Sonic Router x Hivemind x Xpldr Session // 27.03.11 @ 10-12pm GMT

This Sunday 10-12pm GMT I’m back on Hivemind FM for Sonic Router lock in to hear a load of fresh wax on the Xpldr Session. Big up Oli for the last show which you can find in the archives on our mixcloud along with our other shows. Scribble it down: every second and fourth Sunday of the month, lock in, and end your week with SR. Join our facebook group for updates and listen to our track of the day while you’re at it.

http://www.hivemind.fm/
http://www.mixcloud.com/sonicrouter/
http://www.facebook.com/SonicRouterLDN
http://www.sonicrouter.com/

Esben & The Witch – Violet Cries [Matador]

Brooding post-rock addled haunted indie soundscapes are what Brighton trio Esben & The Witch deal in. They’ve been on my radar since the very promising EP ‘33’ appeared a year ago, meanwhile they’ve been honing their skills at gigs and in the studio. Only to get picked up by indie big guns Matador, they even landed a spot on the BBC sound of poll and unleash this, their debut album. It’s an assured slow burning long player that shows a young band with plenty of vision and a load of potential. To my ears at least they can sound like If Zola Jesus had a slightly more epic, atmospheric hazy sound and binged on post-rock then you’d get somewhere close, there is a haunted disconcerting beauty to them both. If you took Warpaint out of their garage and recorded them having a near death experience through blown amplifiers in a bigger garage with more plug sockets for drum machines and effects units, you wouldn’t be far off either. They even stand quite well with Laurel Halo’s off-kilter lo-fi pop too. It cold even be said there’s a hint of Portishead in there somewhere but that’s enough comparisons: on with the album.

They build soundscapes that slowly unveil: opener ‘Argyria’ melts into view before teasing a more song like structure then seeping into the next track ‘Marching Song’ which makss a welcome re-appearance from the ‘33’ EP and its sounding better than ever its all high drama and pent up tension. The melancholy, delicate beauty of ‘Marine Fields Grow’ is one to really sink into. We’re really rolling with the one two punch of ‘Chorea’ and ‘Warpath’ slap bang in the middle of the record. They both have a bit of drive and intensity its where the album starts to burst into energy, emerging out of the hazy unsettling dreamscapes into something more sinister. ‘Chorea’ has some seriously luscious shimmering guitars, machine drums and sweeping vocal melodies. While ‘Warpath’ runs with a different kind of energy, there is a melodic, other-worldly spiky almost HEALTH-like post-punk shimmer to the guitar lines before it all drops into a spaced out state of bliss.

We get all tender again with ‘Eumendies’ hushed tones, layers of sound and bubbling building electronics that flow out of the quite before getting a bit twisted and upping the energy and fragmenting into bursts of noise and haunted melody and back again then right when you least expect it, an indie disco thump... The final track ‘Swans’ chimes, drones and rings into effect and ushers Violet Cries out in fine off centre style that goes from haunting dissonant passages of shimmering melody it’s a sweet low key ending. Esben & The Witch are a young band that have really found their feet with the debut album, they’re still growing and mutating but they’ve got confidence in their sound and it shows. The song writing, vocals and soundscapes all come together beautifully. Violet Cries is an interesting listen and a solid record, they’re ones to keep an eye on, they’ll be one of the best new bands around for a while.

Video: Esben & The Witch - Warpath



Buy: http://esbenandthewitch.bigcartel.com/

http://www.esbenandthewitch.co.uk/
http://www.matadorrecords.com/

Sonic Router x Hivemind x The Xpldr Session // 27.02.2011 @ 10-12pm GMT

‘Catch Jimi The Exploder presenting The Xpldr Session for Sonic Router every 4th Sunday at the same time from 27th Feb 2011’

Yeah I’m stepping up from my ustream sessions to hosting my first radio show on Hivemind FM this weekend for Sonic Router. I’ll be taking over every fourth Sunday of the month @ 10-12pm GMT from Oli, he’s still doing the second Sunday of every month so you know. Just a quick heads up to remind people it’s coming. Get ready to lock in, jump in the chat room. Expect a range of vibes, loads of beats and bass. It’s going to be live!

Listen: http://www.hivemind.fm/

Archive: http://www.mixcloud.com/sonicrouter/

http://www.sonicrouter.com/

LHF – EP2: The Line Path [Keysound]

LHF are a shadowy organisation and to be honest that’s just the way we like it. They comprise of a production crew of about seven. They keep it tight and have built a world of their own that seems both far-reaching and contained all at once. You never know which way they’re going to turn next when you listen to their sets but it always fits and sounds unmistakeably LHF. The Line Path EP is split between producers Amen Ra and Double Helix two of the group’s core members.

Double Helix keeps the bumping rhythmic dubtep patterns going like on the previous EP. The horn samples give ‘Chamber of Light’ a Wu Tang kind of feel when they hit, well Wu Tang if they also featured Mala on the buttons. The drums and space are as infectious as ever; Double Helix has got a way with programming that really gets things bumping. Tablas, woodblocks and all manner of percussive nuggets just keep rolling on the next track ‘Bass 2 Dark’ too. Bursts of jabbering bass synths hit out of the rhythmic shuffle and pulsing sub bass.

Amen Ra’s track ‘Candy Rain’ sounds like it could be taken from the Brainfeeder stable, its got a similar de-tuned, melted vibe that a lot of Samiyam’s work has. The unlikely coupling of what sounds like an accordion or a synth version of it, steppy rhythms and warm lazy bass tones give the track a bright lilting funk. It’s undoubtedly a highlight. He rounds of the 12” with a techy dystopian vision on ‘Trifle’, its all dusty driving synths and gritty textures played like the soundtrack to a sci-fi race scene set in the ruins of Detroit.

