Kiss & Punch (Edit)

Lapalux is a name you might have heard flying around the web 2.0 over the past few months, a producer hailing from Essex adding his two cents (I say two cents, I really mean his 2gs) to the leftfield/electronic/hip hop/bass/post/beat shit. Quite frankly, he's on fire, uploading new tracks weekly to his Soundcloud and hitting the nail on the head with his style of production; broken/lazy beats, static humming, field recordings, wet claps/clops/clicks/cloks, vinyl dirtrolls, grating x lush synths, vocal snips etc. He ticks all the boxes, plus many more.

Having just released his 'Many Faces Out Of Focus EP' on the up and coming Pictures label, self released his Forrest EP via his Bandcamp, and recorded numerous mixes for the likes of Sonic Router, Boiler Room and more, you know that he's sitting on a lot of unreleased material and you know that hes only going to get bigger from here on. Since his 'Forest EP', you can hear the progression/change in his sound, taking a slightly more softer touch with 'Many Faces...', and focusing more on working with space, ambience and atmosphere, notably in the appropriately titled 'Time, Patience, Everything'. To be honest, I probably preferred the stuff he did on the 'Forrest EP' ('Deforestation' is quite something), but its all still very good and worth listening to at the least. XLR8R gave away a tune off 'Many Faces..' a month ago, so to give you a taste:

Lapalux - Time Spike Jamz (via XLR8R)

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Samiyam is to release an LP on Brainfeeder in June entitled 'Sam Bakers Album'. After releasing Rap Beats Vol. 1 on Brainfeeder back in 2008 and thus leading pushing and maintaing the LA beat scene, hes released an EP with Hyperdub, 'Man Vs. Machine' on Poo Bah, and a split LP with fellow crew member Ras G on Dublin's All City. With a string of detached instrumental tracks floating on Youtube, his Bootleg Beats, and material made with Flying Lotus as FlyamSam, as well, I'm very much looking forward to this album, and since I saw this last year, my anticipation has grown ridiculously. He has become one of my favourite producers of the past few years, and seeing proof of new material got me more excited than I have been with any artist/track/album in a long time. MVMNT posted two low quality streams of 'Understanding' & 'Frosting Packets'

Shigeto - And We're Gonna Go (Samiyam Chopsticks Rmx) (via 92BPM)

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Something to leave you with, check out their mix for BBC Radio 1 on the Soundcloud.. Wow. And is it me, or is there far too much hype around Tyler (The Creator) (quite feeling that tune still)/Odd Future....?

+++ Love You Up. (DEMO) --- by T.I.P

The 9th Edition

Price films presents: The Wonder Year. A documentary that follows hip hop producer 9th Wonder for a year, 'from his childhood home to late nights in the studio and everywhere in- between'. As a huge fan of 9th's work, I'm very much looking forward to watching this. It looks as though it goes quite deep into the friction and beef that occurred during the Little Brother years between Phonte & 9th as well.

I would delve more into my love for this producer (no homo), but its 03.00, I need to sleep.

Quantum Leap (Man's Back)

I'll spare the handful (if that) of readers a pitiful speech of why I haven't blogged anything in so long, but because of my laziness, the list of material I want to chat breeze about has amounted to too much to fit into an easily digestible blogpost. I've narrowed down the list though, (its taken me since last week to do that) and I'll start with letting you know that teleportation is well on its way.

Om Unit is a producer I have grown to love. Shamefully, I've only just purchased 'The Corridor EP', and its fantastic. I'm pretty pissed off at myself for not getting it sooner, or when it came out last year on Plasticman/Plastician's imprint 'Terrorhythm Recordings' (something which I was suprised at). But I've been a fan since I heard his remix of 'My World' by Mizz Beatz (BTW, Mizz Beatz released an EP on Eglo not so long, and 2Bit Road is a beatiful hip hop instrumental, its how hip hop instrumentals should sound; a good sample found and looped, which doesnt get boring (See Ya Dayz R #'D)).

