Today, a surprising turn of events took place within the music blog circuit and the EDM community. Renowned Swedish house producer Avicii’s follow-up single to last year’s ubiquitous anthem “Levels” was named ‘Best New Track’ by the governing force in indie music, Pitchfork. With the exception of their recent Skrillex interview, this is the first time Pitchfork has  favourably acknowledged “mainstream” electronica.While they were early supporters of  electronic artists such as  James Blake, SBTRKT, Grimes, and Rustie, up until now, Pitchfork has been quite ignorant towards the more accessible side of EDM. Nowhere on Pitchfork will you find album or track reviews of anything by Deadmau5, Wolfgang Gartner, Porter Robinson, Knife Party, Pretty Lights, Dada Life….the list goes on and on. I find that very surprising considering the wide range of genres that P4k does cover. They have always championed hip-hop, R&B, pop, and more recently metal, along with general ‘indie’. I’ve noticed in recent years that Pitchfork has been attempting to expand their horizons, endorsing a broader range of genres.

When Pitchfork began in 1995, their focus was more on independent rock music. Through the years, they have grown to be recognized as a sort of “indie Bible” or, to put it bluntly, the site that all the hipster kids go to to find out about “obscure” bands so they can claim they knew about them “before they got big”. However, in recent years it has become apparent that the writers at Pitchfork have made an effort to include less of the ‘indie’ and more of the mainstream. For example, Nicki Minaj‘s smash hit “Super Bass” and Beyonce‘s electrifying “Countdown” hold the 4th and 7th place spots on Pitchfork’s Top 100 Tracks of 2011. Yes, they still cover the indie rock and the experimental but lately, it seems that Pitchfork is trying to appeal to a larger audience.

That brings me to Avicii‘s latest anthem “Silhouettes”. The fact that Pitchfork even bothered to review “Silhouettes” (they didn’t review “Levels”) and not to mention, that the writer of the review was Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber is evidence that Pitchfork has finally embraced the popular side of EDM. So, what does this mean for the electronic music scene?  As Pitchfork continues to monopolize the blogosphere, what is to become of indie, EDM, and us here at Salacious? I’m no psychic but I am going to predict that Pitchfork will continue to cover mainstream electronic music, further blurring the lines between indie and mainstream. Before you know it, all the hipster kids are going to be wearing neon and asking you if you’ve heard of Tim Berg. Alright, that might be a bit extreme but hey, this is 2012 and anything could happen. If my prediction holds true, it’s going to be pretty damn annoying when Pitchfork starts encroaching on Salacious territory. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen though. Seriously Pitchfork, you’re like the Wal-Mart of blogs, leave room for the little guys! On the bright side, this might provoke more people to open their ears to artists like Avicii or Skrillex instead of simply dismissing them as “uncool” or “mainstream”. Really, who could be a better ambassador for EDM than euphoric-house overlord Avicii? As Ryan Schreiber puts it:

“Avicii is one of the few artists from his world whose singles work as well for me in headphones as they do on festival stages, and his knack for balancing pure FM pop hooks with genuinely affecting vocal tracks makes his wide-eyed positivity an easy pill to swallow.”

Related posts:

1. Ryan Smith’s New Indie Rock Album
2. Do You Like Indie and Folk?
3. Daily Tracks: AN21 & Max Vangeli, Avicii, Dirty South & Thomas Gold, Hard Rock Sofa & Swanky Tunes

Richie Hawtin, Gary Numan, and Orbital alone comprise a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the pioneers of electronic music. Hawtin especially has continued to innovate in the minimal techno, bringing Detroit back to the homeland. Combine these heavyweights with Tobin, who will be continuing the tour of ISAM, and, in the words of Carl Weathers, “baby, you got a stew goin.”

At the same time, we’ll have the best in forward-thinking bass music, represented by Joy Orbison, James Blake, and Jackmaster. And that’s just the J’s. There will be no angry, aggressive, Skrillexy wobbling here… All the polyrhythmic, pensive, futuristic, dark, sparkling, dreamy, ethereal, driving, insistent goodness you could ever want.

Serve this stew all this together on a disused vessel in the London Pleasure Gardens over a weekend in the dog-days of Summer and that’s sure to please nearly anyone who gives more than two shits about proper music.

Step Zero: Stay tuned over the next couple weeks while I delve into a few more artists I’m particularly excited about.

Step One: Watch this excellent newish video presentation of the lineup

Step Two: Cop a ticket while you still can! http://www.blocweekend.com/tickets/

Oh, and I should mention Snoop Dogg (of Dogg Pound fame) will be stopping by to say hello.

No related posts.

Simian Mobile Disco have become synonymous with tasteful and top quality production. This hotly anticipated LP lives up to all expectations of the duo. Carefully crafted electronic dance music, the album manages to transgress boundaries between genres at blending contemporary trends and musical maturity.

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What was the designated party time last night in Chicago?

Well, if you were at Studio Paris, Joel Zimmerman would say ‘9:30’. He performed an up close and personal, two and half hours long set, for a small but frenzied crowd.

With fewer than 400 people in an intimate setting, Deadmau5 took to the main stage with only a MacBook Pro, a pioneer mixer, effects unit, and a crowd within arms reach. The mix of close proximity and no LED cube to hide behind gave the party-goers a peek at the wizard behind the curtain, though still no one could figure out how he was making everyone’s heads vibrate in such a manner.

The set kicked off hard, with no iconic Mau5head in sight – just an explosion of signature fat drum and squashy bass sounds that sent the crowd wild. About a third of the way through, as if flown in from above, an all black Mau5 helmet was lowered from the retractable ceiling for Joel Zimmerman to give the partygoers what they came to love, a Deadmau5.

The entire set was a mixture of previous banner hits like, Some Chords, Ghosts N Stuff, Sofi Needs a Ladder, Cthulu Sleeps, Raise Your Weapon, Sometimes Things Get Whatever, Brazil, Complications, remixes with Tiny Dancer, Rage Against the Machine, and Daft Punk, and some of his new work, including the newly released The Veldt. (played twice). The whole night came to an end with an epic build up of I Remember.

One of the most ironic things of the night was not the fact we were all in a small nightclub with a retractable roof watching one of dance music’s biggest stars, but the fact that several of the patrons were there the previous night doing the same thing with Tiesto.

