Interview: The Origami Pop of Christa Vi

Australian-German singer songwriter Christa Vi has been steadily building her synthpop sound for a number years and has just recently released her debut album Makeshift Happiness. The record is a result of studio sessions with co-producers Andrew McDonnell (Petite Noir, SUNS) and Dan Brown (Massive Attack, Karin Park). Currently living in East London, the red-haired "origami pop" artist takes a few minutes to reveal what's going on inside the paper folds.

Hi there, how are you and what are you up to today?

I'm trying to relax! I just released my debut album 'Makeshift Happiness'. It's been a lot of work and sleepless nights but it feels good to have it out finally. I'd like to stop for a moment and take it all in. I'm grateful for all the interest in it, as for me it's important that my music reaches people and opens up some kind of dialogue or exchange of energy. 

To those not familiar with you, how would you describe your sound?

Origami Pop

What are the 5 albums that have influenced you the most?

I listen to such diverse music that doesn't necessarily sound like mine, but here are some of my favourite female artists who've influenced me:

1. Bjork - Homogenic
2. Moloko - Statutes
3. Sia - Some People Have Real Problems
4. Little Dragon - Ritual Union
5. Feist - The Reminder

Which other artists are you into at the moment and why?

I'm really enjoying Jessy Lanza's new album 'Oh No' as the production is awesome, her melodies and use of effects are really unique and I like that she is making pop and RnB music with depth. She seems to be quite an introverted person so I relate to that as I'm a reluctant front person myself. 

I think Shura is amazing too, her songs are so polished and catchy and she's another 'anti-pop' artist in the sense that she's not what you would expect when you hear her music. Also I love that Christine and the Queens is doing so well, with a quite eccentric take on pop music that's somehow broken into the mainstream. We need more of that in the Top 40!

I'm enjoying a new artist from Seattle called Liyv, who makes 'sad music for people who like bright colours'. And I'm expecting big things in future from Australian artist Chela who's released some great singles with Kitsune and I Heart Comix. 



Are there any key pieces of equipment that you are using to define your sound? 

When I was working with the two main producers on my record, we tried to keep to a few synth sounds to maintain some consistency, like the Juno 106, Moog and Prophet 5. I used to write songs with a guitar a lot and although I'm trying get away from that, there are still some guitar parts in the mix. I used to write more folky music and play live with a guitar but now I'm exploring what kit to use that makes sense with my current sound. I'll probably use a Novation keyboard in future to control some of the sounds. I'm still working on how best to construct the live show. 

The UK music scene is certainly always changing. Some might say that at the moment it’s more electronic oriented. Do you think this makes it more difficult for indie and alternative acts to get recognition than it would have done ten years ago?

What would you say some of the challenges artists face today in the music industry?

I think the internet and all the platforms you can access for free are really helpful for independent artists to get their music out there. However, the downside to that is there is so much music coming out every day of varying quality, it's so hard to be heard above all the noise. I also think the focus on social media and numbers of followers is very limiting and it can leave behind a lot of talented people who are not so into promoting themselves on things like snapchat and Instagram. I don't like taking many selfies, so unfortunately that can be an issue in this day and age of 'over-sharing'. It would be nice to just make music, but sadly the reality is, you have to do all these other internet things, even if you do have a big record label behind you.

Where do you gather song writing inspiration? 

I mostly get inspiration from people and strangers around me, as well as past experiences and emotions. I think I'm quite an empathic person and I take a mental note of how I sense that people are feeling, like when I overhear conversations on a busy street or in a cafe. In a big city like London you're faced with close up encounters of strangers every day and I find it interesting to observe people who might just be sitting on their daily commute on the London underground and I wonder what they are thinking, what's motivating them, what's makes them sad. I'm probably projecting a lot of my own feelings onto my songs, but that's how some of the themes are sparked in the first place. 

Take us through your songwriting process. Are there any particular steps you take when put music together?

I tend to start with some kind of musical structure, like I'll play some guitar chords or listen to a beat or arrangement that a someone has sent me to write to. For me the words and melody come at the same time and I find it hard to separate the two. Even if the words start out a bit nonsensical, there'll be a theme that appears and I'll build on that, slowly refining the lyrics and melody until I'm happy with it. 
I use to drive a lot for a job, in and out of London, so I've actually written a lot of my songs in the car! I find that it works best when I'm actually concentrating on something else like driving, as that's when the best melodies and lyrics seem to appear. I think it has something to do with tapping into your sub-conscious.

What’s the best gig you have ever done and why?

