2010 is getting crazy now. Midrange in dubstep drove it out of from its dark origins and we’re seeing Garage make a come back. Early oo’s instrumental hip-hop which was largely bass-driven and menacing is heavily influenced by electro and dubstep. The IDM of our time should be a label for the likes of Mount Kimbie and Mike Slott. shit is intelligent. I can’t categorise bass driven music anymore without there being ambiguity.

Listen to Mike Slott – Sun Tan:

Mike Slott – Sun Tan

Buy Mike slott’s  music or visit his Myspace

He describes himself as a “veritable fountain of electronica, IDM, jungle, and drum and bass”. I’d definitely add some 2step, garage and dubstep to the equation. FaltyDL has just released a genre-defying album ‘Love Is A Liability‘ that takes 2step to a new level. Sometimes quite dark, the Jungle and IDM influences are very clear.

The stand-out tracks for me are Human Meadow, Paradise Lost and The Shape To Come (which is like something you would’ve heard from Planet Mu or Merck 10 years ago). I think it would be sick to hear a big wobbly dubstep remix of this last track.

FaltyDl – Human Meadow
FaltyDl – Human Meadow

FaltyDl – Paradise Lost
FaltyDl – Paradise Lost
FaltyDl – The Shape To Come
FaltyDl – The Shape To Come

Back in March I blogged two of Phaseone’s remixes one being of Burial’s Archangel.  Today we have his new full length album, which is a collection of great laid back beats. The album starts off with some crazy bleak, futuristic synth intro. But I’m already bumping at the bassline before the beat starts. Tim Gun is something Oh No or J-Dilla fans will enjoy, and sounds like big-beat hip-hop from the year 2051.  The album’s highlight in my opinion in the next track, Love Test (Only). Hot Mess / Metal Dub is a clash of IDM with instrumental hip-hop, and the final track Alladat is Phaseone demonstrating he can create excellent chopped-up hip-hop beats back in the present-day too. It’s good to see a variety of styles on a record, it keeps it interesting.

Phaseone – Thanks but No Thanks (download)

The Five One are a group like no other. Their sound is blessed with freedom, inventiveness, and true imagination. The quartet is rooted in Hip Hop but is never bound by conventional ideologies of hip hop or any other genre for that matter. They are like a cross between a pleasing Indie Pop/Rock band and the most innovative Hip Hop group you’ve ever heard.
Here are a few of tracks from their album The Five One – “5109: The Remix Album”. It’s worth checking out!

The Five One – Need You More (feat. Daft Punk)

The Five One Remix Lucifer – Jay Z

The Five One – Time Is Cheap (feat. Clipse & Nike Nando)

N.A.S.A (North America, South America) are made up of Sam Spiegel aka Squeak E Clean from Maryland and Brazilian DJ Zegon.  They are due to release one of the most highly anticipated albums this year.

The album entitled, “Spirit of the Apollo” drops February 17th on Anit.  It is jam packed full of collaborations with the likes of M.I.A, Spank Rock, Santagold, The Cool Kids, RZA, Dj AM and Kanye.  I can’t wait for this album to drop!

Three tracks have leaked so far, and give you a really great taster of what’s to come:

N.A.S.A feat Kanye West, Santagold, Lykke Li – Gifted

N.A.S.A feat. M.I.A, Santogold, Spank Rock, Nick Zinner-Whachadoin?

N.A.S.A feat. Cool Keith, Tom Waits – Spacious Thoughts

Enjoy!

Alice by Pogo

This post is all about the remixes, and the two I have been listening to a lot this month.

The first is the Cool Kids remix that 9th Wonder did a while back premiering on the Green Label Sound site. I think it’s good what the Cool Kids are doing with Green Label Sound. Although it’s sponsored by Mountain Dew, they are reaching out to a wider audience without ’selling out’. They and Mountain Dew positioned themselves well business-wise with this move in my opinion, and after-all if the music is good that’s all that matters. It’s a win-win situation for everyone, similar in business terms to what Flying Lotus managed with Adult Swim to promote his beats and achieve recognition. I’m guessing that more upcoming artists will be taking this cross-media approach, grounding themselves with internet readers and also in more mainstream media with it having little effect on their image.

The Cool Kids – Delivery Man (9th Wonder Remix)

And something different. This is from Popnoname, an excellent German eletronic artist with Touch from the remix lp of his new album Surrounded by Weather and remixes by….. The Field!! Get it at boomkat now, hear it below.

Popnoname – Touch (The Field remix)

Also here is one old track from an old The Field lp that’s still one of my faves, proves that minimal music can always be suprising.

The Field – Love vs. Distance

Glastonbury was awesome this year! I have three gems for you…

Since I can’t post video’s here at the mo, I’ve got the audio’s for you to check out.

First up is: Hot Chip and Wiley – Wearing My Rolex

Next up: Dizzee Rascal featuring Calvin Harris

Finally, all the controversy over bringing hip hop to Glastonbury was put to rest with Jay Z’s performance, he smashed it.  Here is the link to the video of Jigga performing Oasis’ Wonderwall then 99 Problems, in response to Noel Gallagher’s comments. Check it out:

click here to watch

Enjoy!

Here’s another breaks mix for your ears – this one’s a bit more electro-ey.

One of the great things about breakbeat is that you can fuse it with electro house and it’ll still sound huge. There’s a couple of examples of that in this offering; expect more of this in the future as my two main influences are breaks and electro house. Enjoy!

1. Plump DJs – System Addict
2. JHz & Chris Carter – Cracker
3. Myagi – Giorgio Marauder (Diverted Rmx)
4. Rennie Pilgrem – Eraser Drumz (Drumapella Mix)
5. Utku Sonmez – Brain Anatomy
6. Rennie Pilgrem – Coming up for Air feat. Sarah Whittaker-Gilbey (Koma & Bones Rmx)
7. Sharam Jey – Message To Love (Alex Metric Rmx)
8. JBass & JMekka – Freestyle (Robosapiens feat. Sneaky Kreeps Rmx)
9. Jude Sebastian – Rubber Man (Miles Dyson Rmx)
10. LXR vs. Andrea Doria – Freak Me (Dave Spoon Rmx)
11. JHz – Thumper
12. General MIDI – Milton (Digital One Rmx)
13. Agent Alvin & Dumpster – Panel Beater
14. Mesmer – Rowlacoaster (Mesmer Reprise)

Stainless Style by Neon Neon is an unorthodox concept album between some of the big underground names of Hip-Hop, IDM, electronica and indie rock and it somehow works really well. Boom Bip is one of my favourite musicians; if you haven’t already then check out Blue eyed in the Red Room featuring Nina Nastasia, and his collaboration with Dose One
Here’s a track from the album, Dream Girls

Speaking of Anticon another album I’ve been listening to has been Why?’s release Alopecia. They’ve produced some great tracks on this album – check out The Hollows here. Looks like this album could introduce Anticon to a more mainstream audience.