Mixtape Monday: Drag the lake

Posted on August 9, 2010 | Leave a comment

“Abandon hope, all ye who enter here.” Inscription at the Gates of Hell, or another post about drag and witch house? You decide! Today’s Mixtape Monday takes us to the darkest reaches of the Internet, with new mixes from Salem and the sick folks behind (the NSFW) Put.A.Spell.

Salem’s I Buried My Heart Inna Wounded Knee is a nearly-unlistenable mix of Goth crunk – and I mean that as a compliment. There’s no tracklist, but would one really make a difference? Salem drags and screws tracks until they are barely recognizable ghosts of the originals; mixing in the Velvet Underground’s “Femme Fatale” is brilliant. Salem continues to make the i-dose version of purple drank. Their debut full-length King Night is set for a September 28th release, and this mix should stave off the tremors until then.

Put.a.spell (what I’ll be calling the force responsible for these mixes, since they’re only labeled with the quintessential witch house symbol ‡) recently released two equally disturbing mixes, Summus Exussum Ervum and Beasts in Drag.

Summus Exussum Ervum, which roughly translates to “burn the high weeds,” touches on everything cold and industrial. From Throbbing Gristle to Fever Ray, the mix is the perfect soundtrack for your next invocation or ritualistic sacrifice. Compared to Salem’s mix, it is practically Top 40.

Beasts in Drag is more crunk than Goth, relying on drag versions of Gucci Mane and Playboy Tre (from the Adult Swim x Beaterator ATL RMX album), among others. As the mix closes, it fades from GR†LLGR†LL’s gloomy “Lollipop” cover “Slowlickin” to “If You Are But a Dream,” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, the bluesman best known for “I Put a Spell On You.” That inclusion alone shows that the musicians behind drag and witch house have a sense of humor, even if it is sick and twisted.

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Luvstep Live at the Mad Decent Block Party

Posted on August 9, 2010 | Leave a comment


As I walked up 12th Street in Philadelphia on my way to the Mad Decent Block Party, I heard the unmistakable, soothing sounds of luvstep. The set marked the live debut of luvstep, the dubstep subgenre identified by Dirty South Joe and Flufftronix earlier this year on their mix of the same name. It was one of the many can’t-miss sets during the day. Luckily for those who missed it, the proverbial tape was running and the set is now available for download.

An introduction from Ten Things I Hate About You sets the tone: melancholic, bittersweet, and teeming with raw emotion. The 30-minute mix kicks off strong with tracks by Sky Ferreira and Nero, before revisiting essential tracks (Caspa’s remix of the Deadmau5 & Kaskade collab “I Remember”) and dropping new popstep heat (the trio of “Hold On,” “I Need Air,” and “Katy on a Mission”).

“PClart” by Kavsrave has been floating around for a few months; the female vocals and wonky bass are a perfect fit for the mix. The same is true of the “Edge of Seventeen”-sampling “Days Go By” by the Boogaloo Crew (who now are part of Future Grooves featuree Dark Sky). The mix closes with some Don Juan DeMarco:

“There are only four questions of value in life, Don Octavio. What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same: only love.”

For dubstep, a genre derided for its harsh sounds and bromantic attitude, only luvstep can save it.

Tracklist for Luvstep Live at the Mad Decent Block Party
Introduction: KATARINA
Sky Ferreira – One (Bar9 Remix)
Nero – Innocence
Deadmau5 – I Remember (Caspa Remix)
Rusko – Hold On (feat Amber Coffman)
Magnetic Man – I Need Air
Katy B – Katy On A Mission
Professor Green ft Lily Allen – Just Be Good To Me (Joker Remix – Fluff’s Greenless Dub)
M83 – We Own The Sky (Udachi Remix)
Kavsrave – PClart
Bobby Caldwell – What You Won’t Do For Love (DZ Remix)
Guido – Mad Sax
The Boogaloo Crew – Days Go By
The Living Graham Bond – Winter Hunter ft Fiona Bevan (Bare Noize Remix)
Epilogue: DON JUAN

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More Moombahma from David Heartbreak

Posted on August 9, 2010 | Leave a comment

David Heartbreak is at it again. Fresh off an appearance on the Summer of Moombahton compilation and his TGRI-exclusive Culipandeo mix, Heartbreak has released the Dos Moombahma EP, another collection of genre-expanding moombahton.

