Frontier Sounds SoundCloud Selections

NTEIBINT Remixes by NTEIBINT

First up we have this rather delightful remix of the Cassius tune The Sounds of Violence by an artist with a name that is impossible to announce. Hailing from Athens, they have their first album out in the not too distant future and preliminary listens are sounding good.


http://soundcloud.com/hadouken/sets/remixes-of-hadouken

Hadouken are a London stroke Leeds five piece, who make indie electro narrated by angsty grime, they come into their own in the live environment and I have seen them many a time tear the roof down. Spor, who has done this remix of Turn The Lights Out, is one of the biggest and best drum and bass producers around at the moment, so enjoy this meeting of minds.

Line Runners - Happens For A Reason by Bassis & Liability
  Line Runners & Fister - Dispatch Comp Entry by Bassis & Liability

Back in 2006 I took those first tentative steps towards starting my radio career and alongside three friends Rich, Joe and Paulo set up the institution that became Big Safe Radio. So as a sign of respect and solidarity towards those days and my fellow pioneers, I want to play a couple of tracks produced by two former Big Safe Radio members. Paulo and Joe aka Bassis and Liability, have been producing music together for five years and have recently united under the Line Runners name. They are both talented DJ`s and have had success in their producing careers as well with several tunes being signed to drum and bass labels.

Frontier Sounds Christmas Singles

Listen again to the show here http://www.radiofrontier.ch/features/frontier-sounds/

My first Frontier Sounds Christmas Single is this delicate and subtle reworking of Christina Rosetti`s Christmas carol of sorts, called In The Bleak Mid Winter. As the tittle might suggest, Rosetti was adept at appreciating the sadder things in life, a nervous breakdown at fourteen, three cancelled wedding engagements and a life lived with a father ravished by depression. So yes, Christmas can be a sad time too and Fairewell`s rework  is like an audio version of the ubiquitous East Enders Christmas episode, where Dot Cotton spends it alone with no central heating and someone, if not everyone, beats up Ian Beal.

Mike Doughty (What Do You Want ) with Rosanne Cash by xxxcrjxxx

What would Christmas be without a duet? Empty, that’s what. Now normally these can be a pretty shabby affair, like your dad`s budget Lidle mulled wine or sickly, like a mug of egg nog spoilt by some super sweet Baileys. This track works because Mike Doughty and Roseanne Cash`s voices aren’t super polished, rather they have a rustic, something-I-can-relate-to sound to them. Also, it`s a song about either two things. 1) A couple not knowing what else they can give to the relationship in order to make it work or 2) A couple not knowing what to get each other for Christmas. I hope it`s the latter because I know that pain and as much as I like Christmas, the commercial aspect brings me down. I like to think that someone has had the balls to sing about it.

Next up we have Laurie Cameron`s version of Christmas Baby Please Come Home. I think her voice might normally annoy me if this song just wasn`t so beautifully depressing, even when the kick drums booms in to try and give it more life, it`s reluctant, there are even some faint half-hearted sleigh bell sounds in the background like you got Eoor in to do the percussion. I love it for that.

Gruff Rhys - Post Apocalypse Christmas by PIASGermany

This is the happiest song about Christmas after a nuclear apocalypse I have ever heard, which probably isn`t hard considering that this is the first song about Christmas after a nuclear apocalypse I have ever heard. In some ways though, I guess you would have no choice post fallout but to get on with it and try and have a nice time. So what, most of your family are dead and there is nothing but bleak nuclear winters and overcast skies to look forward to, it`s happened, now time to re-build society from the ground up. And as the title of Gruff Rhys`s Atheist Christmas EP suggests, on the plus side you would be able to re-build that society without the evil of religion, no more sitting at rubbish nativity’s and signing twee hyms, no more songs of praise Christmas specials or ruddy carol singers, just more family, drinking and presents.

Because it`s good.

Frontier Sounds SoundCloud Selections

http://www.radiofrontier.ch/, get on board, visit the site, listen in, like it on facebook, join us on twitter @radiofrontier, love it etc etc.

Trucker Hats Go! DjAslan Remix by DjAslan

Here`s some US hip-hop from Sivion and the DJ Aslan remix of Truckers Hats Go. Aslan is a turntablist by trade, beginning his battling career in 96, a year in which he competed in the DMC World Team Championship with IF2-Immortal Fader Fyters. He is currently in Oklahoma working with Church Boy Entertainment and contributing to Illect Recordings. Many of his mixes are available on SoundCloud.

CRAZY by goodshivelow

What makes someone with an annoying, generically American, middle of the road voice sound better? A swing band that`s what and luckily Eli Becken from Dallas has realized this, hiring some trumpets amongst other things, to form the band Goodshivelow. With an indie base the band have added some much needed brass to create a sound full of soul, you can imagine this being the track that finally rids people of their inhibitions and gets everybody to their feet and onto the dance floor at some awkward dinner come dance in a school hall somewhere. A generation crosser, as grandpa`s dance with teenagers, mother with sons, This is Goodshivelow with Crazy.

