Night Slugs: the label that owns the night – and the future

2010 belonged to Night Slugs. In just one year, the London-based record label and club night, run by L-Vis 1990 and Bok Bok, released nine EPs, a handful of singles, and a compilation album (the ironically premature greatest hits collection Night Slugs All Stars Volume 1). While the quantity is impressive, the quality is even more so.

The (still developing) Night Slugs sound is zeitgeist-defining, forward-thinking dance music. Tracks from the labelheads, along with those from similar heavyweights, put Night Slugs at the forefront of London’s dance scene with a vibrant hybrid of house, funky, and bass. 2011 finds the label moving to bigger and better things, but let’s take a look at where it’s been.

Things started, appropriately enough, at Mosca’s Square One EP. The title track is the prototypical Night Slugs offering: a juxtaposition of dance music sounds and styles, assembled in new and exciting ways. For “Square One,” it’s the descending tones of dubstep, the surging power of UK funky, and forays into dancehall toasting and soulful R&B vocals. Remixed by A-listers Bok Bok, L-Vis, Julio Bashmore and Roska, the remix by Greena builds slowly but packs a punch, like a prizefighter shaking off a haymaker.

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/mosca__square_one__GREENA_remix.mp3″ text=”Mosca – Square One (Greena remix)” dl=1]

Egyptrixx’s The Only Way Up picks up where Square One left off, and was followed by the first offering from the steadily-rising Girl Unit, IRL. On Night Skanker, Lil Silva gets even more grimey and aggro than Girl Unit, blending soca rhythms with metallic synth lines, these synthetic horns that push into the red.

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/lil_silva-golds_to_get.mp3″ text=”Lil Silva – Golds to Get” dl=0]

Leave it to one of the original Night Slugs to capture the label’s essence. On his Forever You EP, L-vis 1990 re-visits the spoken word house music tribute of Jason Jinx’s “Your First Time” with pure 303 acid. Fast forward a decade, as L-vis does on the title track, to diva-driven house with hints of wobbly bass.

Night Slugs is quickly becoming the home to a dance music revolution. The juke bass of Kingdom, the synth funk of Velour, and the future grime of Jam City have all been released by the label, and none feels out of place. Same for the Baltimore club remixes by Pearson Sound (the new alias of dubstep wunderkind Ramadanman), released earlier this month. And on Night Slug’s first LP, Bible Eyes, the aforementioned Egyptrixx pushes the label’s sound into new territory – namely, darkwave. With releases like these last two, 2011 just might belong to Night Slugs, too.

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/let_me_see.mp3″ text=”Rod Lee – Let Me See What U Workin’ With (Pearson Sound edit)” dl=0]

Download: Egyptrixx – Chrysalis Records (feat. Trust) via XLR8R

Future Grooves: Jacques Greene

When I wrote about the burgeoning rhythm and bass sound two weeks ago, I somehow neglected a major proponent of it. Maybe it was because I was focused on the UK and dubstep, instead of Canada and house, but whatever the cause: mea culpa.


Photo: © 2010 Andrew Gordon Macpherson

Jacques Greene (not his real name) in an enigmatic producer from Toronto who seemingly came out of nowhere late last year, releasing a pair of R&B infused house jams on compilation records. One of the offerings, the jangly “(Baby I Don’t Know) What You Want,” sampled Ashanti’s “Foolish.” Of all the samples in all the world, it’s a particularly evocative one: “Foolish” references Biggie’s “One More Chance (Remix),” which in turn samples DeBarge’s “Stay With Me.” Intentional or not, Greene reveals his roots in one loop.

It’s a pattern that repeats itself over his brief but rich oeuvre: wistful, nostalgic – but never obvious – R&B samples weaved into a warm blanket of Chicago house. Listening to his records is a giddy experience that will have music fans digging deep in their crates (or brains) for the originals that drive his tracks.

Greene’s New Year’s Resolution must have been to release new material early and often: he’s released two EPs for Glaswegian powerhouse LuckyMe in just the first quarter of 2011. The title track of The Look bounces along with a bit of Brandy’s “I Wanna Be Down.” The rest of the record is similar soulful house, along the lines of contemporaries Azari and III.

