XLR8R News and Features

CRST Prep Single for Valve

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:00 -0600

The Valve imprint, traditionally a home for some of the UK's finest drum & bass, has decided to expand its sound palette in 2012, beginning with a 12" from garage- and bass-loving Welsh outfit CRST.

D'Angelo "Untitled (How Does It Feel?) (L-Vis 1990's Own Way Edit)"

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:00 -0600

Earlier this week, soul crooner D' Angelo returned to the stage after essentially disappearing from music for the past decade.

Ben Sims Readies New EP with Remixes from Robert Hood, Rolando, and Skudge

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Ben Sims, London's long-time champion of heavy techno, has announced a new EP, Slow Motion, which will see a release through his own Theory imprint and come complete with an impressive set of remixes.

Krystal Klear, Broke One, and Ghosts On Tape "You Said You Loved Me"

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0600

If you paid close enough attention to the events that transpired over the course of Red Bull Music Academy's 2011 edition in Madrid, you'll most likely recognize the names of all three producers who have contributed to "You Said You Loved Me." That's right, Krystal Klear, Broke One (pictured above), and Ghosts On Tape were all in attendance for a session of last year's RBMA and that is where they crafted this slice of '90s-inspired, peak-hour house. Furthermore, the good people at RBMA have announced a forthcoming double-disc compilation, Various Assets, which will come loaded with more tasty collaborative tracks such as this. And for all the budding producers out there hoping to get their chance to similarly learn and work with like-minded collaborators, take note that RBMA is now accepting applications for its 2012 sessions in New York. You can head here for all the details and watch a video which explains exactly what a session at RBMA entails, after the jump.

Video Premiere: DJ Raff "Digital Rain"

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0600

Barcelona's DJ Raff is one of the newest names to be added to the roster over at Nacional—an imprint that has been pushing the envelope of contemporary Latin music for years now. In a stroke of musical generosity, the label has passed along this video for Raff's "Digital Rain," along with a free download of the bliss-tinged beat.

Dark Sky Announces Forthcoming EP

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0600

South London trio Dark Sky has announced plans to follow up last year's excellent Radius EP with a new four-track effort, Black Rainbows.

CFCF "Exercise #3 (Building)"

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 -0600

Taking a brief break from his usual disco-inclined production, Canadian producer CFCF has put together a mini-LP of sorts, one that's surprisingly made up entirely of sprawling, piano-based compositions inspired by the hybrid pieces of Phillip Glass, Ryuchi Sakamoto, and other such artists. The eight-song effort, Excercises (artwork above), is said to show a much more introspective side to CFCF than we're used to seeing, but if "Exercise #3 (Building)" is any indication, the songs will likely yield some rather enjoyable results. The full mini-album is still a ways out from dropping, as its release date is April 24, so, for now, we'll just have to savor this gorgeous slice of vast, spacious electronics in all its melodious, meandering glory. You can check the full tracklist for Exercises after the jump.

All Over Me EP

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:00:00 -0600

Brixton's 92 Points label quietly crept on to the scene last year, dropping the one-sided "Mr. 67" single from Visionist, one of several producers behind the young imprint. Now, 92 Points has offered up a sophomore effort, tapping Puerto Rican producer Magnum to put together a five-song EP, All Over Me.

Teebs, Sonnymoon, and Time Wharp Announce Spring Tour, Offer New Mix

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0600

LA beatsmith Teebs (pictured above) has gathered up like-minded outfits Sonnymoon and Time Wharp for an East Coast tour beginning in March.

Tyga "Rack City (Taz Buckfaster Remix)"

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0600

Last week, 2012's most ubiquitous hip-hop hit thus far, "Rack City" by Tyga, got the official remix treatment, replete with guest drops from Wale, Meek Mill, Fabolous, Young Jeezy, and T.I.

Video: Nicolas Jaar "Materials"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0600

With only a few days before Nicolas Jaar and the Clown and Sunset Aesthetics collective premier a five-hour multimedia performance in New York, it seems only right that a new video should surface.

Venetian Snares Readies New EP

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 -0600

Next month, veteran IDM/breakcore producer Venetian Snares (a.k.a. Aaron Funk) will follow up last year's Cubist Reggae with another set of patently spastic sounds.

Galapagoose "One Who Can't Move"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:00 -0600

Melbourne's Galapagoose has announced the impending release of his debut LP, Commitments, on March 13 via Daedelus' Magical Properties imprint (via Two Bright Lakes in Australia). The Aussie producer has shared the arresting "One Who Can't Move" in advance of that record, a two-minute song that mashes together a vocal and piano sample with airy synth lines and turns the side-chain compression up to 11. It all results in a unique crossover between frozen-in-place beat music and a sort of downtempo house. You can check out the artwork and tracklist for Commitments, after the jump.

Champion Announces New 12" Featuring Princess Nyah

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0600

London-based UK funky patron Champion has announced a forthcoming new single, "Crazy," which features the vocal stylings of Princess Nyah and a remix from Terror Danjah & D.O.K on the flip.

Maribou State "Olivia (MAO Remix)"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0600

With the release of Maribou State's Olivia EP only days away, this remix of the title track from mysterious newcomer(s) MAO is quite timely. The memorable combination of chopped vocals from the original remain in tact, but the melodic marimba melody is cut to bits as the already moody tune turns even darker on this garage-leaning remix.

