dark acid wash

Today, I give you some brand-new dark techno from the UK's Tim Cook. From his second release on Chris Fortier's Fade imprint, "Perfect World" is 127-bpm slice of noisily masterful drum-programming, hallucinatory vocal samples, and a lo-mid two-stab that totally puts the track into the slamming category. With acidy flourishes here and there and perfect EQs, "Perfect World" might not necessarily put you into sunnytime daydreams, but it will surely make you want to find the nearest warehouse techno party and get down. Cook is a talent to watch out for-- his three releases have been consistently interesting takes on the more rough-sounding, dirty side of techno, and his upcoming Humanize Me EP (from which the track is taken), is quite something. Recommended!

Tim Cook- Perfect World

Tomorrow, something a bit more dreamy.

autumn in the prefectures

I lied yesterday when I promised some new tech-house jams for your ears, mostly because I forgot that B.O.D.Y.H.E.A.T. is co-hosting Daniel Wang tonight at the Elbo Room. As I did when they hosted Model 500, I'm going to give you a Wang track today, from 2007. "Higashiyama No Autumn" is a 101-bpm slow-burning disco track with some heavy bass, an awesome koto hook, and some great harmonies involving the shakuhachi. A nice evocation of fall, and perhaps a presaging of Hercules & Love Affair's re-take on disco, "Higashiyama No Autumn" is a lovely bit of Japanese-inflected dance music. Wang is a true pioneer, and his set tonight is bound to be excellent, so if you're in the Bay Area, come out! I'll be there on crutches, so there's no excuse for you able-bodied partiers.

Daniel Wang- Higashiyama No Autumn

Tomorrow, that new tech-house I promised!

lucky lucky

Today, I told you I'd give you something unexpected, and who of you would have thought that I'd ever post a track by Joni Mitchell? Granted, it was composed by Charles Mingus and comes from Joni's Mingus album, but Joni brings her pipes (when they were still amazing) and some crazy production work to the track-- the Jaco Pastorius horn arrangement is reverbed out of its mind, and there's even some WILD vocal panning towards the end of the track, the likes of which had never been heard in a Joni track at the time. Pastorius' funky-ass bass work on the track is also fantastic. A real jazzy gem, and something completely unlikely! Enjoy.

Joni Mitchell- The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines

Tomorrow, some new tech-house jams for yr ears.

you are

On this most historic of days, I thought I'd give you something with a bit of oration in it. Inspired by our new president and his predecessors? Goddamn right I am.

"You Are..." is the first single from the new Kenny Larkin album on Planet E. Channeling Ernestus and von Oswald in terms of percussive gestures, Larkin utilizes chordal octave changes and EQs to create much of the drama in the track, but it is the vocal bits that really give the track something different-- it is almost as if you are transported to the United Church of Techno whilst listening to this track, and at 134 bpm, it certainly allows plenty room for dancing. Great stuff from one of the best producers working today-- I only wonder why the lovely Larkin (who is quite the eye candy, indeed) never comes up to San Francisco from West Hollywood? Baby, it's a five hour drive and a shorter plane ride! Grace us with your presence!

Kenny Larkin- You Are...

Tomorrow, thinking something that you would never expect....

there is hope

SO VOTE!

Some dub-techno for you. Regular posts begin again on November 5th!

Luke Hess- There is Hope

living

Of our beat-driven tracks today, the first is a downtempo minimal number from Hreno & The Mole. "Living" utilizes deep kicks and obscured secondary percussion much in the Chain Reaction style, and a simple three-chord minor progression drives the 120-bpm track. One-third of the way into the track, a subtle shift occurs as a voice intones 'living' every eight measures: the number of percussive elements is raised, though still obscured by filters and EQ mastery. A very nice track indeed, especially for a wet day in the city.

Hreno & The Mole- Living



Thomas Cox of Infinite State Machine recently did an interview with Rick Wade on Resident Advisor, and it got me thinking about which Wade tracks have always stuck out to me. It came down to tracks from 1999's Deep Threats 12", and in the end, I chose to give you "Still Angry," perhaps one of the more hypnotic deep house tracks of the late 1990s. With crisp hi-hats, deep kicks, a blazing four-note melodic loop, and a bass-line that drops in and out like wild, the 125-bpm track is a real breath of fresh air, especially given how many producers have been aping this style recently to much lesser effect! Highly recommended!

Rick Wade- Still Angry

Tomorrow, thinking something a bit noisy.

a day rain

Should have two fresh tracks up by the end of today, but before that, I wanted to make public my newfound love affair with Stars of the Lid. I can never thank my friend Eric enough for giving me all of this beautiful music, which has been keeping me calm in the mornings and while writing abstract haiku. (Seriously). So bliss out to this, and get ready for some deep house and downtempo later today.

Stars of the Lid- The Daughters of Quiet Minds

Aaaaaahhhh.