Privateer - A Blog About Forward Thinking Music

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Originally out as a limited cassette-only release (I know, right?), Joane Skyler’s “orz” EP has made its way to a full digital & physical release via Reckno. The eight track EP is an accomplished assortment of crisp beats, undressed sound-waves and sluggish sythns all distilled into deliriously unbalanced electronica. Preview it below:

<a href="http://reckno.bandcamp.com/track/joane-skyler-orz-side-a" data-mce-href="http://reckno.bandcamp.com/track/joane-skyler-orz-side-a">Joane Skyler 'orz' Side A by Reckno</a>

The EP opens with the howling synthetic groans of "Gemz", rumblingly outwards to fill some pitch-dark and cavernously large space, thus setting the tone for the next thirty minutes. From the get-go, the EP is dense, tightly-coiled and with an almost pre-historic weightiness. Having set up this atmosphere, Skyler then sets about puncturing the tar-thick tones with snappy, stuttering percussion, breaching the murk without ever breaking it. In places Skyler's drums slip so far off meter that instead of becoming humanised they morph into something else entirely; the whirring of complex machinery or the cyclical pattern of water droplets falling from ceiling of a cave. Drum hits that might otherwise seem sharp and piercing become dulled as they bounce around the artificial spaces, and the EP soon develops this subterranean pressure, further reinforced by endlessly shuddering reverbs. In a way the EP puts me in mind of artists like Distance or Loefah, in that it has taken a lot what was conceptually and atmospherically interesting about early dub-step, but with pads providing the crushing force of the sub-bass and breakbeats disorienting us instead of half-time. And dread. Lots of it.

The Ep isn't all gloom and doom though. Every so often delicate, harmonious flourishes will bubble up or a pad will cut through the mix like a beam light refracted through water. Brief flashes of hope that only further muddy the water when they fade. In fact, Skyler seems to posses that rare skill to these create these ambiguous, almost alien atmospheres that one might normally associate with Zomby or Actress; the music feels highly emotive, just not in a way any human intelligence would comprehend*. Lately, this style of music has become particularly exciting to me because subverts the existing norms in electronic music. The current assumption, (also a judgement espoused by skeptics and lay-people which has been used to discredit electronic music since its dawn) is that organic sounds evoke complex emotions, whereas artificial sounds do not. Should not. Cannot. Organic vocal samples, live-drum hits, reel-to-reel hiss, natural-sounding reverb- these are the tools of Gold Panda, Andy Stott and Nicholas Jarr. Auto-tune, drum-machines, quantisation- these are the tools David Guetta. One is contemplative and deep, the other fleeting and vapid. Never the twain shall meet.

Clearly this isn’t the case; just consider a Vangelis or Giorgio Moroder score, take a look at what Dark Star can do with a vocoder, or remember the OST of your most cherished childhood video games. Are we seriously to believe the theme from The Terminator would better reinforce Arnie’s menacing relentlessness if were it played with live instrumentation? Perhaps conjuring powerful emotive imagery with synthetic sounds is so hard to master many would rather dismiss it. Regardless, you can rest assured that so long as artists like Skyler continue to challenge these assumptions, this technique will not be lost.

<a href="http://reckno.bandcamp.com/track/joane-skyler-orz-side-b" data-mce-href="http://reckno.bandcamp.com/track/joane-skyler-orz-side-b">Joane Skyler 'orz' Side B by Reckno</a>

Simultaneously, "orz's greatest strength and weakness is its ability to create its own immersive environment. Many of the tracks seamlessly flow into one another or contain more than one traditional "song", thus blurring the boundaries of not only their running times, but also of their moods, atmospheres and stories. Presumably, this is intended to capitalise on nature of the medium originally intended for ”orz's"release: the cassette tape. If you cast your mind back- no, further than that. Further still. You there? Right. If you cast your mind back, you'll recall that cassette tapes don’t have separate tracks and skipping between the content with any accuracy is difficult at the best of times. Hence, songs with ambiguous divisions make perfect sense (...aaand my original skepticism was a touch unjustified). This wandering arrangement serves to enhance the EP's daydream vibe and, bizarrely enough, communicate some kind of narrative arc (despite the almost total absence of lyrical content). The unfortunate flip side of this lack of strict framing is that the content can occasionally come across as either too cluttered or somewhat transient. Few of the tracks remain with you after listening and little of the EP seems to "make sense" in isolation (that being said, I keep coming back to "Dinosaur Dies Alone", probably the most meandering and oblique track on the EP).