But that’s another story.

Related posts:

1. DeadMau5 Comes Home!
2. New Track Limit Break by Deadmau5
3. The Monarch Presents Deadmau5

Mat Zo and The M Machine have had a dizzying rise through 2011, and Porter’s touring with Tiesto and Skrillex have seasoned him well beyond his years.

10-Jun Las Vegas EDC
11-Jun Reno Knitting Factory
12-Jun Portland, OR Roseland Theater
13-Jun Seattle Showbox at the Market
14-Jun Vancouver Commodore Ballroom
15-Jun Calgary Flames Central
16-Jun Edmonton Edmonton Events Centre
17-Jun Saskatoon Tequila Nightclub
18-Jun WinnipegThe Garrick Centre
21-Jun London, ON London Music Hall
22-Jun Toronto Sound Academy
23-Jun Montreal New City Gas
24-Jun Philadelphia TLA
25-Jun Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore
26-Jun Charlotte Neighborhood Theater
27-Jun Altanta Masquerade
28-Jun Nashville Marathon Music Works
29-Jun New Orleans The Howlin’ Wolf
30-Jun Houston Stereo Live
1-Jul Dallas Granada Theater **
2-Jul Albuquerque Sunshine Theatre
3-Jul Tempe Marquee Theatre
5-Jul Salt Lake City In the Venue
6-Jul Boulder Boulder Theater
7-Jul Denver Ogden Theatre
8-Jul Tulsa Cain’s Ballroom
9-Jul Lawrence, KS Granada Theater
10-Jul St Louis The Pageant
11-Jul Minneapolis Epic Events Center *
12-Jul Mariaville, NY Camp Bisco *
13-Jul Detroit Elektricity *

*Mat Zo not appearing
**The M Machine not appearing

No related posts.

My recollection of M83‘s sold-out performance at the Sound Academy this past Sunday is somewhat of a hazy blur, thanks in part to a wisdom teeth operation I underwent the day after. Admittedly, I can’t remember much of what happened yesterday (other than drinking half of a chocloate milkshake from McDonald’s) however, I couldn’t possibly forget the euphoric rush that surged through my body as Anthony Gonzalez and co. dove into the sublime opener “Intro”. Although Zola Jesus was not present to deliver her howling vocals, Morgan Kibby (whom also has a fantastic solo project called White Sea) astounded with her flawless rendition of Zola‘s eerie croons. For a minute there, I was convinced that Zola in fact, had made a guest appearance.

After the rousing ‘Intro’, the euro synth-poppers didn’t waste any time, immediately launching into their enchanting classic “Teen Angst”. As soon as those arpeggiated synth tones hit my eardrums, I was overcome by a wave of nostalgia. M83‘s music has a very wistful and nostalgic feel to begin with but every time I hear “Teen Angst” or for that matter, anything off of “Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts”  my thoughts instantly harken back to March of 2010,  where I’m staring out of a bus window at the Autobahn highway, snow lightly falling, and nothing but M83 echoing through my headphones. There’s just something about their gauzy, dream-like sound that really strikes me emotionally. I just can’t help but swoon over the heartfelt sincerity of Gonzalez’s lyrics mixed with his exultant synths, the cascading guitar riffs of Jordan Lawlor, Kibby’s gorgeous incantations and Loïc Maurin’s reverberating percussion. To see them live was truly a revelatory experience.

The only thing that I found disappointing about this show was its runtime. M83 blasted through their set in just about an hour (including the encore). It really was quite a condensed show with the opener, Swedish M83 sound-alikes I Break Horses playing for only about half an hour and M83 themselves playing from about 10:00 to 11:15. However, I didn’t mind it too much considering that they managed to concentrate the majority of their crowd-pleasers into just one hour. They played basically everything I was hoping they would from “Graveyard Girl” to “Steve McQueen” to “Skin of the Night”. The only songs I thought they snubbed were “Unrecorded” off of 2003′s “Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts” and “Kim & Jessie” but overall, their set-list was quite satisfying.

What really astonished me about M83 was their versatility. Gonzalez, being the musical mastermind that he is, effortlessly transitioned from bass, to guitar, to synths, and back to bass, all the while cooing breathy lullabies. Morgan Kibby manned keyboard and synths while belting gorgeous vocals and whoa-oh-oh’s. Lawlor played his part impeccably, thrashing about with his curly mop of hair and black skinny’s stopping only to pummel the drum machine now and then . Being a drummer myself, I was thoroughly impressed with Loïc Maurin’s spot-on fills and downright thunderous beats. Live, M83‘s sound is very tight and a number of the songs they played (“Reunion”,”Wait”, “Midnight City”) sounded almost exactly the same as the studio recordings. This proved to me that M83 are technically skilled musicians but what I really wanted to hear was some variation. Sure enough, on “We Own the Sky” Maurin threw in a new drum beat and they added an atmospheric segue into “Steve McQueen”. Sure, it wasn’t total improvisation but it showed that M83 are capable of manipulating their sound in a live setting.

As expected, the song that sent the crowd into a frenzy was hit single “Midnight City”. If you weren’t there, you can watch the mediocre quality fan-shot video above. It was certainly one of the highlights of the night but I was surprised that they didn’t save it for the encore. In any case, I was actually glad that they didn’t; instead they happened to play two of my favourite tracks off of “Saturdays = Youth” for the encore: “Skin of the Night” and “Couleurs”.  ”Skin of the Night’s” spacey drum pads and seraphic vocals of Gonzalez and Kibby enveloped the crowd in a meditative reverie before propelling into the rapturous 8 and a half minute dance number “Couleurs”. Almost entirely instrumental and one of M83‘s clubbier tracks, “Couleurs” was a perfect song to cap the night off. Swaying and nodding along to the four-on-the floor beat, flaring guitar, and star-like synths, I felt as if I was drifting off into a narcotic haze. Hmmm…sounds familiar.

