Cosmic mindtrips: Apply within.

The night sky gleams a metallic gray, a thick coat of purplish-black spread slowly and evenly across it, like grape jam on a warm slice of toast. Solid colors and shapes melt away into an amalgam of mushy, cloudy hues, so to the surrounding sound glistens and glitters a final time, comforting and embracing in its soothing, effervescent, cosmic trance, before dropping off into a cascade of creamy synth melodies and smooth, spacey pads.

Once in a while, one needs to substitute rhythm with substance and completely engulfing atmosphere. These selected tracks will do just that. It is never too late, too early, or too soon for chill-out cuts.

This first track comes from Altair Nouveau's Space Fortress EP on DFA Records. Although a much more pop-oriented affair, "Sorcerer" maintains bubbling, arpeggiated synths that wrap around yourself softly and comfortably, like a velvet blanket in the middle of winter. The squelchy main synth line bounces through the front door on a bed of heavy, throbbing snares and kicks. The underlying synth simmers for a moment before launching into the soaring, mind-numbing synth hook, sling-shoting the listener through a cosmic star field of lush, spacey synths and smooth, grooving drums. Short, but indubitably sweet.

Altair Nouveau - Sorcerer by paul solardisco

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This next cut comes off the [FREE!!!!!] Ghostly International x Adult Swim compilation, Ghostly Swim. FLYamSAM's absolutely dope "The Offbeat" sounds like J Dilla in space. Clobbering live drums shake your core while the loopy, cosmic synths set a gooey, surreal backdrop that almost begs you to lie back, relax, and let your mind stray... After a minute or so, things launch into space, and a razor-sharp backing synth adds a hefty dollop of trippiness onto the already loose and lax production of this stellar instrumental. Even shorter than the last, but well worth at least one listen.



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This final tune comes from another face from Ghostly: Michna. "Swiss Glide" kicks off with a game of pool before bringing in a groovy, zaggying beat that reminds me of RJD2. The sighing, hollow vocal samples give way to a sensual, moody brass section that sounds wonderfully bronzed and dated, perfectly in place with a soundscape as sharp, bumpy, and laxly produced as anything I've ever heard. Things tighten up soon after, and this is no insult to Michna: the organic, live-sounding elements of the track progress smoothly and flow wonderfully, like a late-night lounge groove. Check out Michna's album "Magic Monday", also released on Ghostly, for more cerebral-by-way-of-the-feet goodies.




That's all. Relax and enjoy your nights. Lights out.
-NL

What modern funk sounds like.

Recently, I have found myself more and more enjoying Dam-Funk, an L.A.-based producer with a knack for modern funk.

I'm not going to outline any specific tracks of his, instead, I'm simply going to outline his style on the whole and give a few of my favorite tracks of his to check out.

Dam Funk is funk. Not in the joking sense of the word, either. He literally is funk reincarnate. Warm, lush synths, luscious, creamy pads, sultry Moog riffs and vibrant swathes of color and mood permeate every single track of his. I cannot even describe the best of his tracks, either. They just give off a feel-good, joyous, wonderfully catchy, funky vibe that grabs you by the head and the hands and will no doubt send you into the grooviest of trances you've ever experienced. Funk, when done right, is a beautiful, sexual, sensual, powerful sound that creates a mood and atmosphere all its own. Usually, you get cheesy porn funk. This is the real deal. And damnit, it sounds absolutely amazing. Cop his 12" releases, 5 EP set, or 2 CD album, all out on Stones Throw and all available digitally as well. Below are a few of favorite cuts. This is definitely up for album of the year in my book.










Enjoy. This is love-makin' music right hurr.
-NL

Spotlight: Stimming

Some producers' sound can be defined in a word or two. Dubfire? "Bass, kick." David Guetta? "Commercial shit." EDX? "Repetitive prog." Luckily, some producers swing between specific techniques from track to track while staying comfortably within the boundaries of their own personal sound. German DJ/producer Martin Stimming undoubtedly falls under the "tech house" catchall. However, his specific techniques and personal stylings warrant a more specific definition of his sound: "funky, bouncing tech house with emphasis on the funk." Yeah, it's a little more than two words, but Stimming's sound is something all his own, and it's something I've grown to love in recent weeks.

The first track I'd like to highlight from Stimming defines his native Hamburg sound and style perfectly in its name: "Funkworm". That's exactly what this sounds like. A murky, writhing, wriggling, funked-out worm of a guitar riff plonks its way into your head and stays firmly anchored under equally dirty, gritty drums that practically reek of wet dirt and freshly cut grass. The kick and gravel clap practically drive you headfirst into the ground, giving this cut a very earthen feel that perfectly compliments the annelid on which the song is based.

