Shortcast
We're very happy to present Shortcast, a series of commissioned mixes from figures we both work with and admire, acknowledging that a) brevity is the soul of wit, and b) everyone’s very busy these days.
Subscribe to the podcast here
#10: Re:ill / Super Smoky Soul
Back in the mists of 2007, when the beats sound was still obscure, likeminded souls were finding each other across the globe (Teebs and Jackhigh) and DJs like Alex Nut and Jay Scarlett rewarded the curious with treasure.
Japan had its own outpost: Dai Kurihara's excellent Circulations released the classic compilation New Worlds in 2008 featuring Dorian Concept, Sa-Ra, Mono/Poly and more. http://www.freshselects.net/newworlds.
Also on that compilation was a huge collab between Guilty Simpson and elusive Japanese production trio Super Smoky Soul. Besides a great album and a 12" not much more was heard, and it was when dropping them into my Electronic Explorations mix that I decided to hunt them down for a Shortcast.
SSS's Re:ill came back with this fab 100% Japanese collection, a long overdue update. And good news there is new material on the way.
Check this http://tinyurl.com/6kh42to and please give.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#9: Kuedo
Kuedo a.k.a. Jamie Vex'd started soldiering a long time ago, manufacturing beautiful serious urban atmospheres as half of Vex'd, dropping the seminal album 'Degenerate' into the dubstep protoverse as long ago as 2005.
His extraordinary pitchbendariffic remix for Scuba saw him enter new territory as a solo artist, which he marked with a hugely significant mixtape for Lucky me. This was followed by an EP for Planet Mu as Jamie Vex'd and a second as Kuedo marking more fully his transition to solo artist.
He and Roly (the other half of Vex'd) do still collaborate but they are now divided by sea and Jamie's music is growing into its own personality. Rumours of an album are abroad and we eagerly await it. In the meantime this mix is gully and massive. One of the builders of the scene who still seems like everything is to come. Show your love to the man.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#8: LV
Although they started out on their own Moomu imprint, we first came across LV through their powerful early singles for Hyperdub. Collaborating with vocalists it seemed like here finally was reggae fit for the 21st century, the tech descendent of roots, a different space from the brash clattering of dancehall.
The socially aware anti-establishment lyrics, the pride, warmth and power of the voices link them to the tradition of British metropolitan reggae, Steel Pulse's Handsworth Revolution, the movie Babylon and Dennis Bovell, the urban edge, still the same in 2010 as in 1980. We used to drop that track regularly on gigs and it's slow power is familiar and devastating.
Recently they've gone in new directions, working with spoken word artist Josh Idehen, uberproducer Untold on the subaquatic “Beacon”, and the Africa-meets-juke smash “Boomslang” with Okmalumkoolkat. We started corresponding about juke tunes a while back and thus this mix of their jukey favourites. viva LV.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#7: 1000names
I think we can call the 1000names family. They may spread their love around - Black Acre, Eklektik Records and others we won't know about until someone accidentally says something at a party and it all gets awkward - but family's family and you forgive and move on.
And we owe them, 'cause they been turned on the sound for years, and through them we found Los Angeles. Humble dudes, underneath it they're a couple of hardcore individualists that function as a frictionless machine. And honestly, like another friend of ours, Dem Hunger, or Teebs, they're pretty close to the definition of a true artist. They just keep making, and moving, and moulding, and producing, restless and irrepressible. They're also funny, and have a hilarious collection of jumpers. They are serious ridiculous fellows.
Here they come with some heavyweight Wang™: tracks you know wanged to be better for your century. This is a serious ridiculous mix delivered with love. Cover by Nikko.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#6: Jar Moff
This Shortcast is something different and special. Ten minutes long, it's as much an original composition as it is a mix. In fact, when we asked the man responsible, Jar Moff, what the difference is between a composition and a mix for him, he said:
"for a mixtape thing i felt comfortable using longer cut ups and other artist stuff and intros outros that i m making based on the remixed tracks/"
Jar Moff has a name like a Star Wars character and lives in Athens. He rides the nightbuses, buys records and makes things like this. Coming from the same planet as Dem Hunger and Matthewdavid he brings his own strongly melodic take to the music, which we really appreciate here.