The best gig I've done was when I released my first ever single independently called 'Your Heart' at the Lock Tavern in Camden, London. It's not that it was a very big or impressive show or anything, it's just that I'd finally pulled together a band of talented musicians and promoted my own show with some other great artists playing before me. All my good friends and supporters were in the room and there was just a really nice energy. I said before that I'm a reluctant entertainer, so it was nice to have a live show go really well and feeling so much positivity in the room. I'm hoping for more of that in future -  quality over quantity. 

And the worst?

I played at a terrible 'festival' once in Newquay, Cornwall. It was headlined by some great artists like Aluna George, but they put all the lesser known acts on a stage in a random pub in the town. They clearly didn't plan or promote it properly, so we were all playing to random locals and stag and hen parties who weren't actually part of the festival at all. The main stage was on the beach and it was so windy and rainy I think the whole day had a poor turnout. I won't name the promoter, but I know I wasn't the only artist who had a bad experience that day! 

If you weren't a musician what would you be? 

I think I'd like to be a photographer. I've done some courses in 35mm B&W development so it's becoming a bit of a side hobby for me. I'd also love to be an origami artist like the guy who made all the origami for my photos (Papershake Origami) -  what a fun job!

Do you have any particular gigs or festivals that you dream about playing?

Iceland Airwaves looks awesome. I'm a big Bjork fan but sadly haven't managed to visit Iceland yet- maybe that would be a way to do it.

If you could perform alongside any other band or artist, who would it be? 

I'd love to support Little Dragon, they look like they have fun on tour.

Do you have any information regarding upcoming releases, projects or gigs in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about? 

I've just released my debut album, so that's my biggest news right now. It's called 'Makeshift Happiness' and it's on iTunes, Spotify, Beatport and all the usual places. I'm getting physical CDs made too, which should be ready by January. 

Buy Makeshift Happiness on iTunes

Follow Christi Vi - Homepage | Facebook | Twitter

Los Angeles Cracks Down On Unlicensed Creative Spaces

The city of Los Angeles has begun the process of shutting down unlicensed venues being used as creative or party spaces following the death of 36 people in a deadly fire at Ghost Ship in Oakland.

Donald Cassel, the 56-year-old curator of one such creative space, Purple 33m has been given notice to evict in the next month.

"They’re basically saying you can do your business here, but it can’t be that business," he said to LA Weekly, briefly recapping the list of notices he was issued last week from the L.A. Fire Department and the Department of Building and Safety. "And you can’t live here. So it’s basically shutting me down entirely."

Cassel's two-story warehouse is an otherwise unobtrusive space in an industrial zone in Del Rey. It's estimated that there are hundreds of underground art spaces in the city Los Angeles that also lack the required permits to operate as housing or music venues. Cassel claims he's not alone, and knows several other venues that have been foreclosed, but prefers not to name names.

"Some of these spaces should be shut down," he admits, but warns against the possibility of decimating L.A.'s arts community and driving spaces even more underground (and thereby even less regulated).

"The reason there’s so many is that there’s a need for it," he says. "People across the country want to have a space to go that is not a bar, not a club, not a church and not some hotel banquet room. They want to have a creative space."

Delo vs Yak announce new release - Coaction

Delo vs Yak has announced the release of their newest collaboration, "Coaction". The 4-track split EP is a product of tracks individually created by the two artists and released in a shared collection.

In the span of a single year, John De Lord (PKA Delo) has seen support from the likes of Dusk & Blackdown, Addison Groove and the Swamp81 fam, and opened for the likes of Dillinja and Zinc. Synchronously, John Randall (PKA Yak)’s tunes have graced the sets of Dusk & Blackdown and Loefah as well, plus those of Hodge, Paleman, Plastician, Lamont and Troy Gunner (to name a few), and he’s shared the booth with the likes of Call Super, Walton, Alex Coulton, Palms Trax, Ejeca and Dark Sky. This well-earned good will surrounding the two Johns at the moment is enheartening; the fitting buzz almost palpable – both indicative of the continued health and recursive growth of the wellspring that is "the UK sound".

Delo’s "S-Wer" is a skeletal, syncopated 909 workout punctuated by namesake onomatopoeic vocal cuts, sporadic sub pulses and bubbly percussive trills. Never before (outside the realm of yesteryear minimal techno) has a track done more with less.

Moving on, Yak’s "Anju" is a steppy ting, starting off as a stripped-back soulful garage number, before shifting gears into a bassline-driven belter riddim. As said bassline strobes and slithers along, Yak gradually brings back the funk and soul, expertly balancing heft and poise with almost jazz-inflected flair. One of those rare day & night tracks – equally effective in the club, at home, and on the way to and from.

