April Roundup

This month we felt the first breath of summer so there are a lot breezy moodsetters and funked-out jams from the likes of Omega Supreme and Mood Hut, including the long-awaited returns of Andrés, Sound Stream and the Pender Street Steppers. Adesse Versions on Numbers takes us to peak-time territory, and we finish on the rough style of Ekman, 1080p's Surfing and Shed (as PCK), via some ultra-melodic house from Makam and Christian Loffler. So there's really something to suit all comers, so get listening.

Tracklist:

Ishmael - Time & Time Again

Midnight Runners - Cold Intimacy

Andrés - Believin'

Haydn - Booty Meat

Sound Stream - Bass Affairs

Local Artist - Feelings

Pender Street Steppers - The Glass City

Palms Trax - Sumo Acid Crew

The Cyclist - Hot House

Adesse Versions - Pride

Gonno - Obscurant (Inna Loft Mix by Call Super)

Makam - A Night at Trouw

Christian Loffler - York

Marquis Hawkes - Raw Materials

Massiande - The Future (Is Now)

DJ QU - Loveboxx

Mix Mup - Skip Intro

Surfing - bbc

Ekman - GMMDI (Breaker 1 2 Remix)

PCK - Amen Garage

Tapes Meets The Drums Of Wareika Hill Sounds - Datura Mystic

Summer Mixes

Now that we're finally getting some real sun, there's no time like the present to share a couple of fresh  mixes featuring a load of the tracks that have been on repeat at White Noise HQ.

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First up is the Sun & Soul mix: 80 minutes of joyous disco and house cuts, shot through with soulful samples. One for the sunshine.

Tracklist:

Romare - Hey Now (When I Give You All My Lovin')
Tito Wun - The Way U Do it

Genius of Time - Love Thang

Laszlo Dancehall - Gave Up

Damiano von Erckert - The Dude Loop

Wbeeza - Billy Green Is Ded

Anthony Naples - Faceless

Chesus - Special

Johnick - C'mon Give It Up

Kyodai - Breaking

Lucretio - Want

Andrés - New For U

Floorplan - We Magnify His Name

Damiano von Erckert - Housem

Jacques Renault - Searching For Some Real Love

John Swing - Always At Night

Floorplan - Untitled

Murat Tepeli - Forever (Prosumer's Hold Me Touch Me Remix)

Murat Tepeli - Workinstrugglin

MCDE - Raw Cuts 6

Nina Simone - See Line Woman (Kerri Chandler & Jerome Sydenham Remix)

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Next we have the Short n Sweet mix, a quick party mix that's only 30 minutes but jam-packed with new and forthcoming tracks.

Tracklist:

Omar S - Skynet 2 B
Head High - Burning (Keep Calm Mix)

Wildchild - Renegade Master (Applebottom Power Remix)
Huxley - Lost Love
Danny J Lewis - Spend The Night (H Man Mix)
DJ Haus - Cold As Ice
Innershades - That Girl
Tweet feat. Missy Elliot - Oops (Palace Raw Version)
Kerri Chandler - Rain
Morgan Geist - 24K

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Remember you can click on the 'Mixes' button at the top of screen to access all of our mixes at any time.

Best Tracks of 2012: 25-1

Year End Coverage

* Best Albums of 2012

* Best EPs of 2012

* Best Labels of 2012

* Best Breakthrough Artists of 2012

* Best Tracks of 2012 - 101-76
* Best Tracks of 2012 - 75-51
* Best Tracks of 2012 - 50-26
* Best Tracks of 2012 - 25-1

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After two weeks of rounding up the year, here are White Noise’s very favourite tracks of 2012. It was murder to try and arrange these great tracks into some semblance of an order, but whether you agree or disagree with the countdown, you’re sure to find a lot of music to love here, so check it out!

25 – T. Williams – Think Of You

Fusing dance music and pop sensibilities rarely comes up with an end result that pleases either fanbase. But on that rare occasion, such as this anthemic closer to Williams’ great Pain & Love EP, everything falls into place perfectly. It’s impossible to tire of Tendai’s sensuous vocals and the snappy 2step beat pattern. Calling this one ‘catchy’ would be both an understatement and the highest possible compliment. EP Review.

24 – Objekt – Cactus

Objekt said that “Cactus was never really meant to be taken seriously; it's just an irreverent bit of fun taking the piss out of wobble dubstep.” However seriously he intended it to be, the havoc this impressively detailed tune wreaked on dancefloors at the beginning of the year was the stuff of legend, and the track still sounds as great today as it did on first release. EP Review.

