THE VEAL PEN

DOWNLOAD: Clash - House Of Black Lanterns

Sat, 11 May 2013 18:45:00 +0100

In order to promote the release of his debut album as House Of Black Lanterns on Houndstooth, Dylan Richards has put together a 31-track mix for Clash. Those who have followed Richards’ career to date, will already know he’s a top bracket DJ, with his mixes as both Zilla and King Cannibal being well worth tracking down.

NB: Read my review of House Of Black Lanterns’ ’Truth & Loss’ EP for Resident Advisor here.

Genre: Dub-techno / Techno / Electronica

Photo of: Dylan Ricards (aka House Of Black Lanterns)

Tracklisting:
1. House of Black Lanterns - Names ft. Leni Ward [Houndstooth]
2. House of Black Lanterns - Beg [Houndstooth]
3. House of Black Lanterns - Truth & Loss [Houndstooth]
4. The Reds – Leed’s House [Intrada Records]
5. Michna - The Tabernacle At Pendrell Vale [Ghostly]
6. Chromatics - Tick of the Clock [Italians Do It Better]
7. Chromatics - The Telephone Call [Italians Do It Better]
8. Desire - If I Can’t Hold You [Italians Do It Better]
9. Chymera - The Chase [Connaisseur Recordings]
10. Andy Stott - Luxury Problems [Modern Love]
11. Chymera - Swim Away (Steve Moore Remix) [Connaisseur Recordings]
12. Miss Kittin - All You Need (Gesaffelstein Remix) [Mobilee Records]
13. Gesaffelstein - Belgium [Bromance]
14. Nomad - I Wanna Give You Devotion [Rumour Records]
15. Basement Love (Richard Fearless Remix) [I’m A Cliche]
16. Low Jack - Look At My Pyramid [Get The Curse Music]
17. Jay Chattaway - Blast Him [Southeast Records]
18. Drexciya - Unknown Journey III [Clone Classic Cuts]
19. Ghettozoid - Boy Toy (House of Black Lanterns Remix) [Houndstooth]
20. House of Black Lanterns - 8 Million Stories [Apple Pips]
21. House of Black Lanterns - Untitled Synth Sketch 1 [unreleased]
22. House of Black Lanterns - Grey Leather Glass [Hypercolour]
23. DBX - Losing Control [Peacefrog Records]
24. DJ Pierre and Kris Menace - Crank [Different]
25. Clockwork (C/W) - Hidden Spectator [Life and Death]
26. Nina Kraviz - Show Me Your Time [Rekids]
27. Cosmin TRG - To Touch Is To Divert [50 Weapons]
28. House of Black Lanterns - The Walls Are Closing In [Houndstooth]
29. House of Black Lanterns - Beg (Acapella) [Houndstooth]
30. House of Black Lanterns - Worthless [unreleased]
31. House of Black Lanterns - Pale December ft. Rudi Zygadlo [Houndstooth]

DOWNLOAD (right click on “Grab it HERE”)

SINGLE PREVIEW: Graze - NK42

Thu, 09 May 2013 22:21:00 +0100

Having ramped New Kanada’s release schedule over the past year, boss Adam Marshall now unveils his new collaborative project with fellow Canadian Christian Andersen, aka X.I. Despite both haling from Toronto’s club scene, the pair never crossed paths in their hometown, with Marshall a luminary of the city’s house scene and Andersen a big fish in a comparatively smaller DnB community. The pair’s debut release as Graze is a double EP comprised of six tracks.

NB: Look out for my full review on Resident Advisor next week.

Label: New Kanada

Genre: House / Bass

Serving suggestion: Locked Groove ‘Firefall’ [Hotflush]

Release date: April 29th

DOWNLOAD: Plastikman - Plasticine

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:24:00 +0100

Often moronically ridiculed by magazines for his antics, and certainly out of vogue with the beard-stroking end of the techno community, yet in my all-knowledgable opinion, Richie Hawtin’s understanding of production stretches way beyond the comprehension of most of the current poster boys. Having recently been reminded of what a truly mesmerising trance track ‘Plasticine’ is by the Sandwell District Fabric mix, I felt compelled to load it onto my Soundcloud. Originally released in ‘93, the track was mastered last year along with most of the Plastikman archive as part of Hawtin’s global live show, ‘V1.5’. For a limited time, you can download a high-res version of the track for free, here.

NB: Richie Hawtin’s M-nus imprint will release a new label showcase entitled ‘minMAX’ on May 27th.