Delo retakes the lead with "Hades", a serpentine, cone-tearing blend of Shackleton-esque, halcyon-days dubstep and contemporaneous club rigueur. This murky, plutonic invocation moves forward with a gait that’s as graceful as it is ponderous – nigh-hypnotic in its Afrofuturist vocal juju.

Yak rounds out the split with "Magg" – a drum tool so clap-happy it almost seems like it’s applauding itself in real time as it rolls along... and the applause is well- deserved, as its baroque percussive anatomy is reminiscent of a batucada, in its festive ebullience.


"Coaction" Tracklist
01. Delo – S-Wer
02. Yak – Anju
03. Delo – Hades
04. Yak – Magg

Mastering by Liar and Allmostt. Artwork by Maria Istrate and Liar.

Follow Delo Soundcloud Facebook Twitter Instagram

Follow Yak Soundcloud Facebook Twitter

Soundcloud Strikes Deals Over DJ Mixes

Last week it was reported that DJ mixes on Soundcloud would no longer be removed on the grounds of copyright infringement. Founder Eric Wahlforss told Groove that the company managed to negotiate deals with licensing groups to permit DJ mixes on the network. This comes in response to many artists and DJs having mixes pulled down after posting copyrighted material.

However, it was this week clarified that while there will be less removal of copyrighted material, the takedowns are still permissable. not a full stop.

Soundcloud's official blog published this statement:

"There have been a number of incoming questions this week from our community around creativity and content on SoundCloud. Today, through a number of agreements with labels, publishers and other partners, there are far fewer takedowns of various forms of content – including DJ sets – shared on SoundCloud. It’s clear from our conversations and agreements with the industry and creative community as a whole, that enabling a place for all forms of creativity to live is important, and that SoundCloud can be that place.  

With that, it’s important to note takedowns are at the request of creators. While the agreements we have in place across the industry have greatly lessened the likelihood of takedowns, as a creator driven platform, we respect all creators, and therefore we respect the rights of all creators who request to have their content removed.

As always, SoundCloud’s aim is to continue building a unique ecosystem where all forms of expression can live and thrive. The community of creators who gather, share their work and collaborate on SoundCloud is hugely important to us. Creators on SoundCloud continue to be a driving force in pushing culture forward in the world, and we are honored to be the place to help amplify the millions of creative voices who call SoundCloud home."

Interview: UK Garage Individualist DJ Lokane

Imagine London in the 90s was happening now and you might have a starting point for where UK DJ Lokane gets off. Lokane is a bass music operator with a sound simultaneously nostalgic and fresh. With both a BBC Radio One mix for Toddla T and a Boiler Room set already notched up, we recently picked up on his UK dancehall remix of Cadenza's No Drama (Feat. Avelino & Assassin) and thought we'd catch a few words with him before he blasts off completely.

Where's your hometown? What's the scene like?

I grew up in Watford where the general vibe was snakebites, vodka bars and loutish behaviour. It was only when I began hanging around in St.Albans that my interest in music really grew to the next level. When I was there, St.Albans was a massively creative city with all of my friends being in some way or another involved in music, art, photography, or fashion.

Tell us a bit about how you got started?

The start for me was during my mid teens when garage, 4x4 and grime were hugely influential. From there I began producing on a fruity loops demo when I was 17. It wasn't until the following years when Dubstep began to blow that I got seriously involved in it. The dubstep parties back then were the best thing going, in my eyes. Being immersed in the birth of a new sound was massively inspirational, too. We used to travel to Leeds often for the DMZ Exodus parties at the West Indian Centre as well as all the Caspa and Rusko parties at Fabric. Those were the days.

For those unfortunate souls that haven’t had the chance to listen to you yet, how would you describe it?

Weird, synthetic, bass driven, technical dance grooves.




What's your process when selecting music for a show? Where do you find your stuff?

My selection comes from all over. I've got a really eclectic taste in music. I tend to try keep the vibe moving with sounds from different scenes just so it doesn't become stagnant and repetitive.

Can you talk us through your production process? 

It all depends on how I'm feeling that day, to be honest. Like any creative outlet, there's never a set way of doing things. But usually I start by trying to find the weirdest sound possible either a sample or a synth and then spark an idea from there. I'll create a groove with some crazy sounds then just build on it. I love experimenting with weird sounds. The weirder the better in my eyes.

What are your biggest musical influences? Are they all similar?

DMZ, Night Slugs, Cashmere Cat, Hud Mo, Diplo to name a few. I would say they're all different in their own right. But they've all mastered the sound at which there in. Hud Mo and Diplo have stretched even further and mastered the art of producing their own sound in many different styles and genres, which is what I aspire to.

Can you tells us your top 3 favourite tracks ever? (Sorry, we know it's tough!)

Its so hard to answer these questions but these 3 are the ones that bring back the most memories for me.