Peengh by Pav Dharia

A taste of the sub-continent now with some Electronic tinged Bhangra. On the outskirts of this tune you can hear the modern, electronic sound flirting with the traditional Bhangra body, as if these elements were guests, milling at the edges of the dance floor at a colorful, well attended Indian wedding, making eyes at a girl already promised to wealthier, less slum dog, family.

My only complaint with this track is that it doesn`t evolve these influences enough, I think Pav Dharia who works out of Melbourne Australia, has missed a trick here and I would have liked to have seen this develop into a real bass driven dance number; It`s calling out for a remix perhaps. To give potential remix artists an idea of quality of the base they have to work with this is Pav Dharia with Peengh.

Camille Martin - Trucker by camillemartinoff

This little Daft Punk-esq banger is by Camille Martin from Rennes and sounds like different elements of the office going bizerk. It’s as if the computer, printer, shredder and computer have all suddenly developed a consciousness and means of self-expression and are celebrating the fact it`s a Friday as well. This is fist pumping techno at it`s finest and most fun, so enjoy our SoundCloud Selection of the week.

The return of Valve Recordings

Valve Recordings is set to return in the new year, follow the link to find out more and to recieve a free download or two.


http://www.kmag.co.uk/editorial/news/valve-recordings-is-back.html

Frontier Sounds Singles Selections

Back by popular demand this time featuring friend Spikey T, Roots Manuva returns with Here We Go Again, a cut from his new, critically acclaimed album, 4everevolution.

It is a tune that fuses hip-hip, techno and dub step influences to create a bass heavy, head grooving beat. It is much like the sound of a robotic dog, barking at a reversing post van, has passed through a ball of candy floss on route to your ear drum.

Roots` style is as effortless and comfortable as you might expect from someone releasing their fifth studio album. His lyrics are razor sharp and intelligent as he raps about the perils and temptations of street life, in a manner which does not preach but rather serves to warn, not only us but Roots himself. For me Roots Manuva has one of the most charismatic and poignant voices in hip-hop and there isn`t a week that goes by where I don’t wish I sounded like him.

Formed from the break-up of Los Angles band Mika Miko, sisters Jessica and Jennifer Clavin`s new project Bleached, releases its first single, Searching Through the Past today off the Suicide Squeeze label. This is the B side from that seven inch called Electric Chair.

A beautifully low-fi affair that forces a blurred montage of a drunken youthful night to appear in your mind, as you stumble, blissfully happy from gig to gig, dancing like a fool and generally enjoying the beer soaked fruits of your own stupidity.

Although this track draws obvious influence from The Stones classic Not Fade Away and other rock n roll greats such as Buddy Holly, there are more modern, hip hop, techno techniques at play here, which have drawn people to label his unique sound as Electrorockabilly.

It`s a track that makes me think of that scene in Back to The Future when Marty Mcfly brings the rock n roll sounds of the future to his parents High School dance. Imagine though that he was also joined by Doc, who has just returned from 2011 and making strange sounds through a thing he calls a synth and a box called a drum machine.

Finally to the Frontier Sounds Single of the week by a group I have been wanting to talk about some time and who already some incredible tracks in their arsenal, this latest single being one of them      

This Greek duo have been all the buzz of the blogs of late for their unique, experimental synth-pop sound. Like a more mature and refined Air, this is their wonderfully euphoric and dreamy single, Campus Martius.  

CloudToy on The Frontier Mix

CloudToy on The Frontier by CloudToy

To celebrate the CloudToy Blog’s current and hopefully continued association with Radio Frontier (http://www.radiofrontier.ch/) and Frontier Sounds, I’ve put together this little mix of some of the best tunes heard in the last few weeks. As usual many of the tracks featured are available for free download so please follow the links below or download the entire mix yourself from the little arrow on the player. 

1)   A1 - Darkside (Nicholas Jarr and David Harrington) 
2)   Pyro – T.I.

3)   The Party and The After Party – The Weeknd

4)   John Henry Was a Trucker  - Buck Truck (free download www.soundcloud.com/buck-truck)

5)   Bad Behaviour – David Heartbreak (free download http://soundcloud.com/mixmag-1/sets/david-heartbreak-m7-ep)

6)   Last Words (Dimitri from Paris Remix) – Clubfeet  (http://soundcloud.com/helloclubfeet)

7)   Chameleon – Escort (free download www.soundcloud.com/escort-records) 

8)   ISM Featuring Ernesto – Mario & Vidis  (http://www.mixmag.net/music/mp3-blog/free-mp3%3A-mario-%26-vidis)

9)   Let You Know – Kingdom

10)  Diving (Crisis Kid remix) – Heartbreak (free download http://soundcloud.com/mixmag-1/sets/david-heartbreak-m7-ep)

11)  Back To Me – Marco Del Horno (http://soundcloud.com/marcodelhorno, check out an interview here.