While The Look is non-stop, pounding house beats, Greene’s latest release is sparser, with more room to breathe. Mix Ciara’s “Deueces” with a Burial-ish dubstep beat and open into big, sinewy synths and you have “Another Girl.” Clearly, Greene is obsessed by the same muses as his peers, having remixed “Must Be Love” for Local Action’s love letter to Cassie, Skydiver. Greene gives the same lofty, romantic edge of “Another Girl” to “Broken Record” by muse-of-the-moment Katy B.

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Katy B – Broken Record (Jacques Greene Remix).mp3″ text=”Katy B – Broken Record (Jacques Greene Remix)” dl=0]

We might not know much about Jacques Greene, but it’s clear that he’s a producer to watch. Check out the sinister tech-house of “Sorted,” grab the mix he did for URB, and pray for him to play the States again soon; would a Red Friday at U Hall be too much to ask?

Download: Jacques Greene – Sorted
Download: URB Presents Jacques Greene

"Nurse Jackie" and "United States of Tara" return tonight

Showtime is the network built by women. Starting with Weeds in 2005, Showtime’s emergence as a drama powerhouse on par with HBO coincided with focusing on dark comedies about strong female characters (even in ostensibly male-oriented shows like Dexter and Californication). Two of the shows responsible for the network’s premium cable dominance return for third seasons tonight, after second season finales that asked as many questions as they answered.

When we last saw Edie Falco’s Nurse Jackie, things were starting to catch up with the no-bullshit title character. After two seasons of popping pills, banging pharmacists, and generally carrying on a double life, Jackie faced an intervention of sorts, as husband Kevin and best friend Dr. O’Hara finally started to figure things out. Her reaction? “My name is Jackie, and I’m an addict.” Cue tear-stained, molar-baring laughter. “Blow me.” It was a pitch-perfect end to the season.

While the show is sharply written and features a host of well-drawn characters, Nurse Jackie fits Showtime’s high concept model to a tee: main character strives for normalcy while dealing with a deep, dark – and possibly illegal – secret. As shows like Weeds and Dexter have found success, the greatest challenge seems to be making the show compelling while continuing to raise the stakes. However, with no end game in sight, the plots start to strain under the weight, pushing on the audience’s credulity.

Jackie now faces the same problem. With things out in the open, what is the show about? From the finale, a mea culpa from Jackie followed by a long recovery seems neither in character or particularly interesting. Judging by the trailer, it looks like Jackie’s infidelity remains a secret; the Jackie-Kevin-Eddie dynamic will be further complicated as Kevin’s sister Tunie (Jaimie Alexander) enters the picture. With that new twist, and the best hospital staff dynamic since early Scrubs, watching Jackie dig a deeper hole is as much schadenfreude-filled fun as ever.

While Nurse Jackie is somewhat hamstrung, United States of Tara continues to expand upon its premise. The nature of Toni Collette’s dissociative character allows for new developments, within reason. From the original trio of personalities (Alice, Buck, and T), new elements of Tara’s psyche have emerged: her id personified as Gimme, her internal therapist Shoshana, and the infantile Chicken. It’s a bit of a full house, but each break-off persona is organically linked to a specific stress or trauma, and watching Collette stretch and contort into each role is fascinating.

After hitting a wall in her treatment and the search for the root causes of her condition, Tara continued down the rabbit hole in the second season. With help from her sister Charmaine, she found Mimi, the woman with whom the girls were inexplicably fostered during their youth (and the model for Alice). As the girls finally confront their parents, their mother’s evasive behavior and their father’s worsening mental health only raised more questions (is their mysterious half-brother really gone? Probably not). Meanwhile, the family dealt with their own issues: Charmaine and Kate broke off unhealthy relationships, Marshall confronted his sexuality, and Max (the best husband ever) struggled to hold the whole mess together.

From the trailer, it looks like a new persona will enter the mix, along with some new people: the magnificent Eddie Izzard returns to TV as Tara’s psychology professor. And while Max, Charmaine, Kate, and Marshall will undoubtedly have their own trials and tribulations, the show belongs to Tara – all of her.

