This isn’t a review but just a few words on how I’m feeling about what I’m hearing. Over the past few month my ears have been subjected to a lot of dubstep, drum n bass, electronica etc. This I have to say was just the break my ears were searching for…

I received my copy of Shammi Pithia’s Audio Descriptive today. I stuck it straight on my Ipod, listened to it on the way to the gym, at the gym and on the way back. I’m kinda lost for words, not really sure how to describe this audio experience …

Shammi’s first EP Cinema for the Ears was great, he set himself a foundation, a beginning. Audio Descriptive resonates sounds from the EP, certainly not a flaw, a clear indication of an organic evolution Shammi’s music is going through – what he started with, to where he is going. There has been no need for reinvention here, because its simply not needed, what he has created works well.

There is a very good mix of sounds on the album, from an almost latino track to a hip hop, classical, hindi, cinematic and tonnes more.

This album is great, lots of dynamism and intelligence, truly refreshing piece of work.

Simply Beautiful …

get you copy here:

http://www.shammipithia.com/

As his famous London club night moves into its 2010 summer season, Giles Smith steps up with a mix for audioFAMILIES. I:Cube, The Mole and Moodymann all feature.

1. Osmani SoundZ – Track 10: Spiritual Master Key (5:09) – CD: Anokha-Soundz of the Asian Underground (1997)
2. GES-E & Osmani Soundz -  Track 1:  The Calling (2:12) – 12’’ Vinyl: Nasha V3 (2009)
3. The Nasha Experience -  Track 1: Greasy Spoon (4:03) – 12’’ Vinyl: NRV005 – A: Greasy Spoon AA: Matix (2010)
4. DJ dimmSummer -  Track 1: Rubstep (Slow Burn Mix) (4:33) – CD: Dimmsummer Presents: Nu Asian SoundZ (2010)
5. Anuj Rastogi (feat. Falitaa Chhabra) – Track 8: Rogue Justice (5:10) – CD: Dimmsummer Presents: Nu Asian SoundZ (2010)
6. Engine-EarZ Experiment – Faction 2 (Revolution) – Master (4:44) – Live recording BBC (UK) (2009)
7. Engine-EarZ Experiment – Kaliyuga (fully live dubsteb) (5:20) – Live recording BBC (UK) (2009)
8. Engine-EarZ Experiment – Introspector featering Natan Flutebox Lee (4:52) – Live recording BBC (UK) (2009)
9. Natan Flutebox Lee & Bandish Projekt – Live recording (3:55) – Alchemy Festival (UK) (2010)
10. Arun Ghosh & Bandish Projekt – Live recording (5:08) – Alchemy Festival (UK) (2010)
11. Secret Archives of the Vatican -  Track 3: Glidepath (5:35) -  EP: The Glidepath (2010) <= FREE DOWNLOAD !! (just click)
12. Secret Archives of the Vatican – Track 4: Secret Archive (5:08) – EP: The Glidepath (2010) <= FREE DOWNLOAD !! (just click)

see all playlists here with links to buy the vibrant music via online shops (download or postal or shipping delivery)…

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This new advanced drum-replacement plug-in includes all of Slate’s Steven Slate Drums Platinum Samples, along with two kicks and two snares from the upcoming Deluxe edition of his virtual drum software. 

Listen to the updated ‘By The Time I Get To Arizona’ - here.

Chuck D and DJ Spooky recently teamed up to do an update of the Public Enemy standard ‘By The Time I Get To Arizona’. The timing for this release couldn’t be more relevant, considering the controversy surrounding Arizona’s new law regarding immigration. Here’s what DJ Spooky had to say about the track:

“In the wake of Republican Governor Jan Brewer’s anti-immigrant law,
me and Chuck D were rappin’ and we decided to put together an update
of his classic track “By The Time I get To Arizona.” Anyone who knows
about hip hop from the early 90’s remembers John Mccain’s
unwillingness to endorse creating a local version of Martin Luther
King’s birthday. The update here is a 21st century look in the rear
view mirror. The cliché that “those who don’t learn from the past are
doomed to repeat it” still holds sway in our hyper amnesiac culture.
I remixed D.W. Griffith’s infamous film “Birth of a Nation” with a
bit of Public Enemy in mind, and later on, they named an e.p. with
the same name as my project. Me and Chuck D have done several
projects in the past around progressive, non knucklehead hip hop”

see English translation here.

