VibeSquaD’s new remix “Good Love” by Hellfire Machina ft. Infuze has been rocking my house today. So here in the moutains of the northwest, we have been waiting for snow for what seems like enternity, so when I woke this morning at 5:30 am to prepare for my guiding meeting I needed something that matched my mood. With 5 days of heavy snow forcasted for my area you could say I woke in a good mood, and VibeSquaD’s rmx fit it perfect. After waking all in my house to this pumping out of my system I quickly discovered that not everyone was so pumped this early in the morning. Hellfire Machina has just released this album with a few remixes available through their Bandcamp. I have only listened to the VibeSquaD version, but it got me amped enough to decide to share it with all of you. Hope it help kickstart your mornings as well!
Disciples of Headtron is a compilation made up by some of the members of the Headtron Agency. The roster includes: Sugarpill, Gladkill, Chris B, +verb, Russ Liquid, Goldrush, Stephan Jacobs, Jobot & Jupit3r. This past week they have recently just added a new member to the family, Griz!
The collection of artist that make up this team is lead by Alex Becket one of the best agents in the business. Headtron has only been around for merely two years or more and they’ve made such an impact in such a small amount of time that I can only imagine how busy Alex has been. The entire roster in some sort of fashion have played some of the biggest festivals and events in 2011. There isn’t a major event that you can’t find at least one or two members representing the Headtron family.
This compilation is a prime example of why they are such a driving force in the EDM community. There are even a few surprises that caught me off guard, Swordfight! I’ve heard much talk about this over the course of time but here is their debut! Another surprise is to find more Jobot tunes, especially one that features ill-esha! =O It’s great to have something unified and put together and this is only the beginning as this is Volume 1. I’m looking forward to Vol 2 already which I hope features more from them in particular More Champagne & Griz.
My favorites you ask? Sugarpill stole this one from everyone in my opinion with A Gift To. There is no question that tune is perfect to open up the release. It’s one of those moving tracks that you can listen to in any state of emotion. Russ Liquid’s Pars Lunae also blew me away. Chris B stepped up his game big time and only look forward to see what he and Boris have been cooking up. Also do I need to bring up how I’ve been dying for Jobot’s debut album?!
All in all I can’t wait for 2012 because this is just the beginning and there’s a lot more where this came from. Also big ups to Muti Music and Dov for putting this out. Be sure to grab it on release date Jaunary 2nd, 2012! Be on the look out for any of the Headtron members this year. I’ve had the pleasure of booking many of them in Texas and man do they deliver <3
Much Love & Respect to the Headtron Family!
1. Sugarpill – A Gift To
2. Swordfight – We Will Never Know
3. jOBOT & ill-esha – Fossils
4. +verb – Mileage
5. Gladkill – Insomnia
6. Stephan Jacobs – Groove Around You
7. Jupit3r – Shark Bark
8. jOBOT – Bottle Of Bumpy
9. ChrisB – It’s All Good
10. Russ Liquid – Pars Lunae
11. Goldrush – Katura
So most of you don’t know me or have interacted briefly via the crazy digital world so you might be thinking who cares what this guy thinks! This year has once again been a major transitional year for me music wise. I have played so many different genres of music over the year that it amazes me where my musical journey will take me. Ever sense becoming involved with Afromonk my experience has been heighten. Thanks to demo submissions, JM recommendations, and all my letters to artists in our community I have had an average of 5-10 releases, tracks, or mixes in my mailbox a day! Overwhelming, but I love it! I am really finding the sounds I like and what works for the crowds I play for. I thank JM a million times over for the opportunity. So Here is my list of tracks and releases that I loved for 2011. It was a hard choice thinking back to music I loved in January of the year and not just picking things that Im super hyped on right now. My tastes have changed a lot, but I felt it best to honor the songs I listened to the most, rocked the parties, and will keep me dancing for years to come. Hope you enjoy, and If you think Im missing the boat and should have your tracks on my list for 2012 all I can say is submit them to the site and educate me. I love this journey of discover of new sounds!
Being newer to this community of creative musicians I would have a hard time coming up with lists of my favorite new producers and events. This year my highlight was Decimal Festival in my town of Seattle where I got to catch a lot of the sounds and beats that had been on constant repeat around my home. I’m really hoping to make it to some of the other large festivals around this country next year. Lighting in a Bottle is my top choice for next summer. I just need an invite to camp with some new friends and would love to start getting to know all you people face to face instead of in the virtual world. This world we live in is pretty amazing and inspires me each and every day. Pretty excited about the coming year and all that it will bring. Wish you all the best for the last days of 2011 and lets ring the new year in with some bass!
