The mail's here.

To me, finding good music is akin to sifting through the daily mail...stuff you don't want to get, a few things you don't know why you still get (Burger King birthday month cards, I'm looking at you) and maybe...just maybe...something you wanted to get. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen very often. So what do you do? Enjoy every piece of mail you get. Yes, even those birthday month cards from your local fats food chain. Burger King at least cares enough to remember the month.

Here are a few pieces of mail I've been listening to recently. A grab-bag, if you will.

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This first track is a recent banger from Made To Play head honcho Riva Starr. A sensual, warped sax line behind spastic bass and tambourine, this track does everything right, and unlike most electro house cuts, doesn't overstay its welcome, coming in at around 3 and a quarter minutes. A second wavering sax line rolls in to give the track a spicy, rhythmic, body-shaking mentality. Short, sweet, spicy, and unrelenting, this most recent Riva Starr outing can be digested by anyone, and is perfect to kick off late-night parties. LEMON!

Riva Starr - Trompe D'Amour

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If Eminem was the tough guy as a young, white rapper, then Josh Martinez inevitably was the shy, nerdy, white rapper. Unfortunately, Josh Martinez is a name probably none of you have ever heard before, despite the man's presence in the world of underground rap. Martinez brings a fierce, at times sensitive, viscerally goofy flow and punch to his lyrics, but as every rapper has that soft-spot song for every girl, Martinez's rings especially clear. Over a laid-back, mellow beat that almost hums "bright, shiny, happy day", Martinez reminiscences on his romantic past, his shyness, and his honest appreciation of a new girl in his life. Yeah, yeah, I know we've all heard it before, but the chorus is the best part of the whole song, as Martinez waxes (admittedly goofy) poetic: "’m just a dude and I do things the way dudes do. Cause I’m glued and stuck on you but I say do what you need to do. I’ll be here, drinking a beer, looking around, holding it down. Thinking of you…" The man is a goofy genius. A beautiful, honest song, perfect for nights with that special someone... Check Josh Martinez on Camobear Records, which released his two best albums, "Midriff Music" from '04, and "World Famous Sex Buffet" in '07. Enjoy.



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This final track is a massive, anger-filled techno cut from UK producer/DJ Alan Fitzpatrick. Released on Swedish label Drumcode, "Face of Rejection" is a warm, heavy techno cut that screams subtle anger and frustration in, well, the face of rejection. An ominous bass kicks things off, slowly building before an angry piston hiss knocks things into high gear, and the track begins to gain momentum, continuing the menacing kick and snarling bass, before echoing, hissing hi-hats wrap the track in a cloud of visceral rage and power. A one-trcik pony this track might be, but damnit, it's quite a powerful "trick".





That's all for now. This happens to be exam weekend, so I should probably get back to studying. Or continue sorting my mail.
Have a great weekend folks.
-NL

Gaiser is God

As I have found myself moving further and further into the depths of minimal techno, I've become increasing intrigued at the depths and intricacies it has to offer. Lush, layered textural drum patterns, beautifully simple, stark synth washes, and a surprisingly rhythmic, danceable feel.

But either way, minimal techno is either head-pleasing, or body-pleasing. Luckily, I have happened upon an American producer by the name of Gaiser (short for Jon Gaiser) who, by some stroke of luck, in addition to stellar production skills, manages to play a middle ground that works beautifully in both areas of dance music: the head and the body.

Let's start off with Gaiser's first major release on RIchie Hawtin's minimal/techno monolith M_nus (pronounced MInus). "Neural Block" is a 4-track EP that beautifully showcases Gaiser's possibilities and strengths as a producer. The eponymous cut marries a plinging synth with cut-up, robotic vocals and hissing, snaking snares with a classic, booming kick. The track rolls along with a subtle undertone of malice; a snaking, serpentine tone that gathers momentum and curves its way through the track and in and out of thought. The synth begins to echo itself and space out as the track gathers more momentum, hisses, growls, and the same computer plink keeping time throughout. The cool thing about this cut is that the sound is very similar to the name of the track and the 'message': the track tries to move to new areas, but the ghostly vocals, cut in like some computer program gone wrong, cause the rhythm to stutter and start over again, in a sense, a 'neural block'. Beauty.

The other highlight of the EP is 'Separation', a dark, ominous cave of a track that shutters, echoes, and groans like a massive mechanical monster. A quivering, dying synth plays into the darkness, as the groans grow and sigh away again. Eerie toms and hollow bongos fade through the empty space, with the sound seeming to bounce off of walls all around, reflecting back at the listener every few seconds. Eventually nothing but the groans remain, before a cave breeze blows the beat back into place, and the groans grow farther and farther away...a mysterious, dark cut that caps a beautiful EP.

