The Muffin Man

Summery

Here are two songs from Planet Mu, one of those labels who are just on-point, especially lately with their killer Juke releases, FaltyDL album, Boxcutter’s latest EP and much more. Both these tunes have summery vibes but in different ways, the first DJ Spinn - LOL, which samples the Isley Brothers’ song, Don’t Say Goodnight. This is one of the few Juke tracks which even though at 160bpm, maintains a certain calmness to it. 

The second, Melorr is a dreamy chillwave/nu disco-ish affair from Tropics. Enjoy.

Shawty What Your Name Is

Hotdamn, just heard this over at Discobelle’s blog. Upcoming single by Helsinki producer Teeth out on 502 Recordings. This is ticking all the right boxes for me right now.

Sensual female vocals: Check

Dreamy synths: Check

Hip Hop instrumentals with a 2-Step/Funky/Ghetto touch: Check

Beyoncé: Oh check.

Give it a listen, it gets sonically sweeter at 2:05 onwards.

props to Juuso for the orginal post 

I know, I know..

It’s been too long since my last post but there’s been a lot going on that’s been taking my time away from my blog but more on that later. Here are my favourite releases of January the beginning of 2011. Do listen, buy, dance.. (and click through the pics to listen to a track off the record)

Julio Bashmore - Everybody Needs a Theme Tune

Julio Bashmore had a fantastic 2010, finding his own niche of house music, with consistently solid releases on Ten Thousand Yen, Batak Groove and the mountainous remix of Mosca’s Square One for Night Slugs just to name a few. His latest fuses his tropical touch with 808’s, Detroit and disco influences to put together 4 tracks that are sure to be only the beginning of Julio’s takeover of 2011.

Jacques Greene - The Look

This one is cheating a bit because it came out digitally in late 2010 but the vinyl release is set as January so it does also fall under a January release (fooled myself). Certainly not a producer who needs any introduction but certainly one who if you do not know you have to immerse into your life. The Look EP has all the elements you’ve heard before UK garage, RnB vocals, Chicago House, Detroit Techno etc but it’s the perfect fusion of all these influences and a geek-like love for vintage gear comes together perfectly in Jacque’s Greene futuristic acid tinged garage tunes.

James Blake - Self Titled

More cheating, this is actually out in February but just got my hands on it and feels a bit unfair on other releases to put this one before them as I’m still listening to it but I like it not just because it’s James Blake doing what he does best but also not doing what he does best. For this album James steps outside the realm of samples and uses his own vocals, something many producers aren’t ready to do. It’s a less clubby album but the instrumental, indie-ish, folk, garage (I don’t know what to call it) songs are unobtrusive but at the same time deeply atmospheric; you can’t help but be drawn in. Now just to wait for the James Blake live shows..

Edit

So I went ahead and just made it the best of early ‘11. Now I’m not cheating. Also there is no definite reason as to why all the artists start with J. It’s just how it is.

Darkness

It’s impossible to think that this time 5 months ago it was summer. The memories of cold beers, parks and limitless don’t seem to fit with the image of Helsinki now. Several feet of snow, cold winds and everyone in a state of pissed off depression. I’ve been managing (just barely) by drinking plenty of tea and minimising my walking distances between places.

Right now I’ve also had plenty of dark music pumping through my headphones, from Joy Division to The Cure and a bit of garage (mostly Night Slugs material but some others too). Jacques Greene’s work is probably the perfect winter music for me right now and as soon as I get my laptop back I can’t wait to open up Logic and play around with vintage sounds; 808’s, 909’s, 303’s, 707’s, MS-20, Minimoog.. Anyhow here are two great Jacques Greene tunes to feast your ears on.

Night Slugs

One of my favourite record labels at the moment, London based Night Slugs releases bass music that isn’t the same tired wobble-wobble we’ve been hearing for the past year (and although I hate the “Bass” category it’s hard to label an eclectic mix of Dubstep, UK Funky, Garage, Tribal etc so for now it shall just be “Bass”). Fresh and interesting artists with a myriad of remixers create quality EPs that are a pleasure to play; so if you haven’t done so already, do listen to these songs (click thru the pics to listen).

Favourite records and labels of 2009

Although we’re a third of the way into 2010 and it’s usually the norm to do “best of” lists right at the new year, it never occured to me and I’m a bit lazy so here in no particular order are my favourite record labels that brought a fresh perspective into electronic music for me in 2009.

Although not ordered I’d like to start with Dubsided, the British label that has been a pioneer in bringing new sounds to the saturated genre that is House music. I remember in 2009 when Renaissance Man dropped their Spraycan EP on Dubsided and everything changed, here was a hard, house anthem with few thrills, two killer drops and one of the most frenzied final verses to a song that pitched up to 129bpm absolutely tore up the dancefloor. With a subtle yet fresh remix of the title track from fellow Finns Sharkslayer, Spraycan EP was and is one of my favourite records to play.

Gucci Vump + San Pellegrino. Wow. Although his identity remains a secret Gucci Vump’s Sha!Shtil! is one of my favourite Tech-House records to have been produced, sampling a Yiddish folk song the funky, tribal bass-lines and rhythms make this record a killer. The Downtown (one half of Renaissance Man) remix of The Boogieman brings a dubby, tech sound full of ethnic vibes that resonate in any club.

Who said funky-house is dead? With A-Trak and Armand Van Helden collaborating to form the duo Duck Sauce (a sweet and sour plum sauce actually containing no duck) the revival of throwback disco/house hits is back. Everyone has heard aNYway and my God is it a masterpiece, sampling funk classic I Can Do It by Final Edition it makes you feel you are in a space-time continuom of an 80s-00s fusion. Check it out on Fool’s Gold.

Noob and Brodinski, the French masters need no introduction. Released on Turbo Recordings (home to Tiga, Boys Noize and others) I always have Peanuts Club burnt and ready to drop. Catchy and crazy it’s an absolute hit, Cajou Club is a thumping tech-house tune that hasn’t gained as much attention. With my favourite duo, Renaissance Man doing two remixes, the Ph 0 and 7 remixes of Peanuts Club they bring an acid, trippy and weird track and a housier take on Peanuts Club that mutes the hook yet brings out the rhythm. Momma’s Boy (you may know him as Mikix the Cat) brings an afrojack remix that completes this stellar record.

Honourable mention: An early 2010 realease, I’m hoping to see more from Moullinex, Rockets and Xinobi who released Forbbiden Cuts Vol. 1, an unadulterated disco-house record I can’t wait to play. Be sure to also check out other Discotexas releases.