Sounduo, is the greatest act I know in the Florida region. I can say that with tremendous confidence. I was lucky enough to interview them a few months ago when I lived in Dallas and thrilled to hear of such an act had finally appeared in the Miami area.
Now that I’ve moved back to Miami everyone has been asking me how things are out here. The truth is I knew I was signing my death note for my music career moving out here. The Miami bass scene targets more of the mainstream dubstep fans and not so much of the glitch-hop west coast scene. Don’t get me wrong Miami Dubstep is alive and thriving but it’s quite different from what I’d consider myself part of. The first week-end I was in town I heard about Archnemesis playing a show, which totally blew me away because I had never heard of anyone like Archnemesis coming into town since I left the city. Turns out that Sounduo was opening for them for a few dates in FL. I was thrilled to finally hear and see these guys play live.
WOW. These guys are incredible performers and have their own unique sound which mixes their dub, reggae, and bass roots together into a great package. Zach absolutely crushes it on drums live and Will is behind many controllers playing live keys during many of their songs. They play all originals and can expect them to glitch it up just how we all love and even some massive bass drops. Needless to say I was impressed and consider them one of the best live acts with a drummer in the game.
I’ve had the pleasure of being able to become friends with these guys and man they’re totally legit. They’ve got a lot ahead of them and have a great outlook on everything all around. I’m honored anytime they come over to jam out or play live on my Glitch.fm show. They truly give me hope for the Miami local scene in regards to what I’d consider myself part of. The Archnemesis show showed me some light for this city. There was a super chill crowd and even could pick out about 5-6 Grassroots California hats in the crowd which usually is a good sign.
Overall these are guys you want to keep your eye out for. Their debut release is due out on Made in Glitch which makes me really happy to hear. I assure you everyone who fancies most of the music we post on here will love their upcoming release. Now for the real treat. They contacted me recently that they were working on a tune specifically for the site. It has been awesome getting to know them and playing beside them in my studio and we’ve gotten to discuss what sort of sound I enjoy and am trying to accomplish. The track they send over totally took me by surprise. It’s EPIC. A 7min long tune that sends chills down my body just because after hanging out with them they’ve created something so perfect that fits exactly what I would want to represent Afromonk.com.
I’ll also be working on some new stuff with them in near future, which makes me scream with excitement.
Much love to Will and Zach!
Expect that Made in Glitch release soon!
Ali Berger is only a junior in college and already killing it. His new Ep 110 Love which will be released on Dec 5th on Street Ritual Records has been on constant repeat this week as my motivation to move into my new home. Resulting in a few unexpected dance parties! This celebration of funk, delivers 4 sexy tracks with flavors of glitch hop and old school electrofunk! If your looking for Rhodes synths, amospheric pads, classy wobbles, and a solid drumbeat to match there will be something here for your fancy! I have yet to catch a live show, but from what I hear his live PA shows are a funky mixup of on-the-fly arrangements, remixes, and mashups. With his sound starting to blow up hopefully I will be able to catch a show in the next year. Until, then we can hear him on his frequent visits to Glitch FM where he rolls with the Lost In Bass crew from Boston
Here is what Ali had to say for himself after I chased him down this week!
How long you been producing?
I remember finishing my first few tracks (ones that I never released) in 2008, but I had messed around before then. i really got serious in 2009.
DAW?
Ableton Live. I’ve been using it since 2006 when I was doing bad but fun electric bass live looping jams.
Whats your setup for production?
I have a Windows laptop with a some free VSTs I like and Ableton Suite 8. My main controller is a Novation 25SL mk2. I also have a bunch of hardware that I don’t use very often–a Korg EMX, an Akai S2000, a Roland VS-880, and a Roland Alpha Juno 1. I did do seven tracks over the summer using only that hardware (they’re at http://alibergermusic.com/hardwareweekly), and I’m probably going to go back to that workflow for another project some time.
Performance setup?