Author: ElJay Arem

ElJay Arem im Mai auf Sendung…

(IE-m/HH -05052010) –  Die zurückliegenden Themen seit Sendestart im Januar wie “indisch elektronische Musik auf dem  europäischen Kontinent”, “Frauen in der indisch elektronischen Musik” oder “die ersten 10 Jahre der indisch elektronischen Musik” haben uns einen Höreindruck seit den Anfängen in 1996/1997 mit Einblick in die Weiterentwicklung des Asian Underground gegeben. Ich möchte heute mit einem Zeitsprung die aktuellen Tendenzen in der indisch elektronischen Musik aufspüren und dafür jüngste Veröffentlichungen aus dem Jahre 2009 und 2010 vorstellen. Dabei haben wir frisch auf dem Tisch echtes Vinyl, das vor zwei Tagen, am 2. Mai das Licht der Welt erblickt hat.

Ein Begriff wird uns heute ständig begleiten: Dubstep. Mit Dub music wird ein Genre der elektronischen Tanzmusik bezeichnet, das von Basslinien und Drum Patterns dominiert ist und sich 2001 aus der Londoner Szene entwickelte. Funkig wird’s dabei mit s.g. Breakbeats, mit denen ein DubTrack eine sehr dunkle Klangcolour erhält. Der Dub hat sich innerhalb kürzester Zeit – von einer Garagenmusik bis in etwa 2005 – eine echte Fangemeinde erobern können. Musiklabels, legale Filesharing-Plattformen wie Barefiles.com oder Internetradios – allen voran SubFM und DubstepFM – haben dazu beigetragen, dass sich Dubsteb in 2009 weltweit etablierte.

Die Art-Workers der indisch-elektronischen Musik haben damit keinerlei Berührungsängste. Es ist erstaunlich, wie schnell man im Sampling und Mixen die Klangstrukturen des DUB assimiliiert hat und man dabei ist, mit Ethno-Techno (s.u.) vielleicht gar ein neues Sub-Genre zu schafffen.

Asian Underground…

Ein Mann der ersten Stunde des Asian Underground war Osmani Soundz, bereits 1988 machte er als DJ das Londoner East-End in einem Musikerkollektiv unsicher. Seine Komposition Spiritual Masterkey aus dem Jahre 1996 fand auf dem wegweisenden Album Anokha-Soundz of the Asian Underground Platz. Es wurde als Compilation von Talvin Singh, Mitbegründer der indisch-elektronischen Musik in 1997 veröffentlicht. Bereits in dieser frühen Aufnahme von Osmani SoundZ ist deutlich der Dub-Charakter herauszuhören. Seine Klangarbeit entwickelte sich in den Jahren in Richtung Dub weiter, deutlich zu hören auf dem Compilationalbum “Nasha V3“, das Osmani in 2009 veröffentlichte, zusammen mit dem DJ Gese-e (gespr.: Guess-e), Gründer des Labels Nasha Records.

The Nasha Experience…

Auch das Musikerkollektiv The Nasha Experience (mit Osmani Soundz und im Weiteren Sukh Knight, Shandy und DJ Sqarewave) wird von Guess-e’s Label betreut. Ihr neuer Track “Greasy Spoon” wurde am 2. Mai 2010 auf einer 12er Vinyl veröffentlicht. Mit “The Nasha Eperience – V005″ gehts für den Dub sehr typisch, ziemlich düster zu. – It’s dirty.

