RIP. A weekly roundup of releases on Bandcamp and Soundcloud selected and delivered by Aidan
And a good day to you too. The last week has been an interesting one for me so I hope the music reflects that. I also hope I'm not too late with this, as seasonal mixes appear across the board this morning.
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“a p p a r i z i o n e is a netlabel documenting a series of studio live recording sessions open to a small audience in milano, italy.” Their latest entry features monstrous gurgling, ominous footsteps, disembodied shrieks and horror movie vocal samples so it’s more suited to Halloween than Valentine’s Day really. Funnily enough, it was recorded last November 5. Awkwardness is a three-person team of Luca Sigurtà, Mørkeblå (who appeared in BC#4) and Rainbow Lorikeet, the three guys who are also behind the label. Riveting stuff.
Loud Mouth Compilation #6
On a less ominous note, this is the latest entry in the Loud Mouth series. A Dublin-based collective that sporadically drops free compilations, Loud Mouth is made up of a multi-faceted crew - DJs, producers, filmmakers, photographers etc. Check this Mines Clarence interview with Ron Morelli for example. LM#6 features hip-hop, electronica, trip-hop and "the bits and pieces you have come to love", as they put it. I quite like the sinister hum of Quivion's 'Fervency, and the onomatopoeic 'Helicop' by Haüer.
Faws released two EPs in 2012, applying moody crackle and Tom Waits monologues to wistful and ambient soundscapes with a hip-hop feel. After a lengthy hiatus, he’s come back with three more tracks in a similar vein. ‘Your Body’ is heavy with crunch, probably the darkest song he’s done to date, while ‘Kora Kora’ has a breezy, Latin feel. ‘Ghetto Lover’ was featured on XLR8R last week to boot.
Calzone Kelly - Instrumentals for Sale
Three hip-hop beats here, dusty, smoky grooves, all thick basslines and soul samples. Each is available as a once-off sale for just €25. An interesting concept, I’m not sure how successful it’ll be, but the beats are worth a listen all the same.
Kate Carr and Gail Priest - Blue Green
To celebrate the label’s third birthday in March, Flaming Pines have been giving away a release for free every couple of days this week. This was Tuesday’s. A split release, it featured Kate Carr’s languid, outdoorsy thoughtfulness and Gail Priest’s more experimental efforts.
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Matt Burns - Big Tunes Innit Bruv
Ronseal, innit bruv. Smooth and deep rather than loud and brash, this is a sumptuous house mix. There’s a vocal at the back end that’s a bit “mid-00s big room house remix of indie choon” but it’s the only blip for me.
Mumdance - Guest Mix For Youngsta - Rinse FM 10th Feb 2014
Another Mumdance Rinse mix, this one from his guest spot on Youngsta’s show. It’s a brutal assault, again covering that techno x grime axis with aplomb. “Doom” is, as they say, heavy.
The Black Madonna - Chicagoist Mix #14 Love Is A Hurtin Thing
The Black Madonna made this mix for The Chicagoist a few years ago and now she’s shared it for download for us all. Normally I’m sceptical of “VINYL ONLY” mixes, but as the interview suggests there is a reason behind her stance: “I believe in record stores and digging. I love buying records and the accidental miracles you get to when you're looking in a bin for nothing in particular.” Can’t argue with that. It’s a mix of deep house (the good kind) and disco that comes from the heart. “This mix is about how hard it is to care about people and how important it is to just do it anyway and dance through the parts of life that make you want to curl up in a ball.”
Nina Kraviz-Dance Mania only vinyl live mix
Speaking of vinyl-only mixes… Nina Kraviz rarely makes it on to my radar to be honest. I’m glad this did, though. There’s a lot of talk about Dance Mania right now, with the release of that Strut compilation, but it’s nice to see a straight-up tribute mix that doesn’t mention Daft Punk. This runs the gamut from rough and ready percussive jawns to acid squelch and organ-led sultry house. Get down. I believe Jackmaster is working on a DM mix too, so keep an eye out for that.
