the balmy gust of air that precedes an underground train
Yesterday I posed about Kidnap Kid, and today we feature a brand new release from their Black Butter Records label mates Gorgon City - the coming together of producers Foamo and RackNRuin. This is ‘Real’ which features the soulful vocals of Yasmin - perhaps best known for her collaboration with Jamie xx on their gorgeous cover of Rui De Silva’s ‘Touch Me’ Here again she breathes emotion into a bass track and following the point I posed yesterday - arguably narrows the crosshairs at the mainstream. The “We used to be real” chorus manages to bridge the gap between ‘WHOOUUURR CHOON!” and “mate this pleases my ears & yet tugs at my soul” This will appear on Gorgon City’s ‘Real’ EP out next week alongside 3 other tracks. 2013 is shaping up very nicely for the dancefloor, very nicely indeed.
Yesterday I posed about Kidnap Kid, and today we feature a brand new release from their Black Butter Records label mates Gorgon City - the coming together of producers Foamo and RackNRuin. This is ‘Real’ which features the soulful vocals of Yasmin - perhaps best known for her collaboration with Jamie xx on their gorgeous cover of Rui De Silva’s ‘Touch Me’ Here again she breathes emotion into a bass track and following the point I posed yesterday - arguably narrows the crosshairs at the mainstream. The “We used to be real” chorus manages to bridge the gap between ‘WHOOUUURR CHOON!” and “mate this pleases my ears & yet tugs at my soul” This will appear on Gorgon City’s ‘Real’ EP out next week alongside 3 other tracks. 2013 is shaping up very nicely for the dancefloor, very nicely indeed.
As we move into the full swing of a new year, it looks increasingly more plausible for UK bass music to make a significant lunge at the mainstream. Disclosure & Sam Smith’s collab recently went silver (200,000 copies sold) while Hudson Mohawke signed to Kanye’s label and Jamie xx produces for the likes of Drake and Alicia Keys. Perhaps then, it is the time for sheffield’s Kidnap Kid - who released one of the catchiest and most beautiful dance tracks last year had to offer in the shape of ‘Vehl’. Yesterday he dropped ‘So Close’ on his soundcloud, which really seems to have the charts in sight whilst retaining a focus for great sounds and innovative production. You may recognise the vocalist as Sinead Harnett who featured on Disclosure’s ‘Boiling’ Maybe the secret to success is something as simple as a guest vocal that can carry a tune out of the basement and into stereos nationwide. We’ll see. Until then carry on enjoying the best kept secrets in music today
As we move into the full swing of a new year, it looks increasingly more plausible for UK bass music to make a significant lunge at the mainstream. Disclosure & Sam Smith’s collab recently went silver (200,000 copies sold) while Hudson Mohawke signed to Kanye’s label and Jamie xx produces for the likes of Drake and Alicia Keys. Perhaps then, it is the time for sheffield’s Kidnap Kid - who released one of the catchiest and most beautiful dance tracks last year had to offer in the shape of ‘Vehl’. Yesterday he dropped ‘So Close’ on his soundcloud, which really seems to have the charts in sight whilst retaining a focus for great sounds and innovative production. You may recognise the vocalist as Sinead Harnett who featured on Disclosure’s ‘Boiling’ Maybe the secret to success is something as simple as a guest vocal that can carry a tune out of the basement and into stereos nationwide. We’ll see. Until then carry on enjoying the best kept secrets in music today
There is something forming in the heart of Romania - something staggeringly beauty and yet unavoidably sinister in equal measure. Over the last year or so Bucharest has cemented itself as a new hot bed for bass/dubstep/garage flare, most notably in the case of Liar whose 2 releases stood out as some of the best ‘post-Burial’ music in 2012. But dig a little further and you’ll find he is just the tip of the iceberg among many new talents. One such culprit is Origami Sound label mate Arapaima (think it’s a fish?) who has just droped the second half of a 2-part EP ‘Sun Key’. This is ‘Find’ which is firmly rooted in UK Garage and old school house whilst retaining the fresh R’n’B sampling we have grown used to of late. Check it out
There is something forming in the heart of Romania - something staggeringly beauty and yet unavoidably sinister in equal measure. Over the last year or so Bucharest has cemented itself as a new hot bed for bass/dubstep/garage flare, most notably in the case of Liar whose 2 releases stood out as some of the best ‘post-Burial’ music in 2012. But dig a little further and you’ll find he is just the tip of the iceberg among many new talents. One such culprit is Origami Sound label mate Arapaima (think it’s a fish?) who has just droped the second half of a 2-part EP ‘Sun Key’. This is ‘Find’ which is firmly rooted in UK Garage and old school house whilst retaining the fresh R’n’B sampling we have grown used to of late. Check it out