Stimming - Funkworm

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This next cut finds Stimming reveling in hissing synths that claw at your feet for the first minute or so under scarce, intermittent hi-hats and snares that gather build under a solid kick pulse. The glib vocal line says it all: "Just say hey, do you want to funk with me?" The jazzy hi-hats and claps solidify the structure while the synths percolate underneath, warming the entire track while licking at its feet for a good minute or so again. This is signature Stimming we're hearing now. A groove that warms, jars, and shakes you all over. The synth line skates over the vocal line which almost sounds like a joke, but there is no denying the heavy, pulsating bodytrap Stimming has set here. Not his best, but "Funk With Me" is another quality Stimming outing that definitely goes for the body over the mind.

Stimming - Funk With Me

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"Magdalena" finds Stimming teaming up with fellow Hamburg producer Einmusik for a much more straightforward, techier approach to tech house. An unrelenting bassline starts things up with a hint of that sexy, grooving Stimming rhythm hinted throughout the track. However, the groove is traded in favor a body-rocking synth line and more progressive sensibilities. The groove is still present, but it's definitely in the background here. But what I love about this track so much has to be that same synth line. This is a much more immediately danceable track that rolling right off your arms and back with a palpable shake. About three and a half minutes in, the menacing vacuum of a synth takes over and the rhythm kicks into overdrive. There is no way you can't move your body to this. Absolutely unrelenting. While other Stimming tracks usually kick back and let things build slowly, this cut definitely mans the helm and drives things straight into the proggier reaches of tech house, but that's perfectly fine. The results are massive, rhythmic on a level that progressive house rarely attains, and completely danceable with a killer, soul-sucking synth line that damn near forces you to get on your feet and dance.

Stimming & Einmusik - Magdalena

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This last cut returns Stimming to what he does best, and along with fellow German/Diynamic producer H.O.S.H., Stimming crafts a spacey, dubbed-out mind and body trip that you won't soon forget. Things start off in the outer reaches of space. A humming kick/to combo create the structure while a barely-there synth chimes in every measure to signal something is still happening and that this track hasn't all but flatlined. Every so often a few claps and a sinister hiss of a maraca shake foreshadow something more...but what? At 1:40, we find out. Ahh, glory. That warm, inviting Stimming drum sound. Wounded horns penetrate the background on occasion, and soon peak in an eerie, trainwreck of a climax that sounds...wonderful. Hi-hats, claps, and that bloody catchy maraca shake...the rhythm is undeniable here! It's classic Stimming, and that same whining, groaning synth line twists and turns through the...oh goddamn it. It's a train. Modulated and probably beaten senseless, this train winds up a cold, lonely mountain of sound, once in a while tooting to let us know it's almost approached the station. And then...what a breakdown. A bluesy organ all of a sudden breaks the clouds and shines down in all its melancholy glory to signal another "what-the-fuck" moment in a track full of them. But up against those Stimming drums...god does it sound good. Then everything drops out, only the claps and the hi-hats sounding off as the train's whistle mournfully toots off in the distance. "Radar" has holy crap written all over it, but it's a wonderfully unexpected track that pleases, if not with a crease on the forehead for the whole time you're listening to it.

Stimming & H.O.S.H. - Radar




That's all for now friends. Next time I plan to check out one of my favorite labels and mine it for some gems to share with all of you! Until then, keep on listening.
-NL

Short 'n' simple

I've spent most of the day fine-tuning my second big mix, while even takes on a kind of theme, believe it or not! Just shy of an hour, hip-hop, rap, electro, and indie dance/disco come together wonderfully and completely danceably. It took a looooooong time, but I am finally done. Yes, it's not the best production, but I'm losing sleep, this is destroying me! But I love it. I'll upload it later onto Mediafire. Until then, check the track-list:

1) Intro
2) Lupe Fiasco - Mastered
3) John Dahlback - Sidewalk feat. Elodie / Foremost Poets - Moonraker (Acappella)
4) DJ Mehdi - Signatune (Thomas Bangalter Edit) / Foremost Poets - Moonraker (Acappella)
5) Jesse Rose - Touch My Horn
6) Pussycat Dolls - Jai Ho
7) Kid Sister - Right Hand Hi
8) Boys Noize - Oh! (A-Trak Remix)
9) T.I., Bun B, & Slim Thug - Three Kings (Ratatat Remix)
10) Clipse - Mr. Me Too feat. Pharrell
11) The Bloody Beetroots - Awesome feat. The Cool Kids
12) Kid Sister - Pro Nails (Bag Raiders Remix)
13) R.Kelly - Hair Braider (Starkey Remix)
14) Kid Cudi - Make Her Say feat. Kanye West, Common, & Lady Gaga (Sammy Bananas Remix)
15) Lily Allen - Smile feat. Wale [Remix]
16) Kanye West - Diamonds are Forever feat. Jay-Z

Get hype. S'coming soon!!!!!
-NL