Shambhala 2011 | Episode 4 of 4: Sunday
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- photo by T
We’ve been longing for something. It’s been a couple of months now, and we’ve witnessed the leaves turn hot and felt the air turn cold. So let us go back in time this sharp October evening and reminisce about a place of warm bodies and minds.
This episode has been waiting for the opportunity to lift your spirits.
Do you remember Shambhala ?
Glitchy & Scratchy , the combined moniker of producers The Mongoose & Bevy Swift, are familiar faces to the West Coast bass scene due to there consistently funky live exhibitions. These boys christened our evening with a crunchy style, opening a champagne bottle of bleeps instead bubbles. Be sure to check their schedule because they’ll likely be mixing in a club near you in the not-so-distant future.
Speaker Humpin’ (Glitchy & Scratchy Remix) – Subvert [glitch-hop]
From the North West of England, Mat The Alien , pleasantly surprised an audience that has had the opportunity to see him a number of times. He spun a set that spanned from the expected funky break and the raspy wobble, to the uncharacteristic four-on-the-floor. His venturesome set had the crowd nodding their head in impressed approval, but he sealed the positive reviews of our kind with the drop of Sub-Antix ‘s barely released release Badness , and did it ever go off. This extraterrestrial Dj is fresh off his last musical discharge , so give it a listen, a coin, and wait for him to cross the pond.
64 Bytes (ill.Gates Remix feat Meesha & Mat the Alien) – Eprom [glitch-hop] [break-beat]
What can we say about Subvert ? We can praise him for the wonder of the acoustic world that is The Village and PK Sound. We can weep over his titanic Cranberries edit of 2010. But we can not say that he has been pushing the boundaries of his genre, not at all. So, we respectfully tip our hat. He’s recently co-womped a tune with the ever-womping Datsik , so listen to that and see if you you’re in to it.
Zombie (Subvert Remix) – The Cranberries [dubstep]
One genre that tends to define this festival is break beat, and I don’t believe that any festival on the planet does it better. Kelownian, Stickybuds , is one of the these exceptionally funky artists. This up-beat tendency is seldom seen on low-life, but in context, this style of music is obscenely fun. His tracks are lovely, but I’d recommend the mix. It bobs you up and down like a Weeble. Try not to fall down. Take a look into what he’s been up to as of late on his Facebook page .
Sickybuds Fractal Forest Mix Shambhala 2011 [break-beat] [funk]
In all honesty, we didn’t expect much from Toronto duo, Zeds Dead , but we were once again merrily bemused. After reminding us of just how fantastic their classics are in a live setting, they proceeded to spring intriguing rhythms and bass lines that reminded myself of an almost contemporary UK style, granted far thicker. Word about town tells us that these two have been marketing themselves as individuals, along with their current partnership, so we may very well hear some interesting sounds in the future. Keep an eye glued to their soundcloud so as not to miss their next move.
Coffee Break – Zeds Dead [dubstep]
I must confess, we missed Skrillex ‘s set. We apologize if that offends you. The crowd was too many elbows and the sound was too many punches. It just didn’t feel suiting to the environment of Shambhala but I will mention a couple of Skrillex tunes that have impressed me recently. Both of which are a stretch from his trademark sound. We can’t deny his talent as producer. He is a maverick. We also can’t deny that power of Koan Sound . Don’t fret, there’s more to come from them soon enough. For now, visit skrillex.com so as not to miss his next, industry shattering move.
Lick It – Kaskade & Skrillex [electro]
Kill Everybody (Koan Sound Remix) – Skrillex [dubstep] [recommended]
Australian Youtube sensation, Dub FX , had the entire Village smiling. Perhaps it was his spin on the Jamaican banana tune, or his possy’s feathered ventriloquist gargoyle. The fact that he’s been touring internationally along side his wife, the swaggering Flower Fairy , undoubtedly warms a Shambhala heart. His shtick is impressive, especially in person. Some of those bass tones baffle me as to how they emerged from a human esophagus. Checkout his label’s youtube channel for more stupefying displays of throat.
Dub FX ‘Flow’ feat. Mr. Woodnote from bd films on Vimeo .