DOWNLOAD

LONDON BANK HOLIDAY PICK: Electric Minds

Sat, 04 May 2013 08:25:00 +0100

With the springtime weather marginally less underwhelming than usual for the first annual 3-day weekend, there’s an air of hedonism around London. As usual, there are well over 100 club events to pick from, and after some trawling, I’ve oped for the Electric Minds night. Coming to prominence for his loft parties in Shoreditch, organiser Dolan Bergin has been at the forefront of London’s underground club scene for over five years now, and this Sunday he kicks off the start of a Spring/Summer tour that will encompass Parklife, Sonar, Lovebox, SMS and the Dimensions Festival.

Sunday’s party is purposed to mark the launch of Steffi Dom’s ‘Panorama Bar 05’ mix, with Cosmin TRG, A Made Up Sound and Andrés supporting the Berliner. As usual Dolan will also take his turn deckside for the warm-up, with the doors opening at 10pm.

NB: Read my review of ‘Panorama Bar 05’ for MIXMAG here.

Date: Sunday, 5th May

Venue: Autumn Street Car Park, Hackney Wick

Doors: 10pm - 6am

Photo of: Cosmin Nicolae (aka Cosmin TRG)

ALBUM PREVIEW: Hyetal - Modern Worship

Wed, 01 May 2013 07:12:48 +0100

Having come fruition via Bristolian imprints Black Acre and Punch Drunk, David Corney reflects his growing international prominence by delivering his second album through the New York- based True Panther Sounds.

NB: Read my review of Modern Worship in the June issue of MIXMAG.

Label: True Panther

Genre: Electronica

Serving suggestion: Mount Kimbie ‘Cold Spring Less Youth’ [Warp]

Release date: May 20th

01. Forefathers
02. The City Is Ours
03. Playing The Game
04. Lake Rider
05. Northwest Passage
06. Left
07. Moving Statues
08. Lovers
09. Jam The Network
10. 1000 Lights
11. Cloud Bridge
12. Four Walls

SINGLE PREVIEW: Akkord - Navigate

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 13:41:00 +0100

Following releases from Call Super, House of Black Lanterns and _Unsubscribe_, Houndstooth’s fourth single will be from Δkkord. Having already come to prominence via two sought-after white labels, the mancunian collective worked with Houndstooth boss Rob Booth via his Electronic Explorations imprint back in October. Their debut release for the Fabric-owned label comprises four productions, all of which you can check below.

NB: You can read my review of Houndstooth preceding release - House Of Black Lanterns ‘Truth & Loss’ for RA here, and look out for my review of ‘Navigate’ for RA in the coming weeks.

Label: Houndstooth

Genre: IDM

Serving suggestion: House Of Black Lanterns ‘Truth & Loss’ [Houndstooth]

Release date: 27th May

RELATED POST: Fabric, Saturday April 27th

DOWNLOAD: Big Dada present Congo Natty

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:40:00 +0100

Yesterday afternoon, Big Dada released a mix by Rinse FM host Uncle Dugs that showcases the music of Congo Natty’s illustrious legacy. Purposed to promote the forthcoming release of Natty’s ‘Jungle Revolution’ album, the retrospective mix spans the North Londoner’s early output as Rebel MC in the late-80s, right up to his involvements over the last few years. Anyone wishing grab a copy, should do so promptly, because Big Dada have warned they plan to pull the link down after a few days. Lastly, if anyone knows what the track on the 32-minute mark is, please feel free to enlighten me.

NB: Jungle Revolution will be released on June 17th via Big Dada, and you can stream the preceding single ‘UK Allstars’ below.

Genre: Jungle / Bashment

Photo of: Michael West (aka Congo Natty)

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LONDON WEEKEND PICK: Fabric with Sonja Moonear

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:24:00 +0100

For the next stop on her comprehensive tour schedule, Sonja Moonear will be taking centre stage at Fabric this coming weekend to play alongside good friend and Perlon co-signee, Ricardo Villalobos.

The pair were first introduced by Perlon’s label head, Zip, during a Get Perlonized night in 2002 at Panorama Bar, just as the minimal techno scene was coming of age. Given the scene’s long history of endless clubnights, epochal music productions and emotive connections, it is a clear testament to both’s creative resolve to be continually playing records that still catch the ear of Europe’s most discerning clubbers. In a recent interview with Fabric, Sonja recounted what it was like to mix records alongside Villalobos when his productions were still on the rise, “There were not many people that had his ability to share their passion so honestly”, adding later “Ricardo listens so carefully, selects, builds, gives space, tells the story with anyone he would share the decks.”

