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This week’s mix comes from a producer whose recent album really struck a chord at Juno Plus: Nebraska.
Juno Plus Podcast 21: Nebraska
by Juno Plus on 09.11.2011 at 11:52amRush Hour prep Tom Trago – Iris In Dub
by Juno Plus on 27.10.2011 at 13:14pm
The ever bubbling release schedule at Rush Hour Records sees the Amsterdam based label return to Tom Trago’s masterful and multi-faceted second album Iris, commissioning the producer to rework a number of the tracks for a Iris In Dub release.
Listen: BNJMN – Black Square album mix
by Scott Wilson on 06.10.2011 at 10:52am
Rush Hour have posted this teaser mix of what to expect from their young prodigy BNJMN‘s forthcoming mini album Black Square.
Listen: KiNK & Neville Watson megamix
by Tony Poland on 03.10.2011 at 16:37pm
Fresh from Rush Hour headquarters is this hour long mix up of KiNK and Neville Watson material in both original and remixed form.
Rush Hour reveal Amsterdam All Stars
by Juno Plus on 12.09.2011 at 12:54pm
Rush Hour have tapped into the rich seam of musical talent on their doorstep with the news that the Amsterdam based emporium is preparing Amsterdam All Stars, a compilation of house music from producers residing in the Dutch capital.
BNJMN enters the Black Square
by Juno Plus on 22.08.2011 at 17:08pm
BNJMN will return to Rush Hour’s Direct Current series with a nine track mini album, entitled Black Square.
Nebraska – Displacement review
by Juno Plus on 29.07.2011 at 09:32am
The arrival of Nebraska’s Displacement on Rush Hour is rich rewards for the Amsterdam based emporium’s faith in the producer’s clear talent. The label invested in properly releasing several EPs worth of music from Nebraska’s early days which were destined for MVE obscurity, having either gone out of print or failing to make it past the promo stage before the label folded. Both of those releases, Satellite Variations and Terrestrial Variations, demonstrated a canny melding of glistening disco elements with a rough, hewn approach to crafting house and techno rhythms – a near perfect fit on the RH release schedule.
In the subsequent new releases the producer – real name Ali Gibbs – has delivered for Rush Hour, this approach has been refined and improved upon, with the most notable example being his recent, and to date only, remix – of “Full Disco Jacket” by The Carter Brothers – which expertly added some snap to the beat and stretched out the brass hook with aplomb. Displacement arrives first on vinyl, brandishing eight all new Nebraska jams aimed at rewarding those who have already invested in Four For Four & A Weekend On My Own, the two RH twelves whose tracks will fill out the subsequent CD and digital release later this year.
Taking this into consideration, it’s perhaps best not to judge the eight tracks here on their merits as an album-shaped narrative, and instead focus on their potency. Furthermore, there’s always a danger in casting a critical eye on an electronic album’s success in delivering a similar kind of traditional LP shaped journey as a band. Whilst the final digital and compact versions of Displacement will make for adequate headphone fodder, Nebraska’s music is first and foremost geared for spaces with big speaker stacks and sweaty bodies.
Thus Displacement delivers an instantly rewarding urgency in sound from the very first moments of “Allahad” which deviates in feel, mood and tempo throughout until the last moment on the final track “Characteristics”. Here loose, pitch shifted floating keys and scuttering percussion permeates the sumptuous bed of Mid West chords. There is plenty to retian the interest in the six tracks sandwiched between across the two slabs of vinyl. “Phtalo Blues” operates from a similar template to the aforementioned Carter Brothers remix, but cranks up the pressure on the filtered strings to way past thirty, letting them smash you in the guts with their intensity.
Elsewhere “Aitch Aitch” shows restraint, slowly graduating from the moodiness of its early moments into a track that compels via the rising chord shimmers and gentle piano tones. Tracks such as “You & I” and “The Cruives” expertly weave vocal samples into the Nebraska equation, with their hazy treatment lending the productions an subtle dash of hypnosis. “Patina” could quite easily transpose itself to the Direct Current series alongside the likes of Cosmin TRG and FaltyDL, its jagged placement of urgent synths and unannounced arrival of heaving chords amidst the click clack of loose drums marking it out as a real highlight on an album filled with them.
