Toddla T | Watch Me Dance
Watch me dance. And if you don’t, you’ll wish you did.
Watch Me Dance (SebastiAn remix) – Toddla T
SebastiAn tears up your shitty speakers with shredding static, the air raid siren and a smashing bassline.
Watch Me Dance (Heartbreak remix) – Toddla T
This rendition is nothing like the previous. Has a shroombahton feel to it and a cheeky hooker of a lead. Not to mention Roots Manuva’s signature verses from the original track which is coming out in August.
T
Björk | Crystalline
“As you may have noticed, things have changed around here. we’re exploring new worlds,
which some of you might have heard of, starting with
Biophilia
, Björk’s exploration of music, nature and technology.”
-
björk.com
With a progressive incantation complimented by an explosive denouement, Björk opens the door to her highly anticipated album/multimedia project Biophilia - due before the end of 2011. The last 30 seconds of Crystalline is pure aural chaos, providing an omnipotent climax of near drum and bass that directly juxtaposes the sense of fragility present within the prior half of the song. It’s something like a drummer’s wet dream.
T, alh
Birdy Nam Nam | Defiant Order
Birdy Nam Nam is comprised of 4 DJ’s from France. Clear parallels can be drawn between the sounds of other French electro producers and Birdy Nam Nam… Hold on let me pull out my Filthesaurus. Gritty pounding bassline under a spastic synth. No thats not it. Harmonious succulent synths over the distorted amplified sound of maggots fucking. No. No matter what I say. You will still have to listen to discern for yourself.
[Fullscreen that shit. Electro ]
A legit visual compliment no doubt, but what kind of edge could one possibly have after sounding like Justice and being from France?
Well to carry your imminent thought process gently through to the beginning: These four began by playing live sets. Featuring completely dismantled record scratching ensemble work. Been next level since 0-6. bitch.
Anyhow, these crazy fucks have a new song. A finger snappin’, head bobbin’ good time.
Defiant Order – Birdy Nam Nam [Electro]
T
The Bootleg Tapes | Vol. III
Ladies and gentlemen, tonight I bring you the third installment of the Bootleg Tapes. We’ll take you for a little swagger around the block with sounds ranging from some of the United Kingdom’s finest in dubstep & UK garage- to the crooked swing of LA’s demented 16bit beat scene.
Bless,
Wolfey
Tracks
Fuse – Hudson Mohawke
Enter – Beachcomas
Stop What You’re Doing (James Blake Remix) – Untold
4D – Koreless
L.A. (Ft. Fancy Mike) – Pavel Dovgal
1983 – Flying Lotus
Cherryade – Darq E Freaker
Heavy Hitter – Skream
Fabrication – Emalkay
Klipto – Requake
Stash – Joker
City Hopper – Joker
Cushion – Samiyam
Kryon (Ft. Flying Lotus) – Kode9
Carbonated – Mount Kimbie
Thoroughbred – Ghost Mutt
Hot Boxing The Cockpit – Shlohmo
New York Is Killing Me (Jamie XX Remix) – Gil Scott Heron [Rest In Peace]
Etched Headplate – Burial
Where You Should Be (Ft. Sam Frank) – Skream
Moonlight (Ft. Hodgy Beats) – Earl Sweatshirt
—.
Gold Panda | MPB
From the loving hands of electronic outfit Gold Panda comes Derwin Panda’s latest intricacy, MPB , released in celebration of the announcement of the producer’s summer tour dates (check those out here ). MPB is multifaceted and blends organic harmonies with schizophrenic beats into a pleasing holistic union that reverberates from your head to your feet.
alh
SBTRKT | Wildfire video
This is the video for the collaboration between the masked south London UK-Garage producer SBTRKT and Swedish electronic pop outfit Little Dragon . Yukimi Nagano’s raspy voice will leave you weak at the knees.
Wolfey
Lo-Down | Mad Fright Night
I found this golden track off of the soundtrack to the 1995 movie, Kids. The relatively unknown rap group, Lo-Down, delivers a hard-hitting explanation of how sociopathic their attitudes are. The beat is as creepy and sly as the rappers who convey the contents of their perfectly genuine 1990’s NY state of mind. Please to enjoy!
Mad Fright Night – Lo-Down [hip-hop] [recommended]
Atom
Pac Div
Pleasantries! I am here to provide this fresh, beat driven collective with yet another elegance. I will refer to myself as Atom, and I pledge to help furnish your stunning Itunes library with first-class “tune-age.” Peace, love and respect to the Low-Life family. I anticipate that you will enjoy an added flavor in this figurative Ice cream parlor of low-fi delight.
