Culture Remixed

Heavy Rotation: Floating on Solid Ground

2012-02-26T21:42:00.000-08:00

2012 by Sonnymoon

Calliope - Dot
Out February 28, 2012 on Alpha Pup Records.

MU.ZZ.LE. - Gonjasufi
Out now.

As You Were - Jincallo
Out now.

Creature Dreams EP - TOKiMONSTA
Out now.

Gem Drops Two - Various Artists
Out now.

Astronautica EP - Astronautica
&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://astronautica.bandcamp.com/album/astronautica"&amp;gt;Astronautica by Astronautica&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Acquiescence EP - Anenon
Out in March 2012 on Non Projects.

2012 EP - Sonnymoon
Out now.

Dirty Dishes EP - KONE
Out now.

Sigma Chi Primavera - Fancy Mike
Out now.

Review: As You Were by Jincallo

2012-02-23T18:13:00.000-08:00

Jincallo is a Los Angeles area producer who has self released As You Were as his first full length effort. As You Were was released on February 21, 2012 through bandcamp. Limited quantities of cassette tapes will also be available.

Jincallo has released a number of EPs over the last couple of years. Over the course of these releases he has evolved and refined his sounds. These sounds are a combination of electronic synths and field recordings and samples. On As You Were these elements create tracks with heavy bass beats, synth melodies, and atmospheric sounds.

With track titles like “Another Day in Lost Angeles,” “California Burrito” and “Park’nJungle,” As You Were develops a narrative link between compositions around the experience of living in Los Angeles through the producer’s ears. The titles of the other tracks also add to the theme though their connections may not be as obvious on first listen.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://jincallo.bandcamp.com/album/as-you-were-lp"&amp;gt;As You Were LP by Jincallo&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

There are brooding beats punctuated with bright melodic moments which give you a sense of the push and pull of life in the city. I would say "Park'nJungle" is my favorite track though "Only at Nite" is a close second. The album is strong from start to finish and I find myself listening to the whole thing just about every time I put it on, always a good sign. JIncallo has really put together a strong LP in As You Were. He has recently joined the Smut + Bass label and his current upward trajectory is a testament to his hard work and sacrifice over the past couple of years.

"N****s in Poorest" by Yasiin Bey

2012-02-22T16:49:00.000-08:00

Yasiin Bey is the new moniker of Mos Def. He just released a video of his take on the Watch the Throne (Jay Z, Kanye West) song "Ni**as in Paris." In his version he up ends all of the brash money talk of the original substituting more realistic possibilities for the excess of Kanye West and Jay Z's lyrics. The video emphasizes the contrast with strong political imagery. This song is part of the Top 40 Underdogs mixtape he is working on and if this track is any indication, the full release is going to be impressive.

Depakote, Rheteric Ramirez, Mr. Mo Take Over Culture Remixed

2012-02-21T20:57:00.000-08:00

Depakote, Rheteric Ramirez, and Mr. Mo are my guests for episode 42 of Culture Remixed Radio on February 20, 2012. We keep things pretty loose in the studio with lots of laughs. With all fun we did manage to talk to Depakote about a couple new projects and play some of his new music. Then Mr. Mo does a DJ set before Rheteric Ramirez sits down to do a quick interview and play some of his songs. Plenty of hijinks during the show you won't want to miss. Thanks to my guests and everyone who tuned in live.

Next week my guests will be the group Magick Orchids.

Stream and download the episode below.
42: Depakote, Rheteric Ramirez, Mr. Mo

"The Blame" by Gonjasufi

2012-02-21T14:47:00.000-08:00

Gonjasufi released the very well received MU.ZZ.LE on Warp Records a couple weeks ago. Today he debuted the video for the song "The Blame" off the album. The video features Gonjasufi roaming a desolate Los Angeles going through desertification.

Heavy Rotation: Unfound, Never Lost

2012-02-19T22:42:00.000-08:00

Virtual Boy

Virtual Boy - Virtual Boy
Out now on Alpha Pup.

Acquiescence EP - Anenon
Out on Non Projects 3.27.

Calliope EP - Dot
Out on Alpha Pup 2.28

14KillaTape - 14 KT
Out now as a free download.