Video: Orthy "Sueños"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0600

Austin, TX's Orthy, who released his debut EP via Wurst last fall, just shared this summery video for the standout track "Sueños."

XLR8R's Top 20 Downloads of January

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0600

We're officially one month into 2012, which means it's time again to share our break down of the most downloaded tracks on XLR8R over the past 31 days.

Faws "Take Notice"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 -0600

Very little biographical information is known about Dublin's Faws, who recently shared his debut EP, Antonym (pictured above), as a stream on his Bandcamp. "Take Notice," the first track, features a filtered, repeating R&B vocal cushioned by soft, jazzy keyboard samples and percussion.

"Treehouse" b/w "To Me"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:00:00 -0600

It's absolutely no surprise that when Ifan Dafydd first appeared on the scene with a couple of bootleg remixes streaming on YouTube, people thought it was James Blake operating under a pseudonym. The bubbly rhythms, the rich synth chords, the fractured vocal blips, the soulful musicality, the big sub frequencies; it was all a bit too coincidentally familiar. (Hell, the Welsh producer even looks a bit like Blake.) "Miranda" and "No Good" sounded like an ideal mix of the sullen ballads heard on the divisive James Blake and the percolating post-you-know-what offered by cuts like "CMYK," but, as it turns out, Dafydd is certainly his own man with his own tunes. His debut 12" for Push & Run, however, doesn't exactly prove it.

Turbo Preps Renaissance Man Remix LP

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:00:00 -0600

Finnish duo Renaissance Man dropped its debut full-length, The Renaissance Man Project, last year via Turbo, and now, the Montreal-based label is preparing a companion remix LP in support of that effort.

Evian Christ "Drip"

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0600

YouTube and blogosphere sensation Evian Christ has signed to Tri Angle, our favorite record label of 2011. Ahead of the producer's proper label debut, the young UK artist has released high-quality mastered versions of tracks previously available as YouTube rips.

John Talabot Releases Debut Album, Shares New Track

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 -0600

Barcelona house producer John Talabot dropped his debut LP, ƒin (pictured above), yesterday via Munich's nu-disco hotbed, Permanent Vacation.

Masters at Work Lecture at Red Bull Music Academy's 'New York City to SF Bay' Series

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:00 -0600

Last week, XLR8R's very own Senior Editor, Shawn Reynaldo, sat down for an in-depth interview with "Little" Louie Vega and Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez of pioneering production duo Masters at Work.

Graphics "MacGrackleton"

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 -0600

We've been following the rise of Alfie McGibbon for some time now. Over the past year or so, the 19-year-old Brit has brought us a host of impressive UK bass-leaning originals and remixes, all produced under the name Graphics.

Hot City and LOL Boys Team Up for Collaborative EP

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Unknown to the Unknown label boss Hot City is teaming up with LA/Montreal duo LOL Boys for a two-song EP to be released on UTTU.

Video: Al Tourettes "Inventing"

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0600

Bristol-based beatsmith Al Tourettes (a.k.a. Al Storey) has released this video for "Inventing," a Bruce Haack-sounding tune that will be one half of Storey's two-song EP due out later this month through the Sneaker Social Club label. The odd clip appears to document the goings-on inside the mind of a horny science undergrad as he struggles to make it through his class schedule while dosing on mushrooms.

Jean Nipon "Girl Complex (Voltron Refix)"

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0600

The Belgian bass entrepreneurs at the Silverback label are set to drop another release, this time from French producer Jean Nipon. The party-starting Frenchman has displayed a knack for genre hopping over the years, turning out everything from baile funk bootlegs to electro-tinged bangers. The five-track Girl Complex EP (artwork above), which will be released on February 20, finds him experimenting with tropical-flavored house and chopped-up vocal bits. It also includes remixes from Jam City, JTRP, and Silverback label bosses Voltron. The latter has been offered up as a free download, and finds Voltron stripping down the original's burly rhythm and employing loping percussion that loosely recalls the unique drum patterns of tribal guarachero. Paired with some nimble synth melodies and an ominously seductive vocal sample, the track comes together quite nicely. A preview of the rest of the EP and the complete tracklist can be found after the jump.

oOoOO to Release a New EP; Download First Single Now

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0600

Yesterday, reclusive San Francisco producer oOoOO (a.k.a. Christopher Greenspan) announced that he will be releasing a new five-song EP, once again via the Tri Angle label.

High Five: Grimes

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0600

Claire Boucher has been on something of a winning streak over the past couple of years. Starting with a 15-song cassette debut in 2010, the Montreal-based artist known as Grimes has quickly developed from her beginnings as a nascent experimentalist into the darling of homemade pop music with the quiet release of a second LP and her more celebrated split EP with fellow Canadian d'Eon, Darkbloom, in 2011. Now, as Boucher sits merely weeks away from the release of her third album, Visions, via 4AD (along with her own Arbutus imprint), she already seems poised to ascend to a whole new level.

South South Million "Baff Speech"

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 -0600

Detroit duo South South Million—a project that "centers around the collage of live instrumentation, samples, and found sounds"—has a new full-length scheduled to drop on March 6 via Brooklyn imprint Triple Down, and is sharing one of Wind Hand Caught in the Door's 16 handmade tunes ahead of its release.