If you like this shit there's a bit more out there:
http://macflyisthenewblack.com/2009/09/mfmix009/#content%23content
http://leavingrecords.com/handmade/lrf005-jmepsp
http://igetrvng.com/prsnts/193
Get to know Jar Moff. We chat about free jazz and politics and things.
http://jarmoff.blogspot.com/
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#5: Kelpe
We first came into contact with Kelpe via Fulgeance's remix of "Stop Parching Yourself" back in 2008, only to discover that he'd actually been ploughing his own furrow since 2003, with a home on DC Recordings, a label more known for new disco. Like Architeq and Fulgeance he was producing warm, downtempo, funky synthesised joints before anybody had really thought to group this shit together or give it a name.
It's our view that although widely respected he's not quite had his due yet, since Kelpe is highly capable of turning out a serious banger when he decides to, as one look at our radio show and gig playlists can confirm.
He's got a decent discography to go and discover, but you could start with this just released blast on Black Acre: http://kelpe.co.uk/margins-ep-out-now
And this about to be released: http://soundcloud.com/kelpe/chocolate-money-ep-teaser
Chomp chomp.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#4: Donga
For Shortcast #4 we move into more upbeat territory, taken there by Donga, the man behind Brighton's Well Rounded Records. This is a label which has achieved "must buy" status for anyone pushing the progressive end of the dancefloor, building a reputation in the best way a label can: by demon A&Ring and incredibly consistent quality control. To date Well Rounded has released rising stars such as Deadboy, Hackman and C.R.S.T as well as Donga himself.
We first hooked up at Dubstep Forum in a discussion about something or other and Donga (real name Ashley) told us he liked Svetlana because "you never knew what to expect". While we mused over whether that was a good or bad thing he then told us he'd just sold the last of his Svetlana vinyl in his record shop to Planet Mu's Mike Paradinas, so we decided that sounded like a better thing and the conversation continued from there.
It's our pleasure to finally drop into a bit of shuffle for Donga's 30 minutes. Get on this label.
Well Rounded's Facebook page
http://soundcloud.com/donga
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#3: Lukid
While often associated by many people with the beats or abstract hip hop scene, Luke "Lukid" Blair's vision is a wider one.
Svetlana met him on his now abandoned Monday night ustream sessions, which would last for hours, running the gamut from hardcore rave to post-punk to 70s flower folk, and attracted a small but select crowd from Brainfeeder, Jahtari, Werk and much more.
This mix shows the kind of floating abstraction that's currently making him tick while we wait for new material. Enjoy x
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#2: Coco Bryce
Coco Bryce comes out of the healthy Dutch bass and beats scene. He runs his own boutique vinyl label, Myor, who've released shit from Slugabed, Rekordah and soon our friends 1000names.
He's also connected with the influential Lowriders Collective to whom Svetlana offers great respects, and Lowriders is going to drop a Coco release on their own neonate label very soon.
Coco's scene is closer to the harder, synthier sound typified by Loops Haunt and Slugabed, but here he delivers a truly varied selection, witty, unpredictable and grittily fun.
Cocosic shizzle here: http://soundcloud.com/cocobrycebeats
MYOR shizzle here: http://www.myspace.com/myormusic
Lowriders shizzle here: www.lowriderscollective.com
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#1: Teebs
We could think of no one better to launch our series than California beatmaker, painter, rising star and Svetlana recording artist Teebs.
Teebs has been building a considerable reputation in his own quiet way.
A member of the LA-based Brainfeeder collective, he was first featured on Mary Anne Hobbs' "Wild Angels" compilation, before releasing the collaborative Tropics EP with Jackhigh on Svetlana in April 2010.
He's built a reputation as much as a painter as a musician, producing the artwork for The Tropics EP as well as a series of limited handpainted covers. He's also produced commissioned artwork for a range of other artists and exhibits regularly in and around Los Angeles.
His music is distinctive in being both abstract and emotional at the same time, with an almost jazz-like ambiguity to its mood.