The Line Path wets the appetite, which is a good thing considering the amount of quality material they’ve got. It’s just the tip of the iceberg. Two EPs in and I’m already hoping an album is on the horizon.



http://www.myspace.com/raizms
http://www.myspace.com/helixier
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=343822987445
http://blackdownsoundboy.blogspot.com/

Amen Ra & Vibezin Live @ The Boiler Room
http://boilerroom.tv/amen-ra-vibezins-60-min-mix/

Originally written for Sonic Router.

Royal T – Orangeade EP [Butterz]

With a few 12”s already under his belt as well as some impressive tracks here and there Royal T has been making all the right moves, ‘Beat Fighter’ and his ‘Hot Ones’ remix have barely left the bag since they dropped. So here he is with his latest EP on Butterz, who’ve had a hell of a run lately with percy’s from TRC and DOK still very much fresh in the mind, plus the much called for vinyl release of the sublime ‘Wooo’ riddim by SX, anyway on with the T.

Fizz and bubble into action with ‘Orangeade’ a rhythmically skippy hyped up grime weapon that bangs hard with enough intensity to keep floors alight. Atmospheric pads and synth whines shuffle into bumpy beats and big bass tones to great effect on this one, it oozes hyper-funk. Remember a cheeky Beastie Boys single called ‘Alive’ well ‘Whistle Song’ isn’t it but the whistle melody does make me want to sing ‘dip dip dive, so-socialise open up your ears and open up your eyes’ over the top of it. In fact it sounds like what would happen if Daft Punk did too many lines of coke/glasses of orangeade whipped out the talky-box, lived in Bow and remixed it at 140bpm. Which obviously means it’s a catchy little banger... The return on the devil mix concept is a welcome one, especially when it’s done well. In the hands of the likes of Zomby, Untold and more recently Logos the beat-less/restrained twisted grime instro pioneered by Wiley is an inspired creation. Royal T also pulls it off on ‘Music Please (Devil Mix)’ morphing the hyped up synth leads into a pent up hypnotic gem that keeps on brooding.

Royal T is really starting to show his versatility and is growing into his own now ‘Orangeade’ bangs differently. They’ll be plenty more on the horizon too as you’ll no doubt know if you’ve heard his slinky garage remix of TRC on the radio recently. He shows some serious breadth and quality keep an eye out. Just a quick word on the promo video too the OGz: P Money, Lil Dee and Blacks go in hard they’re tight and sharp on T’s beats its one of the best promos around.



Buy: http://butterzrecords.bigcartel.com/

http://www.butterz.co.uk/
http://royaltmusic.tumblr.com/

Originally written for Sonic Router. Check out the Interview and Mix.

Dro Carey – Venus Knock EP [The Trilogy Tapes]

The young Australian producer is one to keep an eye on this year; his blend of haunted hip-hop is really on point. The debut 12” is a super limited affair for The Trilogy Tapes so get in quick. If you miss it don’t fret because we’ll be hearing more, Ikonika has already mentioned picking him up for a release on Hum & Buzz. The ‘Venus Knock’ EP shows Dro Carey flexing his muscles and knocking out some seriously twisted mutations. Imagine a heavier variant on the ghostly R&B of How To Dress Well or Hype Williams playing off the computer funk of Actress or 10-20 and the twisting bass heavy drum machine/sample workouts of DJ Rashad then you’ll be somewhere close.

We start with a strong opener with the brooding ‘Get Rid Of This Guy’, which takes rolling 808 drum patterns and plays them off a menacing sluggish synth tone. Along with the infectious chopped vocal motifs it’s a real winner. Quick on its heels is the booming title track ‘Venus Knock’, bass hits punch wholes in your chest as an angry buzz swoops into view through a post-industrial haze it’s sinister. Flip the wax over for the slow motion smudge of ‘Dead Keys’, which feels like its come fresh off the set of a horror film with a scene set in a Chicago house club. The vocal hits twisted in and out of shape against the creeping backdrop. While the closer ‘Glitter Variables’ sounds like a submarine in trouble sampled and chopped into the form of a lost Dance Mania record. A solid EP all round.

Dro Carey Trilogy Tapes Promo from DC vampira on Vimeo.

Buy: http://www.thetrilogytapes.com/ttt/

Web: http://www.thetrilogytapes.com/

Blog: http://drocar.tumblr.com/

Originally written for Sonic Router.

Looking Forward >>>

There is plenty of music to look forward to in ’11 as always, so much so that this list could go on forever. So I’ve chosen a load of people I’m looking forward to hearing more of in the coming year. Plus I’m keeping it to people that are either bubbling under, pretty new, just need shouting about or have something cool on the way I’m excited about.

LHF
They dropped plenty of teasers in ’10 their first EP for Keysound is just the tip of the iceberg just check out their massive radio/mix archives for proof. More EPs and hopefully an album on the way in ’11 means we’re all in for a treat. They’ve built their own world that sounds unlike anything else but gets close to what I’d imagine Flying Lotus soundclashing DMZ on a pirate radio station in another dimension would be like.

Martin Kemp
Easily sitting quietly at the forefront of the UK’s dance underground the Blunted one keeps the quality stuff creeping out consistently. His sound has so much bump, flex and weight that they’re a pleasure to dig out. Its got to be tough to make a tough yet supple house groove that really flexes but he makes it sound easy. More of that will make ’11 more than a pleasure.

T.Williams
He’s been so consistent with his deep techy bass addled vision of the UK house sound in ’10. I’m always reaching for his beats and those of his Deep Teknologi label mates. There is something about the dark side of UK Funky that really appeals to me, the balance of rough and raw with a subtle soulful flex is a killer combination.