Main Ingredient - Summer Breeze

Collie Buddz - Herb Tree

Jimi Hendrix - Wind Cries Mary

What would you say is the best set you've done so far? 

Another tough one. I think my first Boiler Room is one that sticks out most to me. That was fun.

Any funny moments you remember from backstage or on tour?

TSVI was playing in Berlin, so myself and Wallwork went with. Insert were shooting a documentary on us at the time. A lot of funny moments, all very hazy if Im honest. I'm sure there's some very incriminating footage of me that I'm praying will never see the light of day.

If you could support one act, dead or alive, who would it be?

Oasis, in the height of their career. Those guys knew how to party.

Does your inspiration usually come randomly or do you manage to summon it?

Summoning inspiration is a very tricky thing. There's things you can do to maybe spark that inspiration like searching for new music, going to a dance or just messing around with some synths, which I try to do a lot of the time. Sometimes, even with those things, it may not happen. I try and keep myself active with music to keep the inspiration flowing.

Do you have anything exciting coming up that we should be looking out for?
My second EP for Nervous Horizon is almost finished and will be released early 2017. I'm also working on a lot of different music at the moment, which I'm excited to put out. Whether that's under the Lokane alias or something else, I'm not sure yet.




Follow Lokane on Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud

Sweet Moment As S.O.S. Releases New Single

Sophie Debattista aka S.O.S. has announced the upcoming release of her new single "Bittersweet" through Sossy Music.

The single by the Bedford-based songwriter-producer features the alluring vocal work of the artist and is, according to S.O.S. "about a man who has dedicated so much of his life to his job, professional status and wealth that his personal life has suffered as a consequence. He believes that the only way that he can get some love and feel some emotion is by paying for it."

Along with songwriting and vocal delivery duties, Debattista also believes in having independence in your work, and produced the song herself with the help of master engineer "Shane the Cutter", who has worked with the likes of Nathan Fake, Luke Abbott, Blu Mar Ten and DJ Shadow. Some of her career highlights so far include performances supporting US superstar Ciara, Ariana Grande, Take That and the London Music Awards at The Roundhouse, Camden. Her current sound draws influences from the likes of Alessia Cara, Ellie Goulding, NAO, Halsey and Lorde.

Take a listen to lead single "Bittersweet" from debut EP "Edges of The Mind" and follow her below.

S.O.S. Home | Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | Youtube | Instagram

ANONHI Streams Anti-Capitalist Video For New EP 'Hopelessness'

The film stars New York-based contemporary artist and fashion design rebel Susan Cianciolo as an anonymous corporate woman in a world of animals and human drones.

ANONHI has dreamed up a dark psychedelic vision in her new video for album title track Hopelessness. Starring Cianciolo as "an anonymous corporate woman," according to a statement from director Alex Carver, the film takes place where the "distant past and distant futures are irrationally fused in a bizarre, iconic vision of martyrdom where animals are citizens and people are drones".

Hopelessness is the title track of ANONHI's powerfully political and emotional 2016 album, on which her anger and sadness about climate change, drone warfare, male violence and mass surveillance is articulated over stirring synths, complex beats and eclectic instrumentation. Naomi Campbell starred in a previous video from the album, the emotional 'Drone Bomb Me.'

View both videos below

ANOHNI - Hopelessness


ANOHNI – Drone Bomb Me

Beat Market Drop 'Sun Machine' On Lisbon Lux

'Sun Machine' is the new album from Montreal-based electronic duo Beat Market, out now via Lisbon Lux Records. 'Sun Machine' includes collaborations with long-time friends singers Malika and Aiza, French Horn Rebellion vocalist Robert Perlick Molinari and fellow Montreal icon APigeon.

According to Louis-Joseph Cliche and Max Bellavance, who met at university, the goal was always to bring electronic music to a live setting where they could express themselves as true musicians. At their first gigs, Beat Market’s energy gained fans in the form of Thump, Dancing Astronaut, KCRW and the Montreal crowds.

"We want to create a music that makes people move, dance and have fun. An instrumental journey easy to understand and feel. If they feel good when they listen, that's the right path," explain the duo. Drawing influences from the likes of Hudson Mohawke, Major Lazer, Mr. Oizo, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Kaytranada, Deadmau5, Daft Punk and Justice, Beat Market’s new album features sophisticated French house beats and thumping rhythms.