12)  Firetruck - The Madden Brothers feat Kreyshawn feat Hollywood Holt

13)  Shogun (remix) – Fanu (free download http://soundcloud.com/fanu) 

Frontier Sounds SoundCloud Selection the Horrors Special

Earlier on this week Frontier Sounds was invited aboard The Horrors tour bus for an exclusive interview with guitarist Josh in advance of their Geneva show. Once aboard the good ship horrors, we talked about many things, one being remixes and specifically their remix of a Lady Gaga tune, which is included below. You can listen to an extended version of the interview on the Radio Frontier site here http://www.radiofrontier.ch/features/frontier-sounds/

My Frontier Sounds SoundCloud selection this week is The Horrors remix of a Florence and the Machine track. I think this is a stunning tune, as what`s cleverly been achieved is punch in places where the original lacked and it has also taken punch from areas such as the chorus, to make a more consistent, DJ shadow-esq soul track, full of life, colour and texture but still retaining typically Florence elements such as harp flourishes and drawn out string sounds.

The Horrors - Sheena Is A Parasite (Oscillate Mix) by stop.oscillate

Here is the Stop.Oscillate remix of arguably The Horrors best song from their first album Strange House. The track Sheena is A Parasite, which they disappointingly failed to play on Monday. Describing itself as IDM, or Intelligent Dance Music for those of us not smart enough to understand this oh so smart, holier than thou abbreviation. The track conjures up images of a futuristic fairground at night, bright neon lights, the collective ambiance of a reluctant fun, the carousel spinning and chopping up the sounds floating across the fair from the haunted house, whose Dracula inspired tones, are daring you to enter.

The Horrors - Still Life (Comfort Remix) FREE DOWNLOAD by James Comfort

Here`s a remix of probably my favorite Horrors track, Still Life, which was the highlight for me during their Geneva show Monday, the crowed being whipped into a frenzy with the opening synth line being repeated for an age as the drummer tried to sort out a technical issue he was having. This is a really fun, bubbly, well produced drum and bass remix of The Horrors Still Life by DJ Comfort.

Here is The Horrors, or more specifically Tom from the Horrors, with a gothic, futuristic and pleasantly bleak version of Lady Gaga`s Bloody Marry, taken from Born This Way the Remix, a remix of her last studio album also featuring re-edits by Foster the People, Goldfrapp, Micheal Woods, Metronomy and Twin Shadow, to name but a few.

Frontier Sounds Singles Selections

My single of the week is this fantastically bluesy number from Kill It Kid, who are a four piece from bath. Featuring the poor boy tones of Blind Willie McTell it has all the piano and vocals you`d expect from a Blind Willie inspired tune but given a contemporary touch. I can`t do more than let this wonderful  track describe itself, decent video as well.

Simply for the fact that I didn`t like a lot of the singles released this week, I`m going to play a little teaser from next week, in fact I`m doing any French readers a favor in informing them that on Monday they will be able to get hold of this record nearly two weeks before the rest of the world. On the fifth of December in France, the 13<sup>th</sup> everywhere else, Anglo-French singer and actress Charlotte Gainsbourg will release Stage Whispers, a double LP of live and previously unreleased material. This track is called Paradisco, written especially for Gainsbourg by Moby. Bizarrely, in what I`d like to think is a move of French solidarity but rather suspect is a massive sponsorship deal, you can preview two more tracks from the album on The Air France web site.

A series of layers, acoustic guitar, atop classical finger picking, a gently humming bass driven by an army drum roll which is all bound together by, in the words of Master Chefs Greg Wallace, a buttery-biscuit vocal. Right Way Round is the latest single from East London rock folk five piece Dark Captain. It`s a track that sounds like both the sum of all its parts and all those parts individually battling to be heard within the mix; either way, the result is beautiful. 

They have an album out called Dead Legs and Alibis and it`s available from www.darkcaptain.com, so if you like Right Way Round, you know where to hed to hear more. 

When CloudToy met The Horrors

Click this link, http://www.radiofrontier.ch/features/frontier-sounds/ to listen to a CloudToy representative interview Josh from The Horrors for http://www.radiofrontier.ch/ in advance of their Geneva show. They talk about the latest album, Swiss crowds, fighting in Geneva, Skinheads, Christmas presents, ways of alleviating call centre boredom and hallucinogenics (taking them is not the solution by the way).

Bullet Train Volume 2

Lastest compliation from Marco Del Horno and Last Japan, lovely cross genre stuff.

http://www.kmag.co.uk/editorial/news/bullet-train-volume-2.html

Frontier Sounds, SoundCloud Selections

Bridge between sweeter & bitterness by Vinayak^A விநாயகா

I think it`s because I read that this next artist is from Bangalore, India, that when I first heard this track I imagined myself on a boat, heading down the river Ganges, with the swampy, mysterious wash from passing boats causing me to bob erratically up and down, little crocodiles nipping at my toes whenever the boat troughs near the surface. Around me are all the sounds and sights of India, children playing, children begging, mothers washing colorful sari`s in the water and men going about commerce with all manner of exotic products.

Vinayak is a man accustomed to creating incredible soundscapes such as these, as his SoundCloud page will testify. With tracks more minimal in composition than the one we`re about to play, he produces soaring, confused and notably sub-continental spaces, as vast, colorful and complex as the country in which they were created. Link to his SoundCloud page.