While "orz" doesn't quite hold up as a collection of traditional songs, when experienced as a whole it is a unique and sublime journey to the musical boundaries of human-computer interaction. Above all else, the release is a superb listen and a bracing introduction to an intriguing new voice; I eagerly anticipate hearing more.

You can download Joane Skyler’s “orz” EP via Boomkat here or get the limited edition cassette-tape from the Reckno bandcamp page here. You should also bop over to her soundcloud and follow/comment/share and just generally show some love, ‘eres dat link.

*I’ve noticed I’ve been saying this sort of thing a lot lately, so maybe its all perfectly understandable and I’ve just developed an autistic spectrum disorder.

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Its been a month or so since I've heard anything that's really jumped out at me, but when I listened to the new collab between Cooly G and Stay Positive (Christian AIDS's new pun-loving persona*), I knew I'd be posting on it. Why? Well, in a nutshell: its a trance song.

A legit trance song.

Of course, in and of itself, making trance is neither new nor exciting- I'm sure there's plenty of people still making trance. In Spain, probably. What makes this track interesting is that it seems to be a sincere attempt to engage with what is probably the least critically acceptable genre of dance music by "respectable" artists who might otherwise usually be classed as "high-brow". Stay Positive is still making a name for himself, but has, for instance, garnered comparisons with New Order and A Certain Ratio by the Guardian, and Cooly G is a Hyperdub artist for chrissakes. We're talking about the sort of label that's not just home to critically-lauded artists like Ikonika, Laurel Halo and Zomby, but who's founder has a Phd in Philosophy and writes books about the "sound, affect and ecology of fear". Not to put to fine a point on it, but its a label that seems to value intellectualising dance music. So its pretty damn bizarre that we now have one of it's main-stays coming together with a hotly-tipped up-and-comer to have a go at what has traditionally been seen as the most vacuous and empty-headed of dance genres. Its weird, I'm not sure I understand it, but it has my attention.

What of the music itself? Well, its more than just an interesting talking point- "You Hate Me" is actually a pretty solid piece of dance music. Everything rises and falls in the right places without spilling over into excess, its got a vocal that'll worm it's way into your subconscious and, crucially, you can actually dance to it. The trance elements aren't just half-arsed references either- it's not just that the lead synth/chord stab wouldn't sound out of place in a Chicane track. Stay Positive has done his homework; the kick is just right, and for some intangible reason the processing on Cooly's vocal simultaneously feels modern while explicitly referencing classics like "Better Off Alone" (never more so than in the speak-singing section around the 2:10 mark).

Admittedly, to call the track "trance" is oversimplifying matters. With the square-wave bassline, percussive shuffles and occasional pitched and cut vocal cropping up, you can hear a few traits and techniques bleeding in from the authors' own catalogues. In this way, "You Hate Me" is still born from that much maligned genre, but re-contextualises it for contemporary ears. Frankly, I love it.

No doubt, some will automatically turn their noses up a release like this, but just maybe a controlled dosage of trance is the perfect cure for our collective hang-over from all that pouty Dubstep/Future Garage business. Christ, remember when Garage actually used to be fun? Back when it was all Spanish guitar and people shouting "re-e-mix"- even though you were listening to the original? Y'know, there was a time when men sang like women without having their voices pitched**.

Don't get me wrong: I've bought my fair share of Burial records, and I'm not advocating some sort of rose-tinted, saccharine Return-to-Oz bullshit. That's an attitude which is not only boring, but also delusional and poisonous to progress. But, the undeniable fact of the matter is that in the intervening years, dance music (and its associated culture) has come to take itself waaay too seriously. Honestly, I can't stomach another instalment of Boiler Room, I'm fucking tired of youtube channels like Majestic with it's infinite look-a-likes and Depressed-DJs has warped from a funny observation into a grating reminder of an overwhelming and frankly, endemic pretentiousness.... and do you know what the worst thing is? I am entirely aware that you need only jump back a post or two on Privateer and you'll find glaring examples of my hypocrisy***. Just... just... it just all needs to stop, y'know? What better way to inject a bit of light-heartedness back into things than bringing back the one genre that no one can ever truly take seriously?

So, yeah... Kind of went off on one there, but that's what happens if you decide to write in the aftermath of a liquid-lunch. I guess that if theres a point to this sprawling mess, it is this: I don't know about anyone else, but I'm fucking hyped for the trance revival.

Stay Positive & Cooly G's "You Hate Me" is out now on Stay Positive Industries. Download it here at Boomkat.

*AIDS?... Positive?... Geddit?... Well don't look at me like that, its not my fucking joke.

