Hello everyone! This is the first of many posts I will be contributing to this fantastic blog! I figured I would start out with a list of my favorite releases and artists from 2012, so as to give the readers an idea of my taste and preferences. 2012 was an excellent year for electronic music. I felt that comprising a list of the so called “best” would be impossible because of the sheer amount of innovative, unique, and genre defying beats that were released last year, so I chose instead to write about my personal favorites.
Favorite Releases:
1. TNGHT – TNGHT
2. Eprom – Metahuman
3. S-Type – Billboard
4. Tipper – Puzzle Dust
5. Blackbird Blackbird – Boracay Planet
6. G Jones – Mirage
Favorite Labels:
1. Rwina Records
2. LuckyMe
3. Saturate Records
4. Friends of Friends Records
5. Ghostly International
6. MalLabel Music
Favorite New Discoveries:
1. 813
2. Lindsay Lowend
3. Pyramid Juke
4. RuddyP
5. Mr. Carmack
6. Cashmere Cat
Favorite mixes/recorded live sets :
1. G Jones – New Originals 2012
2. NastyNasty – LazerBrain
3. Salva – Boiler Room set
4. RL Grime – Boiler Room Set
5. Groundislava – Boiler Room Set
6. Doshy – Live@Redlight Radio Amsterdam
Gem and Jam Festival is celebrating its 7th year! It’s the largest gem and mineral show in the world! The event is held in Tucson, Arizona and features an large outdoor venue. The event also features a musical festival alongside it. The legendary visionary artist Alex Grey will also be doing live painting all three days as well as hosting a drawing workshop!
I’m really looking forward to attending this festival to start off 2013. I’ve never spent time in Tucson and can only imagine that it’ll be gorgeous. If you’re thinking of attending there’s a travel package that includes 3 day tickets, hotel, and poster for $450. It’s my understanding that there is only a limited amount of packages available so grab them A.S.A.P. You can grab a 3 day pass for $80 if you’re not interested in lodging.
This weeks Fire Friday Mix comes from Whitebear. It has been awhile since we’ve posted about Whitebear. This mix caught my attention and have been totally blown away by it. If you’re into weird downtempo organic bass music similar to Tipper this is what you’ve been waiting for. This mix has such a good vibe too it. This mix is one of the better mixes I’ve heard this year. I day dream all day with this music.
I’m not sure if all the music that is on here is new or not but the selection is incredible. I don’t know what’s going on over there in Australia but it must be something in there water because they seem to be creating these amazing producers. It’s my life long dream as a DJ to go visit Austalia and New Zealand. There’s so much talent over there and can only imagine how insanely beautiful it must be. I haven’t done much research on if we can expect a new release from Whitebear but if there is I’ll be sure to post about it. It does look like there’s a N American / Canada Tour being worked out. Be sure to keep up to date with that!
I hope you all have an enjoyable week-end! This mix is something great to put on anytime you want to relax and trip out to some stellar downtempo, The energy shines so much in this mix <3
Tracklist:
Mumukshu- Wakefulness
Kayla Scintilla feat. Alice Spacedoll- Break Belief Bounce (Whitebear Remix)
Whitebear- Fever Dreams
Shwex x Mumukshu- Elements of Antiquity
Whitebear- Auric Sight
Whitebear- Primal Stomp
Whitebear- New Evolutionary Paradigm
Whitebear- Lost in Vibrations
Whitebear- Earthquake
Shwex x Mumukshu- Elements of Antiquity (Whitebear Remix)
Brujo's Bowl- Gyananakashu (Eye of Knowledge)
Thriftworks aka Jake Atlas just put out a FREE ep called, Hydromancy. I don’t even know where to begin with this review. I’m the biggest Thriftworks fan boy out there. If you were to ask me who are my favorite producers making music today are, I’d answer Thriftworks every time. Jake puts out a quality of music that is completely unmatched. Originality is one of the biggest things I push and Jake never disappoints. He is one of the poster children of Glitch Hop today. He mixes downtempo weird vibes with traditional hip-hop style. The product is always lush mellow beats that take you through emotional journeys of sound.
One of the things that stands out to me the most on this EP is the use of an MC on Die Gracefully ft. DH the Mythicalifornian. Jake has used vocals before but never as clean as this. DH vocals add that depth to the track that is often forgotten. I’m usually not a fan of male MC vocals but this track is taken to another level with such a smooth verse. The rest of the EP sounds like extensions of all of Thriftworks previous releases. I will say out of all his previous releases this one is the most experimental. I also can’t applaud Jake enough for getting super weird on this EP. It’s a dance floor market out there and it’s not very often you see producers experimenting with such ambient downtempo soundscapes.
If it were up to me I’d love to see more artist move in this direction. There’s a lot of music out there that is left unheard due to the mellow tones that are neglected by mass media. This EP should be listened to when you can kick back and enjoy a full experience. All you producers who are reading this. Take notes and remember that balance is key. Making club bangers can be fun and enjoyable but remember how much can be conveyed when you forget about popularity and focus on deeper messages with sound. Thriftworks is a prime example that it’s possible to succeed as an artist making weird music.
