Funkatech Records: You Know The Sound mixed live by NAPT

Just been sent a new NAPT mix showcasing the best Funkatech Records releases from 2008 in preperation for Breakspoll next month. Funkatech are home to NAPT, Far Too Loud, Specimen A and Pyramid, all making phat-ass breaks right now.

Funkatech_You_Know_The_Sound_Mixed_by_NAPT (Right click and save as)

You can subscribe to NAPT podcasts by clicking HERE

Rinse FM: Plastician

Been really digging Plastician's Rinse FM mix CD which I bought last week. Was turned onto it by this podcast from the London pirate radio station's Rinse FM blog where shows are regularily posted up to download. It's a great place to dip your toes into some of the best dubstep, bassline and grime out there, either listening to the stream live or downloading the mixes as podcasts. For dubstep I can recommend recent Plastician and Youngsta mixes and have the latest Skream one lined up on the pod now.

All right click and save as (or mac + save):
Skream - 21st January
Youngsta - 8th Janaury
Plastician - 24 November

To get the tunes without the talking and 'Hold tight' shouts though, get hold of the mix CDs, they're well worth it.

An-Ten-Nae: Dark Side of the Dub

An-Ten-Nae is one of the artists on Canada's Muti Music that I keep going on about. Dubstep glitch-hop... mmmmm....

Antennae_Dark_Side_of_the_Dub_Nov_2008 (direct link)

Tracklisting...
Pink Floyd - Breath/On the run (an-ten-nae remix)
Puppetmastaz - an-ten-nae remix
Bob Marley - Exodus - (an-ten-nae remix)
Damian Marley Vs Scuba - Culture United - (an-ten-nae refix)
Noble Society - The Swarm
Skream - (an-ten-nae mashup)
loefah vs sizzla - Obstacles (an-ten-nae refix)
an-ten-nae ft samba - Griot
Modeselektor - let your love grow
Mad world - an-ten-nae remix


... I found the mixtape on this random thread For Glitch Mob Fiends which is a vertiable gold mine of glitch hop and whomp. Have a browse or just search the page (cntrl + F) for names you know. Gonna check out Glitch Bitch mix and Flying Lotus Essential Mix next methinks. Also a few Bassnectar live sets somewhere.

All over the Prodigy?

!New Prodigy video!

I actually really liked the last album, all electro and aggression. Be interesting to see what this one turns out like. We listened to Jilted Generation in its entirety on the radio the other night driving down to Brighton. Soooo goood!

RIP The End: Errol Alkan bugs out

This is the end... of The End. Tonight night those who have money to burn and memories to rekindle are tearing up the floors of one of London's most loved clubs one last time. Enough eulogies have been written to wrap round the sun in the last few weeks so I thought I'd just leave you with a classic mix by one of tonight's headliners Errol Alkan, live at Bugged Out in 2005.

Erol Alkan Live At Bugged Out London, May 2006 (direct link)

You can download more Alkan electro jiggyness and subscribe to a podcast on his website. Personally, my favourite stuff is from 2005/2006 when he was playing filthier electro and less indie disco but Alkan is always a consummate DJ and I'll leave you to explore for yourself!

You can read a recent interview with Mr Alkan about playing years of Bugged Out and his musical direction on The End's website here.

Lurking around on Psyforum

So, way back on Psyforum in 2005 I discovered Chickens of the Infinite by DJ Lurk - a two part mixtape with a silly name that grooved from lush progressive trance into funky upbeat psytrance via a blend of smooth bass and floaty melodies.

Chickens of the Infinite Pt1
Chickens of the Infinite Pt.2

The mix was conceived as a compilation of tunes that Tom liked grooving to on his ipod over the summer and Pt 1 especially had a top spot on my ipod for some time after. Anyway, I recently found Lurk's 2008 update which showcases the more techy, minimal side of progressive trance at the moment, sounding more pulsating and floaty than minimal techno or tech house but with all the subtle builds, drops, noises and harmonies. Enjoy...