**looking at you, Bedingfield.

***in a fleeting moment of self-effacing courage, I went back to read a post or two. Thankfully I was spared when the overwhelming waves of shame-induced nausea became too much for me to go on.****

****I think these asterisks are starting to get a bit out of hand.

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"Last Night in My Dreams, I Was Talking to You" is the new (and maybe first...?) release from experimental electronic-pop artist Violetness, it's just come out via LebensStrasse Records (also home to Sun Glitters and Slow Magic) and we are absolutely bewitched by it.

The Ep consists of three tracks of grandiose synth-pop, each delicately laced with pangs of nostalgia and taught with yearning, rendered in a expertly balanced blend of synthetic and organic sounds. Throughout, it is entrancing to hear Violetness' ability to draw focus to the moments between moments, the empty resonant spaces where apparently little is happening, but upon which everything hangs. It is her restraint and composure in these few seconds that builds the tense anticipation which underlies the emotional core of her music. Next comes the release, crashing forth with rolling drums, rising synths and distant cries. This masterful control of the rise and fall of the energy, tension and tone is both the defining characteristic of the EP and a demonstration of Violetness' finesse as a song writer, pity there's only three tracks. "Last Night In My Dreams..." is a real beauty, we can't wait for more.

You can download Violetness' "Last Night in My Dreams, I Was Talking to You" on Boomkat here.

  B-B-B-BONUS ROUND.

Theres a couple of lovely short films/trailers/vignettes knocking around the web featuring Violetness' music titled "Last Night In My Dreams..." and "UKU PACHA". Both are beautifully shot and definitely worth checking out.

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I came across Clipping late last night whilst strolling through the shady binary back-streets and artificial alleyways of soundcloud. It was dark. I was alone. Cautiously, I clicked play on the intro to "Midcity"... I was immediately assaulted by a wall of raw, visceral distorted noise followed by ferocious, lightning-fast rhyming. Adrenaline pumping, gripped by a primal terror, I knew I needed more on. I was hooked.

Its hard to know where to start with this one. This record is harsh. Just fucking unrelentingly, tinnitus inducingly harsh. This is probably what they're rocking on Guantanamo's prison radio. Clipping (MC/frontman Daveed Diggs with William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes on production duties) aren't your run of the mill hip-hop group, they reside in that strange realm of experimental-noise/industrial rap thats springing up right now. However, they stand apart from their contemporaries such Death Grips or B L A C K I E through the extent of the a-musicality they dare to pursue and sheer forceful precision of their sound. This is not crunchy, lo-fi boom-bap-boom-bap stuff, but instead a full on blast from a static-storm. Have a listen to "guns.up", you'll see what we mean- they're not playing around.

Whereas other artists in this vein have subverted their root genre by filtering it through bit-crushers and distortion, Clipping seem to be intent on disposing with this pretense altogether. Their sound is Noise-music as Hip-Hop, not experimentations in Noise by Hip-Hop artists. This may seem like nit-picking, but this subtle distinction underlies Clipping's power and is the bedrock of their production. Take the hi-fidelity static thunderclaps and screeching nails-down-the-chalkboard of "Loud", they are tuned just-so to achieve maximum effect- only then are they reinterpreted into a beat. Most artists would have it vice-versa, grab some 808 hits and a bunch of samples and then go about turning them into a Noise-style beat. Its like having a machine custom built for its purposes as opposed to cobbling it together from existing components. In fact some of these sounds are so acutely engineered that I wouldn't be surprised if they literally do build their own synths and whatnot.

Although you'd think it hard to raise the tension of these apocalyptic beats, Diggs' flow only serves to heighten the intensity and anxiety that runs through "Midcity". He does this by delivering his cadenced verses at break-neck speed, rarely deviating or pausing to release the pressure, but always on-measure nevertheless. This is particularly impressive when you consider that the beats are often so minimal that Diggs has little to place the foundations of his flow in. In response, Diggs seems to compensate by amplifying his vocal dynamism and dexterity until he becomes his own rhythm section. 

My sole reservation here is that, while I try to steer clear of overly negative or antagonistic Hip-Hop (purely a subjective preference), Diggs' rhymes are often just as ugly as the music. But, perhaps this is par for the course... I guess its hard to stay on a positive tip when you're backed by beats like these. In short; "Midcity" is a tough one, but if you're in the mood for some heavy-duty-blow-out-your-ears-noise-ordinance, then Clipping are your guys.

Check out the album in full below.

You can get Clipping's "Midcity" now on Bandcamp here, if you dare...

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"Rooftop/I Want To Be Alone" is the latest release from Sleep ∞ Over (A.k.a Stefanie Franciotti), it dropped a week or so ago via LA label, Hippos In Tanks and its really something to behold.

