Dim Mak veteran Felix Cartal will be releasing a 13-track full-length effort on March 27th titled Different Faces. I’m very excited to bring you today an exclusive first listen for of the first song off the album, a collaboration with DFA 1979 member Sebastien Grainger titled H.U.N.T.

It follows an epic cinematic album intro track – an area Different Faces occasionally meanders to – and sets up the feel of the upbeat dance record. With H.U.N.T., Felix marries his sensibilities as a veteran electro producer with the accessibility of Grainger’s voice. The result is an upbeat dance single ready for the radio as much as it is the summer festivals.

In Felix’ own words:

The first track on the record, features an extremely powerful vocal by Sebastien Grainger. I have always been a huge fan of Death From Above 1979 so to be able to work with Sebastien was amazing. Really wanted to embody some overdriven bass that I know compliments his voice so well. H.U.N.T. isn’t an abbreviation, it’s just spelling out the word HUNT with emphasis. Dance pop catchiness meets punk rock cool.

The album launches on March 27th, but you can pre-order it on iTunes now.

Also, Felix Cartal has a Different Faces Pre-Order Giveaway contest which you can enter here.

It’s here!!! “Victor”, the Zeds Dead & Omar LinX collab that Cal spoke of in his latest Zeds Dead profile has arrived via Mad Decent’s free music imprint Jeffree’s! This is a huge release for the Salacious darlings as they continue their ascent to the top of the electronica world. A Mad Decent affiliated release is just what these guys need to give them that extra boost towards international acclaim. If you have any interest in EDM or hip-hop the Victor mixtape will blow you away. No, I’m not exaggerating. This is definitely one of the best Zeds Dead releases to date and the fact that it’s free is just icing on the cake. I mean, 30 minutes and 28 seconds of striking dubstep-infused-hip-hop (or is it the other way around?) with Omar LinX rapping over some of Zeds Dead biggest hits like “Eyes on Fire” and “Rude Boy”; what more could you ask for?!

All 7 tracks on the mixtape are magnificent but I just can’t get over the 1-2 punch of “No Prayers” and “The One”. Both begin with sentimental piano, vinyl crackle, a female vocal sample and jazzy cymbals that segue into a standard boom-bap beat. Then, Omar LinX spits his opening line and it feels like you’re listening to an old school sample-based hip-hop track until Zeds Dead hit you with a shot of bass wobble and crisp 3/4 beats. They balance each other out perfectly; nothing is overdone or embellished tastelessly. There are few who could meld these two genres together with such tact and ease…but  Zeds Dead & Omar LinX are among those few.

Cop the entire Victor mixtape here:

The new 4-track WOLF compilation EP was released on the 9th of March, and features London based producers Medlar and KRL , Maxxi Soundsystem from Brighton and finally the Australian Weekend Express.

It’s full of deep and classic-chicago-sounding house vibes perfect for the springtime, and outside at the pool during the day.

Especially enjoying the Maxxi Soundsystem track; even at the extremely low bitrate of 128kbps this track sounds impossibly lush. I can’t wait to see how it sounds on a massive system!

The EP is currently available on 12″ – no word on the digital release, but we’ll update you when it becomes available!

Cassian recently released his remix of Snake Charmer for free on his soundcloud. The track has been in his sets, Bag Raiders’, Treasure Fingers’, and many others for some time now and it’s awesome to finally be able to listen to this bad boy at home. Definitely the grooviest and least offensive use of cowbell I’ve heard.

The track has awesome percussion more generally, and Cassian does his characteristically masterful job of pairing it up against a deep and funky ass synths.

Just had a listen to Xilent’s latest remix and dayyyyumn is it sounding nice. Make no mistake, this festival-ready banger still has a very electro-dubstep feel, but there are some other influences in there that make this a welcome break from aggressive modern-talking-laden tracks of yesteryear.

The Worldwide Gallery Traxx 2012 Mixtape is based upon somewhat of an idiosyncratic concept. Featuring nine tracks from the likes of: Brenmar, M.E.S.H., Craxxxmurf, Dju Dju, Pictureplane, Asa Cossaboom, Slava, LILINTERNET, and o F F Love; the mix is built around samples from 100 telephone conversations with gallery receptionists across the world concerning said “Worldwide Gallery’s” white cube interior. I’m not quite sure if this is meant to hold some deeper meaning (about receptionists?) or whether it is a stylistic choice but nonetheless, it creates an aura of mystery around the project.