In a nod to the origins of the genre, Heartbreak twists Kid Kaio’s Dutch house “Hey” into a 108 BPM banger. The build and simple chant-along vocals make this one a club keeper.


Like he did on “Whistle Blower,” Heartbreak takes crunk 1,000 miles south on “Salt Shaker,” his edit of the the classic Ying Yang Twins party anthem. Elsewhere on the EP, he experiments with moombahcore (“Lend Ya Down”), a grimey offshoot of moombahton, and classic dancehall (“Raggamuffin”). For fans of chilled-out lounge sounds, “Novinah” is the perfect mood setter, based on a sample of Drake’s “Successful.”

David Heartbreak continues to be a producer to watch. The Charlotte DJ has a good ear for hooks and samples that fit the moombahton sound, and he continues to move the genre forward with his melting pot approach to the genre.

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Lil' Elle's "All A Dream" mixtape

Posted on August 7, 2010 | Leave a comment


DJ Lil’ Elle is back with another hour-long mix entitled “All A Dream.” As the cover art suggests, the 20-odd songs here hint at summer days passed – appropriate as August flies off the calendar. Elle mixes Top 40-friendly dance tracks with throwback and underground hip-hop with ease. You can see how she’s secured weekly parties at Science Club and Policy (in addition to the monthly KIDS party): Lil’ Elle’s understanding of song selection is bar none.

Highlights include in-the-know favorites “We No Speak Americano” and “Sex Sax” alongside classics by Stevie Wonder and Andre 3000. Grab this mix and catch Lil’ Elle at her DC gigs before she heads westward.

Tracklisting for DJ Lil’ Elle’s “All A Dream” August 2010 Mix
00 Ellen Page Intro
01 Fatboy Slim – The Joker (Steve Miller Band Cover)
02 The Shins – Australia (Peter, Bjorn, & John Remix)
03 The Roots & John Legend – The Fire
04 Aloe Blacc – I Need a Dollar (Chrome Remix) ft. Wu-Tang Clan
05 The Kickdrums – Tell Me Stories
06 Stevie Wonder – My Cheri Amour (DJ Scene Remix)
07 Andre 3000 – Behold a Lady (SR Intro Edit)
08 Ellie Goulding – Under the Sheets Remix (Audio1 Edit) ft. Chiddy Bang
09 Aeroplane X Friendly Fires X Flight Facilities – I Crave Paris
10 Erik Hassle – Hurtful (Penguin Prison Remix)
11 Chromeo – Don’t Turn the Lights On (SR Intro Edit)
12 MIA – XXXO Remix ft. Jay-Z
13 Nas & Damian Marley – As We Enter Remix (Audio1 Edit) ft. Tinie Tempah
14 Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP – We No Speak Americano (Vocal Edit)
15 Miami Horror – Make You Mine
16 Sky Ferreira – Stand Back (Stevie Nicks Cover)
17 Zero 7 – Destiny (Fred Falke Remix)
18 Princess Nyah – Butterflies (Donaeo Remix)
19 Kid Sister – Daydreaming (Telephoned Dreams Version)
20 Calvin Harris – Stars Come Out
21 Drop the Lime – Sex Sax (Club Mix)
22 Two Door Cinema Club – What You Know
23 Cee-lo Green – What Part of Forever

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Rusko unearths the Lost Dubs

Posted on August 6, 2010 | Leave a comment


Fresh off some Twitter beef with Deadmau5, dubstep meistro Rusko recently released two volumes of unreleased material, for free and through Twitter. Perhaps inspired by Skream’s Freeizm EPs, The Lost Dubs contains some material that pre-dates even his earliest releases, with tracks from 2004 and 2005.