Mellow Madness - Mellow Madness by Kenny Dope

My next selection is from The Mellow Madness Band, which was formed in the early 80's by two School Educators, Frank McNeil, a principal and Malachi Sharpe, a high school band teacher who, as well as making music together, opened a music school. The Band's name was birthed out of the philosophy, "PLAY MELLOW MUSIC WITH A FUNKY SOUND". And now in 2011, Kay-Dee Records has put together some mixes from unreleased master tapes, with Kenny Dope producing them from his Kay-Dee Studio's

It`s Kenny Dope who I want to focus on here for his shear range, again a link on his SoundCloud page you will see the full scale of his talents. He produces funk, he makes hip-hop, crafts break beat, you name it, Kenny Dope has tried it and succeeded. This is The Mellow Madness Band, Produced by Kenny Dope, with Memories of you.

Reflections by kytami

My Frontier Sounds, SoundCloud Selection of the week, is someone who featured on my blog a few weeks back, however I feel she is such an exciting prospect that she is worthy of some radio time as well and besides, this latest track was only loaded onto SoundCloud a few days ago.

Describing herself as a violinistextremist, Kytami is seen as Canada’s most diverse and engaging fiddle player, her compositions combine elements of classical and contemporary styles as well as epic soaring lines, with heavy bass and electronic beats. She has collaborated with many artists including legendary dub producer The Mad Professor. Kytami co-wrote two albums and toured extensively with the multi-cultural, award winning band Delhi 2 Dublin and is now planning to release her own debut album.

I think the use of orchestral sampling creates impressive dance music for the simplest of reasons; it takes all the depth and layers inherent in the orchestral sound and brings it to the dance floor, all the stereotypically normal electronic elements take on a grander role, as they come to represent the epic-ness of a full blown orchestra in which the violin is normally associated. Although this is a more downbeat track, if you go to her SoundCloud page there are many a violin backed floor filler there, making eScala, that all girl, electronic string group that featured on Britain`s got talent, sound like The Cores, playing the spoons, on heavy medication.

CloudToy back on radiofrontier.ch, 10.50 (11.50 Geneva time)

Tune in today at http://www.radiofrontier.ch/ for the latest CloudToy new music finds.

Toffler

56k (Profresher & Toffler) - Lollygagger [FREE mp3] by Toffler

When I listen to this I imagine your average town centre on a Saturday, especially busy around this Christmas shopping period when the streets are packed, making the perfect breeding ground for the varying groups of buskers that tend to thrive in such environments, drawing large volumes of men and children, desperate for something else to stare at apart from the floor next to the awkward bench at the back of Top Shop.

As if in some X Factor come Running Man contest fought out on the streets, the buskers are deposited at various locations in the town centre, equidistant from the prime busking spot directly outside Marks and Spencers and told to race for it.

The Peruvian Pan-Pipe artists are leading the way from the off (they have had high altitude training in the mountains of Cusco after all) but incredibly someone actually wants to buy their CD, this is a better time than any for a first sale, so they slow down to take the transaction.

This allows the bloke who saw stomp once and decided to base a career around bashing dustbin lids and other brick-a-brac lying about his Gran`s, to sneak his way through. Not far behind him though is the bloke dressed in a cardboard box covered in tin foil, doing the robot to that "Robot Sounds," CD he found in the bargin bin at the Esso garage. He is neck and neck with the ubiquitous saxophone bloke, playing the same three songs he does every Saturday.

Coming up the rear, symbolizing their late, laid back and contemporary influence in the busking scene, are the industrious group of kids who brought a P.A. and started rapping to some dub on the streets rather than their bedrooms on a Saturday morning. Frankly, they don`t really care about the race or the money but are gaining ground solely because they are far fitter than the rest of them; unhealthy from years of spending all their earnings on Maccy D`s

Eventually they congregate simultaneously on the busking patch and engage in a busker battle in which they all try and out-perform each other for the pennies of the public. The resulting sound isn`t that bad and draws quite a crowd, who unusually for these credit crunch times, reach for their pockets. The resulting pot, even split so many ways, is greater than any individual effort, which induces the buskers to enter negotiations about working together again in the future, blissfully ignorant to the actual cause of the crowds generosity; a united epidemic of miss-understanding. The public, seeing this conglomeration of odd balls and miss fits, had assumed this must have been a charity event organized by the council and gave generously expecting the arrival of a Z list celebrity imminently.

Frontier Sounds Singles of The Week

Bloom_Jamie xx Rework Part 3 by Radiohead

Delivered as a series of individual 12 inch vinyls and digital downloads, Radiohead have been releasing carefully chosen remixes of their last studio album, The King Of Limbs, as part of a complete package, imaginatively named TKOL RMX 1234567. My first track is the one that got away. The seventh release from this album was a rework of the track Bloom, by Jamie XX, who we know of course from his role in the mercury award winning band The XX. It seems that Jamie had another version that he didn`t finish in time and Bloom, The Jamie XX rework part 3, is that version, although this name suggest there is a part 2 milling about somewhere as well.  

Jamie XX evidently is a man that shouldn`t be rushed, this is far better than his original attempt and thoroughly deserves the title of rework, as thankfully it sounds nothing like the Radiohead version either. He uses Tom Yorke`s wailing vocal very effectively and builds a haunting, textured atmosphere around it. To me it sounds like the magic roundabout, locked in the cupboard of an abandoned church, playing for eternity.