Nicht nur The Nasha Experience ist mit seiner jüngesten Veröffentlichung schwer dublastig, auch der Klangkünstler DJ dimmSummer hat sich im letzten Jahr nach seinem ersten Compilationalbum “Ethnotechno.com vol. 1″ unter dem bezeichnendend Titel Revolution Rising schnell wieder in’s Studio begeben. Nu Asian SoundZ wurde im Januar 2010 unter dimmSummer’s Label ethnotechno.com veröffentlicht.

Lässt der Labelname EthnoTechno.com vermuten, dass wir hier bereits wieder auf neuen Soundpfaden unterwegs sind ? Ethno ist von dimmSummer zunächst der Versuch einer globalen Zentrierung. Unter Ethno sublimieren sich eine Vielzahl von Künstlern des Asien Underground, die global verstreut, die Szene bestimmen: Karsh Kale (Tabla), Vishal Vaid (Ghazal), DJ Cheb i Sabbah, Asian Dub Foundation, Transglobal Underground, State of Bengal, Niraj Chag, Midival Punditz, Goonda, Nucleya (früheres Mitglied von andish Projekt), Genetic Drugs and Rohan.

Die Frage, was Ethnotechno ist oder sein könnte, hat sich erst kürzlich Tony Naylor gestellt; er ist freier Journalist für die britische Tageszeitung The Guardian. Um es kurz zu machen. Tony kommt in seinem Artikel vom 2. Januar diesen Jahres zu dem Ergebnis, dass das Aufgreifen von Klangelementen aus dem Genre der Weltmusik nicht mehr sei als eine andere Form des kulturellen Kolonialismus. Afrikanische, arabische Stilelemente oder Latinmusik, die man in der Techno-Musik immer häufiger findet, werden ohne einer wirklichen Bereitschaft von anderen Kulturen zu lernen, aufgegriffen. Dem ist wohl nichts weiter hinzuzufügen. Das Format Indian E-music ist ja vor dem Hintergrund entstanden, dass nun seit mehr als vier (4) Jahren monatliche Sendungen zur indisch-klassischen Musik produziert werden. Und die indisch-klassische Musik das substantielle Rückgrat auch des Asian Underground ist. So wollen wir es auch in Zukunft halten, in dem Bemühen um ein grundlegendes Verständnis für das, was wir hören, und für das warum es so klingt, wie es klingt.

Der Musiker und Komponist Anuj Rastogi, selbst erst in 2007 mit Omnesia sein Debutalbum veröffentlicht und für seine melodische Sensibilität geschätzt, wendet sich auf “Nu Asian SoundZ” mit dem Titel Rogue Justice schweren Dub-Beats und einem kantigen Sound zu… von Anuj wird die Sängerin Falitta Chhabra ge-featured.

Engine-EarZ Experiment…

Auf halber Strecke zwischen Bristol und London liegt Reading. Dort tüfftelt ein Trio an dem z.Z. wohl progressivsten Sound, den wir in der indisch-elektronischen Musik aktuell zu Gehör bekommen können.

Unter der Formation Engine-EarZ Experiment scharen sich um den Kopf Prashant Mistry an den Synthesizern und Sequencern der Tablaspieler und Perkussionist Chiranjiv Kainth, und der Gitarrist Paul Hemani.
In ihrer biographische Identität definieren sich Prashant Mistry und seine Mitstreiter auf ihrer Facebook Page als revolutionär, spirituell und “rank-faced” Tanzmusik.

Engine-EarZ Experment wurde im Februar 2010 für den “Best Alternative Act” des Asian Music Award vorgeschlagen.

Bandish Projekt, Beatboxen und Klarinette…

Die jüngsten Veröffentlichungen von sehr progressiven Musikern wie Prashant Mistry aus der Formation Engine-EarZ Experiment, DJ dimmSummer unter seinem eigenen Label EthnoTechno.com oder Osmani Soundz in dem Musikerkollektiv “The Nasha Experience” werden von Künstlern bereichert, die noch ganz andere Stilelemente einbringen.

Natan Flutebox Lee, Flötist indisch-irischer Herkunft, ist wesentlich vom Hip-Hop und Punk geprägt. Das Beatboxing und Hiphoppen auf der Querflöte ist eine neue von Natan Flutebox Lee selbst kreiierte Spieltechnik.

