June / July Roundup 2013

2013 is shaping up to be the best year for dance music since White Noise began, and this summer has been incredibly exciting, particularly on the album front. To pay credit to the best of the best, here's a selection of our favourite tunes from the last couple of months, all organised in an easy Youtube playlist. The list comprises instant classics and lesser-known works, venturing from big-room bangers to techno rollers, finishing off with a satisfying selection of synthy noodlings. Enjoy!

Tracklist:

Sophie - Bipp [Single Review]

Paul Woolford - Untitled

Ikonika - Beach Mode (Keep It Simple) [Album Review]

Simian Mobile Disco & Bicep - Sacrifice

Todd Terje - Strandbar (Disko Version) [EP Review]

Floorplan - Never Grow Old [Album Review]

Midland - Archive01

Alden Tyrell & Gerd - Luv Thang

Walton - Need To Feel [Album Review]

Special Request - Broken Dreams [EP Review]

Zomby - Memories [Album Review]

Machinedrum - Eyesdontlie

DJ Rashad - I Don't Give A Fuck

Lords of Midnite - Drown In Ur Love

June - Face This (Deep House Mix)

Tuff Sherm - Burglar Loops

The Mole - Lockdown Party (DJ Sprinkles Crossfaderama) [EP Review]

Gerry Read - Crave [EP Review]

Claws For? - Profumo

Octo Octa - Come Closer [Album Review]

Jon Hopkins - Breathe This Air [Album Review]

Boards of Canada - New Seeds [Album Review]

Holden - Renata

Forest Swords - The Weight Of Gold

Fuewa - Blhok [EP Review]

And the one that's not on Youtube:

Guy Andrews - Tapes [EP Review]

Octo Octa - Between Two Selves

Label: 100% Silk

Since early days, Brooklyn’s Michael Morrison has marked himself as one of 100% Silk’s heavy hitters. In 2011 his Let Me See You EP came as a sort of mission statement for Amanda Brown’s imprint, pushing away from the murky psychedelia of parent-label Not Not Fun towards the brighter dance experimentations that define the label today. Morrison’s debut album as Octo Octa presents a slick refinement of his sound, and while it may not be a masterpiece, Between Two Selves offers some of the producer’s finest tracks to date.

Please Don't Leave

From the off the Octo Octa sound was clearly defined; polished reinterpretations of classic house styles, rich in iridescent synthwork and sensuous acappellas which notably made themselves known on early classic I’m Trying. Here Morrison takes advantage of the LP format to fully probe and explore his sounds, taking a more restrained approach by mining deeper textures to impressive effect. This new production expertise is particularly apparent on the LP’s superb opening run, starting with meditative opener Who Will I Become. This lush piece of sound design gets everything right: the patient kick drum playing anchor to a deeply atmospheric field of echoing claps, clipped vocals and bright synth flourishes which amplify its introspective mood.

Such deeper moments are among the album’s strongest, where Morrison blurs dancefloor tropes into colourful, impressionistic pieces of mood music. Bad Blood’s low-key RnB sampling gives way to a meaty kick-snare combo and shards of bright synths in the high end, while equally impressive follow-up Please Don’t Leave tugs at the heart strings, an emotionless vocal line lent a stirring power by a deep modulating synth wash, longing melodies and hammering percussion drowned deep in the mix. Later Uneasy treads a similar track of haze, clipped synth notes and tough drum patterns constantly shifting and mutating to give the impression of a real journey.

Come Closer

While the eight tracks that make up the album are remarkably coherent, it is somewhat surprising that some of Between Two Selves’ dancier moments are also its more forgettable songs. Work Me’s upbeat melodics and crowded composition feel a little messy compared to the album’s more polished moments, while the polite breakbeat of His Kiss never quite convinces. Yet not all of the LP’s harder moments fall short; in particular the forlorn arrangement of Come Closer has a menacing edge to its regular bass bounce and shimmering synthwork which makes for one of the album’s standout moments.

