Too good to be free: Archnemisis, Nastynasty & Thriftworks

I'm not sure what's sparked it, but in the last year so there have been a slew of seriously good albums and EPs offered for free download via Bandcamp. Here's three recent releases from the US that are too good to be free...

First up Archnemesis, who share a label (1320 Records) with Nalepa, Prefuse 73, Virual Boy, Knowa Knowone and Eskmo. They're a new discovery for me, thanks to the brilliant Sample this Music blog. Reminiscent of Pretty Lights,who gives his music away for free too, it sounds like they've done a lot of organic sampling to get that really listenable, feel good, 'real music' vibe. People's Radio is music that's worth paying for, but you can download it for free here.
  Archnemesis - Peoples Radio by PlayThisSongLoud.com  

Nastynasty has a well established habit of giving away his best tunes for nothing. The Memorabilia EP is a good taster of the range of his sounds, from floaty subs to bubbling bass and off kilter funk, often lifted with deliciously soulful vocals.

I first came across Thriftworks on An-ten-nae's Acid Crunk vol.3, but this whole free album, the seond he's given away, is very much more on the downtempo side of the whomp fence. Lovingly produced, delicate and painfully beautiful, it's got an atmospheric desert-city-under-the-stars feel to it. Magical.

It's got chilly again...

...so I thought I'd make a little chill-out mix. At the moment I still want to live in PJs, in bed, big glass of wine in hand and various munchies.....so making a mix means I dont have to keep getting up to press play!
I also did it for Inspiral Lounge in Camden (check it out if you haven't been - lovely cafe) - they wanted to refresh their playlists...

So if you've just got back from work, or a party, put your fave slippers on, fire up your pipe and relax!

World Teleporter chill-out mix by Katty Grooves


and for 2 for the price of 1, here's a luscious mix from my boy dj Billy Butlins :D

Winter Greens by Billy Butlins

also chilled but slightly different vibe... some sublime tracks in there!

Big love, Katty x

MiHKAL: It's a SNUGLiFE for some

This time two years ago I found Bay area DJ MiKHAL's GH3TTO $P!RiTU4L M!XT@P3 over on Glitch Hop Forum. It introduced me to some classic tunes and built from a "nice overlaid glitch-hop that starts chilled and then begins dropping bass bombs about halfway through".

His latest SNUGLiFE mix or "75 minutes of Audio Fondling" keeps the chilled vibe most of the way through, but still steers us into some pretty tasty backwaters of bass. He eases us in through Mimosa's lush remix of Breathe by Telepopmusik going really nicley into an Akira Kiteshi remix and building to take in recent epics like like Grit Shifter, Joker's Ain't Got a Name and Mimosa'S Your Love. I'm also liking the sound of Sharps and Guttstar who I've not come across before.

Some of the real highlights though are the tasty mash-ups of chilled crunk classics put together by MiHKAL himself, which you can download as stand alones from his soundcloud. Check out Fine Day on the Kriptonite and Enter The Whatever.

All in all it's an epic journey through some lush whompscapes capped off by a chilled John Lennon remix that actually works. Sit back and allow those ears to be fondled....

SNUGLiFE by MiHKAL
1. Rigzin & Knowa Knowone ~ Dedication

2. Telepopmusik ~ Breathe (MiMOSA Remix)
3. Phaeleh ~ Afterglow (Akira Kiteshi Remix)
4. Eastern Sun & Oscure ~ Third Eye High (R/D Remix)
5. MiMOSA vs. PANTyRAiD vs. Widdler vs. Art of Noise ~ Fine Day On That Kryptonite (MiHKAL MA$HUP)
6. Sharps ~ The Growth
7. Joker & TC ~ It Ain't Got A Name
8. NiT GRiT ~ Grit Shifter
9. ChrisB. ~ Redshift
10. Guttstar ~ Lunar Stick Shift
11. MiMOSA ~ Your Love
12. Massive Attack ~ Teardrop (Knight Riderz Remix)
13. Gladkill ~ That Girl Is Trouble
14. MIA ~ Caps Lock (MiHKAL REMiXXX)
15. Portishead + PANTyRAiD + Glitch Mob + Marty Party + Emalkay + Bassnectar ~ Enter The Whateva (MiHKAL MA$HUP)
16. Mix n' Blend ft. Rayelle ~ First Light
17. John Lennon ~ Imagine (NiCo LuMinouS Remix)

Neurodriver, Om Bongo & Wotchamacallit?

