Dedicated to EHTC!!! Some goodies.

I haven't updated in a looong looong while, but I have been spurred on by the wonderful (and active) Edmonton House and Techno Collective that has popped up on Facebook. I think that this can be a wonderful launching point to build a decent underground scene here in the city of Edmonton. I think that if we can grow this group and carefully add and expand it outwards, good things can start happening. So this post is dedicated to the people that make this group awesome!

Dillon and Chaim are two Bpitch recording artists who both put out full lengths last year. I wasn't particularly impressed with either of them, but if DJ T. and Get Physical have taught us anything it's that sometimes pedestrian albums can spawn great remix packages. This remix of "Tip Tapping" sounds nothing like the original, but Chaim hits all the right mid-west vibes with his remix.

Dillon - Tip Tapping (Chaim Remix) (Bpitch Control)

Keeping right in line with that theme, enter the elusive remix of "Reckless With Your Love" by Azari & III that was featured in their essential mix a couple weeks ago. There have been a lot of Azari & III remixes that have popped up in the past six months, and rightfully so. This Tiga remix, however, is without a doubt my favorite of the bunch.

Azari & III - Reckless (With Your Love) (Tiga Remix) (Turbo)

It almost looks like I was doing algebra with all those brackets... Anyway, moving right along with the funky/ bass driven/ electro inspired grooves, here is a track called "I'm Lonely" by Hollis P Monroe. It is remixed by Larse; if you are familiar with Noir records you should have come across him by now. He has a bit of an eclectic pallet, as he has dabbled in proper funk and straight up disco on top of house. A good chunk of his productions are south of 115 bpm. His best stuff, however, is his soulful, deep, electro. This track is a little deeper, and little more soulful than the last two, but it is great.

Hollis P Monroe - I'm Lonely (Larse Remix) (Noir)

Now for something jackin'. You may remember J. Phlip playing this one early in her set at Level 2 last month. It is a remix of an Audiojack track, and while they are always awesome, FCL has really stolen the show with his remix of "Stay Glued". As I said, it's jackin'.

Audiojack feat. Kevin Knapp - Stay Glued (FCL Weemix) (Gruuv)

I have yet another treat for you guys. This comes from Adam Port, who used do be pretty hit or miss with by-the-book tech house and minimal tracks late in the last decade. I haven't actually followed him for over two years, but upon listening to some of his new stuff, I was very impressed. Here is my favorite of the group of tracks that I heard. It's some raw soul.

Adam Port - Someone to Love (Keinemusik)

Last but not least here is a cut from awesome label 1trax. It is by Dodha, who has been consistently putting out good tunes for the equally consistent UK label. It is a little slower than the other stuff I posted, but what it lacks in tempo it makes up for in bass.

Dodha - Peenoit (1trax)

Scuba, Raffertie, Synkro and... HUUUUUUUUGE announcement!!!

You likely don't need me to tell you, but Scuba has released the first track off of his upcoming third album entitled "Personality". The first single is "The Hope" and it is dripping with all of the late 80's, early 90's sentiment that the "Adrenalin EP" left us with. While it is undeniably retro sounding, it is quite a bit darker than any track off of that EP. If the entire album sounds like this... then everyone will be in for a real treat.

The EP also contains "Flash addict" which will not be appearing on the album. This is hardly a B-side however, as it has dark-room club smasher written all over it. Scuba was well immersed in the sound of fledgeling dubstep when "minimal" was big in his current home of Berlin. I think that this is his brilliant take on that-type-of-minimal sound, only slightly modernized. Either way, coupled with "The Hope" we have two tracks that could very well be on a few year-end lists.

Scuba - The Hope/ Flash Addict (Hotflush)

Second up, Ninja Tune artist Raffertie has released "Mass Appeal" this week. The four track EP contains rugged bass lines, wonderfully syncopated percussion, and a ten-and-a-half-minute synth-driven  epic. Not a lot of people know about Raffertie. He isn't particularly prolific, with only one EP all of last year, although he does get better with every release. Some people may actually remember him as one of the first champions of the heavy-distorted dubstep sound of 2009. He has certainly come a long way since then. Check out some samples.