Der british-indische Arun Ghosh auf der Klarinette im typischen Klangbild der Klezmermusik kommt aus dem IndoJazz. Zu ihm und zu Nathan gesellt sich der in Mumbai ansässige Komponist und Musikinstrumentalist Mayur Narvekar, bekannt als “Bandish Projekt“. Bandish ist ein Begriff der indisch klassischen Musik und bedeutet soviel wie Komposition. Ungewöhnlich, denn die nordindische Klassik, die Ragamusik ist zu 90% Improvisationsmusik.

Alle drei Musiker, Natan Flutebox Lee, Arun Ghosh und Mayur Narvekar bringen eine Ausbildung in der klassischen bzw. indisch-klassischen Musik mit.

Der Mitschnitt einer Live-Session, die im April 2009 bei der BBC in London stattfand und der gemeinsame Auftritt am 10./11. April 2010 beim Alcemy Festival in London (South Bank Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hall) beeindrucken mit hohen Dynamik und klanglichen Vielschichtigkeit, die von der indisch klassischen Musik bis zum echten Dub reicht.

Wir dürfen hoffen, dass sich aus diesen interessanten Formationen in Bälde konkrete CD-Produktionen ergeben.

Secret Archives of the Vatican – Transglobal Breakbeat Dub Science

Hinter dem geheimnisumwitternden Namen Secret Archives of the Vatican verbirgt sich ein kleines Musikerkollektiv aus dem Süden Londons, aus Croydon. In 1998 mit ihrer Erstveröffentlichung Reformation auf sich aufmerksam gemacht, definiert sich “Secret Archives of the Vatican” selbst als “Wissenschaft des transglobalen Breakbeat Dub” (transglobal breakbeat dub science).

Diese Clusterung klingt sehr vielversprechend und dürfte am Ehesten dem Begriff Ethno zugeordnet werden können. Arabische und indische Klangfarben und Funkrhythmen sind wesentlicher Bestandteil dieses “Orientalist Dub”. Das englische Label BrokenDrumRecords veröffentlichte vor zwei Tagen die goldene EP “The Glidepath“. Ein Album mit fünf Stücken, das man kostenlos hier downloaden kann.
______________

Die nächste Sendung Indian E-music… gibt’s dann wieder am 1. Dienstag, den 1. Juni – um 21:00 Uhr auf Tide 96.0 und via Internet.

… und wer sich für die indisch klassische Musik interessiert, jeden 3. Dienstag im Monat, gleiche Zeit. Also nächster Sendetermin für IMC – India meets Classic dann am 18. Mai um 21:00 Uhr auf Tide 96.0 (und via Internet).

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This time-limited offer adds free Traktor Duo or Traktor Pro software to any purchase from the company's range of DJ audio interfaces. This turns any Audio 2 DJ, Audio 4 DJ and Audio 8 DJ interface into a digital DJ system with studio-grade effects, synching and looping functions, track management and many advanced performance features.

Google’s Android has been a relatively slow starter for mobile music software, but a gem like Adam Smith’s free Ethereal Dialpad proves it’s a viable option, and the app is an inspiring musical toy, to boot. Perhaps more important than that, behind the scenes, Adam is employing a really beautifully audio engine of his own design with an elegant approach to coding sound.

Ethereal Dialpad features a set of basic modules for using touch to produce synthesized sound with real-time effects. The concept isn’t new – Adam says he was inspired by the pitch mapping on KORG’s Kaossilator – but it’s nicely executed, and the software is fun and responsive. I’ve tested it with some non-musician Android owners, and they were simply delighted. And yes, you can plug it into external effects and go absolutely wild – see the video below for one example.

Of course, these sorts of applications are relative commonplace on the iPhone, but few and far between on Android. So it seemed the perfect time to ask Adam to share his thoughts on developing for the platform.

Along the way, Adam has some great thoughts on live coding and sharing in the development community that go well beyond any one platform.

Mobile applications in general have often been self-contained, limited-lifespan creations; the simpler ones are almost like bubblegum – suck out the sugar and move on. But by sharing code, these simpler applications can have a greater life, as they’re extended and incorporated into other projects. That could suggest greater longevity over time for unusual interactive musical software creations in general. And with this application fitting into just 35K – yes, amazingly, even with all the packaged Android assets and Java code – the emerging landscape could even begin to resemble the demoscene of old.

Adam writes with some of the behind-the-scenes details of coding audio on Android:

The whole Ethereal Dialpad project started as an experiment with the AudioTrack api in the Android framework and, without any real planning, it evolved into a reimplementation of one of the presets on Korg’s Kaossilator synth toy (which I’ve enjoyed playing in the past). At one point, I was thinking of adding more Kaossilator-like features (loop recording, more synths, etc.), but interest in starting new projects instead of improving old ones won out.

The synthesis core of the app is hand written in Java. You can see an example of working with my DSP library edited down from the real source here: http://gist.github.com/376028#file_usage.java The design of the library was strongly inspired by that in ChucK, a programming language for musical livecoding that I’ve used for a few other silly projects (http://chuck.cs.princeton.edu/). Using the library, the app sets up a little modular synthesizer on startup and uses touch events to tweak parameters. It is possible for the synthesizer to be reconfigured a run-time (adding or rewiring components), but I didn’t end up using this functionality anywhere in Ethereal Dialpad. Perhaps someday I could expose the live synth construction process to users with some graphical interface — right now you have to edit the source to change the synth.

Devices like the G1 I was working with have terrible floating point performance (improved none by running code in a virtual machine!), but going ahead with the simplest solution turned out to work just fine. In another free Android app, Iteration, I used fixed-point arithmetic in C via the NDK to get the performance I wanted (http://github.com/rndmcnlly/iteration/blob/master/jni/iteration.c#L279). At one point I was having trouble with the audio stream in Ethereal Dialpad when some background processing (such as Twidroid waking up to refresh tweets) took too much processor time, but simply cutting the audio sample rate in half was an effective fix (with little effect on my output which didn’t have too much in the high frequencies at the time).

I suppose it would normally be overkill to build a synthesizer from scratch like this to get the output I did. If I knew I were really going for what Ethereal Dialpad is now from the start, I could have simply embedded a fixed set of pre-recorded tones and not mucked about with sines and cosines. One fun result of doing it the hard way is that the package you download is only 35KB (with a lot of that space dedicated to the silly icons for each dialpad). Doing as much as possible with code instead of bulk data is in line with the demoscene aesthetic which I’ve enjoyed for a long time. Generative art has long been a passion of mine, but playing with real electronic music hardware during the past few years has convinced me to try more tangible projects, exploiting the touchscreen in this case.

As an aside, there seems to be a really positive, sharing-oriented culture in the hobbyist Android programmers that I have run into. I got the idea to make Ethereal Dialpad (or at least play around with audio on Android) after seeing the Synthesizer 2 application. I could tell, just by using the application, that the developer must have been using some API for live streaming that I hadn’t noticed in the documentation yet. In response to a email to the developer I got a pointer to the exact API I was seeking, and we’ve sent Java snippets back and forth since. Another developer emailed me to figure out how my app worked and, several source-filled emails later, Ethereal Dialpad contains the “Moonblink’s Grid” dialpad, a volunteered submission.

I asked for some reflections on Android, in general, as a platform, as well, although that discussion quickly turns more generally to tools for quickly coding creative sound on computer platforms, too.