Rae from the Wobbly Squadron is off to India for the winter, so we all had a bon voyage knees up last night. As you'd expect round Rae and Ade Om Bongo's Guildford house (which now houses Dan Agent Smith and Dom Neurodriver too) there was a healthy percentage of music geeks present (Chris IP Cress and Dennis Subsource making up the numbers).

Dom's just released a cracking new tune on his Broken Robot label, Snakecharmer, a classic twister of a psy-breaks monster. I'd thoroughly recommend the Broken Eye remix as well, there's some definite Far Too Loud influence going on there (whether it's actually Dom or Oli under another alias a totally forgot to ask).

SAMPLES:
  BRR011 - NEURODRIVER: SNAKE CHARMER + REMIXES by BrokenRobot

For a full flavour of the latest releases on Broken Robot by the like of Hedflux, download Dom's latest mixtape below.

DOWNLOAD:
  Neurodriver DJ mix - Autumn 2010 by BrokenRobot

Dom also showed us this video of himself playing the awesome Root Society stage at Burning Man this year. It looks mind-blowing and he swears it's the best stage he's ever played on. I can't embed the video but click through for the Facebook page:

VIDEO:

Neurodriver plays Root Society, Burning Man 2010

Now's also the time for the first plug of Ade's next night, the Om Bongo Christmas Party. If you like anywhere near Guildford come on down on Christmas Eve for some proper heavy partying with some of the best DJs and live acts in the UK including Slackbaba, Ade, Dan and Musical Man favourite Mary Miss Fairy!

Flyer by Agent Smith :-)
















One of the two acts I hadn't seen until last week is Wotchamacallit? whose live downtempalisms were sounding pretty lush on the pub system. There's whisperings of a first release on the way soon.

  .....On A Spinning Planet by Wotchamacallit?

Robin Triskele - downtempo electronica mix

Hi Peachi here - just a quick one to give you a heads up on a nice downtempo mix that is quite floaty and psy-style chill out by DJ Robin Triskele. This blog has been a bit bang bang bang recently so I thought it would be time to put something up a bit more soothing. No intro or biog this time - just the a quick and simple link. Just click on the download icon on the play window below (the arrow pointing down) or go to the soundcloud page linked above - simples! Thanks to Dr Hedflux for the original heads up. Take it away Robin Triskele (and thanks for the free mix):

RobinTriskele Downtempo Mix by RobinTriskele

Please let us know if you are aware of any more nice downtempo stuff to check out.

Emancipator - Safe in the Steep Cliffs

Peachi here. Well this post comes thanks to a tweet by Dr. Hedflux who put me on to this amasingly chilled and lovely new album by Emancipator called: Safe in the Steep Cliffs. You can listen to the whole album on his website before you decide whether to buy it or not. I suggest you buy it since he sounds like a home grown self produced talent that needs your support and they are both beautiful albums!


Here is the album description from the ABOUT section of his web page: “Safe In The Steep Cliffs” blends new instrumentation and organic samples with the signature Emancipator style of clean production, silky melodies and addictive drums. Dense layers of choirs, horns, American folk instruments such as the banjo and mandolin, violin and some distinct Asian influences make for a playful but refined album built out of intricate tracks listeners can enjoy on as many levels as they want. Dance to it, chill out to it, immerse your mind in it.

Emancipator says: 'Safe In The Steep Cliffs' represents the tightest, most unique, most organic beats I've made in the last three years. This album has a new palette of sounds and samples from around the world, including more original recordings (guitar/violin/mandolin/banjo) and new guest artists including Japanese jazz musician Uyama Hiroto. It's ominous and overgrown, dense and ethereal. And epic. Always epic.

While you're there check out his debut album "Soon It Will Be Cold Enough" that he self-released at the age of 19 in 2006: "it beautifully mixes hip hop beats with guitar feedback and a delicate piano melody,” Rolling Stone says. “You can feel his energy when he performs. His face lights up and you can see how much he enjoys the music.”


His debut album contains my favourite two tracks of his. Both quite different:
1) 'When I Go' for its beautiful vocals and 2) 'Good Knight' for its lovely blobby and crunchy yet chilled bassline
...but its all good for those super chilled mornings or afternoons ;)
Listen, enjoy and then buy!

Emancipate - To free from bondage, oppression, or restraint; liberate.

Rumpistol - Electronica / Experimental / Dub

So something a bit more down-tempo with some electro music dat-sits-quite-deep-in-yer-head for this blog-post. Some quite intense broken up "chill out" music from Denmark's - Rumpistol.