Kassem Mosse
At the front end of ’10 I was still pretty bored of house/techno it had been years since I’d been excited by the sound. UK funky and its hybrids slowly brought me back to that tempo and this man Kassem Mosse alongside, MMM, Kyle Hall, Omar S and John Roberts feel it again. A steady stream of 12”s would keep me hooked for sure.

Bakey Ustl
His debut EP on Unthank is one of the most fucked up and compelling house 10”s I’ve heard for some time. I’m really looking forward to hearing what’s up his sleeve for ‘11. More curveballs and mad house grooves are more than welcome around these parts.

Jam City
He’s been taking it kind of slow in ’10 after some hefty hype before anything had really happened he kept his cool and a couple of 12”s later and I’m on board, expect big things from the Night Slugger next year. Rumours of an album on the horizon and god know what else should see that he has a big year. His sound is just infectious, that raw blend of eski grime, supple electro and an ear for turning things on their heads are a good combination.

Non Person
He just dropped a few hints in ’10 but its wet my appetite that’s for sure. The 12” on Clouds label Channel Zero is a killer slice of out there hip-hop with a heavy bass music thread running through it. Sitting somewhere in no mans land between Clouds, Brainfeeder and Mount Kimbie, Non Person finds a place of his own. I’d love to hear more.

Damu
Every time a track of his comes on the radio my ears prick up. There is something about his synths and infectious melodies that puts him next to the likes of Hyetal, Rustie and half of Night Slugs as someone that can bring a load of emotion to a dance floor in a twisted euphoric ball of energy. With releases on the way for Keysound and Local Action in the pipeline he’s going to be making moves and I can’t wait to hear it.

Esben and the Witch
Like quite a few tips here they where one of mine for last year as well and they delivered some quality stuff bubbled under and got singed to Matador, where they’ll be releasing their debut album ‘Violet Cries’ next year. Top quality brooding post-rock drenched indie music.

Dro Carey
Hazy dreamlike visions of hip-hop and R&B from a youngster from OZ, he’s had one 12” so far on Trilogy Tapes, a load of tumblr posted bootlegs and the odd mix. It all sounds pretty irresistible I’m intrigued. With forthcoming material on Ikonika’s Hum & Buzz label and god knows what else he’s got to be one to watch.

Golau Glau
The mysterious silver pop duo have been a top tip of mine for some time now, they’ve got an album in the works and have been in the lab getting their sound down. No one does the haunted silver pop like them and I for one can’t wait to hear what they come up with.

Murdz 86
He’s a UK Funky machine, raw house sounds with some of the most infectious percussion around. Its tough but with a load of flex, big bass and dance floor potential. Along with the likes of Funkystepz, Ill Blu, Coobe Beatz and Mad One, Murdz is someone I’d love to see releases from in ’11 because every time I tune into Live FM his tracks make my head turn.

Royal T
He’s been around a while but has built up a nice set of 12”s over the last year or so for the likes of No Hats No Hoods and Butterz, which are a solid foundation to build on for this coming year. He’s always switching up and coming differently with his sound by making grime bangers that fit his vibe and spread it out all at once. Alongside SRC, TRC, Teeza, Swindle, Darq E Freaker, Spooky and a load of others grime beats are in good hands.

So many more…

Mixes of 2010

This is a tough one the amount of mixes that can be found online is pretty insane, week in week out another arrives and gets a play. So off the top of my head I bring to you a selection of the finest mixes from this year. They come in no particular order, so don’t watch the ranking...

The Final Ruffage Session w/ Ben UFO, Ramadanma & Pangaea
What a way to start a year by killing off one of the best radio shows around: Ruffage Sessions. It was the brainchild of the above Hessle Audio crew, they made moves from their Leeds base with this show, not to mention their club night that went by the same name, which also ended this year in a quality send off with Shackleton, Kode9 and every Hessle guy within a 1m radius. This show was a special four-hour send off on Sub FM before the crew headed off to new things. It was bitter sweat at the time but ever since the crew have moved onto bigger things so its all good.
http://www.dubstepforum.com/the-final-ruffage-session-4-hour-archive-tracklisting-t124153.html

Bonus Best of Ruffage Sessions
http://sonicrouter.blogspot.com/2010/01/download-best-of-ruffage-sessions.html


Burial & Kode9 for Mary Anne Hobbs’ last show on Radio One
This was a watershed moment this year, Mary Anne Hobbs left radio one for pastures new after leaving one hell of a legacy and impact that rings through the UK underground far and wide. She managed to coax out Burial for a mix with non other than Kode9 and it’s a special one that’s for sure.
http://www.mediafire.com/?t09r1c7swgxctpu

Ben UFO - Hessle Forever and Ever and Ever Mix #62 for LuckyMe
If your some kind of fool that doesn’t tune into the Hessle Audio show on Rinse every other thursday or so w/ regulars like Pangaea and Ramadanman or go to clubs then you’re missing out on one of the best DJs around in Ben UFO. His record bags are deep his mixing is insane, genres clash in the smoothest most unexpected ways, he’s the one and this will give you a taste.
http://thisisluckyme.com/html/1music/mixtapes.html

LHF – Keepers of the Light Mix
This mysterious crew turn in mix after mix of solid gold on Sub FM and from their studio’s, they where one of my tips for ’10 and they continue to be for 2011 and you can see why from getting your ears around Keepers of the Light. I’m not messing around when I say they carve their own unique sound out in these mixes, it’s a world of its own.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&gid=343822987445