Bassnectar fulfilled his unofficial title as the king of Shambhala . He opened with a thick rework of Pharoahe Monch and delivered with a similar effect over the course of his set. It wasn’t particularly stimulating in terms of style, but it was as booming as we had hoped. His hip hop laced bass pleased the ever loving Village audience for the 11th year in a row. He’s been generous recently, so reap the benefits at bassnectar.com
Cozza Frenzy (Bassnectar’s Mega Bass Remix) – Bassnectar [dubstep]
Bass Head (King Fantastic Remix) – Bassnectar [dubstep] [hip-hop] [recommended]
Here We Go – Bassnectar [dubstep] [break-beat]
Stanton Warriors have been developing their break style over the past year. What was once more typical is now more sophisticated by means of toned production and rythmic variation. If you like break-beat, you’ll love their new album, The Warriors . You would have most certainly been contented with their Fractal performance as well.
Dakota – Stanton Warriors [break-beat] [recommended]
New York – Stanton Warriors [glitch-hop]
Flux Pavilion ; yet another artist that slapped the smug look off of our faces. He must have dropped half a dozen new tracks. When I congratulated him on the impressive feat, he casually speculated in his thick and jolly accent, “I figure, ‘What better place than here,’” as he swung back what was surely his umpteenth beer. His set was significantly better than you would imagine, and I’m sure you imagine it being no less than brilliant. His hard work can be attained over at Circus Records .
Midnight Run (Flux Pavilion Remix) – Example [dubstep] [recommended]
Joshua Steele’s partner in crime, Doctor P , also pleased the low-life team, though it was his variation between genres that perked up my Sunday evening ears. Of course, he played out his hallmark wobble, but he interjected between the dubstep anthems with disco tunes and poppy breakdowns, that is, pop by Doctor P standards, which is hardly pop. None the less, it was a cheeky and clever set. His business can also be perused at the Circus Records base .
Tetris – Doctor P [dubstep]
Watch Out – Doctor P [dubstep]
After Doctor P , we stumbled back to camp in the misty dawn and discussed the triumphs of this magical weekend:
- Longwalkshortdock ‘s raucous display of electro and skinny fist pumping.
- Justin Martin ‘s spook house at The Pagoda.
- The wall of lush synths emitted from Mimosa ‘s thrusting pelvis.
- Downlink redeeming and exceeding the standards of Rottun Records .
- The Lighta! Crew ‘s tasteful takeover.
- The eclectic ball pit that was A.skillz’ Fractal Forest jam.
- Kingdom ‘s morning exhibition of the Night Slug sound.
- And, of course, Sunday’s relentless display of quality dubstep.
A tear wells up in my eye as I realize that this is the last time that I’ll be basking in the nostalgia of that fine weekend at the Salmo River Ranch; in all of its wonderment. That is, until next year.
Be sure to buy your 2012 ticket soon, because they’re quickly becoming a scarce commodity.
Do your self a favor and have the time of your life.
With all of our love,
sam.i.am & low-life.ca
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- photo by T
The Bootleg Tapes | Vol. V
Hello lovelies-
This is the 5th installment of the Bootleg Tapes . I put together an hour of music primarily comprised of dark, slinking, UK dubstep, as well as a handful of other surprises.
You’ll hear new music from Joker’s recently released LP ‘the Vision’, which is easily one of the most outstanding dubstep releases I have heard all year.
I’m also pleased to share previews of two tracks from my own upcoming EP release
‘Sleep Country’
, which will be available for free digital download in early November on
Blenheim and Celtic
; an imprint I created to distribute my own music. I’ll fill you in on the rest of the details with respect to the release very soon.
For those of you in Montreal who can make it, I’ll see you at the
Jon Wayne
show this coming
Thursday (Nov. 3)
at
Le Belmont
.
Yours,
Wolfey
Tracks
- Planet X – Silkie
- The Shinein – Skream
- Lucky – Silkie
- It Ain’t Got No Name – Joker & TC
- A Marvelous Persona – Wolfey
- Dr. Sin – Chasing Shadows
- Stuck In The System – Joker
- Planet X – The Others
- Make Me – Skream
- Tron Cat – Tyler, The Creator
- Thunder Bay – Hudson Mohawke
- Hollybrook Lane – Joker
- Space Hopper – Emalkay
- Midnight – Benga
- Hold On – SBTRKT
- First Flight – The Others
- Katy On A Mission – Magnetic Man
- The Vision – Joker
- Drive It Like You Stole It – The Glitch Mob
- Tron (VIP) – Joker
- Imagine The Possibilities – Paper Diamond
- United Kingdom – Benga
- Psychadelic Runway – Joker
- Sleep Country – Wolfey
DJ Shadow | The Less You Know, The Better
Josh Davis, better known as hip-hop mystic DJ Shadow , has crafted his latest album The Less You Know, The Better out of cinematic and introspective tales of the everyday. In whole, the album acts out a narrative, riddled with emotion and the vocal signatures of artists such as Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon and Talib Kweli. On that note and in regards to the synesthesia Davis experiences with art, he says-
When you’re growing up in America music is forced on you, even in the supermarket. But films are too. Basically my philosophy on art is that you can take paintings and articulate them in words, forms or music. You can take music and articulate it visually. You can take books and turn them into paintings based on or inspired by movies. I think tension in movies is very important due to the fact that, and many people say that, my music is very cinematic sounding. It’s just that I really admire the manipulation of a motion, whether it is in books or in movies. I think that movies are more visceral because they are more dimensional. When I go to a film I want to be visually moved, I want something to really strike me. I am inspired by films, and by soundtracks, by the concept of writing music based on what you see.