The Ache EP - Natasha Kmeto
Out now on Dropping Gems.

As You Were - Jincallo
Out on February 21 both digitally and a limited edition cassette tape.

MU.ZZ.LE. - Gonjasufi
Out now on Warp Records

Collections 01 - Teebs
Out now on Brainfeeder.

After the Beep - Fat Albert Einstein
Out now on Switchstance Recordings.

Winter 2012 Podcast Round Up

2012-02-19T02:59:00.000-08:00

Podcasts are an excellent way of keeping up with the ever changing sounds of electronic music of the sort covered on this blog. They often offer previews of unreleased music and expose listeners to artists one would be hard pressed to find as quickly individually. Quality music podcasts can come in various forms from recordings of live radio shows to carefully constructed mixes created solely for distribution in this format.

These are the podcasts I am currently following along with a brief description of each to let you know what you will find. These are in alphabetical order and the links will either be to the website or iTunes link where you can subscribe. The list is updated with the change in seasons.

I prefer to listen to these podcasts through iTunes for the practicality of organization, (syncing between devices) and the fact that the names of tracks and even album artwork will often be included in these versions.

Some strong additions and some subtractions this time around.

As always, they are all free.

Big Up Magazine

Excellent bass music podcast. Episodes include people like Mexicans with Guns, Salva, TOKiMONSTA, Fused Forces, and Cherry Chan. Has not been updated in a while.

iTunes

Bleep

A podcast by the UK online music store Bleep owned by Warp Records. The music is heavy on Warp artists. It does feature music from all over the world, though the UK and US are heavily represented. Focusing on the newest releases, this is an excellent podcast if you want to be on the cutting edge of the beat scene. An essential podcast for beat fans. Updated regularly.

iTunes

Brainfeeder

Brainfeeder is the imprint started by Flying Lotus and put out by the Alpha Pup label. Flying Lotus and many of the artists on his imprint are considered standard bearers in the emerging Los Angeles beat scene which has been gaining critical praise all over the world of late. The music is a forward thinking blend of hip hop and electronic music which has defied efforts to slap a definitive label on it so far. Many of the artists featured in the podcast can be seen regularly at the Low End Theory night, every Wednesday at the Airliner nightclub in the Lincoln Heights area of Los Angeles. I'll say more about Low End Theory in a bit.

Stand out episodes of this podcast include the TokiMonsta mix, Take's mix, as well as any mixes featuring the Gaslamp Killer. Been a while since they updated however.

Official website

iTunes

Cosmopolyphonic Radio

This podcast is based in Japan. The hosts change from one episode to another with a combination of English and Japanese being spoken, never fully in Japanese so English speaking audiences should not be scared away. The music is a blend of Japanese hip hop and electronic as well as international artists. Excellent for getting a sense of what music is catching ears in Japan. Regularly updated.

iTunes

Culture Remixed

This is the podcast that accompanies my funky little radio show on KillRadio. I play beats from all over for the first half. Bass beats, hip hop, cumbia, Nortec, baile funk, bhangra and more on the regular. Most episodes feature an in-studio guest for an interview and live performance or DJ set. Updated weekly the day after each show.

iTunes

Dropping Gems

The podcast of the Portland, Oregon based label Dropping Gems. The format for the podcast is a pair of mixes, one from a Dropping Gems label artist and one from a guest. These may be DJ mixes or original beats by the artists. Updated regularly with eighteen episodes at the time of this writing.

iTunes.

Dublab

Dublab is a Los Angeles based online radio station featuring an eclectic mix of artists. The podcasts are either recordings of shows that aired on the station or special live performances at events sponsored by Dublab. Describing itself as "future roots radio," what you will hear is a heady mix of rock, folk, atmospheric, soul, funk, and more. If you want to discover music from many different genres, this is the podcast for you. Will you like everything? Probably not, but the payoff is discovering something you may never have heard before anywhere before. Updates are irregular but worth it when they do go up.