It’s been a week for returns, it would seem. Yesterday Bonobo unveiled the fruits of his new album, which will be the follow up to 2010’s year defining ‘Black Sands’ - a record of such beauty and scope that any news of a new full length is very exciting indeed. This is the first track to emerge and ‘Cirrus’ is a very promising sign of what the producer has been working on. Similar in parts to Gold Panda - Bonobo leans towards more natural sounding samples that invoke pictures of foreign lands and the beating sun. But whilst he borrows from jazz and soul there is still an undeniable focus on a driving beat, one that really blossoms as this song goes on. The album’s dropping on April 1st and is called ‘The North Borders’
It’s been a week for returns, it would seem. Yesterday Bonobo unveiled the fruits of his new album, which will be the follow up to 2010’s year defining ‘Black Sands’ - a record of such beauty and scope that any news of a new full length is very exciting indeed. This is the first track to emerge and ‘Cirrus’ is a very promising sign of what the producer has been working on. Similar in parts to Gold Panda - Bonobo leans towards more natural sounding samples that invoke pictures of foreign lands and the beating sun. But whilst he borrows from jazz and soul there is still an undeniable focus on a driving beat, one that really blossoms as this song goes on. The album’s dropping on April 1st and is called ‘The North Borders’
When Gold Panda released his debut album back in 2010 it wasn’t long before it had secured its place not only among the best electronic albums of the year, but as a record that really meant something for a movement. since then he’s dropped a couple of stand alone singles but with the ‘Trust’ EP we finally have a new linear collection (albiet only 4 songs worth) to absorb. perhaps the most stunning feature of this production is how it manages to be sonically plush with wave upon wave of warm layers, but still sounds utterly organic as if it coulda come from a bamboo forest in tibet. stream it all on his soundcloud - it’s like yoga for your ears
When Gold Panda released his debut album back in 2010 it wasn’t long before it had secured its place not only among the best electronic albums of the year, but as a record that really meant something for a movement. since then he’s dropped a couple of stand alone singles but with the ‘Trust’ EP we finally have a new linear collection (albiet only 4 songs worth) to absorb. perhaps the most stunning feature of this production is how it manages to be sonically plush with wave upon wave of warm layers, but still sounds utterly organic as if it coulda come from a bamboo forest in tibet. stream it all on his soundcloud - it’s like yoga for your ears
It’s almost unfair when a new artist bursts onto the scene with undeniable talent, only to all but disappear soon afterwards. Ifan Dafydd is a case in point here - while he may have released a string of remixes through 2012, his last original production was released 11 months ago. and with only 4 songs of his own to speak of, when I say the young Welshman has kept us pining for more, I really mean it. but he’s back and all that matters is that ‘Celwydd’ (welsh for ‘Lie’) is his best work to date. he has stated in interviews that he very much approaches vocals as just another instrument, and this time he works magic with the soulful tones of Alys Williams. sure, it kind of reminds me of how excited we were about ol’ jimmy blake’s emergence but it finally feels like this is Dafydd’s time. i implore you to listen to this properly and check out the rest of his stuff if you’re not familiar - it is pure feeling
It’s almost unfair when a new artist bursts onto the scene with undeniable talent, only to all but disappear soon afterwards. Ifan Dafydd is a case in point here - while he may have released a string of remixes through 2012, his last original production was released 11 months ago. and with only 4 songs of his own to speak of, when I say the young Welshman has kept us pining for more, I really mean it. but he’s back and all that matters is that ‘Celwydd’ (welsh for ‘Lie’) is his best work to date. he has stated in interviews that he very much approaches vocals as just another instrument, and this time he works magic with the soulful tones of Alys Williams. sure, it kind of reminds me of how excited we were about ol’ jimmy blake’s emergence but it finally feels like this is Dafydd’s time. i implore you to listen to this properly and check out the rest of his stuff if you’re not familiar - it is pure feeling
It’ll probably sound absurd and pretentious to anyone not really into this kind of music, but sometimes you can just fall in love with a sample, a loop, or just a snatch of an echo of a sound. this time round it’s from Bucharest’s Empt in the shape of a remix of Long Arm’s ‘When Children Sleep’. I’m not even sure what instrument it is but about half way through the track this weird strings loop comes in which is nothin short hypnotizing, truth. is it cello? i don’t know. aside from that, the whole remix is a treasure trove of beautiful sounds. if you like it check out his other work, there is a scary amount of great bass music coming out of Romania right now, i am hooked