Petchy on Live FM
Its tough to pin point an actual mix here, he’s on the radio most weeks and kills it every time with his MC Topsee. They epitomised UK Funky in 2010 with their raw charismatic pirate radio party vibes. Tune in to see for yourself or you’re missing out big time but catch the vibe from this teaser.
http://www.mediafire.com/?qv07ob8bkz1zlzi

DJ Spinn & DJ Rashad’s Mix #195 for Fact
Two original juke heads go deep into the mix for fact and show us how its done Chicago style, which is a refreshing change to hearing bits from people from outside of the scene or cruising youtube, which was about the only way we could hear this until this year. It’s a mix full of hypnotic party vibes with a load of soul and drum machine workouts to die for.
http://www.factmag.com/2010/10/22/fact-mix-195-dj-spinn-dj-rashad/

Addison Groove Mix #157 for Fact
Headhunter went ape-shit this year and decided to break juke in the UK, he got addicted to the drum-machine/sample workouts and took it upon himself to make his own variants of the Chicago sound all while representing the native sounds of Rashad, Spinn and many more to UK audiences, it caused a hell of a stir and you can taste it in this mix. If you didn’t already have it this one from late last year is a must too: http://soundcloud.com/headhunter/headhunter-juke-mix-december-2009
http://www.factmag.com/2010/06/11/fact-mix-157-addison-groove/

Peverelist Mix #218 for Resident Advisor
He’s got to be one of my favourite producers around, no one sounds like him and that goes for his DJ sets too. His mixing is tight and selection on point, he lets the music breathe and find its own feat perfectly. Here you can see him blur the lines between dub, techno and dubstep in a distinctly Bristol way.
http://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspx?id=218

Levon Vincent Mix #46 for mnmlssgs
This came early in the year and still kills it big time. His spacious, tracky dubbed-out techno sound already feels timeless in its own way. If you like to get lost in a groove then you’ll be swimming in this one. Deep NY underground house sounds just keep bumping, it’s a subtle one that gets under the skin that’s for sure.
http://mnmlssg.blogspot.com/2010/01/mnml-ssgs-mx46-levon-vincent.html

Shackleton Mix #133 for Electronic Explorations
Rob Booth’s EE mixes have been an inspiration for some time now and he pulls in one hell of a guest on this one. Shackleton’s sets are more like hypnotic tribal freak-outs than mixes. He plays live via laptop instead of DJing and does it the only way he knows how… Like a post-apocalyptic bass-addled thing, no one sounds like Shackleton. Its dark yet groovy spaced out and intense. His Fact CD has to be one of the best since Omar S too.
http://electronicexplorations.org/the-show/shackleton/

Kyle Hall & Floating Points on Rinse FM
Two amazing producers/DJs get together and cause mayhem on the airwaves by digging deep into their crates to create a vibe so big it stretched from Detroit to London. Rare house and techno gems sat alongside modern UK bass variants and laid back funk rollers with ease. You get the feeling these guys could keep mixing for days and it wouldn’t get tired.
http://www.bedtimebunnage.com/2010/07/floating-points-b2b-kyle-hall-rinse-fm-2hrs/

Brainfeeder Radio w/ Flying Lotus, The Gaslamp Killer, Ras G, Samiyam, Daedelus, Jeremiah Jae, Tokimonsta, Teebs, Strangeloop, matthewdavid, Kode9 and more…
Flying Lotus decided to celebrate the release of Cosmogramma and enjoy 420 with an epic live session that went on for hours from his crew Brainfeeder and anyone else that was in town. It was pure vibes all night long.
http://dublab.com/labnotes/brainfeeder-radio-presents%E2%80%A6cosmogramma-special-420/

Darkstar Mix for 20jazzfunkgrates and Fact Mix # 200
This mix came right at the top of the year and showcased Darkstar’s vision, it was some kind of utopia with plenty of soul and space filtered through twenty-first century machines. If you book end it with their Fact mix last month (http://www.factmag.com/2010/11/08/fact-mix-200-darkstar/) you get some kind of insight into a group that created one of the best slow burning albums this year
http://sonicrouter.blogspot.com/2009/12/download-darkstar-xxjfg-mix.html

Club Autonomic’s Layer Podcast Series
This was one hell of a series that set the tone of Autonomic’s moves this year. Headed by Instra:mental & dBridge the crew unleashed genre bending blends of techno, d’n’b, house, indie, old school electro and god knows what else in a seamless mix of new and old wearing their influences on their sleeves and reaching out into the unknown all at once. Oh yeah they also ran one of the best labels around Nonplus+
http://www.club-autonomic.com/

Braiden’s Journey Home Mix for Low End Spasm
One of the best DJs around is on Rinse most weeks, right now he’s showcasing an irresistible melting together of sounds that range from old school electro to UK bass variants via house and techno. He does it like no one else. This mix from earlier in the year gives you an idea of what he’s been about, but tune into his Rinse show for further reaching up to date selections they can’t be messed with. His breakout single ‘The Alps’ isn’t to shabby either.
http://dot-alt.blogspot.com/2010/02/braiden-journey-home.html

Elijah & Skilliam Mix # 175 for Xlr8r
The Butterz crew killed it this year bringing fresh new life into instrumental grime, making moves as DJs and by setting up a label they showed there was still a raw party vibe hiding in grime’s underbelly. They kept it upfront with talent new and old, Terror Danjah, Swindle, Starkey and DOK feature heavily as well as up and comers like Royal T, SRC, TRC… Pure energy. This mix showcases their sound as well as any other they dropped this year.
http://www.xlr8r.com/podcast/2010/11/elijah-skilliam

Geiom’s mix for Planet Mu
He always puts out a solid mix, here we get a quality blend of sleek techy funky and many of its hybrids. It’s the mix that introduced me to Stella Om Source too. Quality producer, quality label, quality DJ.
http://www.mixcloud.com/planetmu/geiom-planet-mu-mix/

Terre Thaemlitz Mix #188 for RA
A laid-back mix of ambient material and other quality selections from DJ Sprinkles, Terre crosses genres and spans many years here to great effect, it’s a beauty.
http://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspx?id=188

Since this list has been mostly about Internet downloads a shout out needs to go out to all those inspirational cats on the radio who week in week out turn in incredible moments of musical bliss: Dusk & Blackdown, Oneman, Brackles, Bok Bok, Elijah & Skilliam, more Petchy and any time Jackmaster reaches.