Revenge of the Infinite Chicken (direct link - save as)

1. massive attack - tear drop (minilogue rmx)
2. kasey taylor - trapped (dousk rmx)
3. d-nox & beckers - changes
4. antix - red robin (kasey taylor rmx)
5. ace venturer - serenity now (fiord rmx)
6. perfect stranger - stardust
7. elegant universe - grizzly
8. liquid ace - psychic experience (perfect stranger rmx)
9. minilogue - little sister (d-nox & beckers rmx)
10. out of loop - the strangest night & still
11. ticon - in stereo (even 11 rmx)
12. john deere - flesh eater (luke porter rmx)
13. dousk - hammer
14. perfect stranger & ace venturer - perfect ace (atmos rmx)
15. freq - strange attractor (liquid soul rmx)
16. liquid ace - psychic experience

An if you like all that, I strongly recommend checking out Lurk's chunkier wonky side with his awesome compilation CD on Sonic Dragon. Check out the samples, buy it and get your wonk on!

Nightshifters are Proper Villans

Last week I flagged up a banging electro/dubstep breaks soundclash by a New York gal called Jubilee (or 4AM Jess). Having dug a bit deeper it turns out that in November Jess and DJ Donna Summers launched their own label called Nightshifters. Their blog, here, is regularly updated with fresh mixes and it's all sounding pretty tasty so far.

The lastest out the gate is Proper Villains with a wonky mixtape that sits somewhere between electro house, dubstep, breaks, d'n'b and old skool rave. I have no idea how it works either, but trust me, it does...

Proper Villains - Here Comes The Neighborhood Mix (Sharebee)

Tracklist:
01. Rob Threezy - Music is Hot
02. ZZT - The Worm
03. Alias - Work
04. Napt - Gotta Have More Cowbell
05. DJ Touche - Vampires
06. Monty Luke & Tasho - Paranoid
07. Roland Casper - Punch Drunk
08. DJ Rush - Motherfuckin’ Bass (Popof Remix)
09. Project Bassline - Drop the Pressure (The Count’s Conquistadore mix)
10. Hostage - Shake it (Acid Jacks Remix)
11. Deadmau5 - The Reward is More Cheese
12. Proper Villains - Trick Baby
13. Udachi - Jelly Roll
14. Reso - If You Can’t Beat ‘em
15. Proper Villains - Vampy
16. Zomby - Float
17. Kaotic Chemistry - Strip Search
18. Rachel Wallace - Tell Me Why

Cockney Nutjob: Kanio's minimal madness

Just been sent this by my mate Hollie, minimal techno madness from (I'm guessing East) London producer Kanio (pronounced Can-ee-oh apparently), who has just released the above EP on brand new London techno label Novakane. He gets my vote for the comedy cockney Boosh referencing already, but Hollie tells me he destroyed it on the beach at the legendary biennial Boom Festival last year. The pearly geezer has a whole bunch of free mixes you can download from his MySpaz page (speedy share links about halfway down). It's all sounding pretty funkin wonky so far. It's the tumbling beats, I'm told...

Download Feb 08 DJ mix here

Why I love: Tribal Vision Records & Vibrasphere

Tribal Vision have just released the digital version of Sweedish prog-trance legends Vibrasphere's 5th album Lung's of Life.
Vibrasphere have consistently produced lush albums of emotive and hypnotic Scandinavian soundscapes that veer between icy cool chill out and pounding smooth grooves. They've long been one of my favourite acts. With their recent Tribal Vision releases they've been introducing a very welcome dose of minimal electro into their immaculately produced sound, so it's well worth checking out the samples here.

Tribal Vision are a Czech trance label who have been shaking up the world of progressive trance since they started release records about 4 years ago. While the idea of 'progressive trance' may sound like some late 90's mash-up of ELO and Sasha, it actually emerged as a stripped down techno-esque approach to goa trance led by Scandinavian labels such as Digital Structures (Vibrasphere's previous home).