It’ll probably sound absurd and pretentious to anyone not really into this kind of music, but sometimes you can just fall in love with a sample, a loop, or just a snatch of an echo of a sound. this time round it’s from Bucharest’s Empt in the shape of a remix of Long Arm’s ‘When Children Sleep’. I’m not even sure what instrument it is but about half way through the track this weird strings loop comes in which is nothin short hypnotizing, truth. is it cello? i don’t know. aside from that, the whole remix is a treasure trove of beautiful sounds. if you like it check out his other work, there is a scary amount of great bass music coming out of Romania right now, i am hooked
After releasing one of our favourite EPs of 2012, to say that Shlohmo’s next move was eagerly anticipated would be the grossest of understatements. blissfully; today he has announced details of his ‘Laid Out’ EP dropping March 5th with this brand new tune ‘Later’. what’s more - he seems to be heading further down the path he took with the Vacation EP and continued to experiment with chopped up, distorted vocals floating over trip hop backing sounds. it’s amazing how he can create such a strong tone and heavy mood with basically just clicks and fuzz. the man’s gold, cannot wait for the full release
After releasing one of our favourite EPs of 2012, to say that Shlohmo’s next move was eagerly anticipated would be the grossest of understatements. blissfully; today he has announced details of his ‘Laid Out’ EP dropping March 5th with this brand new tune ‘Later’. what’s more - he seems to be heading further down the path he took with the Vacation EP and continued to experiment with chopped up, distorted vocals floating over trip hop backing sounds. it’s amazing how he can create such a strong tone and heavy mood with basically just clicks and fuzz. the man’s gold, cannot wait for the full release
After draping the music world in a smooth velvety blanket of amazing last month with Coexist, Jamie xx (née Smith) is back with a solo production, this time in the shape of Four Tet track ‘Lion’ remixed. For anyone with at least half an eye on all things electronic - this is exciting enough news to save even the shittiest of mondays. It’s a pretty deep affair, with a characteristically dreamy vibe and some familiar smart percussion sounds to that used on The xx record. About two thirds of the way in Smith gives the whole thing some breathtaking space before layering it all back on masterfully. play loud with decent speakers/headphones and let this carry you into a better tuesday
After draping the music world in a smooth velvety blanket of amazing last month with Coexist, Jamie xx (née Smith) is back with a solo production, this time in the shape of Four Tet track ‘Lion’ remixed. For anyone with at least half an eye on all things electronic - this is exciting enough news to save even the shittiest of mondays. It’s a pretty deep affair, with a characteristically dreamy vibe and some familiar smart percussion sounds to that used on The xx record. About two thirds of the way in Smith gives the whole thing some breathtaking space before layering it all back on masterfully. play loud with decent speakers/headphones and let this carry you into a better tuesday
despite having come out some 6 months ago, i had to put this up for anyone into this kind of vibe who is yet to be graced by one of the greatest ep’s 2012 has seen thus far. and with the clip for lead track ‘Vehl, one of its best music videos. Sheffield’s Kidnap Kid has achieved what I feel to be a perfect distillation of the bass movement at this time. the spoken word sample is the voice of Anna Karina softly purring in french “your voice, your eyes, your hands, your lips” from the Jean-Luc Godard film which gives the EP its name. as the track reaches its climax, it betters every other ‘emotional electronic’ production of late; truly succeeding in provoking the polarising desires to both dance and cry at the same time
despite having come out some 6 months ago, i had to put this up for anyone into this kind of vibe who is yet to be graced by one of the greatest ep’s 2012 has seen thus far. and with the clip for lead track ‘Vehl, one of its best music videos. Sheffield’s Kidnap Kid has achieved what I feel to be a perfect distillation of the bass movement at this time. the spoken word sample is the voice of Anna Karina softly purring in french “your voice, your eyes, your hands, your lips” from the Jean-Luc Godard film which gives the EP its name. as the track reaches its climax, it betters every other ‘emotional electronic’ production of late; truly succeeding in provoking the polarising desires to both dance and cry at the same time