Octo Octa closes the album with Fear, a significantly darker outing than all that comes before. Combining the reverb-laden synths of dub techno, skittering percussion and a cavernous warehouse atmosphere, it serves to highlight the shadowy dancefloor potential of Morrison’s productions. Fear also has the knock-on effect of reminding the listener of the relative sonic homogeneity of all which came before, as he suddenly appears able to branch out successfully into a radically different sound. Ultimately, though, it’s best seen as an unusual and powerful conclusion to a cohesive and irresistibly moody LP, numbering among the best so far not only for Morrison, but for the wider 100% Silk stable itself.

7.5/10

12 Best EPs of 2011

Best of 2011

EPs

Singles

Albums

We’ve had a mammoth year for Electronic and Dance music, and the EP format has not only seen a huge amount of great releases but also some redefining ones; from dance classics which are essentially triple A-sides (Mosca, Scuba, Jacques Greene) to releases which are LPs in all but name, like Floating Points’ staggering late-entry Shadows. Here are my 12 favourite EPs of the year, with links to my original review where available. The list is in no particular order, because when it comes down to the very best of the year, they’re all fantastic. Here’s to a great 2012.

DjRUM – Mountains

Mountains Pt 1

On this spectacular EP DjRUM finally made good on all the promises made by his early work, producing four varied and exquisitely produced cuts situated somewhere between Dubstep, Garage and Ambient.

Floating Points –Shadows

Sais

With Shadows, Floating Points produced what is sure to be one of the most lasting EPs of the year, including distended experimental pieces fusing Techno, Jazz influences and references to today’s nebulous Bass scene. Above all, it was his finest release to date, and sounded utterly like nothing else.

Braille – A Meaning

Breakup

If Sepalcure’s full-length didn’t quite meet my expectations this year, Praveen Sharma’s debut EP as Braille certainly exceeded them. Showing a straight-up House muscle unseen on the duo’s deviations, here Braille amazed with a selection of dancefloor powerhouses that showed a skill evident on Sepalcure’s compositions but a sound entirely Sharma’s own.

Jacques Greene –Greene01

Motivation

This has been a great year for Greene and the Canadian Bass set, who brought a whole new meaning to RnB sampling. Not content to rest on his laurels after the killer Another Girl, here Greene focussed his attentions elsewhere, issuing on this White Label release not only the best RnB inflected track of the year in Motivation, but some fantastic forays outside the RnB bubble on this Triple-A side.

Octo Octa – Let Me See You

Let Me See You

The 100% Silk label has been flying high this year, and nowhere is this shown more clearly than in Octo Octa’s gorgeous debut EP. Every track on here is a winner, from the fantastic old-school sounds of the title track to end of the night stomper Coldwaves by way of the utter brilliance of EP standout I’m Trying.

Sepalcure – Fleur

No Think

I’ve already discussed my opinions on Sepalcure’s full-length, but at the beginning of the year their Fleur EP was a fierce mission statement. Defining the ill-defined Bass sound with lush and beautiful compositions, here the pair really flexed their muscles, veering from the rich beats of the title track to Ambient closer Inside by way of surprising Techno stunner No Think.

Bok Bok – Southside

Silo Pass

Night Slugs didn’t have quite as big a year in 2011 as they did in 2010, but their few releases like EPs from Bok Bok and Jam City continued their mind-bending sounds. On the Southside EP, label-head Bok Bok mixed Bass and Dubstep and Grime traits to create something gritty, brilliant, and utterly unique.

Downliners Sekt – Meet The Decline

Rising Saudade

The anonymous group completed their three-part series of free EPs this year with Meet The Decline, their most accomplished release to date. Across the four tracks Downliners Sekt deconstructed popular Dance and Electronic tropes with unerring precision and skill, creating a brilliant set of dusty, fascinating tracks which offer gorgeous worlds to explore.

Mosca – Wavey

Orange Jack

It’s been a great year for Mosca, with his flawless double-A side Done Me Wrong / Bax dominating the sets of all the best DJs this year. On the Wavey EP, he released a surprising but brilliant set of Techno tunes that will be sure to fill up dancefloors in the year to come.

Burial – Street Halo

Stolen Dog

After a much-felt absence, the king of dusty and emotive Dubstep returned for his first solo release in four years. Every track here is a stunning construction of his trademark DIY percussion and deeply atmospheric sounds, from the late-night dance cut Street Halo to the gorgeous and melancholy Stolen Dog.

