New Tune Tuesday (4/21/15)
–Written by Kevin Madert
Jayceeoh, B-Sides & Fawks – Jit Going Ham
The combined creation of VH1’s Master Of The Mix 2013 champion, a breezy trap up-and-comer, and a long-time AltFreq favorite, this hybrid future cut starts heavy and refuses to relent. Big synths and rhythmic clap patterns lead into a shuffling, detuned drop that hits the ears with serious weight & avoids easy labeling. Bridging the gap between progressive crowd-pleaser and hard-hitting underground gem, this three-pronged collab is prime fodder for both massive mainstages and sweaty basement clubs; expect to hear it rinsed by acts across the spectrum in the coming summer months.
Noisia – Incessant EP
The Dutch trio that’s been two steps ahead of the curve in the drum ‘n’ bass world for nearly a decade has done it once more, releasing the eclectic and innovative Incessant EP via Triple Vision. It’s an apt title for the four-track offering; from the opening moments of the title track we’re offered little respite from the double-time sonic onslaught. “Clusterfunk” and “Reptilians” – a pair of unpredictable collaborations with fellow technical DnB wizards Hybris & Mefjus – are personal stand-outs.
Michal Menert – Space Jazz
We’ll be giving this the full-length treatment in the coming days, but it’d be doing long-time astronaut Michal Menert a serious disservice if we didn’t include his latest album here too. Space Jazz is everything we wanted it to be, and the logical evolution of Menert’s soulful style. An astronomical amount of additional talent joined him in studio to help blast this one into the stratosphere (I’m hoping to get all the space puns out of my system here), including fellow PLM acts Paul Basic and SuperVision, Break Science’s Borham Lee, and Big Gigantic’s Dominic Lalli. Menert’s creative process has no ceiling but the stars above, to which Space Jazz can serve as testament.
Teenage Time Killers – Hung Out To Dry
From the depths of space to good ol’ rock and roll; the first single off Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 is also the first we’ve heard from Teenage Time Killers since Corrosion of Conformity’s Reed Mullin and My Ruin’s Mick Murphy linked up with producer John Lousteau to form the supergroup in 2014. The debut now has a release date – July 31 via Rise Records – and a track list featuring guest appearances by a bevy of world-class musicians. Case in point: the chugging bass on this speedy metal tune is supplied by Dave Grohl, who also offered up his Northridge, Calif. studios for use by the band. See the full tracklisting here (via Loudwire).
Amon Tobin – Dark Jovian EP
This Record Store Day exclusive release is the first since 2011’s ISAM from the highly influential Brazilian producer. Boasting five tracks and three remixes (including a distortion-defined EPROM rework of “In Your Own Time,” we particularly enjoyed) it’s a spacious, slow-developing collection that Tobin describes as a “small, personal project,” influenced by his experiences several years ago, “binge-watching space exploration shows.” Often vast in scope, segments of Dark Jovian conjure up the same feelings of insignificance that being dwarfed by an ever-expanding universe can instill. You can read more about the EP from Tobin himself, but unfortunate extenuating circumstances mean we can’t purchase the vinyl in the US until May 5.
Various Artists – Vocal Bangers, Volume 1
Seattle’s Simplify Recordings has been on a steady rise since its inception in 2009, signing and releasing music from some of our favorite forward-thinking bass music acts – we’re talking the likes of Defunk, Knightriderz, At Dawn We Rage, and Protohype. This week, they’ve put together a diverse compilation featuring some of their best vocal releases. The twelve tracks traverse the dubasphere, giving us soothing melodic (“Bittersweet,” “I’m With You,”) pulsating neuro (“Anywhere”) and plenty of “bangers” (“All Or Nothing,” “Let Go”). If you don’t already have most of these tracks, this is a great introduction to the Simplify catalog; grab a copy here.