I recommend you ALL to download this and be sure to check out the rest of his music.
Enjoy the weird revolution! Also look out for his collab EP with Russ Liquid.
I’ve heard some of the tracks this summer during some of their solo sets and WHOA.
Here’s a mix from myself for Fire Friday Mixes. There has been so much going on around Trap music. I think that overall this trap craze has gotten a bit excessive but it’s better than other trends (style) out there. This was put together mainly as a promo mix and show you how I would mix and glitch it. Too be perfectly honest it was to see if I even had it in me. As much as we can enjoy a certain style of music the real question is can you mix it.
This came out better than I actually anticipated actually. It was also fun recording it. There’s a certain level of appeal you can go for with trap music and there’s another where you can get straight hood with it. After hearing this mix a few times due to its short nature it’s something I’m proud of. Could I mix a hour of trap? Sure, I feel confident now that I can but who know when I’ll never do it or record a mix that long of solely Trap. That’s the thing about trap, it’s something used to sprinkle up a set but not sure if I’ll go straight trap. This mix is something that works for me when that craving appears.
Hope you can enjoy this even if you love or hate trap. It’s my personal take on it.
Random Fact: I named this mix Mon Calamari as a Star Wars reference. Mon Calamari is the particular species Admiral Ackbar which had the infamous “It’s a Trap” phrase.
Kalya Scintilla is one of those producers I hope you’ve all come across before. As much as I would like to say there’s plenty of music like this that I really enjoy out there, I can’t. The good part is that this album totally met all the expectations I had. Every single one of the producers who remixed Kalya Scintilla tracks did an incredible job. You always have to worry about a few that sneak in that you wonder this doesn’t really work but nope. They all take the original sound and translate it in a way that gives it their own personal style but will most likely appeal to the fans of Kalya Scintilla.
I’ve almost striven to keep my post to people I’ve interacted a bit with. After all these reviews or takes on music are just for you to check out. You might hate my I love or love what I hate but this is where I get to say what I think =) And this is one of the best albums I’ve heard all year! This was enjoyed while just hanging out in the living room chillen. It’s Halloween and this album create the perfect way to enjoy a night in away from this crazy world. Releases like these are the type you always hope for. Your favorite artist remix something you already love plus you discover new ones totally make you dig deeper and look for that special gem. The best part is you know you’ve already hit gold on this one.
I’m hoping that in the near future I’ll get to met the creator of this original music. This summer I missed all the opportunities and the stars didn’t align. My understanding is that he is from Australia which might make it difficult but you never know lately. Despite all that I’m sure they will be a chance eventually and that’s what counts. It will bring me great pleasure to shake the hand of his. That all said lets not forget the talented team of producers that represent this collection of music. It’s a special thing when you see a mix of artist come together to create something so outstanding standing alone as well as a union.
Elysha’s back with another release on Muti! This one is called Imaginary Friends. I’ve been sitting on this one for awhile and glad to finally see this one with a proper release. It’s a fun collection of tracks that she has put together. The one thing about ill-esha is that she has so much dynamic range. You can never know what to expect what she’ll do next. This time there’s a little sample of midtempo, glitch, funk, trap, glitch-hop, jazz, and soul. It’s all in there with a hint of her voice here and there. The overall sound of the release is warm. Its got those pretty synth lines and bass lines you can expect from her previous releases.
I’m a HUGE fan of Mood Swings and The Only Cure. The rest of the tracks are actually quite exciting but there’s no question which are my favorites. I totally love the name she gave this release. All the names of the tracks are well thought out and pair up quite nicely. I always think to myself how the internet has totally bred all these imaginary friends in a way. You network and meet all these people over the internet but never really hang out with them in person. It’s always interesting when you do. Thankfully whenever I’ve had the luck to kick it with her she’s been absolutely amazing. It’s always great when you get to share your friends music on here. It’s so amazing to have such talented friends all around the world like Elysha. Overall I’m a fan of this release and her music go grab it when it’s released.
If you’re in Sebastopol, CA be sure to check out the release party on November 1st. I highly recommend checking her out live if you get the chance. She’s a true performer and can find her singing live vocals in her sets. It’s always a treat to see her sing!
Here are some sample tracks to hold you over. They bring a LOT more heat than the album but will be sure to fit in nicely in your DJ sets…
jOBOT is back for more! After releasing a FREE ep, Gratitude, he’s releasing another one! I didn’t expect this but it makes a lot of sense. This EP is a lot more focused on the dance floor and it bumps.
