Recent Releases

R.I.P. Sean Stewart (left), founding member of Australian band HTRK - Number 8

1) Four Tet - 'Gillie Amma, I Love You'

A breathy, slow-burning ballad, Four Tet's 'Gillie Amma, I Love You' was released as part of Boats, a long-awaited compilation by Scottish music and film collective Transgressive North. As spacious and haunting as a Sigur Rós composition, it is only one one of the album's 29 original tracks by artists such as Max Tundra, Son Lux and Rustie. Buy it here and all your dollah goes to helping destitute children in India.

2) Mo Kolours - Mo Kolours

London-based Mo Kolours was dropping samples from his debut self-titled album for a couple of months before its release, the most recent of these being 'Little Brown Dog'. Whimsical vocals meet an unusual arrangement of brass and steel drums in a manner typical to the half Mauritian, half English producer. His exotic, breezy sound and sixth sense in sampling mean that his album will make the perfect backdrop to the sunshine that is slowly but surely re-entering our lives. The album dropped on March 24th on One-Handed Music.

3) Erykah Badu - 'Bump It' (DJ A1 Remix)

A key member of her band, The Cannabinoids, it is perhaps unsurprising that DJ A1 is able to treat some of Erykah Badu's most underrated work with the respect and vision it needs. He released two funky reworks of 'Bump It' and 'Back In The Day' off her 2003 full-length Worldwide Underground, injecting extra groovability into the already impossibly soulful originals.



4) Charles I - 'Attrition Part 1'

A mile away from the feel-good mood of the above, LA beatsmith Charles I's Attrition EP demonstrates the coldest, most unsentimental strain of underground techno. A minimalistic beat and an unchanging tempo plough through both parts of the EP, creating a mechanical inevitablility both thrilling and dangerous. 



4) gøldFFinch - 'Black Pyramid'

The release of gøldFFinch's new Black Pyramid EP sees the Belgian duo joining the ranks of some of the most in demand artists of the moment; those providing high energy tech-house stompers for epicurean ravers across the globe.



6) Millie & Andrea - Drop The Vowels

Manchester-based duo Miles Whittaker and Andy Stott, who have been collaborating since 2oo8 under the alias of Millie & Andrea, have released their new album just in time for a place on my collection of March releases. A merging of Whittaker's dubby bass rumblings and Stott's signature booming techno makes for a dark, gritty and at times overbearing experience, pointedly steering clear of easy listening. Made obvious with track names such as 'Stay Ugly' and 'Corrosive', Stott cites elusive Londoner Jai Paul as one of his influences, describing his production as 'super squashed, super compressed, and then there's something really nasty underneath.' You can stream the album here for free.

7) DJ Koze - 'Nices Wölkchen' (Robag's Bronky Frumu Rehand)

Having doted on DJ Koze's Amygdala as much as any sane consumer after its release last year, I quickly began to get excited about the release of its remix EP (previous ramblings here.) While 'Nices Wölkchen' was by far my favourite track on the album, this remix by first-class German beatsmith Robag Wruhme is unlikely to disappoint even those listeners most averse to its modification. Wruhme's version underpins the original with a mechanical, tech-house beat, easing it onto the dancefloor while maintaining its otherworldly feel.

8) HTRK - 'Blue Sunshine'

The success of Australian rock outfit HTRK has never come easily, with a history of depression and emotional hardship reaching its peak when Sean Stewart, bassist and founding member, committed suicide on March 18th, 2010. The two remaining members, Nigel Yang and Jonnine Standish, continue to write music after this tragedy, their progressive rock sound becoming increasingly influenced by darker strains of techno and dub. Their most recent EP, Psychic 9-5 Club, has just been released on Ghostly International, which warns that HTRK's music is 'not a quick-fix for restless, impatients minds; it needs to be absorbed, contemplated and revisited.' Technically, this was released on April 1, not March, but bite me. My blog, my rules.



9) Throwing Snow - Pathfinder

One of my favourite acts of the moment (see previous enthusing here), the new EP from Throwing Snow has induced a new wave of Parklife-itus. Pathfinder sees Ross Tones continuing to adventure further from club-oriented house staples and pushing the boundaries into more experimental realms of electronic fusion. Its opening track 'The Tempest' places hurrying and uncertain synth melodies against the ethereal vocals of Romanian Ada Kaleh to create a faltering 2-step with the astral feel of a Flying Lotus composition.