Come On Riding (Through the Cosmos) – DJ Shadow
alh
Pretty Lights | Wayfaring Stranger
Unlikely to surprise anyone, Pretty Lights has released a(nother) supremely soulful track, this time draped in the meticulous melancholy of country steel strings.
Approached by ReGeneration Music Project , PL was asked to reinterpret this song for an upcoming documentary.
This result: an exceptional amalgamation of musical elements which could only come from the mind of this Denver local.
Pretty Lights – Wayfaring Stranger (ft. LeAnn Rimes & Ralph Standley) [recommended]
Wala
x
Blockhead | The Music Scene
Blockhead is a Manhattan native, born Anthony Tony Simon and the son of a sculpture. “The Music Scene” is one of his songs and is accompanied by a truly stunning year old video. We feel it is still well worth a mention. The man behind the utterly amazing animation and direction is Anthony Francisco Schepperd and was commissioned by Ninja Tune . More of the animator’s work can be viewed here.
Thank you Julia.
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MiM0SA | Sanctuary LP
Glitch Hopper extraordinaire, MiM0SA has released his full length album, Sanctuary, today through False Idol Music. As per usual he casts his signature sound spell over us. The moods and atmospheres are more diverse than before. You really get the sense that Tigran has settled into a comfortable confidence, rarely seen among young musicians.
“My vision was to steer away from aggressive tones, but at the same time try to find different avenues to get the same crowd response that a big bass drop would get.”
My first few listens through the record, I identified standout tracks including: “Ice Box”, “Way Back To You”, and my personal favourite, “Last Night In Town”.
What sounds like a sublime synthesis of all his former work, MiM0SA’s latest record speaks for itself and in doing so might even leave you at a lack for words.
You can preview all the tracks here and inevitably purchase them here.
Wala
x
Dark Sky | Be Myself
Dark Sky is an emerging trio of talented DJs hailing from London England. Heavily influenced by Juke, Crunk, Garage, and Dubstep, their tunes are characterized by crisp, unyielding percussion and undeniable danceability.
These lads have been receiving support from the likes of Giles Peterson, Modeselektor, and Jamie XX, and are undoubtedly on the rise. Stay tuned for an upcoming release on Modeselektor’s label, 50 Weapons .
Be Myself – Dark Sky [recommended]
Crystalised (Dark Sky Remix) – The XX
Much love,
St.Patty
Azedia Remix | Magnetic Man – Flying Into Tokyo
Many of us are familiar with Flying Into Tokyo, a mellifluous masterpiece off Magnetic Man ‘s self titled record (2010). Seemingly impossible, the two man London group, Azedia , have successfully crafted this soundscape with such precision that they have neither impinged on its integrity nor edited too little.
Indulge in this euphoria.
Flying Into Tokyo (Azedia Remix) – Magnetic Man [recommended]
Wala
x
Dismantle | Clone
Dismantle , aka Will Knighton, is bridging genres as well with more of a clubstep vibe taking place this time. The track is the immaculate compound of your favorite club synths and half tempo percussion. When words aren’t really enough just listen and move.
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Thefft | Inna Da
Jack Robinson is
Thefft
. There isn’t much to say about him because he only has two releases; however, within two releases he has found a signature sound that works. This particular track opens with a house-like atmosphere, and closes with more of a broken hip hop beat. Industrial synths are featured throughout with snappy staccato on the high end.
Play this track tonight wherever you may be. The variances in tempo will have ‘em up on their feet in no time.
