Midland – Trace

Label: Aus

Up until now, the majority of Midland’s tracks have been patient, classy numbers that play on big room house tropes with the subtlety of some of the bass music set’s best. Despite killer collaborations with Ramadanman and Pariah, the UK producer never went for the banger on his solo material, preferring more restrained and delicate takes with his timeless house sound. This has been no bad thing, the producer’s Placement EP in particular was a deep and mature set of unique house tunes, so it comes as a bit of a surprise that Trace, his latest 12” for Aus, is the biggest, brashest track he’s put out to date.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. Title track Trace kills in the club, and it’s certainly be doing the rounds of the UK’s dancefloors over the past few months. The minimal combination of an intriguing pitched-down vocal, punchy bass stabs and a big-room breakdown works a treat, but it necessarily sacrifices a little of the subtlety the producer has become known for. The refined sensibilities are somewhat recaptured on B-side For (Yacht) Club Use Only, a pummelling percussive workout with insistent hi-hats keeping time to a hollow melodic pulse and searing synthwork that rears its head in the track’s latter half. It’s a polished affair, and Trace in particular is sure to attract a lot of club play, but the skeletal sound and big sounds threaten to efface the moody, detailed sound engineering that gave Midland such a unique voice in the first place.

7/10

Best Tracks of 2012: 50 – 26

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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Here goes part 3 of our 4-part collection of the year's very best tracks. Enjoy! 

50 – Loops Of Your Heart – Cries

Stunning slow-burn synthwork from Axel Willner, the brain behind The Field. Ambient at its patient and emotive best.

49 – Illum Sphere – h808er

Unhinged acid trip from one of the big names to watch for 2013. Starts out as fresh analogue 303 jam before dissipating into a lush acoustic instrumental.

48 – Benjamin Damage & Doc Daneeka – No One feat. Abigail Wyles

The opener to the UK duo’s album They!Live was one of the most addictive, atmospheric cuts we heard all year. Superb moody synthwork and a nagging vocal lead into a tough House workout that we had on heavy rotation. Album Review.

47 – Breach – You Won’t Find Love Again

Ben Westbeech was back with a vengeance this year, releasing a great collab single with Midland and this, one of the most propulsive slices of House to grace club speakers over the summer. One of those cuts that’s sure to get any party moving.

46 – Special Request – Lolita (Warehouse Mix)

Rough and ready Techno workout that takes its time to get going, and that venomous synth burn before the drop is all the better for the wait.

45 – Storm Queen – Look Right Through (MK’s Don’t Talk To Me Dub)

Let’s Make Mistakes was great, but our favourite Storm Queen (aka Metro Area legend Morgan Geist) tune of the year was this MK remix, which revamped the classic to monstrous proportions. An example of MK at his very best: stylish vocal work and (two different) enormous bouncing basslines.

44 – Romare – Down The Line (It Takes A Number)

The man who capped off our Best EPs list did no better than the slow-mo Hip Hop crunch of this tune. A dangerous bassline underpins sharp finger clicks, classy vocal sampling and a phenomenal jazz-inflected drop. Cross-genre, cross-cultural, damn good music.

43 – Recondite – Tie In

Patient and meditative acid groove from a true original.

42 – Duke Dumont – The Giver

This is one of those tracks that makes you sit up and take notice from the first note. A guaranteed dancefloor weapon, and one of the catchiest dance tracks we heard all year. Just massive.

41 – Kahn & Neek – Backchat

Typical Dub-inspired weirdness from Kahn’s corner. A dangerous grime riddim featuring robo-Reggae vocals and sharp beats.

40 – Geeeman – Bang’t

Second entry on the list for Gerd, because he can do no wrong when it comes to House. Super-simple tune that pairs a nagging pitchbent bassline and punchy beats with an understated vocal. Dancefloor dynamite (and mixes with everything).

39 – Midland & Pariah – Untitled 2

Dirty analogue Techno roller that stole the show at loads of London clubs this summer.

38 – Capracara – Ronin

Everyone who’s trying to emulate the 90s House sound, give up now. Capracara perfected the sound with the flawless Ronin, where outrageously huge beats duel with slick synthwork and a pitch-perfect vocal line.

37 – Dusky – Flo Jam

It was hard to pick just one Dusky track to go on the list, but Flo Jam’s distinctive 3-note bassline had to take the prize. Goes to show that House can still blow everything else out of the water when it’s done right.