Full Setlist:

1. Intro
2. Teen Angst
3. Graveyard Girl
4. Reunion
5. Sitting
6. Year One, One UFO
7. We Own The Sky
8. Steve McQueen
9. Wait
10. Fall (Daft Punk Cover)
11. This Bright Flash
12. Midnight City
13. A Guitar And A Heart

Encore:

1. Skin Of The Night
2. Couleurs

Related posts:

1. Show review: Sound Pellegrino vs Body High showcase [SXSW2012]
2. If It Bleeds It Leads — Knife Party at Ministry of Sound [Show Review + Photos]
3. Reflection Eternal Plays Sound Academy June 5th 2010

Warrior Music has been busy in the studio lately. His latest track “Joust” produced in collaboration with former Knight Riderz (RIP) member Jake Robertz shows a lot of growth for the upcoming Canadian producer. As an official resident Bassmentality alongside The Killabits and Zeds Dead he slowly demonstrating the potential to become a much larger entity. Catch Warrior Music at this weeks Bassmentality.

He has also posted a preview of his forthcoming single “World War Z”. We have high expectations for this young Warrior.

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Having never heard of Paper Diamond before, the Wavesight EP was my first exposure to his surprisingly deep collection of work. The Jeffrees label has had some quality releases on it thus far, but this is (so far) one that has given me the strongest urge to throw money at the artist in any way possible. Paper Diamond has delivered a short but sweet EP in the form of Wavesite, giving just the right amount of content that leaves the listener begging for more. He combines pop and bass in a way that compromises the integrity and quality of neither. It’s the logical conclusion to the unison of mainstream and subculture sounds many artists seem to be moving towards to but haven’t quite been able to achieve.

From the moment it begins, Turn the Lights Off is a treat for the ears, hooking the listener with some great sound mixing and beautiful synth echoes. (As much as I hate to tell you to listen to this in headphones, try to get a quality pair just to feel the sound sweeping around the inside of your skull. It’s quite the experience.) I hesitate to compare him to Dillon Francis, because that’s not where his sound is coming from nor where it seems to be going. However, this track in particular employs a familiar hundred-and-ten bpm, moombahton-esque groove. The vocalist here is a perfect addition to the track, lending an added smooth, almost r&b inspired punch without taking attention away from the intricacies of the rest of the song.

With AirLift, the only purely instrumental track on the EP, Paper Diamond once again hooks the listener with a startlingly intricate opening riff. There are many musical lines layered here, but not one sound becomes muddied by another. The sub-bass is perfectly sculpted to rattle around your insides, contrasting beautifully with the quasi-chiptune synths echoing overtop of a barebones (but effective) drop.  It’s a track very much in transit; like movement and feeling in the air, as the name so implies.

Can We Go Up teases at the very edges of dubstep without ever turning into a lurching halftime beast. It’s probably the least sonically complex song, but it’s the catchiest one that will fit nicely into any aggressive, bass-heavy set. Again, vocals lend without overpowering the track, and instrumentals are wisely left to their own devices, creating a song that builds itself into a roaring finish.

Paper Diamond excels at setting a sonic atmosphere through the way the sculpts his songs alone. Wavesight is sexy without being explicit, heavy without dragging down the sound, and unified in sound without any one song sounding like a carbon copy of another. His description implies that there are hundreds of tracks just waiting to be unleashed to the masses. Is this the case? The wait for new content is definitely worth it, as if the EP achieves nothing else it does leave the listener begging for more.

You can download the Wavesight EP for free from the Jeffree’s Tumblr or stream it from the Mad Decent Soundcloud.

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It seems like only yesterday that I was on here promoting the first big moombahton compilation put together by my moombahton/alt bass blog, 110BPM. Now almost two months later I’m back with the second edition.

For those of you that don’t have time to linger, listen to these four tracks (just below) off the compilation and then download it here*.  *Includes bonus track, CSK remix of “Boyfriend” by Justin Bieber

Okay, now if those tracks caught your attention here’s a bit more about the compilation. It features 13 producers – predominantly from the West Coast – and its been structured a bit differently than normal. Instead of the bigger-name producers at the top, tracks are ordered in a way that they get steadily darker as you progress through the compilation. Maybe I pulled it off, maybe I’m just BSing- I’ll let you guys decide.

Download The 110BPM Collection, Vol. 2 (.zip)*

 *Includes bonus track, CSK remix of “Boyfriend” by Justin Bieber

- Ziad

As always, if you like the tracks be sure to check out the artists who made them.

Rankin, Manics, Ace Future, Froland, Fuss, Kovary, Outlandaa!, Neki Stranac, Colour Vision, CSK, Vonzie, 8cto, Melo

Related posts:

1. Download The 110BPM Collection, Vol. 1 [album review]
2. Dillon Francis – Something, Something, Awesome [album review]
3. The Partysquad – Badman Rave EP [album review]

The Partysquad, probably best known in recent months for their high-profile work on Major Lazer single Original Don, are interesting musicians in their own right; they’re a group that keeps up with the times and isn’t afraid to venture into any number of genres. The Badman Rave EP certainly isn’t their first dip into dancehall, but they do manage to freshen up the sound for larger crowds by inducing it with infectious hardstyle and house to make tracks that are nearly impossible not to dance to.

The title track, Badman, flicks between reggae grooves and a pulsing dancefloor beat that definitely gives the listener breaks between its hardstyle breakdowns. Where the track could be overloaded, it instead comes off as minimalistic in its drops, creating a nice contrast against its more melodic parts. It’s a bit unusual in its changing tempos for your typical dance track, but it definitely does the trick on the floor.

Go Down Low is one of the more Major Lazer-esque tracks on the album, written in a similar vein as Pon de Floor or Jump Up. However, it’s an infectious and well-written track in its own right. It perhaps does a better job as a straight banger than Badman does, in that its verses are just as danceable as its chorus. Gunshot is the day to this song’s night, so to speak; it’s happier in its melody and consistent in its rhythms, a perfect tropical daytime dance track.

Lighterman has one of the strongest buildups on the whole EP, complimented with snare drums, truanced vocal clips and a pulsing baseline that’s the happiest punch to the stomach you’ll ever have. It will be interesting to see how DJs make use of the track’s wonderful contrast of high and low energies.

Pullup 2012 is the most house-influenced track on the EP, and therefore one of the ones you’re most likely to hear in played this summer. It’s not the most complex or catchy track in the world, but the sprinkles of Soca and Reggaeton throughout give it just enough of a flavour to spice up your typical electrohouse set.

