"Today myself and Makoto Shimizu decided that 2012 shall see the release of an A Sides & Makoto collaboration album. Let the journey begin :)"
— A-Sides
(Source: facebook.com)
- 1 day ago
With whom and why to collaborate with (by SPY)
Work Experience: if you could collaborate with any artist, who would they be? And why?
We checked in with Hospital’s S.P.Y this week to find out his dream collabos. But first, a little on his monstrous four tracker Love & Hate: Out now and available here, each cut stinks of gritty old school flavours.
“Yes definitely,” chuckles S.P.Y who, incidentally, loves good food and hates empty promises. “The whole EP and most of the tracks I have produced in general have this old school feel. I really enjoy working with breaks and manipulating and transforming samples. This probably comes from my background in music as I was always a big fan of hip-hop. Looking at it more broadly, the concept I have used for the Love & Hate EP tracks was ‘less is more’ and always pushing the tracks for a more underground old school feel.”
Complete with a sonorous rendition of Submotion Orchestra’s All Yours, it’s yet another worthy addition to Hospital’s armoury. Having signed to the mega-label last year, S.P.Y still finds himself pinching himself at his latest career move.
“It’s a pretty good feeling,” he grins. “To be honest I was quite surprised to be approached by them, but because I’ve known the Hospital crew for so long I don’t just feel like I’ve signed to one of the biggest labels in D&B, it feels more like I’m back working with my good friends, which is great.”
A perfect working relationship if ever we heard one. Just like S.P.Y’s own dream collaborations…
The Prodigy
“I was always a big fan of The Prodigy, especially the early work. Albums like Experience and Music For The Jilted Generation were a big influence on what I do right now. I would love to have worked with them!”
Total Science
“Even knowing that I have already collaborated in the studio with them, they are just my ultimate favourite producers. There were always a big inspiration for my music and we have a lot in common when in the studio. So for me, working with them was a big personal achievement.”
Stakka & Skynet
“They were so ahead of their time! Their tracks still sound fresh today – those two were a big influence. I always wonder how they managed to write so many amazing tracks on such a basic set up.”
- 2 days ago
Nymfo: Characters LP on Commercial Suicide
Full release information for the final LP / CD is available from the official Resident Advisor album announcement here.
01. Brain Stimulation
02. Under Fire
03. Boshoven feat. June Miller
04. Dream Path 1
05. Bored Pirate feat. Presk
06. Stamppot
07. Zone Defense feat. Cern
08. Dream Path 2
09. Stickmatch
10. Bipolar feat. MC Fava
11. Doldrums
12. Battlefish feat. Black Sun Empire
13. The Relief
(Source: esp-agency.com)
- 4 days ago
BMT - Love is the Devil Remixes
This May Blu Mar Ten releases the first in a three-part series of remixes from their album Love is the Devil. Part One features reworkings from D-Bridge and Marcus Intalex.
All Thoughts Are Prayers (Marcus Intalex remix)
Where the original version of All Thoughts Are Prayers drifted and meandered in semi-ambience, Marcus Intalex drags it kicking & screaming into euphoric dancefloor territory.
True hands-in-the-air breakdowns give way to a classic liquid palette before being taken over by a smooth reese bassline that always gets a cheer from the crowd.
Marcus has done what he does best, creating emotion-driven tracks for the floor that never compromise on quality.
Sweet Little Supernova (D-Bridge remix)
In stark contrast to the user-friendliness of the Intalex remix, D-Bridge turns in a discordant and unsettling version of Sweet Little Supernova.
Twisting up the original’s sweet harmonies and pattering percussion, D-Bridge introduces hammering breaks and a disturbing bassline before throwing ear-piercing frequencies and distortion into the mix while bringing the previously-ethereal vocal line right to the forefront.
A harmonically difficult and challenging remix, this version is only for those who are prepared to listen to music more than once to get something out of it.
BMT007 will be available as a strictly limited 12” pressing together with mp3s. This will be a single-run only with no repressings.
Full sleeve artwork by resident designer ithinkitsnice.
- 5 days ago
New Jimmy Edgar album out!
