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DJ Hell will follow the likes of Dixon, Modeselektor, Junior Boys and Matthew Dear in compiling the latest in Get Physical’s acclaimed Body Language mix series.
Artist: Unknown
Title: The Freeze
Label: Unknown/White Label
Genre: Minimal/Tech House
Format: Limited 12″
Buy From: Juno Records
A (semi) mysterious US import that landed on our doorsteps last week. We’ve been sworn to secrecy on this one, but we can give you a hint or two: the producer of this record runs one of the most prominent underground labels in the US and regularly plays at European clubbing hotspots ala Panorama Bar. Indeed, you could almost say this EP was made with the upstairs house sanctuary at Berlin’s most famous club in mind – “The Freeze” is chock full of that stripped back, Levon Vincent-esque house sound that you’ll often hear belting out of the Panorama speakers at silly o’clock.
On the flip, “The Melt Down” is a siren-led chugger that offers a perfect reprise to the opener, in both name and sound. A more subtle effort, a swirling synth line and shuffling percussion form a backdrop to the throbbing bassline. This is the kind of music that needs to be heard on a big system to be truly appreciated.
Review: Aaron Coultate
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The latest Juno dubstep podcast kicks off with the jaw droppingly good “Cropped” by T++, followed by a host of cutting edge tracks from the likes of VVV, Quest and Flatmate.
With a past dipping between electro, techno, new wave and house, Dan Curtin has been in the game long enough to earn his name as a producer as well as a DJ with residencies in Berlin. Curtin has been producing with an unmatchable work ethic since 1992, releasing records on Strictly Rhythm, Peace Frog, Sublime and his own imprint, Metamorphic Recordings amongst a host of others. Still today, his output levels are through the roof, with a new Lifeblood LP released on Anja Schneider’s Mobilee imprint this month. And it is on the album format where the American really comes into his own: exploring ideas that wouldn’t fit comfortably on one slab of wax. He takes full advantage of the extra space afforded him on Lifeblood, unearthing the full potential of techno as a genre. Flora Wong spoke to the Cleveland native about staying fresh, the inspirations for his new album and what makes a good DJ.
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Artist: Jacques Renault
Title: OTP Party Breaks 2
Label: On The Prowl Party Breaks
Genre: Disco/Nu-Disco
Format: 12″
Buy From: Juno Records
The debut release on the Party Breaks offshoot of the always classy On The Prowl label set the tone with epic reimaginations of music from the New York City of days gone by for contemporary dancefloors. Marcus Cabral’s shuffling 12 minute dubbed out rerub of New Edition’s “Lifetime Groove” was given instant must-have status amongst us disco nerds after featuring on a Aeroplane mix and has been hailed as a modern day balearic masterpiece by Riotous Rockers.
It’s safe to say that volume II, compiled by Cabral’s partner in running away, Jacques Renault, will further solidify OTP Party Breaks’ potential as one of 2010s best imprints. Doubling the sucker punch with four edits that dip into different genres and play out like textbook examples of how to slay a dancefloor (you’d expect nothing less from someone who has released music on Rekids, DFA, I’m a Cliche, RVNG, Wurst, Chinatown and Mule).
Setting the uptempo mood is “In The Middle of The Night”, a subtley nuanced edit of a slice of classic late 70s disco from Jet Brown that adds some neat percussive chops to what is already a lovely warm melody. Fans of Tensnake’s recent “Coma Cat” will be all over “Love & Happiness”, a dirty basement jam that reworks a mid nineties collaboration between Louie Vega and long term muse India to perfection. Renault’s production nous is on evidence with “Miranda” which begins with some very Switch-esque production before dropping into a massive jack of a tribal house groove with several little changeups to keep the dancefloor on its toes. The EP ends with “My Baby Loves Me” which amps up the 80s sax house to the max. More must have material from the record vaults of Jacques Renault.