As the name suggests, these dubs are steeped in reggae and dancehall grooves, from the slinky guitar chords on “Gyal Dem Inna Codeine Style” to the wandering bassline on his remix of Skream’s “Dutch Flowers.” The tracks are an interesting look at Rusko’s early material: “Jump Up” sounds like an underdeveloped version of breakout single “Cockney Thug.”

While these dubplates trace the straight line between reggae and dubstep, they also show synergy between dubstep and hip-hop. “Get down low” mashes a pretty straight-forward rap with wobbly bass for a banger that presages Caspa’s “How Low Can You Go” remix.

Unfortunately, there are no hidden gems on these EPs; these are basically demo tapes. Still, the Lost Dubs are required listening for Rusko devotees. A third volume is to follow, which will continue to fill in the blanks of one of the biggest names in dubstep.

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Future Grooves: Camo UFOs

Posted on August 5, 2010 | Leave a comment

While DJs like Zinc have evolved beyond drum and bass, there is a counter-current of younger producers stoking a revival of the Goldie Years. Be it Zomby’s “Where Were You in ’92” or Skream’s big, ravey edits, nostalgia for early 90s dancefloor flavors – drum and bass, breakbeat, and jungle – is at an all-time high.



Camo UFOs, the LA-based duo of Thee Mike B and Nate Day, aim to fill the void. The two jungle fanatics are building a name for themselves with a string of remixes and mixtapes. I first heard of the pair on their R U SICK mix for the Fool’s Gold Foolcast. R U SICK is a high-energy hour of synth stabs and Amen breaks. During its finest moments, “Show Me Love” melts into tunes by the aforementioned Zinc; elsewhere, the UFOs pay tribute to ragga jungle (via early Rusko).



As remixers, the duo does a good job of identifying a song’s essential core before giving it the Camo UFO treatment; too often a remix loses the essence of the original. They remixed the biggest dance tracks of the last two years, “Mega” by the Count and Sinden and “Pon De Floor” by Major Lazer. Turning “Mega” from electro to jungle is an easy task; chopping up “Pon De Floor” is much more impressive.




A revival is only as good as its revivalists. Camo UFOs find the perfect balance between nostalgia and forward thinking, touching on genres and subgenres that haven’t sounded fresh in over a decade. Sometimes the best future grooves come from the past.

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The Verge: Bosco Delrey

Posted on August 4, 2010 | Leave a comment

Welcome to The Verge: a column dedicated to music on the edge of a breakthrough. Last week, this space featured a French band that has mastered 70s yacht rock. Now it’s time for an artist whose influences go even farther back.

The most significant aspect of last weekend’s Mad Decent Block Party is the continued dominance of the zeitgeist by Diplo. The entire line-up was a tribute to Wes Gully’s commitment to popularizing regional sounds from around the country and the world. Club music (DJ Sega and the Brick Bandits), moombahton (Nadastrom), electro-mambo (Maluca), and dubstep (Flufftronix) were just a few of the genres on display, the type of eclectic exuberance that makes Mad Decent an underground phenomenon.

Also performing in Philly was one of the most recent signees to Mad Decent, Bosco Delrey, who, like his Mad Decent family, promises to break new ground. Bosco Delrey is a Memphis by way of Jersey singer-songwriter. His music is best described as rockabilly with a dancehall flair (hallbilly?). Like Jack White before him, Delrey looks and sounds like a relic of a place and time that never truly existed.



Delrey croons like Elvis while strumming wavy riffs over programmed beats and chirps of electronic noise. As a genre, rockabilly refuses to ever die, as there are always musicians and audiences that crave the sound and fury of proto rock and roll, that truly American relic. “Space Junky” is typical of his output (of which there are only five songs), with a throwback melody and modern dance elements.



The sinister sounding “Evil Lives” is fueled by chilling organ chords and a trap music beat. The refrain of “Devil’s gonna cut you up” is a flip on Johnny Cash’s “God’s gonna cut you down.” The song – and Delrey’s sound – owe much to the man in black. Plus, “Evil Lives” is an anagram for “Elvis Live.” Spooky.

