subbin'

First of all, I'm now writing for XLR8R, so you can check me out over on their site-- my first reviews are for the Silk Flowers' self-titled first album and Chris Tietjen's Vier mix CD on Cocoon. Check them out!

Also, I've abandoned today's original post idea to present a track that I totally slept on last year which Tietjen's mix introduced to me: Timo Maas' 2008 big-room banger, "Subtellite." Jesus, this track is fucking insane: deep kicks, secondary tribal percussion with plenty of flourishes, gorgeously-syncopated stuttering Spanish-guitar bits, and a bass-line that propels the listener into the outer hemisphere, with the builds to make it even more evident. Images of people losing their shit to this dance on the eyelids. Most definitely one of the best tracks of 2008, in retrospect, and I cannot get enough of it. Something that you should hear, for real! On Cocoon Recordings.

Timo Maas- Subtellite

Tomorrow, mayhaps something jazzy.

sweeping

Usually, I'm not too pleased when I read the Top 50 Charted Monthly Tracks over at Resident Advisor- usually, the best stuff is in the middle, or at the bottom, but occasionally, a fantastic track ends up somewhere in the top 5. In June, the number one charted track was Joris Voorn's "Sweep the Floor," a genuinely sick and slick piece of tech-house. Slowly emerging synth stabs, a bouncy bass-line, crisply syncopated percussive elements- the track has everything to make a dance floor explode and then some, what with the female vocal clips, a very MJ-esque 'woo' and apex-delivering male vocal samples. Voorn's work has been coming up a lot more recently in terms of my rated European tracks, and listening to "Sweep the Floor," it is pretty easy to see why. On Voorn's own label, Rejected.

Joris Voorn- Sweep the Floor

Tomorrow, thinking something a bit left-field...

myspazz

I think it had been nearly six months since I'd last cleaned the dust off of deep movements' myspace page, but alas, I have given in to the power of the site and updated it with a self-promise to keep updating from now on. Two tracks for your listening pleasure and more stuff coming soon! Add me- I like new friends.

Late today, as promised, a slick piece of techno that's been getting blasted from all over recently.

rising

Much of the old-school stuff I've been digging lately has been coming from one of house music's most mysterious and tragic figures: Spencer Kincy, also known as Gemini. (A fascinating and sad story about him is up at 5 Magazine). The breadth of his discography ranges from techno bangers to funky deep house grooves to Larry Heard-like acid rushes, and his skills on the decks were legendary throughout the nineties. Below is a zipped, four-part mix of Kincy's recorded in Dallas in 1996.

And like the author of the 5 Magazine article above, I am dedicated to searching Kincy out- his talent is too great for him to slip through the cracks of homelessness and mental illness.

Spencer Kincy aka Gemini- Live @ Deep in the Flowers

Tomorrow, some new techno greatness.

worming

After a long weekend of music and merriment of all sorts, back to blogging.

Tonight in San Francisco, good friends Teengirl Fantasy are playing at the LiPo Lounge with two City-based groups: Partyeffects.biz and Bookworms. I've fallen in love with Bookworms' work- its samples, its rhythms, its synth burblings, its non-techno techno aesthetic. Definitely worth checking out the music on the myspace, and downloading the mellow piece featured below. And come out tonight! Should be an excellent party at an excellent location.

Bookworms- The Family Arsenel

hey ladies

Though she is most known for jokes about making tea for Monsieur Ricardo, Magda is one of techno's premier female DJs, and a great producer to boot. (I can personally attest to her skills on the decks- I saw her spin in '06 at APT in New York, and it was a slamming night). "Whatever It Snakes" is a track that is best played incredibly loud, as the bass-line(s) form its sturdy backbone. With squelches and wormings in the hi frequencies and some excellent pads, it is incredibly versatile, usable in all sorts of sets.

Magda- Whatever It Snakes (Derek Unreleased Edit)



Next up is one of the women that has seemingly slipped out of the techno consciousness in the US, at least for the past little bit- Cassy. The Panoramabar resident has a knack for creating sexy, sultry tracks with an unrivaled elegance and aplomb, and "Somelightuntothenight" is no exception. With her alto intoning, shimmering pianos and crisp rhythm segments, the deep piece is exemplary of how good, subtle techno is done. Though I've missed her sets a few times, her skills as a DJ are legendary, and I urge you to check her out!

Cassy- Somelightuntothenight



Finally, we come to one of my favorite minimal producers, Monika Kruse. The Terminal M frontwoman and perennial favorite in Germany and Ibiza is, unfortunately, not well-known in the US for reasons beyond my comprehension, as her productions are always slammingly minimal and quite melodic much of the time. Mark Broom's remix of "Don't Come Close" is a serious banger, with Kruse's reverbed vocals intoning over a booming kick, a writhing and clever beat-marker, and the ace in the pack- some intensely delayed and gated guitar synth bits that create a whooshing headspace in a track that, upon first listen, might seem claustrophobic. A real gem, I'm sure this one is getting lots of play in the Balearic isles this summer.

Monika Kruse- Don't Come Close (Mark Broom Remix)

Tomorrow, some fun stuff coinciding with this weekend's events.

coming soon....

Tomorrow, a feature on women in house and techno, spurred on by this ILM thread, among other things. Get ready for some classy (and Cassy) shit!