Review: Tony Poland
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Artist: Nuvo Rich
Title: Saffron
Label: Mullet
Genre: Disco/Nu-Disco
Format: Digital
Buy From: Juno Download
Since they opened their doors back in 2008, Mullet Records have made a habit of releasing some of the smoothest 80s influenced, electro, soul/funk dance grooves on the planet. Their eighteenth release is no different, proudly introducing Nuvo Rich’s debut release, “Saffron.” Pure future synth gold, these two euphoric productions will take you back to the 1980s with a cheeky grin across your face.
Although this is his first outing as Nuvo Rich, the man behind the monkier is far from a novice in the scene. Ferris Armstrong has been making music under a plethora of guises since he first emerged in 2001. He is most recognised as Kid Dub, under which he has had notable success producing everything from dark and eerie minimal and electro to deeper and more melodic sounds. He makes tech house under his D Dub alias with Cozzy D and on his own as Voltaeric. He also writes cinematic, ambient glitch music as Cuebit but it is under his new Nuvo Rich pseudonym that Armstrong escapes the world of techno and electro and wanders into the dreamy landscape of synth pop and 80s new wave.
“Saffron” and “Krystal” are both synth-heavy, melodic pop tracks inspired by French house producers such as Daft Punk, Lifelike and Air. The title track gets the release under way with heart felt melodies and euphoric keys. It’s uplifting to the last, with new wave synth lines building towards an ecstatic end where dream-like melodies finish the track in emotive style. “Krystal” is much the same but continues with a less sensational approach. Sounding almost modest, the track keeps a warm and emotive vibe but in more of a laid back style. Mullet Records have done it once again, looking forward as only they know how – namely, by delving into the classic pop of the 80s to get people dancing once again.
Review: Tom Jones
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The family of Keith Elam aka Guru – have released an official statement following the iconic rapper’s death on Monday.
Berlin resident, Boogiebytes mixer and WMC party boy Seth Troxler will be back at Fabric in May as part of the next On & On party, which, well, goes on and on and on…from Saturday night until Monday morning in fact.
With their APC40, Akai Professional has been causing quite a stir lately, but can their latest contribution, the APC20, equally impress the Ableton Live community? Juno Plus scribe Ben Daly investigates.
Artist: Cari Lekebusch
Title: Merry Go Round
Label: Harthouse
Genre: Techno
Format: 12″, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download
Swedish techno behemoth Cari Lekebusch is far from a stranger to Harthouse Records. Now returning to the imprint with three wonky, strutting techno workouts on Merry Go Round, Lekebusch continues to drive his – and the label’s – sound into the new decade.
His relationship with Harthouse goes right back to the mid to late 90s when he started making stand out records for the imprint. Ever since then Lekebusch has helped formulate a sound through these releases and the ones on his own HP HQ label that has propelled fellow Swedish producers such as Adam Beyer and Joel Mull into the limelight. More recently, he has continued his relationship with Harthouse with 2008’s “Absorb” and artist album, Mind Over Matter. Here is once again, displaying his continual progression on “Merry Go Round”.
The title track is a stuttering techno jaunt, utilising a steady but driving beat, strong bass and some untamed and wonky synths. Grating FX join the mix, creating the track’s futuristic and delightfully weird character. “Seesaw” (which comes in a shorter version here and then again in a longer version at the end) takes things much deeper, stripping it down to the bear essentials. Infectious grooves, tight beats and cut up vocals put the track in place but it is the wonkiness of the bass parts that cause the most interest again. This is loopy techno at its best from the talented Swede who also steps up the tempo on “Rainbow Beard.” One for the clubs, it’s beat flies out of the blocks from the off, but by the time crazy synths cascade through the smooth bass we are back into Lekebusch’s spaced out, wonky techno territory that has made this entire EP such a notable release.
Review: Tom Jones
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Artist: Phil Kieran
Title: Shh Remixes
Label: Cocoon
Genre: Minimal/Tech House
Format: 12″, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download
Phil Kieran returns to Cocoon with an EP of remixes from his Shh album of last year. Featuring reworks from Pan-Pot, Egbert and Patrick Kunkel amongst others, the EP takes on six tracks off the album, delivering new versions for 2010.