In regards to the musical style, all 9 tracks on the mixtape seem to fit into what I would call ‘nu-rave’. Often-times we hear Skrillex or Deadmau5 being heralded as the leaders of a ‘new rave generation’ and while they have their place, I would argue that artists such as Pictureplane, LILINTERNET, Teengirl Fantasy and Unicorn Kid (former 2 not featured on the mixtape) are the underground kingpins of the real ‘nu-rave’. The Worldwide Gallery Traxx Mixtape is a good place to start if you’re are unfamiliar with this esoteric ‘rave’ sound. Taking cues from hip-hop and R&B (as is the latest trend in electronica) Brenmar starts off the mix with silky smooth synth and a bass-heavy rhythm. Other highlights include Craxxxmurf‘s whimsical Rihanna-sampling cut “Best Time I Never Had”, Asa Cossaboom‘s super-charged rave anthem “Don’t Have to Call Me” and LILINTERNET‘s Waka Flocka Flame-sampling hardstyle rave track “Paintin”. All the tracks on the mixtape share this common ‘nu-rave’ aesthetic that encompasses retro rave, R&B/hip-hop, and progressive house stylings. They tend towards new experimental sounds and that is exactly what I believe a contemporary adaptation of a pre-existing genre should do. The artists on this mixtape, although they may sound obscure to you, are pushing the boundaries of rave and electronica in general. They don’t settle for the usual or what’s popular, instead, they explore new territory. No one likes a re-hash anyways.

Download the Worldwide Gallery Traxx 2012 Mixtape here:

Tracklisting:

1. Brenmar – Intro (0.00)
2. M.E.S.H. – Pretty White (3.02)
3. Craxxxmurf – Best Time I Never Had (7.41)
4. Dju Dju – Coming Down (11.50)
5. Pictureplane – Light Games (15.37)
6. Asa Cossaboom – Don’t Have to Call Me (20.32)
7. Slava – Speechless (25.48)
8. LILINTERNET – Paintin’ (28.58)
9. o F F Love – When You’re Gone / Outro (31.46)

This video for SebastiAn’s Love in Motion features the vocal stylings of Mayer Hawthorne. Sounds like my dad’s record collection from the 80s with a contemporary twist. The EP features remixes by Skrillex and Rustie. Skrillex’s remix has been anthemic in the Dubstep world. I’ve attached Rustie’s remix as well as a Moombahton edit by our homie Tjani, which is available for free download through is soundcloud. A little late on a few aspects of this post, but necessary nevertheless.

Every week we put our trust in a DJ to curate a selection of songs that you absolutely need to hear. This week: San Francisco bass purveyor Kastle throws down a 52 minute set of bass focused, largely instrumental, often off-beat, hip-hop, dubstep, garage, and techno-inspired tracks.

This week the musician behind our Mixcast is a very exciting up-and-comer currently hailing from San Francisco. For the last couple years, the project which Barrett Richards formed in Pittsburgh over 2009-2010 has been receiving exposure on two fronts.

First, Richards’ worldwide touring efforts have seen him appearing in European and North American markets, and at major festivals like EDC last summer. Chances are, if you went to shows last summer you ended up spotting one of his stickers.

Second, the tracks that Kastle has been putting out have received attention from a variety of artists, labels, and other highly respect curators. A small selection of his tireless and extremely high quality production work includes remixes for Example, Blu Mar Ten, Craze, a release on Slow Roast Records, heavy support from SMOG and co, and critical acclaim from curators at XLR8R and BBC Radio 1.

I’m personally looking forward to catching him with several of my favourite artists of the moment at The Mohawk next Friday during SXSW. The lineup includes Flinch, Codes, Breakage, Alvin Risk, and NiT GriT.