Alongside Danish label Iboga, and artists such as Ticon on Digital Structures, Tribal Vision have recently been exploding the genre with a more open approach encompassing more 'mainstream' styles like electro house and minimal techno. As such their tunes have been finding their way into the record bags of superDJ's on the club circuit.

They also produce some lush graphics (see video below).




...which is from...



So, the slinky subtlety of minimal techno + all the bounce of electro house = absorbing music with lots of nice noises that creeps up on you out of nowhere with phat electro bass lines! For a proper taste check out this awesome mix by DJ Shankar to promote the excellent Vanguard compilation which came out Dec '07. Its was by far the most played mix on my ipod last year!

DJ Shankar - Vanguard promo mix (Dec 07) (right click and save as)

Tracklist:

Paolo Driver-Mayo (Maurizio Ruggiero & Danielino DJ Rmx) [Presslab Ltd]
Motion & Tapwatr-Kp'n'tch (Original Mix) [ColdGroove]
Nick Muir - G Platz (Pig & Dan Rmx) [Audio Therapy]
Tegma, Duca, DJ Slater - East Block (Original Mix) [Tribal Vision]
Bass Kleph - Bump Uglies (Dopamine Rmx) [Vacation Records]
Greed vs Sonic Cube - Wilde (Elegant Universe Rmx) [Tribal Vision]
Antix - Seven Seas (Logiztik Sounds & Mauricio Duarte Meets Bill Tsipidis Remix) [Iboga/cdr]
FM Radio Gods - Sleeper [cdr]
Even 11 - Like This (Komytea Rmx) [Tribal Vision]
Drone - Hanging Out At Night (Original Mix) [Dezign Music]
Peter Juergens - You And Me [Tribal Vision]
Talisman & Hudson - Leaving Planet Earth (Dousk Rmx) [Too Much Information]
Duca - Green Lines [Tribal Vision]
Xavi Beat - Techu (Original Club Mix) [Fresco Records]
Kohra VS Ady - Clear Grounds [Shivlink Records/cdr]

Breakspoll 2009 Thursday Line Up & Far Too Loud podcast

Some tasty news from Noiseporn:

The international breakbeat awards of choice are going off next month in London with a two-night extravaganza held between Fabric and new kid on the block Matter. We hear from their lovely press officer at Breakspoll 2009 that the line-up for the Thursday event (26th February) is as follows, but the Friday line-up is still top secret. The emphasis is very much on the next generation of breakbeat artists as some of the bigger names move into the realms of electro-house (booooo!)

THURSDAY 26TH FEB @ FABRIC

ROOM 1
Ali B - A-Skillz Ft Beardyman - Bassbin Twins (TBC) - Beat Assassins - Diverted LIVE - DJ Quest
Vs Pyramid - Far Too Loud LIVE - General Midi - N.A.P.T – Tayo
The 8th International Breakbeat Awards presented by Ken Mac & Janette Slack
ROOM 2
Aquasky - Bodysnatchers LIVE - Drummatic Twins - Jay Cunning - Leeroy Thornhill - Mr No Hands - Plaza
Da Funk - Reso Vs ID - Specimen A LIVE Ft MC Incyte & Miss Trouble, ScrewFace & CTRL-Z Present
Stereo:Type LIVE Ft Beardyman, Spyda, Tali, Foreign Beggars - Tittsworth (TBC)
ROOM 3
Afghan Headspin - Beat Vandals (Utah Saints) - DJ Adsorb - Equalizers Vs Vent - FreeFall Collective Ft MC
Manic - Henry D Vs BreakBeatBastardz - J Mekka Vs Digital Base

Far Too Loud should be loaded with gongs this year, they fuckin rule. To get you in the mood for their live set, I was just going to give you a link to the mix they did for The Digitalist's electro house blog, Disco Destruction (click here for set list and download link)... but then I discovered to my immense joy that the Guildford boys do a regular podcast... and I thought Xmas had already happened!! You can sign up for it and download past mixtapes here



Also incredibly juicy is this NAPT mix I first posted last month. Feckin A. Might have to book a day off on Friday 27 methinks!

