Salacious Sound » Electro

Uppermost’s “Action” Blazes up Beatport

Jay — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:48:10 +0000

One of the articles that made me start following this blog (and then later writing for it) was an article published about a year ago about a Producer from France named Uppermost.

With songs like Heart Rate, a song that probably has the biggest build-up I have ever heard AND that actually delivers on the drop, and his remix of DJ Jesus Luz’s “Around The World” (two songs I highly suggest you check out!), Uppermost is possibly my favorite producer out there.

I’d like to inform you of some hard hitting tracks he has produced lately, and just let me tell you he has not slowed his pace. Still hard-hitting as ever, I present to you his more recent work from his self Produced Album, from his own record label, “Action“.

Uppermost – Born Limitless (support shop.uppwind.com) by uppermost

Uppermost – Positive (support shop.uppwind.com ) by uppermost

Uppermost – No Human Code (Album Preview) by uppermost

Here is a broader sampling of the whole album.

Uppermost – Action Album (Available at shop.uppwind.com) by uppermost

At the time I started writing this article I was unaware that Uppermost was about to put his new album “Action” on Beatport.

I am very glad to say that it has now topped the Electro charts and is 37th album in the general charts. Way to go Uppermost!

Quick and Sleazy Pt.1

Onnex — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:43:05 +0000

I just wanted to put out a little mini-mix since it has been a rather long time since I put anything out. Due to very tight time constraints (hence the quick), this mix is relatively short compared to most, but it’s chalk full of some solid tunes (hence the sleazy). I’ve had a few mixes posted on here previously as part of the Saturday Mixcast Series, but now as a new addition here at Salacious Sound, you’ll likely be hearing a lot more from me soon. I do all of my mixes in Serato and a pair of 1210M5Gs, and I really don’t know what else to say about it. Enjoy, take it sleazy, and look for a new mix right around the new years mark which will contain a few of my own productions.

Onnex - Quick and Sleazy Pt. 1.mp3

Tracklist:

Eddie Thoneick- Funk (Original Mix)

Boys Noize- Nott (Shadow Dancer Remix)

Skrillex- Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites (Zedd Remix)

Asser – Unstoppable

Spencer & Hill – Dub Disco (Lucky Date Remix)

Uppermost – Party Days

Francesco Diaz, Jeff Rock- Overdose (Original Mix)

Chrizz Luvly – Pushing On (Original Mix)

The Dance Party – Sasha Don’t Sleep (Pance Party Remix)

Punk Rolla – War

Battery Collection debuts on Kid Without Radio

Jay Kelles — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 12:04:04 +0000

There were a few ways to begin this review: some good, some bad, but none quite right. So let’s begin with just the facts.

Kid Without Radio is a netlabel, notably featuring underground electronic artists such as Egadz and Edison.
Battery Collection is the newest artist on Kid Without Radio and his debut LP is titled Future Ruins.
Bottom line: Future Ruins is worth your attention if you dig minimalism and you’re willing to forgive its rough edges.

What kind of profound cultural impact, if any, electronic music has had in the last three decades is an odd question. After all, it’s the music of nightlife, of temporary fits of passion, and of none-too-discrete eloping. It’s a genre of music that’s defined more by hedonism than it is by introspection.

And to be fair, it rarely attempts to be anything else. It’s a sound that’s not only comfortable with being up at 4 A.M. and having a half-bottle of Jack to go, but fundamentally embraces it. That’s why electronic artists rarely have to consider the consequences of selling out – there isn’t much pretense in the first place.

Perhaps that’s why artists who push the structural boundaries of the genre are often in welcome supply. They break hooks down to their barest essentials, and then add back only what’s absolutely necessary. They generally do not receive wide acclaim, but their sound is nonetheless a welcome respite of creativity. Battery Collection is one of those artists.