Raffertie - Mass Appeal EP (Ninja Tune)

While both mysterious and beautiful, the Autonomic sound of minimal/ pretty drum and bass, has lost some momentum over the two years since FabricLive 50. Once at the forefront of electronic music, it seems to have been relegated to niche youtube channels where it attempts to eek out a meager existence. If you, like me, find this somewhat troubling, then fear not. Synkro has graced us with yet another brilliant track via Exit Records.

"Progression" takes on the Autonomic formula and delivers a deep and anxiously brooding track, which tugs on all the subtle heart-strings that normal drum and bass just won't touch. Included as well is a remix from equally well established ethereal-mastermind Indigo. While the Indigo remix bites a little harder than the original does in certain places, it is, overall, an even deeper and more minimal track that the original. Both tracks however, compliment each other  wonderfully and are not to be missed. Synkro needs to produce more!

Synkro - Progression (Exit)

Okay, now for the big announcement. If you live in Edmonton, or in the surrounding area, you will be witness to an awesome show in April. I will give you some hints: he co-runs one of my all-time favorite labels, a label that has been featured a lot on this blog. He has contributed mixes for BBC Radio 1, RA, Fabric and At The Controls. He has two wonderful full-lengths under his belt. He is the master of all things bass... hailing from San Francisco, originally from Detroit its.... CLAUDE VONSTROKE!!!

I have literally been waiting since 2007 to see this guy. Maybe even late 2006, whenever the first time I heard "Who's Afraid of Detroit". I thought I would have a chance to see him at Shambhala (of all places) in 2009, but due to time constraints on finishing his second album, and the "if-they-cancel-on-us-they-will-never-play-here-ever" attitude that Shambhala seems to enforce, I never did get the chance. Since then I have spent time wondering if I ever would. I thought for sure I would have to go abroad to see the main dirtybird man. After all, who would bring him here? Where would he play? With him being too big to play at small venues, and with Edmonton being too lame to have him play at a big venue, I never thought I would see the day when CVS would get confirmed to play here.

So who stepped up to the plate and delivered the goods, Eli Manning-Mario Manningham-clutch-style? Once again, Level 2 gets it done. This will mark the third straight Level 2 show that I attend, and all of which were dirtybird DJs. However, that being said, Level 2 was always somewhere which I considered to be "too small" for CVS to play at. So this means two things: 1. Get your tickets ASAP!!! I know that there only a grand total of 20 people at the J. Phlip show, but this is different. This is the man himself, and to say that he has made a few cross-over fans in the six years since he has been putting out records, would be an understatement. 2. There will be absolute bedlam inside that place. It is going to be hot, sweaty, sticky, and just generally nasty in every way imaginable. But really, is there a better guy to be providing the soundtrack to a night like that than the one, the only, Claude Vonstroke!

There will definitely more to come on this as it develops!!!  

Kasra mixes some forward-thinking drum & bass for Fabric

If you believe that drum & bass is dying a slow death, you certainly can't blame Fabric for any of it. Pretty much every Friday night you can find at least one d n' b act within the friendly confines of the London super-club. As a label however, is how Fabric really pushes the iconic genre to the masses. Aside from a stretch of 18 releases in which only High Contrast made a contribution, there has consistently been PURE drum and bass mixes popping up throughout it's prestigious catalogue.

And while the label can be accused of, at times, bringing out the worst in its commissions, the same certainly can not be said about the recent string of d n' b mixes that have come out of the Fabric camp. We have had Marcus Intalex's brilliant and soulful 35, Noisia's groundbreaking 40, Commix's beautifully sublime 44, LJT Bukem's vintage sounding 46, Zero T's eclectic 52, d Bridge & Intra:mental's ephemeral Autonomic sound of 50, DJ Marky's lovable 55 and Goldie's broad scoped 58.

For those who don't know who Kasra is, he runs arguably the best drum and bass label going right now, Critical Records. Along with Shogun Audio, Exit and Metalheadz, Critical Records have helped redefine the genre and elevate it back into respectability. The track listing for FabricLive 62 has arrived, via RA, and it looks like a doozy. It reads like a modern d n' b hall of fame. Dubplates and VIPs are abundant, as well as several forthcoming Critical tracks.

