Sub Radar

Jon Hopkins - "Open Eye Signal"

2013-05-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

No posts here so far in May... bad blogger, tsk.

This single from Jon Hopkins comes in at just under eight minutes, so it will need some time to marinate in your brain area, but it will be worth it after you realize you're hooked. Plus the real meat and potatoes comes in at the six minute mark and it's not worth it if you skip ahead.

Yeah, yeah I'll make more time for posting, I have some drafts that I was working on but they will have to stew a bit longer.

Immunity is out at the beginning of next month, but you can get "Open Eye Signal" and preorder the rest of it right here.

Evil Needle - Qualia

2013-04-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

We started this month with some Evil Needle, so let's round off the month with his fantastic latest work Qualia, thirteen tracks out now in both digital and compact disc format, courtesy of none other than Huh What & Where.

Qualia by Evil Needle

Dropping Gems: V/A - Gem Drops Three

2013-04-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

The third issue of indie label Dropping Gems' artist compilation series Dropping Gems is also the first version to get a proper physical release on top of the already noteworthy digital option. This one seems a little more focused and refined, having only around a quarter of the tracks of the last GD edition. I think I can forgive them for using the genre "emo-juke" in their description, as I'm sure I've come up with worse descriptors.

Gem Drops Three by dropping gems

Bonobo - "Heaven For The Sinner" ft. Erykah Badu

2013-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Simply cannot get enough of The North Borders, but this tune in particular has made it into almost every mix I've made since its release. Both Bonobo + Erykah are veterans of the musical entertainment format at this point, and their experience certainly shines through.

OffBeatKid - Tasty Beats

2013-04-14T20:52:00.001-07:00

Russian producer OffBeatKid returns to take a bite out of the balancing act between toned down / tuned out electronic R&B and the crispy, driven drums of modern hip hop instrumentals. The result is quite palatable, and on the market for a single dollar.

Tasty Beats by OffBeatKid

GetDarkerTV Live 156: Youngsta Invites

2013-04-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

Alright, I'll concede that asking my readers to listen to 5 hours of music in a single post is a little on the extreme side, so I certainly won't be offended if you take this one in bite sized chunks or skip it altogether, especially since it's a recorded live set with an active DJ, which isn't everyone's cup of tea.

My friend Tim asked me for some "exemplary" dubstep for his road trip out to Pennsylvania at the end of the week, and while I wait for the CDs to burn I thought I'd share one of my first thoughts that came to mind with the rest of the interwebs: GDtv number 156, Youngsta invites.

Featuring Darkside, Distance, Youngsta, Icicle, and Toast, the lineup speaks for itself, but there is/was something absolutely sublime about this evening.

illandnati from DSF went on a quest to compile the tracklist for the evening, so I'll copy/paste that after the jump break for you.

Music starts at around the one minute mark, but feel free to skip to a random spot in the timeline:

Darkside:

0:00:56 Mala - Ghost

0:04:37 Skream - Make Me

0:06:39 DCult - Silver

0:08:28 Kryptic Minds - The Talisman

0:13:00 Skream - Wobble That Gut

0:17:06 Mala - Level Nine

0:19:08 Coki - Old Hope

0:22:08 Sleeper, Thelem - Arrakis

0:24:20 Skream - Phatty Drummer

0:27:44 Benga - B4 The Dual

0:29:33 Razor Rekta - Loko:Motiv

0:32:29 Mala - The Tunnel

0:35:40 Geeneus - Congo

0:37:29 Skream - Hag

0:40:25 Dark Tantrums - Unborn

0:44:26 Skream - Fick

0:47:36 Mala - Mountain Dread March

0:49:40 V.I.V.E.K. - Barcelona

0:51:44 DJG - Rivet VIP

Distance:

0:55:42 Distance - Andromeda

0:57:57 Sleeper - Species

1:00:39 District - LV233

1:02:27 Submotion Orchestra - Blind Spot (Distance Remix)