'The Corridor EP' portrays a future dystopia; slow paced, half time rhythms, airy 80's synths and arpeggiators, big reverbs and delays - something you could imagine in Blade Runner (to which there are rumours of a prequel/sequel... sigh). Its progressive, and an atmosphere is definitely built and created within each of the tracks. And to top this off, a remix of the title track from the talented Shigeto. It's only £3, so its definitely worth buying it. You should probably go ahead and get Lavender as well while you're at his Bandcamp - an amazing track which runs along the same vibe as 'The Corridor EP'. Oh, and also check his remix for Take's 'Juniper', another amazing piece of work. All of this is available through his website, including his latest release on Civil Music, 'The Timps EP', which includes a very nice rework from Salva on there too.

Om Unit - Neptune (Left Click)

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I've been listening to a lot of house recently, having my horizons broadened even more to the masses of music that is available to us. Schmoov! are 3 guys from Nottingham who have been around for a minute now, having music first released in 1999 with their track 'Destinations'. Their album 'While You Wait' was released in 2001 with great acclaim, which perfectly showcased their sexual, funk influenced deep house. The one stand-out track from this album for me has to 'Playground', it will take you somewhere else, whether you're stone sober or high as a kite. The submersed and dreamy pad which lasts from start to finish indulges your imagination with whatever you find most comforting (I apologise with softcore writing, but the pad is a lot!). Kick back and forget about your worries and troubles for 6 and half minutes.

I leave you with a lil throwback track, a track to make you crack yo' neck to.

New Jamie XX, Siriusmo, James Blake and Unsigned Heat

We've got a lot to look forward to this year, no doubt, but I don't even know where to begin.

Jamie XX has successfully made a name for himself after winning the 2010 Mercury Music Prize last year as one thrid of a band to which I'm sure many of you know, The XX. After recently showcasing his new interest into chopped and screwed UK Funky tracks, bashment riddims and Lumidee in his mix for Radio 1's Benji B earlier this week, he's been keeping busy to say the least. Over the year, theres been a string of remixes that hes written, ranging from America's answer to future garage FaltyDL, to Florence & The Machine. And now, with a remix for Brit school singer Adele for her forthcoming single 'Rolling In The Deep' as well as his remix project for Gil Scott Heron's album 'I'm New Here' (entitled 'We're New Here', grab two tracks here'), it is right to say that big things are in the pipeline for this guy.

Jamie XX Mix For Benji B (Jan 2011) - Pinglewood

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Siriusmo is a producer I've only recently come across through listening to Modeselektor's Modeselection Vol.1 and 50 Weapons of Choice #2-9 compilations. Hailing from Techno capital Berlin, his productions are evident of the rave scene and his sound is truely unique, with obvious influences from French House, off-kiltered Hip Hop beats and Dubstep. He very successfully combines all these sounds into each of his head-nodding, bass-heavy driven wonders, without no lack in nicely rounded and plucky melody lines.

I've yet to dig through the digital libraries of past materials from this one, but with an album due out February 25th on Modeselektors own Monkeytown Records, his soundcloud 50 second snippets are just about enought to suffice my needs until the album is released.

Siriusmo - Das Geheimnis

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You should already know about him by now, probably, but James Blake has come from making non intentional dancefloor fillers to.. well, even more refined non intentional dancefloor fillers (this being said positively, not negatively). Making the best of creating atmosphere and a sense of space in the majority of his tracks, his background in Jazz piano and vocals is very much present, although more so in his recent work.

While releasing material on Untold's Label Hemlock Recordings, R&S, Hessle Audio, Ramp Recordings' sister label Brainmath, and his latest release on Atlas Recordings (with forthcoming album, to which was very unfortunetly leaked onto the net), he has easily maintained continuity and at the same time showed great variation and progression in his sound over the past few years, notebly including material under the alias Harmonimix.

Mix For Boiler Room #39 - ReadPlatform.com

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Some free material from a few friends of mine down in Brighton now, a beat tape from J Biscuits and an EP from Lost Twin. Both very talented producers, both bringing us material that really shouldn't be free.