Not to mention all the Sonic Router mixes. My personal favourites have to be: Blawan, Non Person, Pariah, Clubroot, SRC, Dynooo, Orphan101, Icicle, Hypno, Distal, Desto, Oli’s bleep and Hivemind’s and Always Everything’s too, Eighteen, oh and Xpldr #1/#2/#3 by me if I had to give myself a shout…

Golau Glou – Myrrh & Myth

My favourite mysterious silver pop duo Golau Glou have made a Christmas EP for you all, you can grab it for free below, plus they’ve made a video for each track. At some point there will be a remix EP featuring the likes of Ghost Box’s The Advisory Circle and the wonderful Worriedaboutsatan. They’ve also been working hard on an album I for one can’t wait.

Yew from Golau Glau on Vimeo.

Watch: http://www.vimeo.com/album/1488740

Download: http://golauglau.bandcamp.com/

Latest tracks by Golau Glau

http://golauglau.wordpress.com/
http://twitter.com/golauglau

Richard Skelton

I wrote this for my friends over at Always Everything a while ago but its perfect Sunday music so have it again and check them out too, AE is a new website you should keep an eye on. They’re operating in a fuzzy sonic landscape joining the dots between disparate locations a bit like this review right here…

Proper murky, greyed out Autumnal colours. Fog. Landscapes. Richard Skelton thrives in an area where dense collages of sound and that organic shape shifting nature of, well nature takes hold… just look at that artwork, its pretty much what comes into view out of my car window every morning as I transcend hills and look over plateaus. Spectacular views obscured by atmospheric other ideas... Bleak, ghostly landforms fighting for attention through the cloud and fog, plants echoing a vague hue of green in the meagre repressed light they’re offered. I swear the atmosphere is against the whole idea of photosynthesis… Skelton takes these fogged-out instrumental sessions of cello and string and plays them relentlessly. Building layers of sound like some sort of post-rock, ambient beast thriving in the freedom that only the modern classical, boomkat sphere can bring him. Niche as it sounds Landings deserves an audience outside of that. Big time, it’s the soundtrack to the mornings you missed while you where busy sleeping or waiting for the light to come up. It’s the country flexing itself in the morning dew while those early shimmers of light slowly start to energise the life around it. You can feel the cold fresh air fill your lungs, the deep warm breathe filter out slowly. Its like the whole album takes place in that transitional period between light hitting the ground and you actually feeling the heat of the sunlight. Cold shivers of strung instruments itch urgently into loops and layers, carving out dramatic glimpses of landscapes you’ve passed through. The unyielding atmosphere is urgent yet blissful, like you’ve come to a halt in that car journey I vaguely mentioned above and got out.... You stop and see that this previously fleeting set of landforms, colours, climate, is a new existence, a harsh yet strangely beautiful place that echoes calm as much as it does hostility. In short, you’re going to get cold but if you look a little further you’re going to find a whole different experience that’s rife for exploration.

http://richardskelton.wordpress.com/
http://landings.wordpress.com/

Richard Skelton has Clouwbeck on the way soon hear fragments of ‘From Which the River Rise’ here…

Clouwbeck ~ From Which the River Rises by sustain-release

Originally written for ae.

Xpldr #3

Its been a long time since I left you, without a dope beat to step to...

Xpldr#3 by Xpldr on Mixcloud

Vainqueur - Rangers – Extension [Scion Versions]
Airehead – Paper Street (Nick Høppner Remix) [BRAiNMATH]
John Roberts – Ever or Not [Dial]
Wbeeza – Boom [Third Ear]
Omar S - Solely Supported [FXHE]
Mood II Swing – Sunlight In My Eyes [Core]
Actress – Always Human [Honest Jon’s]
Bakey Ustl – A Tender Place [Unthank]
Kassem Mosse – We Speak To Those [Non Plus+]
Kyle Hall – Osc2 [Third Ear]
Levon Vincent – Woman is the Devil [Deconstruct]
Tazz – Lost [Underground Quality]
Braiden – The Alps [Doldrums]
Elgato – Blue [Hessle Audio]
Even Tuell – Workshop 11 Side A [Workshop]
Stellar Om Source – Copper Dream [Olde English Spelling Bee]

All wax, one take, two beers, one pasty, some snow and a beard…

Clap your hands if you want to fuck.

Download: http://www.sendspace.com/file/7jkhki

Stream: http://www.mixcloud.com/xpldr/xpldr3/

You may have missed…

Xpldr #1: Stream / Download

Xpldr #2: Stream / Download

More from me…

Sonic Router: http://sonicrouter.blogspot.com/

Sonic Minefield: http://thesonicminefeild.blogspot.com/

Xpldr: http://xpldr.tumblr.com/

Silkie - City Limits Vol 1.2 [Deep Medi]

Since at least Christmas last year a Silkie track has been running around my head, the video bellow captures when I first heard it, Anti Social where having a crimbo-spesh on Rinse FM and played a track I’d never heard before that was so full of vibes it just kept playing on my memories ever since. It turns out that track was ‘80s Baby’ a track you can hear on City Limits Vol 1.2 the bridge gap between last years fantastic City Limits Vol.1 album and the follow up Vol.2. A series of 12”s you wont find on the next album or the last and by the sounds of it Silkie isn’t messing.