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Requake | Frequake + VIP
We are making a double feature out of this release because it’s so fucking sexy. If you hadn’t heard, Requake of Brussels, Belgium, dropped the Frequake EP a few days ago, free of charge, as the name suggests. The duo has been doing wondrous things as of late that have been resonating heavily in the hearts of many classical dubstep connoisseurs.
Clear practitioners of the ‘less is more’ approach, their tracks are stripped down to perfection; free of unnecessary layers. Requake’s beats are the perfect juxtaposition between warm natural transients and an encompassing cool, hollow atmosphere. Requake is always brilliantly mastered and easy to listen to over and over again.
Frequake EP: [recommended]
Also fresh off the dub press are two Requake ‘re-works’.
Be sure to check out collaborations between Badklaat and Requake, a coalition of two of the deepest names on the scene. Now cringe with delight.
Stay gold,
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Jamie Woon Remix | Video Games – Lana Del Rey
Jamie Woon has carved out Internet sensation Lana Del Rey ‘s Video Games into a groove-based, R&B touched beat piece. If you have already taken pleasure from his debut album Mirrorwriting, released earlier this year, you’ll be able to pick out his signature sound behind Lana’s sultry, soul-inflected vocals. It’s very nice to see you again, Mr. Woon.
Video Games (Jamie Woon) – Lana Del Rey
See previously: Jamie Woon | Mirrorwriting
Yours,
alh
edIT | Crying Over Pros For No Reason
Edward Ma, aka edIT, aka one third of Glitch Mob , is an electronic producer/DJ based out of Los Angeles. I initially stumbled upon a track named “Ants” and was immediately obsessed with his distinctive sound.
Shortly after switching names from “The Con Artist” to the current “edIT”, Edward released “Crying Over Pros For No Reason” (2004) through Planet-Mu . This wonderful record is saturated with a spectrum of tones, textures, moods and melodies. Featuring the familiarity of soft-spoken guitar lines in contrast to his vast glitch landscape, edIT demonstrates impressive versatility depicting a “down tempo love maker’s epic about opportunities lost”.
Ants – ediT [recommended]
Wala
x
Jonwayne | King
Alpha Pup mogul Jonwayne has done it again. King comes to us as a generous sneak peak of his forthcoming ‘The Death of Andrew’ dropping 10/25. Creepy in the most digestible sense of the word. A tyrannical track, that further solidifies the unique sound of a Jonwayne composition. An amazing Slidecamp remix he put out a month back up for grabs as well. He will be making his way to spread his influence easterly in the very near future.
Tues Oct. 25th – “The Death of Andrew” Drops
Wed. Oct. 26th – Low End Theory 3
Fri. Oct. 28th – Hampshire Halloween in Masachusetts
Sat. Oct. 29th – Alpha Pup Presents (New York)
Tues. Nov. 1st – Boston
Wed. Nov. 2nd – Berklee College of Music
Nov. 5th – 9th – Toronto and Montreal. Specific Dates TBA
King – Jonwayne [recommended]
Bonus: Geometer (Jonwayne Remix) – Slidecamp [recommended]
On that note, keep your ear to the ground, and get your rest as we have something special in the works.
Bless,
Rader
Ugress | Wulfhöken Spaceport Affairs
Ugress is the space age electronica project from Bergen, Norway. Legally his name is Gisle Martens Meyer (GMM), but Ugress in Norwegian is literally translated to mean ‘weed’.
Out of all of his albums Wulfhöken Spaceport Affairs is the only freebie. So indulge guilt-free and spit a verse or two over sci-chedelic beat master, Ugress .
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Lapalux
Get to know Essex’s very own Lapalux . Born Stuart Howard, the emerging artist has recently made the jump from London’s Pictures Music record label to Brainfeeder.
Forests EP (2008) and Many Faces Out Of Focus (2011), clearly depict this young mans ability to craft sounds and textures into emotionally driven songs, uncharacteristic in the genre of ‘beats’. “Peafowls on the Carousel” is a standout track showcasing this mood focused feature. Swirling synth lines and spastic percussion conjure up nostalgia of summertime childhood play-dates soon followed by an unexpected snap into an anxiety filled neck-breaking rhythmic assault.
Employing his portable recorder to capture organic sounds, Lapalux is able to create natural soundscapes in his mix which appear forefront, becoming a paramount feature.