Hold Back / Run Away by The Revival Hour

Also out is this week is this track from DM Stith`s, The Revival Hour Project. This is a magnificent gospel come Nina Simone influenced tune, whose deep texture reminds me of a thick fog harboring all manner of frightening things.

CharliXCX - Nuclear Seasons by charlixcx

A free download now music fans, this time from Charli XCX, whose cracking new single Nuclear Seasons is available at www.charlixcxmusic.com, all you have to do is join the mailing list and it`s all yours.

This young lady is causing quite a stir in the music community at the moment, she writes all her own tracks and not only sings, but plays synth, drums, bass and guitar; all this at the ripe old age of 15. She has already performed in well received live shows hosted by Annie Mac alongside fellow hotly tipped, female youngster, Azealia Banks, so I think we can expect big things, not only from her forthcoming album, but from her as an artist in the future.

Dan Haywood's New Hawks - John's Shoes c/w Superquarry by Qu_Junktions

These tracks are the latest release from Dan Haywoods New Hawks, an ambitious 32 track album out in Decemeber, which will be the project`s first and only release. John`s Shoes is a rousing track, all fiddles, Astral Week-esq Irish country elements intertwined with English folk sentiments and bold expressions. 

It sounds like a hoe down with the love child of Chas or Dave (no ones sure which the farther is) and Joe Pasqualei, and despite on seeing the invite you imagined throwing a lit match into the barn, locking the door and running away, thus doing the gene pool a massive favour; you end up enjoying yourself, dropping your arson kit and getting your line dance, come bop on. Check out the Myspace, full of tracks that explore the folkier elements of the outfit`s sound and poetically navigates the spaces of Scotland that were used as the basis of the project`s inspiration.

CloudToy on radiofrontier.ch today 10.50 (11.50 Geneva time)

Listen live here http://www.radiofrontier.ch/, if you haven`t already, please like them on facebook.

Dan Haywood`s New Hawks

Dan Haywood's New Hawks - John's Shoes c/w Superquarry by Qu_Junktions

These tracks are the latest release from Dan Haywoods New Hawks, an ambitious 32 track album out in Decemeber, which will be the project`s first and only release. John`s Shoes is a rousing track, all fiddles, Astral Week-esq Irish country elements intertwined with English folk sentiments and bold expressions. 

It sounds like a hoe down with the love child of Chas or Dave (no ones sure which the farther is) and Joe Pasqualei, and despite on seeing the invite you imagined throwing a lit match into the barn, locking the door and running away, thus doing the gene pool a massive favour; you end up enjoying yourself, dropping your arson kit and getting your line dance, come bop on. Check out the Myspace, full of tracks that explore the folkier elements of the outfit`s sound and poetically explores the spaces of Scotland that were used as the basis of the project`s inspiration.

BCee interview and free club night info

http://www.kmag.co.uk/editorial/features/bcee-interview.html

Frontier Sounds, Friday Selection

Personally the track conjures up the image of the Worm and Hog staff party, with that sad sight of a disco light on an empty dance floor and our young protagonist, beyond drunk, eyes closed, limbs lightly swaying, experiencing a rare moment of euphoria in his otherwise miserable existence.


Pickster presents The Rise Of Moombahton Compilation by El Cuco Recordings

This album, The Rise Of Moombahton, is available as a free download here, so get your copy and get down with the Moombahton kids.

. Summer Camp - Better Off Without You by dudutorres

Homework this week is Summer Camp`s, Welcome to Condale, cannot recomend this album enough, buy it and have a fantastic weekened.

Tune in to radiofrontier.ch 10.20am (11.20 Swiss) today

Once again a CloudToy representative will be on air at 10.20 am (11.20 Swiss) to play and discuss some tracks, so log on on to http://www.radiofrontier.ch/ and tune in.

K.K. For Funk's Sake

K.K.- For funk's sake by K.K.

I'm not really a fan of house but I love the intro on this track, It sounds like the fog horn on the titanic if they were to replicate it as a space craft. Picture the scene, the largest space craft ever constructed, groaning as it leaves it's mooring on mars and drifts out into the dark abyss of space, with a robotic, irish Leo and a voluptuous Kate, running around the ship dressed in period costume, in the throngs of some artificial conception of love (or is it robo lust!?). Either way their electronic antics, like mobiles on planes, interferes with the navigation systems of the ship and, whilst everyone is distracted getting down at 'the real party,' in the basement,  it plows into an asteroid. Robo captain, bearded and looking suspiciously like Captain Birdseye, is starting to regret his decision to go at warp speed in trying to reach Saturn before christams.

As the artificial gravity systems on the ship begin to fail, no robot really cares much (the human's who built and sent them on their way haven't put any emergency pods on the ship, they are only peasant robots after all!) so everyone is going to be destroyed anyway and besides, their robots, they weren't programmed with a sense of self. This track is a celebration of this historic occasion, with less of the soppy love stuff and more of the beautiful, electronic destruction.