'Sun Machine' Tracklist
1. Dune
2. Sun Machine
3. Doors (ft. Malika)
4. Stars
5. Turn My Colors On (with French Horn Rebellion)
6. Riders
7. Mariane
8. See What I Mean (ft. Aliza)
9. Les Belles Années
10. Madonyx
11. Atlantis (with APigeon)

Follow Beat Market on Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Home

The xx Announce 2017 Euro Tour Dates

The xx have have added to their recent tour announcement with a full list of dates for their 2017 UK and European tour. The I See You Tour will kick off on February 8 in Stockholm, Sweden. From there, the trio make their way through Denmark, Germany, Holland, France, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium and the UK, including three hometown shows at London’s Brixton Academy.

Presale tickets for all shows will be made available from November 22 at 10am GMT. General sales start at 10am GMT on November 25.

This comes after a recent announcement that the band will complete 2016 with a brief European tour with Norwegian singer-songwriter Jenny Hval heading to Japan for a single show.

The band’s third album, I See You, will be available on January 13. Check out the full list of dates and take a listen to the first single, 'On Hold' below.



2017 European tour dates

Feb 08 – Sweden, Stockholm Hovet
Feb 10 – Denmark, Copenhagen Forum
Feb 12 – Germany, Hamburg Sporthalle
Feb 13 – Holland, Amsterdam Heineken Music Hall
Feb 14 – France, Paris Zénith
Feb 17 – France, Strasbourg Zénith
Feb 18 – Switzerland, Basel St Jakobshalle
Feb 20 – Italy, Milan Mediolanum Forum
Feb 21 – France, Lyon Halle Tony Garnier
Feb 23 – Austria, Vienna Marx Hall
Feb 24 – Germany, Munich Zenith
Feb 25 – Germany, Berlin Arena
Feb 26 – Germany, Frankfurt Jahrhunderthalle
Feb 28 – Germany, Düsseldorf Mitsubishi Electric Halle
Mar 01 – Belgium, Brussels Forest National
Mar 04 – UK, Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Mar 05 – UK, Manchester 02 Apollo
Mar 06 – UK, Manchester 02 Apollo
Mar 08 – UK, London 02 Academy Brixton
Mar 09 – UK, London 02 Academy Brixton
Mar 10 – UK, London 02 Academy Brixton
Mar 17 – UK, Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

Warp Records Slated To Release New Brian Eno Album

English musician Brian Eno will be releasing another of his trademark ambient albums on Warp Records on January 1st 2017. The full-length, 54-minute album follows on from 2016's The Ship and 2012's Lux. The album is titled Reflection and according to Eno is "the latest work in a long series."

According to the ambient composer, whose full name is Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno, the pieces are generative works of art, creating music by a cosind system of probability and rules. In other words, the piece will unfold differently every time it is activated. The album represents a selection of recordings of various iterations of those unfoldings.

On the album itself, he went on to add: "When I make a piece like this most of my time is spent listening to it for long periods — sometimes several whole days — observing what it does to different situations, seeing how it makes me feel. I make my observations and then tweak the rules. Because everything in the pieces is probabilistic and because the probabilities pile up it can take a very long time to get an idea of all the variations that might occur in the piece. One rule might say 'raise one out of every 100 notes by five semitones' and another might say 'raise one out of every 50 notes by seven semitones.' If those two instructions are operating on the same data stream, sometimes — very rarely — they will both operate on the same note...so something like one in every 5000 notes will be raised by 12 semitones. You won't know which of those 5000 notes it's going to be. Since there are a lot of these types of operations going on together, on different but parallel data streams, the end result is a complex and unpredictable web.

Perhaps you can divide artists into two categories: farmers and cowboys. The farmers settle a piece of land and cultivate it carefully, finding more and more value in it. The cowboys look for new places and are excited by the sheer fact of discovery, and the freedom of being somewhere that not many people have been before. I used to think I was temperamentally more cowboy than farmer...but the fact that the series to which this piece belongs has been running now for over four decades makes me think that there's quite a big bit of farmer in me."

Take a listen to Brian Eno and Karl Hyde performing live.

Lyon Club Says It Will Sue Drug-Taking Patrons

Four guests at Le Sucre nightclub in Lyon were hospitalized after overdosing last Friday night.

The clubbers at Mutante party on Friday, November 11th were rushed to hospital, prompting the club to close at 3am for preventive reasons. According to the website Lyon Mag, the Twitter rumours of a "poor quality drug" being sold that night were false. "The hospitalized persons—all of whom were in the same group—admitted taking the drug with them to the party."

The club has announced that it will file a claim against the patrons in order to avoid "irresponsible actions" damaging its reputation.

Producer-Singer Bo Rocha Outs New Song “Real Kids”

“Real Kids” is a new track from burgeoning London singer and producer Bo Rocha’s new EP “Hold My Gaze” co-produced by Loxe (who produced NAO's "Fool To Love"), Rocha’s sweet voice and nostalgic ballad will make you feel like spinning away.