Tony Poland
Virgo Four to play final UK live show
by Juno Plus on 18.07.2011 at 17:25pm
A mooted final UK appearance from Virgo Four is just one of many reasons to attend the Rush Hour showcase curated by arch London promoters We Fear Silence, which is set to take place early next month at Cable.
Recloose – Saturday Night Manifesto review
by Juno Plus on 15.07.2011 at 13:44pm
Over the past three years New Zealand based Recloose (aka Matthew Chicoine) has lived up to his moniker somewhat, with no new material coming from the producer since 2008. His productions have always flirted mainly around house and disco, as well as the warmer strands of hip-hop and techno, and this EP is no different, but there’s an ambition present which exceeds a lot of his previous material, bringing his style into line with Rush Hour’s younger artists whilst retaining his classic warmth.
Opener “Electric Sunshine” is a bright piece of mid-tempo disco, combining buttery analogue bass with patiently swelling synths. But it’s the halfway point that blows everything open, as snatches of sampled vocals, strings and horns suddenly play off against each other. The mood is one of chaos and soulful serenity all at once; it’s initially jarring, but these are the moments in the EP’s tracks that you find yourself anticipating on repeated listens. “Parquet”, for instance, begins with a clattering Todd Edwards style rhythm, and combines it with staccato vocal samples which create a similarly ecstatic yet confused mood. Rather than playing the samples out in linear fashion, as in the past, Chicoine’s cutting them up and rearranging them in a more contemporary manner in a way that doesn’t feel like a mere gimmick; on the contrary, it’s irresistible to listen to, much like the schizoid confusion of Cosmin TRG’s “See Other People”. But it’s the B-Side “Tecumseh” that really surprises, with a growling techno bassline and heavenly vocal sample that suddenly morph into a beautifully warm house track.
These tracks show Chicoine’s great mastery of structure; the tracks undulate slowly, subtly changing moods as they travel, unfurling from within to reveal hidden layers, whilst utilizing negative space, adding breathing room and further rhythmic complexity to his productions. If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that there’s no end of young house upstarts. But in Saturday Night Manifesto Recloose has returned to lay out his intentions and given us an EP that is as future leaning and intricate as any of these contenders. Let’s hope he doesn’t leave it another three years.
Scott Wilson
Virgo Four – It’s A Crime review
by Juno Plus on 04.07.2011 at 12:40pm
While the humble remix has long been a trusty staple of dance music culture, it’s rare to hear a genuinely innovative or aurally stunning rework. Too often, labels see the choice of remixers as part of the marketing process, making decisions on sales targets rather than artistic merit. Luckily, some labels do “get it”, though. Rush Hour is one of those labels. When they asked Space Dimension Controller and Falty DL to remix Anthony ‘Shake’ Shakir’s loopy Detriot techno classics, they knew they’d plumped for two new school electronic producers who would take Shakir’s grooves in thrilling new directions. So it proved, with both remixes now considered near classic re-interpretations.
This new 12” and digital release clearly shows evidence of similar thinking from Rush Hour. This time round, it’s Virgo Four’s dusty Chicago jack getting the remix treatment, with Caribou and Hunee providing the remixes. Like the choice of Shakir remixers, these are both inspired picks. Caribou, in particular, is an interesting choice. Dan Snaith has taken on a flurry of remix comissions in recent times, with this effort dropping alongside tweaks of Art Department and Radiohead. Prior to that, the thrillingly out-there rework of Kelley Polar from 2008 was the high watermark for his ability in this area.