The A-side begins with blinking, arpeggiated chimes, setting the scene for Franciotti's dread-inducing lullaby. The track soon fills out with battered brass instruments delivering wandering jazz-fills before groaning and squealing off into the middle distance. Although the expert use of found-sounds and the bizarre, ramshackle instrumentation on "Rooftop" are alone enough to make it a standout, it is Franciotti's breathless, drowsy vocals that heighten the song's drama to its harrowing levels. Listening to "Rooftop" feels like watching a dusty, abandoned music-box ballerina crank into action one last time.

On the flip side Franciotti covers Vashti Bunyan's baroque-pop number "I Want To Be Alone". While the cover pays tribute to the original's far-out freakbeat atmosphere by maintaining its percussive style and rhythmic structure, the melancholy vibes are amplified tenfold. Bunyan's folk instrumentation is swapped out in favour of swirling keys sailing synths- the brass also returns here, albeit fuller and more assured. Combined, these sounds put us in mind of the more wistful moments of Beach Boy's "Pet Sounds". The entire release is absolutely fantastic and we suggest you get your hands on a copy A.S.A.F.P.

You can download Sleep ∞ Over's "Rooftop/I Want to be Alone" at Boomkat here and while you're at it, why not check out her soundcloud too.

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With his first release since 2012's stunning "R.I.P.", Actress (A.k.a Darren Cunningham) brings forth three delightfully glitched out tracks in the guise of his "Silver Cloud" EP. We'd actually been putting off covering this one, since it was initially released as a super-limited white label (the sort that sells out long before you've even heard about it) and there isn't a whole lot of point in posting on music you can't listen to. But now that Ninjatune and Cunningham's own Werkdiscs imprint have made the EP available for download*, we're happy to feel able to report on it. So, onwards we go...

Those of you familiar with Actress will know more or less what to expect; meticulously arranged songs, seeming composed by some artificial intelligence yet itching with activity all the same. What you may not be ready for is the previously unattained level of poise Cunningham delivers. Across the EP not a single moment is misjudged, a particularly remarkable accomplishment when you consider the sheer length and density of it. Although it is only three tracks, "Silver Cloud" spans over twenty-five minutes (with "Voodoo Posse Chronic Illusion" creeping up on the twelve minute mark) and each track is based around a single compact loop which is repeated, revised and remade, ad infinitum.

"Silver Cloud" opens with harsh static crackles and fuzzy scratching forming the bare-bones back beat of "Voodoo Posse Chronic Illusion", soon enough they are engulfed by ringing bells, gongs and chimes, lazy midi-guitars and rushing white noise, dissolving all into a singular hypnotic rhythm. Expertly automating these elements, Cunningham is able to draw out the balancing act of these shifting elements to near trance-inducing extent, even going so far as to "end" the track more than once before dragging you back in. The lack of embellishment is a serious feat of discipline and only stands to reaffirm his mastery of minimalism. Check it out below, but bare in mind; it deserves to be heard in full, the minute and a half clip from Ninjatune doesn't do this colossal twelve-minute track justice.

The next two tracks employ the same cyclic structure as "V.P.C.I" but discard the soft, melodic sounds in favour of harsh, occasionally atonal noise experimentation. The extent to which Cunningham has exorcised the organic from these productions is simultaneously engrossing and enormously alienating. Hissing like a steam engine, "Silver Cloud Dream Come True" pushes forward with the dispassionately relentless repetition of industrial machinery. "Floating in Ectasy" recalls anything but; it is a bleak, grinding soundscape with drunken and heavy-handed beats, the looping deep-pitched vocals seemingly bent on indoctrination. It is a soundtrack for Huxley's vision of oppression.

I won't lie to you: this is some pretty heavy-going stuff, almost impenetrable at times- but as is often the case with Actress, when you're in the right head-space and you can lock into that groove, it is immensely rewarding.

Actress' "Silver Cloud" EP is available for download on Boomkat here and here's a link to Private Investigator's firm for those of you hoping to track down a copy of the vinyl release. 

*for all us uncivilised brutes who refuse to do as they're told by patriarchal record labels and listen to music carved into stone tablets as per the traditions passed down to us by our fore-fathers since time immemorial. Fuck vinyl-only releases.

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Theesatisfaction (A.k.a Stasia Irons and Catherine Harris-White) are a neo-soul/hip-hop duo out of Seattle who specialise in far-out, witty and often highly-politicised rhymes layered on top of dizzying, cosmic-funk beats. For the uninitiated, it is perhaps best to start with their debut album "Awe Naturale" which (despite being generally snubbed by best-of-year lists) was for our money one of the strongest and most wonderfully strange hip-hop releases of 2012.

