jackLNDN – Don’t Forget
The second off jackLNDN’s upcoming Summer Never Ends – Vol. 1 EP, with an airy deep house taste. The song structure is very simple from start to finish, but the details and groove in between keep you interested. Filtered vowels and dub rhythms that oscillate underneath the hook, reverse-reverb fades, interplay between the arps and percussion . . . at the end of the day, a predictable but undeniably polished stand-out release from a producer gaining big notoriety recently.
Check out jackLNDN here.
Hudson Mohawke – Brainwave (Zach Witness Revive)
Often you come across a song that puts you on the fence. There’s something off about it, something different, something weird and jarring but that’s exactly what keeps you coming back. And while you’re vacillating back and forth, trying to decide black-and-white whether you like this song or not . . . your headphones fall silent and you realize that you’ve just finished your 6th replay. Face it: you love it. That’s exactly how I felt with Zach Witness’ interpretation of Brainwave that surfaced last week (inspired from Hudson Mohawke’s original concept piece). It has a lot of quirky charm, embellishing glitches and samples, and one of the most suspenseful builds I’ve heard in a while — tension snapped with the most rewarding and monumental release. So, if you feel like you need a little taste of something entirely different, give Brainwave a spin.
Check Zach Witness out here.
EP: Ruck P – Corcovado
Ruck P, of hip-hop turntable duo Ruck N’ Wiz and nu-disco trio Boulevard 95, releases his first solo EP with Flow-Fi. It’s a snapshot of his production skill, stretching across a broad range of genres from jazz and soul to hip-hop and downtempo. Crisp sounds for some weekend r&r featuring artwork from Aywy.
Alexander Lewis – IMY
You may remember a while back when we covered Alexander Lewis’ release with Brasstracks. He’s back with a new one, this time with SYZYGY records. IMY (‘I Miss You’) is a short but sweet future bass treat, another nice installment from a producer we’ve grown fond of. What I love about this track is the chord structure and the way it’s presented — lots of lush 7ths and tense diminished voicings.
Check out Alexander Lewis here.
Tom Misch & Carmody – So Close
Carmody (songwriter-vocalist) and Tom Misch (19 year old multi-instrumentalist) have teamed up to develop an EP, Out To Sea, set to drop on December 8th. The single they’ve been pushing is So Close, an intimate duet that showcases the magic that follows when these two get together. Carmody and Tom’s vocal timbres feel very separated and nuanced, but the differences work to support them together as a unit. Beauty can be found in every part of this song and every corner of the mix, but their harmonies bring the emotion, and bring us back over and over again.
EP: La Mar – Anchor
Just a few weeks ago we fell in love with Mazde’s Shifted Thoughts EP, marking the launch of Stoney Roads Records. Now to follow up we have a debut from Sydney’s Dylan Wright (vocals) and Andrew Grant (production), better known together as La Mar. The duo turned heads upon uploading a demo of Anchor several months ago. The song caught fire and eventually served as the impetus for business talks with Stoney Roads Records. Now La Mar is firmly rooted in the scene with this, their debut EP release. It’s an impressive introduction, and features a noteworthy Mazde remix that cleverly plays with the vocal rhythm of the original.
UNBLOOM – Feel This Way
UNBLOOM is a brand new electronic project, active for only a month now. This week saw the release of a second new piece online: Feel This Way. We exchanged a few words with the nameless producer working behind the scenes, and learned that UNBLOOM’s aim is to ‘explore the nuances of texture, juxtaposing sharp sounds with warm, pseudo-natural sounds.’ There is a reason behind the anonymity: ‘I have kept my name anonymous in order to avoid personal biases and prejudices from my closest peers. I wanted to attain an unbiased account of my music . . . I wanted to explore how anonymity could help (or even hinder) the music I create. I can say that I am 21 years old and live in a city outside of Toronto, in Canada.’ Feel This Way features some wonderfully layered synths and textures, and firmly planting UNBLOOM on our radar for the future.
Check out UNBLOOM here.