Pretty much everyone is here, Rockwell, Break, Phace, Noisia, Enei, Hybris, S.P.Y., Commix, Icicle, Klute, Sabre, Jubei and Alix Perez. Not surprisingly there are 29 tracks to feast upon, because that's almost always how d n' b DJs like it. The release date is penciled for March.

Tracklist
01. Rockwell - Underpass (Alix Perez VIP)
02. Foreign Concept - Detuned Souls
03. Dub Phizix - Handmade
04. Phace & Noisia - Micro Organism
05. Hybris - The Cleaner VIP
06. Sabre, Stray & Halogenix feat. Frank Carter III - Oblique VIP
07. Mortem - Uprising
08. Alix Perez - Myriads (Jubei Remix)
09. Break - Soundwaves
10. Judda - Pressure Plate VIP
11. Dub Phizix - Codec
12. Hybris - Make My Drink
13. Kasra & Enei - So Real
14. Enei - Machines
15. Enei & MC DRS - Obsession (Foreign Concept Remix)
16. Bladerunner - Back To The Jungle VIP
17. S.P.Y. - New Beginning VIP
18. Phace & Noisia - MPD
19. Foreign Concept - Mob Justice (Enei Remix)
20. Commix - Version
21. Klute - We R The Ones (Ulterior Motive Remix)
22. Xtrah - Regain Control
23. Icicle & Rockwell - Resources
24. June Miller & Proxima - Killswitch Engage
25. MC DRS feat. Enei - Count To Ten
26. Mark System - Pursuit
27. Mikal & Break - Play This Game
28. Enei & Riya - No Fear (Spectrasoul Remix)29. Stray - Timbre VIP   

Deadmonton?

I hate the term "Deadmonton". I like to think that despite our city's small population and geographical isolation from any sort of relevant cultural hub, that we can still be a force when it comes to music. I feel as though there are enough people here with enough knowledge and awareness to create a thriving scene where inspired bookings, lesser-known acts and underground shows can flourish amidst mid-sized, but utterly enthusiastic and grateful crowds of partygoers. I felt that perhaps a paradigm shift was underway within the city. I know that I have matured not only as a person, but as a consumer of music as well. I have also met many more who share my sentiments of late, for which I am thankful for.

It's difficult however, to remain faithful after what I saw on Saturday night. Or rather, what I didn't see: people. I didn't see people on Saturday night. Normally this is not uncommon, for one side effect of getting older seems to be a "pickiness" when it comes to most things. Music is certainly one of those things to which I have become overly picky. Some may call it "jaded", others may say "bitter"... and perhaps those are accurate descriptors for what I have become. In any means, as a result, I am more selective in what I would constitute as "a fun night out". So needless to say, this has resulted in less and less excursions into the clubs I used to frequent on Saturday nights. Therefore, I do not often see many "people" on Saturdays.

Last Saturday however, was different. A very talented young producer/ DJ who goes by the name of J Phlip, was in town. Unfortunately, I have somewhat neglected to mention her in depth in this blog. Two of her tracks, "Sleazy Pancakes" and "Fever" were on my radar for the top 100 tracks list, but came up just short. She also released a very good mix for DJ Mag which I enjoyed quite a bit. However, by most accounts, it was a quiet 2011 for the dirtybird DJ. Most of her best work came in the previous two years, from a productions standpoint. The only thing that I can refer to, was that I had her at number 42 on my top 50 DJs/ Producers list. Hardly a very positive story, and one that I wish I had a chance to rectify.

Upon hearing the announcement of her appearance at Level 2 however, I immediately jumped into action. I had not heard a live set, or even a youtube video of her DJing live, but I knew that this would be a show to see. I posted all the information I could on this blog a few weeks ago. Yet despite my best efforts, it was hard to find decent footage from her shows. There was one common theme however amongst the poor-quality and overly distorted camera and cell phone uploads that sparsely littered youtube: all the comments pointed to the fact that she was an AMAZING DJ. Everyone who had seen her, had nothing but very, very positive things to say about her shows.