After a two-year break, Detroit producer and wayward star-child Jimmy Edgar debuts on Scuba’s Hotflush Recordings armed with an album full of futuristic sleaze. Known for his unique take on jacking house and electro funk, he’s recently been splitting his time between the US and Berlin, exploring transcendental meditation and the boundaries of the non-physical. This offering is an extension of that journey, bringing eleven tracks of erotic robo-pop to the table. Titled Majenta, this LP is a departure from his past sound, marking a shift in his own ever-expanding consciousness, as well as another exciting chapter of his musical career.
Each track is an aural manifesto, giving well-deserved nods to his varied musical influences. Close encounters with Detroit legends Derrick May and Juan Atkins, Jimmy’s 2004 signing to Warp Records, and his early exposure to Kraftwerk have all acted as lynchpins in the cultivation of his sound. With a number of releases on Glasstable, Semantica, Nonplus and long player releases on both Warp and !K7, Majenta reflects Jimmy’s evolution as both artist and child of the cosmos.
According to Edgar, the making of the album was steeped in countless synchronicities, continuously reminding him he was on the right path. In contrast with his last LP, XXX, for !K7, which took five years to make, Majenta is more raw, more spontaneous and in his words, “more futuristic … than my other music, which played a lot with retro, especially R&B.”
From the outset, Jimmy’s flexing his Kraftwerkian muscle, with vocoder complimenting his own unadulterated voice and ‘80s synthlines bubbling away alongside jazz-funk keyboard riffs. From the raunchy and sexually explicit ‘Take Me on a Sex Drive’ (“windows down, legs up high”) to the low-lit, hypnotic feel of ‘Attempt to Make it Last’, to the UK garage rhythms of ‘Let Yrself Be’, to the Kiss-era Prince vibe of ‘I Need Your Control’, it’s clear that the postmodern is Edgar’s domain. The Frampton-esque vocals of ‘In Deep’ close out the LP and further cement his enviable place in the intergalactic community.
Spring/Summer 2012 will see Jimmy playing a number of live shows across Europe and the US in support of Majenta (including major festivals such as Glade, UK), as well as his continued exploration into the world of LEDs and synchronized light technology.
Tracklisting:
01 Too Shy
02 This One’s For The Children
03 Take Me On A Sex Drive (feat. A11A)
04 Indigo Mechanix (3D)
05 Attempt To Make It Last
06 Let Yrself Be
07 Touch Yr Bodytime
08 Hrt Real Good
09 I Need Your Control
10 Heartkey
11 In Deep
- 5 days ago
Interview With Demand Records boss, Carlos Lehmann,
If you know anything about drum and bass, you’ll most likely be aware that over in Switzerland there’s a belter of a label called Demand Records, who have been hacking out quality tune after quality tune from all over the place for the past couple of years. With past releases from people as dnb-diverse as Spinline, Optiv & BTK, LSB and Heavy1, they have proven to be an essential part of our go-to new release shopping trolley. We decided to have a chat with the really-quite-charming Carlos Lehmann, one half of the Demand crew, to pick his brains about his musical choices, his inspirations and just what on earth he’s planning to do with the rest of the year.
Hello Carlos! How are you? What’s keeping you busy at the moment?
I’m fine thanks. I just had a week off and went to see Vienna with my girlfriend apart from that it’s the usual really. Work, label, promoting and friends, that’s what is keeping me busy! 
The last Demand release was the huge “Things Inside / Heavy Tone” by Eastcolors. How did you end up working with him?
Glad you like it! I’ve been in contact with Eastcolors for some time now. He was sending me stuff every now and again and I really liked his style. I got “Things Inside” a few months back wasn’t too sure if we should pick it up, but convinced myself when Eastcolors told me he were very keen on doing a 12”. I checked back a few other bits of his and ended up signing “Heavy Tone” as the flip and we declared it to be DMND010.
Demand has a bit of a reputation for releasing quality DnB - what do you think about when you’re choosing a track to release? Are there any specific criteria?
I wouldn’t say we have any special criteria in choosing tracks. From a musical point of view I’d probably question if the track has longevity and that special something to make it stand up to the hard competition out there. From a financial point of view, we have to look at whether enough people will buy it, basically. It’s hard to sell products in this day and age, you hear that from everyone so it’s twice as difficult to make the right decision, but our output is definitely heart-driven so what we get sent and like will certainly be out sooner rather than later.
What’s the Demand ethos?