Oh yeah. Forgot. 'Seepage', the third cut, takes astral blips and bloops and wraps them loosely around an snaking, icy cold synth line, complete with random pops and electronic gasps. The only track with a semblance of melody, 'Seepage' oozes downtuned organ sighs further down the track time, as the beat rolls along comfortably, and the pings grow and waver without certainty.

Overall, this EP showcases Gaiser's talent as a producer, and his specific sound: hollow, dark, empty, layered, dense, textured, and completely danceable. You can download the full EP here:
Gaiser - Neural Block EP

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Next up comes Gaiser's second massive double vinyl EP on M_nus, Eye Contact. Another monster of an EP, with a few selected beauties worth a listen.

'Eye Contact' begins like typical Gaiser: thick, booming drums underneath a sheen of sparse, disconcerting sound elements (hisses, blips, bloops, squelches). THis is a much more rhythmic cut for Gaiser, but this is definitely for the better. Cave-like in sound and structure, the light snares bounce wonderfully off the kick/hi-hat combination that keeps time. The track whines and cries, itching to grow and break up, with the drums finally gathering some friction against the electronic squirms and whines issued every half-minute or so. Eventually, the track plunges headfirst in a cave where the whines echo their loudest and most sinister. Another oddly catchy, but mysterious track.

'WIthdrawal' is the other big draw. Much more straightforward rhythmically, this cut simply takes thunderous, banging drums and lines them up against astral, shimmering synth lines. The effect is eerie, spacey, but works wonderfully. The track becomes grounded, with its arms flailing through the air. The echoey synth gives the track some much needed breathing room that floats it through your mind for the next four or so minutes.

Everything in between is typical Gaiser, with mixtures of melodic elements, ominous sound bytes, and complex, layered soundscapes that move your head as well as your body. Tops 'Neural Block' but only a very small margin.

Here's the EP in it's entirety:
Gaiser - Eye Contact EP


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Finally, I'm going to preview my next post with this video. I'll let you have a listen and....see what you think. Until next time...lights out.




-NL

First post of the new year

It's finally here. 2009 was full of...well, lots of stuff, for different people. Some probably loved, others couldn't wait for '10. Either way, it's a new year, and time to look at my top 3 for 2009. Tracks and albums. I know this isn't a top 10, but I don't want to write that much, and I'd rather everyone check out the music instead of talking to me or reading what I have to say. Alright, let's head on in...



ALBUMS

3) The Whitest Boy Alive - Rules

Bubbly, catchy, poppy, Norwegian goodness. Musically interesting and engaging as well, "Rules" picks off where 2006's "Dreams" left off, continuing a string of glittering, joyful pop nuggets, perfect for jamming to, rocking out to, head-bobbing to, or all of the above. Favorites: 1517, Courage, Timebomb.

2) Dam-Funk - Toeachizown

It doesn't get much more mellow than trippy, glowing modern day funk straight out of L.A. Dam-Funk does it best when he's got only a Moog and a synthetic drumkit, weaving dense, boppin' rhythmic funk biscuits (24 in total) that sample the best of his epic, five volume EP releases all through 2009. A locked-in groove is never far away, and DF's masterpiece gathers tracks ranging from 2 minutes to 9 minutes in length. Good for listening at any time. Dreamy, sky-bound, trippy, ethereal, lush, groovy, this is funk in the most serious meaning of the word. Favorites: 10 West, Toeachizown, Candy Drippin', Galactic Fun, Flying V Ride.

1) Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Maybe it was just me, but in a year of dark, brooding, ever-pervading moody releases from all fronts, it's nice to hear something genuinely cheery, yet seriously cheerful. Not goofy happy. Honest to God, meaningfully happy and joyous. And nothing exhibited this better than Phoenix's third album, released right at the beginning of summer. The rhythms, vocals, melodies, everything just clicked. Not a single bad song on the album either, another fine example of quality over quantity. Say what you will about deep Pink Floyd albums, epic A Perfect Circle business, or Nine Inch Nails...whatever. Sometimes a little dose of happy can beat them all when the time is right. Favorites: 1901, Lasso, Rome, Lisztomania.


TRACKS

Scratch it. I'm going Top 10 for tracks.

10) Funkagenda - Breakwater (Dataworx Remix)

Thick, rumbling drums underneath a sheen of perfectly rhythmic toots of a pipe organ? Sign me up. Dataworx took a lush, clubby original and ran it through a tech house converter, flattening the track out before blowing it up and plunging it underwater. Beautifully rhythmic, while still retaining the effervescent, beach-time sensibilities of the original.

9) Andy Chatterley - Jets

Epic, furious monster of a track. Andy Chatterley's aptly titled techno cut on Saved Records is a wonderful example of a kitschy theme done correctly. A simple, metallic synth riff kept things in focus while the very electronic-sounding drums bounced and rumbled amidst the roar of jetplanes taking off and landing. The sudden, violent breakdown shook the entire track as a blaring siren rang out in fearful, menacing calamity. A monster, indeed, that shook both heads and bodies.