Soundbwoi isn’t a strong or different end to the EP, but it’s a decent track in its own right. It would have done better placed near tracks such as Gunshot, but it’s understandable that the Partysquad wanted to spread out their more ‘daytime dance’ tracks. It’s got a good groove going to it, regardless of placement, and is pleasing to the ears if not much else.

The entire EP is driving and incessant, pulling the listener through a whirlwind of dance genres and beats. The minimal drops the Partysquad employs are a welcome break from this world we live in where drops are so often trash heaps to pile stray sounds on top of. The Badman EP is a great way to revitalize your sets with something that’s sure to make a crowd jump, bump, grind, and whatever else their feet desire.

Badman Rave EP is available on iTunes, Mad Decent’s Drip FM page (for subscribers only), and can be streamed on their soundcloud.

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ElectriCITY Events is going to be holding a series of Friday night events over the next nine weeks which combine the aesthetic of the Royal Ontario Museum setting with feature installation art, and “a moveable feast of food and drink throughout the ROM’s galleries.” Each week will feature different fare, including Fidel Gastro’s sandwich revolution leader Matt Basile, Micha and Jackson Kennedy of JK Frites, and Local Liege Belgian waffle maven Valerie Bain of Waffle Bar.

The nights will also feature different local performers, including Young Empires, Conor Cutz, and yours truly. The entire program of events is below, or you can visit here for more details.

Related posts:

1. Coleco and Cal to play Riva, Toronto, this Friday [Show Preview]
2. Show Preview: Happy Endings #014 starring Schlachthofbronx, Poirier, Pho Saturday, April 14th, 2012 @ Dim Sum King
3. 3D Projection – The Live Show of 2011

The M Machine is a group not given to publicity, despite their presence on Skrillex’s Owsla label; they’ve clearly kept themselves on the down-low until they were good and ready to emerge, album in hand and ready for the masses. The San Fran natives have delivered the ambitiously-titled Metropolis Pt. I, implying that this EP will be completed by another later in their careers. That being said, the last thing that Metropolis Pt. I needs is something to help it succeed, as it is a beautiful (half an?) album.

The opening track, Immigrants, has an amazingly classic feel, harkening back to the early sci-fi movies of the past century. A beautiful, brief opening hooks you into the EP immediately, turning into synths that remind one of starting up a super Nintendo for the first time. It’s a bit of retro-dance glamour that’s a good opening for the album to come.

Deep Search has a great use of a 6/8 time signature that isn’t normally heard in EDM outside of ‘the drop’. One could draw comparison’s to some of deadmau5′ darker electronic pieces; however, what really draws one into the song is the utterly beautiful shift in tone about two minutes in. There’s an epic scale and grandeur to it, laying aside crunchier synths in favour of strings for a few moments to give the track a soaring melody. Although it returns back to its original thrum, the uplifting break in the middle forces it into an entirely new sonic context.

The next two tracks are very indie dance in tone; A King Alone and Faces both feature vocalists outside of the EDM norm. A King Alone manages to sound robotic without resorting to vocoders, which lends it a feel that can’t quite be described as organic but does make it feel very genuine. It’s a pretty track, and very lighthearted amidst some of the heavier tunes on the album. As the shortest song on the album, Faces is probably the most interesting lyrically. The vocalist, who remains nameless, lends a beautiful brassy jazz alto to a song which would otherwise be very creepy indeed.

The groans and strains of machinery and beastly, robotic footsteps open Black, definitely the most dance-oriented track on the EP. It’s not straightforward electro house, but it does have great aggression and hard-hitting synth punches. Of course, the piece does have a by now trademark sweeping cinematic break, seemingly continuing the story of Metropolis, but it does remember to go back to its dance-track roots. Instead of being just another house tune, the placement of this song amongst an album of mellower songs gives it the odd distinction as an electro-house breath of fresh air on an electronic album. It’s a brilliant move on The M Machine’s part and generates new interest in even the most jaded of electronic lovers.

When Shadow in the Rose Garden was first heard during the M Machine’s fall and winter tour, it was easy to assume that it was simply a remix of the beautiful Promise Me a Rose Garden. Fortunately, it is much more than that; it’s an all new drum-and-bass flavoured dubstep track, with some recognizable vocals and great halftime sections that aren’t cluttered by useless noise. It’s a nice balance of light and dark that echoes the themes of the EP as a whole.

This EP is a story beginning to end. It’s not a dance album, but a journey of discovery, as the album art implies. There’s a sense of wonder to this album, one that tells you neither the Artist or EP is overly concerned with being danceable or fitting inside of a genre bracket. It’s hard to find criticism with such a polished, packaged product that isn’t trying too hard be something it doesn’t want to be. It’s uniform, but not uninteresting 8-bit synths unite the sound, and the album’s progression is a perfect swell and release of energy and tension. If you want an energetic break from four-on-the-floor, I implore you to give this release a listen.

You can buy Metropolis Pt. I on Beatport or check it out on their Soundcloud.

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Hello there fellow electronic music enthusiasts! I (totem) would like to welcome you to my strictly Salacious spring music report.  Every single one of the following tracks and albums have been carefully selected to cater to the tastes of Salacious readers. I’ve incorporated a wide array of sounds, styles, and artists in hopes that everyone will find something they enjoy.

Seeing as spring is in full bloom, the majority of the tracks (loosely) embrace themes of vitality, growth, natural beauty, and just absolute exhilaration. Also, I’m keepin’ it current so you won’t find anything here that hasn’t been released in the last 5-6 months. Everything has been categorized in terms of genre and ordered for optimum consistency. This is where Salacious‘ continuous mix feature will come in handy. I’m no DJ but I tried my best to sequence the tracks tastefully. Anywho, I’d like to hear what everyone thinks and whether my report satiated or spoiled your musical appetite. Alright then, let’s start things off slow with some tranquil ambience.

Ambient

4 tracks of pure bliss. First up, a free 10-minute remix of Blu Mar Ten‘s “All or Nothing”.