1:05:22 Razor Rekta - Bang Ya Door

1:07:38 Distance - Guerrilla Force

1:08:59 Proxima - Lie Detection

1:11:20 Distance - Deserted

1:14:14 Sleeper - Don't Ask Me

1:15:35 Distance, Cyrus - Titan

1:16:42 Digital Mystics - Earth A Run Red

1:18:45 V.I.V.E.K. - Kismet

1:21:53 Paloma Faith - Just Be (Distance Remix)

1:24:49 DJ Madd - The Life You Chose (Distance Remix)

1:26:39 LX One - You VIP

1:29:47 Distance & Steppah - Set You Free

1:31:41 Tunnidge - War Drum

1:33:36 Distance, Cyrus - Rude

1:36:17 District - Antidote

1:38:05 Distance - Beyond

1:41:00 Distance - Searching

1:43:14 Mala - Lean Forward

1:45:02 Distance - Victim Support

1:47:20 Distance - Troubles

1:49:26 Tunnidge - 7 Breaths (Distance Remix)

1:51:30 Pinch - Swish (Distance Remix)

1:53:10 Mala - Changes (Distance Remix)

J:Kenzo:

1:56:56 Seven - Walter White

1:58:43 Outrage - Lock Dread

2:00:43 Killawatt, Ipman - Dark Place

2:02:55 Perverse - Tempest

2:04:42 SP:MC - Receptors

2:06:28 J:Kenzo - Body Heat

2:08:15 Sick - Fatboy (Artikal remix)

2:10:29 Asylum - Blindfold

2:12:16 J:Kenzo - Ricochet

2:14:29 Commodo - Hyperreal

2:16:16 Ulterior Motive - Tien

2:19:49 J:Kenzo - Cause and Effect

2:22:29 J:Kenzo - Contagion

2:25:30 LX One - Scary People

2:28:10 Skream - Percression

2:29:30 Trim - Notice Now (Dark Tantrums Remix)

2:31:58 J:Kenzo - No Man's Land ft. Footsie

2:34:11 Killawatt - Single Entity

2:37:17 TMSV - Haze

2:39:57 J:Kenzo - Invaders (Truth Remix)

2:41:30 J:Kenzo - Ruffhouse (Distance Remix)

2:43:39 Truth - Raindancer ft. Yayne (J:Kenzo Remix)

2:45:28 V.I.V.E.K. - The Big Bang

2:49:00 Matty G - 50,000 Watts (J:Kenzo Remix)

2:50:36 Truth - Babylon London (J:Kenzo Remix)

Youngsta:

2:55:30 Truth - Devil's Hands

2:56:55 Amit - Don't Forget Your Roots ft. Rani

3:00:58 Proxima - Lie Detection VIP

3:04:08 Youngsta - Destruction

<<<<<Skream - Phatty Drummer

3:07:44 Consequence & Jubei - Ungrounded

3:10:00 Kryptic Minds - To Feel

3:13:08 Ben Verse, LX One, Youngsta - Different Way

<<<<<Skream - Memories Of 3rd Base

3:16:04 LX One, Youngsta - Responsibility

3:18:10 D1 - Crack Bong (Loefah Remix)

3:21:20 Killawatt - Press On

3:23:37 Biome - ?

3:26:18 Amit - Acid Trip

<<<<<Loefah - Midnight

3:32:21 Killawatt, Ipman - Untitled

3:34:48 V.I.V.E.K. - Over My Head

<<<<<Skream - WMD

3:38:36 Kryptic Minds - Badman VIP

3:41:06 Truth - I Belong ft. Yayne

3:44:17 Ben Verse - Blue Dream

3:48:00 Jubei ft. Flowdan - Say Nothin (Rockwell Remix)

Icicle:

3:52:33 Icicle - Acid Step VIP

<<<<<Baauer - Dum Dum

3:55:43 Proxima - Untitled

3:56:37 Biome - Black Widow

3:58:25 Icicle - I Need A Job VIP

4:00:13 Killawatt - Unit 51

4:02:25 <<<Perverse - Fucking Insanity

4:05:07 Icicle, Distance - Exhale

4:06:28 Proxima - Brainstem

4:09:38 Icicle - Caffeine

4:12:08 Icicle - Untitled

4:13:30 Proxima - Untitled

4:14:51 Icicle - Minimal Dub

4:16:54 Killawatt - Genetic Drift

4:17:44

4:19:36 Sleeper & District - Risk

4:20:58 Icicle - Together In Dust VIP

4:24:44 Clarity - Tolerate

4:26:00 Amon Tobin - 4 Ton Mantis

<<<<<Dub Phizix - Marka

4:28:20 Enei - 2012 feat. Eastcolours

4:30:59 Mefjus, M-Force - Struggle & Pain feat. MC Maskim

4:32:25

4:34:33 Mefjus - Far Too Close

4:37:06 Icicle - Timer

4:39:03 Emperor - Monolith

4:41:02

4:42:30 Dub Phizix, Skeptical - Half Man feat. Sparkz

4:44:37 Calyx & TeeBee - Pure Gold feat. Kemo

4:49:28 Capone - Friday

4:50:54 Icicle - Dreadnaught VIP

4:53:00 Q Project - Champion Sound (Bad Company Remix)

Condensed Milk: V/A - Dusty Milk Crates Vol. 3

2013-04-06T16:53:00.001-07:00

Condensed Milk

Amin Payne

Dusty Milk Crates Vol.3 by Condensed Milk

Evil Needle - Mood

2013-04-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

A Soulection throwback to take the edge off of that Monday... Evil Needle's Mood, smooth as Si²⁸, you can almost feel the tupelo honey drizzling into your ear canals by the end of this one.

Mood by Evil Needle

Lapalux - Nostalchic

2013-03-27T23:36:00.003-07:00

Vinyl/Digital

Atu - Pictures on Silence

2013-03-23T17:21:00.000-07:00

Artwork by theblackarrw.com

Breathtaking album from Atu, another strong example of the notorious musical environment in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Imagine Cinematic Orchestra with a soulful twist and a strong grasp of the lower hertz range, and if that intrigues you, press play:

Pictures on Silence by Atu

Brought to you by the one and only Soulection. All proceeds go to http://www.everychild.org.uk/malawi

Shlohmo - Laid Out EP

2013-03-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I reminded myself to stay extra open minded when I heard the hype surrounding this one, convincing myself not to go straight into my usual Shlohmo fanfare if the EP wasn't as good as what I expected.

Well, here we are. This one takes me to the same post-apocalyptic romance novel mentality that I haven't really felt since the first free release by The Weeknd.

Featuring lots of noise and a cameo by How To Dress Well. Digital and vinyl available from the Friends of Friends bandcamp landing page.

Laid Out EP by Shlohmo

Dark Sky - "Double U"

2013-03-09T11:18:00.001-08:00

Another absolute shaker from London trio Dark Sky due out on Tectonic in a week and some change.

Thanks and shouts to Oli Murky for the tip on this one.

Ulrich Schnauss - "I Take Comfort in Your Ignorance (Tycho Remix)"

2013-03-08T21:32:00.001-08:00

Tycho going above and beyond his remix duties on the follow up to Ulrich Schnauss' latest EP A Long Way To Fall, out now on Domino.

I'm making my way towards SXSW 2013 shortly after I post this, meaning updates will be slightly more sporadic than usual for the next week or so, but all of the new music I encounter will be broadcast here with enthusiasm, so bear with me.

Dødpop: V/A - Dødpop Vol. 3

2013-03-06T22:57:00.001-08:00

So this one is somewhat abnormal for this page - not because it's skweee, but considering I'll be linking you to an iTunes page that asks you to pay in kroners (clicking to launch the actual iTunes program will do the exchange conversions for you)... but we'll go with it for Norway's own Dødpop.

The surprises continue within the compilation itself, with moments of English grime, Eiffel65 flashbacks, and 80's industrial right alongside the traditional buzz boxes and detuned modular synths, so naturally I had to send it your way.

3LLL - "S E E D 0 0 1"

2013-02-27T20:03:00.000-08:00

Vibes and surprises from the heart of deep dish country.

