We Are The Music Makers is a feature on a few producers that have caught my eye. It’s gonna be regular so submit submit submit!
The Chemical brothers - Another world (Polymath remix) by POLYMATH
Flight Facilities - Crave You - Bxentric Rmx by BXENTRIC
And here’s something a little extra as a one off:
19/7/2010 by Justinc on Mixcloud
It’s a lovely Italo-cosmic mix from a fella that goes by JustinC or just Justin .
Tracklist:
01. Mylo: “Macrobiotic”
02. Fabian Nesti: “Heigh Ho”
03. Sylvester: “Do You Wanna Funk”
04. Michael Jackson: “Sunset Driver” (Demo)
05. Ashford & Simpson: “Found a Cure”
06. Breakbot: “Baby I’m Yours” (Aeroplane Remix)
07. Gary’s Gang: “Do It at the Disco”
08. Kasso: “Walkman”
09. Mr. Flagio: “Take a Chance”
10. Lime: “Unexpected Lovers”
11. Laserdance: “Space Dance”
12. Les Rythmes Digitales: “Jacques Your Body (Make Me Sweat)” (Club Mix)
13. Quando Quango: “Love Tempo”
14. Time: “Can’t You Feel It”
15. Moullinex: “D.I.S.C.O. Texas Theme” (Digitalfoxglove Remix)
16. The Glamour: “Robot Rock” (Mighty Mouse Remix)
17. Le Knight Club: “Nymphae Song”
18. Tiger & Woods: “Deflowered”
19. Patrick Cowley: “Megatron Man”
20. Acid Washed: “General Motors, Detroit, America”
This week, Liberossa, a Californian based DJ by night, gigging for friends and in local bars. He classes himself as a music fan of wide variety, inspiring him into DJing because of his passion to share his discoveries with others.
The mix he has prepared dives head first into a minimal break, seamlessly moving from techno to “ethnic house” and back subtly . It’s deep, dark and keeps you on your feet for the full 45 minutes.
Return The Gift 03: Liberossa by Howes
Nic Sarno – Perculator
“I wanted to start off my mix with something catchy, something… bouncy.”
David Keno – Bonito
“The toms and the infectious vocals make you just wanna move your shoulders and hips! Some lovely string work going on here too.”
Myd – Noria (Chaos in the CBD Remix)
“Chaos in the CBD bring the serious side of tropical house. Drum heavy like the previous two.”
Maria y Jose – Maravilloso Sonido Tropical
“A move away from drums. The guitar lead is the highlight of this track.”
Sascha Braemer – Fly Flip
“A recent favorite. Annoyingly catchy, it’s one of those tracks that just won’t buzz off.”
Hickup – Hickup Theme
“Minimal instrumentation, maximum groove.”
Moodyman – Freaky Motherfucker (Chaos in the CBD & Tom Lawson Bootleg)
“A rework of a classic, deep house tune. I don’t really like this song, I just dig the hook- and you will too.”
Marcashken & Matt Tolfrey – Babygirl (DC’s Nu-Vo Rub)
“This track is just straight up creepy. It has a deep voice, the title “babygirl,” and a sample of a door opening - a hint of where this mix is going.”
Popof – Chomper (Kolombo Remix)
“A more cracked out version than the more-heard-of LSD version.”
Gaiser vs. Heartthrob – Nasty Girl
“Nasty Girls. God bless them.”
Deepchild – Turkish Poison
“Dark, twisted, and desperate. The makings of a wicked tech-house track.”
Clouds – Suck It
“If evil had a sound, it would be the grinding synths in this. I heard he sampled a demon for the vocals.”
Mumbai Science – Hoot
Snakey. This one’s got fangs. Buy this EP!”
Kick-Oh – White Celebration (Magik Johnson Farly & Corin’s Edit)
“Big room trumpet tech-house. Think Riva Starr meets Format:b”
Homework – Fissa Tune
“Massive tune, complete with epic breakdowns and fat, earth shaking basslines.”
Edu K – Dos Gusanos
“I like to salsa in the dark to this.”
$asha – Colludo
“Pulsing tech house from this little known producer. Nothing truly special about this track, just some good production.”
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Liberossa’s Artists To Look Out For:
“Been bumping their productions (Tesh and Maccas!). They are currently unsigned, which is surprising.”
“He produces some dark serious tech-house. A staple for my heavier or after-party sets. His Berline EP is coming out this year, not sure which label and when though. Also check out his remix of Colludo, the last track in the mix.”
Brabe .
“House done right. His latest EP came out in March.”
Independent music festivals in the UK are few and far between and are usually overshadowed by the overwhelming corporate festivals churning out “please all” line-ups every year. Many have lost their character, due to larger crowd capacity and broader genres to take into account.
A concept that stands out of the crowd, Firefly Music Festival is open to only a 500 capacity audience. Situated five miles from Ludlow, Firefly is the year’s hot festival experience, offering a eclectic line-up of acoustic and electronic acts (featured below).