Next, we’ve got an oceanic exploration from avant-garde trailblazer Dolphins Into the Future:

Expansive soundscapes from Thrill Jockey recording artist Jason Urick:

Lastly, a short but profound effervescent cut from the promising Mancunian act Synkro:

Downtempo/Chillout

3 free downloads and a spotlight on the magnificent new Desolate album. But first, dig this swanky tune from Scottish producer Axxo Lott’s debut EP for cutting-edge label Square Harmony:

Top of the totem pole:

Desolate is the pseudonym of  26-year old German DJ/Producer Sven Weisemann. Celestial Light Beings is just his second album as Desolate but my goodness, it’s a beauty. Taking cues from Burial‘s masterpiece “Untrue” and Johann Johansson‘s film scores, Weisemann has crafted a deeply moving work of art. Although, the above track “Desolation” is captivating on its own, “Celestial Light Beings” really needs to be heard in its entirety. From the opening piano of “Ambrosia” to the deep rhythms of closer “Exclusion of Light”, ‘Celestial Light Beings’ never ceases to astound. Weisemann’s nuanced instrumentation and minimal rhythms are remarkably polished and inventive. You can tell he really poured his heart and soul into this album. The raw emotion of ‘Celestial Light Beings’ is enough to make any human being experience revelation. Purchase ‘Celestial Light Beings’ here.

truly gorgeous production from UK upstarts Owsey and Stumbleine paired with Shura’s shimmering vocals:

A meandering little ditty from Gold Panda:

Gold Panda - 4

Deep/Tech House

Dirtybird Records is one of the most prominent house labels in North America. I take a look at their “Hatched” compilation, starting with this commanding tune from Dirtybird chief Claude VonStroke & Eats Everything:

A bit of hypnotic house from Fort Romeau’s critically acclaimed debut album:

Machinedrum is at it again with this exuberant track off of his latest EP:

Top of the totem pole:

As I said, Dirtybird Records is one of the most consistently dynamic labels in house music. The San Francisco-based imprint is home to the likes of: Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin, Leroy Peppers,  J. Phlip and Worthy so it’s really no surprise that the first instalment of the “Hatched” series is outstanding. With the aforementioned group of prolific artists at the helm, “Hatched” Vol.1 exhibits some of the best young talents that Dirtybird has to offer. I’ve praised  Nick Monaco before but his contribution “Long Kiss Goodnight” deserves further recognition. With its slinky bassline, tech-y percussion and seductive vocal samples, “Long Kiss Goodnight” is easily one of “Hatched’s” best tracks. Other highlights include:  Catz n’ Dogz‘ insanely deep “Bring Me That Water”, Worthy‘s sumptuous “Shy Look” and Kingdom‘s misty “SFX”. Buy ‘Hatched vols. 1, 2 & 3 here.

Drum & Bass

Heady D’n'B from the enigmatic Aech_Rom:

Visionary tune from the debut EP of up-and-coming act Hybrid Minds:

An enthralling, uptempo number from Belgian producer Nets….oh you know who I’m talking about:

Dubstep

Jeff Montalvo a.k.a. Seven Lions exploded onto the scene at the tail end of 2011 when he was declared the winner of  Above & Beyond‘s “You Got to Go” remix competition. He comes from Santa Barbara, California but his knack for producing fresh and invigorating dubstep would make you think he’s from the UK. I think he’s 2012′s best new dubstep artist, listen to his ”Cosmic Love” remix and you will  see why:

A memorable cut from LHF‘s mind-blowing ‘Keepers of the Light’ compilation:

Heavy, intricate rhythms from the brilliant minds of Photek and Pinch:

You’ve likely already heard this but Skream‘s take on “Somebody to Love”  is just so damn triumphant that I couldn’t bear excluding it:

Top of the totem pole:

Rusko‘s follow-up to 2010′s “O.M.G.!” is the furthest thing from a sophomore slump. “Songs” exhibits some of Rusko‘s most impressive work to date.  Par example, “Skanker” (featured above) sees Rusko delve into dubstep’s reggae roots. In fact, a good number of the tracks on “Songs” are indebted to dub reggae. While this could have gone very wrong, either sounding contrived or gimmick-y, Rusko pulls it off. He knows exactly when to hold off on the theatrics (“Love No More”) and when to turn them on (“Roll da Beats”). There’s not a single track on ‘Songs’ that feels unnecessary. It’s a well-balanced, cohesive record that takes detours into pop (“Pressure”), trance (“Thunder”), reggae, and atmospheric dub (“M357″). Without a doubt, one of the best releases this year. Purchase here.

 Hip-Hop/Rap

I thought I’d steer clear of the big-time tracks from Yeezy, Ricky Rozay, and Nicki Minaj; instead, I’ve covered some of 2012′s  more esoteric,  electronic-oriented hip-hop tracks. 4 astounding beats. 4 free downloads! First, some nostalgic rap from the devilish Detroit native Danny Brown:

Such a sprightly jam from hip-hop production wunderkind Clams Casino. perfect for struttin’ down the avenue:

The brand new track from Flosstradamus and outre rappper Deniro Farrar is what I like to call ‘sentimental trap’. Allegedly, there is a collaborative EP in the works:

Str8 up colossal tune. Wicked verse courtesy of A$AP Rocky and a killer beat from none other than AraabMuzik:

R&B/Soul

I know we don’t usually cover R&B on Salacious but considering the influence  electronica has had on R&B/soul lately (case in point: The Weeknd) and vice versa, I thought it would be appropriate to include a section. Like the previous hip-hop tracks, all 3 of the following R&B tracks revolve around electronic production. First up is an enrapturing piece of hazy R&B from 17-year old (!) producer Black Atlass who also happens to be from my hometown of London, Ontario! I can already tell that this kid is going to be be big!

The lead single off of Bobby Womack’s first album in 18 years is a polished blend of neo-soul, dubby rhythms, and affecting piano. Keep Bobby in your prayers as he was recently diagnosed with colon cancer.

