I've been meaning to post this for ages; some 1980 style Japanese Jazz-Fusion from Casiopea that I picked up in San Francisco last summer. First sample track is the straight-up groover, second one has more of a 'shuffle' vibe to it. Nice synths and a healthy portion of noodles throughout the album.
Casiopea - Eyes of Mind.mp3
Casiopea - Make Up City.mp3
Casiopea - Make Up City LP
Willy Baxter first caught my attention back in 2006 when I stumbled across him via Kelley Polar's myspace page. I really liked his music and I blogged a couple of his tracks over on 24:Hours, which lead to the Irish label seedyBurnR putting out his debut release, the excellent Aiming High back in 2007. He finally has another release out, the Proof EP under the alias "Baxter" on OMG! Records. It features 3 quality vocal tracks in a synth-pop/nu-disco style and a dreamy downtempo bonus. There is also a remix EP featuring alternate versions from Lifelike, Spirit Catcher and Idiotproof. Both releases are currently Beatport exclusives but they will be available at other net stores soon. Keep an eye out for his full album and a remix for the brilliant Tesla Boy, both coming soon on Mullet Records.
Baxter - Proof EP (OMG! Records)
Buy it at Beatport
Stream it on Myspace
Sally Shapiro producer Johan has put together one of the best mixes I've heard for a long time for FACT Magazine. It's an excellent example of the quality and variety of tunes from the 'nu-disco' genre. Mid-tempo pacing, plenty of lovely melodies, an appreciation of song based structure and smooth, no frills mixing.
Tracklisting:
Friday Bridge: This Case Is Closed (Johan Agebjörn Remix)
40 Thieves feat Qzen: Don't Turn It Off (Brennan Green Remix)
Sally Shapiro: Miracle (Bogdan Irkük Remix)
Friendly Fires feat. Au Revoir Simone: Paris (Aeroplane Remix)
Dølle Jølle: Balearic Incarnation (Todd Terje Remix)
Bogdan Irkük: When I Dream Of New York
Fox the Fox: Precious Little Diamond (12" Version)
Glass Candy: I Always Say Yes (12" Main)
Datassette: Weather Conditions
DOWNLOAD
Grab it while you can, the link expires in three weeks.
I suppose I should draw your attention to this new mini blog I have set up. There is a permanent link at the top of the sidebar on the left. I don't always find the time to write full posts/reviews here so the new blog is something I hope to update more regularly, albeit with less information. So if I hear a random good track somewhere I'll be posting a link to it there. I'll still be writing more in depth posts here too. You can follow the Groovin' You Too blog if you're a Tumblr member or you can add the URL to your RSS feed. You can also follow me on Twitter for updates and other music related talk. The all important links are below:
Groovin' You Too
Twitter Profile
I dabble in Dubstep now and then, and there are some really fresh sounds out there if you look beyond the raft of ear bleeding basslines and synths out there. Silkie can certainly be placed in the 'artistic' group of steppers on the strength of his new LP "City Limits Vol.1" recently released on Deep Medi Musik. My only complaint is that it's a little long at 13 tracks and 75 minutes but it does contain a wide variety of sounds, styles and influences over the heavy basslines. These four tracks perfectly highlight the albums quality and variety (though of course, youtube never does Dubstep any favours).
This new release from Brooklyn-based producer/multi-instrumentalist Alan Wilkis was one of the last promos I downloaded before being cut off from the world internet for a month after a recent house move. A crazy mixture of styles and genres (check out his influences at Owl & Bear) that somehow manage to come together to form a cohesive whole.
Starting out with the disco funk of Snuggle Up To Nail Down which is packed with catchy and infectious vocodered vocals and synth melodies layered over a bubbling bassline, lo-fi shuffling drum machines and more meaty percussion. There's even a top notch guitar solo in there; consider my interest piqued. The funk continues on N.I.C.E., this time leaning more towards the P-Funk era. The beat is thick and the bassline thicker, complimented with tight guitar licks, synth hooks and horn stabs.
Alan Wilkis - N.I.C.E.
Gotta Get You Back retains the heavy beat and bass combo but moves in a poppier direction. It reminds me of Jordan Knight's Give It To You (this is a good thing) both tracks using similar staccato rhythm patterns. Title track Pink and Purple is another catchy little pop number until 2m30s in, when we're treated to a small breakdown followed by a grin inducing synth and guitar solo climax. Dance With You manages to squeeze Gameboy sounding blips, synth-pop influences, driving rock and roll drums and guitars, a brief smattering of techno beats and the usual array of vocal and melodic hooks all into a jolly little 3 minute pop song.
Alan Wilkis - Dance With You
Closing track Time Machine is the epic 'serious' contribution to the EP. It hasn't clicked with me like the upbeat stuff but I do like the synths and I'm a sucker for those cheap sounding bossa-nova beatbox rhythms. Overall then, an impressive and varied release, so much so that it was tough to decide which tracks to post. Listen to the whole release on his Myspace page and buy the EP either direct from the artist or from itunes using the links below.
Alan Wilkis myspace
Alan Wilkis store
Alan Wilkis on itunes
Desire is the new project from Johnny Jewel of Glass Candy and Chromatics fame. They opened the show for Glass Candy and Lindstrom at the Italians Do It Better party at London's KOKO last Thursday and turned out to be the highlight of the show for me. Singer Megan Louise has a great voice, slightly reminiscent of Billie Ray Martin - she also played a bit of synth. Johnny Jewel was hunched over an array of electronic noise boxes and there was a live drummer. The backing track (and demo cd) contained more live instrumentation such as piano, saxophone and strings. The style is more melodic than Glass Candy and with an emphasis on 'song' as opposed to 'bass', although there are still a couple of nice upbeat numbers for the dancefloor, especially during the live show.
Some news from Mike Simonetti's blog: "the desire lp is done being mastered, and on it's way to the pressing plant. we should have these in the store in a little over a month." That was already 2 weeks ago so I'm not sure if the cd I bought at the show is the full album or another demo. What I do know is that it's great - I've listened to it at least once a day since the gig. For now though, show them some love at a live show or on myspace and enjoy this track from the cd.
Desire - Don't Call.mp3
Desire on Myspace
I can't stop listening to this song. And when I'm not listening to it, I'm singing it in my head. A beautiful, amazing record. I found it on the new Milky Disco 2 compilation from Lo Records (not as good as the original or the digital only Milky Disco 1.5). It also came out as a 12" on Italians Do It Better. Taken from the Good Evening LP, which is just as great from start to finish. Buy it direct from the artist for maximum satisfaction.
Nite Jewel Myspace | Nite Jewel Website
A lost gem from my vinyl collection, the b-side to the Monsters of the Deep 12" on Ritual Recordings. A lot of Techno/Tech-House from this period (2001) hasn't aged well but I think this still has some interesting sounds, a healthy amount of funk and a slightly Detroit influenced groove to it. Can't tell you much about Colin McNeil I'm afraid, though all of the releases on Ritual Recordings were from him. So just sit back and enjoy the music with this one, pitched down slightly for your listening pleasure!
Colin McNeil - Cantina.mp3
Love the SNES sounding synth hook and the guitar solo in the third minute of Karin Klark's "In The Night". Sourced from the new Flemming Dalum mix entitled "Italo Magic". It's full of obscure tracks and as ever, it's mixed and sequenced flawlessly. Get the mix, full tracklist and some cool cover scans from a selection of the records he used over at the Robots for Robots forums here.