Official website: as well as subscribing to the podcast, you can listen to the live stream here.

iTunes

Eleven Eleven

This is a podcast from the Eleven Eleven Agency based in Los Angeles. Representing such artists as Teebs, DNAE Beats, Sweatson Klank, Ras G, Mono/poly, Mary Anne Hobbs and more, this agency has exquisite musical taste. The podcast format features an invited guest from outside of the agency who crafts an exclusive mix. Podcasts are released on a regular basis with a special eleven podcasts created during November of 2011 culminating on 11.11.11. Right now the podcast is only available through the agency's website, you have no option but to download each podcast individually. It would be nice to see this podcast on iTunes.

Frite Nite

A podcast produced by the San Francisco based label of the same name. Episodes feature either one or two artist created mixes. The emphasis is on heavy bass music though the tempo can range from downtempo to high energy.

iTunes.

Groovement

Episodes of this UK based radio show feature hip hop and electronic music of the beat scene variety. Each also includes at least one artist interview. The interviews include many beat makers from the Los Angeles scene. One of my favorite podcasts of late. Updated regularly.

iTunes

Knocksteady

Los Angeles based Knocksteady crew bring you interviews and musical performances from mostly up and coming local artists. The podcasts are audio versions of the live video streams they make. The episodes are hosted by Dumbfoundead, Intuition, and DJ Zo. Has not been updated recently, but they have some nice archived shows.

iTunes.

Kongkast

Hong Kong based podcast put out by Koncretebass. It features drum and bass and dubstep primarily. The podcast is also notable for showcasing artists from the region. Updated regularly.

iTunes

Low End Theory

The Low End Theory podcast features the resident DJs of the Low End Theory night. You can read my impressions from the first time I went to Low End Theory here. While it features some of the same artists as the Brainfeeder podcast, this one is (was) released on a once a month schedule and includes a mix by one of the resident DJs usually paired with a mix by a guest DJ. Between the two mixes MC Nocando will let you know the lineup for the month at the club. Again, the music here is very experimental and creative and excellent advertising for the Low End Theory night. Just released a new episode after a long hiatus. Maybe they will get back to regular updates.

iTunes

Numbers.

A podcast focused on the Glasgow, Scotland club and label of the same name. The podcasts are mixes from artists featured at the club, including live mixes. Very upbeat, dance floor ready stuff. The focus is on UK acts like Rustie and Hudson Mohawke. Has not been updated in a few months.

iTunes

Solid Steel

Produced by Ninja Tune and Coldcut's radio show, it features a heavy hip hop focus. Occasional extended video mixes also appear. Updated regularly.

iTunes.

Sound Plexus

Recently founded San Francisco based label Sound Plexus has created a podcast series. The label focuses on electronic music with a heavy bass emphasis. Each episode features a mix by a single artist. Only four episodes so far, but the sounds range from hip hop to high energy electronic influences. The only negative is that the podcasts are currently only released via soundcloud and limited to a hundred downloads.

Stones Throw

Peanut Butter Wolf created the Stones Throw Label a few years ago in Los Angeles. The label is known for signing underground hip hop artists as well as some neo-soul and funk acts. The podcast serves largely to promote the artists on the label offering samples of upcoming albums. A long with this, will get some very creative mixes from the Stone Throw DJs, for example, Halloween and other holiday themed mixes and even some tongue in cheek things like the Color Me Badd mix where Peanut Butter Wolf assembled a mix of the worst cover versions of great songs he could find. Sporadic updates.

Stones Throw Podcast archive

iTunes

Uncommon Radio

Underground hip hop podcast from Uncommon Records label in New York. I have only been able to listen to a couple episodes, but so far what I hear is solid. It shows a preference for intelligent rap, no Weezy wannabes here. While they are based in New York, there is no East Coast bias here, so refreshing. Updated regularly.

iTunes

Urb.com

Podcast from URB Magazine. Leans heavily toward electronic dance music. Occasionally they will switch it up a little bit. Regular updates and excellent selection of artists.

iTunes

Walter Gross' Ectoplasmic Podcast

Los Angeles producer and DIY tour de force Walter Gross puts together a themed podcast every few weeks. The music ranges from hip hop, to psychedelic rock, blues, country, pretty much anything that he is feeling at the time. Definitely for those willing to hear an adventurous mix with an often twisted sense of humor. Updated regularly

iTunes

This is it for the podcasts I listen to regularly. I have tried out others and continue to look for more, not because I lack for things to listen to, but because I want to keep an open mind to music.

