Wednesday 30 November 2011

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

Thursday 24 November 2011

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.

Wednesday 23 November 2011

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.



Tuesday 22 November 2011

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.

Monday 21 November 2011

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

Friday 18 November 2011

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.

Thursday 17 November 2011

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

Wednesday 16 November 2011

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.

Tuesday 15 November 2011

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.

Sunday 13 November 2011

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.

Saturday 12 November 2011

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. 

Sunday 6 November 2011

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

Friday 4 November 2011

Thursday 3 November 2011

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 25th 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)

Tuesday 1 November 2011

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.