His debut, Future Ruins, is the kind of electronic music which exposes the great possibility of emotive range in the genre. It breathes a kind of intimacy in the synth that’s made possible only because of his rejection of typical production techniques. The Kid Without Radio presser claims, almost unbelievably, that “everything is performed live. No sequencing. No samples. No track warping.”

Old Heroes, Missing Friends is pipe full of summer optimism, and is easily the best track on the LP. That’s a good thing too, because it also happens to be one of two tracks that are remixed by Edison and Egadz, respectively (Unauthorized Biography being the other).

This isn’t a release without flaws. It’s purposefully rough, and that’s not something we’re accustomed to listening to these days. It’s also very easy to mistake its minimalism for an unsophisticated sound.

But Future Ruins seems less about ultra-polished production values than it is about exploring the limits of electronic music, and of creating a unique, penetrating sound.

You can purchase Future Ruins at www.kidwithoutradio.com

Battery Collection – A Mild Case of Scoliosis by Kid Without Radio

Battery Collection – Back in the Saddle by Kid Without Radio

Battery Collection – Old Heroes, Missing Friends (Edison’s Lonely Remix) by Kid Without Radio

Battery Collection – Unauthorized Autobiography (Egadz’s Blown Ear Drum Remix) by Kid Without Radio

Dub Invented the Remix

The Monarch — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:52:13 +0000

Diddy had nothing to do with it.Â In a world where a song’s life is affected and effected by a variety of musicians, producers and engineers, dub music is this world’s forefather.Â The genre has given rise to many central tenants of modern music culture. The power of producers and DJs in the current climate of the music industry is undeniable and we must give thanks to originators such as Lee “Scratch” Perry and King Tubby for exploring musical production and allowing us to see music in a different light.

Dub came out of the Jamaican music culture of the 60s and early 70s. The culture involved the inclusion of instrumental “versions” on the b-side of records, this was the instrumental or “riddim”. This allowed DJs and producers to manipulate the track with a lot more control. Often they added reverb, echoing and other effects to the track while opting for heavy drums and bass – these elements became the definitive characteristics of Dub music. The use of effects to alter the track was done by sound engineers and producer whoÂ transformed recording soundboards into the instruments themselves. After a while DJs began to talk over records (the DJ in Jamaican Dancehall culture is a Master of Ceremonies while the person who plays records is know as the selector) thisÂ was known as toasting and once exported to New York was the basis for Hip Hop’s development.

House and Electronic music is equally indebted to dub as Hip Hop. While music without lyrics may have always existed, the interaction between the DJ or Producer and the music itself was limited to arranging or playing songs. By changing this relationship to stress the importance of how the song is played and the effects used in production, the DJs and Producers importance increased. Mixing techniques, whether they be in the production or performance (a dj set for example) of tracks, increased in complexity. Eventually this led to the birth of House. Frankie Knuckles may have been the Godfather of House, but Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and other artists gave birth to the child.

Last night I checked out the 5th anniversary of Andy Poolhall’s Dub and Beyond. The DJs dug deep into their crates and spun some amazing wax that these ears have never heard before. Hearing unique remixes which paired commonly known tracks with deep, lesser known Dub tracks from a record allowed made me appreciate the effort that was required to unearth some of these tracks. This night has been going for 5 years and shows no signs of slowing down.

I expect Dub to rise to the forefront of our electronic music scene over the next year in the form of Dubstep. Now Magazine predicted the rise of Dubstep in 2008. This British evolution of Garage and Drum & Bass is bass heavy with a syncopated beat. This genre is extremely hard but has the driving energy required to become a influential member of electronic music’s history.

Here is a collection of relevant tracks. I’ve included some Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Thievery Corporation, some tracks that I feel are in some way relevant, as well as a variety of different examples of Dubstep including Rusko’s Essential Mix!