This is the one I’ve been waiting for: ‘80s Baby’ has a rolling street soul feel to it like a London variant on Detroit techno, midnight machine funk that just keeps coming. Sweeping pads, bumpy rhythms and funk stabs made from plastic sax, lounge piano and 80s tinged funky synth keys that sound like they’ve been beamed in from a forgotten Cameo record. It all comes together with a hypnotic loved up vibe that’s just irresistible. The flip ‘Bass Junkie’ sounds like the tougher brother of ‘80s Baby’ it hits hard instead of rolling. Rattling breaks shimmy over bass pulses and funk’d up synth lines that sound like aliens chatting each other up. It keeps some of that blissed-out funk but twists it into gnarly shapes that are pretty relentless.

Keep the 12”s rolling, when Silkie hits his stride there isn’t anyone like him ‘80s Baby’ is pure vibes, hi-tech London soul through and through. With three more platters of material on the way before the second album Silkie will keep us doing that gangsta boogie right the way through.



http://www.deepmedi.com/

Originally writen for Sonic Router.

Peverelist & Hyetal – The Hum/rrrr [Punch Drunk]

Massive collaboration from two of Bristol’s finest, it comes off the back of their two solo releases: Peverelist’s ‘Better Ways Of Living’ and Hyetal’s ‘Phoenix’ 12”s both of which wont leave my bag in a hurry. The two producers first melted their sonic sensibilities when Peverelist remixed ‘Pixel Rainbow Sequence’ to great effect, twisting the original into a trippy number that still sounds like nothing else around. This time the two hook up for some original productions. With Peverelist’s knack for hypnotic techy dubbed-out sounds and Hyetal’s bittersweet melodic sensibilities it’s a collaboration just aching to happen.

The two tracks ‘The Hum’ and ‘rrrr’ feel like early electro experiments that where forgotten but dug up, rearranged and lovingly finished especially to move some dance floors. There’s a retro feel in there somewhere but one that’s brought on by the melancholic melodies and synthesized sounds rather than any kind of revivalism, because nothing really sounds like this collaboration. You never know who did what in collab’s like this but you can hear Peverelist’s swirling dubbed-out percussive ticks and bumpy rhythms and Hyetal’s knack for shimmering synthesized melody in both the tracks. They’re hypnotic and introspective but the bright synth tones and subtle funk keep them from being ultra deep eyes down material. There’s an uplifting quality to the tracks that hits that magic bittersweet spot which gets me every time.

Punch Drunk is a buy on sight label already and this 12” is just sublime. It’s the sound of two artists flexing their production skills and it coming together so on point that it makes me wonder if there’s more.

http://www.myspace.com/punchdrunkrecords
http://soundcloud.com/punchdrunkrecords
http://www.myspace.com/thepeverelist
http://www.myspace.com/hyetalmusic

Originally written for Sonic Router.

Xpldr #2

Xpldr#2 by Xpldr on Mixcloud

It’s been about a month since my last Xpldr Session and even longer since Xpldr#1 so its about time you got something fresh. Welcome to Xpldr#2 I’ve gone for some dark dubbed-out funky flavours diffused with techno tangents, hyper-coloured house and some major curveballs.

Commix – Be True (Burial Remix) [Metal Headz]
T.Williams – Afric [Local Action]
Cooly G – Phat Si [Hyperdub]
Fris-T – Deep Mover [502]
Bowly – Idee D’un Tropique [Berkane Sol]
Ill Blu – Dragon Pop [Hyperdub]
Lil Silva – A Million [Night Slugs]
Robert Hood – Clash [M-Plant]
Dexplicit Feat. Sweets – Follow Me (DJ Naughty Remix) [DXP North]
Apple – Siegalizer [White]
Martin Kemp – Wot U Got [Blunted Robots]
Swag – I Need A Freak (Freaksbusinessasusualredo) [Version]
Mr Oizo – Last Night A DJ Saved My Dog [F-Communications]
Ikonika – Aqueous Cream [Hum & Buzz]
Simon/off – No Pills [Immerse]
Likhan’ – Boxin [7even]
Los Hermanos – Quetzal [UR/Los Hermanos]
Dopplereffekt – Myon-Neutrino [International Deejay Gigolo’s]

One take, all wax.

Stream: http://www.mixcloud.com/xpldr/xpldr2/

Download: http://www.sendspace.com/file/7t6k83

James Blake – The Bells Sketch [Hessle Audio] / CMYK [R&S] / Klavierwerke [R&S]

Where to start with James Blake? He’s a unique talent making seriously twisted synthesized gems that can range from full on dance floor movers to bittersweet introspective soul. One of my blog projects Sonic Router was probably one of the first to interview and get an article on him via Oli’s column at The Quietus right after before he dropped the ESSENTIAL ‘Stop What You’re Doing’ remix and after the sublime first 12” on Untold’s Hemlock label. A release that is still in my bag and a firm favourite sounding as fresh as it did when Distance first dropped the dub on his Rinse show that got everyone’s attention. Ever since he’s been making waves, getting attention outside of the scene and dropping some seriously good 12”s/EPs. A low-key collaboration with Airehead on BRAiNMATH, one for the always on point Hessle Audio, whose quality control is just insanely high and another for legendary old school techno label R&S who seem to be making a return to my radar for the first time in years after dropping a brilliant few records from Pariah and now the guy in question.

