Monkeytown Germany At Juno Download

Review: As if releasing their third album wasn't enough, Modeselektor are also busy releasing music on their label, and Elan steps up to deliver some flavoursome electro stylings. "Blackout" is a joyful mixture of dystopian sci-fi grind rubbing up against treated boogie bass in an undeniably funky melting pot. If you ever got down to Dabrye, just you try resisting this release. "Down 4 You" particularly shines with its insistent bump and gently detuning VHS synths. Meanwhile the bossmen (Modeselektor) turn in a surprisingly short and sweet remix that serves as a pleasant bookend rather than a show stealer.

Review: The relentless tidal wave of chunky electronica coming out of the Monkeytown borough shows no signs of letting up with the release of eLan's debut album proper. Funk is most definitely the order of the day, with the West-coast producer's beats clearly indebted to the swagger of g-funk and boogie. Much like his fellow conspirators such as Shlohmo, plenty of space is allowed for the, darewesayit, wonky grooves to strut and tumble around Moog basslines and dreamy samples. While maybe not as wild as some of the Californian beat scene output, Next 2 Last is a thoroughly satisfying record to bump when you want that low-slung jam fix.

Review: After the triumph of their debut album, Low Limit and Lando Kal are back in action under their Lazer Sword alias, this time on 50 Weapons. It makes total sense to see guest spots from Jimmy Edgar and Machinedrum on here, but it's more remarkable how much the duo have switched up their approach from the last LP. There's a much more footworking influence at work, and a lot more ambience and textural ambience where they were once so enamoured with plush, glossy beats and chunky synths. The same attention to detail remains, but now shot through with a moody slant that perhaps reflects their individual evolution as artists.

Review: One of the cheekiest cuts from their rip-roaring Monkeytown LP, Modeselektor draft in their old buddy Otto Von Schirach for some nasty electroid bass action. Appearing here in dub form, the edits of "Evil Twin" come thick and crafty, while the rave-ready sensibilities remain intact, pirouetting around an insistent yet ever mutating bassline. "German Clap" however sees the boys tackling a more UK Funky led approach, offset by monolithic crescendos of synths. With a mid-section break reminiscent of Altered Natives' "Rass Out", you can't really go wrong can you? Once again Modeselektor prove that you can straddle depth and chaos in dance music and make it work.

Review: Over the years, Modeselektor have forged a reputation as fearless innovators, neatly sidestepping genres and frequently confounding critics. It's been some four years since their last full-length, and Monkeytown flits effortlessly between skittish 140 BPM bass music, clandestine electronica, sludgy hip-hop and even warehouse-flavoured tropical rhythms (see "German Clap"). There are some real standouts, including a dreamy, slo-mo pop outing with PVT, two collaborations with Thom Yorke and a droning Anti-Pop Consortium hook-up. Must-check.

Review: Something very special from the incredible Modeselektor, who hook up with legendary Kenyan MC Abbas as well as East African spitter Nazizi on this single that's come out of the BLNRB (Berlin meets Nairobi) project and live shows from the end of last year. The 'selektors cook up a slow, hip-hop-ish beat for the two MCs, and then chop, dice and occasionally vocoder the vocals into a playful yet mean treat. Boys Noize picks up the tempo and uses choice phrases to embellish a "Perculator"-esque tune that's on-point as always. A quartet of peerless talents all at the top of their game; this comes highly recommended.

Review: Drawing on the usual combination of close associates and fresh talent, Modeselektor are plaing curators once again and serve us this hefty 18-strong collection of shockingly modern beats. There's rugged and ranging electronica from Clark, Prefuse 73 and Mouse On Mars, while Modeselektor themselves keep things decidedly techno. By and large though the strongest informer is electro, from Lazer Sword's manic delivery to the deadly Detroitisms of Diamond Version. A special mention goes out to Martyn for the swinging glory of "Red Dancers", a rough and ready jacker with bandy legs and bawdy acid in its veins.

Review: Trimming down the first of two collaborations with Thom Yorke on their Monkeytown album, Modeselektor serve up a radio edit for "Shipwreck". The pacey drum break and prolonged pads sit comfortably with Yorke's miniscule falsetto to create a direct and thoroughly enjoyable slice of Modeselektor fun that eschews their tendencies for chunky electro-derived sounds. Up next is "Dull Hull (edit V7)", which takes a similarly melancholic approach but drops the intricate break in favour of clanging industrial hits that get louder over the duration. It's a perfect bedfellow for the esoteric mood of the lead track.

Review: Stepping up to give the veteran leftfield band what for under orders from Modeselektor, Travis 'Machinedrum' Stewart sounds like he had a lot of fun chopping up Mouse On Mars. It's not hard to spot his hallmark moves all over this feisty reworking of "They Know Your Name", as swift juke-style drum programming and dubstep swagger collide with the spirit of early jungle to great effect. Throw select lifts of Dodo Nkishi's sneering vocal into the somewhat forbidding soundscape and you have a certifiable banger on your hands. For all the hectic elements, there's still an air of restraint that makes Stewart's results so satisfying to listen to, even if the bass tries its utmost to topple proceedings.

Review: Amidst all the trends that have punctuated the last decade or so of electronic music, Siriusmo's pedigree and distinctive sound as a producer have remained one of a few constants. It's this talent spread across a number of EPs and countless remixes that has ensured a growing clamour for a more substantial album shaped insight into Moritz Friedrich's musical mind. Finally it's here courtesy of his peers Modeselektor and from the opening strains of a newly reworked "High Together", it's clear that Berlin's finest purveyor of fuzzy electronic funk wanted listening to Mosaik to be something truly special. Reining in a fondness for hording productions, Friedrich has been able to weave together older tracks such as "Nights Off" and "123" with new material to present an album that retains his core and very much distinct musical identity. Friedrich's inherent ability to craft heavily electronic grooves dripping with a unique funk startles across the course of the seventeen tracks here. Furthermore it's the diversity of sounds covered over the course of an hour that ensure Mosaik never touches on monotony.