Jubilee owns you: Mixin' it up on Discobelle.net

Just listened to a phat dubstep/electro breaks soundclash from this girl Jubilee recorded for Discobelle.net. Good tempo with plenty of variety and big bass tunes broken up by electro skits. Was so good I listen to it again right away! As you can see below, she's provided the most uber-detailed track listing as well. If you like this she's got another mixtape on her MyspaZ that I'm just downloading myself!

Brooklyn’s own Jubilee is the press director for Berlin label Nightshifters. She also goes by 4AM Jess and sometimes DJs under the name Jolt. She does a monthly in Brooklyn called Flashing Lights alongside Nick Catchdubs, DJ Ayres and many special guests. You can also find her writing for Trash Menagerie, The 21 Gun Salute and Nightshifters.

"Hi friends! This mix is basically where my head is at these days. Just a collection of some recent songs I am feelin’ and playing when I DJ, or dancing to when some of you are DJing. I try to be really careful when I pick out music these days. There is so much available that it is overwhelming. This is a mixture of some UK, Some Canadians,some breaks and some upcoming stuff from Nightshifters that we are anxiously waiting to release. There’s some great stuff from my New York Family too. New York is really killing it right now. There is some amazing music coming from here and I am really excited! I hope you enjoy. XOXO Jess"

Download: Jubilee - Mixin’ It Up for Discobelle (dec 2008) (zShare)

1. Baobinga - State of Ghetto Jackin’ Feat DJ Nasty (Dave Nada Remix)

I am really feelin’ the Baobinga record on Trouble and Bass. The fact that there is a Dave Nada remix is an added bonus. Plus anything telling anyone to “Drop that thing” works for me.

2. Diplo and Buraka Som Sistema - Inna De Ghetto (Remix)

I can’t even verbally express how much I love Buraka Som Sistema. The fact that they remixed this song with Diplo is the perfect example of why I feel this way. The original was always on Power 96 when I lived in South Florida and now it has been brought to my current level so many years later. Also how awesome was Crystal Waters in the 90s?

3. Machines Don’t Care - Badman

I was afraid to listen to Machines Don’t Care for a while because the supergroup just seemed too good to be true and I was scared that I would be disappointed. I was wrong.

4. Crazy Cousinz Featuring MC Versatile - Funky Anthem

I was really hoping that this song would have a video because I predicted exactly what it would be like in my head. Sure enough here it is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98BRZFTyOwk . I want to party with them in my bathing suit.

5. AC Slater - No Party for Old Men

This is off of AC Slater’s upcoming EP on Nightshifters. I don’t know if you are ready for it.

6. Proper Villains - Big Top

I love this song. Jon from Proper Villains really kills it. His upcoming EP on our label is going to be amazing.

7. Armand Van Helden Featuring Team Facelift - Shake That Ass (Drop the Lime Remix)

If you are on Twitter I highly suggest adding Team Facelift’s “The Fat Jew”. Laughs for days.

8. Machines Don’t Care - Beat Bang (Trevor Loveys Dub Mix)

I found this song while being mad at myself for neglecting Machine’s Don’t Care.

9. Bassbin Twins - Ruffest

I think I have a subconcious rule in my brain that makes me put a Bassbin Twins song in every single mix I make. I never ever do it on purpose. It always just works out that way in the end. This line between dubstep and breaks keeps getting thinner and thinner and I am not mad at that at all.

10. AC Slater - Hello

Hello! I am AC Slater and every song I make is fucking awesome.

11. Kid Sister - Pro Nails (Rusko Remix)

This song sounds like it would be the worst idea ever but it is SO GOOD. And how about that Essential mix?