Taking that into account, I knew I had to catch her. The whole reason behind the "Deadmonton" title however, was the fact that there was literally no more than 20 people at the venue. Needless to say, I was very disappointed. Here is one of dirtybird's most prominent and established stars, and twenty people show up? No, check that, twenty people show up, then some of them leave ten minutes into her set. That would be very disappointing to any performer. I can only imagine coming from cities like Chicago, San Francisco and Berlin (all cities she either has, or currently lives in) to Edmonton, only to find that nobody showed up for your show. Most DJs would probably be noticeably perturbed, many might play shortened sets, some might not even play at all. Fortunately J Phlip showed a lot of class throughout the entire night. She not only socialized extensively with the crowd before the show, she actually played for two and half hours!

Despite the limited numbers, everyone who was present understood how fortunate that we were to be seeing one of dance music's best kept secrets. The set itself was nothing short of masterful. She eased into the empty dance floor, and mostly lethargic crowd with a few deep house cuts, then upped the intensity (and the tempo) quickly, until three or four tracks in, she had completely won the crowd. Soon into the set she played the dance floor destroyer "Booty Clap" by Kill Frenzy, which naturally went down well with the sparse but energetic (and highly motivated) crowd.

From there she continued to throttle the tempo with an effortless transition into banging 808 techno/ electro. The energy reached a fevered pitch as each track either built upon, or sustained the momentum that she crafted seemingly out of no where. After about 30 minutes of straight jump/ dancing, as elicited by the rave-beat techno, people began to sit, or exit for some air. The set then changed it's direction to a slower pace. Less intense jackin' house became the order for the next twenty minutes or so, while people regained their energy and ventured back in from the outside. Despite the quality music expertly being played, it was still very apparent that there was as few as seven people on the dance floor at one particular time. For a little while it seemed as though no matter how good J Phlip was, there was just too few people to make a good show. The set seemed as though it had already reached it's brilliant and fleeting peak less than a half hour in. Despite the good tunes, there was a struggle between DJ and crowd to find a common ground.

With that said, props to both her and the crowd for giving absolutely everything they had. Once everyone mustered the energy back up, she was only all too happy do the same. From that point, we were treated to a feast of bass. For the next hour and a bit, she put us through a gauntlet of bass infused house like Justin Martin and Ardalan's "Lezgo", while seamlessly transitioning into old school west coast breaks and break-beat techno. She took full advantage of each track, using extremely long blends to create new tracks, and careful EQing tricks to create accapella's and mash-ups. The crowd was all too appreciative, shouting and exclaiming with every drop.

From there she played a very crowd pleasing stretch of "big room" "anthemic" cuts. Despite the propensity for music of this style to be "uninspired" or "generic", everything she played was very original and intelligent sounding, without ever degrading into cheezy territory. But it was the last half hour-forty minutes that were truly the best. At this point the tempo had dropped, but the beats took on a hypnotic nature. The crowd at this point was completely invested in the set and responding appropriately to her enthusiasm. She was also masterfully sustaining the atmosphere with slower, deeper grooves, which she actually seemed most comfortable playing. Though the presence of bass never dropped.

The tracks varied from Chicago inspired tech house, to classic mid 2000's inspired German techno; yet they all existed brilliantly together within the context of the set. Despite the scorching, up tempo sections that came earlier in her set, this was by far my favorite portion of the night. No track stood out, yet every track was essential in creating the mood that persisted until finally it was time to close. She received the word, and played her last song. Everyone there could have likely kept going for at least another hour, I know I could have. She looked as though she would have been game to play until the last person on the floor had their fill, however, the venue had to close.

Despite the poor turnout, those who there on Saturday got a real treat. It isn't often that a producer of J Phlip's caliber makes it out to Edmonton. It is even less often that you find great producers, who are also incredibly gifted DJs. Her mixing skills were not only precise, but the flow of her set was second-to-none. She was able to push the small, initially apprehensive crowd into a frenzy, adapt to the momentary loss of numbers, then take everyone back into another frenzy, before finally dipping into a completely euphoric stretch of deep and bass-riddled main-room house. However, what really impressed me was the fact that I knew only three of the tracks that she played. Five if you include remixes of tracks that I knew.

This is pretty special, considering how much time I dedicate to finding tracks that fall into that specific dirtybird sound. Granted, very little of what she played sounded like the label to which she contributes, but that unexpected aspect was what made it so special. It makes for an incredibly interesting and unique show, when the audience feels as though these tracks are somehow out of reach, and mysterious. With Justin Martin, I knew probably 40% of what he played, which was cool, don't get me wrong. I loved hearing all those tracks on a good sound system and with a receptive crowd. But J Phlip left me saying my favorite thing to say after a really good set: "Where does she find this stuff?"  

ASC, Doc Danneka, John Talabot and Azari & III

Alright, I have been kind of slacking off a bit lately, so here is a massive post to make up for it. I have a lot to get through so I will spare everyone from reading the long-winded intros that I have become prone to. Here we go...

First things first, I got around to listening to the Azari & III Essential mix and I have to say it was really good. I wasn't a fan of their album from last year, but their take on the vintage electro sound is definitely well executed. I just feel like their productions don't hit hard enough for me. This mix on the other hand, has quite beefy. The only thing that bothers me is the lack of tracklist. I don't know when the BBC started okaying the absence of tracklists, but Azari & III have followed suit and decided to forego a list of the bangers they dropped. Of course with the collective force of the internet, most of the list has been unearthed. However, the best songs are still unknown on every site I checked, including an absolute banging remix of "Reckless (With Your Love)". I advise you to check it out here.

Azari & III Essential Mix

Second up, is it just me or is it suddenly the "cool thing to do" for drum and bass producers to make electro/ techno? Instra:mental did a full length of it last year, Commix have hinted at a similar direction for this year's album, and now ASC has fallen onto the techno track as well. He released an EP for Perc Trax entitled "Boundary Scan". The three track EP features two tracks that could very well be Instra:mental cuts. There are pseudo break-beats, 808s and sparse hints of brooding and squelchy synths; basically the Detroit via UK sound that is trending right now. The most interesting, as well as the best track on here is the third, "Capsule". This features a more steady rhythm and intricate melody, although not to be considered "catchy". The beat while simplistic at first, offers up enough subtle variation throughout to hold the attention of a home listener. On a dance floor however, it will certainly evoke sweaty riots.

ASC - Boundary Scan EP (Perc Trax)

Next order of business, the first serious heavy hitter of the year was released today. John Talabot's "Fin" came out on permanent vacation, and just from the samples I quickly scanned on beatport, it sounds good. Really good. The first track "Depak Ine" will certainly be one of the best tracks of the year, however I could not find it. Instead, he has another gem up on his soundcloud, in full I might add. Take a listen to this.

John Talabot - So Will Be Now feat. Pional (Permanent Vacation)

Last, but certainly not least, another beauty of a full length came out on Modeselektor's 50 Weapons imprint. Benjamin Damage and Doc Daneeka teamed up last year to deliver an epic track (it just barely didn't make my top 100 cut) called "Creeper". Though don't expect to hear a whole album of similarly styled maximal-bass-&-grime-infused-techno. The first third of the album is surprisingly sparse. "No One" is a deep house/ techno tune, while "Battleships" borrows aesthetics from future-garage while still sounding original at the same time. "Deaf Siren" however, is pure classic jackin' house. Indeed, this is the most compelling section on the LP.

There is also an album edit of "Creeper", which is a good inclusion, as it is not so old and so played out to have worn out it's welcome. "Charlottenburg" and "Juggernaut" are variations upon the Creeper theme, while "Halo" is a surprisingly mellow footwork track. Here are some samples for your ears.

Doc Daneeka & Benjamin Damage - They!Live Album Preview (50 Weapons)

Synthetic Evolution

It is always interesting when artists are able to initiate sonic journeys. Not so much the journey that they take the listener on with their creations, but rather the journeys that they embark on themselves throughout their creative lifespan. Change is most often paramount when it comes to creativity. The greatest bands/ producers are the ones that never stay in one place for too long, yet demonstrate mastery in whichever field that they choose to tackle.

Artists such as Matthew Dear, Scuba, Martyn, Joy O and Instra:mental have all undergone radical shifts in their sound and approach within in the last few years. Yet for the most part, all have retained their critical appeal. These artists have had the luxury of being able to change sounds, despite the fact that the sound they were previously championing was still very much alive. However, it is not always a sure thing that you can still be respected as an artist when you make the switch. Sometimes it comes out of pure necessity that you simply have to change your sound. Ask any "breaks" producer from the early-mid 2000's. The question then becomes, how successfully are you able to navigate your new sound? And how receptive will your fan base be?

There are several examples of producers who have unsuccessfully tried to expand their sound. Skream, Booka Shade, Apparat and Tiefschwartz are all examples of producers who have fallen out of favor with most of their fans after their latest, disappointing, production efforts. Then there are the countless other examples of producers who seem to be willing to completely abandon their credibility and jump ship to sounds that all but eliminate their names from creative relevance. I won't name any names here, but I think we can all come up with a few ourselves.

So whether because you are simply bored with the music you are making and want to change it up, or because the scene in which you were associated with is dying, there are many reasons for sonic diversity and "journeys". None exemplify this better than Holland's best kept secret Exoplanet.

Exoplanet began life as a progressive peddler. Although the term "progressive" can have many negative connotations, think James Holden and Max Cooper, and not Armin Van Buuren and Swedish House Mafia. He really got his start in 2009, his early productions more than hinted at his talents. His productions were mostly light psy and world-influenced trance. He also proved to be very prolific, releasing more than 30 tracks within a calender year.

Since his early productions he has explored pretty much every sound that the whole "world beat" ideal can lend itself to. He has made techno, house and down tempo, all with a very beautiful, yet slightly predictable sound of middle eastern influence. It is mid 2010 that we find him really beginning to find his form. He explores intelligent yet straight-forward trance and techno, but with an emphasis on melody.

Fast forward to 2011 and the release of his debut album, "Nothing Divides Us Here". This is where the creative unrest is reaching a tipping point. Now he begins to leave his comfort zone and experiment with different beat structures, and entire different genres altogether, he even includes an irrefutable drum & bass track. Indeed, "Nothing" was some extremely gorgeous and provocative music. It sounded as though despite the fact that Exoplanet was creatively restless, he had left his mark in Electronic full length album lore.

However, his latest EP "Synthetic Evolution" is truly the crown jewel of his production credits, thus far. It is a five track EP, but with the shortest track lengths running at just over six, to nine-and-half minutes, it is as long as most full length albums. Here we find Exoplanet mastering the skittery and nervous percussion of alt-d n b, post-dubstep and UK techno. Normally it was always the melody that interested me in Exoplanet. He is always able to infuse everything that he makes with a sense of grandiose and scale. This EP let's the melody take a slight break (although it is still very prominent) and let the rhythm set the stage.

Tracks such as the opener "Emerging Architecture" and "Circuit and Organism Coalesce" display tension and unease with the frantic percussion and wonky-psy synth work. They almost sound as if Sphongle were attempting to make dubstep. Then "Living Oscillating Lines" takes things back a notch with a more subdued beat and harmoniously drawn out melodies. The best track however, is the last one "Symbiosis Over Time". Take the best parts of Kowton, Monolake and early Booka Shade and slow them down, that is what this track is like. Absolutely wonderful.

I recommend checking out his entire catalogue, as he is a very, very talented producer. Here is a youtube link to my favorite track. There are a lot of other tracks up there to listen to as well. Do it!!!

Exoplanet - Symbiosis Over Time (Particles)

The Composer is Dead!

Just thought I would do a small post about a track that has come out recently and awesome!

The first supreme cut comes to us courtesy of Poker Flat, Steve Bugs label. Martin Landsky is probably best known for his remixes. He has crafted an Oxia-esque remix of Robert Owens and Mark Romboy's "I Need", a typical 2005 "minimal tech house" take on Booka Shade and Mark Romboy's "Everyday of My Life", and recently an absolute smasher of a remix of John Tejada's "Sweat (On The Walls)".

Much of his output has been for Poker Flat, so it is no surprise that his new track "The Composer" is the second release of the new year for the prominent label. The track itself is sure to be a first quarter hit on dance floors around the world. It has all the necessary ingredients: a catchy yet slightly dissonant filtered synth melody with just the slightest hint of acid, a simple spoken vocal line proclaiming ostentatiously that "The Composer is Dead". But above all else, it has a simple yet hypnotically effective groove that is guaranteed to get people out of their chairs and onto the floor. Also included is a chunkier Sasse remix, as well as a dub version.

Martin Landsky - The Composer (Poker Flat)