XLR8R News and Features

Queer New Orleans Hip-Hop Celebrated at New York Art Show

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:00:00 -0800

The New Orleans genre known as bounce, which came into being in the late '90s, is being documented and celebrated in an upcoming exhibit at New York's Abrons Art Center. Titled "Where They At," the exhibition is casting a special spotlight on the sissy bounce genre, whose practitioners are among the most outspoken queer and transgendered performers in all of hip-hop.

Wolfgang Voigt Relaunches Profan Label

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:00:00 -0800

In the mid-'90s, Kompakt head Wolfgang Voigt launched Profan, a sub-label dedicated to the more abstract side of techno and minimal electronics. But with only one release since 2000, it seemed as if the label had gone the way of minimal itself ...until now!

Hot Dog Logic: Breaking down the visual language of Swedish designer PMKFA.

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:00:00 -0800

"The way I work and try to use different styles and mediums is based on a solid restlessness," says Michael Thorsby, best known as graphic-design force PMKFA, from his parents' house in the deep forests of Småland, Sweden. And considering that the country has just been blanketed by a snowstorm, the air there is nearing single-digit temperatures, and Thorsby has spent the day waiting on platforms for severely delayed trains, that restlessness is palpable.

Donnacha Costello Emotes on Upcoming Poker Flat Record

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:00:00 -0800

It seems like Dublin's Donnacha Costello has had a rough time of it in recent years; luckily, he has channeled these emotional peaks and troughs into wildly dense tech-house on his upcoming Poker Flat release, Before We Say Goodbye.

Inbox: Souls of Mischief

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:00:00 -0800

In this round of Inbox, XLR8R is straight chillin’ with legendary Oakland hip-hop foursome Souls of Mischief.

Flying Lotus Goes Cosmic on New Album This May

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:26:46 -0800

Taking a cue from the space jazz of his aunt, Alice Coltrane, the upcoming record from Flying Lotus promises to be one of the more mind-melting releases of 2010. Cosmogramma expands on the lauded sounds featured on FlyLo's Los Angeles, bursting further into psychedelic realms of soul, evidenced by collaborations with harpist Rebekah Raff, bass virtuoso Thundercat, and a host of vocalists ranging from Thom Yorke to Laura Darlington.

The Whitest Boy Alive Finally Makes it Stateside

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0800

It's a strange thing that after releasing two well-received and widely loved albums, not to mention having a member whose name and voice is immediately recognizable, The Whitest Boy Alive has never toured the United States. Thankfully, that will change come this April.

Download a Free Mix From Geeneus

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:00:00 -0800

One of the many notable names in the Rinse crew, Geeneus just made a new mix available for free download here.

Floating Points: A young UK composer connects the dots between dub and science.

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:00:00 -0800

Twenty-three-year-old Londoner Sam Shepherd is all over the map. Literally. When I contacted the busy producer, DJ, and bandleader who records as Floating Points, he was gigging in Greece and his MySpace page listed bookings across Europe several months deep. It's been a quick ascent for Shepherd, who, until recently, had only three official EP releases and a few songs on compilations.

Fatima's Long-Awaited First Solo Release out in March

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:00:00 -0800

London resident Fatima will finally see her first solo EP released early this spring. The soulful songstress, whose collaborations with Shafiq Husayn, Floating Points, and Slum Village have made her one of the most talked-about singers on the scene, will be dropping some leftfield nu-soul on fans' ears with the Mindtravelin EP.

Revolutions Per Minute: Matías Aguayo Takes House Music to Paris, Buenes Aires, and All Points In Between

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0800

That voice, mellifluous from the start, confident and full of grace to the end, is the perfect introduction to Matías Aguayo.

Underground Resistance's Santiago Salazar Tells the Club Scene to Get Real

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0800

On his latest joint, Santiago Salazar, of the mighty Underground Resistance crew, slams the flashy, overpriced mess that is the contemporary US club scene, dramatically intoning about "bow-legged photographers" and outrageous club entry fees.

Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof to Perform Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:00:00 -0800

Late April's Donaufestival in Krems, Austria, will see a fascinating collaboration between the depressive pop of Xiu Xiu and the manic rhythms of Deerhoof. The two groups will be combining forces to perform the entirety of Unknown Pleasures, the legendary Joy Division album (and dorm-room staple) which has given music fans some of the most iconic sounds of the past 30 years.

Download the New Mux Mool EP For Free

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:00:00 -0800

One of Ghostly's latest roster additions, Brooklyn beatsmith Mux Mool, just made his five-track Viking Funeral EP available for free download on the label's website.

Trans Am to Drop New Album, Tour World

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0800

One of Thrill Jockey's longest standing bands, the DC-based synth-rock outfit Trans Am is set to add another chapter to their strange and storied career.

Bonobo Prepares Release of New Album for Ninja Tune

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:43:29 -0800

Simon Green's production moniker, the occasionally funky and consistently soulful Bonobo, is only a month or so away from having another full-length album under its belt.

Sinden Tours Stateside, Drops Free Mix

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:09:49 -0800

London-based DJ, producer, and all around party-starter, Sinden (of The Count & Sinden) is set to bring his particular style of bombastic electro-house across the pond for a very—very!—short US tour.