Did I leave anything out you think I should have included? Let me know in the comments.

"Señor Montecostes" by Mati Zundel

2012-02-17T14:18:00.000-08:00

Mati Zundel is one of the members of the ZZK crew based in Argentina. With their own ZZK Records label the crew has been releasing forward thinking music that blends traditional South American sounds and rhythms with electronic production. Zundel (formerly producing as Lagartijeando) is readying a new LP entitled Amazonico Gravitante due out on March 27, 2012 in the US through Waxploitation / ZZK. One of the tracks on the LP is "Señor Montecostes" for which the video above was made. The track blends heavy electronic bass lines with cumbia dance rhythms. You'll hear shakers and accordions along with synths. The video is a colorful blend of digital and live action with a violent slaughterhouse theme.

Review: The Ache by Natasha Kmeto

2012-02-15T19:39:00.000-08:00

The Ache EP is the newest release from Portland, Oregon based Natasha Kmeto. This is her first release with Dropping Gems, the Portland based label quickly becoming the go to place for experimental electronic music from the Pacific Northwest. I got a chance to listen to some of the new EP when she recently played Low End Theory. Definitely happy to be able to listen to the complete recording. The producer and vocalist has put together a strong project.

Natasha Kmeto combines electronic analog synths, heavy bass lines, and her soulful vocals for an EP with silky vibes and plenty of punch. The Ache is steadily mid tempo with "Detox Saturday" being the one higher tempo song to close out the EP. It is a solid collection of tracks with the highlights being "This Is For You" and "The Ache." "This Is For You" matches a throbbing bass line with plaintive vocals and analog synth melodies. "The Ache" uses a thumping beat early before shirting a a earth shaking rumble. The vocals are emphasized prominently over the melodies before the synths swell toward the end. "Snake Charmer" is also worth noting for its touch of blues guitar along the beats and vocals.

The Ache EP is Natasha Kmeto's strongest release to date and leaves little doubt she is a musician to pay attention to in the present and for the future. The EP is available from bandcamp as a "pay what you want" option with a CD, sticker, and pin package available for $10.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://droppinggems.bandcamp.com/album/the-ache"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Ache by Natasha Kmeto&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Jincallo on Culture Remixed Radio 41

2012-02-14T19:04:00.000-08:00

Jincallo returns to Cuture Remixed Radio own killradio.org for episode 41 on February 13, 2012. I play some beats ranging from the fife and drum of Otha Turner to new music from Gonjasufi, Dot, Natasha Kmeto, and Sonnymoon with some more favorites thrown in as well. Then Jincallo sits down for a brief interview talking about his new LP As You Were, out on February 21, 2012. He goes on to do a live set featuring music from the LP as well and a few other special treats including unreleased collaborations.

Stream and download the episode below.
41: Jincallo

Heavy Rotation: Imperial Boulevard

2012-02-12T23:59:00.000-08:00

MU.ZZ.LE. - Gonjasufi
Out now on Warp Records

Astronautica EP - Astronautica
Out now on PH2 Records

As You Were - Jincallo
Out February 21, 2012, self released.

Keramika EP - Pixelord
Out now on Hit and Hope.

La Bala - Ana Tijoux
Out now on Nacional Records.

Welcome to Detroit - Jay Dee aka J Dilla

The Ache - Natasha Kmeto
Out February 14, 2012 on Dropping Gems.

Scenes of Life / Electricity - ELOS
Out in March 2012 on Alpha Pup Records.

Virtual Boy - Virtual Boy
Out now on Alpha Pup Records.

Review: Keramika by Pixelord

2012-02-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

Pixelord is a Russian producer based in Moscow. He released his latest EP Keramika on February 6, 2012 through Hit and Hope. The EP continues to show why he is the most well known Russian producer in what is a quickly growing scene.