Pac Div is a Cali joint comprising of three talented poets and engineers. Two siblings, Like and Mibbs, united with a longtime friend Beyoung have created a very fresh new sound without straying afar from the influence of the golden age of hip-hop (90’S FYI). The ailing trio are searing their way onto the scene exploiting Bass occupied beats and amoral lyrics in an astounding fashion. Pac Div is currently finishing an unknown new album, and I suggest you hip-hop heads pay attention.
“Shine” is a bumpin’ track that urges you to move that heavy head up and down in time. Dirty hood beat. Enjoy.
Shine – Pac Div ft. Marz Lovejoy [hip-hop]
“Volume II” is a Cool Kids track featuring Pac Div off of the mix tape, “Tacklebox.” You may recognize the beat from Pedro’s cousin’s red sparkled low rider in the Film “Napoleon Dynamyte,” but the actual foundation of the beat is “More Ounce to the Bounce” fabricated by hilariously flamboyant funk group, “Zapp and Roger.” The result of this mishmash is a calm, collected, swagged-out combo perfect for a boisterous drive in which you can pretend to be rolling around in South Central L.A.
Volume II – Cool Kids ft. Like of Pac Div (Prod. by Chuck Inglish) [hip-hop]
“Your Fucking Song” goes “deep inside your hymen,” using a fanatical beat accompanied by an intelligent use bassy hand drums, and an eerie chorus line filled with falsetto “la la’s.” The lyrics are positively sadistic and catchy in nature, rounding off a splendid song. Your Fucking Song should be used to press the attack button in your rancid brain. Pick this shit up because its dope!
Your Fucking Song – Pac Div [hip-hop] [recommended]
Atom
Kingdom | Interleave Remix
Drift away-
Brooding bass and stuttering hi-hats paired with the manipulated vocals of Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor births Kingdom’s latest remix, an instrumental that masters the use of empty space. Kingdom has been expanding the US imprint in bass music as of recently, promoting the genesis of Fade to Mind- “a record label and a movement, a series of club nights and cooperative projects in music, visual art, video and apparel.” Word on the street is that their first order of business is the release of the new EP from Nguzunguzu, a duo dedicated to “improvisational music” and odd sounds.
Here at L O W – L I F E, we’re riddled with anticipation- looking ahead to Kingdom’s set at Shambhala 2011 , scheduled for Fractal Forest at 4:30 am. We couldn’t ask for a more appropriate time-slot.
Interleave (Kingdom remix) – Win Win [recommended]
alh
Phaeleh | Nocturne
Bristol based Matt Preston, a.k.a. Phaeleh , offers us fluttering broken beats and deep bittersweet evolving synth-scapes. This is soothing dark garage to relax your furrowed eyebrows. If you like this, check out his own start-up imprint- Urban Scrumping .
Wolfey
Sub Antix | Vendetta
We heard a preview of this ominous tune a while back, but Sub Antix has generously made his new single Vendetta available in its entirety for the agreeable price of free.
Vendetta delivers a rolling multi-layered rhythm built up of clanking exotic percussion intertwined with swirling, snarling bass modulation and overlaid with an eerie chorus of voices soaked in reverb.
If you’re feeling riled in Vancouver this weekend, and you want to shake your arms and legs, be sure to hit up the Invasion Festival on Saturday night to catch Sub Antix, alongside Dieselboy, Datsik, Excision, and The Crystal Method. You can find all the event info here .
Wolfey
Skream | Skream EP
On his own imprint, Disfigured Dubz, Skream recently dropped his first substantial solo release in a while. The Skream EP promises polished gut-busting dance-floor dubstep such as Heavy Hitter, and Rigging , as well as a ravier Jungle throwback complete with over-the-top 90s female vox, Reese bass, and 303 acid lines called Hats Off . Pick up the entire release here -
Heavy Hitter – Skream [recommended]
Wolfey
Dam Mantle | Not a Word
A native of the close-knit community of Kent, England, Tom Marshall (a.k.a. Dam Mantle ) introduced himself to the electronica scene in 2010 with the release of his 12″ debut, The Grey EP. A sampling wizard, Marshall’s favorite device used within his work is a radio, discovered at a flea-market, which he has taken apart and fiddled with to project the most obscure, indiscernible sounds. In his latest (and highly anticipated) vinyl issue, out June 25th on GETME! Records, Marshall majestically assimilates experiemntal rhythms and beats alongside oddly organic vocals to birth Not a Word – a track that resonates in your sonic atmosphere deep into the night.
alh
Death Grips | Guillotine
Reports of his set at Low End Theory this Wednesday past are no less then terrifying. Never has a seat-belted passenger of a minivan seemed so fantastically demented. Reach to this growler’s full album
here
for whateva’ you think is a fair price.This is aggression over bass progressions.