Playerz, The Flavours EP vol 2

Playerz set to release second cross genre drum and bass EP, details here.
http://www.kmag.co.uk/the-flavours-ep-volume-2.html

Daily Frontier Selections

The Beach by ageofconsent

Bowie-esq, Ashes to Ashes sounding first single from Age of Consent

  ASAP Rocky - Bass by beatsbaby

Free mix tape available from www.asaprocky.net/mixtapes.

  Pictureplane - TranceGender (Adeptus Remix) by Adeptus

Free download available from the relevant section of mixmag.net

African influenced electro from Africa Hitech

The Lion's Roar by First Aid Kit

Managing to sound both American country and English folk simultaneously which is surprising considering they hail from Sweden this is a Beautiful track from First Aid Kit.

CloudToy on radio

A CloudToy blog representative will be speaking on Radio Frontier tomorrow with some CloudBoy approved new music, so log onto www.radiofrontier.ch tomorrow at 9.20 am (10.20 Swiss time) to listen in. Like them on Facebook, they are friends of the blog and a great new start up radio station.

Kytami

Safehouse Anthem ft.OSC by kytami Stay Remix by kytami

Two very different tempos from one very promising prospect, this is Kytami, who proves just how effective the use of strings are in electronic music, especially drum and bass. As S.P.Y. showed us recently with the incredible By Your Side, the use of orchestral sampling creates impressive dance music. This is for the simplest reason; it takes all the depth and layers inherent in the orchestral sound and brings it to the dance floor. In the case of By Your Side, it is, on a very basic level, a break-beat with sub bass, over an epic orchestral sample.

Although Kytami does not use a full orchestra but a sole violin, I feel the same effect is still relevant. We are used to the sound of a violin in the context of an orchestra or classical piece. A strange things happens therefore when we hear the violin, this association causes the stereotypically normal electronic elements to take on a grander role, as they come to represent the epic-ness of a full blown orchestra in a form now contemporary and designed for the club.

With the slightest amount of manipulation that violin creates sounds more interesting than any that can be synthesised electronically. The high pitch cuts through you in the most beautiful way, juxtaposed with, but complemented by, that soothing low bass line; it's like your brain is being sliced open with a sword made of codeine.

Forgive the hyperbole and abnormally gushing review but this evidentially excites me, and for no more reason than the live element. Club nights often get stagnant when formulated as a series of DJ sets, I find it a lot more interesting when the nights are varied and try to incorporate some form of live element. What could be more exciting than seeing Kytami mid way through the night, going for it like a member of eScala gone off the rails, telling Simon Cowell and Britain Got Talent in a musical fashion, where they can shove it.

The Lion's Roar First Aid Kit

The Lion's Roar by First Aid Kit

Managing to sound both American country and English folk simultaneously, First Aid Kit's voice is something akin to Joan Baez, which is quite remarkable considering they come from Sweden. Unlike Baez however there is a manly quality to the voice, giving rugged power to the delivery that does not detract form the melodic tone but rather bolsters it with a haunting beauty. There is also that wonderful flute that gives it that olde-english, medieval, time of myth and legend feeling.


There are moments in the song where she crams more words into a bar than it seems possible, and it reminds me of that scene in Love Actually (when you have a mum and sister who genuinely think it's the best piece of cinema ever conceived, you don't have a choice but to watch it at christmas) where Bill Nigh, in his age of self awareness, draws attention to the incredibly crass moment in which they stuff and extra syllable into the the second line. Rather than this being crass here however, it works, giving the words the urgency that their meaning perhaps doesn't convey. 

The Beach by Age of Consent

The Beach by ageofconsent

Firstly, sorry for lack of post's in the last week, I have temporarily relocated to Geneva to help out at radiofrontier.ch which is the only commercial English language radio station in Switzerland. I have also had some problems with SoundCloud (kind of regret writing such a blushing article on them not two months ago) which has made it difficult for me to embed the player but where there's a will there's a way.


This track is the first single from london based Age of Consent, it sounds suspiciously like David Bowie's Ashes to Ashes in parts but I think that's why I like it. The whole track has a great rousing quality to it, just what you need to get out of bed on a cold Genevan morning. 

This is the forthcoming track from Lifted Music's latest signing Falinox and it sounds like Star Trek untucking the Spandex, doing body shots off Spok's ear lobe and finally letting it's hair down.

http://www.kmag.co.uk/falinox-interview.html

Raiden KSP interview

Have a look at this interview with drum and bass heavyweight Raiden under his new alias KSP.

http://www.kmag.co.uk/editorial/features/raiden-ksp-interview.html

CloudToy, 25 Years of J.C.

CloudToy, 25 Years of J.C. by CloudToy

The CloudToy Blog in association with the sky proudly presents: 25 Years of J.C.

Tomorrow marks the 25^th anniversary of the greatness himself J.C. and in honour of this the CloudToy Blog dedicates this mix to him.

As usual this is a collection of tunes that didn’t get a mention on the blog but as a runner up prize they get to take part in J.C.’s birthday celebrations instead. So enjoy the mix and lets all raise a small bottle of Frosty Jacks to the man himself.