Kastle on Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud

This week’s Mixcast in five words:

it’s where you take them

Tracklisting:

01. Lapalux – 102 Hours Of Introductions
02. fLako – The Answer ft. Dirg Gerner
03. The Soul Pilot – Just Disappointed
04. Shlomo – Wen Uuu (Salva Remix)
05. eLan – Benson Bridges (HeRobust Remix)
06. Julien Dyne – Who Are You ft. Ladi6 & Parks
07. Jonwayne – Immobile
08. Dza – Bullseye ft. Non & Mujuice (Dizz1 Instrumental)
09. Tisme – Laser Pistols
10. Metronomy – The Look (Two Inch Punch’s Shook Shook Refix)
11. Royce Wood Junior & Stac – Edge
12. Hawthorne Headhunters – Teleport
13. Memotone – Multicolour
14. Phil Gerus – Ordinary Things
15. Kastle – It’s About Us
16. Robot Koch – The Other Side
17. Sina. – From Love To Dust (Soosh Remix)
18. Tisme – Juneat
19. Shain Caw – No Gravity
20. Tensei – For The Love
21. Martin Kay – Let Her Look Up At The Moon
22. Dirg Gerner – Rubies & Diamonds ft. Fatima
23. Sonnymoon – Magician
24. Fybe:one – Aeolian

In the world of electronic music, touching Daft Punk is always a risky move. However, this also makes it high reward if executed properly.

Carlos Serrano, who I hadn’t even heard of until quite recently, took this risk. And believe me, it paid off big time.

He’s concocted a mashup of Daft Punk’s “Something About Us” and Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain” that leaves me feeling a little giddy. It definitely isn’t a club banger, and it won’t make your brain leak out of your ears with its raw energy, but god damn it’s smooth.

The mashup retains Daft Punk’s suave disco vibe, but I think the addition of Adele’s vocals really makes the song. If you listen closely, (which you should!) you can hear that Serrano added a bit of echo on the vocal line that does wonders for the airiness and depth of the track.

Kudos to you, Mr. Serrano, you’ve played with fire and come away the victor, without a doubt. On top of that, there’s a free 320 kbps download off of his Soundcloud! I love this guy already.

Yet another fantastic release for the affluent electronica label Crosstown Rebels, Maceo Plex‘s new single ‘Frisky / Sex Appeal’ delivers a much-needed draught of sultry, narcotized house. Yes, we’ve only got one and a half minute previews to work with but I can already tell this release is going to be huge.

Our friends over at Dubstep.net and Bassmentality recently worked together to release Warrior Music’s latest tune through the Dubstep.net soundcloud. The track samples Halo reinforcing a trend for video game themed Dubstep remixes perhaps epitomized by Ephixa’s rise to popularity this past summer through his Zelda remixes. Warrior Music is a resident of Toronto’s hottest weekly bass music night Bassmentality co-founded by The Killabits and Zeds Dead.

Become a friend of Warrior Music on Facebook or check him out tomorrow night at Bassmentality featuring Koan Sound and Gemini

Torro Torro have a hotly-anticipated remix slated for release next week on March 13th, 2012. A snippet of it dropped on BBC Radio 1 a couple weeks ago, and the chatter about the tremendous work they’ve done with the synths and buildup has been raging hard.

The Clockwork ‘Squad Up EP’ will be available through Dim Mak next Tuesday, and will include remixes from Dillon Francis and Botnek.

Torro Torro on Facebook | Twitter | Blog

For their latest remix, Dr. Ozi draws on a number of influences from drumstep in their percussion, and call and response electro-dubstep style, to arpeggiating house melodies and trance synths.

As the track pretty quickly hit the guys’ download limit, they’ve since uploaded it to Mediafire. You can grab it here.

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/Dr.OziOfficial
Twitter – http://twitter.com/DrOziOfficial

This big room electro scorcher was just leaked on Fake Blood’s soundcloud channel, with an announced release date of April 8th, 2012.

No Big Deal is at it again with Guinevere, who has just come off a US tour with Nick Carter, and found her track ‘Crazy Crazy’ sitting in the Billboard club play chart – the highest ever debut for a previously uncharted artist.

Their dubstep remix takes influence from their background in house and electro, has impressive musicality, and is a display of the Toronto duo’s superior composition abilities.

