XLR8R Audio Podcast

DJ Rashad & DJ Spinn

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Ever since the news broke that venerable UK label Planet Mu had signed young juke experimentalist DJ Nate, a whole new wave of juke- and footwork-related excitement has taken hold in the music world.

Alex B

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0700

LA might get all the shine for the burgeoning beat scene, but a few states over in Colorado, producer Alex B (a.k.a. Alex Botwin) has been quietly setting up an abstract, instrumental fiefdom of his own.

Girl Unit

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0700

It may be a little early to start handing out Label of the Year nominations, but as it stands now, it would be hard to omit London's Night Slugs imprint from serious consideration. Label bosses Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990 may get the lion's share of the attention, but the artist roster they've assembled is just as impressive, perhaps none more so than 24-year-old DJ, producer, and recent Bubblin' subject Girl Unit.

Guido

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Even though he's a member of Bristol's much-discussed "Purple Trinity," it didn't feel like there was a ton of hype surrounding the release of Guido's debut full-length, Anidea, earlier this year.

SWTBRDS

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:00:00 -0700

2010 hasn't exactly been a banner year for hip-hop, but one crew we have been consistently impressed with, SWTBRDS, happens to reside right here in our Bay Area backyard.

Wolf + Lamb

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:00:00 -0700

NYC duo Wolf + Lamb is best known for its long-running series of underground parties, but the pair's label continues to churn out a steady stream of quality music that walks the line between techno, house, and disco, and the boys—born Gadi Mizrahi and Zev Eisenberg—recently unveiled their debut full-length, Love Someone.

Chancha Vía Circuito

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:00:00 -0700

No matter how you feel about cumbia digital, there's no denying that Buenos Aires' ZZK crew knows how to hustle. Constantly touring the globe and birthing new music, the Argentinian posse's latest release is Rio Arriba, the second full-length album from Chancha Vía Circuito (a.k.a. Pedro Canale).

Sinden

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Earlier this year, UK bass icon Sinden launched his own record label, Grizzly. The label’s discography is only a few releases deep—the most recent being WAFA’s “Ewid Disco” 12”—but it’s quickly become clear that Sinden’s A&R acumen is as potent as his talent for crafting high-quality radio broadcasts, not to mention his top-notch DJ and production skills.

Pilooski

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:00:00 -0700

French re-edit master Pilooski is a bit of a man of mystery—he's got a hand in running the Dirty label collective and he continues to drop insanely good re-workings of vintage tunes, yet he remains largely in the shadows.

The Glitch Mob

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Long before the LA beat scene threatened to take over the pages of XLR8R, The Glitch Mob was turning heads with its party-starting and hip-hop-informed take on bass music. Now, on the heels of their debut album, Drink the Sea, Ooah, Boreta, and edIT have moved beyond the confines of their Southern California stomping grounds and taken their low-end rumblings to the masses.

Moby's Old-School Rave Mix

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0700

It's easy to throw around words like 'legend' and 'pioneer' when talking about electronic music, and let's face it, half the time people won't say boo about these labels, most likely because they don't know who they hell you're talking about. But when it comes to true-blue dance music heavy-hitters, the kinds of artists that even your mom has heard of, it's hard to top Moby.

Todd Edwards

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0700

The XLR8R podcast series is full of mixes from artists whose work we appreciate, but it definitely skews toward up-and-comers rather than grizzled veterans. Yet when a certified legend like Todd Edwards offers to put together an exclusive mix for us, we're happy to put the hunt for this week's 'greatest thing ever' on pause and retreat into fanboy mode.

Mosca

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0700

A big part of Night Slugs' appeal is that the London-based crew tosses so many kinds electronic music into a virtual blender, only to produce something new and fresh in the end.

James Holden

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Although it's been quite some time since trance resembled anything even somewhat creatively viable, James Holden has never been the average trance artist. Even when he burst onto to the scene in 1999 at age 19, his music contained a more thoughtful, melodic approach than that of his big-room counterparts.

Pictureplane—Fusion of the Masculine and Feminine Energy Mix

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Pictureplane (a.k.a. Travis Egedy) isn't exactly easy to pin down. The Denver-based artist has been lumped in with the chillwave crowd, even though his ~~debut~~ latest album, Dark Rift, often sounded more like a rough-around-the-edges take on '80s dance pop, early '90s rave, and modern UK bass music.

MJ Cole

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Until recently, the name MJ Cole was more or less synonymous with late-'90s/early-'00s UK garage and 2-step, as the man born Matthew Coleman was one of the scene's progenitors and biggest names. Yet as the bubbling beats and shuffling rhythms fell by the wayside and were eventually swallowed by dubstep's wobbling swagger, it seemed as though MJ Cole might end up simply another footnote in the annals of electronic music history.

Kyle Hall

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0700

When people talk about The New Detroit, it's a safe bet that 18-year-old producer and DJ Kyle Hall is going to be a major part of the conversation. Born into a musical family, Hall grew up in the same Motor City neighborhood as techno legends like Robert Hood, Kelli Hand, and Anthony "Shake" Shakir, was later mentored by guys like Mike Huckaby, and now sits at the forefront of his hometown's next generation.