In an interview with dummymag.com he states “All of my music is based around experimentation so I tend to approach each song differently, but thats the main creative process. I like to keep the interest alive by using different techniques every time I’m working on a new track. Whenever I make a new song I like to learn something new, I like to keep it fresh and interesting”. This is a most refreshing view on creating music that not enough artists express.
If Lapalux can grab Flying Lotus’s attention he deserves a little bit of yours. I expect big things to come out of Stuart Howard in the future.
Peafowls on the Carousel – Lapalux [experimental] [recommended]
James
Burial & Massive Attack | Four Walls
Two legendary UK-based electronica artists come together on this 12″: ‘Four Walls’ / ‘Paradise Circus’. This release features two remixes by the enigmatic London-based Burial of original material from the Bristol-based trip-hop group, Massive Attack .
This track is melancholic, spacious, and rich in organic atmospheric details.
Four Walls – Burial & Massive Attack [recommended]
Bless,
Wolfey
Brightblack Morning Light | Lullabies
Brightblack Morning Light is the boyfriend/girlfriend duo of Nathan Shineywater and Rachel Hughes, an Alabama bred couple who compose tunes by the firelight of extended camping trips into the New Mexico wilderness and list “really potent salvia” as their primary vice.
The dreamy slow-motion blues they craft captures the pastoral scenery of their surroundings; it is at once as ethereal as the campfire smoke and as earthy as the moss pillows where they probably rest their tousled hippy heads.
Their self-titled first album remains a classic in my books, ideal for any time that the sun is low in the sky, be it dawn or dusk. Buy it here , if you feel so inclined, or stick to the offerings below. Your dreams will thank you for it.
All We Have Morning Shrines – Brightblack Morning Light [serve chilled] [recommended]
Star Blanket River Child – Brightblack Morning Light [serve chilled]
Be easy,
St. Patty
The Weeknd | Initiation
[Abel Tesfayeh]
This is the latest track from rising indie R&B killer Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. The Weeknd (Toronto, CAN). To put it simply, it feels sinister .
On a bed of skipping UK-Grime flavoured rhythms, Tesfaye’s use of undulating frequency shifting on his vocal makes this jam churn.
Initiation – The Weeknd [r&b] [recommended]
Wolfey
TOKiMONSTA Remix | Scissors – Eight and a Half
The only woman holding it down for Brainfeeder , TOKiMONSTA , has graced us with another marvelous melody today, mon amis. Her remix of Eights And A Half’s track, “Scissors”, is sopping in suave percussion and ambient synths.
Steep yourself in this one.
Scissors (TOKiMONSTA Remix) – Eight and a Half
Wala
x
Apparat | A Bang in the Void
Here is a delicate composition from one of Berlin’s finest, Sascha Ring, better known as Apparat . Enamored by experimenting with different mediums of sound, Sascha Ring has centered himself in the contemporary electronic music scene with a legacy that includes a session with John Peel, the longest serving of the BBC Radio 1 DJs, a series of collaborations with artists such as Modeselektor and Ellen Allien, and his signature on iconic labels like BPitch Control and Mute .
“I’m slightly bored by synthesizers and computers. I think acoustic sources for sound are far more interesting because they aren’t perfect and clean. I like all the little “unwanted” noises you record when you put microphones in front of instruments. In recent times music became very clean and perfectly http://mute.com/. That’s so boring. It sounds like computer music. Even most of the “acoustic” music on the radio does. I don’t like that anymore. My new record is only partially electronic, the computer is just an instrument.”
Purchase his latest full-length The Devil’s Walk here .
alh
Mosca | Bunching / The Way We Were
To celebrate hitting 5000 followers on Twitter, up-and-coming London-based future-garage / uk funky producer Mosca tossed out a fine follow up to his recent well-received release Bax on NMBRS - and he’s made it available for free. He’s got talent and generosity.
If you like this, pick up his latest release, Bax / Done Me Wrong on NMBRS here .
Bunching – Mosca [future garage]
The Way We Were – Mosca [future garage] [recommended]
Yours,
Wolfey
Hudson Mohawke | Ain’t Nobody Like You
This is a slow jam from Hudson Mohawke - something you might be able to get down to.
Ain’t Nobody Like You – Hudson Mohawke, Robin Hannibal, and Manzilla [serve chilled] [recommended]
(This recommendation comes from our resident world-class chef at the House of A Thousand in Montreal- thanks Dylan.)
Yours,
Wolfey
Martyn | Viper
A track off of Martyn’s forthcoming Brainfeeder release Ghost People [10.10.11]
Fullscreen that shit.
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