3LLL

Junkhouse

S E E D 0 0 1 by 3LLL

Danny Scrilla - Fluxus EP

2013-02-25T21:06:00.000-08:00

Yesssssss I've been wanting to share this one for awhile now, but wanted to wait until it was officially released so we could all share in its groove - the kraut with the beard of gold Danny Scrilla and his Fluxus EP, the 12" of which is out now on Civil Music.

Dark dancehall vibes, with Goth Trad and Deft on remix duty. Feast your ears:

Headshotboyz - Bushcrack Hills

2013-02-21T21:18:00.000-08:00

Hungary - where the cities are split by rivers, the DAWs churn out perplexing soundscapes, and the hills are full of... bushcrack? I'm not entirely sure what that may be, but if it transports me into the same realm in which this album was created, I might just be tempted to give it a try. Just a taste.

Bushcrack Hills is the Headshotboyz's latest effort into soupy audio sustenance, out on Fuselab and distributed by Alpha Pup.

Bushcrack Hills by Headshotboyz

Thriftworks - Terry - D

2013-02-16T10:44:00.002-08:00

Like your favorite holiday, but for your ear gaps. Terry - D is the latest full release from east bay producer Thriftworks, preluding his upcoming tour on the other side of the country starting and ending in ATL, from the end of this month til May.

Even though he's now getting the full attention that he deserves, he has stuck with what works - naming your price for any and all of his musical endeavors.

Terry - D by Thriftworks

Daniel Savio - Ill Eagle

2013-02-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

I've waxed poetic about Mr. Savio in the past, so I'll be brief and dredge up the most succinct and erudite summation I can muster: Daniel tickles the gnarliest of synths.

Released via bandcamp by Flogsta Danshall with all purchases going to the man himself, plus you can adorn your chest area with the Savio tag by buying a music + shirt bundle for less than a solo date to the cinema on Valentines Day (in addition to being a lot more likely to end in spontaneous close quarters dance encounters).

ILL EAGLE by Daniel Savio

Bearcatcher - More Than You

2013-02-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

If I had to write the box quote for this album, it would be:

"Dang, I'm not sure if that Bearcatcher fella actually hunts ursine creatures, but he sure does write some catchy songs" -knell [Sub Radar]

and thus, you have witnessed why I blog and don't write for the NYT, the NYer, or any other combination of N, Y, or T.

My creative writing skills aside, you really ought to listen to this Glaswegian man's music. It's name-your-price over on his bandcamp.

More Than You by Bearcatcher

Giraffage - Need

2013-02-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

Giraffage sums up just about everything I'm currently enjoying about the Bay Area music scene - plenty of low end, a dash of R&B flair, and enough character to blend the two seamlessly. To top it off, he manages to twist the emotional barometer along sort of weird line between forlorn and sexual.

...just listen to it, don't read my stupid descriptions. Out now on the one and only Alpha Pup.

Juj - Walnut

2013-02-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

Juj.

I think his music speaks to me quite a bit because you seem to have to have a bit of a messy mind to really dig deep into these kinds of sounds. Conveniently enough, my mind is constant synchronous order and bedlam.

That's why I enjoy it, you may find your own reasons: the layers of reckless intention, the refreshing calamity, the drive into disorderly discordance.

Crack open Walnut courtesy of Huh What & Where.

Walnut by Juj

Compa - "White Label"

2013-02-10T13:38:00.002-08:00

Thunderous sounds from Compa, taken from Joe Nice's show on sub.fm and given the nod from the man himself. Dubplate only for the time being, gets a tad loud when joe comes in at 0:56 (the nature of unreleased music).

Velour - "Dial"

2013-02-08T20:47:00.000-08:00

Checking in before heading out to wish all you fine folks a happy skweeekend, courtesy of Bristolian silky synth astronauts Julio Bashmore and Hyetal, together known as Velour, slamming a juke joint near you with "Dial":

and since you're here anyway, you might as well check out its companion tune "Speedway", for good measure:

More Velour reportedly coming at the beginning of next month, keep your ear out.

Dilla/Nujabes Day

2013-02-07T21:19:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday James Yancey/Jun Seba