Many of these tracks are available for free download so see please bellow for details. This mix can also be downloaded from the embedded waveform above.

1)   Educated – Dimbleby and Capper (free download soundcloud.com/dimblebyandcapper)

2)   TranceGender (Adeptus remix) – Picture Plane (soundcloud.com/pictureplane)

3)   Eatfish – Gonjasufi (sufisays.com)

4)   UFO – Reptillian Sex Parade (free download soundcloud.com/elcucorecordings)

5)   Un Gran Circo - DJ Melo & Steve Starks (free download soundcloud.com/elcucorecordings)

6)   Nuclear Season – Charli XCX  (free download from charlixcxmusic.com)

7)   When Friends Survive – Paper Crows Discopolis Remix (soundcloud.com/discopolismusic)

8)   Teeo – Vadoinmessico (Crystal Fighters) (free download soundcloud.com/vadoinmessico)

9)   Perry Sounds – Daft Beatles (Mash-Up) (free download soundcloud.com/daft-beatles)

10) Dark Arts (Drums of Death Remix) – Starlings (soundcloud.com/starlingsmusic)

11) Wretch 32 “Don’t Go” - MJ Cole DUBB (free download soundcloud.com/mj-cole)

12)  Cloud Control - Death Cloud (Ghosting Season Remix) (free download soundcloud.com/infectiousmusicuk)

13)  Original Don Feat Partysquad (Dawn Golden and Rosy Cross Remix) – Major Lazer (soundcloud.com/dawn-golden/original-don)

14)  A.S.A.P Rocky – Bass (free download soundcloud.com/hypetrak/asap-rocky-bass)
15) Beast Break (B.O.B. V Zeds Dead) – DOSVEC (soundcloud.com/djwhatt)
16) Contamination - knhbtz & cprim3 (free download soundcloud.com/kanahbeatz)

Collin McLoughlin - Relapse

Collin McLoughlin - Relapse by arjanwrites

Love the R and B and dub cross over thing going on in this tune, gives bags of attitude and meaning to a track that with a bad arrangement, could have sounded really lame. What really works in this is the juxtaposition of that Craig David like vocal with the heavily distorted drums and that incredibly low, rumbling bass, good work.

Metalheadz The History Sessions

Check out the incredible back-to-back line up at the up coming MetalHeadz night bellow.

http://www.kmag.co.uk/editorial/news/metalheadz-history-sessions-at-cable.html

Sea Lions - Grown Up

Sea Lions - Grown Up by Slumberland Records

Don't say I never give you anything for free. Available for download here is this charming little record by Sea Lions, taken from their forthcoming album (released 22 November) Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sea Lions, But Were Afraid To Ask. The link will also provide you with Everything You Always Wanted To Ask About The Band Sea Lions But Up To This Point You Weren't Aware Of Them So In Fact Everything, In The Context of Sea Lions, Is a Concept That Is Only A Few Minuets Old But Now You Want To Know Everything Anyway.

In the necessarily positive notes written by their label Slumberland Records, they describe the Sea Lions sound as being successful in it's ability to encapsulate the nature of youth, 'bored, underemployed and wishing your life was something else.' On this I'm inclined to agree with them, although I would refine the description to the successful depiction of small town, seaside-rural youth. The Beach Boys-esq vocals gives this track a real sense of coastal space and the jangling guitars that compliment those voices so perfectly, evoke that feeling of restlessness, even helplessness, that youth living in such a cut off yet wind swept environment must experience.

With tedium often a perfect excuse for substance abuse this track is like the cool, leather jacket, cigarettes and eyeliner Lou Reed coming to town and introducing Brian Wilson to crack cocaine; who inevitably loves the escapism it provides. Whilst it still retains it's surfer, seaside body their is now a real sense of urgency in the understanding of self, an understanding that this frustration is a result of the environment. This is most epitomised in the narcotic induced drawling of our protagonist. I really do hope the whole album carries on this theme like a cracked -up Pet Sounds.

Mazzy Star - Common Burn

Mazzy Star - Common Burn by weallwantsome1

Last week I featured a remix of the song for which anyone with even the slightest resemblance of a relationship with the world will know Mazzy Star for. Since then they've been rather quiet, probably basking in the glory of that record or stuck deep in a depression with the thought that they, or even anyone else, might never be able to make anything of such beauty again.

This new single however, released on their own Rhymes Of An Hour Records, might just be getting close. Imagine the aftermath of Dorothy returning to Kansas. Having just clicked her pretty red ruby shoes together, she lands on a hay bale looking out upon the baron prairie. It is vast and magnificent in it's emptiness, the wind moves through the hollowness and creates beautiful sounds, like nature blowing on a giant empty milk bottle. As the sky shifts and the hills speak, she starts to wonder if the whole yellow-brick-road-thing was not just one big trip, she's pretty sure she didn't spill any LSD on her fingers when she was making tabs for grandma but she can't be sure. She especially suspicious considering that Toto doesn't look the slightest bit bothered, in fact he looks a bit bored, like he's been sitting starring at his owner chat rubbish about tin men and wicked witches for hours.

