chaos. This might be the best track of 2012 for people to hipster dance to. The remix is off of the “November Skies” remix package (catch Sepalcure’s take here), out November 26 via Friends of Friends.

Over the past nine years, Seattle’s Decibel Festival has established itself as one of the premier purveyors of forward thinking electronic music in the world. While not quite as recognizable as names like Sonar or MUTEK, Decibel’s focus on live performance and technology, both through its panels and showcases, has elevated it to revered status among fans and artists alike. Like any festival, the lineup poses many difficult choices, but because Decibel is held at venues across the city, discerning festival attendees usually have to choose one or two events to hit a night. To possibly aid your decision making process, we’ve chosen the five showcases that we are most excited about. Of course, it’s impossible to predict which showcases will be the biggest hits and there will certainly be more than a few surprises. With legends like Carl Craig, Orbital, DJ Shadow and Erykah Badu’s Cannabinoids project on the bill, as well as a special visit from The Boiler Room, it is sure to be a special five days. And to be honest, you can’t really go wrong with any of the dB showcases. Without further ado, our recommendations…

Beat Prodigies Presented By LFTF Feat. Dabrye, Samo Soundboy, Kid Smpl, Keyboard Kid and Katie Kate (Wednesday September 26 @ Barboza 21+)

Unsurprisingly, the good folks at Live For The Funk have put together one of the most diverse, eccentric showcases of the entire festival. Beat Prodigies is headlined Beat scene legend and Dilla disciple Dabrye who has laid low for the the past half-decade. The Detroit native has only released one EP (as James T. Cotton), but his left-field sampleology still sounds as fresh as ever. Samo Soundboy is the founder of Body High and one of the foremost purveyors of American club music. His latest release, the 5 Dollar Paradise EP, is an exhibition in acid sounds bridging the TR-303 with contemporary club sounds that should light a fire under the Barboza dancers. Contrasting the upbeat hip hop and club sounds of the two headliners, Kid Smpl will bring the Night Bus vibes to the club. Rounding out the lineup are Keyboard Kid and Katie Kid. Expect tempos to swing wildly throughout the showcase and be prepared to vogue.. or whatever you do.

Find our Thursday-Sunday recommendations after the jump…

—The Astral Plane

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Jerome LOL Remixes Tomas Barfod’s “November Skies”

Five Decibel Festival Showcase Recommendations