Major Lazer - Aerosol Can (feat. Pharrell Williams)
“where is the drop? -.-” says one comment towards the end. You know, I don’t hate this. Pharrell’s never been known for his lyrics, and it seems he can churn out any old twaddle these days and still keep his cool. These verses are particularly puerile, even harking back to this at times, but the beat is just sparse enough not to be too Major Lazer. The artwork is neat too.
Juno Plus Podcast 80: Steven Porter
Japanese duo Steven Porter provide this fortnight’s Juno Plus podcast. It’s a wide-reaching mix, drifting from noise and drone to scuzzy garage rock and brash, noisey techno. It’s a trip.
MS166 | DRUMLESSDISCORD by Maelstrom
Maelstrom makes crisp electro informed by the Detroit masters and sci-fi movies. Here he eschews beats to chilling effect. “I wanted to make it possible to see what's behind the more straightforward elements of the music I play, by playing only drumless music,” he says. There’s lots of good stuff here, two Circuit Rider tracks for example, and some gorgeous stuff I can’t identify. Any IDs are welcome. If drumless isn’t your thing, he’s done an influences mix for Motorik this week too.
Shapeworship - Live Set February 2014
Shapeworship, aka Ed Gillet, featured among FACT mag’s 10 house and techno producers to watch in 2014, and if you’re not familiar with his stuff this 45-minute set will show why. Mostly composed of his first two records, it’s at turns glistening, melodic, shuffling, menacing… It’s a true showcase of Ed’s talents at any rate, and one you’d do well to soak up.
GLACIAL SOUND SUB FM (9/2/2014)
Dublin-based Paul Purcell runs hotly tipped grime label Glacial Sound. He’s just started a fortnightly show on Sub FM, and this mix goes through no fewer than 62 tracks in two hours.
Solid Steel Radio Show 7/2/2014 Part 3 + 4 - Tom Lea
Speaking of hot grime labels, Local Action’s Tom Lea contributed a mix for Solid Steel last week. Proving that he doesn’t just do grime, Tom shifts from that starting point towards pop, rnb, techno and more. Fitting in a mere 30 tracks, his batting average isn’t quite at Glacial’s level. Better luck next time mate.
BIS Radio Show #716 with Xosar (Live) + Legowelt (DJ Set)
Xosar live, swoon. Other-worldly space-focused analogue experiments in sound, with titles like ‘Forbidden Gaze’, ‘World of Illusion’, ‘Dream Worship’, ‘Sands of Venom’. Legowelt DJs too but I was too impatient to listen and skipped to the interview. Xosar has a release coming out soon on Opal Tapes as well as an album on Rush Hour. Some of this may have featured in the mix, but, as she says: “A lot of the songs, I made, like, yesterday.” Wow.
BH 05.5 Tuff Sherm - Smugglers Bureau
Berceuse Heroique tap up Tuff Sherm, aka Dro Carey, for Smugglers Bureau. It’s possibly the least weird thing he’s ever done, but it’s no less excellent than anything else under either of his names. There’s also a punchy Delroy Edwards remix.
SO MANY MIXES THIS WEEK. This one comes from New York house don Eli Escobar. Classic drum machine hits and grooves, Loleatta Holloway vocals, house ad libs, it’s FUN. If The Black Madonna is Chicago, Eli is New York. (I can say that definitively because I’ve been to both cities.)
Okay okay, I caved. Here’s a themed mix from Irish stargazers Solar Bears for Dangerous Minds. Featuring Julianna Barwick, Angelo Badalamenti, my new favourite Linda Perhacs and my old favourite Vashti Bunyan, it’s heartfelt and sincere, without being either too knowing or overly saccharine. Thumbs up. Bonus points for the inclusion of a Dies Irae rendition that manages not to chill me to my bones.
Finally, this is neither Soundcloud nor Bandcamp, but apparently De La Soul are making their entire back catalogue free for 25 hours, from 5pm GMT today. http://www.wearedelasoul.com/ is the place to go.
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That's it for this week. Thanks for sticking around, and for joining.
All the best,