12. Starkey - Gutter Music

I have been listening to “Ephemeral Exhibits” pretty often and this is my favorite song for sure.

13. Egyptrixx - All That Jelly

More Egyptrixx in ‘09 please.

14. Little Jinder - Polyhedron (Mikix the Cat Remix)

And while we are on the subject of people I would like to see more of in ‘09…

15. Douster - This Shit (2 Bit Thugs ‘Late As Hell’ Remix)

I hope that one day I am at the point where I can get Busta to scream on my intros just like Dilla did. I think I can make it happen…I know nothing about this song except for the fact that THIS SHIT IS A FUCKIN EMERGENCY.

16. Audio Bullys - Dope Fiend (Tommie Sunshine and Udachi Remix)

This song gets stuck in my head for days at a time. Also one day you are going to wake up and Udachi is going to be EVERYWHERE.

17. Stanton Warriors - Blaze (Baobinga and ID Remix)

I saw Stanton Warriors this year. Pretty epic. I wish NY had more breaks parties. Baobinga and ID remixing Stanton Warriors…I knew I would like it before I even listened to it.

18. CT Burners - Kickin it Hardcore

CT Burners has 13 year old raver pics that are better than mine and I am jealous. The house music he has been producing definitely stems from his roots and I am starting to hear alot of it out. This song is definitely different than most of his stuff…and yes that is me on the vocals.

19. Lauren Flax featuring Sia - You’ve Changed (Dre Skull Remix)

If you don’t know how great of a DJ (and person) Lauren Flax is you definitely live under a rock and most likely aren’t reading this because you don’t have internet. Same goes for Dre Skull and his music.

20. Hard House Banton - Sirens

I saw this description when I found this song: “HARD Funky Chooon/Beat! Man Dem Know Itz HARD! .” Yep! Sounds about right.

21. DJ Double S - From Day (Cardopusher Remix)

I think I have gone through every phase that Cardopusher has except I never had dreads.

22. Jokers of the Scene - Baggy Bottom Boys (DZ Remix)

I don’t need to tell blog readers and club kids how good of a song Baggy Bottom Boys is. But I WILL tell them that they better not be sleeping on the DZ remix.”

BONUS TRACK:

The original version of “You’ve Changed” by Lauren Flax, single drops in January/February with 10(!) remixes from the likes of Dre Skull, Junior Sanchez, Larry Tee and Alexander Technique, Proper Villains, Chris Udoh and Deep C etc.

Lauren Flax - You’ve Changed (direct link)

Le Castle Vania: Rave is King!

One of the highlights of my sojourn into electro over the last few weeks has been a couple of tracks I've downloaded from US based Electro/Disco House producer Le Castle Vania. If you like electro breaks or Justice you'll love this - often has plenty of trashy electric guitars thrown in with electro synth shapes and a good beat.

Today I actually took the trouble of visiting his myspace, where he's got a list of all his free tracks and remixes to download. Scroll down and they're under a fuck off huge banner saying FREE MUSIC so you can't miss 'em - despite the fluro flashing gifs all over your face.

To save you the trouble I've plucked out the two that caught my attention here. First one has Freeland like samples and will slip niceley into any electro breaks set, second is a cover of Smashing Pumpkin's Zero. Nice. Just rick click and save as:

Fukkk Offf - Rave Is King (Le Castle Vania Remix)
Le Castle Vania - Zero Machine

The Hype Machine: Music Blog Zeitgeist?

A DJ told me about this at a houseparty on NYE when I asked him where he got his remix of MGMT's Electric Feel. So what is The Hype Machine?

From Wikipedia:

The Hype Machine is an MP3 blog aggregator created by Anthony Volodkin. It enables "one-stop shopping" of postings from thousands of MP3 blogs. Volodkin created the website in 2005 while enrolled at Hunter College.

Some MP3 bloggers have complained that aggregators such as The Hype Machine allow users to download music without taking in the entire experience of a music blog, such as its editorial content.