Stunningly spacious single from the debut EP of Rhye. Reminds me of Enya and 90′s new age or the seductive early-oo’s jazz singer Diana Krall:

Nu-Disco/Juke

In the past month or so, I happened to come across two very unique nu-disco tracks. Coincidentally released around the same time, Daedelus’ Mixmag exlcusive “Curtains Don’t Talk” and Kuhrye-oo‘s “Love Don’t Live Here” both fuse stuttering juke rhythms with funky disco production. Daedelus’ song features cut-up Janet Jackson and Beach Boys vocal samples in a style that he’s dubbed “lover’s juke”. Could this be the genesis of a new sub-genre? I’ll be on the lookout for more tunes that follow this trend in 2012:

Kuhrye-oo is the dynamic solo project of Born Gold‘s Calvin McElroy. Download his latest electronica experiment below:

Synth Pop/Indie Dance

Everybody loves synth-pop! If you’re shaking your head right now then, you my friend, are in denial. Give the following 4 tunes a listen and I guarantee that if you didn’t already like synth-pop, you will now. “Defender” is the hook-y opener of Sacramento-based artist David Mohr’s latest collection of bedroom pop “Keeper”:

Julia Holter’s ”In the Same Room” is a quaint slice of lo-fi synth-pop:

Top of the totem pole:

 Back in February, I wrote a post on Alpha Pup recording artists Virtual Boy and their single “Let Go”  (check that out here). I raved about Virtual Boy members Henry Allen and Preston Walker’s classically-inclined electronica style. Their self-titled debut showcases refined musical talent and a strong command of melody, rhythm, and consistency. The above track “Go Johnny Yeah!” is one of the more dance-friendly tracks on the album with its electrifying synth line and steadfast beat. The clasical influence becomes apparent on the subsequent track “Sandias” where string samples abound amongst tribal percussion. “Empty Place” is a reflective number that features Kraftwerkian vocoders. Actually all the vocals on the album are sung through vocoders. In my opinion, this suits Virtual Boy’s  retro-electronica stylistic approach very well. After all, Virtual Boy is the name of  a mid-90′s Nintendo video game console. I highly recommend that you buy this album. Do so here.

Recently, I’ve found that there’s a lot of great synth-pop coming from the Bay Area. Leading the pack is Berkeley’s Dan Casey a.k.a. Yalls. “Settle Down” is the bouncy opener of his ‘Fantasy’ 7″:

Techno

Techno isn’t exactly a genre that you would normally associate with springtime but I managed to collect 4 tracks a that are not as grim and mechanical as a lot of techno. Not to mention, Scuba‘s new record “Personality” explores some expressive new forms of techno. First, we’ve got a flowing bit of Detroit Techno from CCU‘s latest release for 100% Silk:

Here’s “Scriptease”, a mesmerizing composition from the distinguished techno producer Claro Intelecto’s fourth album “Reform Club”:

The B-side to Lone’s ”Crystal Caverns 1991″ single squelches, slides, surges, pounds, bongs and bangs:

Top of the totem pole:

“Tulips” is one of the shorter tracks on “Personality” but I feel that it encapsulates the dreamy, vibrant sounds of springtime best. After all, it is called “Tulips”. However, the 4th full-length of original material from UK native and Berlin transplant Paul Rose is truly an expansive work. Scuba’s music is difficult to characterize by genre as he often implements a number of different styles into his songs. Notably, “Personality” marks Scuba’s departure from dubstep. His last three albums, although varied and respectable in their own right, were essentially dubstep. “Personality”, on the other hand, is unmistakably techno. Rose incorporates elements of deep house and UK bass music    here and there but a disparate blend of techno is the dominant style throughout.  Lead single “The Hope” invokes the driving momentum of 90′s big beat with techno flourishes and a looped vocal sample. “Gekko” is unconventional techno at its best with an unrelenting beat and a see-sawing noise that sounds like an unhinged fuzz bass guitar. On “Cognitive Dissonance”, Scuba tries his hand at breaks. This is an album that pushes the boundaries of electronic music and subverts genre expectations. A modern-day classic? Decide for yourself here.

Trance

The two trance songs featured below both exceed seven minutes in length as all good trance songs should. They also come with a healthy dose of euphoria but especially on this Armin van Buuren and Orjan Nilsen collab:

“It’s Yours” is a choice selection of progressive house/trance from the prodigal Mat Zo’s ‘Bipolar – EP’:

UK Funky/Bass

Voila! Here are 3 tracks which fall under the category of UK funky or UK bass. These genres originated in the UK but presently, there are artists all over the world making ‘UK funky’ or ‘UK bass’ music. So, to clarify, the particular broken-beat, bass-inflected style of UK funky is not limited to UK-based artists. However, the first track I have for you does come from an artist based in the UK (Lancaster, to be exact). Bondax is a teenage duo making some of the most mature and alluring UK funky music out there. Stream and download the spellbinding “All Inside” below:

Disclosure’s remix of British singer/songwriter Jessie Ware’s “Running” has spread like wildfire throughout the blogosphere. I’m really not surprised either; the British duo’s slick production paired with Ware’s soulful croon is simply irresistible:

Kastle is the moniker of San Francisco native and UK bass producer Barrett Richards. He refers to his style of music as  ’forward-thinking EDM’ and upon listening to Kastle’s unique blend of future bass, house, and R&B you will agree that his music is forward thinking. Download my fav Kastle track, the “Milkshake”- sampling “Technique” right here:

UK Garage

Last but not least we have UK garage. The following 3 tracks come from extremely talented, young producers and what’s more, they are all free downloads! First is “Dark Spaces”; an enchanting synthesis of turbulent percussion and mellow atmospherics from Cut Records founder DFRNT:

The recondite Nocow is a constant source of inspirational garage productions that tingle the spine:

I’ve posted about Sorrow before and I’m going to post about him again. He is one of the best UK garage producers around and he deserves to be recognized further. The track I have for you is the deeply entrancing “Street Warfare” but  that is only one of the many quality tracks that Sorrow has to offer:

That’s all folks!

This special spring music report was brought to you by totem. Your go-to guy for all things electronica! Actually, Cal would probably be a better go-to guy but I can be second on your list okay?

A special thanks goes out to Nicole Frenette for creating the lovely cover photograph

and Xander Kunsch for influencing my track picks.

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2. Flosstradamus – Total Recall EP [music video + MP3's]
3. Mr. Oizo urges you to steal his new EP

The Killabits dropped this remix of Martin McFly’s “Yo!” through our friends over at Dubstep.net. They return to their home field at Bassmentality this Wednesday alongside emerging Toronto Dubstep act Dr. Ozi and Grimeskee. RSVP on Facebook and for your chance to win free entry to the show check out their contest page here

Related posts:

1. New Killabits Out Now on Monstercat
2. Deadmau5 – Raise Your Weapon (Noisia Remix) (The Killabits Moombahcore Edit)
3. Free Show Featuring Drop the Lime, AC Slater, Nacho Lovers, and Jokers of the Scene!

