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Download: Urulu "Lonely Weekend"

First Listen

LA-based DJ/producer Urulu has had an impressively busy 2013 so far, with the latest fruits of his labor appearing in the form of a collaborative EP alongside London duo Chaos in the CBD for the Needwant imprint. Perhaps because the man just can't help but keep churning out new tunes, Urulu has offered up "Lonely Weekend," a "re-interpretation" of the "Twenty Eight" from R&B crooner The Weeknd. Urulu thankfully strips away much of the overwrought emotion of the original track, laying down a deliciously deep and inviting production on top of which filtered snippets of "Twenty Eight" can be heard bathed in reverb and delay. 

Average: 8.8 (18 votes)
 
 

Download: Slugabed "True Born"

First Listen
Label: Activia Benz

As we announced last week, Slugabed will be dropping a free EP of new material this Friday through his own Activia Benz imprint. Before the This Is a Warning EP sees a release though, the UK producer has offered up a track from the effort, "True Born," as a preview of what's to come. This particular offering takes a space-age hip-hop approach, unleashing rolling snares and 8-bit melodies while incorporating plenty of growling, grime-indebted sub-bass which reveals the tune's origins as an edit of one of Slugabed's favorite jungle tracks. 

Average: 8.5 (27 votes)
 
 

Download: Airbird & Napolian "Special"
Label: Cascine

Yesterday, the Cascine imprint dropped the debut single (artwork above) from newly formed production pair Airbird & Napolian (a.k.a. Joel Ford of Ford & Lopatin and LA producer Ian Evans). The digital single's a-side, "In the Zone," is a breezy slice of synth-obsessed beatwork, but b-side "Special" is a much more energetic affair, one which channels French-style filter house and '80s synth-pop into a modern, slightly shuffling package. The result is somewhat reminiscent of Chaz Bundick's work as Les Sins but with an extra dose of retro gloss added on top. Airbird & Napolian's "In the Zone" single precedes the pair's forthcoming debut full-length, which is set to drop this winter via Cascine.  

Average: 8.1 (22 votes)
 
 

Download: Neuropol "Dusky Brights"

Pete Hall (a.k.a. Neuropol) has been churning out tunes that jump between breaks and dubstep—of the classic variety—for years now while also DJing his way around dusty, dank UK nightclubs, more often than not in his native Bristol. Admittedly, there's very little of what is now considered the "Bristol sound"—i.e. Bashmore, Kowton, Hyetal, and others—inherent in Hall's work under his new alias, Neuropol. Instead, Hall leans on a sound that eschews house and in some ways harkens back to the days of Dubstep Warz. That's not to say that "Dusky Brights" is a total throwback, while the drums leap then stumble at that signature 140-bpm march, the meat of the tune is all 2013—skipping keyboards, sharp synth injections, and a funky bassline keep the tune upright.  

Average: 7.9 (37 votes)
 
 

Download: Ambalance "Are You Around (Grenier Remix)"

First Listen

Burgeoning Toronto-based pair Ambalance has passed along this remix of the title cut from its new EP, Are You Around, which is out today. Smartly placed in the hands of West Coast low-end wrangler Grenier, the already heavy and icy production is taken into more astral territory on this particular rework. Where the original is a more driving affair, Grenier uses his remix to open the track up to more atmosphere, carving spaces within the slow-moving synth patterns to add massive kicks and touches of off-kilter percussion. Ambalance's Are You Around EP (artwork above) is a self-released effort available now through the outfit's Bandcamp.  

Average: 6.7 (52 votes)
 
 

Download: Scrimshire "Kindle a Fire (Aronnax Mix)"
Label: Wah Wah 45s

On Scrimshire's forthcoming LP, the London producer/vocalist utilizes an eclectic range of influences ranging from disco to fusion to more contemporary electronic styles. Much of this is present in "Kindle a Fire," even after mysterious, ungoogleable producer Aronnax gets his (or her) hands on it. Regardless of whether or not this stranger is from North Carolina, Germany, or just Scrimshire mucking about himself, this is a plodding, humble rework. Orphaned guitar and vocals try to crawl out from underneath a ride-and-snap pattern that becomes increasingly persistent over the course of the tune's seven minutes. There are a lot of details to wade through, most of them subtle or barely audible, but all of which point to either the work of an intricately detailed Scrimshire, a meticulous, curtain-shy unknown, or—most likely—both. Scrimshire's Bight LP, from which the original "Kindle a Fire" appears, is due on May 27. 

Average: 8.2 (64 votes)
 
 

Download: Owen Howells "Riding"

First Listen
Label: Celestial

Rising UK house producer Owen Howells has a history of writing slow-burning tunes, most notably the standout cut "The Door," which was featured at the top of this year as part of Danza Macabra's VA series. A signature of Howells' productions is the patient simmer with which they get going, and "Riding" surely fits that mold. The tune is virtually devoid of melody, favoring an accelerating, tribal rhythm that holds steady over the course of the song's seven-plus minutes, gradually increasing in intensity through sheer repetition which slowly overloads the senses. Howells' Common People EP—the forthcoming release from which "Riding" comes to us—is slated to drop on May 27 via Celestial. 

Average: 7.4 (26 votes)
 
 

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