XLR8R News and Features

Dread Diaspora: Echos of Jamaican Music

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 9 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Two films take a look at the echoes of Jamaican music worldwide.

Dub Echoes

Dublab Launches "Hands On" Proton Drive

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 8 May 2008 11:16:20 -0700

Los Angeles-based web radio collective-turned non-profit organization dublab launched its "Hands On" Proton Drive this week, and until May 21, the infamous Labrats (frosty, Jimmy Tamborello, Nobody, Daedelus, The Gaslamp Killer, Carlos Nino, and a ton of other artists) will be broadcasting live, working hard to collect some extra funds.

Top Bands Again Flow Into Helsinki

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 8 May 2008 10:27:30 -0700

The Roots, Múm, Caspa & Rusko, Robert Hood, and Senor Coconut are just a few of the artists confirmed for the diverse Flow Festival, set to take place August 15-17 in Helsinki, Finland's Suvilahti. Now in its fifth year, the event is organized by the Nuspirit Helsinki collective, who have expanded the show to an area three times larger as the previous year and added a fourth stage.

Bitter Bastard's Book of XLR8R Firsts

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 8 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

BJ “Bitter” Bastard’s not one for navel-gazing. And he certainly didn’t care to trawl through the annals of this rag’s history to find for you our finest moments of the past 15 years. But we made him do it anyway. One might think that he’d come away with a veritable history of electronic music culture from ’93 ’til the present. He did, but he also surfaced with tired drug references, sore eyes (from staring at the worst fractal graphics ever), and God knows how many disses on Moby and prog house. Here he lays bare 10 monumental firsts in XLR8R’s early years.

Top 10: Atmosphere, Atlas Sound, Presets

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 7 May 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Atmosphere
When Life Hands You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
Rhymesayers
Release Date: Out Now

Richie Hawtin Takes Magic Cube on Tour

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 7 May 2008 11:34:19 -0700

Richie Hawtin must have recently watched The Matrix, because he and his Minus crew have broken their self-imposed 10 weeks of silence by unveiling The Cube.

Hiero Imperium Announces Tour

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 7 May 2008 10:27:20 -0700

They've pushed releases from indie hip-hop artists for the last decade, created what Rolling Stone deemed "the number three most recognizable band logo in history," and started a streetwear line. Now, the Hiero Imperium crew is set to embark its Freshly Dipped Tour, a lengthy slew of North American dates celebrating 10 years of business for the label.

Don't Stop the Rock: Part 1

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 7 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Now that the wall between rock purism and the digital dancefloor has been reduced to mere rubble, a suite of newer, harder, brighter, faster bands are getting down to the business at hand: having a good time. This week, Melbourne's dance-pop mood masters Cut Copy go from bright neon love to hazy ghost colors.

Pon Di Wire: UB40 Row, Booyaka Exhibit, The Mighty Bop in JA

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 7 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The UB40 singer drama continues. After announcing recently that U.K. singer Maxi Priest would assume lead singer duties after the departure of former lead Ali Campbell, now comes word that Ali’s brother Duncan will share the role. Duncan sings seven songs on a new UB40 album, which also features Ali’s final performances with the band.

Reason Conference Reveals Software’s Secrets

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 6 May 2008 09:56:57 -0700

Can you arrange an entire song from a single Roland TR 606 drum kick? Producer James Bernard proved such a thing is possible using Reason Version 4. Is Reason’s new Thor semi-modular synth (pictured above) as “patchable” as its analog cousins?

Portishead: Do Not Disturb

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 6 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

It felt absolutely, resolutely endless. Gothic grey streaks and storm clouds splayed for miles across the Bristol, U.K. skyline, comprising the daily view from Portishead’s perch at the top of band member Adrian Utley’s stately, two century-old Georgian house. Camped out in the top two floors of studio space, the band was entrenched in an interminable stretch of music-making, broken occasionally by talking, fiddling with vintage instruments, and drinking tea.