Full event details on Facebook, and event flyer below.

The above is a photo of the interior of St. Stephens-in-the-fields Church, which has what looks like 30′ ceilings, and enough room for several hundred ravers.

Behind this incredible concept is Mansion, a noteworthy Toronto production team that has been lauded for their highly-curated Happy Endings nights, held in the top floor of a dim sum restaurant which they have outfitted with a powerful soundsystem.

There’s something about the aesthetic, shape, and character of a room that informs how a performer will sound; suffice it to say, the St. Stephens-in-the-fields Church is going to sound incredible.

And all the more so because of the fantastic performers that will be playing there on April 27th, 2012.

Soundclouds: Addison Groove | Doc Daneeka | Vlsonn

For starters, Vlsonn, one of our most-written about Toronto producers, will be opening the show. If you missed our article on his latest EP ‘The Skinny’, I strongly suggest you give it a listen – he even gave us a few tracks to give away.

The headliners that night are Addison Groove + Doc Daneeka, each from the 50Weapons camp and hot off new releases. Right now they’re on a Surefire Sounds tour – a label whose showcase during SXSW 2012 was one of my favourite events.

To do your homework on Addison Groove I highly suggest you listen to his recent mix for Dazed Digital.

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I’m excited to announce that Provoke and Stealth Records have put together a Toronto showcase, to be held on May 3, 2012 at Footwork in Toronto.

On the lineup will be Prok & Fitch headlining, with locals Sam Haze and our own Mark Hinnen on support.

To get a taste of what to expect from Prok & Fitch, I suggest you listen to their recent performance at London’s Ministry of Sound. It’s an amazing mix of some of the best from the world of tech house right now, and includes a few of their own bootlegs in addition to their own recent productions.

Highlighted in the mix is their latest release on Stealth Records ‘Symphony’ (out now on Beatport).

VIP ticket giveaway details

Two VIP tickets for one contest winner.

Last day to enter giveaway: April 22

To enter: leave a comment on this Facebook announcement

Winner announcement: April 23, on the same Facebook post

Related posts:

1. Saturday Mixcast: Prok & Fitch
2. Saturday Mixcast: Prok & Fitch – Floorplay Podcast May 2011
3. Prok & Fitch Live Performance Mix

This morning Feed Me jumped on his Facebook fan page to express frustration with what he describes as the ‘greatest game in the world’ – sticking to talking points and not revealing too much in return for magazine or online publicity.

His commentary on music publicity is interesting enough in and of itself, but for true fans of Feed Me it’s also a window in to his life, and revealing of his motivations for making great art.

source

‎’This is the greatest game in the world.’

I’ve almost stopped doing interviews because I’m achieving nothing. If you want to find something out about me, ask me personally. If it catches my eye, I’ll respond, but dragging through another interview that no one thought about for more than two minutes seems like treading very boring water. Not that they’ve all been that way; but it’s the trend.

A well known electronic music magazine recently wanted to do a few page spread about my production techniques. They sent me a list of preliminary questions; what plugins do I use for ‘dirty’ sounds, what makes a good ‘drop’, how much ‘filth is too much filth’? Who wrote this? I could play the system; give away minimal information in exchange for some printed coverage, but at this point, fuck it. The Mau5hax thing was great; I got to interface with talented people and enjoy making music. I learnt as well as got involved. I didn’t sit and have my mechanical techniques picked at while my actual motivation was ignored; we made decisions together.

I don’t mind the occasional production Q, but what happened to mystery in music and art? There’s YouTube tutorials for days now online. Look it up; these production conversations are redundant. The truth and effect comes in the sincerity and composition of the actual piece. If I read an interview with an artist of any type, what I want to know is the ‘why’ – not the ‘how’. Why as electronic artists are we constricted to being quizzed monotonously about our techniques, and not ever our motivation? The reason anything I made sounds the way it did is because I sat and worked out every single piece of it myself. Give every one of us the same tools, and see what we all end up with – it’s our differences in expression and decision making that makes us.

I’m doing this because I honestly don’t know what else I can do. Music and art for me is a necessary release, and once people picked up on what I was making I was thrown into it. I was a bottled up, angry teenager, and I was completely consumed by the satisfaction I’d found in this new idea of making my own music. It consumed my life and I found I loved what it brought to it, and now I’m on an endless journey to see where it takes me, and where I can take it. Because of it, my entire late teenage and adult life I’ve been travelling the world, from Spor to Feed Me, constantly humbled by the people I’ve met, things I’ve seen, extremes I’ve lived through – I’m nothing but overwhelmingly grateful, it’s almost too much.

Some of it has been physically and mentally tough, but so far I’ve never quit. It’s never left my mind that should I drop dead, there’s a million people who would kill to take my place. I don’t believe in luck necessarily; I carved this out myself, but I am honoured to have what I have. If you’re going to complain about your reality when you’re living another persons dream, then I think you need a massive reality check. No one’s forcing you. Music is magic; and I think as artists we have a duty to keep it that way, not dissolve it down into presets, complaints, one-upmanship and catering to the market. It’s not all pink candy-floss cloud rides, and I think it looks fake if you depict it that way, but it really could be a lot fucking worse.

I used to lie and listen to my favourite records and daydream about how they were thought up, get lost in the sounds. There was no one to ask or study, and the resulting domino effect of speculation led me to my own ideas. It’s always been the unknown that’s motivated me. Spor was what I fell in to, but Feed Me is my world, a projection of a piece of me, and a way of expressing whatever I feel like. I couldn’t have built what I have without you guys supporting me, but I’ll always be creating and writing it none the less. I love you all for letting me take it this far.

I don’t normally post my opinions on here, but I’ve never got anywhere by playing the game, and sometimes I just feel I need to 1) say thanks, and 2) say why. TLDR.

Feeeed.

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Bassnectar, to me, is an entity that seems to enjoy lurking on the edges of fame. He could easily headline larger festivals, yet he eschews the greater spotlight for (slightly) smaller stages.

