Features

Press Play: Matthew Dear, DOOM, Maceo Plex, Nosaj Thing, and More

A ton of great music appeared on the internet as streaming audio and video this week, and from excellent sources, too. There are track premieres, video interviews, high-profile remixes, fresh original productions, music videos, and more from artists like Matthew Dear, Maceo Plex, Clams Casino, Nosaj Thing, DOOM, Vessel, The Gaslamp Killer, Fred P, D33J, and Mike Simonetti, among others. All of the sights and sounds of this week's edition of Press Play are waiting to be experienced after the jump. Read more »

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05/03/2013

XLR8R's Top 20 Downloads of April

XLR8R's Top 20 Downloads of April list seems to be just about split down the middle between the number of remixes and original tracks it holds, but the producers behind those solid tunes would be hard pressed to be more eclectic. With top-notch house, garage, bass, hip-hop, ambient, techno, and pop-leaning productions available from the likes of Hackman, Synkro, Mak & Pasteman, Jacques Renault, Tropics, and D33J (pictured above), among plenty of others, April's bounty of free downloads is certainly not to be missed. The most popular cuts from the past 30 or so days in our Downloads feed can be found after the jump. Read more »

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05/02/2013

Hi, Doctor Nick! - Air Miles, Saving Money on Coffee, and Letting Your Demo Find Its Way to the Right People

Nick Hook's time is valuable. Our resident advice columnist is a busy dude, someone who's constantly in the studio, DJing parties, making beats, or hopping on a plane for something—that's why he's got so much knowledge rolling around in his head. Doctor Nick can talk music, gear, DJing, romance, fashion, travel, and more. Here's the thing though—you have to ask him questions. Hit him up at doctornick@xlr8r.com. Admittedly, this week's crop of inquiries was admittedly subpar, but even that didn't stop the good doctor—he just skipped the questions entirely and let the wisdom flow.

Yooooo.

It's 1 a.m. My editor Shawn is gonna kill me. The questions were really bad this week so I gotta make some stuff up. Can you guys please send me questions? doctornick@xlr8r.com. It would suck to get fired. Read more »

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Tags: Doctor Nick
05/02/2013

Trainwreck: !!!

Veteran dance-punk ensemble !!! is well-known for its raucous, dynamic live show, which it has converted over the years into a catalog of lively, eclectic records. These instincts have been toned down, or at least refined, on the band's latest album for Warp, Thr!!!er, thanks to a production turn from Spoon drummer Jim Eno and a more considered, studio-session-based approach. That live reputation still precedes the group, however, and it wasn't earned without a few mishaps. Read more »

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05/01/2013

Ladies on the Mic: Maya Jane Coles, Nina Kraviz, Ikonika, and More Decide Whether to Sing Along

A noticeable edge hardens in Cassy Britton's tone when the conversation turns to the subject of women in electronic music. "First of all," says the Panorama Bar resident, bristling slightly, "it's extremely logical that less women are making dancefloor beats, because fewer women are interested in machines, and the music as such. It's always been a thing that guys are more interested in machines... I seriously don't care." Read more »

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04/29/2013