Guillotine – Death Grips
[recommended]
sam.i.am
Downlink | Deep Space EP
To promote the freshest release of Rottun Record’s own Downlink, the kind souls at MalLabel have given out Stagga’s remix free of charge. Aside from this track and the original, the Ep features remixes by Blackheart and SPL that are notably less off the wall, but facilitate the woop woop opportunities that one would expect. Cop the collection here and get yer space suit on.
Deep Space (Stagga Remix) – Downlink
sam.i.am
Paper Diamond | Levitate
Out of PLM ( Pretty Lights Music ) comes the latest signature sound from Alex B(eats) . Classically trained, with energy seeping from his pores, Alex has just released his debut EP, Levitate , under his freshest moniker, Paper Diamond . Also a member of the live band, Pnuma Trio, Alex is meticulous in his craft, attending to every aspect of his musical encounters- standing on the shoulders of various genres. We hear from our friends over at West Coast Culture that this producer gives a relentlessly invigorating performance. Having toured from New York to Haiti, he consistently brings his experience to the table- experience that transcends into his most recent release. Levitate overflows with spacey, harmonized synths, vibrating beats, while Alex perfects the balance between captivating melodies and penetrating bass.
And in addition to sustaining his multiple music aliases, Alex figureheads design firm/record label/clothing line, Elm&Oak .
“To call Elm&Oak a record label would be as over simplistic as calling Alex B’s productions ‘beats.’ Elm&Oak is a creative hub for web design, graphic design, [music,] clothing, graffiti, photography and event promotion, all of which Alex is actively involved in.”
Grab our picks from Levitate below , or just download the entire album for free here , with gratitude. I suggest the latter.
Take Your Time – Paper Diamond
Some older work from his aural doppelganger.
And a mix “poised to get any beat freak salivating,” courtesy of the XLR8R Podcast Series.
XLR8R Podcast 157 – Alex B [recommended]
alh
Flying Lotus | never before heard beats
Fly Lo just put up a handful of minty fresh beats and some remixes on his SoundCloud. (Sorry- they’re not available for download.)
Vibe Angel (Flying Lotus remix) – Massive Attack
Caravan of Delight – Flying Lotus
Galactagon (Flying Lotus remix) – Stereolab
Happening Really – Flying Lotus
[served chilled]
Wolfey
Handbook | Celebriteeth
From the original York, of the United Kingdom, Jake Brown, a.k.a. Handbook, presents a compilation airy hip-hop doodles, titled cheekily “Celebriteeth.”
This album is full of beats, that I am proud of. Enjoy them all folks.
You heard the man. Check it out without pouting about the price you weren’t gunna’ pay. (Marilyn Monroe is especially sexy)
Bless,
sam.i.am
Nicolas Jaar | Wouh
Nicolas Jaar delighted us with his full length debut, Space is Only Noise , earlier this year. He has been following up his LP with a string of polished singles and remixes. Jaar uses a distinctive sonic palette of soft kicks, clicks, and clucks overlaid with fluttering melancholic piano and atmospheric sound.
Jaar was born in New York, but spent most of his childhood in Chile. He has been making music since he was 14 years old. As far as I know he is currently finishing up his undergraduate work at Brown University.
His own label, Clown & Sunset , promises a future of stellar releases. Stay tuned for more on Jaar soon-
Wouh – Nicolas Jaar [served chilled] [recommended]
Wolfey
And if you missed our first post on Jaar, you can find that here .
Mellowhype | 64
Rollin’ blunts out the bible, strollin’ hallways with dead children; This video is tragically dark and equally as ill. OF to death.
Yours,
sam.i.am
J. Rabbit | Mr. Balloon Hands
This, my friends, is a big one. Seldom do stompers like this garner my full attention, but that fine, whistley sub and those clever tempo shifts make my head bob like it was on a string. J. Rabbit found that this track was leaked, and so decided “Fuck it! You can have it.” What a forward way of dealing with the woes of interweb seepage.
Mr. Balloon Hands – J. Rabbit [dub / electro]
Ahthayngyou,
sam.i.am
Trog’low | Mellow Feats Ep
Trog’low graces us with a fine collection of cocktail kick-snare combinations from his Toronto home base. The Mellow Feats Ep is something of a soundtrack to accompany the morning after a night of nights; smooth, comforting, and triumphant. Oh, and its as free as the black eye you forgot how you got.
Trog’low – Mellow Feats Ep [served chilled]
Clink clink clink,
sam.i.am