Keramika is an EP consisting of three original tracks and one remix. "Imaginary Friends" starts things off with the chopped samples of a baby's voice before the sparse heavy bass lines and synth melodies kick in. The track is a chill exploration of bright electronic sounds before it gets a bit more aggressive toward the last third. The title track follows and presents similar melodies while the bass beats alternate between mid and downtempo sections. After this "Drinky" offers more ethereal synth melodies over vocal samples that explain the title of the track. The EP ends with a Groundislava remix of "Imaginary Friends." Groundislava gives the original track an 808 style bass groove and privileges the synth melodies a bit more than in the original in a slower head nodding pace.

This is an excellent EP, and I definitely look forward to Pixelord's next release.

"Run Before You Wake" by Mike Gao

2012-02-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

Mike Gao is set to release a split 12" with Daisuke Tanabe for the second installment of a series entitled Faces through Finest Ego/ Project Mooncircle. The series of releases will each feature two producers and be released digitally and in limited vinyl runs. "Run Before You Wake" gets a cryptic and somewhat haunting video in anticipation of the February 17, 2012 release date.

You may pre-view and pre-order the 12" now through bandcamp. If you want to buy one of the 300 vinyl copies you can do it here.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://projectmooncircle.bandcamp.com/album/finest-ego-faces-12-series-vol-2"&amp;gt;Finest Ego | Faces 12&amp;amp;quot; Series Vol. 2 by Mike Gao / Daisuke Tanabe&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

International Vinyl Mix By Eduardo Gomez

2012-02-07T18:24:00.000-08:00

Eduardo Gomez is the guest for the fortieth episode of Culture Remixed Radio on killradio.org. We then do a brief interview with fine artist, DJ, and passionate crate digger born and raised in Long Beach. He moved to San Francisco to pursue his MFA and moved back to Los Angeles recently. I play a few tracks in the first hour including music by Ryat, Jon, Phonics, Pixelord, Koloah, Virtual Boy, ELOS, Flying Lotus, Kone, DJ Raff, and Jincallo before he hits the deck for an hour long set. His selections span five continents and several decades with things like Cambodian pop, Mexican psych rock, African garage and lots more.

Stream and download the episode below.
40: Eduardo Gomez - 2.6.11

"Digital Rain (en el desierto)" by DJ Raff

2012-02-07T13:56:00.000-08:00

DJ Raff is a DJ and producer originally from Spain now based in Chile. Known for his turntablist skills along with his productions, he released the album Latino & Proud in the US on Nacional Records in August of 2011. "Digital Rain (en el desierto)" comes from this album and gives a good sense of his production style. The video is also pretty cool and reflects the vibe of the track quite well.

You download "Digital Rain (en el desierto)" for free using the widget below.

"Darkest (Dim) (featuring Gavin Turek)" by TOKiMONSTA

2012-02-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

The video for "Darkest (Dim)" by TOKiMONSTA featuring Gavin Turek premiered today. The song is off the excellent Creature Dreams EP released in 2011 through Brainfeeder.

Low End Theory: Low Limit, Nalepa, Subjection

2012-02-04T02:35:00.000-08:00

The line up for the February 1, 2012 edition of Low End Theory featured Low Limit as the headliner with Nalepa and Subjection as the other two guests along with all residents. It was a night of firsts in more ways than one.

The line was non-existent as I arrived at The Airliner right around 10PM. It is precisely these kinds of nights where the Low End Theory residents often drop surprises for those in attendance.

On this night DJ Nobody decided to devote his early set to music by artists who have worked with Nalepa. Nalepa, among many things, is a certified Ableton Live instructor who has worked with a number of emerging artists. The tracks played by DJ Nobody included works by St. Andrew, and Virtual Boy.

Subjection aka Frankie at Low End Theory 2.1.11.

The theme of Nalepa students continued with Subjection. Subjection aka Frankie is a twelve year old student of Professor Nalepa. With his set he became the youngest person to play at Low End Theory. His parents appeared to be right by the stage the entire time for those who may be concerned. It was definitely a surprise to me to see someone so young on the stage and honestly makes writing about his set a bit difficult, but I will do so.