23 – Elgato – Luv Zombie

With only two releases to his name, both on tastemaking label Hessle Audio, Elgato’s leftfield bass excursions, defying genre tropes, have always been something to look forward to. With an earworm vocal loop and nervy atmospherics, Luv Zombie drops in its latter half into an intensely vibey number that moves the mind as much as the body.

22 – Lorca – Love Like This

The Church boys who’ve been running a great night at Corsica Studios in London entered the label game with this white label refix of Faith Evans refix from up-and-comer Lorca. Mashing those instantly recognisable vocals with Nuyorican Soul’s soaring strings, this killer House cut got more play than almost any other track at White Noise HQ this year.

21 – Jam City - …Now We Relate

The Night Slugs genius made the top of our Best Albums list, but it was on Classical Club Mixes, the dance edition of some of his album’s more propulsive cut that we found his best tune. A tune of truly epic proportions, the perfect drop just before the 5-minute mark is something that has to be heard to be believed.

20 – Joy Orbison, Pearson Sound & Boddika – Faint

This unexpected post-everything tune from an unholy trio of producers was as strange as it was brilliant. A genius vocal sample and dangerously spare percussion made this one blow up dancefloors all the way up to the mind-bending static that closes out the track.

19 – Hackman – Forgotten Notes

UK producer Ben Hackman had a fairly quiet one in 2012, but it didn’t stop him releasing this slow-mo Bass masterpiece. Great sampling and lush chords established a powerful groove as emotive as any other dance release this year.

18 – DJ Q – Brandy & Coke

DJ Q is one hell of a versatile producer, and it was hard to pick from his bassline excursions and junglist cuts. But this Brandy-sampling Garage track was unbearably fresh, as deftly produced as it was catchy. (Audio is the VIP edit, which is basically the same. Free download)

17 – GoldFFinch – Funky Steppa

One of White Noise’s favourite 2012 dicoveries was this Belgian duo, who knack for weaving unusual sounds into their deftly-produced Bass numbers resulted in this total smasher, where sirens and vocal loops played second fiddle to a superb pitch-shifting woodblock rhythm. EP Review.

16 – Julio Bashmore – Au Seve

For the second year in a row, Bristolian Bashmore’s love of bouncing basslines and catchy vocals created one of the year’s most ubiquitous dance hits. This track’s no-nonsense approach just goes to show how effective the genre can be in its simplest form.

15 – Huxley – Let It Go

Huxley’s love of big House sounds was a perfect fit in 2012, and this monster single’s unstoppable bassline and infectious vocal had us grooving right up into the new year. EP Review.

14 – Omar S Presents Aaron ‘Fit’ Siegel – Tonite (Detroit Mix) feat. L’Renee

Omar S and his FXHE label were unstoppable this year. Nowhere was this more apparent than on this powerful classic House number. Addictive piano and sax samples kept this one riding a wave of happy dancers throughout the year.

13 – Pearson Sound – Untitled

It’s been a quiet year for David Kennedy, one of the UK’s freshest producers. But that didn’t stop him from putting out this nervy slice of excellence. Twitching percussion and a showstopping descending melody made this tune stand out from the competition.

12 – Tom Demac – Critical Distance Pt. 2

Demac showed wobble done very right on this monstrous House roller. Primal cries and a loping 4/4 establishes a strong groove under that overpowering, floor-destroying bassline.

11 – Moodymann – Why Do U Feel

One of the House scene’s true legends delivered the goods on this fragmented dance track. Both modern and timeless, the souful vulnerability of this raw cut shone out over rough beats and slick vocal cuts. EP Review.

10 – Andrew Ashong – Flowers

Proof that Theo Parrish is as good at recognising talent as embodying it, his release (and production) of Andrew Ashong’s Flowers created one of the year’s most addictive slow-house jams. Chilled vibes and great acoustic instrumentation made this one of the year’s defining sunrise jams.

9 – Head High – Rave (Dirt Mix)

No one disputes Shed’s legendary status within the Berlin Techno scene. But it still somehow came as a surprise when he put out two of the year’s very best tunes on a single 12”, with the gritty B-side’s crunchy percussion just taking the edge.

8 – Nitetime – Teddy’s Jam

This dusty House number stood out for us by trading as much in melancholy as in feelgood vibes. The moody synthwork and basslines felt like House that had lost its sheen, wearied by the weight of the genre’s past. Add the phenomenal late entry of those descending piano chords, and you’ve got one of the year’s very best tunes. EP Review.

7 – Bicep & Ejeca – You

Though the Bicep duo have earned acclaim for their 90s throwback stylings, this single with Ejeca on Aus had us a lot more excited here at White Noise. Phenomenal vocal sampling and cinematic synthwork drove this propulsive bass number to instant-classic status. EP Review.