Showtime runs Monday nights, at least for the next few months. Nurse Jackie airs at 10PM followed by United States of Tara at 10:30PM.

Ready for the Weekend #6

This is the kind of weekend that requires a clone or two to fully appreciate. Failing that, be prepared to make some tough decisions. (Image via #ffffound)

The Plan:

The Soundtrack:

Helping bring together the Culipandeo moombahton mixes (with DJs A-Mac, David Heartbreak, and Melo) was one of the most rewarding parts of co-editing True Genius Requires Insanity. My partner-in-crime Marcus Dowling took care of this one on his own, and it’s a killer.

Lithuania’s Boyfriend is pushing the boundaries of moombahton, both sonically and geographically. The DJ, who first came to my attention when he flipped Heartbreak’s “Chavvi,” drops a mix that is full of moombah-offshoots, including plenty of moombahsoul. The movement continues!

TGRI x Boyfriend present Culipandeo Volumen Quatro
1. Intro Sabali
2. Phi Unit – Home
3. Munchi – Me And My Bitch
4. Jon Kwest – Angie’s Song (Making Of you)
5. Heartbreak – My Grown Man Shit
6. Boyfriend & Ckrono – Born Slippython
7. Dj Melo – Star Time
8. Draft 3 – Boom Blast
9. Missy Elliot – Get Your Freak On (Rampage & Nader bootleg)
10. Mastiksoul ft. Buraka Som Sistema – Sabalo (Booty Shakerz moombahton edit)
11. Keith – Get Up Ouch (Samar Boy moombahton edit)
12. Ying Yang Twins – Wait (The Whisper Song) (JWLS ‘DTF’ Booty)
13. Jon Kwest – Fr33ks Theme
14. Thomas Blondet – Stevies Cherie Amour MoombahSoul Remix
15. Outro Sabali

The Verge: Katy B & Jamie Woon

Since its founding in 1991, the BRIT School has quickly become London’s answer to Juilliard (it’s also the kind of public-private partnership I wish we had more of in the United States, but I’ll leave that to other blogs). The BRIT School has schooled a Who’s Who of UK pop stars, including Adele, Amy Winehouse, Imogen Heap, and Leona Lewis. Two more alumni are poised for big things, thanks to symbiotic relationships with electronic music producers.

Fans of UK funky and dubstep are already familiar with Katy B. The 21-year-old chanteuse has appeared on tracks by Geeneus (“As I”) and Magnetic Man (“Perfect Stranger,” “Crossover”). Her hook singing has given a soulful edge to genres known more for their beats than their songwriting. Case in point: she flipped Benga‘s surging “Man on a Mission” into “Katy on a Mission,” a grooving dubstep sing-along. (The Roska remix gets funky, as he is wont to do).

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/katy_on_a_mission_roska_remix.mp3″ text=”Katy B – Katy on a Mission (Roska remix)” dl=0]

On a Mission, her debut album, will be released on April 4 on Rinse and Columbia Records. Avoiding the mistakes of artists before her, the album is loaded with her early hits: just because the blogosphere and the club have heard these songs for a year doesn’t mean the public at large has. Lead single “Lights On” features Ms. Dynamite and is pure UK funky. “Broken Record” is the most mainstream dance track Katy B has released (although her British pronunciation of “record” could prevent this one from breaking through).

While the UK has no shortage of female singer-songwriters (Katy B included), the last decade has also produced a handful of male soul singers, like Jamie Lidell and Jay Sean. To confuse matters, the next in that lineage is another Jamie.

Musical success runs deep in Jamie Woon‘s pedigree. He comes from a long line of professional musicians which includes his mother, Celtic folk singer Mae McKenna. But even with his family and his school, his greatest marker for success might be his connection to dubstep pioneer Burial.

Woon’s 2007 single “Wayfaring Stranger” was practically a cappella, with a minimalism that would make James Blake blush. On the remix, Burial added his signature clacking percussion and submersed bass. The pairing of Woon’s soulful vocals and Burial’s downtempo grooves was a natural fit and led to their next team-up, last year’s break-out single “Night Air.”