The scene has shaped and warped considerably in the proceeding 11 years, with nostalgia featuring as a key element to a lot of the music that is played and produced by producers now who were part of its formation. No surprise that Villalobos’ last album ‘Dependent and Happy’ wanted to introduce elements of his domestic bliss into context with the way that his (and others) creativity has sought to head. Sonja is no different, and in the same interview reminisced about what the scene was capable of, but notes that the future is still very bright for European electronica, “Being nostalgic would mean this time has passed. Of course things have changed and followed their evolution, which is positive and necessary but I still go out, travel around in the search of good long dance meetings and sharing”. Ben Romberg

NB: Read Sonja’s full interview with Fabric here, and download her promo mix for the club below.

Date: Saturday, 27th April

Venue: Fabric, Farringdon

Doors: 11pm- 12pm

Photo of: Sonja Moonear

COMPILATION REVIEW: Traxx - The House That Garage Built

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:05:00 +0100

Over the past 18 months, the sound of New York’s garage movement in the early-ninties has been getting resurrected by a host of young, mostly British producers. With the concept now starting to look a little long in the tooth, the London-based Needwant imprint round up 17 productions for a 2-disc compilation. Having largely pioneered the movement throughout 2012, Disclosure, Dusky, George Fitzgerald and Huxley all feature, with well-thumbed tracks by the scene’s current poster boys Ejeca and Rhythm Operator also present. Alongside soulful remixes by relative newcomers Harry Wolfman and the Porto-hailing Trikk, there are exclusives from Purple Velvet, The Mekanism and Munich’s Rhode & Brown. Much like the revival itself, there’s a case to state this compilation isn’t exactly offering a magnitude of mind blowing innovation, but nevertheless, there are a few surefire party jams to be found.

Label: Needwant

Genre: House

Rating: 6.5/10

Standout tracks: Dusky ‘Flo Jam’, Ejeca ‘Horizon’, Rhythm Operator ‘Anytime’

You’ll like this, if you like: Nicholas ‘Nu Groove’ [Needwant]

Release date: 25th March

CD1: Mixed

1. HNNY – For The Very First Time
2. Ben Pearce – What I Might Do (Harry Wolfman Remix)
3. Dusky – Flo Jam
4. Rhythm Operator – Anytime
5. Disclosure – Boiling (Medlar Remix)
6. Rhode & Brown, Schegg – Joyride
7. Huxley – Can’t Sleep (Original Mix)
8. Washerman – Soulsearch
9. Ejeca – Horizon
10. Breach – You Won’t Find Love Again
11. The Real Connoisseur – Faux De Baux
12. George Fitzgerald – Child (NY Stomp Remix)
13. The Mekanism – Body Classic
14. Purple Velvet – Never Do You Wrong
15. Rachel Row – Follow The Step (Trikk Remix)
16. Tomson & Benedict – Switch
17. Citizen - Worship + Tribute (Your Love)

CD2: Unmixed

1. HNNY – For The Very First Time
2. Ben Pearce – What I Might Do (Harry Wolfman Remix)
3. Dusky – Flo Jam
4. Rhythm Operator – Anytime
5. Disclosure – Boiling (Medlar Remix)
7. Huxley – Can’t Sleep (Original Mix)
8. Washerman – Soulsearch
9. Ejeca – Horizon
10. Breach – You Won’t Find Love Again
11. The Real Connoisseur – Faux De Baux
12. George Fitzgearlad – Child (NY Stomp Remix)

DOWNLOAD: The Haxan Cloak - RA.359

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0100

Coinciding with the release of his sophomore album, The Haxan Cloak has put together a mix for Resident Advisor. Published on Monday, the mix contains productions from artists as diverse as Aphex Twin, Halim el-Dabh, Joy O, Plastikman and Sun Ra, with the Londoner including 5 purpose-made edits. You can stream one of the tracks from the new album below, but for the full, immersive effect, I suggest you check the album in its entirety.

NB: D-Bridge’s RA podcast from last week was also well worth grabbing, but as I’d previewed his 10 Years of Exit party, I felt posting about it was slight overkill. Anyhow, if you missed it, you can still download the full 65-minute mix here.

Genre: Drone / Experimental

Photo of: Bobby Krlic (aka Haxan Cloak)

1. Otto Luening and Vladimir Ussachevsky - Incantation for Tape
2. Sun Ra - Imagination
3. Finn McNicholas - Why I Hate the Sea
4. Autechre + The Hafler Trio - Hae3
5. Burning Star Core and Prurient - Wheel of Fortune (Haxan Cloak edit)
6. Burning Star Core and Prurient - Hydrophiiac (Haxan Cloak edit)
7. ø - Olematon
8. Kevin Drumm - Snow (Haxan Cloak edit)
9. Halim el-Dabh - Wire Recorder Piece
10. Nine Inch Nails - At the Heart of it All
11. Sunn O))) - Richard (Haxan Cloak edit)
12. Boards of Canada - June 9th (Haxan Cloak edit)
13. Plastikman - Consumed
14. Meira Asher & Guy Harries - Torture/Bodyparts
15. Joy O - Wade in
16. AFX - Mangle 11 (circuit bent VIP Mix)
17. Chris Clark - Glen Velez remix
18. Folk Implosion - Raise the Bells

DOWNLOAD

LONDON EVENT PICK: Letherette Album Launch

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:15:00 +0100

Ok, so it’s not on at the weekend, but it is arguably the most appealing event in London next week. In order to celebrate the release of their refreshingly original debut album, Ninja Tune’s Letherette will be performing a live show in the decadent surroundings of Madame Jojo’s. The Wolverhamton-hailing duo’s eponymous album arrived earlier this month after a run of four EPs and promotional shows, including an enjoyable Boiler Room set. On the night, DJ support will be laid on by Eglo boss Alexander Nut and Ninja Tune’s recent signing, Illum Sphere.

NB: Read my review of Letherette’s ‘D&T’ for Resident Advisor here.

Date: Thursday, 25th April

Venue: Madame Jojo’s, Soho

Doors: 8pm - 1am

Photo of: Andy Harber & Richard Roberts (aka Letherette)

LONDON WEEKEND PICK: Tempo Clash

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:33:00 +0100

I try not to run two London event picks in the same week, but this night somehow crept up on me undetected. The the line-up is simply too good to not flag up and also, my two picks our on different nights.

At Corisca Studios this coming Saturday, Tempo Clash will be staging a takeover. Jamie Teasdale, aka Kuedo, will be flying over from Berlin to perform his collaborative live AV show with digital artist Lucy Benson. Deck support in Room 1 comes from Jason X & Kromestar (aka Immotxlz) and Black Acre’s Loops Haunt, with Hey Zues and Blue Daisy billed to deliver a live set under their Dahlia Black mantle. In Room 2, Civil Music affiliates Om Unit and Reso will be playing a back-to-back jungle set, with Blue Daisy and Tempo Clash mainstay Kutmah also scheduled to spin.

Date: Saturday, 13th April

Venue: Corsica Studios, Elephant & Castle

Doors: 10pm - 6am

Photo of: Jamie Teasdale (aka Kuedo)

LONDON WEEKEND PICK: Ten Years Of Exit Records

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 20:07:00 +0100

Having been largely overlooked by most of the big electronic music platforms for the best part of 15 years now, drum & bass has been back in the spotlight of late.

Last week, RMBA’s homage to the Blue Note nights in the mid-to-late-90s generated a fair bit of nostalgic debate on forums, and compared to how unceremonious the release of a FabricLive D&B comp usually is, Calibre’s recent mix was greeted with feverish cheer by the media. Meanwhile, Goldie seems to have been interviewed by just about every major music rag in the lead up to the release of his ‘The Best of 1992-2012’ compilation.

Tying in with this resurgence of interest, Exit Records will be staging a 10th anniversary party in South London this coming weekend. Headlining the bill - and presumably without co-founder Dan Stein partaking due to his commercial success - Michael Wojicicki, Jason Maldini and Darren ‘dBridge’ White will be reforming as Bad Company. dBridge is also down to play a solo set, with Calibre, Marcus Intalex and Klute among the bigger names representing the label’s legacy. Giving the event a further sense of occasion, they’ll be a wealth of special performances including a speed set from Fabio, a classics set from Breakage, A ‘Bristol Dubplates’ session from Krust and Die, a Blue Note retrospection from Metalheadz veteran Doc Scott and a live show from Amit. Meanwhile, SP:MC and DRS head up an extensive bill of MCs.

NB: The tickets are now down to their 5th and final release so if you want to attend, better to act sooner rather than later.

Date: Friday, 12th April

Venue: Fire, Vauxhall

Doors: 10pm-6am

Photo of: Kirk Thompson (aka Krust)

ALBUM PREVIEW: Mount Kimbie - Cold Spring Fault Less Youth

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:41:00 +0100

In June last year, Kai Campos and Dominic Maker signed to Warp to start work on the successor to their much lauded debut album. Recorded in their South London studio, ‘Cold Spring Fault Less Youth’ finds the duo placing emphasis upon live instrumentation and laying down their own vocals.

NB: Read my review of Cold Spring Fault Less Youth in the June issue of MIXMAG.

Label: Warp

Genre: Electronica

Standout tracks: ’Break Well’. ’Made To Stray’, ‘Meter, Pale, Tone (feat. King Krule)’

You’ll like this, if you like: Darkstar ‘North’ [Hyperdub]

Release date: 27th May

01. Home Recording
02. You Took Your Time feat. King Krule
03. Break Well
04. Blood and Form
05. Made To Stray
06. So Many Times, So Many Ways
07. Lie Near
08. Meter, Pale, Tone feat. King Krule
09. Slow
10. Sullen Ground
11. Fall Out

PRE-ORDER ALBUM

DOWNLOAD FREE TRACK (courtesy of Mount Kimbie)

LONDON WEEKEND PICK: Notown Records Showcase

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:36:00 +0100

Following a takeover of The Waiting Room for Ulrich Schnauss’s ‘A Long Way To Fall’ album launch, Inverted Audio and Electronic Explorations pool resources once again to present a Notown Records showcase. Taking place at Elektrowerkz in Angel this coming Saturday, Border Community affiliate Luke Abbott and principal Notown member Dam Mantle will both be performing live sets, with DJ support coming from Antepop, Mister Sushi and Wesley Matsell. In addition, Dan Tombs will be providing visuals throughout.

Date: Saturday, 6th April

Venue: Electrowerks, Angel

Doors: 11pm - 6am

Photo of: Tom Marshallsay (aka Dam Mantle)

ALBUM REVIEW: DJ Koze - Amygdala

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 10:08:00 +0100

Eight years on from his last album, Stefan Kozalla returns with 13 typically leftfield productions via his own Pampa imprint. Among a host of guest vocalists, Matthew Dear lends his sonorous riddles to both ‘Magical Boy’ and ‘My Plans’, with Caribou and Apparat featuring on two equally lamenting inclusions. A stirring rework of Hildegard Knef’s ‘Ich Schreib’ Dir Ein Buch’ marks the second time the offbeat German has delved into the deceased siren’s catalogue, before the little-known Tomerle & Maiko complete the album in an operatic wash of psychedelia. With all the hallmarks of a modern classic, ‘Amygdala’ represents a peculiar yet strangely majestic opus steeped in cerebral invention.

Label: Pampa

Genre: Electronica

Rating: 7.5/10

Standout Tracks: Nices Wölkchen, La Duquesa, My Plans

You’ll like this, if you like: Saschienne ‘Unknown’ [Kompakt]

Release date: 23rd March

01. Track ID Anyone feat. Caribou
02. Nices Wölkchen feat. Apparat
03. Royal Asscher Cut
04. Magical Boy feat. Matthew Dear
05. Das Wort feat. Dirk Von Lowtzow
06. Homesick feat. Ada
07. La Duquesa
08. Marilyn Whirlwind
09. My Plans feat. Matthew Dear
10. Dont Lose My Mind
11. Amygdala feat. Milosh
12. Ich Schreib’ Dir Ein Buch 2013 feat. Hildegard Knef
13. Nooooo feat. Tomerle & Maiko

LONDON EASTER PICK: Exstatic Sounds

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:15:00 +0000

Having waded through the multitude of options, my pick of club nights in London over the Easter break goes to the Exstatic Sounds party at iCan Studios on Saturday. Those who’ve been following the blog for some time will know it’s not the first time I’ve previewed events with Robag Wruhme or Move D, but I can’t recall them being on the same bill in recent time. Both will be playing extended 3 hour sets, with Exstatic Sounds resident Toni C filling in the gaps.

Date: Saturday, 30th March

Venue: iCan Studios, Hackney Wick

Doors: 10pm-6am

Photo of: David Moufang (aka Move D)

SINGLE PREVIEW: Dusky - Nobody Else

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:43:00 +0000

Arriving in late-2011, Alfie Granger-Howell and Nick  Harriman have made a steep ascendancy in profile. For their first release of the year, Dusky deliver 4 new originals through Will Saul and Fink’s Aus imprint.

NB: Read my review of Nobody Else on RA next week.

Label: Aus

Genre: House

Serving suggestion: Ejeca vs. Rhythm Operator ‘Raid’ [W&O Street Tracks]

Release date: 18th March

SINGLE PREVIEW: ROMARE - Love Songs: Part 1

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:32:00 +0000

A year on from his ‘Mediations In Afrocentrism‘ EP, Romare returns to Black Acre with four frenetic and sample-heavy soul cuts. Arguably, not too distantly related to Brighton’s widely demonised big beat movement in the late-90s, but an innovative and additive release nevertheless.

NB: Read my review of Love Songs: Part 1 on RA next week.

Label: Black Acre

Genre: Soul / Bass

Serving suggestion: Machinedrum ‘DDD’ [LuckyMe]

Release date: 25th March