My laptop, the Korg EMX for live synths and sequencing, the 25SL for channel volumes, filters, and effects, and a monome 40h kit that I built, which I use for clip launching in Ableton. I wrote a script for it that makes it act like two 4×6 APC40-style grids. When I perform I play a live set, so all my tracks are in 4 stems and separated into different loops for the different sections of the song. I have two sets of four channels in Ableton, so I can have two of my tracks going at once, mix different parts from different tunes, apply effects, etc.
Play any other instruments?
I used to play electric bass. I can still groove on the bass, but now I mainly play piano–I’m taking jazz lessons for school, which is a lot of fun.
What inspires you to make this music?
Funk! Hearing anything that grooves makes me want to make tunes.
Favorite artists at the moment?
Lately I’ve been really into Addison Groove–he has a cool way of performing live and there are a lot of videos of him online. I’m also a huge fan of Space Dimension Controller. Eliot Lipp’s new album with Jasia 10 is great too; it was his Beamrider EP that really introduced me to this kind of music and he’s been killing it since then (and before then too).
Major influences?
When I started playing bass I was listening to Larry Graham, Parliament, Average White Band… all kinds of funk, basically. I’ve been looking for ’80s-ish synth-based stuff over the past 6 months, listening to a lot of Trouble Funk, Techmaster P.E.B., and The Time, to name a few artists. I also love Rhodes pianos. Anthony Smith, the keyboardist from my favorite band (Global Funk), used that sound a lot with that group and I use Rhodes sounds in pretty much every track. Global Funk is easily the #1 influence. At the end of high school I spent 2 months listening to just the first hour of ONE of their live shows. As in I barely listened to any other music. Positivity, groove, and most importantly honesty really drew me to Global Funk and I try to put all of that into my music.
Best moment of last year?
Probably opening for Eliot Lipp in Boston. I was just going to see him play, but then when I got there the promoter said their first opener cancelled and asked if I wanted to play. I was all over it.
Your favorite track at the moment to get the crowd moving?
Since I do the live set, it’s usually one of mine… right now it’s probably “Honey, I’m on acid”. (http://aliberger.bandcamp.com/album/honey-the-kids-are-on-acid) It’s the first track where I really felt comfortable at 130bpm. When I play it live I have a 303-type acid bassline synth going and I get to go crazy with the filter/LFO stuff.
Tour plans/release plans for the next year?
I’m actually only a junior in college, so that takes up a lot of time, but I will be making a huge effort to get booked in CA somewhere (hopefully several places), and I have to play at least one festival. I have a couple in mind that are within reach. And I’ll be playing around Boston a lot, as I always do. As far as releases, I have at least one single I’m gonna finish soon, and I really want to do a full-length concept album. I need to have a solid plan for the album and I think I’m getting close. It will involve outer space and some kind of psychological journey, I can promise that much.
What are your plans for nye?
Chilling with friends in NJ!
What are your tricks for getting creativity juices flowing?
If I don’t have ideas, I try not to force myself to work on tunes. Whenever I do that I make bad music. Sometimes I stand or dance around while I’m producing, to feel more live energy. I try and hear in my head what would make the track groove harder. Also, usually I start a track with a musical idea (like a bassline or a chord progression or a sound, beat, whatever) and try to go as far as I can with that. Then when I run out of ideas I need something non-musical to direct where the track’s gonna go. A story, or some idea of what the track is really about. Then that tells me what sounds or arrangement things I need to do to finish it.
Your From Boston, Jersey originally (same here) How is the east coast bass scene?
I was actually really surprised when I came to Boston at how great the scene is here. It’s not really good for kids under 21, but I quickly figured out some ways around that. There are a bunch of weeklies that put on glitch hop/bass music/dubstep/live electronica: Music Ecology, The Drop, The Monday Mix, and Wobble Wednesdays. Music Ecology also just started a new night called Genesis, which I think is on first Saturdays. All the people running these nights are friendly and awesome. People come out and support, and there are a lot of nights in nearby cities too. The scene isn’t huge, so pretty much everybody who makes or plays electronic music knows everybody else who does. That makes it really easy to meet people. I love the scene out here, basically.
Anybody else you are working with?
