Downbeatscape

The New Laws latest journey - "The Fifty Year Storm"

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:12:00 +0000

The New Law released "High Noon" in 2009, after their first album in 2006, and now follow-up with the final piece of their trip-hop journey - "The Fifty Year Storm." Each album builds on the last as the Seattle-based producers grow as artists, and as the subject of their albums ventures along his journey.

"High Noon" was a beautiful and dark trip-hop experience, creating an atmosphere where you never knew what stood around each corner, but you were excited for what happened next. "The Fifty Year Storm" continues this narrative. The album feels is slightly more textured and complex and represents the unknown hero's reflection on his past and the dual calmness and intense storm he experiences on the open water, punctuated by furious bouts of trip-hop breaks and synthesizers that overwhelm and threaten to capsize his vessel. It's a great finale to the unknown hero's trilogy of albums. I highly recommend it for any downtempo or trip-hop listener. It sucks you in, and if you take a moment to understand the narrative of the unknown hero, you can feel yourself along the journey with him.

As Adam Straney and Justin Neff, the producers behind New Law, explain: This is the third chapter of the unknown hero, THE NEW LAW, who is leaving the barren waste after the battle at "High Noon". He joins some fellow fighters who venture out to sea, to escape certain death of the old land, and they sail forth to explore new worlds. He gradually learns the way of the sea through the rolling waves of the journey, but on the red horizon ahead, there's something brewing: something dark and sinister... and he's unwillingly heading straight into the storm of it.

You can download the album on The New Law's bandcamp page, and you can get their previous two albums for free. Check it out:

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://thenewlaw.bandcamp.com/album/the-fifty-year-storm-2"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;The Fifty Year Storm by THE NEW LAW&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Spectrum Mix - from DJ Upside aka DJ Erok

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:04:00 +0000

I've been listening to a lot of different stuff these days and this weekend I whipped up a mix that includes sounds ranging from downtempo, reggae, dubstep, progressive house and funk. I always like to mash up genres - sometimes it works and sometimes it's a bit forced, but that's how I challenge myself and grow as a DJ and music listener.

Check out my mix "Spectrum" here - you can Download it for free, and the playlist is below:

Track Listing:
So Much for Love - Gramatik
Time Has Written - Supervision
Deep In The Cut - J Boogie
Mr Universe - Mos Def (Max Tanonne Mos Dub Edit)
State of the Union (Rewound) - Thievery Corporation
Pearl - The Deadbeats
More Important Than Michael Jordan - Pretty Lights
8000 (Diplo Remix) - Proxy
Moan (Remix) - Trentemoller
Aspic - Simian Mobile Disco
Breakin' a Sweat - Skrillex
Step Aside - Silkie
First Flight - The Others
Starry Eyed (Jakwob Remix) - Ellie Goulding

Shigeto brings "Lineage' to life

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:20:00 +0000

You know how you hear a song and think it's nice, but then you see it performed live and then it means so much more? That happened to me when I was checking out Shigeto's new track "Lineage" - off his new EP of the same name (just released Jan 31, buy it here!)

I follow anything Ghostly puts out - it's all solid. Shigeto is no exception. His fine downtempo is a mix of jazz and ethereal sounds, with some breaks sprinkled through some of his songs. His new track "Lineage" is a fantastic atmospheric track. When I first listened to it I loved the ambient textures over a foundation of rolling drums, but then I saw a video of him performing it live and it really did, well, bring it to life. Seeing how he builds the track through his drum kit and uses midi controls for the other sounds was cool, seeing the movement of him playing really complements how the drums reverberate in your head and through your body. Check it out, and DL for free via Soundcloud:
Shigeto - Lineage Teaser from Ghostly International on Vimeo.

More about Shigeto, from Ghostly International:

Zach Saginaw consistently grounds his music in a deeply personal, familial context; his grandmother inspired two releases, his producer aliases, Shigeto and Frank Omura, both reference family names and it's not for nothing that his latest release as Shigeto is titled Lineage. Lineage combines Shigeto's jazz, hip-hop, funk and folk influences. These elements aren't new to Saginaw's work, but never has he demonstrated such complete command of his material.