Quality Drum & Bass and always open for the unexpected, I’d say. We really try to bring through artists that might not be that big yet but who’s music we really feel. 
What would you not release on the label?
I wouldn’t rule it out and I can’t guarantee a taste change, but I guess you won’t see any dancefloor anthem style or really hard stuff released on Demand. Although saying that, I wouldn’t rule out different tempos on Demand as we are very open minded!
What’s your biggest track regret – in other words, which tune do you wish you’d picked up but didn’t for whatever reason?
Seeing how successful Optiv & BTK’s “Whatever” was, it’s definitely regrettable that I didn’t pick it up. Mortem sent me “The Touch” on Soundcloud. (I’m still not sure if that’s true Karol!) but I missed that one. “Snapcase” by June Miller is another one. Heard it a while back and wanted it, but just never really got in touch with them and when it finally happened it was way too late. That’s just a few from the top of my head.
Your next release is by Polish wonderboy Mortem - was this track done with you in mind or did you just hear it and think “We have to have this!”
Mortem basically sent me a bunch of tracks of his. They were wicked tunes all of them, either out now or signed to be released soon. There was that “Untitled” thing lying around and I had a go, and another one, and…you know it’s sometimes hard to be 100% sure to pick the right thing to release but I thought “fuck it let’s do it.” It’s definitely a harder one of his and I’m really liking it so I’m glad I picked it up.
The flip to that is M-Zine – “Endings”. Can you tell me a bit more about him and the track?
M-Zine is an up-and-comer from Belgium giving Netsky a hard time…Joking aside he’s been there for some time and I think it’s about time for him to get some more recognition. “Endings” isn’t that new but it’s definitely his best. It’s very special too so I’m really happy with that 12” as a whole.
What else has Demand got coming up in the next few months? Any festival appearances by you or your regular artists?
After the already mentioned Mortem/M-Zine 12” due out in early July, we’ve got a remix 12” coming from the “Spinline” EP. For the end of the year we have our LP “Drum & Bass on Demand” planned, with old and new bits from talented artists like Roygreen & Protone, Heavy1, Eastcolors etc. which looks like it’ll be a nice collection and is shaping up nicely! 
Anything else you’d like to mention?
Yes actually, I’d like to thank everyone buying and supporting our music worldwide and want to shout out all the people I’ve worked with and chatted to in the past two or so years and helped me shaping demand! Big up all the guys at ST Holdings, and thank you for taking the time and effort to do this interview!
Finally - five tracks from any label you think we all need to keep a look out for - they can be on Demand too if you want. What are they, who are they by, why are they so good?
There are way too many people to mention! There is great music in any genre and there are very many talented people doing fantastic music all over, so here are just a few ones I’m feeling at the moment:
• Fracture – “Get Busy”
A game changer, definitely. Fracture stepping up doing something nobody has done so far with 170bpm. I love that juke/footwork whatever you wanna call it that Addision Groove and Joy O etc. have been pushing and it’s refreshing to see new ideas being picked up in d&b speed. Exit definitely a label to look at in the future.
• Planas - Breathtaking
I’m a big sucker for strings and this one delivers. Love the original and the d-Bridge remix.
• Synkro - Dwelling
You could easily pick up any Synkro tune here. He’s just making beautiful music and I can’t get enough of him.
• Gamma - Chronic
Murdered out! That’s another one I failed to pick up… you can add it to the list above ;-)
• Dub Phizix - Rainy City Music
Another one that is still not out. I understand though as he’s hot property now, and this is different to his output now but I fell in love two years ago when I first heard it.
(Source: redeyerecords.co.uk)
- 5 days ago
BSE - From The Shadows LP in september
Black Sun Empire have been hard at work preparing their 5th studio album ‘From The Shadows’ which is now confirmed for a mid September release on BSE Recordings.
(Source: esp-agency.com)
- 5 days ago
"New Survival, Silent Witness & Cern collab they’ve finished for the Survival and Silent Witness album is a pure hurter, instant bass-face stuff. on 3rd listen in a row today already!"
- 1 week ago
"End of an era unfortunately… It’s with a heavy heart I got to admit that pressing Vinyl records might be a thing of the past for Subtitles"
— Dj TeeBee
(Source: twitter.com)
- 1 week ago