In its original form, Virgo Four’s “It’s A Crime” – first released on the brilliant Resurrection box set – is a cheery, piano-laden Chicago jacker from the tail end of the 1980s. Snaith’s version, however, is an altogether more atmospheric beast. Where the drums were previously simple and unfussy, the Canadian opts for dubbed-out live drums and hissing jazz cymbals. There’s a weary new vocal from Snaith, which spars with samples of Virgo Four’s original chorus vocal. There are also superb jazz keys, a touch of 303 wizardry and a seedy atmosphere that recasts the song as a late night lament sung by a busker in a dimly lit back alley. It’s mesmerizing.
Hunee’s version is almost as inspired. The Korean-in-Berlin takes the original’s piano-laden cheeriness and runs with it, turning in a version that recalls classic Inner City or Ten City. Think soaring synth strings and horns, deliciously thick synth bass-driven grooves and clattering 808 handclaps.
Matt Anniss
Nebraska preps Displacement
by Juno Plus on 28.06.2011 at 11:10am
Recloose’s Saturday Night Manifesto
by Juno Plus on 21.06.2011 at 18:17pm
Carter Bros – Full Disco Jacket review
by Juno Plus on 13.06.2011 at 16:43pm
The small Australian town of Mildura probably doesn’t rate on any lists of global disco hotbeds, yet it was here that the Carter Brothers story began, in the dusty farmland of regional Victoria. Upon relocating to Adelaide, South Australia, Gavin and Tim released an album on local imprint Cuckoo Music (2009′s Metropolitan) before falling under the global gaze of Dutch imprint Rush Hour, who subsequently snapped up the duo’s latest single “Full Disco Jacket”. Those who have heard the tracks on Metropolitan will be well aware of the Carter Bros style – analogue grooves ridden with aplomb from start to finish. While some producers like to take tracks on two or three tangents, these guys pick a simple-but-addictive loop and nail it.
There’s not much to either the original or the dub version, but to use this as a basis for criticism is to miss the point entirely. In this respect “Full Disco Jacket” brings to mind the best stripped back house tracks, like Kerri Chandler’s “Bar A Thym” – because what it does, it does brilliantly: locking into a filtered loop and driving it along for the track’s duration, with uplifting synth sweeps and deliciously addictive brass arrangements. The dub version keeps the same catchy hook and buries it beneath a tougher kick, with some shakers brought to the fore, again adhering to the ‘simple but effective’ school of thought. British producer Nebraska meanwhile does a sterling job on remix duties, chopping up the beat and adding occasional vocal snippets, extra layers of percussion and slightly comical brass farts, thus succeeding in presenting a viable alternative to the two original cuts.
Aaron Coultate
Rush Hour compile Tevo Howard CD
by Juno Plus on 07.06.2011 at 13:46pm
Rush Hour offshoot Hour House Is Your Rush have announced a forthcoming CD from Chicagoan Tevo Howard, with 2010′s Crystal Republic EP and the previously unreleased Pandora’s Box combined into one album.
Caribou and Hunee remix Virgo Four
by Juno Plus on 25.05.2011 at 13:17pm
Caribou and Hunee have remixed legendary Chicago house duo Virgo Four, with an EP due out on Rush Hour next month.
Braille – The Year 3000 review
by Juno Plus on 16.05.2011 at 10:24am
In recent times, Rush Hour’s Direct Current offshoot has been a constant source of inspirational, dancefloor baiting material. Seemingly designed to offer a retro-futurist take on house from producers perhaps better known for their more experimental material – most recently seen on the thrilling, head-warping releases from Cosmin TRG and BNJMN – the imprint has rarely put a foot wrong to date.
This two-tracker fits neatly into the RH DC template. Braille is a new pseudonym for Praveen, one half of post-dubstep visionaries Sepalcure (whose recent Hotflush EP Fleur was one of that label’s most interesting and forward-thinking releases yet). In true RH DC style, the tracks presented here offer a cutting-edge take on house music that gives classic Chicago jack and the melodic futurism of Detroit a fresh new twist.
“The Year 3000” opens with a delay-laden vocal snippet from Sterling Void’s Chicago classic “It’s Alright”, before sprinting off on a woozy journey into 21st century Euro-jack – all dub-laden percussion, heavyweight 808 thumps, hissing jazz cymbals, spiralling vocal cut-ups and heavy, off key chords. The bassheads currently making their first forays into house will love it.