The first intro track, Be You Auto, seems to have left off where gratitude ended but as soon as you’re getting all cozy the vibe of the track warps into hyper drive. It’s a great intro track that warms you up and blast you into a crazy funky tornado. There’s no end to it once you’ve been sucked in. I Can’t Keep Doing This takes you into a 8bit arp storm filled with wet bass all over the place. The balance and flow of this track has some dynamic range which will allow you to experiment with on it on all sorts of levels. Hundos picks the beat back up and sends you into a funky midtempo vibe. This track is where I feel Joe really shines and showcases his understanding of bass music. It’s weird, groovy, and fun but most of all, it’s a dance party. Until Tender is the title track and probably my favorite off this EP. It’s your signature midtempo bass track that makes you want to move. The textures of the bass really add a lot to the track. It’s as if Love and Light, Skrillex, and Opuio had a child together. Those wet bass lines mixed with electro disco thrash make for a great combination I’ve been hearing more often. Overall this release was not something I had anticipated but it comes at a great time where I’m spending a decent amount of time with midtempo dance moods.
I’ve had the luxury of having a few encounters around this dude. I purposefully use the term Dude because this guy is pretty much that. He’s one of the funniest people I’ve been around in this community. Always goofing around and making everyone laugh. Not to mention the guy is one of the prime players in the Steak Tribe. One thing that I’ve always found interesting about Joe is that he’s an exceptional bass player. It’s something I hear you have to experience yourself to fully grasp. I can’t wait till something comes of that. Another thing that I can’t help but mention is this guys spectrum of music. There’s a few tracks that I have of his back from the day and it’s some of the most beautiful stuff I’ve heard. This guy has one hell of a voice. I had the pleasure of seeing him play an early morning set at LIB 2011 thanks to ill-esha yelling at me to wake up and I’ll always thank her for that because it was one of the best sets I’ve experienced in a festival environment.
Be sure to keep a watch out for the release of Until Tender on November 5th!
Stephan Jacobs is one of those artist that I’ve been following for quite some time now. I’ve had the pleasure of spending a decent amount of time around the guy now. With all that said I can say that this is one of my favorite releases by him.
He recently just finished up IDfest tour which was a major accomplishment as he joined the likes of Nosia, Doctor P, Nero, Excision, etc… He also joined Pretty Lights on his tour for a few dates. All the hard work he has put in seems to be paying off playing large festivals and hanging with the big boys.
The summer is over and he’s ready to release all the tracks he has been holding on too. I’ll be honest I was a bit concerned about this release not aligning with my current taste due to the exposure and evolution of electronic music getting much large in scale with hardstyle, house, aggro bass, etc… Stephan even told me while playing IDfest on my birthday that in a way you have to make that sort of music to see the large numbers and fan base. It really disappointed me and concerned me but when I got a copy of this album a few weeks ago, it took me by surprise.
This album resembles and sounds a lot like the early Stephan Jacobs I’ve always known. Despite all the hype around heavy aggro hardstyle this album is quite melodic and groovy. You can really get that west coast bass vibe from it.
What’s next for Stephan? Well he’s about to join ill Gates on his massive Church of Bass tour. I don’t want to give too much away but I will have a bit more details about it in a future post for Dylan. I will say that tour is going to be incredible! Stephan also has a Grassroots California hat due out that you should all look into especially if you’ve never checked out GRC before.
Overall I’m really happy to push this release as there’s always that initial concern of am I going to like the new material or not but this album totally is a diverse collection of the quality solo production that we’ve come to love about Stephan Jacobs.
Trill Murray is my favorite trap artist. There has been quite a fuss about the trap game the past few months but I’ll be honest with you I knew this guy would take over from the start. There’s much mystery about who Trill Murray is but I’ve had the pleasure of spending a good amount of time with this BOSS.
We had a conversation awhile ago where he told me he was entering the 808 game. I encouraged it and told him he would totally crush it as no one really had made a name for themselves yet. Fast forward too today and he’s a beast. The thing about Trill Murray that really sets him apart is the fact that his beats are clean, full, sexy, and melodic. The trap game is filled with tons of ghetto beats that we’ve all come to embrace again with a new modern sound. Murray has a way of making beats just sound bigger and sexier for me. The same goes with him and G Jones. The title track Lust has been one of my summer favorites and even used it in the Get Weird. Alien Sessions mix. We had a talk to other day about music and the whole trap game. I told him I’ve been looking for a certain take on trap music so I’m hoping he’ll be releasing some more material soon, maybe an exclusive for the site?!
If you’re a fan of trap beats Trill Murray is someone you should really get to know. What’s incredible about him is the fact of how big it got so quickly. I can pretty much say that Trill Murray is just as big if not bigger than his other alias now. It’s amazing how this industry works. I’ve got nothing but love for this guy and the entire 710 Records family. It’s one of the best feelings when you see one of your close homies crushing it. I’ve spent a lot of time on the blog and pushing peoples music versus spending time on mine but it’s all worth it when you get to support them over the years and they finally break out!
Afro Monk
January 25th by Molly 
Tags: 2012, Bass Music, Glitch Hop, Top Releases of 2012, Top tracks of 2012
1 Comment »