J Biscuits offers his own delightful take on the infamous beat tape, entitled 'Northern Soul Beats'. Bite-sized and easily digestable tracks which have been sampled from various records that were around during the Northern Soul movement. This should be an instant listen for you if you're a fan of Dilla/Madlib, and I'm as impressed with the production and quality of this mixtape as much as I was when I first heard Beat Konducta Vol. 1. You can tell he's been digging, and I think that adds so much more to the listening experience. 'Valerie Amar (Humbug)' and 'Kenny Carter (Don't Go)' are throwback tracks for me and probably my favourtie out of the 11. Get some draw, some decent speakers and just relax to this. Amazing work, spread word yo! More free bits on his Soundcloud

J Biscuits - Northern Soul Beats

Saskatchewan Suite is an EP Lost Twin sent over to me last week or so to which I've been listening to religiously, a great example of new, off-kiltered fresh electronic hip hop. He merges his signature soft and luscious synth sounds into emotionally driven melodies, with drums and percussion that subtley pierce through each track. I'm finding it relatively hard to describe how the EP sounds to me and how it makes me feel, which is definitely a good sign. Fans of the Brainfeeder sound, Paul White, or Mike Slott, download this please. Again, hes put up a few of free beats on his Soundcloud as well... Spread word!

Lost Twin - Saskatchewan Suite EP

Welcome 2011 (Top 10s of 2010)

A new year, a fresh start. I'm going to try and blog as often as I can, I was pretty lazy in the past with this but I've decided to give it a go properly and stick to my 2011 schedule (dun know about my new years resolution schedule) of organising myself and my time more efficiently and productively. It hasn't been a particulaly great start of the year for me to be honest, but I guess thats mostly due to the post festive blues; Yup, we're not lounging around watching pointless television garbage, such as the top 100 Christmas adverts. We're back to the monotony of our regular 9-5's.

Looking back now rather than forward, music from the past year has been phenomenal, with a large handfull of artists yet again pushing the boundaries of newly established hybrids of genres across the board. Seeing as I am starting a new look with this blog, I'll give you the DL on what I plan to write about once a week (hopefully): Hip Hop, House & Dubstep/140bpm (more so the 'post-dubstep', or whatever you want to call it, I'm not so keen on this brostep business thank you). Obviously, it won't be so strict, and I use these genre names to cover a wide variety of different sounds. To give you an idea, I've done a set of top 10's for each (in no particular order):

Funky/House/Garage Tip
1. Machinedrum - Carry The Weight (Bok Bok Remix)
2. Mosca - Gold Bricks, I See You
3. Lone - Once In A While
4. FaltyDL - My Friends Will Always Say
5. Gongon & Bad Autopsy - Magz Remix
6. Ramadanman - Work It
7. Kidkut & Arkist -Vanilla Inmate
8. Jam City - 2 Hot
9. Breach - Fatherless / Doc Daneeka Remix
10. Egyptrixx - Everybody Bleeding (Kingdom Remix)

140ish Tip
1. Sepalcure - Love Pressue
2. James Blake - CMYK
3. Joe - Claptrap
4. Addison Groove - Footcrab
5. Airhead & James Blake - Lock In The Lion
6. Girl Unit - IRL (Bok Bok Remix)
7. Jamie XX & Gil Scott Heron - NY Is Killing Me
8. Throwing Snow - Un Vingt
9. DJG - Bare Hands (Feat. Komodo)
10. James Pants - Diamond Head

Hip Hop-ish Tip
1. Ski Beats, Mos Def & Whosane - Taxi
2. Andreya Triana - Lost Where I Belong (Flying Lotus Remix)
3. Samiyam - Fishsticks
4. Bullion - Crazy Over You
5. Anything by Take
6. Biggie - Suicidal Thoughts (Lorn Remix)
7. KenLo Craqnuques - L'Automne En Amour
8. Onra - Long Distance
9. Mosca - Tilt Shift
10. Flying Lotus - Zodiac Shit