10) Clap! Clap! - 'Kaluma'

Another jazz artisan gone electronic pioneer, C Crisci dropped the fantastic Tambacounda EP under the candid moniker of Clap! Clap! on March 3rd. It was released through Black Acre, the record label behind the absolutely brilliant Meditations on Afrocentrism by fellow afro-futurist Romare. A restless collection of pounding, African-inspired rhythms and stirring, tribal motifs, the energy that these tracks manage to evoke belongs somewhere in between the dancefloor and the campfire. 

Fourfit EP

I was so excited yesterday about the release of Max Cooper's long-awaited debut album Human, that I almost didn't notice this gem drop on Soul:R records. Skeptical a.k.a. Ashley Tindall has established a quiet eminence after four years of supplying underground stompers through prominent labels such as Dispatch Recordings, Exit Records and Samurai Music. 

The four-track EP is dark, neat and heavy, with songs such as 'Desire' and 'Always Be Mine' already circling through mixes by dBridge, Friction and Goldie (to name a few.) The obvious highlight for me was 'Desire', a glorious drum'n'bass stepper that sets jazzy vocals by Collette Warren against relentlessly tight beats and a rumbling bassline.  

Equally as hard-hitting is the second track on which Collette Warren features, 'Always Be Mine'. The tracks are not complex, but Skeptical assembles their essential components with the keen artistry of a man who knows what the finished piece should sound like.

If you like the EP, make sure you support the artist by picking up a copy here.

Parklife Weekender 2014

There is never a time in life when one is so happy to be poor, as when one has just purchased one's Parklife ticket. Having been snowballing in size and popularity since its birth in 2010, the festival has hosted some of the biggest electronic artists of the twenty-teens (Rudimental, Disclosure, Chase & Status) as well as the best-established old-timers (High Contrast, Pendulum). This year is no exception, the huge lineup featuring many of the biggest names in the house music elite. While this barely even scratches the surface of what's on offer, I've put together a list of the acts that I'm most excited to party with. And because nothing is ever PERFECT, I've also decided to whinge about a few people who I would've liked to see listed this year. For those of you who haven't got a ticket, here's what you'll be missing. For those of you who have... I'll see you there!

My Top 12 Acts Of Parklife 2014:

1) Snoop Dogg

Everyone's favourite rap legend will be de-evolving from Lion to Dogg, just so he can drop it like it's hot for us at lucky folks at Parklife. Whether it's nostalgia or timeless brilliance you're after, I'm sure we'll be treated to double helpings of both.

2) DJ Koze

I can barely contain my excitement for seeing this guy, one of my favourite artists of the moment. Having produced one of the best electronic albums of 2013 last April, the German DJ will be coming to Manchester to serenade us with his genius. Look out for his upcoming 12", which will feature remixes from  fellow German talents Robag Wruhme and Roman Flügel.

3) John Wizards

The sole thing I dislike about these South African magicians is that they didn't grace my life sooner. Just have a listen to one of their songs while you read this and I guarantee that you'll be dancing by the time you're finished. Having formed after John Withers, a Cape Town bedroom programmer, and Rwandan refugee Emmanuel Nzaramba met by chance and began to jam together, they went on to release one of the most insanely happy albums ever made. You probably won't see me at their Parklife set, but you might catch sight of a few of my flailing limbs.

4) Submotion Orchestra

These next guys are based within a mile of where I'm sitting right now, in the humble student paradise that is Hyde Park, Leeds (big ups!) For me (and probably many of you as well), Submotion Orchestra pretty much embody all my favourite things about music. Having been releasing consistently sublime compositions since their Submotion EP in 2010, the 7-strong electronic outfit fuse influences of jazz, dubstep, soul and drum'n'bass to form a unique, yet exquisitely adaptable whole. Featuring live instruments and gorgeous vocals from Ruby Wood, their show will undoubtedly bring  something special to the Parklife stage.

5) Flying Lotus

If a genie had appeared to me after my first experience of Cosmogramma four years ago (and it was definitely an experience), my first wish would have been to see Flying Lotus live. Writing a few words about him is a struggle when I could probably produce an entire dissertation about his music, but Mark Richardson wrote that 'his music feels cosmic, bound to L.A.' If musicians painted their work on canvas, he'd be scribbling on the walls.

6) Jon Hopkins

I almost had a heart attack last weekend when, an hour before I was set to see Jon Hopkins live, I realised I'd never actually bought a ticket. Luckily for me, this was one of the only events I'd been to at Canal Mills that hadn't sold out, and I managed to get a last minute ticket for almost half the price of the original. While this made a smaller and way more enjoyable night, I was shocked that more people in Leeds weren't fighting for a chance to see him after his incredible 2013 album Immunity. This needs to be rectified! Feast your ears:

7) Thundercat

Yes, it definitely is love. If you're a Flylo fan, you may recognise the name from 'DMT Song' off his 2012 album Until The Quiet Comes. The man behind the act is Stephen Bruner, who you'd expect to be destined for greatness seeing as his dad drummed for The Temptations and Diana Ross and his brother played with Roy Hargrove and won a Grammy. Coolest. Family. Ever. A bassist, vocalist and songwriter, he's worked with legends such as Erykah Badu and Stanley Clarke and now we get to see him at Parklife. No big deal.