Read moreIndependent music festivals in the UK are few and far between and are usually overshadowed by the overwhelming corporate festivals churning out “please all” line-ups every year. Many have lost their character, due to larger crowd capacity and broader genres to take into account.
A concept that stands out of the crowd, Firefly Music Festival is open to only a 500 capacity audience. Situated five miles from Ludlow, Firefly is the year’s hot festival experience, offering a eclectic line-up of acoustic and electronic acts (featured below).
Read more
It’s hard to put your finger on what category Luke Vanstrom Pearson falls into.
From the space age dub of Optophobia, to the break beat chaos of Cocktails with Gideon, expect to hear violent, raw synthetic growls and wobbles and deep room shaking kick drums. Add in Aphex style kick rolls and dark evolving pads and you’re getting there. Throw in samples from cult movies and your getting closer. Then you’ll find the one common ground all the tracks share, they are well paced, deep, moving songs, taking you on a journey of highs, lows, and a good groove while you’re at it.
He has prepared a mix for us of influences past and present:
“It’s generally a small list of tracks that I have always liked, and that I thought stood out from the crowd. The mix mainly stays within the confines of house and techno, but includes some extra elements for good measure.”
Return The Gift 02 : Vanstrom by Vanstrom
Daft Punk - Revolution 909
“Great intro music, and a great video. I have always liked daft punk and thought this would be great to start the set”
Junior Boys - No Kinda Man (Jona Remix)
“Love the vocal, a great remix of an already superb track. Jona has taken the slightly chillwave original and turned it into a deep and wonderful remix.
Morgan Geist - The Shore (Paul Woolford Remix)
“Always had a huge love for this track. The break is god damn beautiful, thats why I chose it.”
Mark Knight & Funkagenda - Flauta Magica
“Great track from Mark Knight & Funkagenda, works perfectly with the shore”
Phuture - Rise From Your Grave (Tiefschwarz remix)
“Funky and energetic remix of a phuture classic. cant help but sing along.”
Igness - Close Your Eyes
“Pile driver of a track. Heavy techno at its best.”
Benny Benew And Paul Ursin- Univeristy
“Works perfectly with igness, a gorgeously dark riff working hand in hand with the igness’ punching stabs.”
Yousef And Derrick Carter - Legacy (Vocal Mix)
“Another heavy track and that works lovely with university. great vocal.”
Massive Attack - Paradise Circus (Gui Borratto Remix)
“Made this brilliant track even better, giving it a dark and grim feel. Love it, especially that sexy vocal.”
Estroe ft. Miss Kittin – Le Flaneur (Kollektiv Turmstrasse Wald Und Wiesen Reh Mix)
“Gorgeous mix of pads and floating vocals, I think it starts wind the mix down into a more chilled zone to the end.”
Ricardo Tobar - Mi Pieza Esta Llena De Cosas (Max Cooper Remix)
“Progressive building loveliness into a gorgeous finale. Basically self destructs towards the end, in my mind a great penultimate track as it gives a great introduction for a chilled track”
Zev Feat. Beckford - Forget The World
“Great track from the label wolf and lamb, lovely vocal, and sweet drum work. everything that comes from this label seems to be a masterpiece.”
Return The Gift 01: Planisfear by Planisfear
The first in the featured artist series comes from young Scot Planisfear.
Planisfear is the alias of the ever changing highlander Alex Peasey. After hearing the legendary “As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 2”, Alex knew he wanted to be a part of the scene.
“I started to want to be creative with electronic music when I was in a synth pop/Indie band a couple of years ago. When the band fizzled out I wanted to carry on making music. I got myself a copy of Ableton and started to teach myself from there.”
As with many of 2006’s indie kids, he dived into electronic music with early Ed Banger compilations and Turbo releases as the soundtrack.
In the mixtape he’s provided were shown what to expect at the gigs he’s playing locally, including an upcoming gig opening for Unicorn Kid
Tracklist:
Florence and the Machine - Dog Days (Breakage Remix)
Djedjotronic - Bit This Thin (Jesse Rose Remix)
Florrie – Call 911 (BeatauCue Remix) (JBAG Edit)
Homework - I Got Two
D.I.M & Tai - Lyposuct (Noob Remix)
Carte Blanche - Gare Du Nord
Zoo Brazil - Sputnik
Riva Starr - I Was Drunk (Wacs Vocal Remix)
Erol Alkan & Boys Noize - Avalanche (Religion Remix)
Para One - Kiwi (Noob Remix)
Brodinski - Arnold Classics (Supabeatz Remix)
Radioclit - Divine Gosa (Switch Remix)
Clouds - Dust Nugget
Congorock - Babylon (Dub)
Erol Alkan & Boys Noize - Death Suite (Bobermann Remix)
“One artist I would reccommend for this year is Clouds, the duo have been constantly churning out massive tunes for the past year and I am always keen to see new things from them. They will be the first artist to join Fake Blood’s, as of yet, Un-named label.
Another artist I would highly reccommend is Screendeath. His new track “Packback” will be filling dancefloors before we know it. (donno what label it’s on)
Another artist I’d reccommend is Homework, right now I’m loving I Got Two (featured in the mix) and Fissa Tune which is surely going to be one of the tracks of the summer.”
