XLR8R News and Features

The Lowdown - This Week's XLR8R Top 10 with Four Tet, Daft Punk, Disclosure, Mount Kimbie, Boards of Canada, and More

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:00 -0700

Throughout the week, a whole lot of material gets posted here on XLR8R. And while we know—and love—that some hardcore readers will eagerly pour over every single news story, interview, podcast, video, and MP3 download that appears on the site, we also realize that for most people, it's impossible to see everything, which means that some quality XLR8R content is likely to get missed in the hustle and bustle of everyone's daily lives. In the interest of making it easier for everyone to catch up, every Friday we present The Lowdown, a weekly wrap-up of the top 10 tidbits from our site.

Video Premiere: Orphan "Hours"

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:15:00 -0700

Earlier this month, a producer by the name of Orphan shared a track from her recent tape for the patten-helmed Kaleidoscope label. Now, Orphan has revealed an entrancing video for the tape's "Hours" track.

Seapoint "Triangle Optics"

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:58:54 -0700

Before the release of his forthcoming Lunar Eve EP, Montreal-based producer Seapoint (a.k.a. Rafael Bucio) has unveiled a futuristic dancefloor beauty in "Triangle Optics." Initially soaked in nostalgic chord washes, arpeggiated synths, and sparse vocal samples, the track switches gears midway through in order to follow a catchy bassline and infectious, garage-minded rhythms.

Virgo Four Split Revealed

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:48:35 -0700

After re-emerging as a duo in 2010 thanks to a Rush Hour reissue of its seminal self-titled 1989 album, Merwyn Sanders and Eric Lewis (a.k.a. Virgo Four) have enjoyed a new career as a revered production outfit from Chicago house's salad days, releasing some retrospective material while also maintaining an ongoing live show. However, towards the end of 2011, Sanders (pictured above, right) actually decided to split ways with Lewis (pictured above, left) in hopes of pursuing a solo career—a task he says has been hindered by the fact that his departure was not publicized and that much of Virgo Four's current promotional material continue to use his name and image.

Check Out a New Mix from Ikonika

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:05:50 -0700

Ahead of her appearance at the upcoming release party for Kode9's Rinse:22 mix CD, UK DJ/producer Ikonika (a.k.a. Sara Abdel-Hamid) has assembled a new mix.

AKRA x Flilppo Rocco "PVC"

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:00 -0700

Teng is yet another fledgling imprint currently lounging in a bit of obscurity, biding its time while it builds up a sizeable amount of cred, pushing the tunes it has to offer as hard as it can. The approach has worked before and with right combination of quality work and luck, eventually, something has to make its way to the forefront.

This Week in Music Tech: Mount Kimbie, Four Tet, Carl Craig, Traxman, and More, Plus an In-Depth Mastering Lecture

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:00:00 -0700

This week brings a star-studded roundup featuring gear-related videos and interviews with Mount Kimbie, Four Tet, Carl Craig, Traxman, Robert Owens, Raffertie, and KiNK. All of that, plus RBMA's lecture with veteran mastering engineer Herb Powers Jr., makes the latest edition of This Week in Music Tech an essential one.

Listen to a Reversed Version of Boards of Canada's New Single

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:44:12 -0700

Yesterday, the world was treated to its first new Boards of Canada song in eight years, the quietly brooding "Reach for the Dead," which probably would've been more than enough to old fans over until the duo's long-awaited Tomorrow's Harvest LP drops on June 10. But now, Warp has ever so cryptically shared a reversed version of that track's music video for us to pour over.

Lone Announces New 12" for R&S

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:10:49 -0700

Nottingham's purveyor of dayglo dancefloor sounds, Matt Cutler (a.k.a. Lone) has announced that his next record will arrive via R&S just a over a year after the release of 2012's solid Galaxy Garden.

Press Play: MK, Skream, Hyetal, Ryan Hemsworth, and More

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 07:00:00 -0700

A ton of great music appeared on the internet as streaming audio and video this week—more so than usual, it seems. We're not exaggerating: We've got record streams, fresh mixes, free downloads, high-profile remixes, and more from artists like MK, Skream, The Miracles Club, John Tejada, Ryan Hemsworth, Koreless, Joe Godard, Natasha Kmeto, and Hyetal, among others. All of the sights and sounds of this week's edition of Press Play can full enjoyed after the jump.

Weval "The Most (David Douglas Remix)"

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 06:00:00 -0700

On the back of Dutch production duo Weval's (pictured above) debut release—the grainy, keyboard-led Half Age EP which dropped in March via Applescal's Atomnation imprint—we're offering up a dancefloor-oriented remix of EP track "The Most" from labelmate David Douglas.

XTEP EP

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:00:00 -0700

According to the press materials for μ-Ziq's first studio release in five years, the XTEP EP finds Planet Mu boss Mike Paradinas abandoning "the furrow-browed quest for cutting-edge exploration" in favor of a creative process focused on pure enjoyment. It comes as little surprise, then, to find that the record—which arrives ahead of a forthcoming summer album—comprises five tracks of unabashedly carefree, nostalgic, and readily accessible electronic music. Fortunately, what μ-Ziq's latest lacks in daring originality, it largely makes up in for in melodic joyfulness and sheer likeability.

Chrissy Murderbot "Alright (Calculon & Austin Speed Remix)"

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:00:00 -0700

On June 6, Pixelord's Russian outpost Hyperboloid will unleash the latest record from juke-obsessed partystarter Chrissy Murderbot (a.k.a. Chris Shively).

10 EP

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:00:00 -0700

Often in his career, Sei A (a.k.a. Andy Graham) has been categorized as a tech-house producer, and while his earliest efforts may have fit that mold a bit better, the tag really does the man's current work a disservice. Perhaps due to their brilliantly clean and direct production, Sei A's tunes can lend themselves to a somewhat "techy" sound, but in the past two years or so, his efforts have taken shape as a consistently evolving hybrid between bass, techno, and house. Now, after a gap in releases, Sei A has reluanched his own Seinan imprint—co-run alongside Logan—with a muscular three-track outing that follows last year's strong efforts on Turbo, Kompakt Extra, and Aus sister label Simple.

Listen to the New Single from Boards of Canada

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:24:00 -0700

It may have taken nearly eight years, but late last month, seminal Warp outfit Boards of Canada finally announced its follow-up to The Campfire Headphase, the forthcoming Tomorrow's Harvest LP. Never ones to rush, Scottish producers Michael Sandison and Marcus Eoin have only just unveiled that album's first single, the somberly disquieting "Reach for the Dead."

Listen to a Brand-New Track from Disclosure's Debut LP

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:31:27 -0700

Disclosure's web omnipresence seems to have gotten even more of a jolt today, first with the duo sharing the stream of a remix from Bicep of its "You and Me" single (which can be heard in full here), and now unveiling another single from its forthcoming debut LP, Settle, the mostly instrumental "When a Fire Starts to Burn."

Video Premiere: Adult. "Idle (Second Thoughts)"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:24:56 -0700

The new video for the "Idle (Second Thoughts)" single from reactivated Detroit synth duo Adult. (a.k.a. husband-and-wife team Adam Lee Miller and Nicola Kupurus) is one of the last results of a long-fought crawl towards the outfit's new record for Ghostly, The Way Things Fall.

Alfie "Turn It Around (Edit)"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:00 -0700

Following last year's very well-received "Uncomfortably Numb" b/w "About Midday" single, budding 18-year-old UK producer Alfie released his new Hy-Brasil EP via the Space + Time label towards the end of last month. The EP—made up of four taut garage-house hybrids, including a remix from London producer Citizen—has been busy making the rounds, but in the meantime, Alfie has decided to share the shuffling, slow-burning non-EP cut "Turn It Around (Edit)." For those who may have missed its initial release, the young producer's Hy-Brasil EP can be streamed in full after the jump.

Watch Richie Hawtin's RBMA Lecture

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:40:32 -0700

Techno luminary and Minus label head Richie Hawtin recently stopped by the Red Bull Music Academy couch to field a range of questions about his days in Windsor and Detroit, his experience running forward-thinking labels, and his constant drive to push the envelope of electronic music technology.

Julio Bashmore Announces North American Tour, Shares Second Collab with Kowton

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:20:57 -0700

Bristol mainstay Julio Bashmore is having an exceedingly productive 2013. Running on the surge which followed last year's Au Seve and Husk EPs for his own Broadwalk imprint, the man has had his name attached to just about every major festival bill and, in between constant DJ sets, recently cooked up a collaboration with fellow Bristol mate Kowton. Now, Bashmore has announced he will be making stops in North America this summer, in addition to unearthing a second track from his collaboration with Kowton.

Juan Atkins, Kode9, Caribou, Julio Bashmore, Ben UFO, MK, and More Announced for MoMA PS1 Warm Up

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:47:57 -0700

MoMA PS1's summer music series will return to New York's Long Island City museum beginning the last weekend of June, and is set to bring an impressive roster of top-notch DJ, producers, and performers—some who come a bit more experimental and plenty who know their way around a dancefloor—to its weekly outdoor party.

Youandewan Readies New EP for Simple, Shares Title Track

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:35:52 -0700

With two EPs already in the books this year—Dissaray and Times—rising Leeds house maestro Youandewan has announced the forthcoming What's the Deal? EP set to see a release via Aus sub-label Simple.

The Crystal Ark "Rain (Discodeine Remix)"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:00:00 -0700

Just in time for DFA's 12th anniversary party this weekend—a shindig going down in NYC as part of Red Bull Music Academy's month-long series of events—we've gotten our hands on Discodeine's remix of "Rain," a cut from The Crystal Ark's recent self-titled LP.

Al Tourettes Readies Debut EP for Houndstooth as Second Storey

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:52:04 -0700

Veteran Bristol-based producer Al Tourettes (a.k.a. Alan Storey) has decided to shelve his Tourettes moniker and continue onwards as Second Storey, with the new handle's debut EP set to drop next month via Fabric sub-label Houndstooth.

An Inside Look at RBMA New York 2013

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:00:00 -0700

Most people experience the Red Bull Music Academy as a month-long series of sponsored events, bold advertisements plastered onto tall buildings and subway walls, and copies of the Daily Note newspaper. But those are only the most visible aspects of the Academy's 2013 edition, which kicked off its second term in New York City this week. In fact, most of RBMA takes place in a single building in Chelsea, where a carefully selected group of 30 musicians from around the world have been set loose in artistically designed, state-of-the-art studios and a contingent of writers, PR agents, and assorted music industry folks labor over various other projects upstairs. When the Academy is in session, RBMA headquarters houses an entire music-business ecosystem that produces not only fresh tunes and an extensive lineup of events, but daily newspapers, art installations, and lengthy lectures from seasoned artists. Since most of RBMA isn't open to the public, it largely remains a mystery to those not directly involved. As such, XLR8R spent two days scurrying around the epicenter of the behemoth culture machine that is RBMA, taking an inside look at the daily life of its participants.

Listen to Bicep's Remix for Disclosure

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:52:57 -0700

As on-fire UK duo Disclosure continues to ramp up to the June 3 release of its debut LP, Settle, another popular production duo, Bicep, has shared its remix of one of that record's early singles.

Hi, Doctor Nick! - The Necessary Evil of Self-Promotion and the Secret to Making Beats Without an MC

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:00:00 -0700

Nick Hook is a talented dude. The guy can make beats, play instruments, record rappers, and that's just a partial list. But he's also smart enough to know that no matter how talented someone is, they're going to need some help along the way. That's probably why he's agreed to sit down and answer our readers' questions each and every Thursday morning. He's got knowledge to share—people simply have to have ask. Hit him up at doctornick@xlr8r.com.

Yo. Hi. I think I'm dying. I've been up till 10 a.m. the last few days, and now its 4 a.m. and I gotta finish this column before I'm back at it again.

Dfalt "The Beggars"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:00 -0700

Los Angeles-based label Daylight Curfew has slowly gained traction as a promising imprint for leftfield hip-hop and downtempo productions, often served cold with a decidedly dub-wise aesthetic. One of the label's most interesting producers is L.A.

If You're Reading This EP

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:00:00 -0700

It's hard to tell whether or not there's a method to the madness that is the new EP by Manuel Gonzales (a.k.a. MGUN). Given the DJ/producer's comparably frazzled releases for Trilogy Tapes and Wild Oats, it's easy to assume that he knows exactly what he's doing. In terms of unabashed discord, however, Gonzales' prior efforts don't touch the material on If You're Reading This. Sure, elements of this sound can be traced through like-minded Detroit analog gods (Terrence Dixon in particular), but MGUN's new record ventures even further into the realms of experimental techno.

fLako "What's That Calling Me"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:00:00 -0700

Released in 2011, but made of productions completed between 2006 and 2008, fLako's part-beat-tape, part-proper-album The Mesektet will see a reissue as a double-LP next month via Project:Mooncircle, the label which originally issued the 30-track effort. In its forthcoming refurbished form, The Mesektet will come with a grab bag of previously unreleased tunes, including "What's That Calling Me," a track which shows off the London producer's ability to mash together disparate sonic worlds; in this case the loose, percussive swing of samba-esque loops and the spinning atmosphere of warbly, space-age synths. The Mesektet Extnd reissue is set to drop June 7; its full tracklist can be found after the jump.