You can download the remix in high quality from their Facebook Fan Page.

This is pretty ghetto, but it makes me wanna vogue

The Salacious team has been making some noise recently about topics including, but not limited to, juke, ghetto bass, vogue house, ClekClekBoom, and pretty much everyone that has ever been on dirtybird – one of the most important record labels active right now.

So it’s no surprise to us that French Fries’ latest will be dropping on dirtybird March 14th, 2012.

It’s called Yo Vogue, and it’s a sound you’re going to be hearing on a dancefloor near you this summer. It’s going to be tricking yet more strictly hip-hop heads in to house fans, crossing over lovers of bass and techno, and inspiring a wave of new productions.

There are so many things that make this a super-hot track. The simple yet extremely catchy lyric, the time switches, incredible variation of percussion arrangements, and the especially popular use of polymeter.

If you’re in to it, I suggest you check Riley’s recent feature article Paris Syndrome wherein he reviews a ClekClekBoom show, and talks about the gay-underground vogue house movement, as described by Diplo in Vanity Fair.

Only one hour ago, Kieran Hebden (a.k.a. Four Tet) uploaded a new collaboration between himself and the elusory Burial to his Soundcloud. The track is called “Nova” and is supposedly going to be the 13th release on Hebden’s Text Records imprint.

“Nova” follows in the same vein as last year’s Burial, Four Tet & Thom Yorke collaborations with its characteristic Burial 2-step percussion and  ethereal Four Tet atmospherics. Sorry Radiohead fans, no Thom Yorke falsetto this time around; only some hazy female vocal samples. As much as I enjoy me some Thommy,   his exclusion here allows the electronics to move into the foreground, creating  much more relaxed, deep and dubby vibes. Ahhhhh….so satisfying.

Every week we put our trust in a DJ to curate a selection of songs that you absolutely need to hear. This week: San Francisco native, Dirtybird regular, and world-touring DJ Worthy spins a hot set of tech + deep house, breakbeat, and techno jams that WILL make your booty rattle.

When Worthy moved from DC to San Fran over a decade ago, I wonder if he could guessed the success he’d find.

As a DJ, he has become quite accomplished – he’s played the Hive in Switzerland, Sankeys in the UK, Electric Pickle in Miami, and Mezzanine in San Francisco, and at festivals like Ultra, Love Parade, and Burning Man. And that’s not to mention the residency he scored at dirtybird’s monthly party in Golden Gate Park!

As a producer, he’s had two Beatport top tens in 2009 and 2011. And in 2012 his production style continues to evolve, with a recent release on Alive Records. His mix, and this week’s Mixcast, was also featured on Alive Records’ podcast.

It’s rare to find a selector these days that can seamlessly blend techno, deep + tech house, and breakbeat. And it’s rarer still to find one that cares about all the genres enough to incorporate them.

This week’s Mixcast in five words:

MAKE THAT BOOTY CLAP, GIRL!

Worthy on Facebook

Tracklist:
Mason – Superimposer (Zombie Disco Squad Remix) – Animal Language
Cromby – Feed The Hoes – Extended Play
Tom Flynn – Jerrys Liquor Store – Dirtybird
Worthy – Shy Look – Dirtybird
Jaymo & Andy George – Inhaler (Worthy’s West Coast Bass REmix) – Moda
Pusherman – Shake It off (Worthy Edit) – LNUK
Worthy – No Cure – anabatic
Whole Sick – Voodoo (Mak & Pasteman Remix) – Sounds of Sumo
Worthy – So Sunkin – Unsigned
Sepher – Apple Bottoms – Anabatic
Catz n Dogs – Professor nice – Pets
Worthy – Why you Waiting – Alive
Clicks & Whistles – When I feel

Toronto-born tech producer and DJ - Weska just dropped his first release, out free for the fans. Amazing track that showcases the roots of house music. Well Done.

Joris Voorn has pulled off a beautiful mid-tempo edit of Video Games that’s perfect for a commute on a rainy day, or a mid-afternoon dj set outside.

If you’re going to Miami for Music Week, you’ll be able to catch him with Maceo Plex, Solomun, and more on the 21st. More details on his facebook page!

Joris Voorn on Facebook