His shows are legendary, one performance in Red Rocks racking up over $100000 in sound pollution fines for bringing his own speakers to an event. In spite of all this, many only know him from his brilliant remix of Ellie Goulding’s ‘Lights’, which is an excellent song in its own right, but is by no means representative of Bassnectar’s extensive library of work.

It’s hard to follow up a ‘breakout’ album (so to speak) but Lorin Ashton completely blows Divergent Spectrum out of the water with his new EP-cum-LP, VaVaVoom. It’s been marketed as an EP, but all signs point to album, with its eleven (well, technically ten, as one is a collection of fragments and clips) song tracklist and an audio layout that more closely resembles a finished story instead of just a part of one.

The title track of the album features Lupe Fiasco, a smart move by any means. It really sets the tone for the rest of the album as something not wholly consumed with dubstep and instead obsessed with quality, varied bass. There are some great bits of rapping on this track, managing to avoid sounding weak while keeping the lyrics on topic to the theme of the album. It’s nice to get something that sounds so heavy without losing momentum with the vocals (as was the unfortunate case for Swedish House Mafia and Knife Party’s ‘Antidote’, which was an amazing song until somebody started autotuning over it.)

Empathy is an interesting follow-up; a song caught somewhere between chill-out and aggressive that isn’t heard all that often. I’m not entirely sure the rap verses are needed and may be a bit jarring over the vibes of the rest of the track. The female voice which echoes throughout lends more than enough to what could have easily been a repetitive mess if it were made in less capable hands. As it is, Empathy is a hypnotic counterpart to the thuggish opening track.

Ugly, premiered before the EP even came out, is an exhilarating face-first launch into drumstep. The snare drum solo that opens the track is gets you in just the mood for a fast-paced thrash fest, and the rest of the track delivers nicely in an almost tribal fashion. Ping Pong features one of the most innovative samples I’ve heard as of late: the sound of a table tennis match. Its genius is in its simplicity, and it’s really nice to hear some of these strange hollow noises that don’t come out of a synthesizer easily. Pennywise Tribute is as it sounds, a straightforward tribute to the rock music that Bassnectar is clearly influenced by. It vaguely reminds one of his remix for Gogol Bordello’s Immigraniada, and is bound to be a nice change-up sprinkled amidst heavier dubstep pieces.

I’m not quite sure if the second half of the album is my favourite, but I can certainly say that it’s moodier than the first. ‘What’ is a personal favourite, and sets the tone for the rest of the tracks nicely. Like some unholy combination of Flux Pavillion and Major Lazer, the track is a bit of a whirlwind of reggae influenced vocals, screeching, bassy halftime sections, and brief snatches of drum and bass. ‘Like This’ is a good bit of mid-range dubstep, but it’s a track easily lost amongst songs which hit heavier, harder and faster. It’s not bad by any means, but it /is/ the weakest of the EP, as so often is the case with a good song surrounded by great ones.

Laughter Crescendo is an interesting piece and a great throwback to the early Bassnectar days. It’s a remix of a decade-old song and a tribute to an older, more hallucinogenic sort of sound. Bassnectar himself has stated that he doesn’t like to dwell in his musical past, but if this what it sounds like when he does I wish he would dwell more often. It’s a dreamscape of layers of laughter, alternating between joyous and slightly disturbing atmospheres. Is the laughter insane? Is it happy? We may never know,but the track is done with a light touch that isn’t seen very often and should be celebrated when it is. Butterfly and Nothing Has Been Broken are very ouch the same form of song; slow, booming bass, technically dubstep but actually more atmosphere generating than anything. Vocals weave and soar while the bass is low and throbbing, enough to rattle your sinuses inside of your head. I guarantee that these two will be setpieces of this year’s string of Bassnectar shows.

Bassnectar has a particular talent for sculpting basslines that lift a song from the ground-up instead of simply weighing it down. I’m still not quite sure how he does it. This EP isn’t as varied in genre as some of the EP’s we’ve heard so far this year; albeit, we’ve been spoiled in terms of artists genre-hopping from place to place. That being said, VaVaVoom does have enough change-ups to further cement that Bassnectar certainly isn’t a one trick pony by any means. Maybe it will encourage some producers to be more creative with their bass and move beyond one-track tunes and random assortments of screechy noises. There’s a such thing as musicality in bass and I’m happy to see it have a revival.

You can buy VaVaVoom via Beatport, His Website, or stream via Soundcloud.

Related posts:

1. New Bassnectar Dubstep Remix of Deftones
2. Five Gnarly Bassnectar Tracks
3. Preview the new Bassnectar LP, coming next month

Immediately after a two-date stop in Indio for this year’s Coachella festival Abel Tesfaye, best known as The Weeknd, will be heading out on a 14+ date tour of the east and west coast.

Looks like that live band will be put to good use!

04-15 Indio, CA – Coachella
04-22 Indio, CA – Coachella
04-25 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
04-26 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
04-27 Boston, MA – Royale
04-28 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
04-29 Philadelphia, PA – TLA
05-03 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
05-06 Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theatre
05-08 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
05-10 Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
05-11 Seattle, WA – Showbox at the Market
05-12 Vancouver, British Columbia – Commodore Ballrom
06-02 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound Festival
06-09 Porto, Portugal – Optimus Primavera Sound
08-03 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza

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The concept of a Happy Endings party is simple: an extremely high level of music curation in a venue seemingly in complete contrast to the care spent in selecting the artists. A dim sum restaurant, to be exact, albeit with a cash bar and a soundsystem powerful enough to mix a martini.

So if you’re not one to be fooled by veneer and lazer light shows of death, come enjoy the finest underground rave Toronto has on offer.

Get complete event details on Facebook

$5 DRINKS ALL NIGHT x $5 DIM SUM PLATTERS x FREE BIRTHDAY LOBSTERS

For $10 Advanced Tickets (Guaranteed Entry), please visit Soundscapes, Rotate This, Play De Record, or Ticketweb.com: http://www.ticketweb.ca/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=4485035

For $10 Reduced Guestlist (Subject to Capacity), please e-mail names to guestlist@themansioninc.com

Related posts:

1. Show Review: Munchi in Vancouver, April. 5th
2. Dada Life – Happy Violence Remixes
3. Best of the Blogosphere: April 2012