As of July 2010 he is currently touring the USA with Shlohmo and will release his debut album shortly on Brainfeeder's own label.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
Subscribe to the podcast here
#10: Re:ill / Super Smoky Soul
Back in the mists of 2007, when the beats sound was still obscure, likeminded souls were finding each other across the globe (Teebs and Jackhigh) and DJs like Alex Nut and Jay Scarlett rewarded the curious with treasure.
Japan had its own outpost: Dai Kurihara's excellent Circulations released the classic compilation New Worlds in 2008 featuring Dorian Concept, Sa-Ra, Mono/Poly and more. http://www.freshselects.net/newworlds.
Also on that compilation was a huge collab between Guilty Simpson and elusive Japanese production trio Super Smoky Soul. Besides a great album and a 12" not much more was heard, and it was when dropping them into my Electronic Explorations mix that I decided to hunt them down for a Shortcast.
SSS's Re:ill came back with this fab 100% Japanese collection, a long overdue update. And good news there is new material on the way.
Check this http://tinyurl.com/6kh42to and please give.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#9: Kuedo
Kuedo a.k.a. Jamie Vex'd started soldiering a long time ago, manufacturing beautiful serious urban atmospheres as half of Vex'd, dropping the seminal album 'Degenerate' into the dubstep protoverse as long ago as 2005.
His extraordinary pitchbendariffic remix for Scuba saw him enter new territory as a solo artist, which he marked with a hugely significant mixtape for Lucky me. This was followed by an EP for Planet Mu as Jamie Vex'd and a second as Kuedo marking more fully his transition to solo artist.
He and Roly (the other half of Vex'd) do still collaborate but they are now divided by sea and Jamie's music is growing into its own personality. Rumours of an album are abroad and we eagerly await it. In the meantime this mix is gully and massive. One of the builders of the scene who still seems like everything is to come. Show your love to the man.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#8: LV
Although they started out on their own Moomu imprint, we first came across LV through their powerful early singles for Hyperdub. Collaborating with vocalists it seemed like here finally was reggae fit for the 21st century, the tech descendent of roots, a different space from the brash clattering of dancehall.
The socially aware anti-establishment lyrics, the pride, warmth and power of the voices link them to the tradition of British metropolitan reggae, Steel Pulse's Handsworth Revolution, the movie Babylon and Dennis Bovell, the urban edge, still the same in 2010 as in 1980. We used to drop that track regularly on gigs and it's slow power is familiar and devastating.
Recently they've gone in new directions, working with spoken word artist Josh Idehen, uberproducer Untold on the subaquatic “Beacon”, and the Africa-meets-juke smash “Boomslang” with Okmalumkoolkat. We started corresponding about juke tunes a while back and thus this mix of their jukey favourites. viva LV.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#7: 1000names
I think we can call the 1000names family. They may spread their love around - Black Acre, Eklektik Records and others we won't know about until someone accidentally says something at a party and it all gets awkward - but family's family and you forgive and move on.
And we owe them, 'cause they been turned on the sound for years, and through them we found Los Angeles. Humble dudes, underneath it they're a couple of hardcore individualists that function as a frictionless machine. And honestly, like another friend of ours, Dem Hunger, or Teebs, they're pretty close to the definition of a true artist. They just keep making, and moving, and moulding, and producing, restless and irrepressible. They're also funny, and have a hilarious collection of jumpers. They are serious ridiculous fellows.
Here they come with some heavyweight Wang™: tracks you know wanged to be better for your century. This is a serious ridiculous mix delivered with love. Cover by Nikko.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#6: Jar Moff
This Shortcast is something different and special. Ten minutes long, it's as much an original composition as it is a mix. In fact, when we asked the man responsible, Jar Moff, what the difference is between a composition and a mix for him, he said:
"for a mixtape thing i felt comfortable using longer cut ups and other artist stuff and intros outros that i m making based on the remixed tracks/"
Jar Moff has a name like a Star Wars character and lives in Athens. He rides the nightbuses, buys records and makes things like this. Coming from the same planet as Dem Hunger and Matthewdavid he brings his own strongly melodic take to the music, which we really appreciate here.