The next single off Woon’s debut album Mirrorwriting (out a week after Katy B’s offering, on April 11) is pure rhythm and bass, recalling Babyface productions as much as Timbaland ones. “Blue Truth” takes that formula and inflects it with dubstep. The song isn’t on the album, but Woon offered it as a free download.

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Jamie Woon – Blue Truth.mp3″ text=”Jamie Woon – Blue Truth” dl=1]

Not all graduates of the BRIT School strike gold, regardless of talent. Usually it takes an equally talented producer to put them over the edge: every Winehouse needs her Ronson. Luckily, Katy B and Jamie Woon both have superb patrons behind the boards.

EP Review: Sky Ferreira – As If!

When it comes to pop music, post-Rebecca Black, “we’re through the looking glass here, people.” The viral video hit takes teen pop to its logical conclusion: mind-numbing simplicity. But while Ark Music creations pump out the pop equivalents of pre-teen beauty queens, some artists have bigger things in mind.

Since featuring her in the Verge last August, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the debut album from Sky Ferreira. While that record has been indefinitely postponed, the LA lolita released the As If! EP this week. For reference, Ferreira was three-years-old when Clueless popularized that totally 90s catchphrase.

Lead single “Sex Rules” is a bouncing, glittery ball of 80s mall pop. The frank sexuality of the lyrics (don’t worry – she’s 18!) is kind of jarring at first, only because of the source. But in all fairness, the sex-positive lyrics are relatively tame to what kids her age (and younger) are actually doing.

“99 Tears” is more of the same, replacing sex talk with a broken heart. Another milestone in the dubstep-pop crossover is “Traces,” the wobble-filled ballad penned by Colin Munroe and Neon Hitch. It takes a page from BAR9’s luvstep-approved remix of Ferreira’s “One.”

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/02-Traces.mp3″ text=”Sky Ferriera – Traces” dl=0]

“Haters Anonymous” has a schizophrenic duality to it, with a synthpop chorus and spoken word verses. In the age of Facebook bullies, the lyrics resonate with her target audience – even if they come from someone deep in the LA social scene. As If! closes with its lone misfire, “108,” a song held back by its strange lyrical premise.

In another nod to 90s pop culture, Ferreira and “Sex Rules” are featured in the new ad campaign for ck one. Tired of Dr. Luke (or Ark Music) produced, derivative garbage? Sky Ferreira does slut-pop right.

Future Grooves: French edition

Last week, French record label Institubes closed shop, citing various death-of-the-industry platitudes. The difficultly of keeping a truly independent label afloat notwithstanding, Institubes demise may have more to do with the music associated with it.

Electro house, especially the type pioneered by Institubes and its countrymen at Ed Banger and Kitsune, is heading for the exits. Sure, the sound of the aughts can still pack a room at Hard Fest or the local warehouse party, but innovation in the genre has stilted as producers have moved on to new things.

So while a distinctly French sound is dying, the future for French electronic music has never been brighter. A trio of preternaturally gifted producers is ready to takeover electronic music in the name of France (again).

Mikix The Cat (Mike Gnacadja) is the Parisian representative of Trouble and Bass. True to the rest of the label, he produces seamy house music with loads of bass and synths that bubble and burst. Mikix has an ear for vocal samples that give his tracks a sensuality energy. Neither the sample or (NSFW) video for his Nightshifters single “At Night” leaves much to the imagination – an enviable, no-bullshit approach.

Last fall’s Girls Keep on Wondering finds the 21-year-old as focused as ever. A percussive energy permeates through the throwback-house flavored tracks. His electric energy doesn’t stop when he’s in the club, either: the former b-boy is unafraid to join the fray and pull off a headspin or two.


The boyish Canblaster delivered a jaw-dropping, if too short, set at the last Trouble & Bass DC night. Between a residency at Club Cheval and two EPs, Canblaster (aka Cédric Steffens) is quickly making a name for himself. His fast-paced tracks have a totally different energy than those of Mikix, but they are no less massive. His Jetpack EP kicks off with the ravey title track, a bit of harmless fun when compared to “Thunderdome got Crunk,” with its breakbeats and screwed rap samples, and “Dawgs in da House,” with it’s high-on-speed 305 bass.