Having previously flexed his more minimal tech house muscles on two singles for the Frankfurt based label, Kieran unleashed his eponymous album in September of last year. Shh was a particularly broad minded affair that showcased his diverse set of influences, earning the accomplished Irishman much praise. Now, Cocoon delve back into the album with a clutch of excellent and equally diverse remixes.
Pan-Pot, the Berlin based duo who have also released on Mobilee and SCI + TEC, open the EP with a reductionist rework of “Blood of Barcelona”. It has a subsonic feel, with deep synth stabs piercing through a simple yet bouncy bassline. Ingo Boss also take on the same song at the end of the EP, instead turning it into a pumping club track. The strong beat leads the way as glitch tech FX play out the rest of the track. In between, rising Dutch talent Egbert morphs a hypnotic bassline into a beautiful and uplifting dub track on his remix of “Never Ending Mountain” before Patrick Kunkel turns the same track into a pumping hybrid of techno and dub that somehow keeps the harmonic feel of the original. Matador exercises a minimal wig out on “Dirt” and Kevin Gorman gets things dark, pumping and irresistibly groovy on “Playing With Shadows.”
Phil Kieran’s original album showed just how versatile and diverse techno can be today. Fittingly then, this remix EP goes on to show even more imagination and creativity, throwing off the shackles of functional techno and exploring the genre’s musicality to the max.
Review: Tom Jones
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Artist: Matthew Herbert
Title: One One
Label: Accidental
Genre: Leftfield
Format: CD, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download
Avant-garde musician Matthew Herbert welcomes spring with the release of the first installment in his “One” trilogy, entitled One One. The album’s title is fitting, because the man of many samples has chosen to use just one here – himself. Herbert wrote, performed, produced and recorded everything on the album, and also decided to add vocals in the mix, sung all by his lonesome. Sounding somewhere between Alexis Taylor and Erlend Øye, Herbert lulls with soft vocals and self assured lyrics detailing a day in the life of one man.
For those hoping for the return of Herbert’s signature deep house, you’ll have to wait for the last installment in his trilogy, One Club, because with One One, Herbert displays his soft side, and in many ways this album could be considered a sort of eclectic folk album. Each track has an intimate feel to it, as Herbert confides in his listener, asking: “Who knows where this journey will be taking us? Who cares?” on “Leipzig”, and croons about his second home in the stripped-down and emotional “Berlin”.
Each track’s title is the name of a city, and this quiet collection of songs is like a travel guide of Herbert’s thoughts and memories. Highlights are “Dublin” and “Milan”, which best reveal his vocal chops. For those of you looking for a subtle and introspective album by an excellent and ever-changing musician, One One is for you. Check it.
Review: Matt Leslie
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Armand Van Helden hits London next month, and we’ve got some signed goodies to give away from the Noo Yawk house legend, as well as free tickets to his show.
LA’s favourite leftfield hip-hopper Flying Lotus will preview tracks from his new album Cosmogramma on a live radio broadcast from 8pm tonight (GMT).
Artist: SomethingALaMode
Title: 5am
Label: Yellow Productions France
Genre: Electro House
Format: Digital
Buy From: Juno Download
Rarely do classically trained musicians transfer their skills and talent into making great dance music. SomethingALaMode (SALM) really do prove an exception though – a Parisian duo who keep their abilities with the violin and cello at the core of their electro tunes.
“5am” features singer K.Flay on the mic and is laden with perfect string parts that drive the tune, as well as deep bass and punchy drums to keep the whole thing club-happy. The breakdowns are where it works best though, with the languid chords suddenly breaking down to just the strings, plucked and processed to ebb and flow while the beat picks up. While the radio version is more gentle, the album version is much more pumping and typically French house, thanks largely to some tastefully distorted bass that wraps itself around the tune like a glove.