Crosstown Rebels Launch Rebel Rave US Tour with Deniz Kurtel, Seth Troxler, and More

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:00:00 -0800

The UK's Crosstown Rebels label started an online TV show back in the beginning of 2008 called Rebel Rave. The intermittent program has showcased the likes of Wolf + Lamb, Seth Troxler, Dinky, and Jamie Jones, and is now bringing a selection of those names to North America in their cross-country tour.

In The Studio: Luciano—With a newly minted studio in Switzerland, Lucien Nicolet expands on his global sound.

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:00:00 -0800

Since the beginning of the decade, Lucien Nicolet (a.k.a. Luciano) has risen in the ranks to become one of the premier DJs and producers in the world, releasing countless records and highly regarded remixes, many of which found release on his acclaimed label, Cadenza.

Inbox: Daniel Wang

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:00:00 -0800

This week, Inbox gets chummy with Germany-based nu-disco DJ and producer Daniel Wang. The right-handed East Berliner, who has also lived in places such as Taiwan and New York, designs his ideal college course, noshes on meat-centric German grub, grooves to Canadian disco, and sports sweaters that would make Bill Cosby jealous. The Best of Balihu 1993-2008, a two-disc compilation culling offerings from Wang’s independent label, is out now on Rush Hour.

Schlachthofbronx and Man Recordings Start Remix Contest

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:00:00 -0800

Deutschland's bass-toting, world-beat-loving, party-starting production trio, Schlachthofbronx, just announced the beginning of a remix competition for their latest single, "Ayoba."

Strange Magic: Klimek Expounds on the Themes that Influenced his Latest Album.

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:00:00 -0800

Polish-born, Berlin-based sound artist Sebastian Meissner is in the midst of a hyper-creative multiple-personality crisis. Only rarely has he been himself for the past decade, choosing names like aUTOkoNTRasT, Bizz Circuits, Random Inc, Random Industries, Autopoieses (with Ekkehard Ehlers) and, most notably, Klimek for his various noise and ambient experiments on Mille Plateaux, Kompakt, and Anticipate Recordings.

Little Brother Announces Fourth and Final Album

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:00:00 -0800

Almost a decade after forming in their home town of Durham, North Carolina, MCs Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh (collectively known as Little Brother) have announced that their upcoming fourth album, LeftBack, will also be their last record together.

Download the New Issue of XLR8R, Starring Matías Aguayo!

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:42:47 -0800

Don't sleep! Read the new issue of XLR8R online now! From Latin playboy Matías Aguayo's creative take on house to Londoners L-Vis 1990 and Bok Bok holding it down with their club and label, Night Slugs, to a full-on survey of the unnameable scene that encompasses Washed Out, Pictureplane, Toro Y Moi, and Neon Indian, this issue of XLR8R is packed with heat!

Chapterhouse to Reunite for Spring US Tour

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0800

XLR8R's Patrick Sisson, writer of last year's Vapour Trails: Revisiting Shoegaze piece, informs us via an email from guitarist/vocalist Stephen Patman that the UK's Chapterhouse is set to reunite for a US tour this spring.

New York's The Bunker, Akufen to Travel to Colorado for Communikey

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:00:00 -0800

This April, the Rocky Mountain State is going to get a taste of unadulterated New York techno with the Brooklyn-based dance club The Bunker transporting itself out to Boulder, Colorado for the third annual Communikey festival.

Slug Life: London Bassheads L-Vis 1990 and Bok Bok Slither Between Genres While Keeping it Deceptively Simple

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:00:00 -0800

At the bottom of the flyer for last October's edition of Night Slugs, the London club night run by Alex "Bok Bok" Sushon and James "L-Vis 1990" Connolly, it simply states: "house/bass." Compared to the convoluted descriptions you see on most rave handbills and posters—full of buzzwords trying to tempt floating punters inside the door—it's simultaneously simple and all-encompassing, and gives the first clue to the policy of what London's best party is all about.

New Superpitcher Album Coming in May

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:16:40 -0800

German microhouse producer and part-time collaborator on the Supermayer project with Michael Mayer, Aksel Schaufler (a.k.a. Superpitcher) is taking time off of his noteworthy side-projects to release the second full-length of his solo career. Entitled Kilimanjaro, the new record comes six years after its predecessor, Here Comes Love.

Video: D-Lo "No Hoe Remix Feat. E-40, Beeda Weeda, and The Jacka"

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:01:16 -0800

Yeah, we know hyphy is dead and we're not exactly stoked on the song's message—for the record, we definitely DO give a fuck about hoes, erm... women—but damn if this new video for the remix of Oakland rapper D-Lo's street anthem "No Hoe," featuring jaw-dropping guest turns from E-40, Beeda Weeda, and The Jacka, doesn't make us want to pull out our white tees, start turfing, ride the yellow bus, and yell "BAY AREA" like it's 2006 all over again.

Lemonade Announces Official Follow-Up to Debut Album

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0800

San Francisco expatriates and Brooklyn residents, the sun-loving trio Lemonade, are set to expand on their ecstasy-fueled, tropically rhythmic dance jams with the release of a new EP March 9 on True Panther.