I first discovered Rumpistol's stuff a few months ago and was first really amused by his intro track on his myspace page called Global Soundtracks Speak - the idea of an intern (after several failed attempts) running after him and "well recording him" made me chuckle... alot ;)

Here's the link to his soundcloud page with some good tracks there and one good mix here.


Also a good youtube video of one of his smoother tracks here. Enjoy!

Thank fuck for Psyreviews: Bluetech and Kilowatts EPs

Thank fuck for Psyreviews!

Unprotected by his dry wit and good taste, since Damion left an RIP message on the site over a year ago I actually lost my will to wade through the plethora of psytrance inanity to reach those golden nuggets of psychedelic funkiness. In fact, the quest for fresh sound even led me to start this blog. Now though, Psyreviews is back with plans for the future! (and he's on Twitter)

As anyone who reads the site knows, Psyreviews has never been just about the psytrance, so I'm pleased that Damion has continued to highlight the lush downtempo gems and deep progressive trance that always had me coming back for more.

In particular I appreciate being led to these two absolutely lush EPs from Evan Bluetech and Kilowatts, both US producers that helped me get into a glitch-ier downtempo sound. The EPs mark a progression in both their styles since I last picked up their releases around 2007/2008; Bluetech with bigger beats and bass and Kilowatts just taking it deeper with plenty of wobbly, floaty layers. Read Damion's reviews below for the full lowdown.


Psyreviews: Evan Bluetech - Call of the Wild EP

Evan Bluetech - Call of the Wild EP (link to free download from artist website)


Psyreviews: KiloWatts - Six Silicates EP

KiloWatts - Six Silicates EP (link to free download from artist website)

As for the future, in early 2010 Damion will be outsourcing reviews and re-jigging the site as more of a collaborative blog (like ThisIsBreaks.com). Let's hope the new contributors keep up that same quality of tongue in cheek shit sifting that we've got used to.

NB. Psyreviews is a free resource but you're welcome to donate. Likewise Bluetech and Kilowatts have put these EPs up for free, but I can tell you now they're well worth paying for (especially the Kilowatts). Have a listen and go hunt down some of their other releases - they're just as good!

Of Porcelain: Ooah delivers the goods again

Some producers it seems can do no wrong. Ooah (aka Josh Mayer) appears to be one of them. Not only has he recently dropped what is possibly the best glitch-hop album of the year, PANTyRAiD - The Source (with Marty Party), but thanks to Dancefever5000 I've just discovered that he has a new lush chill out album out under the name Of Porcelain. If you like PANTyRAiD or Bluetech and that whole Left Coast Liquid / Native State, then sounds then make sure you check it out.

Go to Of Porcelain MySpace page for samples and then head over to SnoCap where you can pick up all of Josh's tunes

Labyrinth: In the Woods

Second recomendation from Spiral Matt - deep atmospheric dubstep from the US by a guy called Labyrinth on Pangea Productions/Pure [Perception Records. Starts off very melodic and floaty while the bass progressively ramps up underneath. Very nice...

Labyrinth - In the Woods (Direct link)

1. breakage - callahan
2. ital tek - red sky
3. djunya - dream awake (cyrus rmx)
4. distance - out of mind
5. noah d - rise
6. rob sparx - the prayer (distance rmx)
7. ramadanman - blimey
8. synkro - hold on
9. miretz - king of kings
10. synkro - dub specialist
11. zomby - the lie
12. f - the untitled dub
13. subeena - circular
14. dot - chinawhite
15. headhunter - baseflow
16. antiserum - skull fucked
17. babylon system, noah d - examination of time
18. balkansky - united

Greg Hunter - Dubsahara

Not long after I saw him last, my mate Spiral Matt sent me some links to some good downtempo mixes. I subsequently lost them and now two months later I've had to ask him for them again. Turns out it was well worth it. The first was to the latest incarnation of one of the true greats of down tempo world music, Greg Hunter. Along with Simon Posford and Youth, Hunter was one third of the classic ambient dub project Dub Trees.

Hunter's latest project is dubsahara which he describes himself as 'mystical Persian loops' and does pretty much what it says on the tin. Perfect music to evoke dreams of those balmy summer nights that will be hopefully soothing us in the next few months!


This mix is pretty lush:

Greg Hunter - Telefunkn mp3 57mb (Direct Link)

From the website - www.dubsahara.com - you can also download the last dubsahara LP (new one on the way this summer):

Metasurfing - Cloudshaped - LP

and Hunter's mix from the Inspiral Lounge at Glade last year:

dubsahara - Glade 2008 mix

Roll on the festivals!