Subjection played his set with a laptop presumably running Ableton Live and an Xsession Pro midi controller. Nalepa stated from the stage that Subjection constructed all the synth sounds himself, which is quite a technical achievement not every producer can claim. His music was dubstep for about ninety percent of the set, changing things a little bit towards the end with some more drum and bass type sounds. His style was very aggressive with very heavy bass lines that gave way to brief melodic interludes before charging back in. The crowd definitely enjoyed his set. His set became a bit predictable for me though, so a point of constructive criticism would be to mix up the overall pattern of bass and melody in the future taking a more subtle approach at times. On the whole, he showed lots of promise and performed at one of the world's premier experimental music nights without showing any signs of nervousness. It will be interesting to hear him develop further as a producer.

Nalepa followed Subjection with his set. He played from an Akai MPK controller and a Teenage Engineering OP1. Nalepa also had his own visual projections which appeared to be linked to the music he was playing.

The set was blend of tempos from ambient to hip hop and full on dance. Using the full gamut of controls at his disposal, he added synth melodies and effects that while they threw off a few at the front who dug the straight ahead dubstep earlier, the rest of the crowd was certainly digging the vibe.

D-Styles did a quick set after Nalepa. The legendary DJ once again thrilled the crowd with a blend of hip hop and instrumental beats spiked with his scratch skills.

Low Limit.

Low Limit capped off the guest sets with a lively mix of his original beats. He used an Akai Ableton mapped controller and a smaller controller on a little wooden stand which I could not identify. One half of the duo Lazer Sword, the Bay area producer now based in Los Angeles, kept the energy high with uptempo beats occasionally king into more hip hop style before bringing it back up. It was a fun set forms tart to finish.

The residents came back for short second sets to finish off the night as they normally do. Notable among the sets was The Gaslamp Killer who took the opportunity to debut some new unfinished material of his own. One was a track with all I've instruments featuring himself, Daedelus, and Aamir which had a Turkish psych rock feel. The other was a track he did with Dimlite where Gaslamp plays the drums. Both tracks were in GLKs words unmixed and unmastered world premiers. They sound pretty dope on initial listen. He continued the rest of the set playing more new music from the likes of Co.fee, Jonti, and EPROM.

Well that was the night that was. Until next time.

Review: Karimba by Novalima

2012-02-01T17:59:00.000-08:00

Novalima blend Afro Peruvian traditional sounds with electronic production.

Karimba begins with a call for a musician to pick up his cajon because a young lady wants to dance in the opening song "Festejo." This opening line not only serves as a call to action, it shows the impetus behind Novalima's approach to the album. Released on January 31, 2012 by Washington D.C. based ESL Music, Karimba is an album taking the tradition of Afro Peruvian music and adding other musical influences to create a unique sound. Electronic production expands on the traditionally acoustic instruments of the musical styles that influence the sounds.

Novalima is a band from Lima, Peru who make music heavily influenced by traditional Afro Peruvian music. Afro Peruvian music is a style combining percussion instruments with string instruments. The main instruments for this music are the cajon and guitars. The Afro in the name Afro Peruvian comes from the fact that the style developed primarily in a population of people of African descent. The music is generally mid tempo and song themes generally revolve around rural life. Novalima add other Latin influences to this mix through instruments like congas, drums, and varying the tempos and rhythms as well.

To the live instrumentation, Novalima adds electronic sounds most prominently through heavy bass beats and synth accents resulting in music with a soulful sense of roots while giving the listener something rather hard to reduce down to a single category. The songs include both male and female vocalists and retain the rural themes of traditional Afro Peruvian music. These themes focus on celebratory releases from the struggles of daily life. The tempos are lively with dance floor friendly rhythms.

I have had a great deal of time to preview the LP and over this time "Macaco," "Diablo," and "Festejo" have emerged as my favorites. "Macaco" is a song about a man slaughtering a dull to end his starvation. The song has an infectious uptempo bass line and vocals that will have you singing along. It has already become a staple in a couple Latin music DJs sets. "Diablo" is a mid tempo song about being weary of one's inner demons. The pulsing beat combines with guitar and percussion to provide a strong base for the male vocals. "Festejo," as I began the review, is a call to celebration and a really enjoyable track that sets the mood for Karimba.

Karimba is another strong album from Novalima for those who already familiar with their work. If you are new to the group the album will provide plenty of enjoyable times and I really encourage you to pick it up.

You can download "Festejo" free here (right click and save).