Tune in below.
 

Project Mooncircle To Release Anniversary Compliation In Jan

Project Mooncircle will continue proliferating some of the best left-field electronica with a 39-track compilation celebrating 15 years in the business in January 2017. The 15th Anniversary Compilation features a long list of some of the most credible and established names, and includes up-and-coming, groundbreaking acts such as Synkro, Rain Dog, Jehst, Robot Koch,Flako, 40 Winks, Long Arm, submerse, kidkanevil, 1000 Names, Tendts, Kafuka, Erik Luebs, My Panda Shall Fly, CYNE, Soosh, Nuage, Michal Lewicki, Jilk, Sieren, Olof Melander,KRTS, Deft, Barnaby Carter, Rumpistol, Fau, Button Eyes, Deceptikon, Pavel Dovgal,Memotone, Graciela Maria, Mujuice, Stompy’s Playground, Sina., Sweatson Klank, Senoy,Parra for Cuva, Fybe One, Monsoonsiren, Tom Day, and many more. The box was furthermore designed by English comic illustrator Dave McKean (Dark Horse Comics / DC Comics / Tundra).

Since the Berlin-based label's 10th anniversary the face of one of their founding members who passed away way too early graces the logo, created by artist Dave McKean. The album is dedicated to one of the founding members of PMC, who passed away too early. The compilation logo features her face.

The compilation represents a journey to the moon that began fifteen years ago and over 150 individual releases later. Many many stories and shared memories – not all of them good, not all of them bad either. While modern space age technology would make it possible to reach the moon’s surface a lot faster, for Project Mooncircle it is not only about moving forward as quickly as possible, but also to turn around, look back around themselves and to reflect on everything that has happened and is happening. "This is why we have such a broad range of artists guesting on our latest compilation. Some that have been part of the voyage from its earliest stages, others that have been with us for major milestones along the way, and even more that might move ahead with us into new and unchartered musical regions." says Malte.

The limited box (only 500 copies worldwide) includes five colored vinyl LP’s with over 35 exclusive tracks plus four additional digital bonus tracks (with digital download code), a bonus double CD version exclusively designed by Lorena Assisi, a T-shirt (only size L) and an exclusive documentary about the label – all in a box specially designed by Dave McKean.

The compilation will be out on the 6th January, 2017. Take a listen to the teaser below.



Tracklist

01 Synkro Lunar Cycle (Phase I) (Produced by Joe McBride)
02 Erik Luebs Frozen Eye (Produced by Erik Luebs)
03 KRTS Odd Fish (Produced by Kurtis Hairston)
04 Sina. Our Sweet Entropy (Produced by Barry Gordon)
05 Deft No More (Produced by Yip Wong)
06 Tendts On Fire (Produced by Christos Papadakis & Fotis Papadakis)
07 Sieren Burn (Produced by Matthias Frick)
08 Tom Day & Monsoonsiren Interlude (Produced by Tom Day & vocals by Nathan Menon)
09 Flako Black Dance (Produced by D. Rojo Guerra)
10 Kafuka Surface (Produced by Kazuomi Eshima)
11 Olof Melander Parallelism (Produced by Olof Melander)
12 Jilk All Dust Form (Produced by Jonathan Worsley & Neil Gay)
13 Barnaby Carter Yugen (Produced by Barnaby Carter)
14 My Panda Shall Fly Tsar (Produced by Suren Seneviratne & Asier Leatxe Ibañez d’Opakoa)
15 40 Winks World Will Find Out (Produced by Wiet Van Den Bogaert)
16 Long Arm Anna (Produced by Georgy Kotunov)
17 Jehst Wolf at the Door (Produced by Jason Wood (a.k.a. Apa-Tight) & vocals byWilliam G. Shields)
18 Button Eyes Burn It Down (Produced by Lewis Lindgren & vocals by CW Jones)
19 kidkanevil Helical Scan (Produced by Gerard Roberts)
20 submerse Cloud_s (Produced by Rob Orme)
21 Memotone Living (Produced by William Yates)
22 Soosh Fading Mankind (Produced by Soroosh Khavari)
23 Rain Dog Miss You (Produced by Samuel Evans)
24 Robot Koch & Graciela Maria Harps And Landscapes (Produced by Robert Koch & vocals by Graciela Maria Alatorre)
25 Parra For Cuva On A Life Feat. Bijou (Produced by Nicolas Demuth & vocals by Bijou Allie)
26 Pavel Dovgal & Mujuice Mooncircle (Produced by Pavel Dovgal & Roma Litvinov)
27 Michal Lewicki & Fau Kafka (Produced by Michal Lewicki & Mateusz Szmigiero)
28 Rumpistol Carry Me (Produced by Jens Berents Christiansen)
29 Nuage Leave The Past (Produced by Dmitry Kuzmin)
30 Fybe One Bloodline (Produced by Greg Haynes)
31 Sweatson Klank Either Way (Produced by Thomas Wilson)
32 Mujuice Dead Moon Sonnet (Produced by Roma Litvinov)
33 Synkro Lunar Cycle (Phase II) (Produced by Joe McBride)