For some reason I’ve not got around to writing much on him here so a rundown of his last three EPs is in order because I can’t stop playing them. He shows some range over the three from the stripped back percussive elements on The Bells Sketch EP to the shape shifting R&B sampling gems on CMYK or the mellow eerie bedroom soul on the latest addition Klavierwerke.

The Hessle release has a percy on it in the form of ‘Buzzard & Kestrel’ the rhythms are irresistible, they subtly roll out with a heavy groove before the synths are unleashed in a sudden flourish. It’s the paired back minimal clicks and booms of the percussion that do it for me here. The title track and ‘Give A Man A Rod’ are something else too, both melodramatic synthesizer jams that make people move in strange ways when they’re dropped in the dance. The collision of laid back funk and twisted synths on ‘The Bells Sketch’ is a killer combination, it’s a huge sounding track with so much pent up energy its unreal. ‘Give A Man A Rod’ is a subtler affair, a spaced out funk number that seems like its been beamed in from an intergalactic cocktail bar.

The two R&S EPs come from different angels CMKY plays around with that popular production trick of taking slinky R&B vocals and twisting them into new shapes. But instead of re-treding that post-Burial emotional landscape Blake morphs the likes of Aaliyah and Kelis into freaky funk jams like the anthemic title track with its looping mantra of ‘Look I found her, red coat, look I found her’ over bleepy melodies reminiscent of Peverelist’s ‘Roll With The Punches’ a track which he’s also made a cheeky remix of, but its the twisting euphoric synth rushes that lead into the big bass drops that really shake things up. The rest of the EP is a more low key affair reaching for subtler highs and drops that are designed to tug at your heartstrings rather than make you loose your shit.

It’s the latest EP entitled Klavierwerke that takes that mellow side and really runs with it though. James has hinted at his paired down vocal side for sometime with covers of Feist’s ‘Limit To Your Love’ with him accompanied by piano. Here he doesn’t go into full on vocal mode but hints at it by using his voice as another instrument, chopping bits in and out here and there. It’s all pretty chilled out, haunted and melancholy, really introspective. The title track has a late night deep house feel running through it that’s channelled through a hazy bedroom soul. At many points in the EP like on ‘Tell Her Safe’ when the hazy piano and vocal loop intro takes hold you think he could break out into full song at any point, but it’s the restrained mellow vibe that wins over and it’s a killer EP for it. The fragments of song get twisted into these new shapes and contexts that’s way more interesting than straight up song craft, but then that’s a talent he no doubt has somewhere too.

Who knows what else he’s got up his sleeve, go and see him DJ and you’ll see yet another side to him. As well as fresh dubs from the guy taking in all those vibes mentioned above you get some seriously adventurous combinations in the mix. It’ll make you wonder why Coki doesn’t produce for Beyonce for one… Plus if you’ve never experienced his remix of Untold in the flesh on a crowded dance floor you’re missing out big time. Now my catch up session is over you go and do the same.

http://www.myspace.com/jamesblakeproduction

Pamelia Kurstin and Seb Rochford duo @ The Shed, Brawby Village Hall. 25 September 2010

The Shed goes back to its original home of Brawby for a special show from Pamelia Kurstin and Seb Rochford who come together showcasing an interesting project; one I’d never thought I’d witness, let alone in a Shed… Pamelia Kurstin on theramin and Seb Rochford on drums. Plus Seb Rochford went on the road the day before in a van taking in hotspots such as Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley, pulling up and playing with the doors shut. Something I missed unfortunately but this lot didn’t… But tonight its time to head to Brawby for some Shed Bitter and a good show, what to expect? No idea.

Pamelia Kurstin hails form California has a background in upright bass, a skill she adapted and really ran wild with to create a unique and creative theramin playing style of her own. The sounds she creates is something else, I’ve never heard anything like it. One minute she’s creating low-slung slow motion funk by messing with frequencies and looping them into new shapes with pedals, synths and effects. The next its eerie b-movie soundscapes via a Aphex Twin–esq Selected Ambient Works collage of sound or a Herbie Hancock electro-funk. Whole tracks were created live with such control and precision. Seb Rochford accompanied her with some seriously creative drumming; accenting the compositions with anything from incidental meandering through lilting funk and intense shed rattling drum workouts. It was a hypnotic experience swimming in layers of theramin built from the ground up infront of you.

My prediction is that drum & theramin will take off just like drum & bass did, expect to hear it take over soon. The pair have an album on the way for the Slowfoot label and after tonight’s performance its one I’m keeping an eye out for. As always The Shed continues to be one of the most inspiring and entertaining venues around, bringing something new to the table with each season.



http://www.myspace.com/pameliakurstin
http://www.angelfire.com/freak/pamelia_kurstin/welcome1.htm
http://www.myspace.com/sebastianrochford
http://www.theshed.co.uk/
http://www.vangig.co.uk/

*Photo by Susan Balf in Kirkbymoorside market place, 24th September 2010.

T.Williams – Chop & Screw EP [Deep Teknologi]

T.Williams’ EP on Local Action is a personal favourite; he’s rolling on a dark, techy flex that gets pretty addictive. After the last two quality releases on Deep Teknologi from Zander Hardy and J.Bevan recently the label boss steps up with a three track EP all of his own that picks up where the Local Action EP left off and even shows off a bigger room sound on one track.

Opening with ‘Chop & Screw’ we walk right into peak time on some hazy Ibiza dance floor, bumpy disco, funk loops build like a filter house track. A trick I wasn’t expecting to hear on a dark techy, UK funky release and at first it was hard to get on board with. But when the beats drop into a punchy, rolling rhythm with a deep flexing bassline and skittish snare hits its hard not to feel it.