Scuba – Adrenalin

Adrenaline

Hotflush head Paul Rose finally came out of his shell this year, turning from his normal cerebral dance cuts to Adrenaline, which essentially made Trance cool for the first time in over ten years. Add this to a killer couple of tunes on the B-side (including the fantastically groovy Never), and you’ve got one of the most impressive and enjoyable releases of the year.

Lunice – One Hunned

I See U

Lunice was another producer to emerge from the Canadian ether this year, releasing a sexy selection of Hip-Hop infused Bass cuts, none more sinister and alluring than summer anthem I See U.

Dance and Electronic Roundup September – The Present

And here’s part two of the roundup, encompassing the freshest dance and electronic tracks of the last month or so. And trust me, with these tunes the next month is going to be very, very good.

Download the whole playlist on mp3 here.

Mosca – Done Me Wrong

Without question one of the biggest tunes of the year, Mosca’s (just out) first solo single is something that has to be heard to be believed. After a top-notch intro featuring, of all things, a built-in rewind, this tune settles into an easy 4/4 garage throwback, anchored by a particularly sticky bassline. What really makes this track though is Mosca’s unbelievable skill chopping up vocals, ensuring this tune will not leave your ears for a long, long time. If you dig it, check out the similarly excellent B-side, Bax.
PS - Check out two free and chilld new Mosca tracks here.

Scuba – Adrenalin

Kicking off with a very fresh single from Hotflush head Scuba, this track is a perfect fusion of the styles most prevalent in UK dance music at the moment. A simple 4/4 beat and a wide range of percussion is twinned with a bassy repeated vocal, soon supplemented with an acid Roland synthline, recalling the euphoric Chicago sound at its finest. The track is then submerged and a fantastic vocal hook slowly surfaces, before breaking wave-like back into the main track euphorically. Showcasing the current trend of abandoning showy drops in favour of restrained layering and thoughtful but simple production, this is an easy contender for single of the year.

Blawan – What You Do With What You Have

After cracking dancefloors wide open with Done Me Wrong, Blawan shows not only his talent but also his versatility in his second superb release of the year. Classic acid house stylings are smashed up by enormous industrial beats, with more of Blawan’s unique and brilliant vocal chopping.

Pangaea – Hex

Moving to darker waters for a new cut from the head of the on-point Hemlock label, this new release kicks off with a racing garage beat and a paranoid knife-edge synthline. Aggressive and time-stretched reggae samples ramp up the tension to craft a fantastically dark tune that deserves a place in the collection of any DJ worth his salt.

Detroit Swindle – The Wrap Around

Detroit Swindle - Starvin' EP (Saints & Sonnets) by Detroit Swindle

(This track isn't on youtube, but the mp3 is still included on the playlist downloadable above, and here is a preview on soundcloud)

Not released until Christmas, this track has been doing the rounds recently (I found it on Huxley’s RA charts), but I’m justified in putting it up here already for the simple fact that it’s absolutely enormous. The Dutch duo craft a classic bass intro, a woozy synth wash with a light beat and a vocal line not permitted to complete its phrasing. However just after the one-minute mark, the track drops out into a huge, bouncy bassline that is guaranteed to get anyone moving. Then out come the vocals, and the central bassline is played with and bitcrushed exquisitely. This one really is dancefloor perfection.

Eats Everything – Entrance Song

This track almost passed me by but I’m glad I paid attention because this is a masterclass in production. In a similar fashion to the previous track, a fairly predictable intro gives way to dancefloor brilliance when the vocal line is pitch-shifted up over a bridge and gives way to a dark and brilliant bouncing beat just after the two-minute mark. The beat is fantastic but it’s really the vocal sampling that makes this track, stretching and contorting to stellar effect over and over across the course of this great tune.

Braille – Breakup

Another track that’s been a real favourite of mine over the last month, from one half of NY’s fantastic bass outfit Sepalcure. A surprising range of great vocal lines are combined over a powerful beat and a tense synth line, keeping the track fresh, pacey, and always brilliant.