Aztlan Quetzal on Culture Remixed Radio

2012-01-31T05:14:00.000-08:00

Aztlan Quetzal is my guest for episode 39 of Culture Remixed Radio on killradio.org. I played a few tracks featuring music by Rustie, Hudson Mohawk, Mexicans with Guns, Astronautica, Pixelord, Jon Phonics, Ana Tijoux before doing an interview with Aztlan Quetzal. We discussed how his early education in Mexico City influenced his interest in music as well as current projects he is working on among other things. Then he played a set built around his original beats, some available and others you will hear on his upcoming releases.

You can download and stream the show below. The recording has been edited to remove brief dead air as a result of a couple technical issues that came up during the show. Aztlan Quetzal's set has not been edited in any way.

39: Aztlan Quetzal - 1.30.11

Heavy Rotation: Moon Shots

2012-01-30T17:31:00.000-08:00

Astronautica EP

Karimba - Novalima

Grid Games EP - Jon Phonics

2012 EP - Sonnymoon

LA Series 8 - Mike Gao / ToKiMONSTA

Astronautica EP - Astronautica

The Mind's Eye EP - Free the Robots

Enter the 37th Chamber - El Michels Affair

La Bala - Ana Tijoux

Bright Spots EP - Glass Therapy

Keramika EP - Pixelord

Orange Military by Nasa

2012-01-28T15:57:00.000-08:00

The head of New York's Uncommon Records, producer Nasa, has released a single featuring a pair of remixes of Death Grips tracks. Nasa remixes "Takyon" and "Guillotine" with a guest verse by his MC alter-ego ADAM on the latter. Also included in the free download are the instrumentals for each track. Listen to Orange Military below and download it from the bandcamp site.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://uncommonrecords.bandcamp.com/album/orange-military"&amp;gt;Orange Military by Nasa Asan&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

"Parkn'Jungle" by Jincallo

2012-01-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles producer Jincallo is prepping his LP As You Were, to be released soon. Until then he gives you a chance to hear what will be the fourth track on the album entitled "Parkn'Jungle." Give it a listen below.

Jincallo will also make a return appearance on my radio show on killradio.org February 13, 2012.

Low End Theory: TOKiMONSTA, Co.fee, Nutrik

2012-01-26T16:30:00.000-08:00

TOKiMONSTA during her set at Low End Theory January 25, 2012.

Arriving at what I thought was a fairly early time of 8:30PM, I discovered the line in front of The Airliner was already wrapped around the corner and growing by the minute. Such is the pull of Los Angeles producer TOKiMONSTA whose combination of excellent releases and live sets have earned her a loyal following. On this night, the day before her birthday, she headlined Low End Theory with all the residents and guests Nutrik and Co.fee as openers. After a tricky sequence of events, I did manage to get in (thanks to Co.fee, Depakote, and Dan Damage!) and see all the action.

Hanging at the back of the room when I first got in, it was easy to hear the difference in sound the new speaker placed in the rear makes to the overall experience*. Much fuller sound for the back third of the room extending onto the patio as well.

The residents sets were already in progress when I got inside. The Gaslamp Killer was getting the crowd pumped with a selection of bangers including tracks by Rustie and Hudson Mohawk. He was followed by D-Styles who kept the bass pumping and the crowd dancing as the room steadily filled.

Nutrik with a set up utilizing to Moog synthesizers, a keyboard and laptop.

Nutrik was the first guest on the night. This was my first time seeing a Nutrik set and the first thing to note is his set up. Using two Moog synthesizers, a keyboard, and a laptop, is stage setup resembles a fort especially with three tiered stand on one side.

Musically, he was playing a set of original beats that spanned a wide range of styles from downtempo to s high energy dance beats. He was triggering music from the laptop while adding sounds from the two Moogs. Toward the end of the set, he switched from triggering clips to live beats by playing the keyboard which he had mapped to multiple instrument sounds. Clearly having a great time, he let the crowd know how great he felt being able to play through the Low End sound system. He was also unfazed by what he called a "fuck up" in his playing and picked right up playing improvised beats. It was great to see someone truly enjoying their experience and it translated into the crowds enjoyment.