Regarding inspiring Android music apps, it was actually the (I suppose I’m qualified to say this) disappointing experience I had with Synthesizer 2 that really pushed me to think “Man, I could make something that sounds better (after I ask him how he pushed an array of floats through the speakers, that is).” After finding the right API, it was just one dusk-till-dawn hacksession before I produced CurveSlinger (http://adamsmith.as/typ0/k/CurveSlinger.apk), which is essentially the core of audio Ethereal Dialpad with no graphics. The idea of mapping both axes of the touchpad to two synths was lifted directly from the L.12 patch on the Kaossilator. I didn’t think to attempt to bolting on a pluggable GUI system for another month perhaps. Plug-ins are a whole story of their own — turns out there is a section of the Android userbase that universally ignores update notifications. [Ed.: If rumored "auto-update" features finally get baked into Market apps, I would expect that situation to improve, though it hasn't happened yet. -PK]

In the larger context, the drive to create a synth toy from scratch was inspired by participating in the culture around livecoding languages like ChucK, Impromptu [Mac audiovisual livecoding environment], and Pd (TOPLAP is the name I feel compelled to drop here). In livecoding I can bridge the gap between the otherwise sometimes cold, engineering practice of programming and the artistic, improvisational practice of live music performance. I’m overwhemled by how easy it was to make a mini trance sequencer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVOtH5Uiatc), a tangible controller for wave playback (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhDeYxhnKkY), and an infinite random claim generator (http://www.toplap.org/index.php/User:Adamsmith#.22endless_interesting_claim_generator.22 — http://adamsmith.as/typ0/k/voxbox/claims.html). How can I convince the general population that being a healthy consumer is not a healthy state of being and that programming is an amazingly underappreciated approach to being a creative producer? Well, I’ll hack something nifty stuff really quick and tag a note onto the app description: “Like what you feel? Consider learning to program. It’s some serious magic.”. I’ve gotten maybe 15 email responses to this last note, but it is hard to get people who have no experience into a position where they can do the same thing.

The drive to use the touchpad for something interesting draws directly from playing the Korg EMX-1 which uses a linear touch sensor to control the arpeggiator. Sure, I’ve fun with Kaossilator, but that two inch strip on the EMX-1 sucked me in for hours at a time. It was magical, and I wanted to make that kind of magic too.

I suppose I have to acknowledge the Internet at large as a major, implicit inspiration. It is impossible to remember which video here or there lead to this or that other idea. I’m sure, running your site (which I didn’t know of until you contacted me), you experience the same thing.

For your viewing pleasure, here are two of those quick audio creations. At top is a demo of livecoding in Pd (Pure Data). At bottom, in what must be a geek singularity powerful enough to actually create a depression in the fabric of space time, “a YTMND dramatic reading of some Half-Life fan fiction” with a Nintendo 64 controller and the rapid audio coding environment ChucK.

Android I think is overdue for a round-up of available audio software. (Honestly, I had put it off partly because the landscape was somewhat scarce.) Candidates so far include Sonorox, Beatpad, Uloops, Musical, and FingerPlay. Got nominees? Let us know in comments.

The “killer” apps for Android may turn out to be in-progress ports of Pd and SuperCollider. More on that topic soon; if you’re interested in contributing, or in learning more about Android music software development, you should check out the Android Music Developers Google Group.

And since so much geektastic material comes up in the interview, let Adam know if you have other questions for him.

The Kompakt man talks to MTV about his BumBumBox street parties, sandwiched between questions on his favourite animal and what he would do if he had a robot chest.

Ed Harcourt will be releasing his new album Lustre next month, and we have the live version of one of the new tracks from the new record, recorded at Seattle’s KEXP. Just click ‘Get it Now’, pop your email in the box and the track is yours for free.

And since this will most likely leave you wanting more, you'll be happy to hear that you can also pre-order your copy of Lustre AND listen to the whole album over at Ed Harcourt's website.

The story of Cowboy and Indian is a fascinating one, the likes of which this country traveler has seen only once, maybe twice before.  You see, the story begins in the unlikeliest of settings.  You'd have to travel one thousand miles east of the Mississippi River, and then you may just stumble upon Classroom 121 of 1879 Hall, a building that houses the Department of Philosophy---I gather that's what Old Man Halvorson used to call ``deep thinking''---in the local university where our story originates.  This classroom was, during the Spring months of the two thousand and fourth year of our Lord and Savior, home to a series of lessons in logic.  So captivating were these lessons that one of the young pupils continued her studies with the instructor after the formal Semester had concluded.  Now, I'm not well-versed in the principles of logical implication, but it seems to me logical to think that after a good while, these two would consider pursuing a relationship that is, shall we say, less academic in nature.