If you like this shit there's a bit more out there:
http://macflyisthenewblack.com/2009/09/mfmix009/#content%23content
http://leavingrecords.com/handmade/lrf005-jmepsp
http://igetrvng.com/prsnts/193
Get to know Jar Moff. We chat about free jazz and politics and things.
http://jarmoff.blogspot.com/
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#5: Kelpe
We first came into contact with Kelpe via Fulgeance's remix of "Stop Parching Yourself" back in 2008, only to discover that he'd actually been ploughing his own furrow since 2003, with a home on DC Recordings, a label more known for new disco. Like Architeq and Fulgeance he was producing warm, downtempo, funky synthesised joints before anybody had really thought to group this shit together or give it a name.
It's our view that although widely respected he's not quite had his due yet, since Kelpe is highly capable of turning out a serious banger when he decides to, as one look at our radio show and gig playlists can confirm.
He's got a decent discography to go and discover, but you could start with this just released blast on Black Acre: http://kelpe.co.uk/margins-ep-out-now
And this about to be released: http://soundcloud.com/kelpe/chocolate-money-ep-teaser
Chomp chomp.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#4: Donga
For Shortcast #4 we move into more upbeat territory, taken there by Donga, the man behind Brighton's Well Rounded Records. This is a label which has achieved "must buy" status for anyone pushing the progressive end of the dancefloor, building a reputation in the best way a label can: by demon A&Ring and incredibly consistent quality control. To date Well Rounded has released rising stars such as Deadboy, Hackman and C.R.S.T as well as Donga himself.
We first hooked up at Dubstep Forum in a discussion about something or other and Donga (real name Ashley) told us he liked Svetlana because "you never knew what to expect". While we mused over whether that was a good or bad thing he then told us he'd just sold the last of his Svetlana vinyl in his record shop to Planet Mu's Mike Paradinas, so we decided that sounded like a better thing and the conversation continued from there.
It's our pleasure to finally drop into a bit of shuffle for Donga's 30 minutes. Get on this label.
Well Rounded's Facebook page
http://soundcloud.com/donga
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#3: Lukid
While often associated by many people with the beats or abstract hip hop scene, Luke "Lukid" Blair's vision is a wider one.
Svetlana met him on his now abandoned Monday night ustream sessions, which would last for hours, running the gamut from hardcore rave to post-punk to 70s flower folk, and attracted a small but select crowd from Brainfeeder, Jahtari, Werk and much more.
This mix shows the kind of floating abstraction that's currently making him tick while we wait for new material. Enjoy x
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#2: Coco Bryce
Coco Bryce comes out of the healthy Dutch bass and beats scene. He runs his own boutique vinyl label, Myor, who've released shit from Slugabed, Rekordah and soon our friends 1000names.
He's also connected with the influential Lowriders Collective to whom Svetlana offers great respects, and Lowriders is going to drop a Coco release on their own neonate label very soon.
Coco's scene is closer to the harder, synthier sound typified by Loops Haunt and Slugabed, but here he delivers a truly varied selection, witty, unpredictable and grittily fun.
Cocosic shizzle here: http://soundcloud.com/cocobrycebeats
MYOR shizzle here: http://www.myspace.com/myormusic
Lowriders shizzle here: www.lowriderscollective.com
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
#1: Teebs
We could think of no one better to launch our series than California beatmaker, painter, rising star and Svetlana recording artist Teebs.
Teebs has been building a considerable reputation in his own quiet way.
A member of the LA-based Brainfeeder collective, he was first featured on Mary Anne Hobbs' "Wild Angels" compilation, before releasing the collaborative Tropics EP with Jackhigh on Svetlana in April 2010.
He's built a reputation as much as a painter as a musician, producing the artwork for The Tropics EP as well as a series of limited handpainted covers. He's also produced commissioned artwork for a range of other artists and exhibits regularly in and around Los Angeles.
His music is distinctive in being both abstract and emotional at the same time, with an almost jazz-like ambiguity to its mood.
As of July 2010 he is currently touring the USA with Shlohmo and will release his debut album shortly on Brainfeeder's own label.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD