While I've never been a huge fan of RL Grime, this new co-produced track he's released with Baauer is an outright banger extraordinaire. The reverbed, popping percussion matched with the massive hits of bass throughout this thing are a nice mix, and the groove is absolutely killer. Enjoy!!!
Also, here's a bit of a tour diary that's been released on the string of shows these two did recently with Ryan Hemsworth and Jim-E Stack:
Throughout an excellent debut LP and a handful of stellar EPs, Nicolas Jaar has proven himself worthy in a number of roles throughout the past few years: a producer with fine attention to detail, a justifiably patient songwriter, and a seductive singer. His skills extend to a live context as well, revealing him to be a coherent and focused DJ. This particular talent manifests itself in this set Jaar recently performed in NYC for Boiler Room, which marks the first time he has contributed to the established underground music show.
Over the course of the set's 45 minutes, Jaar pulls together a series of minimal yet hypnotic microhouse grooves which are peppered with interjections from static-infused radio samples. Especially admirable is the way he never loses sight of his aesthetic, maintaining the smooth and seductive vibe which defines his studio material. A subtle approach to the tension-and-release technique also proves rewarding, with Jaar refusing to allow the bass to remain prominent for extended stretches of time, which allows for a stimulating sense of dynamic. The set is consistently understated, but also passionate and vitalizing, hopping from idea to idea with enlivening finesse.
Check a review of Jaar's Space Is Only Noise below:
Death Grips' full set at the 1100 Warehouse a few weeks ago during the SXSW festivities. As you may already know, I was down in front for this, and it was intense as hell.
Check a review of Death Grips' latest album here:
Download: The Avalanches - "Big Tent Set 2006" Enigmatic plunderphonics crew The Avalanches only has one official album under its belt, but it's a doozy: 2000's Since I Left You, which many people consider to be a classic in not only the fields of sample-based and dance-oriented music, but independent music in general. Unfortunately for eager fans, the much anticipated followup to the album has yet to come, though the band has sparingly let out numerous hints about its supposedly eventual release. The silver lining is that The Avalanches have not been completely absent in terms of releasing material. Most recently, the group took to their Facebook to post a link to a new mix, which you can download for free by registering on their website.
The title "Big Tent Set 2006" is self-explanatory, for the mix is a live set the band performed at a festival in 2006. According to their Facebook post, the set was "80's influenced," and it certainly shows, with song choices spanning from 80's pop staples like Salt 'n' Pepa's "Push It" to the oddly effective "Livin' on a Prayer" from Bon Jovi. The eclectic range doesn't stop there, however, with an abundance of house music, including Mylo and multiple instances of Daft Punk, sharing the spotlight with Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and My Bloody Valentine's "Sometimes." It isn't quite a new album, but this mix nevertheless shows The Avalanches' remarkable ability to assemble highly creative, emotionally sound, and often simply fun sample-based music.
On record, Nicolas Jaar, to put it frankly, strikes me as one of the most interesting figures in electronic music to emerge throughout the past few years. His blend of elements of spacious house music, vivid sample collages, and sultry atmosphere, topped off with his own baritone vocals, hit home with both the Space is Only Noise LP and the Don't Break My Love EP in 2011, and despite being relatively quiet throughout this year, he has continued his winning streak with the excellent "With Just One Glance" single that featured Bruce Willis & Demi Moore's offspring Scout Larue.
In a live setting, however, Jaar takes his music to new levels, exploring the potential of his studio recordings to create an experience that feels largely singular. It's an experience I have yet to witness, but thankfully, Jaar stopped by Sonar Lab at Barcelona recently to play a live set, and it is available to stream via the SoundCloud widget above. Nearing one hour in length, the set showcases Jaar seamlessly mixing and remixing material into a cohesive journey, all without a single pause to puncture its continuously flowing nature. Jaar's studio work is already brimming with ideas, but his live performance shows just how expansive his creativity is, and it's a testament to what will hopefully be a bright future for the young producer.
It's straight, bass-blowing fire on this 45-minute Boiler Room performance brought by one half of TNGHT, Lunice. Loving the beats he's pulling together here, and it's stellar to see he physically gives off the kind of energy his music showcases.