His time-obsessed Master of Complication EP finds him introducing elements from tropical bass and footwork to his already impressive repertoire. “Triple Ring” will keep audiences moving while trying to sing-along with its “what does she have that I don’t?” lyric; the half-time breakdown is serene.


The producer known only as French Fries was a resident at La Favela Chic at the tender age of 14. His inventive, up-beat approach to tropical bass puts his tempos more in-line with his French peers than, say, a moombahton producer. But make no mistake: like moombahton, his tracks move booties. His “Senta” was a hit at last year’s Winter Music Conference; it’s as simple as it is infectious.

[wpaudio url=”/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/senta.mp3″ text=”French Fries – Senta” dl=0]

As Ultra week kicks off, “Laquisha” is poised to take the place of “Senta” in DJ sets all over Miami. The track adds dancehall toasting to the mix, making this track feel at home in a Major Lazer set. And if you don’t catch him in Miami, French Fries plays No Rule in Baltimore next Monday.

Yes, electro house is dead (though like Sixth Sense, it might take some time for that to sink in). The message from Institubes, however, should have been: “après nous, le déluge.” For electronic music, the French deluge has just begun.

Notes from the Moombahton Movement

One year ago, I wrote my first piece about moombahton, profiling OG moombahnista DJ A-Mac. This month has seen so many developments that I think it’s helpful to catalog them all in one post. So here goes:

Moombahton Massive III

To mark the the appropriately massive Megaton event at SXSW, the third installment in the Moombahton Massive EP series was released. Sol Selecta Sabo provides two offerings, including a take on the oft-sampled “Apache” by the Incredible Bongo Band (“Patchy Moombahton”). Always with an ear for crossovers, A-Mac flips “Drop” by Timbaland and Magoo. Pickster One, Melo, and Apt One also contribute, but leave it to the originators for the finest track. Nadastrom stretches the Axwell & Dirty South remix of the Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition” into an uplifting seven-minute epic.

Download Moombahton Massive EP III




Dillon Francis – Westside!

Last week, Mad Decent dropped the highly-anticipated Westside! EP from Dillon Francis. It doesn’t disappoint: Francis’ crowd-pleasing electro-house style transitions nicely into block rocking moombahton beats. The title track is a moombahcore banger that references one of the genre’s earliest songs, Nada’s “Riverside.” Maluca on a moombahton track is a no-brainer, and “Que Que” explores relatively new (and necessary) territory: producers using original vocals on their tracks. Dutch-flavored car siren synths power “Brazzer’s Theme,” which – like most tracks Munchi gets his hands on – is overshadowed by the remix.


“Moombahton: Born in D.C., bred worldwide”

By night, Sami Y is a DC DJ and party promoter of events, either in warehouses or his own house. By day, he works at NPR, where he continues to trumpet moombahton’s growth on the public airwaves.

“After moombahton comes moombriton”

Neil Queen of Pop Culture Care Package published an excellent piece about a new hotbed of moombahton: the UK (where else?). The piece is extensive and features an interview and exclusives from rising producer Smutlee.

Mixes from the Capitol

DC’s own Cam Jus and Billy the Gent have been ably carrying the Moombahton Monday torch with their Tropixxx parties at Velvet Lounge (next up: April 3). The duo also have a slot on the Moombahton Massive / Munchi benefit at U Hall in April. These are all can’t miss events, but in the meantime, check out Cam’s mix for trendsetting DC brand Black Collection.

Not to be outdone, Obeyah (who is also playing the Munchi benefit), just dropped a “thrashhall” mix. It’s full of exclusives, including unreleased tracks by Steve Starks, Tittsworth, and Alvin Risk, and it hits all parts of the tropical bass explosion.

Bonus: Head over to my old home, True Genius Requires Insanity, for an exclusive mix from Lithuanian producer Boyfriend. It’s a tribute to just how global this movement is.