Co.fee followed Nutrik. While the My Hollow Drum crew member's set up is far less elaborate, the producer's sets are always a blast.

Playing with a minimal set up of a laptop and M-Audio Trigger Finger controller, Co.fee's set featured primarily original beats with a couple of his remixes as well.

Tully ready to snap a shot while Co.fee plays.

The crowd jammed the floor for Co.fee's set and the already warm room reached sweltering levels of body heat. It was pretty sweaty at the front as the crowd bounced along to the heavy bass the producer threw down. He played tracks from various releases with joints from his EP Easy Listening getting the biggest reactions from the crowd who were loving every minute of it to begin with.

DJ Nobody played a short set begun with the request from Nocando that he play some "gangsta shit." Nobody definitely kept it heavy while TOKiMONSTA got ready for her set. Het setup consists of a laptop and midi controller. The set almost didn't happen as a couple days earlier her computer suffered hard drive issues which threatened to cancel the show. Thankfully, for the packed house she was able to get everything squared away.

With the crowd already buzzing, TOKiMONSTA started her set and a couple minutes in announced "it will be my birthday in eight minutes." She continued playing her set which was focused largely on her own beats and a handful of remixes which show her taste in music like soul and old school hip hop. The crowd was enthralled, but they would have their own treat for TOKiMONSTA too.

When the clock struck midnight a few voices started singing happy birthday and the rest of the crowd joined in raising the volume loud enough to overpower the sound system. TOKiMONSTA was definitely caught off guard at first and then she just had to smile through the rest of the song. I can't remember a moment like that at any other show I've been to, priceless.

After the birthday song, she kept the energy strong with live versions of music from her releases including a Drum and Bass inspired version of "Park Walks" from her LA Series 8 split 10" with Mike Gao. It was an impressive set and a wonderful vibe even with the swampy feel of the room.

Daddy Kev and TOKiMONSTA acknowledging the roar of the crowd at the end of TOKi's set.

The night ended with sets from the residents. Daddy Kev followed TOKiMONSTA, and The Gaslamp Killer came on for a second set afterwards.

It was a great night of music and people. Great to see the enthusiasm for the music particularly in the many women who were in the crowd. It was tough to get in, but the payoff for those not scared off by the line was well worth the wait.

*This was my first Low End Theory in 2012 for various reasons, it was a fantastic way to start the year though. Thanks to all the people who make it happen every week and to all the cool people I was lucky enough to talk to last night as well.

Review: Bright Spots EP by Glass Therapy

2012-01-25T17:29:00.000-08:00

Glass Therapy is a Los Angeles based duo who released their first EP Bright Spots on newly formed PH2 Records. The seven track EP was released digitally on December 19, 2011.

The sound of Bright Spots is focused on downtempo bass beats with melodies composed of a combination of live instrumentation, vocals, and electronic production. You will hear strings, piano, guitar, live drums among the live elements. The vocals are largely treated like instruments on the record adding ambient layers with the exception of the song "weathrd hights (the docking station) part duxe." That is the one true song on the EP.

While the running time for the EP is brisk at just under fifteen minutes, the tracks are solid from beginning to end. The title track, and "weathrd hights (the docking station) part dude" are my favorite though the others are not far behind and it is easy to start the EP and just let it play all the way every time.

The Bright Spots EP by Glass Therapy is currently a free download from the band's bandcamp page. You should get it and give it a listen.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://glasstherapy.bandcamp.com/album/bright-spots"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Bright Spots by GlassTherapy&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Mexican Dubwiser on Culture Remixed Radio EP 38

2012-01-25T01:23:00.000-08:00

Mexican Dubwiser is my guest on Culture Remixed Radio on killradio.org for January 23, 2012. The Mexican born DJ and producer has been a fixture in the Latin electronic scene in Mexico and the US for more than a decade. He is getting ready to release his next LP on Kin Kon records in Mexico followed by a US release shortly there after.

As a DJ, Mexican Dubwiser was pioneering in incorporating dub, reggae, and cumbia into the Latin electronic music scene years before the recent wide spread interest in mixing these sounds. Listen to an interview before he plays a live DJ set featuring previews of songs from his upcoming album.

Episode 38: Mexican Dubwiser