Their "Theesatisfaction Loves..." series is a collection of mixtapes/Eps where they take a specific influence (for instance, Anita Baker has been a previous subject) and explore their creative relationship with that artist. The latest in the series focuses upon one of their most explicit influences: Erykah Badu. Although every track on "T.S.L.E.B" places it's roots in Badu's work via sampling, the sources are chopped and warped until they unquestionably become Theesatisfaction's own creations. These are not interpretations, not tributes, but instead demonstrations of the creative debt Theesatisfaction owes to Badu in the establishment of their sound. "T.S.L.E.B" is not only a riveting peek under the hood Theesatisfaction's  creative process, but is also a great listen. We couldn't recommend it more highly. 

<a href="http://theesatisfaction.bandcamp.com/album/theesatisfaction-loves-erykah-badu" data-mce-href="http://theesatisfaction.bandcamp.com/album/theesatisfaction-loves-erykah-badu">THEESatisfaction Loves Erykah Badu by THEESatisfaction</a>

"Theesatisfaction Loves Erykah Badu" is avaiable as a name-your-price download from their bandcamp page here and remember; when you support the things you love, the things you love get made. So, y'know, don't be a dick about it.

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Yesterday saw the announcement of a new James Blake LP, titled "Overgrown" alongside the debut of the single "Retrograde"... 

Woah... Deep-breaths. In, out. In, out. You good? Okay. 

As is to be expected, the blogosphere just about shat its collective pantaloons in a fit of giddy excitement- and sure, why not? Many electronic music blogs, this one included, were formed in response to hearing music like Blake's. So maybe all the hype and hyperbole surrounding this news is a bit silly, but it exists because people feel a genuine emotional investment with its ramifications. So, having held off for a day or so in the hope of giving "Retrograde" as level-headed and considered a response as we can manage, here we go...

(The track runs from 1:07 to 4:50, careful with the volume otherwise Zane Lowe will shout your fucking ears off)

I must admit, when I first hit play, I was disappointed. In terms of timbre, "Retrograde" borrows from all over Blake's discography; it opens with the cut up piano chords found on the "Kalvierwerke EP", the swooshing drop could be straight out of "Confidence Boost". Blake is an artist that thrives on innovation and reinvention; one of the great pleasures of his releases is seeing where he will go next. The guy has made avant-garde future-garage, funked-up neo-soul, delicate piano-ballads, warped hip-hop -and he's owned them all. So when a new album is announced its easy to get oneself all hyped up to hear Blake's take on... oh fuck, I don't know, Gabba?* The notion of genre here isn't actually terribly important, I just want to know what new territories his patchwork sound is moving into. My initial gripe was that on the face of things "Retrograde" makes little to no evolution from his previous output.

But perhaps this isn't a problem. With repeat listens It became apparent that "Retrograde" isn't so much about breaking new ground, as it is about consolidating Blake's previous work into a more articulated statement. It succeeds by channelling the sum of his previous experimentations into a more conventionally structured song- and make no mistake "Retrograde" is a move toward the realm of pop. Not only does it emphasise Blake's approachable singer/song-writer guise, but it is in a significantly more orthodox R&B style than we've heard in the past. The lyrics are also more accessible and literal than Blake's usual cryptic stanzas or repeating mantras- and don't even get me started on the Aguilera-ian warbling at the start. So, yes it is a pop song, but it is also still very much a James Blake song. It seems he has not lost his unique artistic voice, but has instead tamed it, focused it. Time will yet tell if this is a good thing.

So in spite of our initial reservations, when taken on its own terms, it is pretty hard to deny that "Retrograde" is a good song. By no means is it Blake's best work, but it is a solid single and gives us high-hopes for "Overgrown". While it looks as though we may not be getting the James Blake we wanted or expected, its going to be good all the same. Which, in a funny way, is what he's been doing all along.

"Retrograde" will be out on Feb 11th, followed by "Overgrown" on April 8th, both will be available to purchase direct from James Blake's website here. 

*Seriously though, hands in the air if you'd pay to see James put a donk on it.

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Way back when, before our computer-death-hiatus*, we'd been planning an "introducing"-style post on LA beats artist Eddy Martinez (A.k.a Astronautica), who was then relatively unknown (so underground, we're deeper than Jamiroquai). In the interim she's gone from strength to strength, debuting a number of excellent tracks via her soundcloud and signing with LA label Alpha Pup, who will be releasing her first album at the end of the month. Those among you who have not yet caught Astronautica on her rise are in for a treat. If you've got a decent pair of headphones, reach for them now...

With its distant guitar lines, empty spaces and uber-mellow vibe "Next To You" is classic example of Astronautica's sound. LIke "Next to You", most of her tracks rely heavily on drone elements, often taking the form simplistic, almost absent-minded guitar loops. Yet, despite being almost ever-present they are rarely front and centre. Instead, the tracks' focus are often their percussive elements. But, again, complexity is not the aim; her drums take the form of soft, minimalistically arranged pops and snaps. The effect is one more in line with ambient music than most current beats music, few notes or drum hits stand out, the whole track simply falls and rises as one, washing by in waves. Simply put, Astronautica's beats are just daaamn smooth.

I'm occasionally left thinking that this is how Kimbie might have ended up sounding were they from LA instead of London. Which is not for a moment to suggest her music is an imitation, it's just interesting how much local identity still seems to play a role in the sound of otherwise parallel electronic artists and scenes. Astronautica escapes the homogeneity the internet has created by making music that seems spatially aware; you can hear its coming from LA.

So, all-in-all, we're pretty hyped for Martinez's forthcoming LP "Replay Last Night". We'll be sure to keep you posted should any further news crop up and will have a review to follow when it drops. We'll leave you with the album's hypnotic single: "Cruise". Bring on the slow-jamz...

You can download "Cruise" for free via XLR8R here. "Replay Last Night" will be available on the 26th of Feb, we'll keep you posted on where you can get it nearer the release date. In the meantime, why not bop over to Astronautica's soundcloud, follow, comment, share and show some love.

*strong name for a Hardcore band.

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Gaps are a new duo we've had our eyes on for the last week or so. We can tell you that they're from Brighton but, to be frank, beyond that we don't know a whole lot about them. So, you may as well start where I did, with "Cascade"- and be patient, she's a slow burner...

Yes, that is a seagull. No, it's not a band member. It is, however, one of my favourite deployments of a found-sound in recent memory. It also serves as a good emblem for what Gaps seem to be attempting; chill-wave but from an anglicised perspective. In this sense, their music conjures a mental landscape akin to that of Metronomy's "The English Riviera", albeit less up-beat one. The run-down atmosphere and lo-fi/shoe-gaze style is there, its just all a bit more Brighton pier than Coney Island. It's almost as if they're sound tracking that quintessentially British experience of going for a day at the beach near some battered, old sea-side town, only to get stuck in a torrential fucking downpour.

Another theme that runs through Gaps' sound is the blend of folk-rock stylings with electronic production techniques; digitized drums march on alongside their acoustic counterparts, finger-picked acoustic guitar lines are looped over one another until they transform into percussive elements and vocal wails are sent shimmering and stuttering through vibrato effects. In fact- "The Void" pretty much sounds like Fleetwood making techno:

Admittedly, the production is a little sketchy in places; a kick drum a touch too hard here or perhaps an aesthetically questionable bit of sound design there, but it's early days (they've only been around a month or two) and the kinks will get ironed out in time. On the whole, Gaps' artistic voice is a coherent, original and enchanting one, that we look forward to hearing more from. We'll leave you with our favourite of Gaps' tunes- "When I'm gone", a heavyhearted ballad with drums that rise and fall like crashing waves and synth lines that would be right home on the soundtrack to Drive, it'll have you singing along in no time.

Normally we'd tell you where you can buy their music, but since its not yet on sale, why don't you head over to their soundcloud and give them some love.

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"News From Nowhere" is the forthcoming LP from Darkstar, scheduled for release through via Warp Records on February 4th. As many of you will already be aware, Warp kindly put the full record up to stream online, which you can check out below. 

New label, new outlook, new(ish) singer*. Since we last heard from them, Darkstar have made a number of changes which have wholly manifested themselves in "NFN's" sound; abandoned are their bass music stylings, in their place we find an esoteric brand of bewitching psychedelic synth-pop. Across the album one will find an abundance of crystalline chimes, arpeggiated synths and stacked up vocal lines, all filtered through an array of topsy-turvy flangers and weird and wonderful tape delays. Its a intriguing new direction for the group and its nice to see them escaping the creative desert that the post-dubstep/future garage world has become. It has to be said, despite the scale of this sonic make-over, the new direction doesn't feel laboured or self-conscious. instead this seems like a natural progression, one clearly reflected in their move from Hyperdub (through which 2010's "North" was released) to Warp. 

Another considerable change is the addition of Richard Formby on production duties (he's previously worked with Privateer-faves, Wild Beasts). Although it is obviously difficult for the listener to identify where Darkstar's material ends and Formby's production begins, the ablum's wonderfully crafted, trance-like, sound-scape probably owes itself in part to Formby's analogue production techniques. At the very least, it contrasts strikingly against the cold, stuttering, digitized production that characterised "North". Rightly so too- unlike "North", "News From Nowhere" is bright, bustling with optimistic sentiment and defiant in the face of the gloom and melancholy that characterises so many of their contemporaries ("lie on my own/rise and shine on my own/I'm just fine on my/won't complain")- it seems only appropriate that the production should cheer up too.

Unfortunately, on one or two occasions the songs become smothered by the bizarre effects (and I use bizarre in the most endearing and charmed way). Because of this, many of the album's highlights are also its most radio-friendly, where delicately crafted atmospheres have been eschewed in favour of catchy hooks and more traditional verse/chorus/verse song structures. A notable example of this is the single "Amplified Ease" (check out the sweet live version below). While there is nothing wrong with this in and of itself, it demonstrates the conflict at the centre of "NFN" that prevents it from being great record as opposed to a good one; their adventures into sound design often come at the expense of memorable song writing, and vice-versa. It is Darkstar's failure to walk this fine line from start to finish that holds "NFN" back from being a truly sublime piece of work.

A quick aside while we're here; I was fortunate enough to see Darkstar preforming live at Rough Trade East last night. If you have even a passing interest in live electronics, I highly recommend catching them on their upcoming tour**. Plus, they played an excellent, updated version of "Gold" in the style of "NFN", a must-see for fans of the previous album.

In spite of our minor reservations, the release as a whole has to be praised. "NFN" not only succeeds in innovating Darkstar's sound and style while delving into unmapped depths of weird, but manages to do so with a newfound poise and grace.

  You can pre-order Darkstar's "News From Nowhere" from Rough Trade (who offer an exclusive bonus CD) here or buy it digitally from Boomkat here as of 04/02/13.

*despite featuring on previous Darkstar tracks, "NFN" is James Butterly's first outing as a full-time member

**not a mac book in sight.

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So, this has been out a while now. Like a while-while. Like 4 or 5 months. Better late than never though, right? Goddamn we're relevant. Anyway, we first heard Max Petrek & Erin Ross, a.k.a. Joseph Stallion, back when they sent us the ghostly ballad "New England" off of their "White Lodge" EP. Check it out:

Pretty freaky, right? Its like Kate Bush got her hands on an 808 and went off to find a cave to write some songs in. In fact, the whole EP has this bizzare ethereal atmosphere to it, almost as if it were recorded underwater. In a sunken ship. Like a proper spooky one.

The beats take a boldly minimalistic approach, rarely straying from the central components of scattered 808 drums and crystaline synths. Elsewhere, this might come over as tedious repetition, but instead this understated approach only serves to emphasize the most interesting facet of their sound: Erin Ross' vocals. Whereas many vocalists seem content to settle in an archetypal style, Ross continually explores the boundaries of her voice on the EP (both naturally and electronically) in the way that one would expect of any good instrumentalist. One minute she'll be doing a kind of 1940's singing-for-the-troops before effortlessly segueing into unsettlingly deep, pitched vocals or shrill cries. Her versatility is clearer nowhere than on "Holidae".

Aside from having what is essentially a very unique style, what keeps bringing us back to Joesph Stallion is that their entire sound is a balancing act. The drums are as far off-meter as they can be without collapsing into rythmic nonsense, Ross' vocal wandering occationally takes her into uneasy territory and the production style often distorts and muddies the sounds to an almost unpleasant extent. But "almost" is the operative word here; across the "White Lodge" EP Joseph Stallion walk the boundary of what you expect and are willing to accept from their music. Almost, it seems, just to see if you can keep up. Can you? It only took us four months.

You can buy Joseph Stallion's "White Lodge" EP here, at their bandcamp page.

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  We don't usually re-blog, but you should definitely read this is piece from our pals over at straylandings. This is an issue that people really ought to start recognising... and also... "MenUFO" made us chuckle:

Recently, a track from one of our contributors, Stavrogin, was posted onto youtube, with the picture of a man strangling a woman. Needless to say the uploader was asked to take the track down. Unfortunately this is far from an isolated incident. Several corners of Youtube are rife with videos...

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Yet again, the desire to blog has overcome the need to revise... ah well, its only a degree. Anyway, on with the procrastination: "Don't Pigeonhole Anything" is new EP from Wolverhampton beat-smith Polkadot, and as debuts go its a pretty tidy release. To keep in the spirit of things we've decided to knock up a cheat sheet of its vital facts and figures:

It's just come out on Leed's very own 97sides imprint.

Its really fucking good.

Its really fucking free.