Loading... Tecmo Bowl Returns, Bourne Conspiracy on Xbox

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 5 May 2008 13:49:03 -0700

Tecmo Bowl Returns!
Any way you slice it, Tecmo Bowl, released for the NES in 1989, was and still is one of the best football games ever to grace a home console. And this week, old-school digital gridiron heads were rewarded for 19 years of patience, as Tecmo announced that Tecmo Bowl will be returning this fall to the Nintendo DS in the form of Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff.

Chromeo Readies North American Tour

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 5 May 2008 10:59:00 -0700

After tearing up the stage at Coachella and collaborating with SoCal art collective Three Legged Legs for a short film, P-Thugg and Dave 1 will hit the road this summer for a round of tour dates that will include several summer festivals and probably a lot of mayhem. The shows begin a fews days before Chromeo's Fancy Footwork: Deluxe Edition hits the stores, so the duo should be in especially high spirits for the performances below.

ESCO: Balancing Multiple Missions

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 5 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to a new dancehall generation. A tidal wave of young Jamaican talent has risen up in the past three years, including vocalists Mavado, Demarco, and Munga Honourable, and producers Stephen McGregor, Daseca, and King Jammy’s sons Jam2 and Baby G. They’re charting dancehall music’s next phase but not limiting their sound, according to fellow new-gen artist, 27-year-old Matthew J.S. Thompson, better known as Esco.

Booka Shade Add Tour Dates

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 2 May 2008 13:14:42 -0700

They sold out San Francisco and Denver and revealed an upgraded live show at Coachella that included new visuals, tons more synths, and extra lighting, so all doubts as to whether or not Booka Shade are worth catching should be stamped out by now. Arno Kammermeier and Walter Merzinger will continue slaying audiences in North America with more tour dates this summer. Catch them live at one of the shows below.

Bass Reaction: Surefire Expands, Soundbwoy T-Shirts, Chef Caught on Video

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 2 May 2008 12:59:40 -0700

Book your Virgin Air flight now and get to the big show next week, May 9, at London’s Fabric. The “Cool & Deadly” Room One features a live PA from Magnetic Man (Benga, Skream, and Artwork, authors of the smash “Alright, What’s Happening”), plus Tayo, Freq Nasty, and more. Room two is d&b from Fabio, Friction, High Contrast, Commix, and more. Big night!

Clothes Captioned: In4mation

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 2 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

In4mation creative director Rhandy Tambio counts Johnny Cash, skater Eric Koston, surfer Tom Curren, and Bob Marley among his style icons, an ethos reflected in the Hawaiian brand’s mix of street, surf, and skate with a laidback island flair. In4mation began throwing shakas in 2002, when partners Tambio, Ryan Arakaki, Todd Shimabuku, and Jun Jo started screenprinting tees out of their two Oahu skate shops–one in suburban Miliani, the other in tourist-laden Waikiki Beach.

Adult. Release Horror Film and Soundtrack

XLR8R Magazine — Fri, 2 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Adult., the Detroit-based couple of Nicola K. and Adam L. Miller, has made some of the darkest (and best) electro tunes of the last decade. Not limited to just music, Nicola K.'s calmly violent photography, the source of the band's captivating cover art, has played quite the role in orchestrating their dark aesthetic of high fashion and Midwestern Gothic.

Cryptacize Splits 7" with WHY?, Tours

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 1 May 2008 14:07:50 -0700

The members of Bay Area-based trio Cryptacize have already shared the stage with WHY?, and now they'll split a record with the Oakland-based band when Asthmatic Kitty releases the latest 7" in its Unusual Animal series.

Boris Adds U.S. Tour Dates

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 1 May 2008 12:22:05 -0700

The Japanese behemoth better known as Boris will not be slowing down anytime soon. They’ve released something like three collaborative albums, a live split, and their latest solo record, Smile, in the last year or so. You’d think that after the European tour they’re currently on with New York noise-makers Growing, the band would want to take a break. Maybe hang out in Japan, get a massage and drink some tea or something. But, no, they’re not relaxing anytime soon.