New Pretty Lights Single & Video: We Must Go On

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:10:00 +0000

Pretty Lights has morphed and shifted his sound in the last year and a half, but has always remained true to his hip hop foundation and mashup of electronic sounds, hip hop beats and classic riffs and samples from jazz, rock, blues and more. This new single of his - "We Must Go On" - is very reminiscent of his early style, which was more hip hop and downtempo than some of his newer electro and dubstep infused tracks. I love these types of tracks, and it's this style that first attracted me to Pretty Lights in the first place. Click to download the new track for free. Accompanying this new track is a new video - which he and his girlfriend filmed and produced. If you've seen a Pretty Lights show before last summer then you've seen this style in his old live show set-up. It's a lot of beautiful images interspersed with daily life, encouraging people to see the "pretty lights" all around us:

Nacional Records FREE 24 Song Music Sampler - Several Styles of Latin Flavor, fit for the Downtempo & Eclectic Listener

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:17:00 +0000

I like to listen to international music and keep influences wide ranging, so I jumped at downloading this 24 song music sampler that Nacional Records (a popular latin music label) sent me - I gotta say I really enjoy most of the songs here. They range from latin DJ breaks, funk, folk, hip hop, dance and bossa nova inspired tracks. This sampler is only available for free until JANUARY 31 so jump on it now. All you have to do is copy the DL redemption code and paste it into iTunes - works like a charm:

New tracks, videos from K'naan - Nothing to Lose & Santigold - Big Mouth

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:16:00 +0000

K'naan and Santigold always have a solid flow and their own unique style. They each have come out with new tracks in the last week that I'm really enjoying. Check out their videos below, and you can DL Santigold's new track on her website. K'naan's new EP "More Beautiful Than Silence" is out digitally now - a great EP followup to his Troubadour success. I love each of their vibes in general, usually wavering between positive and upbeat with a slightly aggressive, take-no-prisoners flavor. They relax but amp me up - which is always a theme of this blog. It's this balance that they achieve that keeps me coming back to their tracks.

Future of TRAKTOR

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:46:00 +0000

Traktor has released a sneak peak at new technology that combines the best of DJ tech with real-time production technology and workflow. I'm really excited for this 1) because it will enable a whole host of plug and play and all-in-one opportunities for real time mixing and production - there is a ton of creative room and potential here, especially for experienced producers who want to DJ, or experienced DJs who want to produce; and 2) because I think this will also make producing more accessible for DJs who aspire to produce more. Some may say that sux - why would we want to get newbies into producing the same way digital DJing has enabled scores of amateur DJs to dilute the pool of talent. But I'm a firm believer that the more opportunity and capability people have to be creative just inspires everyone and puts more ideas out there for people to build on. So bring it Traktor - keep innovating with the technology - I can't wait to see this hybrid tech when it comes out.

Excellent video: C2C - F.U.Y.A.

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:57:00 +0000

C2C - F·U·Y·A from On and On on Vimeo.

Happy New Years! A new chill mix from J Boogie Dubtronic to enter the new year w/ a positive vibe

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:24:00 +0000

J Boogie KCRW mix by jboogie dubtronic

Happy Holidays! I couldn't resist..the Carlton song + dance

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:46:00 +0000

Holiday Party - Pretty Lights, Gramatik, SuperVision, Mos Dub, Mr Scruff

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:22:00 +0000

I recently DJ'd my MBA program's "Ugly Sweater" holiday party and was really excited to introduce my friends to my DJ and music style. Here's a small but representative selection of tracks I included in my set. Enjoy! Gramatik - Beatz&Pieces Vol. 1 by Gramatik Mr Scruff "Music Takes Me Up" (feat. Alice Russell) by Mr Scruff Time Has Written by ThatSuperVision Pretty Lights - Fill Your Eyes by prettylights Mos Dub by Max Tannone

The Two.Fifteens - Wavy Life

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 02:35:00 +0000

Sword Inspired: Kaleidoscope Jukebox + 3rd Eye Visionaries - Double-Edged Sword ; and Marcel - Sword Progression

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:44:00 +0000

Love this track by Kaleidoscope Jukebox and 3rd Eye Visionaries - a few artists i've been introduced to via Soundcloud. Enjoy the downbeat hip hop...and follow them on Soundcloud! Double-Edged Sword with 3rd Eye Visionaries by Kaleidoscope Jukebox And Marcel's "Sword Progression" is a lovely downtempo hip hop swinger that I've been listening to several years - i layer it into my mixes all the time. This came to me through Wax On Records - the label started by downtempo legend Nightmares on Wax. Sword Progression

New Pretty Lights Electro Downtempo Remix of Run DMC's "It's Tricky"

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 22:42:00 +0000

I've been a bit in love w/ everything Pretty Lights has been doing these days - and I'm not apologizing for it. His sound is representative of the downtempo electro fusions that inspired this blog several years ago and represent what I love about the future-sounds of music. Check out Pretty Lights' new remix of Run DMC's classic "It's Tricky" - some fine listening.