This approach gets taken further on the ASP mix, which adds loads of weight and punch, as well as some huge bottom end. The Star Guitar leaves the strings behind and constructs a whole new backing around it, bathing in melancholy and minor chords. James Curd again builds a totally unique track around K. Flay’s vocals, and it’s yet another killer mix from a man on terrific form right now. Expanding the vocals with some subtle reverb, he puts some serious bounce into the tune, even speeding it up a couple of notches to give it maximum energy. Not only is “5am” a cool and original tune, the mixes really elevate this into a pretty memorable single – check out just how far each remix takes it to see what we mean.
Review: Oliver Keens
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Influential rapper Guru has died aged 43 after losing his battle with cancer.
Artist: Martin Buscaglia
Title: Temporada De Conejos
Label: Love Monk
Genre: Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
Format: CD, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download
Few things around at the moment come close to sounding as funky as this new album from Uruguayan singer and songwriter Martin Buscaglia. Full of live instruments and Buscaglia’s soulful Spanish vocals, this will be a real revelation for anyone who appreciates everything from Prince to Gilberto Gil. Opener “Jaula De Motos” is relaxed yet tight, with guitar chords riffing on the famous “chanking” rhythms of James Brown’s pioneering guitarist Jimmy Nolen.
“No Vamos A Parar Nunca” features some tasty distorted bass and some rapped verses that combine to remind of Odelay-era Beck, especially with the wigged out noises that pepper the track in the background. In fact, Beck seems like an influence over the album as a whole given the sheer range of songs featured here. Buscaglia flits brilliantly between styles – breaking out with some smokey 12-bar on “Blues Del Carrito”, doing saccharine-filled pop on “Oda A Mi Bicicleta” or just oddball balladry like on “Fico Fue A La Montana”. But it’s when Buscaglia has his funky cap on that he really excels, like on the tight grooving Spam or the reggae-spirited “Si No Esta Roto No Lo Arregles”. There’s so much glorious variety on this album that it’s almost impossible to categorise it, but it’s a real treat from start to end and definitely deserves to be given some serious listening time.
Review: Oliver Keens
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The 2 Bears are Joe Goddard and Raf Rundell. They look like they could be brothers. They also kind of look like bears. Best of all, they’ve teamed up to make some killer house tracks on Southern Fried, and, to celebrate, we’ve got them to name their top tunes of the month for our latest featured DJ Chart…
Singular Hyperdub chief Kode9 has revealed the tracklisting for his upcoming DJ-Kicks compilation, with Ikonika, DVA, Zomby and Ramadanman all appearing in the 31 song mix.
Artist: Herve
Title: Ghetto Bass 2
Label: Cheap Thrills
Genre: Electro House
Format: CD, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download
Out on his own Cheaper Thrills label, fidget king Herve brings the hard twitchy funk with this second instalment of his Ghetto Bass mixes. A perfect bulletin of the best and most hyped tunes of 2010 so far, there’s absolutely no filler here and every tune comes thoroughly road tested. Jack Beats’ mix of Passion Pit kicks things off with some serious attitude, backing it up with Max Morrell’s mighty mix of The Glamour’s “Love Burn”. For a trademark mix of stuttering bass, hip-hop acapellas and huge build-up’s, check out the obscure but incendiary “The Sound” by Kill Light, a banging tune made even better by some killer drum rolls.
Herve picks out some classy alternate mixes of some recent playlist favourites, such as MJ Cole’s standout and thumping mix of L-Vis 1990’s already classic “United Groove”. There’s also the Baltimore flavoured Mane Thing remix of the Shalamar-sampling “Peep Thong”, a hit from last year on Cheap Thrills, as well as Herve’s own mix of Steve Aoki’s recent “In The House”, and an exclusive mix of Orbital’s “Lush”. More Herve exclusives include “Zombies” and “Hot! Drum Attack”, both of which show a funky tropical influence on the beats with oodles of glitchy bass still present and correct. Douster’s mix of Yolanda Be Cool’s “Afronuts” works well alongside these, while a double dose of Joy Orbison ushers in a change of direction into more heavy wobblin’ dubstep territory, courtesy of R1 Ryders, High Rankin and Sukh Knight among others.
Review: Oliver Keens
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