No collaborations going on right now, but I have a lot of people I want to sit down with to work on tunes and some of them will happen this winter for sure. That’s all I wanna say right now
Im picturing big things for this young producer in future years and appreciate the time he took to answer some of my questions. Go grab the EP on December 5th at Addictech!
ill Gates was challedged to do a remix of “Aag Da Kariya” by Dr. Zeus for a BBC Asia show. They wanted him to think outside the box and work with Asian music in new creative ways. I Think ill Gates nailed it. Make sure you check out his website, ill Gates.com for free downloads!
I have been noticing a cool thing going on within our community of artists challenging each other in some new creative ways to create music. In this case, a radio show asks ill Gates to think outside the box, but I have also seen some cool communities working together to make some tracks. I love seeing folks get creative and work outside their normal workflow. I think we all benefit from the results. Hopefully in the future, we will get to hear some of these cool collabs. and multiple artist challenges!
Tipper’s new EP “Bubble Control” demonstrates his signature bass sound to perfection. A true master of the band-pass filter delivers a truly out of this world sound full of bubbly bass, heart palpations, and complex sound design. After listening to the release in my cans a few times, I wasn’t even sure where to begin. Seems Tipper recreates his mood and ambiance with each release while keeping that bass we all love. The title track, Bubble Control, is a complex blend of bubble mayhem with a driving bass line that keeps the movement full speed ahead. For sure, this is my favorite track on the release! Covered in Lobsters, showcases some funky percussion with crunchy bass that is sure to bring your head into a new dimension! You can grab this hot Ep at addictech!
To top all things off, Tipper just dropped a new promo mix yesterday full of a mixture of tunes of the past, present, and future! This mix has been on constant repeat all day for me. He seamlessy mixes through a high energy blend of what makes Tipper’s signature sound design out of this world!
On a personal note, Some of you might be wondering about how my review of the high energy Tipper EP works into our Blogs direction. Tipper’s sound is a perfect demonstration of all that I love in Future Bass Music. There is a lot of energy, but still the intelligent sound design is forefront. Artists that create these imaginative sounds continue to adapt and impress release after release. Not just trying to capitalize on today’s trends. I still love the funkiness of glitch hop, the creativity of taking one sound and messing with its roots, and the mind-bending, out of the world sounds found within. There is so much talent in our community, I just have been struggling lately to sift through the massive amount of ugly sounds that attack my brain. I have always believed in to each their own. This world is so amazing because we each create our own art, enjoy our own sounds, not limited to what the masses our pushing in our direction. There is a place for all music and the fans that enjoy it, but I’m so proud to work with Afromonk because we continue to collaborate/support/hype our friends and the music we love!
NastyNasty aka Jasper has finally put a release date to his highly anticipated new Poison Flavored EP! I’m not going to lie and say that this is probably the best thing he has put out since The Reef. Jasper has been touring heavily in 2011 and yet still has time to put together one of the best EPs of the year.
This release contains some of my favorite songs that he plays. I can’t tell you how excited I was when a copy of Sweaty Bodies was in my possession. Sweaty Bodies is one of those tracks that I kid you not I listen to at least 5x a day (it’s unhealthy). Another track that I absolutely love that finally has an official release is Jelly. Every single song on this EP is incredible and completely approve. The moment I got a promo copy of this I put it in my phone and listened to it non-stop since it was the only release on my cell phone at the time. This most likely be one of my top 3 releases for all of 2011. Flawless.
Over the few years I’ve been part of this community I can’t help but say that Jasper is one of the best in the game. His dynamic range, unique style, and overall personality are unmatched. He’s one of those few people that can actually drop house music or juke and actually have me grooving (that’s huge). There are so many people who try to dip into a bit of everything but NastyNasty takes 1st prize for creating the best overall sound with every genre he takes a stab at. The best part about him is the fact that he’s actually one of the best people to chill with. Overall the guy is living life up and has a smile on his face. If you ever watch him play you can see NastyNasty come alive and pour out this explosive side to him. He has openly admitted that almost all the music he writes is about women which shows quite well. Jasper is just another guy like us who happens to make incredible music that has introduced him to a culture and scene that is quite unique. He’s the guy everyone loves and knows how to please any crowd he is given. Even today someone asked me what I recommend since nothing seems to really satisfy them lately and in that list NastyNasty was on the top of it. Be on the look out for another stunning release from Quitter (NastyNasty + So What).
I can’t tell you how honored I am to call him a friend. This summer I had the luxury of seeing him a whole bunch and feels good to know he’s a friend. Never will forget that moment he found me at Emissions and just gave me a hug and had no idea who it was at first but soon realized who it was. That’s when I knew that I had to be doing something right to get this mans respect.