Review: Paul

At first glance, the intergalactic road trip comedy Paul looks like the spiritual successor to Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. But while the dynamic duo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost star in and wrote the screenplay for the film, it owes more to the Apatowian universe of which director Greg Mottola is a part. Mottola replaces Pegg’s frequent collaborator, writer-director Edgar Wright, who was busy directing Scott Pilgrim vs. the World when this one came down the pipeline. While Wright’s influence – and dynamic camera – is missed, the film manages to find the uniting factors between varied styles of comedy.

Paul follows Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost) as they embark on a UFO-themed road trip across the American West. Pegg and Frost are right in their wheelhouse as a pair of maladjusted nerds, with their well-developed rapport intact. Apart from an encounter with a couple of ornery rednecks (redundant?), their trip is going off without a hitch – until they encounter a crude Little Green Man named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen).

Paul is on the run from shadowy government types: Jason Bateman as the ice-cold Agent Zoil, and Bill Hader and Joe Lo Truglio as the haphazard man-children Agents Haggard and O’Reilly. Graeme and Clive agree to shuttle Paul to an undisclosed location, eventually adding Christian fundamentalist Ruth (the primed-to-breakout Kristen Wiig) to their traveling party.

As the gang stays roughly half-a-step ahead of their multiple pursuers (rednecks, feds, and Christians, oh my), characters and relationships are developed along predictable lines. Graeme romances Ruth, who sees the world with new eyes (literally). Clive deals with bruised feelings as his best friend is co-opted by an alien and a woman. If the film lags, it does so while the script sets up the emotional payoff of the final act.

While the script may stumble with a few extraneous diversions, the dialogue is hilarious: the right mix of vulgarity (especially as Ruth learns how to swear) and sci-fi references. Unlike the Pegg-Wright films, these are references of substance, not references of style, so expect borrowed lines and homages from Star Wars, Star Trek, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, including the best use ever of the famed music of the Mos Eisley Cantina Band.

A screenplay is only as good as the actors delivering the lines; this is where Paul really shines. The Apatow repertory players, SNL veterans, and UK comedy legends all bring something to the table, their different styles streamlined into a cohesive one.

Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Spaced (the cult TV show directed by Wright and written by Pegg and Jessica Stevenson) grow more rewarding after multiple viewings due to fast-paced dialogue and nuanced references. While Paul might not match them on those marks, the surprisingly heart-warming story – dick jokes and all – will keep fans laughing for years to come.

Ready for the weekend #5

Last month was a tease: this weekend seems to be the real start of spring. If you’re reading this, you’re probably not in Austin. Here’s the run-down for nightlife in the nation’s capital.

The Plan:

The Soundtrack:

A lot of people claim to be “your DJ’s favorite DJ,” but Willy Joy actually earns the distinction. The Chicago-based DJ, when not touring with Kid Sister, can be found tearing up clubs across the country. This mix, commissioned for Chicagoist, finds Willy Joy elbow-deep in rich house tunage, both old and new (do you remember Dreem Teem vs. Artful Dodger on “It Ain’t Enough”?). It’s the perfect mix for the daylight hours on a lovely spring weekend.

Tracklist:
1. Shades Of Rhythm – Sweet Sensation 2011 (Lone Remix)
2. Cassius – Shark Simple (L-Vis 1990 & The Neon Dreams Regeneration Remix)
3. Hostage – Evrybyrdy (Willy Joy Remix)
4. Warrior One – Lord Of Bashy (Doc Daneeka 2 Step Militia Remix)
5. Freq Nasty – Move Back
6. Toy Selectah – Ani Riddim feat. Mumdance
7. Sampology ft. Spoek Mothambo & Gnucci Banana – Piggy Bank (Willy Joy Remix)
8. Mele – Trappin
9. Lil’ Keke – Chunk Up The Deuce (Syko Baltimore Remix)
10. Bird Peterson – Kingdom Of The Dead (Willy Joy remix)
11. Two Banks Of Four – Street Lullaby (Four Tet Remix)
12. Dreem Teem vs. The Artful Dodger – It Ain’t Enough (Dub Version)
13. Willy Joy – A Woman Like Me (Bird Peterson Remix)
14. Burns & Fred Falke – Y.S.L.M. (Burns European Sex Dub)