Like all Mad Decent artists, Bosco Delrey has free reign to develop organically. Even if that means lo-fi reworking of Gucci Mane songs. Trust in Diplo, and trust in Bosco Delrey.

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Dubstep goes pop

Posted on August 3, 2010 | Leave a comment

As a genre, dubstep has reached a precipice. With successive releases by Rusko and Skream, and the highly-anticipated released by Magnetic Man around the corner, the mainstreaming of dubstep appears to have begun. The beats are still aggressive, the bass is still wobbly, but the music is easier to digest, due in large part to trance-like diva vocals. Unlike the darker, groovier luvstep, this “popstep” is just that – suitable for larger audiences ready to dance. Here are a few of the songs (and videos) you need to know:

Rusko, with a little help from Dirty Projector Amber Coffman, broke the scene wide open with “Hold On.” And if the crowds in the video are any indication, he may be on to something. All of a sudden, his upcoming Britney Spears collaboration makes a lot more sense. Also of note: his remix of Lady Gaga’s “Alejandro.”

Magnetic Man, the dubstep supergroup formed by Brits Skream, Benga and Artwork, has scored a top ten hit in the UK with “I Need Air.” The trio destroyed the crowd at Hard NYC, a performance that certainly converted non-believers.

The next single off Magnetic Man’s October 4 debut is the shifty “Perfect Stranger,” featuring UK funky chanteuse Katy B. The song alternates between downtempo verses and a breakbeating chorus, and it closes out Magnetic Man’s recent Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1.

No mention of Katy B can be made without also dropping her solo single (over a Benga track), the addictive “Katy B on a Mission.”

For fans of electronic music who want to see the scene grow while also maintaining some sense of musical integrity, popstep is a way forward. While it may be anathema to dubstep purists, wouldn’t you rather see the likes of Rusko and Skream headlining three nights at the 9:30 Club?

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Mixtape Monday: Hip hop edition

Posted on August 2, 2010 | Leave a comment



Paradoxically, Freddie Gibbs is the future of hip hop because he is its finest throwback. Hip hop is full of backpackers in rose-colored glasses looking for “Golden Age” rappers. Instead, Gibbs’ finds in gangsta rap something resonant to a 28-year-old from Gary, Indiana who has literally fought for all he has. With last week’s release of the Str8 Killa No Filla mixtape and an EP of the same name tomorrow, Gibbs continues to demonstrate why he’s the valedictorian of XXL’s Freshman Class.

The mixtape features unreleased cuts and new heat from the EP. Tracks like “Face Down” and “In My Hood” are unrelenting trap music with Gibbs’ trademark style. On the 90s g-funk of “The Coldest,” B.J. the Chicago Kid plays Nate Dogg to Gibbs’ Dre; on “Best Friend,” Gibbs mans the chorus himself. The tape closes out with “Slangin’ Rocks,” where he goes even deeper into rap history.

The lead single on the EP, “National Anthem,” finds Gibbs in full Tupac mode, even going as far as including a “fuck the world” chorus. He switches between a syrupy flow and a staccato double-time, and as usual, he’s deft at both. To Gibbs, thug life isn’t a choice, it’s a fact of life. Being good in the game – dealing, pimping, killing – is something you do because you have to stay alive. He’s a realist and a pragmatist, and like Tupac before him, he isn’t afraid to get political. A perfect example is the clip for “National Anthem,” where the question is, 250 years later, has anything changed in America?

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Has it really been two years since Ron Browz, Jim Jones and Juelz Santana asked us to “pop champagne?” Time flies when you’re living large, like the rappers on this mix by The Rub’s Cosmo Baker. Baker continues his History of Hip Hop series with a look at 2008, when Weezy was pushing a million units in one week instead of a DOC mop.

2008 was a fun (if frivolous) year for hip hop. Baker expertly mixes the highlights for over 100 minutes of pure bang. No one has swagga like Cosmo, so don’t miss him at U Hall this week for Red Friday.

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