So basically, Hype Machine collates the hottest tunes doing the rounds on music blogs and lets you listen to them to see what you think. It' basically designed to help you discover hot new music.The downside is that there seems to be a lot of populist indie but it's pretty good for finding remixes.

The Electric Feel remix turned out to be by Justice. Best I've heard so far - search for it and see for yourself...

...and for those of you thinking that 'The Hype Mchine' sounds like something of a marketing stunt, have a read of this.

WONK#OUT Vol.1 - Free Wonkay Beats Compilation

SOMETHING DIFFERENT YOU ASK? Well, WONK#AY HAVE COME UP WITH A SELECTION OF BEATS FROM SOME LOCAL (Brighton/London) AND INTERNATIONAL TALENT RANGING FROM TRIP-HOP, DUB, DUBSTEP, ELECTRO AND BREAKS ALL WITH A WONK#AY EDGE!

1: Nocturnomath - Lots of sky with div
2: Sn-iKik - A-seCtIoneD
3: Dymons - Space Craft
4: RAW - Dirty Dub
5: sLime - Dubchugg
6: Alf Doitch - Monster US
7: Minimal Monster and ONE-LOK - Mal practice
8: Helenius - Scientist
9: sLime - The mould

Compiled by Devi@nTT
Mastered by Sinerider, Graphics by IdolMonkey

So head over to http://www.wonkay.co.uk for your world of free downloads! :)

US Glitch-Hop: MiHKAL Ghetto Spiritual Mixtape

Was listening to this walking home through London town today. Nice overlaid glitch-hop that starts chilled and then begins dropping bass bombs about halfway through. Not heard of this guy before but a quick search tells me he's part of San Francisco's Connoisseur Collective. I found it on Tribe.net searching for Ooah, who has some phat tracks on Interchill and Muti Music and features a lot in this mix.

Follow link to send space and follow instructions for the free download:
www.sendspace.com/file/9cde90

MiHKAL - GH3TTO $PiR!TU4L MiXT4P3

Loops, tracks & samples mixed in ableton.

Tracklist:
Panty Raid - Too FIne To Do TIme
Ooah - Remembering Self
Mims - This is Why i'm Hot
Flowers of wraith - Aftermathmatics
Eight Frozen Modules - Hello Harold
KnowSleep - ElectroDub
Bassnectar - Heads Up (Westcoast Lo Fi mix)
The Disciple Grin - Trading Thoughts / Busta Rhymes- put your hands where my eyes can see
Ooah - Beaver Blink rmx / Lil' Wezzy - Stunnin' like my daddy
Bil Bless - Cursed / The Federation - Hyphy
Propa Tingz - Hustlers Concerto (boss dub)
Ooah - To Keep From Descending
Mr. Projectile - I Am Back (Bassnectar remix)
Slidecamp - Kelp dub

New Year's Rewind - Back to the 80's!

At about 6am on New Years day, after I'd had my fill of the hot tub and the DJ's had given up in the other room, I hit the laptop in Garth's front room to spin 80's and early 90's classic requests as a YouTube DJ. It'd been a long time since hearing some of the tunes, but we'd totally forgotten how jokes the videos to go with them are!

I was delighted to discover then, that last July, LA Electro whores LAZRtag "released the first part of Rewind, a non-commercial project intended as a unique tribute to the eighties and nineties. 60 bands and producers took part in recording exclusive 80’s covers." You can download the songs free from the Rewind website, which has the new cover mp3's next to the original videos. It can be found by clicking here.

Tracks vary in quality and style. I've only scratched the surface so far but from what I've heard so far I'd recommend out Hello Tokyo's version of Girls by the Beastie Boys and Mr Miyagi - Where Do The Boys Go.

According to Noiseporn, part two is coming up soon and you can download a special preview LAZRtag track here (Right click and save):

Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (LAZRtag Remix).mp3