Things get darker with the rest of the EP, ‘Hard Cash’ and ‘In The Deep’ sound like they’ve been carved out of heavy summer heat. They bump and flex shaking themselves free from a dense haze of bass and dubbed-out frequencies. The basslines on both of these get thing moving, ‘Hard Cash’ pulses and drones until unleashing deadly down turning rave stabs and ‘In The Deep’ has a pulsing funk to it. Maybe its T.Williams grimy side coming out again, these are dark with a restrained swagger that means business.

Another solid EP coming out of the Deep Teknologi crew, if you’re looking for a fix of that dark, rolling, techy stuff with enough flex in it to get things moving then you can’t go far wrong.

http://www.soundcloud.com/deepteknologi
http://www.facebook.com/deepteknologi
http://www.myspace.com/deepteknologi

Originally written for Sonic Router.

Breach – Fatherless/(Doc Daneeka’s Mrr Snrz Rmx)/Man Up [PTN]

PTN are on it right now, the new offshoot from Ramp specialising in variants of the house persuasion from, for want of a better word the bass scene… featuring artists like Hackman, Doc Daneeka, Hypno and now Breach, PTN reaches its forth platter with the tribal anthem ‘Fatherless’, which has been hitting dance floors hard for some time. Breach is the ‘house’ alter-ego of Ben Westbeech a multi talented musician/producer who’s turned his hand to anything from d’n’b to dropping soul-addled vocals for people all over the place, but that’s another story…

It’s the raw physical power the simple elements of over the top tribal drum workouts and looping flutes combining that make ‘Fatherless’ such an anthem. Not since the Beastie Boy’s ‘Flute Loop’ have I heard such a killer hook from the instrument. It keeps rolling and rolling pretty relentlessly over the booming kicks, snare splashes and tribal percussion you can pretty much sing-along to. The icing on the cake is a quick fire sample declaring the mantra ‘Fatherless’. Doc Daneeka brings the originals almost dubstep sounding lilt further into house territory with a four four kick, relentless fizzling snares and pulsing bassline. It doesn’t add much but doesn’t detract either for that slightly different vibe. The b-side cut ‘Man Up’ is subtler but just as tribal, echoing the likes of Julio Bashmore, looping chants and swirling tabla’s that get twisted out of all proportion bring the energy before the drop.

This 12” is pure dance floor fire, big and brash and seriously addictive. ‘Fatherless’ has summer anthem written all over it’s grinning face. This track is getting rinsed all over the place and rightly so. It wouldn’t be surprising if the big room house and electro guys found it too, it’s just to much fun. Enjoy it while you can.

http://www.ramprecordings.com/
http://www.myspace.com/benwestbeech
http://www.myspace.com/breachmusicuk

Written for Sonic Router.

Last Ever Mary Anne Hobbs Show w/ Kode9 & Burial

It’s was the last Mary Anne Hobbs show last night, she’s a legend and has introduced me to so much music over the years. Big up Mary!

Listen again here. It features a quality mix by these two…

Kode9 & Burial

01. Speedy J – Tesla
02. Zomby – Natalia’s Song
03. Brandy – Never Say Never (El-B version 1)
04. Brandy – Never Say Never (El-B version 2)
05. Brandy – Angel (X-Men vocal mix)
06. Laurie Spiegel – Voices Within – A Requiem
07. Alena – Turn It Around (Hard House Bantons Mandy Mix)
08. Cooly G – Him Da Biz
09. Theo Parrish – Soul Control feat. Alena Waters
10. KMFH aka Kyle Hall – Girl U So Strong (Wild Oats)
11. Terror Danjah – S.O.S.
12. Darkstar – 2 Chords
13. Prince – Condition of the Heart
14. Erykah Badu – Telephone
15. Foul Play – Being With U Rmx
16. A Guy called Gerald – Silent Cry

http://www.maryannehobbs.com/

V.I.V.E.K. – Feel It EP [Deep Medi]

Four track double pack from one of Deep Medi’s finest new signings V.I.V.E.K. It comes on the back of his first Medi release last year ‘Kulture/Meditation Rock’ and countless dubplates that you can hear when you go see him play or tune into some Anti Social Entertainment on Rinse FM. He fuses digidub soundsystem deep bass culture with some seriously rolling percussion, a hint of Berlin techno and those Medi vibes, eyes down, blissed-out, heavy weight music.

The title track kicks things off in fine style, ‘Feel It’ has some of the most infectious rolling Tablas, the percussion is sublime. A vocal sample declaring the weight of your bass and the largeness of your soundsystem is all you need to usher in a chest thumping sub sonic bass tone and the track is off, there is no way back you’re sucked into that soup of sub bass frequencies. Tick-toc its ‘Grandfather Clock’ a big track, the clock counts down to a dance floor meltdown when the metronome-like sample, half tempo drum patterns and hefty bass melts into blazing techno buzzes that just keep coming, it’s those killer synths that make it, they come from nowhere. It’s one for the big rooms.

The deeply blissful ‘Motherland’ is one for the eyes down crew, subtle but weighty bass pulses roll off half stepping rhythms, Tablas and all that good stuff all accented with Indian vocals instrumentation. It’s so deep, minimal and all round good vibes. It would make Youngsta proud. The final track ‘Strategy’ is a roller with a garage kind of swing to it, it skips along with big room dub techno chords twisting in and out of the bumpy beats it really comes alive and picks up the pace. The Feel It EP is pure vibes all the way: Subtle, heavy weight music from V.I.V.E.K.

http://www.myspace.com/vivek321
http://www.myspace.com/deepmedi
http://deepmedi.com/

Originally written for Sonic Router.