Stylish Rodent – Newfound Gaiety (Chartreuse)
‘Each track will be uploaded once I’m completely happy with them and feel they’re finished’ — Stylish Rodent has been slowly but steadily working on a new EP, titled Enigmatic. Listening to the three tracks he’s released so far, it’s going to be just that. A restless group of sounds indecisively vacillating between glitch and future bass, like the inside of his hyperactive mind. The latest single, Newfound Gaiety (Chartreuse), goes one step further. At times it can be sensory overload, to the point that a lot of its charm comes simply from trying to stay oriented as textures whirl around your eardrums. Alfie Morgan-Flower, the producer behind it all, has said himself, ‘this is the track I’m most proud of on this EP.’ And if you’re wondering ‘why Chartreuse?’, he explains: ‘Each strip of colour you see on the cover art represents a track on the EP. No real meaning behind this choice, just wanted to do something cool with the art direction for the release.’
Check out Stylish Rodent here.
Saje – Take Care Of You
Saje is an emerging electronic duo (monikers Mazego & Vitesse) from Paris with a chilled future bass style. Take Care Of You, a slow piece based around call-and-response between waves of synthesizer and a blues-infused pentatonic guitar, is only their second official release. Following their debut, Lost Tonight, Saje leaves a solid first impression on listeners and has left us itching for new material.
Check out Saje here.
Folded Like Fabric – I Tried
I Tried is the first off an upcoming EP from Sussix duo Folded Like Fabric. The pair, Connor Sims on vox and Jay Mooncie on production, bring electronic elements to an alternative-indie sound that isn’t afraid to get a little experimental, while never becoming messy or tactless in the process. Mooncie’s work on I Tried is clean and clear as a bell, laying full-bodied string samples behind a swinging beat, accompanied by effortless bass and guitar parts. Sims, on the other hand, contributes a polished vocal keep all the ear-candy centered. I’m sure the rest of this approaching EP will boast a high caliber of quality and thought like I Tried — it’ll be a unique escape, and I’m really looking forward to giving it a listen.
Check out Folded Like Fabric here.
Jack Beats – Just A Beat
It’s Halloween, the infamous night where kids eat way too much candy for their teeth to bear and ‘grownups’ drink way too much alcohol for their livers to stand. What with the ghouls and ghosts roaming the streets and clubs tonight, things are bound to get a little weird and otherworldly. So, we decided to share one of our most bizarre favorites to fit the mood: Jack Beats’ Just A Beat. Happy Halloween!
Check out Jack Beats here.
KAASI – Lisse
KAASI celebrated a birthday this past week with the release of Lisse. Like his other lounge-house work, it’s deep and luxe but still minimal in a way that seems to beg your attention for the smaller details that may not pop out until the second or third listen. KAASI said himself that he’s a strong believer in “less is more” — Lisse is another great example of that truth.
Check out KAASI here.
Video: Ghost Loft – Be Easy
Ghost Loft fell off the radar after a year of silence following the release of his first two singles, Seconds and So High. Well, he’s officially back. Be Easy is a haunting breath of atmosphere, visually and aurally. As the video’s title spans the screen, we’re met with harrowing footage from the 1992 LA riots, a muffled kick drum, and a slapback vocal delay reminiscent of a handheld megaphone. Police brutality, looting, fire . . . the music builds and soon the chorus hits our ears, insisting:
EP: Mazde – Shifted Thoughts
Stoney Roads is a passionate and reliable Australian editorial organization that’s been promoting hot dance music since 2007. Today they’ve taken the next step, proudly announcing the launch of Stoney Roads Records along with the newborn label’s first release: Mazde’s Shifted Thoughts EP. Mazde, a 20 year old producer from Germany, got a big break with his remix of Disclosure’s Help Me Lose My Mind (playing off the popularity of Flume’s take on You & Me) climbing to well over a million plays. Tastefully drawing from trip-hop, house and bass influences, Mazde built up a unique and polished sound through a substantial collection of remixes and originals, and Shifted Thoughts is short but sweet proof that he has a lot to offer in the future.
Authr – Breathe
Couros Sheibani, the man behind London’s Authr, put his first track Breathe online only months ago . . . and it sounds like the work of a seasoned electronic veteran. Mellow yet upbeat, simple but intricate, with a vocal hook that grabs you quickly and won’t let you go until its over. Since Breathe Authr has been turning out new tracks monthly (definitely check out Belief here), with plans for an EP on the horizon.
Check out Authr here.
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