Movement 2008 Lineup Announced

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 1 May 2008 11:16:14 -0700

Though we've seen it bounce between the names DEMF and Movement like a ping-pong ball gone out of control, Detroit's annual electronic music festival has remained consistent in one area–the music.

This year's festival–whose full name is Movement: Detroit's Electronic Music Festival '08–sees another roundup of house, techno, and electronic music artists on the bill, with names as old and familiar as Stacey Pullen and Richie Hawtin and new faces like The Cool Kids (pictured above).

Muhsinah: Defying R&B

XLR8R Magazine — Thu, 1 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

If there’s one thing that Muhsinah Abdul-Karim knows well, it’s the death-defying balancing act of the aspiring musician. “Last year, I was working 12-hour days as an audio engineer at this audio-books studio,” she recalls. “While they’re reading, I’m supposed to be reading along. But I would just press record and doze off! I was the worst employee!” She can afford to laugh about it now, but the 24-year-old singer-songwriter/producer/engineer is no stranger to the task of forcing square pegs into round holes.

Pon Di Wire: Elephant Man In Africa, Bounty Banned, Johnny Osbourne Reissued

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:24:19 -0700

New York Governor David Patterson (whose family background is Jamaican) and Mayor Michael Bloomberg are calling this Sunday, May 4 a “Day of Reggae,” coinciding with the 27th Annual International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA). The event takes place at the Apollo Theater and will feature performances and award presentations from Beenie Man, Ky-Mani Marley, Doug E. Fresh, Tarrus Riley, Freddie McGregor, Etana, Buju Banton, Macka Diamond, Lady G, Tony Rebel, Lady Ann, Dean Fraser, and Junior Reid.

James Pants to Tour with Jamie Lidell

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:51:29 -0700

The musically divergent, Spokane, Washington resident James Pants will leave home next week to play several dates around North America, the majority of which are part of the Jamie Lidell tour soon to be making its way around the country.

Entertain Us: The State of Electronica

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

It’s 2008, and Moby's made up his mind. He's done with touring.

Brazilian Girls, DJ Bitman, and Ticklah Headline LAMC

XLR8R Magazine — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

New York City will host the ninth annual Latin Alternative Music Conference this summer from July 8 - 12. Tying together artists who share the Spanish language and sometimes little else, the conference presents a spread of artists both geographically and stylistically diverse.

Top 10: Flying Lotus, Arc Lab, Free Kitten

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:37:11 -0700

Flying Lotus
Los Angeles
Warp
Release Date: June 10

Elaste 2 Comp Offers Superb Space Disco

XLR8R Magazine — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:04:18 -0700

With electronic music cluttered with myriad hybrids and subgenres, some readers may wonder, is there really room for another disco offshoot? After all, Norway’s Lindstrom and Prins Thomas have popularized their psychedelic cosmic-disco, Germany’s Get Physical and Systematic labels trade in bass-driven electro-disco, and acts like LCD Soundsystem, Headman, and The Rapture brought disco-punk to the masses.

PLURed Vision: 15 Years of XLR8R

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:56:37 -0700

From our early days of printing off of floppy discs at a Seattle Kinko’s to navigating the online-publishing revolution, XLR8R has tried to keep it as real and as DIY as possible. For the occasion of our 15-year anniversary, we editors decided to throw our boss a few questions about how we got here.

Yoni Wolf vs. Bob Mould: Making a Scene

XLR8R Magazine — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Since his days as the lead singer and guitarist in Hüsker Dü, the Minneapolis, MN-based band that was synonymous with U.S. hardcore punk of the early ’80s, Bob Mould has defined what it means to be “indie.” A child of the internet, Yoni Wolf, of hip-hop experimentalists Why?, took a different path to underground success.