Horsementality EP1 - Out Now

Horsementality EP1 - Out Now by Renegade Hardware

The first release from The Noble Lion of drum and bass Loxy and his brother in arms Ink, from a larger 30 track project, which will feature tracks from over 30 artists influenced by the original Horseman project.

This is typically dark Renegade Hardware fair full of deep sub bass and industrial influence that still holds a rhythmic, rolling character to it. Stand out track for me is Arclight's Judas, as it exemplifies the aforementioned elements but it also has this wonderful, robotic groaning noise, like the sounds the invaders would make in War of The Worlds as they scope the landscape looking for survivors in the battle ravaged remains of earth.

Gardens and Villa "Black Hills"

Gardens and Villa "Black Hills" by LightsOutPR

It might at first sound like a phone is going off somewhere in your house, but ignore it, they will call back later if it's urgent. Once you get past this it develops into a lovely, wistful track full of character and depth; I love the singers voice, an example of how a vocal can act as another important instrument.

Gardens and Villa released an album at the beginning of this year and considering the strength of this track it might be well worth a second look. They also have a UK tour starting at the beginning of November so go to www.gardensandvilla.com to find out when they'll be in ant own near you.

Ra Shawn - I Got It

Ra Shawn - I Got It by iAmRaShawn

There are not enough guitars used in hip hop and for no good reason, as the distorted guitar (ala Black Keys Black Roc) works really well in this track. Along with the equally moody but still melodic base line, it helps to compliment the neat, tight rhymes of Ra Shawn. The use of the almost wooden sounding percussion gives the tune that final, garage-esq, street dwelling attitude and provides a beat to which you can't help but bop along to.

This is all the more extraordinary considering that this yoot is but 15 years old, he's is getting a lot of love on SoundCloud already so expect big things. He is already quite prolific, realising a track on SoundCloud almost every month, so check out his page here to keep up to date.

Open Your Eyes, the World is Shit-Dust Congress

Open Your Eyes, the World is Shit-Dust Congress by BestNewBandscom

When you first hear this you instantly mould into the character of Henry VIII, putting down your comically oversized drumstick and wiping the thick gravy off your fat chops. You rise from your position at the centre of the banquet table with some difficulty. You reshuffle your large, smock like cloak, covered in ridiculously expensive jewels and gratuitous flourishes of gold. You begin the long, tiresome walk around the banquet table to the dance floor in front, minions scuttling away in fear as you do so, the goblets of wine rippling like that scene in Jurassic Park from the weight of your footsteps.

After an awkward eternity where all your guests try horribly not to stare at this hideous sight, like a three carriage pile up, you make the dance floor and approach that lady who you've been making eyes at the whole meal. You've already decided you'll marry her over at Hampton Court, you'll play some real tennis in the morning, grab a hot bath and a scrub down and wed in the afternoon. You'll get that hog roast man in and the jester with the burnt face who you find so pitiful and funny. Once the festivities are over you'll whisk her to the marital suite, where she will conceive you a perfect, arian male heir.

There's a problem however, you've seen this complexion before in the whore houses of western France, she's not a virgin! In your anger you order her impromptu and summary execution. The bloke with the black hood, who you insisted come to these dances precisely for this reason, looks relieved at no longer having to look civilised.

Later on in your chambers, after many more goblets of blood-red vino, you start to dwell on what you've just done, transforming into a blubbering, drunk, melancholic Shane MacGowan, who with the help of the rest of The Pogues, enable you to illustrate your sorrow, not at the loss of that wench's life but at the cruel cycle of violence your life has entered in the search to continue your legacy.

Disrespected Snares - Contamination [Unmastered]

Disrespected Snares - Contamination [Unmastered] by Disrespected Snares

Listen to this masterpiece, isn't it just beautiful? Isn't the use of fluctuating drum tempos and nerdy samples so clever? Don't your eardrums feel so rosy and pleasant? What? They hate you now? Thought so. This is god awful and in some respects, I think that's the point.

This music is made for you not to like because if everyone liked it, then it would be 'mainstream,' and 'mainstream,' is bad! Maybe I just don't get it and I am willing and happy to accept that, but part of me thinks this is a cry for identity, a call to be recognised as different. Different in being able to recognise an unpalatable garble of noises as being something more meaningful. Yes, yes your angry we get it.

Breakcore fans (although they'd hate the colloquial application of 'fan' here and would probably prefer something more like follower or disciple) are effectively goth's who've failed to grow-up, discovered dance music and gone clubbing. Heavy metal fans who were intimidated into buying pills at a gig one night and needed to hear some music that went on past eleven.

Just like it's slower tempo, non electronic counterparts, this scene has a 'holier than thou,' feel about it, 'you don't understand it because your part of the system man.' Their understanding to your bemusement is the equivalent of a goth sulking around outside the shopping centre, scowling (with an air of superiority) at you as you enter HMV.

The bastard inside me wants to organise a flash mob of middle age suits to attend a breakcore night, just so I can watch their faces contort in horror as they dash from the club under the pretension that breakcore has become popular. The next day you'll see them (in HMV) having ditched the black T's and chains, buying Adele and Coldplay CD's, feeling smug in thinking now, they're being so different.