Matt Shadetek

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0700

XLR8R has an unofficial rule that we never let artists do our podcast twice. The way we see it, there are just too many fine DJs, producers, and artists out there for us to start running repeats.

Teebs

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Young Teebs is more than just another producer in Southern California's über-fertile beat scene. The Chino Hills resident—who swears that he's moving back to LA proper very soon—is not only busy putting the finishing touches on a debut album slated for release on Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder label later this year, he's also an accomplished skater, artist, and painter. Basically, he's one of those dudes who's seemingly good at just about everything he does.

Doc Daneeka

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Okay, we'll admit it. In the past few months, XLR8R has gone mad for Welsh producer Doc Daneeka. He's been profiled in our Bubblin' section, his Deadly Rhythm EP kicked off new Ramp sub-label PTN in style, and his own Ten Thousand Yen imprint is bringing even more high-quality, percussion-heavy funky to the table. Don't believe us? Check out our preview of the label's first release. At this rate, we're going to crown Doc Daneeka the King of Wales by year's end.

FaltyDL

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 18 May 2010 10:00:00 -0700

It seems like only yesterday that FaltyDL (a.k.a. Drew Lustman) was just another mild-mannered NYC beatmaker whose little album on Planet Mu had wormed its way into our hearts. Actually, it was only last summer. Regardless, the last 10 months have been a veritable FaltyDL whirlwind, as Lustman has followed up Love Is a Liability with top-flight releases on Ramp and Rush Hour, not to mention remixes for Mount Kimbie and The xx.

Ben UFO

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 13 May 2010 10:00:00 -0700

The world of electronic music is filled with quirks, but one of the most confusing is the fact that so many DJs only get attention if they also produce tracks. If someone has banged out a quality tune or two—and in some cases, the "quality" requirement is optional—they can quickly find themselves DJing around the globe, regardless of whether or not they are actually any good behind the decks. On the flip side, there are amazing DJs whose talents go unnoticed simply because they've never slapped their name on a song or remix.

Ikonika

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 11 May 2010 10:00:00 -0700

As the sounds emanating from London continue to morph faster than people like us can slap a proper genre name on them, and the number of producers and DJs involved in this funky/garage/bass music movement continues to grow, it seems like there are very few constants in the UK's electronic music scene. As a result, a label like Hyperdub—which has only been around for a shade over five years—serves as a pillar of stability, even as its roster and sonic output exist in a state of semi-permanent flux. So when Ikonika (a.k.a. Sara Abdel-Hamid) dropped Contact, Love, Want, Have, her debut album and one of only a handful of full-length efforts on Hyperdub (the others belonging to Burial and label head Kode9), it qualified as a genuine big deal.

Trentemøller

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 06 May 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Denmark's Trentemøller initially made a name for himself by skating the line between minimal techno and and electro-tinged house, often crafting epic songs that catered to both the mind and the body. In 2010, however, Trentemøller is garnering attention for the severe left turn taken on his second album, Into the Great Wide Yonder.

Deadboy

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Although he only has two singles to his name, in the swiftly moving world of UK bass music, Southeast London DJ/producer Deadboy is practically a veteran. After the appearance of his sublime U Cheated EP, the Numbers squad snatched him up and released the even bigger "If U Want Me," which solidified his penchant for swinging garage beats and pitch-shifted vocal snippets.

Egyptrixx

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Any XLR8R reader with a pulse has probably noticed our unabashed affinity for the Night Slugs camp and all it has done to energize London dance music. In recent months, its reach has extended well beyond the English capital, even into the snowy wilds of Canada, as Toronto-based producer Egyptrixx was tapped for the second Night Slugs release.

My Cousin Roy

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:00:00 -0700

New York's reignited love affair with disco has been going strong for more than a decade now, and My Cousin Roy has been right in the thick of it. As head of the Wurst label, Roy has played a key role in the scene's thriving re-edit culture while also overseeing some of NY's most legendary parties. This past winter he was holed up in the studio, often with fellow NYC DJ/producer Nick Chacona, with whom he operates under the name Beg to Differ.

Schlachthofbronx

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 10:00:00 -0700

Anyone who follows the XLR8R website knows that we've been digging the sounds of Schlachthofbronx for awhile now, but after hearing our editor Ken Taylor blast their 13-minute Belly Full of Pills mix approximately 400 times in our office, commissioning another mix from the bass-loving Bavarian outfit was a real no-brainer.

Floating Points—My Plastic People

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:00:00 -0700

London's Floating Points is often lumped in with the rest of the city's burgeoning post-dubstep (or whatever it's being called this week) scene, but it's not unfair to say that 23-year-old Sam Shepherd is operating in his own sphere.

Strategy—A Rainy Night in Portland: A Selection of Past and Present Portland Music

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 10:00:00 -0700

All month long, our City Guide podcast series has been crisscrossing the US and highlighting the sounds of some of our favorite cities. This week, we check in with the eclectic sounds of Portland, courtesy of Strategy, who we convinced to take a break from finishing up his forthcoming album on kranky to represent for the City of Roses.