As a matter of course, it wasn't long before our two scholars shared a domicile in the Empire State, County of Queens.  And this is where our story takes an interesting turn.  From what I hear, it was in the basement of that domicile that former instructor and former pupil combined their musical talents into one, disparate though their origins---musical and otherwise---were.  The words and melodies, well those are provided by a good ol' country girl from the honest town of Humble, Texas.  Indrany Datta-Barua is her name.  Now that may not sound like an American name, but I can assure you that she's as American as they come, with a voice of singular quality.  As for the music beneath the melodies, you might expect to hear a trusty old six-stringed guitar, in which case your expectations are sure to be confounded.  It is a four-stringed bass guitar that you will hear instead, coming from the hands of Brett Sherman, a fast-walking New Yorker of modest stature, bearing an otherwise temperate disposition.  

Unfortunately for the duo, like many of their compatriots, they are no stranger to the harsh economic winds that have swept across our fine nation.  Unable to secure adequate employment, they gathered their belongings and moved west to the ever-down-on-its-luck city of Cleveland, Ohio, where it is said that Ms. Datta-Barua is pursuing an education in the medical arts.  It is in spite of these adversities that they travel and perform their music, sharing a vision of America for the common folk.  Theirs is a message of opportunity amidst struggle, beauty amidst depression.  Last I heard, they've been traveling to New York to record an Extended Play of three of their finest songs.  I'm told it has something to do with a pony.


l   "Save Your Soul" MP3   l   Official Site   l   MySpace   l

Continue reading at FILTERmagazine.com

There's something entrancing about the music of New York dream pop trio School of Seven Bells.  Whether the credit lies within their fuzzed out grooves or atmospheric chants, there is undeniable chemistry that translates beautifully into sound.

Prepping the July release of Disconnect From Desire, download lead single "Babelonia" via Stereogum.

Disconnect From Desire drops July 13th via Vagrant.

Brooklyn instrumental electro duo, Ratatat, is set to drop their fourth record this summer.  Featuring the signature guitar rifts that have become synonymous with Mike Stroud and Evan Mast, LP4 will drop June 8th via XL.

Track List:
Bilar
Drugs
Neckbrace
We Can't Be Stopped
Bob Gandhi
Mandy
Mahalo
Party With Children
Sunblocks
Bare Feast
Graper Juice City
Alps

When one thinks of boxing, neon lights and dancers don't automatically come into mind.  Unless you're Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke, then it's the theme for your debut solo video.  "Tenderoni" highlight's Kele's physique and cornrows (D'Angelo flashbacks anyone?), as well as utilizing thrusting and arm swinging dancers to mimic the electro beats.

Okereke's solo debut, The Boxer, drops June 22nd via Glassnote.

Enjoy at FILTERmagazine.com

It’s the kind of pairing so perfect, you might never have believed it would ever actually come to fruition. Digital Mystikz‘ Mala remixing Grace Jones? One of the deepest heads in dubstep reinterpreting the Jamaican-American diva icon? Dream on, man.

Except that it did happen, as FACT magazine announced a few days ago. And better yet, it’s not just some mega-limited pressing that no one outside the DMZ inner circle will ever get their hands on: Wall of Sound have given the ‘Love You To Life’ remixes an honest-to-goodness digital release.

The original version of ‘Love You To Life’ appeared on Jones’ 2008 album ‘Hurricane’; featuring Sly and Robbie Shakespeare, it’s a dark, driving fusion of reggae and R&B. Mala, as you might expect, strips it down, way down, to Jones’ vocals and a bare-bones rhythm section. He zeroes in on the bass as only he can, blowing it up into a force that feels all-encompassing, almost overwhelming. Massive doesn’t begin to describe it.

Read more on Beatportal