Bjork
I’ve grown up hearing the seductive music of Bjork. As a child it was probably the use of instruments and surreal sounds that had me hooked. Although more recently its the beauty and sexuality in her singing and writing that seems to drag me back day after day. In my opinion her best and most sexual songs is ‘Venus as a boy’ - with lines like ‘his fingers they focus on her’ and ‘ he’s exploring the taste of her arousal’ its rather blunt in its meaning and the song resonates the sensual emotion she is singing about. Along with the main percussion instrument, a bottle, this song is a perfect example of what her music is about. Beauty and experimental sounds.
The album ‘Debut’ which this track comes from offers difference, experimentation and again a range of emotions and feelings. It contains the first in a trilogy of songs - Human Behavior, which repeats a sample of ‘Go down under’ by Antonio Carlos Jobim. This lyrics are written from an animal’s point of view on human nature, behavior and emotion. The song is much more heavier than her other songs but still contains the same old angelic singing as well as some more angrier vocals.
Next in the trilogy is ‘Isobel’ featured on her album ‘Post’. The song is about a girl who is, to put it simply, the personification of nature who throughout is warning the world of its technological and other potential dangers. This song combines a rich harmony of strings and electric beats to create a jungle-like sound which makes you visualize the lyrics. This song is beautifully written.
Lastly the song ‘Bachelorette’ which appears on the album ‘Homogenic’. The third and final song in the trilogy. Bjork describe this song as ‘Isobel goes to the city’, in the video to the song Bjork, playing Bachelorette, finds a book in her garden named ‘My Story’ which starts writing itself, Yada Yada, she falls in love and the book becomes a hit, however the love falls apart and the book becomes unpopular and starts unwriting itself. A chain reaction then occurs and the book causes the entire city to revert back to nature and de-evolve into a garden. The video ends with Bachelorette dancing surrounded by nature. With a meaning of her staying in the forest and being happier there. The song sticks to the albums theme of rich strings, electric beats and Bjorks haunting vocals.
Bjork is naturally different and offers a wide range of sound in all her music. With stories to go with each song.
I leave you with one of her best. It offers everything that Bjork is to music. A song of visual and audible beauty, with the meaning that all is full of love.
All Is Full Of Love (Right-Click Save As)
Steven Major
‘The Boy with the Thorn in Side’ from ‘The Queen Is Dead’ (1985)
Although this band existed before I born, their impact on my life has been resounding. The fact that the band were seen as a route to escapism for many alienated youths of the time and those who felt dissatisfied with the fancy and pompous ‘New Wave’ scene emerging. These facts along with how personal Morrissey’s lyrics were and the originality of Jonny Marr’s guitar playing are what drew me in. The concept of independent music, artists, labels, and such has been around as long as labels have been around, but it took the ‘70s and ‘80s to bring the concept to completion and full realisation. The Smiths, together with Rough Trade Records were two of the first things to be dubbed bonafide indie. The Smiths have influenced many bands since their split in 1987, and were a major influence in the resurgence of guitar bands in the Britpop movement and again in the early 00’s.
The Queen Is Dead
This is the album it all came together, this is the album that got me reading Oscar Wilde, got me watching James Dean movies, and got me listening to T.Rex, David Bowie, New York Dolls and Roxy Music. As a sixteen year old, my brother being twenty one at the time and properly just grown out of his ‘Smiths phase’ handed me ‘The Queen Is Dead’ and it turned out to be the first step in my musical journey. Yes, I had heard music before and liked certain artists from a very young age, but it was only with my first listen of ‘The Queen Is Dead’ that I really listened to every word sang and every note played, I think it just hit me at the right time. ‘The Queen Is Dead’ is definitely my favourite from The Smiths back catalogue.
Key Tracks:
- I know it’s over
- The boy with the thorn in his side
- There is a light that never goes out
Daniel Smith
So here is a track from an album I’ve been bugging people to listen to. Although it was out in 2007, I’ve only recently found this.
Previously, I’d have said the Beach Boys were untouchable in terms of modern sampling thanks to poor efforts from Girl Talk but this incredible album takes sampling in the direction of that of Avalanches or DJ Shadow. Composed entirely from samples from Pet Sounds with a beat provided by the late J Dilla, Bullion somehow makes the combination seem less of an album of mash-ups and more of a fitting, creative tribute to Brian Wilson.
For me, it’s an album I can leave on in the background or dive geek-first into, breaking down each element and percussive twist and turn. The album was given away free at first, then later bootlegged without Bullion’s consent onto vinyl, which now sell for up to £40 a pop. What’s worse is that Bullion still goes without the recognition worthy of such an album, the main promotion being word of mouth.
Bullion, for me, is an unsung hero of sampling contending with Shadow and contemporaries but remains penniless given that his major success in the music industry was given away as a free album. Shame. But then again you can share it without guilt.
Howes
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Return The Gift, in some form or another, is a feed of music and interviews from various artists and bands.