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

Funky tech house at it's best. Rippling and yawning for the first few minutes, Stimming and H.O.S.H. sent this whining, blaring freight train (literally) of a track up a proverbial and literal mountain of sound, the whole time the beat wavering and shaking in fearful, empowering audacity. Body-shaking and mind-numbing; the ballpark organ in the throes of death for the entire track. Definitely odd, but completely danceable and beautifully dark.

7) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)

A-Trak delivers with another quality remix, nearly on par with the untouchable remix of his of Sebastien Tellier's "Kilometer". Hip-hop tinged drums, a rubbery bassline, and excellent use of Karen O's vocals, this track is a winner from start to stop, and it really showcases A_Trak production abilities and how he can mold a track expertly while keeping it true to form, something most remixes fail to understand or catch onto. A club hit, in every sense of the word.

6) Calvin Harris - Flashback (Eric Prydz Remix)

Prydz rarely releases any remixes, but luckily, when he does, you KNOW they'll be quality cuts. Example? His typically, but beautifully proggy remix of Calvin Harris's "Flashback". Typical Prydz here ad nauseum: rhythmic, proggy synths, thumping, repetitive drums, it's all here. But Prydz cutting up and subsequent use of the vocals work absolute wonders, pulling a dreamy, velvety cloth over the listener's eyes and ears, plunging the track through a head-happy, whirling progressive house dreamscape that you can't help but dance too. Kudos to Prydz's production skills; this is an absolute winner.

5) Mayer Hawthorne - Green Eyed Love (Classixx Remix)

Lush, creamy, and shimmering: anything Classixx touches turns to gold. Stones Throw signer Mayer Hawthorne, with his Motown-via-a great white guy voice schtick (a great schtick at that) gets the indie dance treatment from Classixx. Lush synths billow, rise, and fall gently and beautifully against Hawthorne's exquisite voice. Dreamy, ethereal, with a dollop of soul; this track has it all. Best for sittin' and listenin', drivin', or just...relaxing.

4) Inpetto - Catwalk

Up to this point, I had never really been a fan of Inpetto. A slew of decent remixes and a few originals on Big & Dirty never really caught my attention, but then Catwalk came along and changed all that. A metallic, prog house beat falls into place alongside blippy, equally metallic synths, before...the sax solo. Holy shit, this came out of nowhere, but oh man, the rhythmic sensibilities soar afterwards, and the solo absolutely turns the song into a house must-have. Head and body music with a "sax"-ual twist. Aha.

3) Danton Eeprom & Radio Slave - Grindhouse (Dubfire's Terror Planet Remix)

Hoooooooly shit. Few things have more power than this track. Growling, heaving, menacing, viscous, powerful, absolutely clobbering. The bassline thunders along amid Eeprom's ghastly, haunting vocals; an air of fear and menace filling the air for the near 11 minutes this track hangs around. Barebones rhythm here works wonders, and this ends up being one of the best remixes of the year. Any time you thing about doubting the track, just wait for the hiss of the pistons and Eeprom's omniscient , commanding voice...then we'll talk.

2) Anything on Great Stuff Recordings.

There. I said it. This is my list, so if you disagree, fuck off. EVery single time I check for new tracks, I always return to Great Stuff. Butch, Lutzenkirchen, Ramon Tapia, Martin Eyerer, Namito, Oliver Koletzki...a bunch of excellent tech house producers that release amazing stuff every single time something new drops on Great Stuff. Ramon Tapia's Latin-esque "Sunka Sanka" and "Start It Up", Mike Monday's rhythmic, head-boppin' "Zum Zum", Butch's beautiful, starry-eyed remix of Luomo's "Tessio", Benno Blome and Martin Eyerer's eclectic "Pianoroll", Mason's atmospheric, techy "The Ridge", Lutzenkirchen's ominous "Borderline", the list goes on. Great Stuff is always 100% quality stuff. If it ain't broken, don't fix it.

1) Sebastien Leger - The People (plus Eric Prydz remix)

Leger at his experimental best. Taking a Marilyn Manson sample and completely fucking it up. Techy, violent, grating, an absolutely beautiful example of going outside of your comfort zone to wonderful results. Not only is the original amazing, but Prydz's remix extends it a bit and introduces each element to thunderous effect. Tweaking the vocal sample into the track's sole melodic element, underneath devastatingly simple synths and drums, this is a tech-prog-house joint that completely destroyed everything else I've heard this year. Maybe I enjoyed a few tracks more, but I can always return to this 10 minute sucker for a complete and fully enjoyed listen.



That is all. Enjoy! Give me your thoughts, and give everything a listen if you're of a mind. Happy New Year's to all. Let's make this the start of a great decade. '10.

-NL

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