Jacques Greene – I Like You

It’s official: Jacques Greene can do no wrong. After fronting the bass assault on dance music earlier this year with the indescribably perfect Another Girl, Greene’s new EP consists of three stellar tracks, and this is the best. Classic bassy beats vie for dominance with a vibrant dancing synth-line, all mixed with the ‘I like you’ vocal, pitched down so low you just can’t quite know what to make of it. Either way this track is another restrained and beautiful piece of dance perfection from the bass kingpin.

Octo Octa – Let Me See You

(This track isn't on youtube, but the mp3 is included on the playlist downloadable above. I’ve included another excellent Octo Octa track,I’m Trying, on the youtube playlist))

One of my most played songs this month, this track just gets everything so right. A great vocal line introduces an old school breakbeat, followed by ecstatic rave piano chords and characteristic whooping. When the cascading synths lace themselves over the arrangement, I really feel like I could let this track play forever. Not only this, but the track is edited with beautiful precision, keeping it continuously fresh and new. One not to miss by any means.

Rustie – Ultra Thizz

Rustie’s unacceptable day-glo exuberance crosses so many lines here, and you can either go with it or not. Sounding a bit like someone speedballing before playing Super Mario, the colours Rustie paints are almost blindingly bright, but if you can stomach that then this is a gorgeously constructed and utterly unique track.

Octo Octa – Let Me See You EP

Octo Octa - Let Me See You (Full EP Preview)

Not Not Fun’s relatively new dance label 100% Silk hasn’t been around that long, but has already garnered an impressive track record. Ital’s Culture Clubs single earlier this year is a firm White Noise 2011 favourite, and with this new release this label is really showing it has legs, offering a great cross-section of today’s dance scene as well as an interesting nod towards the future. The tracks here are beautifully produced, offering a wealth of detail and a real warmth combined to excellent effect with the powerful beats and superb sampling that are guaranteed to get anyone moving.

Although I’m full of praise for this release, there are two tracks here that stand head and shoulders above the rest. Opener and title track Let Me See You fuses an expertly looped vocal line with old school hip hop beats, feel good rave keys and a cascading digital synth line. The layers are superbly mixed but where the track really triumphs is in its construction, every breakdown and edit is perfectly placed to get people moving while keeping the sound continually fresh and interesting. The combination of cutting edge vocal sampling, drawing footwork comparisons, with older housey keys and a decidedly crunchy beat shows a deep understanding of fusing styles to craft something satisfying and endlessly exuberant. The other cut on here that really deserves credit heaped upon it is the third, I’m Trying. This track is far more in tune with today’s bass scene, discarding big drops in favour of fine-tuned micro edits and restrained layering. The sample of Amerie’s One Thing courts submerged synths and a more relaxed beat, but as the track proceeds and the sample becomes choppier the percussive field is widened, with syncopated clicks and beats duelling a simple three-note synth line that anchors the sound. When it all comes together over sampled breakbeats (primarily from Gaz’s Sing Sing) at the end, the palpable tension between the disparate elements adds to the glorious whole.

That’s not to say the other two tracks are unremarkable, but they’re up against strong competition for the listener’s ears. The second cut, High Reflection, is a little weaker than the others, with deep bassy beats and a resonant synthline underlying samples of what sound like exhalations. However it’s still quite a good track, the dreamy synth line that flits over the dark soundscape is a particularly nice touch, as is the sampled cry that recurs more frequently towards the end. Closer Coldwaves is darker still and the clear dark horse of the bunch, with a stripped 4/4 beat, skittering percussion and icy synths all reigned over by a fantastic stretch of pitch-shifting.  It’s a grower but after a few listens Coldwaves starts to sound like a 4am classic.

Three out of four of these tracks are fantastic, on or off the dancefloor, which is more than can be said for most dance EPs hitting the shelves at the moment. If you’re listening at home there’s a world of detail and influence to unravel, and if you’re looking to mix there are a couple of tracks on here which should make you very, very excited. What more can you really ask for? After buying it the only thing left to do is wonder what brilliance 100% Silk can possibly have up their sleeve next.

8/10