“Leavin’ Without You” treads a similar path, but offers more basic, straightforward thrills. A heartfelt vocal sample nimbly dances round a ricocheting rhythm of off-beat 4/4 percussion, densely layered chords and mind-altering FX. By the time the organs drop after two minutes, you’ll be lost in the pulsing, ever-evolving groove. Like its impressive A-Side, “Leavin’ Without You” is off-kilter late night house music of the highest order.
Matt Anniss
Steppin Out with Tom Trago
by Juno Plus on 13.05.2011 at 15:27pmA bit of light entertainment for you courtesy of the guys at Rush Hour, who have just released the video for “Steppin Out” – Tom Trago’s killer collaboration with house legend Romanthony.
Interview: Tom Trago
by Juno Plus on 26.04.2011 at 11:14am
Those of us who expected Tom Trago’s second album to follow the same trajectory as his first opus, 2009′s Voyage Direct, were sorely mistaken. The sample based Detroit-meets-disco vibe is largely non-existent on Iris, replaced by a diverse stew of styles that range from vocal hip-house workouts to ambient interludes, via a spot of garage and late night electro-funk. The end result shows a producer clearly comfortable in his own skin, prepared to experiment and challenge himself musically. While Voyage Direct had no original vocal contributions, Iris has six – including Chicago house legend Tyree Cooper, Romanthony (the man behind the vocals on Daft Punk’s “One More Time”), and emerging star Olivier Daysoul. There’s even room for an unexpected vocal debut from well loved Amsterdam producer San Proper.
Perhaps the biggest legacy from Voyage Direct exists not in sound but name; the Rush Hour-backed Voyage Direct series has seen Trago turn his hand to the world of A&R, curating releases from the incredibly deep pool of Amsterdam based talent. Trago’s close working relationship with the Rush Hour empire is obvious – all of his original 12″s and albums thus far have been released on the Amsterdam based imprint or labels directly affiliated with it. Indeed he is arguably now just as entrenched in the city’s music scene as the label itself, acting as a linchpin for the city’s network of emerging producers and DJs. Juno Plus called on Trago to dissect the making of Iris, and discuss the Amsterdam electronic music community and what the future holds as DJ, producer and label chief.
Interview: Cosmin TRG
by Juno Plus on 18.04.2011 at 09:44am
Cosmin Nicolae is a producer who debunks the notion that musical styles are specific to certain locations. Cosmin’s breakthrough single “Put You Down”/”Broken Hearts” launched Ben UFO, Ramadanman and Pangaea’s Hessle Audio imprint in 2007, an outlet that has since become inextricably linked with contemporary UK bass music. That release, particularly the ethereal, post–hardcore vocals of “Broken Hearts”, sound like they were inspired by the early morning vista from a council tower block in Hackney rather than downtown Bucharest.
Interview: BNJMN
by Juno Plus on 05.04.2011 at 09:57am
23 year-old Ben Thomas has made music under a number of guises during the past few years, but his finest moment arrived last month in the form of Plastic World, his debut album for Rush Hour’s Direct Current imprint. Released seemingly out of nowhere, it was a remarkably assured long player, deftly mixing a variety of styles to create something utterly unique.
At first listen BNJMN’s material stands aside from the garage leanings of the other artists on the same imprint (Cosmin TRG, FaltyDL, Policy, Aardvarck), but his material shares the same unmistakable warm melodic sheen that comes from the very roots of vintage Chicago house, and the same dark, skewed outlook on house styles as his label mates.
Winning comparisons to contemporaries such as Lone and Actress for his sound, that is both of the past (particularly the distinct early 90s sound that his music seems to have), yet distinctly futuristic (in places even sci-fi), Plastic World is an album that seems to exist in a vacuum, both in terms of genre and in the spacious nature of his all encompassing production style. So, with this in mind, we took the opportunity to ask him about his inspirations, processes, and whether the 90s really are important to his music…