Bonus

34 Deceptikon From Time (Produced by Zack Wright)
35 CYNE On the Head of the Crimson King (Produced by Michael Gersten & David Newell. Vocals by Clyde Graham)
36 Senoy F L Y (Produced by Jonas Christian Eberhard Lechenmayr)
37 kidkanevil & Daisuke Tanabe Harmonics (Stompy’s Playground Live Version)(Produced by Robert Hervais-Adelman)
38 Barrio Lindo Raiz (Produced by Agustin Rivaldo)
39 1000 Names Hollow Hello (Produced by Aleksiev Margarit & Todorov Nikolay)

Unknown Landscapes Mix #4 to be compiled by Reeko

Spanish techno expert Reeko is the man behind the upcoming Unknown Landscapes CD release, set for December by PoleGroup Recordings. Reeko’s selection includes 22 previously unreleased tracks, including three of his own original productions and including tracks from from Buffalo, Mike Parker (NYC), Raster-Noton’s Kangding Ray and Hospital Productions bedfellow Lussuria. Mix duties for the previous Unknown Landscapes collection was handled by Exium, who also features alongside Jonas Kopp and DJ Hyperactive (Chicago). The 74-minute mix will be followed by a vinyl sampler featuring the likes of Unbalance, Mike Parker, Lussuria and Reeko in January next year. Take a listen to ‘Dead Animal,’ by Reeko, one of the tracks that will appear on the vinyl EP.

Nicholas Britell composes 'Moonlight' Soundtrack

Barry Jenkins's 'Moonlight', his first film in 8 years, is now in select theaters nationwide. The original soundtrack for the film, composed by award-winning pianist Nicholas Britell, has also been made available for purchase.

The soundtrack features eighteen original compositions from Britell, as well as songs from Goodie Mob, Boris Gardener, and Barbara Lewis. Purchase the soundtrack now on iTunes and watch the trailer for the film below.

Dirty Radio Announce 'True Love' Single

“True Love” is the new single from Vancouver electronic trio DiRTY RADiO out now via 604 Records. Having shared stages with the likes of Dragonette, Miami Horror, k-os, Lights and more and reworked beats from Kaytranada, Calvin Harris, Sam Gellaitry to name but a few, DiRTY RADiO have continued to build momentum by releasing a series of stand-alone digital singles. DiRTY RADiO’s collaborations with Young Franco and Sleepy Tom for Diplo’s Mad Decent label have earned the trio just under 5 million plays on Spotify to date. DiRTY RADiO won a Western Canadian Music Award for Urban Recording of the Year, garnered airplay on BBC Radio 1xtra and attention of tastemakers such as The FADER, Pigeons and Planes, Majestic, Earmilk, Hypetrak, BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac amongst others. “We're always in our studio”, says DiRTY RADiO member Waspy. “We're here every day, non-stop. We wouldn’t have it any other way”. Waspy explains, “We self-produce all of the music collectively, we all play on everything, we all have input into every single aspect of the recording process and writing process”. The trio’s obsessive dedication to songwriting explains the leaps and bounds they have made in recent years. DiRTY RADiO began as a glorified solo vehicle for singer-keyboardist-percussionist Shadi, who released the album Debut in 2010. As the project evolved, it quickly took the shape of a three-piece live band, including Waspy (drums/keyboards/production) and Tonez (keyboards/mixing). Shadi is a prolific top liner and multi-instrumentalist who grew up studying jazz and has a background in soul and R&B. Waspy grew up playing drums in punk and metal bands before becoming obsessed with hip hop and electronic music. Tonez is a classically trained pianist and technically savvy production whiz. Together, the three members split songwriting duties democratically, resulting in a glittering, futuristic R&B sound that mixes soulful hooks with widescreen synth swells and thudding dance beats. DiRTY RADiO explore progressive soul, electronic dance music and pop while retaining a style that is entirely unique. “It’s as organic as you can possibly get,” reflects Waspy. “We’re making music out of our own studio, by ourselves, and we’re performing it ourselves. We just want to write incredible songs and try to change the sound of music.”