NastyNasty – Poison Flavored EP
01: Sweaty Bodies
02: Jelly
03: Hyda
04: Legionnaire
05: Ghost Down
Gravitas Records has just announced its second official release, Virtus in Sonus, for FREE on Addictech! The 24-track compilation is comprised of a diverse roster of producers that invite you on a gratifying musical rollercoaster ride. The album kicks off smooth and sexy for the first few tracks (my personal favorite of these being Rion King’s “Bliss”) and evolves into more funky and ethnic varieties found in Blunt Instrument’s and Govinda’s work – where the coaster is doing pleasing twists and turns. Then after enjoying the scenery for a moment comes the exhilarating peak, where you can sense a division between soul and body with One4All’s, Cryptex’s and Brede’s awe-inspiring tracks. Cryptex’s “Reset” is absolutely phenomenal; it’s drippy and melodic yet packs in some serious heat. After finding yourself again, you have a chance to reflect on the experience with some effervescent tunes including Jake Scarborough’s bouncy “Radar Junkie”, The Digital Connection’s lazerblappy “Starwalker”, and Bobby Tank’s 80’s-inspired “Good Girl Bad Girl”. The Virtus in Sonus coaster may have left you stunned, and that’s simply because it encompasses such an array of sounds that flow impeccably.
Given the fact that Gravitas Recordings has only been in the game since May 2011, the caliber of this release is exceptional. Jesse Brede, founder of Gravitas Recordings explained that he “reached out to guys that [he] knew would provide a certain type of sound so it wasn’t the same BPM or style the whole time. The compilation has just about every genre of electronic music on it – everything from downtempo to dubstep to house to electro to dnb to trip hop to glitch hop, so if you listen from start to finish you really don’t get bored.” I agree; the genre-encompassing album is brilliant for listening all the way through while on a road trip, at work, or chillin with friends. Grab it here from Addictech, give it a thorough listen, and gain the “Power of Sound”!
Love and Light’s freshest release positively lives up to its name, Galactic Booty Activation. You can’t listen to this funky composition from Matt Madonna and Ryan Anderson without feeling the need to shake that ass! While you can clearly sense their signature sound shining throughout the release, they blend in an assortment of other musical flavors. The album effortlessly integrates crunky, glitched-out beats with wubby bass, tasteful samples, and instrumentals, making for a vibrant and compelling listen. My favorite tracks are Ninja Brothas Motha and their collaborations with Samuel Wexler (Structural Liberation – I love the buildups & instrumentals) and Zebuel Early (Making Waves – I enjoy the rock influences). Zeb is a fellow Tahoe local and proponent of the bass scene here so I was stoked to see his name on the album. This is without a doubt Love and Light’s most solid release yet! Let Love and Light empower you with the sensation of pure bliss; grab the Simplify Recordings album here at Addictech.
Matt and Ryan have made it their goal to transmit their genuine compassion for humanity via uplifting, genre-paving music. People are catching on so the pair is deservedly blowing up – they have been touring the nation and popping up on coveted lineups. That being said, if you have the chance to catch these two live, I would highly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity. The energetic duo originates from Reno, NV; as I am native to the Lake Tahoe region I have been fortunate enough to see, or rather experience, countless Love & Light sets. I can honestly say that of the multitude of shows that I have attended, Love and Light offers the most consistently astounding live experience – I have yet to be disappointed. They never seem to suffer from “off-nights” as most DJs do every once in a while. It’s not only the duo’s spine-tingling music that triggers the masses into motion, but also their undeniable energy and passion for creating a sense of togetherness. While they are undoubtedly stirring up emotion in their listeners, you can tell that the audience is having the same effect on them. You can FEEL the music and the soul that they devote to it. Check out Love and Light and get that galactic booty activated!
Might as well say what’s up to all you Afro Monk readers and introduce myself. I’m Tara, also widely known as Taradactyl. I’m passionate about bass music and the community that surrounds it so I’m honored to become part of this project
I promote and attend most of the countless shows in the Tahoe/Reno area and also make it to many CA festivals. Come say what’s up!
Afro Monk
December 27th by Mr Ed 
Tags: Goodlove, Hellfire Machina, Infuze, Vibesquad
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