DJ Unkut on Traktor Scratch - i can only dream...

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:10:00 +0000

NINJA TUNE SOLID STEEL PROGRESSIVE MIX

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:04:00 +0000

Solid Steel Radio Show 11/11/2011 Part 3 + 4 - A Guy Called Gerald by Ninja Tune Solid Steel Radio Show 11/11/2011 Part 1 + 2 - DJ Cheeba by Ninja Tune

New Pretty Lights Single - "I Know the Truth"

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:47:00 +0000

Pretty Lights has been dropping his new single "I Know the Truth" at live shows for the last few months, and finally FINALLY he's published it on Soundcloud, with a downloadable version available for free on his web site here: http://www.prettylightsmusic.com/#/downloads. Pretty Lights - I Know The Truth by prettylights

New J Boogie Dubtronic Science Album - Undercover

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:18:00 +0000

J Boogie released his new album last month and it's true to form - an excellent collection of internationally influenced dub, funk and soul that chills you out and makes you move at the same time (a major theme of this blog overall!) Definitely check this out - you'll hear all sorts of instruments ranging from horns to drums, synths to deep bass - all very well balanced and mastered perfectly. There's a ton of collaborators that get me excited as well, including MC Zulu, Afrolicious, and The Pimps of Joytime. Stream a selection of tracks via J Boogie's Soundcloud page: "Best of" Album Cuts

Mikey Dubs Summerhouse Mix - Free Download

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 01:03:00 +0000

Mikey Dubs drops some really smooth house and dub beats, making a cool mix that is equal parts energy and chill. He's got a great rep - always delivering great mixes that keep me relaxed, but get me moving at the same time. Mikey's Summerhouse mix 7.2011 by Mikey Dubs

New Fort Knox Five mix - Endless Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:37:00 +0000

Endless Summer Mix by Fort Knox on Mixcloud

Gramatik - Downtempo Hip Hop, Pretty Lights Music Label

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 05:48:00 +0000

Just downloaded Gramatik's new album - Beatz & Pieces Vol. 1 - his first album on Pretty Lights Music record label. His mostly instrumental hip hop beats and breaks are downtempo oriented, very smooth hip hop vibes to accompany a lounge atmosphere or smoke-inspired session. I liken his style to Fat Jon the Ample Soul Physician, but not quite as smooth/sexy flavor - rather distinct vintage funk thrown in throughout a chilled hip hop tracks. He's an East Coast/NYC hip hop producer to follow for years - especially as as he rolls with the Pretty Lights Music label. Check his beats below and download his new album for free (but give him some cash via PayPal here! http://www.prettylightsmusic.com/therecordlabel/

Gramatik - Beatz&Pieces Vol. 1 by Gramatik

Wonka Bass

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 02:50:00 +0000

Fog - Wonka Bass by Fog

DJ "Kramnik 1.0" EP - progressive, engaging, and beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:30:00 +0000

Been listening to Kramnik's latest progressive electro house EP, the "Kramnik 1.0" EP, and its transporting me back to BOOM in Portugal, with 5 tracks of precise, progessive house. I have a sweet spot for minimal and progessive stuff like this, it's trance-like and very warm, and the feeling while listening to this sways into loungy downtempo, especially if you allow this music to hypnotize you. The video for Viclone adds a really fantastic and future aesthetic to help you sink into these tracks even more.

Tracks by Kramnik

MC Xander - Sick of the Lies

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:30:00 +0000

National Geographic Music: Nat Geo Record Label

noreply@blogger.com (Downbeatscape) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 20:11:00 +0000

National Geographic has it's own record label, Nat Geo Records, with bands that you may have heard of, including Bedouin Soundclash, Balkan Beat Box and Grupo Fantasma. The label is a growing collection of great international sounds. I really look forward to following this label and the work of its artists.

Additionally, the National Geographic Music web site has great interviews with artists beyond their label, music videos, playlists and a newsletter. Check out some tracks on their SoundCloud page:

Latest tracks by NatGeo Records