Katy Perry – I Kissed a Girl (Rusko Remix)

Ain’t No Such Thing as Halfway Crooks

The Monarch — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:11:21 +0000

I will keep this brief. Not much needs to be said about this remix. Shook Ones by Mobb Deep is one of the biggest Hip Hop songs to ever be released. Turning Shook Ones into an electro track is a huge undertaking, one which could result in a tremendous let down, but this remix is BOMB! It’s tremendously impressive that DJ Fashen’s remix does this legendary track justice.

Mobb Deep - Shook Ones (DJ Fashen Remix).mp3

Monday, Atelier, Illo, Been Jammin’

The Monarch — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 02:22:06 +0000

This Monday I checked out DJ Been Jammin’, who has had his mixes featured on Salacious Sound before, at Atelier alongside DJ Illo of Team Canada. Both of these cats cut to perfection playing everything from golden era Hip Hop and R&B, to hard hitting Electro bangers. Illo has been in the game for a while now and certainly has developed a lot of skills with his extensive experience. Been Jammin is new to the game, however, with a great background in music he has hit the decks running and developed a sweet style and awesome ability to fly between Electro and Hip Hop.

I got a chance to talk to Illo about DJing and the fact that so many people are picking it up as a hobby these days. I was interested in whether he thought that the visual aides that have been developed are cheapening the art form. While he agreed that it takes less talent to become a mediocre DJs these days, there will always be those who are a cut above the rest, those with the technical ability to spin without wave bars on a computer screen as they spin. He is one of those DJs, he kicked awesome tracks, dropped them with various styles, scratching and cross fading the sounds of the night together.

Check out the Party Pics in our Event Photography section!

I will definately catch Illo next time he is in town with the Eh! Team Canada DJs and am looking forward to checking out DJ Been Jammin when he opens for A-Track in February.

Aoki and JFK move the 905!

The Monarch — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:15:17 +0000

Steve Aoki was in Burlington Ontario last night. For those of you who have no idea where Burlington is, I don’t blame you. For those of you who do, I am sure you are asking yourselves, “since when do big Electro DJs take over Burlington?” Last night Steve Aoki brought the 416 to the 905 to shut down Zu Bar, a club just off the QEW.

The night opened up with Toronto’s Vivi Diamond warming the crowd up on the 1s and 2s. Dropping in and out of hard electro she got everyone’s temperature ready for the headliner. When I hopped on the Go train to get out to the burbs for the show I was excited to see the man behind Dim Mak kill the crowd with hard basslines and wild theatrics, what i didn’t expect was for him to have St. Mandrew, AutoErotique’s Keith Lite, and MSTRKRFT’s JFK in tow! Unfortunately not everyone in the audience knew what they were baring witness too. I on the other hand paid to see Aoki and was blessed with the opportunity to see him beside one of Toronto’s best acts, JFK, in one of Toronto’s smaller suburbs.

The combination of having Steve Aoki and JFK beside one another in the booth was purely electric. These two artists together made for one of the filthiest sets I’ve ever heard. Opening with The Bloody Beetroots Cornelius was epic! Some of you may recall that this track inspired me to put up a little post on the evolution of DJs into modern Rock Stars. This concert affirmed my every belief. With Aoki standing on top of the DJ booth screaming into the mic, JFK pounding a bottle of crown, the lights blazing and the music raging, seeing Aoki dive into the crowd put this culture into perspective for me.

Great DJs aren’t just playing music, they play the crowd. I remember hearing about how Larry Lavan used toÂ control a crowd at Paradise Garage. He would make the crowd move the way he wanted them to. If he wanted them to go down, they did. When he wanted them to come up, they followed his lead. Aoki and JFK did just that. They changed the pace at various times, but there were a few distinct moments for me. In the beginning there was house, by dropping dirty electro they had to crowd flowing. Later in the night they created a mosh pit, after they dropped Rage’s Killing in the Name Of I was moshing with bros in blazers and dudes in dress shoes. Everyone in the crowd was being moved by these masters of musical manipulation. If they let the track cut out for a second or two, it only increased the intensity with which the crowd responded to the drop. House is all about peaks and valleys, these guys took you bungee jumping. Unexpected drops were welcome, and buildups took you to the top of the mountain.

Steve Aoki is the best DJ I have ever seen PERFORM. I couldn’t really argue that he is the best at beatmatching, mixing, and effecting; but I will argue that he is the best showman I have ever seen on a set of decks.

Bloody Beetroots - Cornelius (Radio Oi).mp3
Kid Sister - Control (JFK Remix).mp3
Buy Now - Body Crash (JFK Edit).mp3
Metro Statio - Control (Steve Aoki Remix) 2.mp3

Anyway Telemitry Wants, That’s the Way I Need It!

The Monarch — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:30:31 +0000

Gotta Love Power Rock! Since Dj. Cal? dropped something classic, let me drop some power rock. Here is an AWESOME remix of Anyway You Want It by Journey! I love it. Telemitry killed it. Its hard, its soft, its beautiful electro, one could say, power electro? Anyway I think its hot, and you should too!

Let me know what you think!

The Monarch

Journey - Any Way You Want It (Telemitry Remix).mp3

DiscoTech Does it LIVE!

The Monarch — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:06:18 +0000

Discotech are possibly the best remixers floating around the web these days. They have been killing it track after track, and if you didn’t know now you know. The above video is possibly the coolest remix I’ve heard this year. Maybe not the best, but theÂ Bill O’Reilly’s freak out sample is epic, making for an extremely intense song.Â I have yet to hear something by these artists that i do not like. One of Crooklyn Clan’s best sellers, their mixes have become a necessity for todays biggest and smallest DJs. I only look foward to hearing more from this group in the new year!

Bill O'Reilly - DO IT LIIIIVE!!!!!!!! (DiscoTech Remix).mp3
Kanye West - Homecoming (DiscoTech Remix).mp3
Michael Jackson - Thriller (DiscoTech Remix).mp3
Stardust - Music Sounds Better 2008 (DiscoTech Remix).mp3
TI - Whatever You Like (DiscoTech Rmx).mp3

Three House Remixes of Three Pop Divas

The Monarch — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 08:55:37 +0000

Click photo + use left/right directional keys to navigate

I’m back at it again! Here are a couple of remixes that I want to share for a while with readers. The first is a remix of So What by Pink, its by Player and Remady. This song samples elements of the original rather than just changing the beat. The track doesn’t use Pink’s vocals too much as far as a chorus is concerned. Her voice is sampled in buildups that ultimately end with a drop into a nice electro groove. On the other hand, Maurice Joshua’s Club mix of Beyonce’s banger Single Ladies is centered around the vocals. He cuts up the vocals a bit and drops it over a really fun house vibe with awesome drums. This Bimbo Jones remix of Christina Aguilera’s Keeps Gettin’ Better is pretty dope. Dj Cal? has been playing it repetitively and I’m still not sick of it. This track has become the archetype to which I compare every other version of the song, even the original.

Enjoy!

The Monarch

Pink - So What (Player and Remady Mix).mp3
Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) (Maurice Joshua Club Mix).mp3
Christina Aguilera - Keeps Gettin Better (Bimbo Jones Remix).mp3

Salacious Sound » Electro

Uppermost’s “Action” Blazes up Beatport

Here is a broader sampling of the whole album.

Related Posts

Quick and Sleazy Pt.1

Related Posts

Battery Collection debuts on Kid Without Radio

Related Posts

Dub Invented the Remix

Related Posts

Ain’t No Such Thing as Halfway Crooks

Related Posts

Monday, Atelier, Illo, Been Jammin’

Related Posts

Aoki and JFK move the 905!

Related Posts

Anyway Telemitry Wants, That’s the Way I Need It!

Related Posts

DiscoTech Does it LIVE!

Related Posts

Three House Remixes of Three Pop Divas

Related Posts