8) Throwing Snow

A huge name in our capital and beyond, Throwing Snow a.k.a. Ross Tones is the perfect addition to the Red Bull Music Academy stage alongside acts such as Jacques Greene, Gold Panda and My Nu Leng. Whilst remaining a sterling accompaniment to any discerning raver, Throwing Snow does not limit himself by trying to cater solely to the dancefloor, his recent Aspera EP sounding almost Bonobo-esque in its paired down, unhurried groove. Make sure to check out the incredible Pennines EP that he's just released with his brother under the name Vellico.

9) Moderat

We already know the standard of electronic music that comes out of Berlin is solid, and these guys are no exception. I don't think I've ever had a song in my head longer than 'Bad Kingdom', just one of the gems on their amazing album II, dropped on Monkeytown Records last year.

10) Soul II Soul

Although the babes in this video might not look so different to your average Shoreditch trendster in 2014, Soul II Soul actually released this UK R&B classic back in 1989. Curious to see whether they were still doing much these days, I stumbled across a video of them on Jools Holland last March. Daaaaaayyyyuuummm, Caron Wheeler has not lost an ounce of cool in 25 years.

11) Captain Murphy

That's right, Steven Ellison will not only bring us the weird and wonderful work of Flying Lotus, but also a set from his rap alter-ego Captain Murphy. Having collaborated with the several members of Odd Future (namely Tyler the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt) and the beloved MF DOOM, you can't really fault his credentials.

12) Mount Kimbie

Last but never, EVER least, UK duo Mount Kimbie will be illuminating the Now Wave stage with five years' worth of resounding success under their belts. I remember blogging about their EP Cold Spring Fault Less Youth just before they released it on Warp Records last May (which you can read here, if ya fancy it) and I never really got over how good it was, especially their collaboration with London badman King Krule. I'd also seriously recommend DJ Koze's remix of 'Made To Stray', which you can listen to here and James Blake's awesome remix of 'Maybes' here. 

Acts I Would Have Liked To See At Parklife 2014:

Now I know this post is already overlong and really, I can't complain about the amazing lineup. But hey, it looks like I can. These are a few of the artists not attending this year who would have completed my perfect lineup.

1) Matthew Herbert

One listen of his 2001 album Bodily Functions and I was 99% this guy is a genius. Following his release of meticulously constructed and exquisitely pointed The End Of Silence last year, that doubtful 1% was forcibly blown away.

2) Modeselektor

I'm not going to try and pin down the genre of German electronic band Modeselektor, as limiting themselves to a certain kind of sound is definitely not their style, though they jokingly specified themselves as 'Happy metal, hard rap, country-ambient, Russian crunk.' 

3) Max Cooper

Tomorrow's a big day. Do you know why? This techno giant is about to release his debut album Human on Field Records. Parklife would have been the PERFECT opportunity to promote it, AND he's from London so it's not exactly a long way to travel. *sniff* Here's are the official visuals from the album's incredible first single.

4) Lapalux

Well we've got the original writers of 'For Love I Come' but oh, how I wish we could be serenaded with Lapalux's sublime, woozy rework as well.

5) Daniel Avery

If 'hyper-rhythmic minimalism and throwback New Jersey garage sound' is something you look for in your techno beat of choice, then I think you better have a listen to Daniel Avery's Drone Logic. His huge, booming sound would have gone down a treat with hardcore Parklife ravers but oh well, there's always next year. Take a listen to the banging new remix of 'Free Floating' that Matt Walsh dropped two days ago. 

Update: I am a fool, Daniel Avery IS playing! Joy of joys!

Now you've heard my top picks for 2k14, let's get a bit of interaction going on. Make sure you post a comment letting me know who you're most looking forward to, who you would've liked to see or whether you DARE to disagree with one of my verdicts.

Four Tet Burn Remix

He's done it again! Having given away a huge amount of free music on Twitter a couple of months ago, Kieran Hebden has now dropped his newest incredible remix, free of charge, on SoundCloud. As usual, the track holds a spotlight to the artist's busy, addictive beats and configures Ellie Goulding's vocals into a haunting canon. The title makes it sound like he did it in his sleep, and I have no trouble believing that he probably could have done. Enjoy it, I guarantee you will!