New Solange Track Soothes Your Anger (ft Li'l Wayne)

The new track by Solange Knowles “Mad ft. Lil Wayne” features Lil Wayne and deals with the topic of anger. Having a rough day? Solange will tell you all about it with a voice that cures anger and soothes your worries, while Wayne advises, “You’ve got let it go”!

Check out the track and lyrics below.



LYRICS

But I got a lot to be mad about
Got a lot to be a man about
Got a lot to pop a xan about
I used to rock hand-me-downs
And now I rock standing crowds
But it's hard when you only got fans around and no fam around
And if they are then they hands is out
And they pointing fingers
When I wear this fucking burden on my back like a motherfucking cap and gown
Then I walk up in the bank pants sagging down
And I laugh at frowns what they mad about?
'Cause here come this motherfucker with this massive count
That didn't wear a cap and gown
Oh you mad 'cause the judge didn't give me more time
and when I attempted suicide I didn't die
I remember how mad I was on that day
Man you gotta let it go before it get up in the way
Let it go let it go

Four Tet Shares 4.5 Hour DJ Set

 Election madness got you in a morning spin? Here’s one way to escape today - download Four Tet’s generous 4-and-a-half hour DJ set. The mix, recorded by the pioneering master of experimental electronica at Far Away’s monthly party in Los Angeles, has already racked up over 35,000 plays in just two days. The recording, which apparently cut out 90 minutes before the end of his actual set, features disco, gospel, house and techno. 
 

Listen to Galtier’s “Myth Codes”

Bristol-based producer Galtier shares new EP “Myth Codes” out via Infinite Machine. The label has released records from the likes of WWINGS, Aphix and Ziur this year.

The 3 song EP (with 2 remixes) starts with the rhythmic work out “Chain,” with its deep hollow reverb and simple flute that come to act as motifs for the EP. The most playful of the triad, “Gold Bones” breaks a dembow over pan flutes before the leading siren and comforting pads carry us through. The final “Charm Complex” starts off as quite the haunting brute, before inviting in a eerily choir and our overarching flute—this time a direct nod to Herbie Hancock.

Peggy Gou Readies New EP

The Korean-born Berlin resident artist Peggy Gou will release her new EP Seek For Maktoop via Ninja Tune's Technicolour imprint on October 14.

"Maktoop is from the Arabic word maktoob meaning 'written' or 'destiny,' so the EP title could be interpreted as 'looking for destiny'," explains Peggy. "It's also a reference to two of my best friends: Sik (or 'Seek') and Bada (who taught me this Arabic word). They have always been very supportive of my music and I wanted to acknowledge that somehow."

Seek For Maktoop EP is out on 14th October.

Listen to "Gou Talk” here.

Pixelord drops new LP, "Human.exe"

“Human.exe” is the new LP taken from cyber-futurism experimental electronic artist Alexey Devyanin aka Pixelord slated for release on the 23rd September via Hyperboloid Records. Pixelord has garnered previous support from the likes of Pitchfork, Resident Advisor, Thump, FACT, Boiler Room, has played at Berghain, Talinn Music Week, Electric Castle alongside The Prodigy, State-X New Forms with James Blake and Dark Star, toured the US and China extensively, remixed everyone from 813, Machinedrum, Eprom, Herobust, Ryan Hemsworth and released music for tastemaker labels such as Error Broadcast, Leisure System, Infinite Machine and Hit & Hope to critical acclaim.

Alexey Devyanin is at the forefront of an ever-evolving Russian scene that many consider one of most exciting musical developments in recent years. Pixelord sits among a current wealth of producers where sound dominates over genre, mashing elements of Futuristic Bass, Footwork, Garage and Grime together into a unique take on bass music. In 2014 Pixelord performed at the first ever Boiler Room in Russia and in 2015 collaborated with Marcos Zotes to make the soundtrack for a video mapping installation in Moscow.

Described by Resident Advisor as chameleonic, due to his diverse range and ability to conjure such unique sounds and characteristics, Moscow’s Pixelord takes things even further with latest LP “Human.exe” delivering soundscapes of a dystopian future echoing otherworldly sounds tailor-made for Chris Cunningham and science fiction cult classic “Blade Runner”. Drawing influence from the likes of Aphex Twin, Mark Pritchard, Clark and LORN, the LP is tough and touching in the same breath using his cyborg ‘Human.exe’ to express his emotions, creating robust rhythms merging elements of bass, IDM and future beats to take you onto a journey through this pixelated and warped sonic dimension.

Alexey explains: “‘Human.exe’ is about a robot who wants to be a human but still he is a program, exe file. The video will be about this particular robot too. My music was always retro futuristic and nostalgic about old computers and systems, this time as well .exe is the reference to my childhood, Idm music, DOS programs and cyber romanticism.”.