He's 17, which fills me with unbridled rage.

For us, "Southbank" is the standout track and if you've ever been able to sit through a Wideboys track it will be for you too (no, Sambuca doesn't count).

Now, read it, cover it, write it, check it and repeat. Or instead, just go hit up his soundcloud give him some love.

You can get a free download of Pokladot's "Don't Pigeonhole Anything" on 97Sides' Bandcamp.

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While we're technically on an exam based hiatus at the moment, we've decided to crawl out of hiding to gush about how much you need Jai Paul's new track in your life. This shit is just too damn funky to pass unacknowledged. Its kinda 2 parts Prince, 1 part Jamie Woon and 1 part "Drive" (if you haven't seen Drive then A) go see it immediately and B) fuck you*).

Those who are hoping for another "BTSTU" are out of luck, "Jasmine" has more of a Two Inch Punch sound going on. To be fair, a big switch like that only serves to showcase Jai's versatility and it probably wont get sampled by Drake so, y'know, win-win. Anyway, its absolutely everywhere else at the moment, so we reasoned it may as well be here too. Right... back to the books. Fucking yay.

*seriously.

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Future-garage virtuoso (and all-round badman) Synkro is switching up the tempo as he returns to his liquid funk roots in latest his outing "Progression". We're pretty excited since this is slated to be the first of a slew of Synkro's unreleased tracks in the 170bmp zone that'll be seeing daylight in 2012 ("Dwelling" is already confirmed to be forthcoming on Med School, plus remixes for Sabre, Tokyo Prose and others are getting released elsehwhere!).

For the jungle-phobes among you, have no fear- this is neither the jazz-cringe/chill-out of 30-something graphic designers desperately clinging onto their youth, nor is it the sort of lairy bollocks that helped get all this bro-step nonsense going (I'm looking at you, Noisia) and its not even remotely similar to that faux-ragga shit those white guys with dreads are probably into.* No, its none of that- it's crisp, modern -almost clinical in its precision. This is some 2012 shit, yo. In spite of its cutting-edge sound  (which is mainly derived from it's tight percussion), "Progression" still adheres to Synkro's signature feel: melodramatically grief-stricken vocal samples, super-deep organic subs and a shit-ton o' reverb. Think along the lines of Burial meets Instra:mental.

  The techy remix on the flipside takes "Progression" to another level. By contrasting explosive breaks and and a sharply mechanized rhythm pattern against Synkro's delicate atmospherics, Indigo turns what is already a standout track into something truly exceptional. Bit cheeky to go and steal the limelight like that, but they're long-time collaborators, so I'm sure all will be forgiven. In fact, in many ways it shouldn't come as much of a surprise; the pair have produced some of their best stuff when teaming up and Indigo's remix is so similar it almost feels like a "part II". Anyway, whichever you prefer doesn't matter too much- it's a cracking release all the same and a stellar start to the year for Synkro. 

*Ugh- proper D&B fans are just the worst, right?

You can get Synkro's "Progression" here at Boomkat. 

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Just out on Sheffeild's Bad Taste Records, "Can't Love Without You" is the fantastic new EP from Timir Goswami a.k.a Timbah, trust us- thats a name you're going to want to remember. The first 30 seconds of "Can't Love Without You" shows more willingness to experiment and take risks than most other artists do across whole albums... and it doesn't stop there. For a debut, the EP has a shockingly well developed sound, there's no sense of Timbah trying to "find his feet" but instead a set of recognizable quirks and idiosyncrasies that one might only expect from a seasoned producer. 

  Our fav off the record, "Eski-Hugz", is a great example of this- its got more synth lines in it than you can shake a stick at and it manages to be as gritty as fuck and yet foward thinking at the same time. In less able hands it would probably become a parody of itself. Every sample, synth and drum hit bursts forward competing for your attention and even though they often feel as though they should be at odds with one another, everything is so well spaced it all manages to hold together. The best way to describe Timbah's style is organised chaos; much like Two Inch Punch, his tracks operate on the boundary of sheer absurdity without ever sounding "messy" or crossing over into farcical territory.

What makes this one a real standout is that although Timbah deconstructs and repurposes sounds in the manner that one might expect from an artist operating in a "post" genre- its not dubstep that's being reinterpreted here, it's grime. Now, since I risk sounding like one of those burkes that feels the need to invent a genre for every piece of music they hear, I should be clear; I'm not suggesting that we go about calling this post-grime. Because that would be fucking stupid. I'm just saying that that's essentially what this is.

But don't.

Seriously.

You can buy Timbah's "Can't Love Without You" EP on Boomkat here or on Juno here.