36 – Krystal Klear – From The Start

Utterly intoxicating bassy House number from the king of disco. After an unbelievable build-up, this one drops into a ferocious slice of choppy piano House.

35 – Lianne La Havas – Forget (Shlohmo Remix)

The second La Havas remix in our roundup is Shlohmo’s stellar vocal work on his remix of Forget. Deep atmospherics make this one totally unforgettable. Massive vibes. Free Download.

34 – Omar S feat. L’Renee – SEX (CGP Remix)

Omar S is pretty big, but I’ve never heard any of his tunes played out as much in the clubs as this one. Downright dirty vocals and chilled House vibes make this one suit almost any occasion.

33 – Jacques Greene – Prism

One of the scene’s most consistent producers, Canadian Greene went darker on his Ready EP. Its biggest tune featured a bouncing 4/4 and lush synthwork. EP Review.

32 – Voyeur – Blame It On The Youth (Kerri Chandler Remix)

Apparently House legend Chandler loved this one so much that he insisted on both releasing and remixing it. You can see why,  Chandler’s moody rework takes its time with a warm atmosphere and fresh guitar and piano samples.

31 – HNNY – For The Very First Time

Easily one of our most played EPs of the year, HNNY’s stellar debut solo outing on Local Talk was a great night out in a single song. Irresistible synthwork and vocals with big, tasty beats.

30 – Trevor Deep Jr – Keep On!

Another one of our most played tunes this year, Trevor Deep Jr’s impossibly deep Keep On! Crazy atmospheric House workout with classic-style vocals and impeccable production.

29 – John Talabot – So Will Be Now… feat. Pional

The highlight of Talabot’s great Fin album was this bouncy closing tune. The looped vocal is the icing on the cake of a bouncing bassline and moody finger clicks.

28 – ItaloJohnson – B1 Untitled

Dusty House jam from the anonymous European group. Simple and effective, this one proved unstoppable on the summer festival circuit.

27 – Trimbal – Confidence Boost (Harmonimix)

James Blake and Trim’s brilliantly weird collaboration finally saw release this year, and it was just as good as we remembered it. Trim’s raw vocals and Blake’s idiosyncratic production are a match made in heaven. Those deep chords and chipmunked vocals make this one of the year’s essential tunes.

26 – Leon Vynehall – Gold Language

Vynehall’s sophisticated lofi House jam was an unexpected winner for us at White Noise, with gliding piano chords and footwork-style percussion making for an intriguing package. EP Review.

Tune in tomorrow for the final list!

Guest Mix: Dark and Dirty

Moth comes round with another guest mix for White Noise. Tracklist on this one is killer, featuring a lot of our favourite bass, techno and house bangers.

Tracklist

Akkord – The Drums

Tom Demac – Critical Distance Pt. 2

Midland & Pariah – Untitled 2

A Made Up Sound – Take The Plunge (Beat Mix)

Trikk – Jointly

Blawan – Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage?

Benjamin Damage – Swarm

Head High – Rave (Dirt Mix)

Boddika & Joy O – Dun Dun

Breach – Fatherless VIP

Darling Farah – Bruised

Pangaea – Hex

Sully – The Loot

Bok Bok – Silo Pass

Ghost – The Club

Genius – Waiting

Visionist – Come In

Dusk + Blackdown + – High Road 

Playlist #3 – Techno Mix

Well I've got a busy few days coming up so I thought I'd leave you with some nice slow-burn tracks. These aren't all straight-up techno but all have the basic build and payoff structure with great layering we've all come to know and love in techno tracks. I sequenced it so the heavier and more dancey tracks are at the beginning and the lighter, happier and more chilled ones are at the end. So hop in wherever you want, it's all basically techno by way of house, electro, ambient and shoegaze. Enjoy!

Frivolous – Back Into The Deep

Burial & Four Tet – Moth

EQD – 003 A

Actress – Maze

Chaim – Love Rehab

Ulrich Schnauss – On My Own

Pariah – Orpheus

The Field – Everyone's Gotta Learn Sometimes

Lawrence – Forever Anna

Pantha Du Prince – Saturn Strobe

Phaseone – Being With You

Walls – Burnt Sienna

Superpitcher – Joanna