6 – Blawan – Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage

This nasty Techno roller created one of the UK club circuit’s strangest sing-alongs to date. The inspired vocal (copped from The Fugees) was only the icing on the top of a raw beat pattern and billowing horror-movie effects.

5 – Todd Terje – Inspector Norse

Last year saw Nowegian disco connoisseur Terje returning to the scene with a vengeance with his Ragysh EP. In 2012 he blew that 4-tracker out of the water with Inspector Norse, an unstoppably feel-good synth bounce that built up to one hell of a climax.

4 – Anthony Naples – Mad Disrespect

The highest position for a newcomer on our list, this shuffling House number suited every occasion. Mellow enough for chilling out but punchy enough to kill on the dancefloor, this cut felt utterly timeless.

3 – Joy Orbison – Ellipsis

Another year, another phenomenal club anthem from Joy Orbison. This tune seemed almost like a mission statement for the young producer, never doing less than his ‘own thing’, Joy O rejects trendy genre stylings and goes right for the jugular. A dusty house roller with a winning vocal sample is more than good enough, but that piano loop made this one of the unfathomably brilliant producer’s very best.

2 – Burial – Ashtray Wasp

William Bevan bookended the year with a magnificent pair of releases that signalled a true return to the scene. The evolution of his sound towards unconventional sonic structures could have been an unwise move, but we've learned to always put our trust in Burial. With the closer to the superb Kindred EP, Bevan created one of his best songs to date. With a new eye for cinema and drama, Ashtray Wasp led the listener by the hand through a fractured sonic landscape whose desolation was only equalled by its beauty. EP Review.

1 – Andrés – New For U

Forgive us for not being original with our number one choice. With a heart-melting string sample, former Slum Village DJ Andrés ruled 2012 with this stunning single. Effortlessly fusing Disco, Soul and House into a tune as life-affirming as it was bittersweet, New For U was an inescapable summer success story from a man who formerly toiled as one of House music’s great unsung heroes. 

October Roundup 2012

Here are White Noise's top tunes of October, mostly in a handy Youtube playlist. Unfortunately a few of our top picks weren't available on the 'tube, so I've put up some alternative links at the bottom. This playlist gets darker as it goes on, so don't sleep on the devastating second half.

Enjoy!

Tracklist:

Daphni - Yes I Know

Maxxi Soundsystem feat. Name One - Regrets We Have No Use For

Andrés - Hart Plaza

Last Magpie - Hypno

U - Eah

Pangaea - Game

Elsewhere - Trippin'
Eats Everything - Trubble

Juju & Jordash - Track David Would Play

Vessel - Court of Lions

Jam City - ...Now We Relate
Dawn Day Night - Big Booty Girls
Swindle - Mischief

Here are some clips of our other favourite releases from this month:

Jack Dixon - E

 

Presk - Nobody Makes Me Do


Breach & Midland - 101 (/Somewhere)

 

Jets (Jimmy Edgar and Travis Stewart) - Lock Lock Key

Artifact - Turtle Flight (clip here)

April Roundup

I haven’t been hugely on it this month with holidays getting in the way, but we've been spoiled for singles this April, alongside a few fantastic LPs (check out LHF and Actress’ new albums). But that’s not to say I haven't heard loads of great tunes this month, so here’s my pick of the litter.

Kicking off with more upbeat numbers as per usual, we start with Andrés’ instant classic New For U and a few choice Bass and House cuts from stalwarts XXXY and Huxley. Following is some fine Funky from The Town and a couple of choice remixes; Lone’s reworking of Midland’s Placement and Kevin McPhee’s chugging Techno reworking of Sepalcure. Moving off the dancefloor to darker territories is Amen Ra’s spiritual and stunning Akashic Visions. Actress provides atmosphere in spades before Beaumont’s 80s-worshipping synth odyssey Never Love Me. Next is Lungs, an intriguing project by London-based vocalist Py, produced by White Noise favourite George Fitzgerald. Some slow-burn 303 Techno is delivered courtesy of Recondite, then things get moody with Synkro’s drum workout and Vessel’s smacked-out death disco in Standard. oOoOO closes shop with twisted ghostly style with the final cut from his brand new Our Loving Is Killing Us EP. Enjoy!

Tracklist:

Andrés – New For U

Huxley – Box Clever

XXXY – Everything

The Town – The Movement

Midland – Placement (Lone Remix)

Sepalcure – The One (Kevin McPhee Remix)

Amen Ra – Akashic Visions

Actress – IWAAD

Beaumont – Never Love Me

Py – Lungs

Recondite – Tie In

Synkro – Knowledge

Vessel - Standard

oOoOO – NoWayBack

Previous Months:

March 2012

Feburary 2012

January 2012