Sixis Embraces a Fierce New Direction

Is it challenging for an artist who has found a degree of success to consciously decide to switch up their style? If one earns recognition doing things a certain way, how will they fare once they begin doing things differently? The experimental producer Sixis has some insight on these questions. He made his name beginning in 2015 with a handful of EPs and singles marked by ambiance, attention to detail, slow progression, and tropes of transcendence. It earned him a great reputation, a spot on the first Tipper & Friends Full Moon Gathering, and sets in Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Canada. Now the producer is pursuing a “fierce new direction”. 

Ben Wyss grew up in Berkeley, California, just a few minutes south from the Coalesce gathering where he and I spoke on New Years Eve. That January 1st performance was his biggest to date in the Bay Area, for the largest audience yet to hear his new, heavier material. It felt fitting that this would happen in his hometown among friends, many of whom were on the lineup with him. 10 years ago, Ben started going to festivals like the Rain Dance Campout in the Santa Cruz mountains, or Stilldream in Belden. These events inspired him and served as the beginning of his journey. Looking back, he sees a distinct progression from then until now, remarking that many of the artists and friends he saw in those days were there performing at Coalesce. 

When it comes to sound design and composition, Ben is exceptionally good at crafting a specific psychedelic style. So good that few expected his new music to be anything but that. In the past year or so he’s released the cinematic two-track EP Mirrored, an absolutely mad Frequent remix, and a crushing collaboration with Australian glitch stand out Whitebear. The share of aggressive music in his catalog is growing, and he just added a new single, ”Contact”. But what are his motivations? What’s it feel like to take a hard left turn with his artistry, and what’s next? 

The Rust: Many people may still associate Sixis with a sound you can sink softly into; something detailed and nuanced but not aggressive; something that can capture you, but doesn’t force itself upon you. I wanted to ask you about this new direction. 

I actually really enjoy listening to heavier, more intense music and I have for a long time, whether it was metal or electronic music. It’s only been within the past year or two that I’ve figured out how make heavier music that I’m actually happy with. I’m not that into most heavy bass music. It can get a little abrasive, and there’s often few truly melodic elements. That’s just my personal preference. So it’s taken me a while to do something like that. I like the energy. The potential of the energy there is awesome. But how can I make something that feels fulfilling to me, that’s also stimulating for my mind, my emotions, all that? 

So for the last year or two I’ve been experimenting a lot. Much of what I made I haven’t finished or released. I have an album that’s...getting there. I’m trying to find a way to blend this heavier, more intense, driving energy with something that is both cerebral and psychedelic like my music has always been, but also has emotional content there, and maybe a cinematic quality. And then somehow maybe works on the dancefloor. 

The Rust: That’s the golden ticket! 

It’s a lot. 

The Rust: That’s my favorite, when music engages you on both the psychological and physical levels. 

Part of Sixis’ most recent single “Contact”, with visuals by Resonant Language

Totally. What I’ve been playing out is this heavier stuff, but I’ve also been working on some very chill music. In the past my project was just one style, in a way, that was chiller, maybe some edginess maybe some glitchiness or whatever. But now it’s kind of heavier, more intense, and there’s this other really mellow stuff that will eventually be released. I’m really just trying to make what feels good to me, and have a good time playing out. I’ve been enjoying the energy. 

The Rust: One of the key things that attracts me to your music is the ideas in it. I think the first song I heard from you was “Conduit” from the 2015 Refection Point EP. I wanted to ask you about some of the ideas behind your music. What kind of messages or information, if any, do you try to communicate through your music?

Well, more recently I haven’t been using many vocal samples. I’ve been trying to keep it more open-ended for the listener. “Conduit” has a vocal sample saying something, it drops, whatever, it’s great. I’ve kind of stopped doing that because I really want it to be completely open to interpretation. But it is still a very conceptual process for me. There is often a narrative, often abstract, for each song; telling a story, going through these different movements and emotions and thoughts; different patterns. 

The Rust: So some of those patterns may provoke, or are designed to provoke, something. 

Definitely. I’ve really been trying to think about music as an emotional thing. Because I think it’s more that than anything else. I guess dance music is a bit more of a movement thing, too. So I’ve been trying to focus more on feeling, and capturing what I’m feeling at the moment and putting that into my music. So in the end every track is a reflection of what I’ve been going through for the last week or month that I’ve been working on it. 

The Rust: Does it usually take you a long time to work on music?

In the past, yes. Recently I’ve gotten a bit faster which is nice. I’ve been more strict with myself. And I think I’m finally figuring out something that I feel comfortable with, instead of doubting myself and changing things over and over again. Just being able to get something right from the beginning. 

The Rust: I have my own ideas about what an event like Coalesce is representing, but what does it represent to you? 

One of the reasons Coalesce feels different or special to me - well, I have a lot of friends who are playing which is awesome - but it’s a lot of up and coming artists. Of course there are big names, but it feels like there’s been something happening that’s been underground for a while which is now beginning to be generate events like Coalesce. Something has been happening for a while but it’s not been recognized as much as some other things. 

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Something similar could be said about his show this evening at One Art Community Center in Philadelphia, where he’ll be part of a showcase along with Ultrasloth, Mickman, Chee and a bevy of other hitters presented by Aspire Higher (tickets).

Complexity is the common denominator between Sixis’ different styles. He’s working with contemporary neuro sound designs, but within a songwriting framework that’s vastly different than other neuro music out there. The complicated and constantly evolving synthesis that he’s known for is still there, but it now invites the listener’s attention in a different way. Taking that risk can be challenging for an artist, but the size of the challenge is often mirrored by the size of the reward.

FOLLOW Sixis: Soundcloud / Bandcamp

Maynix - Trumours

After quietly pushing tunes through a series of boutique labels and outlets for three years, the shadowy producer Maynix shares the breathtaking full-length debut Trumours. The compositional risks are so bold and the sound design so potent that Trumours easily matches up against some of the brightest releases of 2019. Appropriately, it comes courtesy of Open Outlets, the label owned and operated by the UK heavyweight Culprate. 

Open Outlets is a home for eclectic music, including works from Leon Ross, Orbin, Poztman, and beyond, plus a remix from Maynix himself on Chimera’s Chapters EP. Fans may also remember Maynix’s collaboration with Cut Rugs on the latter’s New release on The Rust Music. Given the utter quality of Trumours, it’s no wonder this debut has ended up in the hands of top-tier content curator like Culprate.

Trumours is a broken-beat paradise. Over the course of nine full tracks and three interludes, Maynix swings through a variety of rhythms while staying focused on a neurological blend of jazz and brutal synthesis. Each song is a full on composition that builds and resolves through blistering bass lines and melodious breakdowns, ebbing back and forth between heavy and buoyant sounds. Beyond just the specific tones, it’s artistic risk that makes Trumours so remarkable.

The track “My Mind Is Shocked” personifies this malleable sort of songwriting. Haunting jazz chords and a single guitar slide remain constant among a cascade of percussion and audio artifacts. Come the halfway point, everything in the stereo mix melts out of phase until it all miraculously smashes back into an entirely fresh arrangement. “Dotted” takes breaking the beat to next level with cuts that seem to burst through saturated webs to reach the surface of the mix. Drum fills and turnarounds rain from the top of the stereo space to the bottom between pulses of raucous low-end and meandering guitar strings. 

Holding the attention of electronic music consumers (or anyone) in today’s global market is a daunting task from any angle. Songs, mixes, and collections come and go in and out of rotation at light speed and it’s challenging to stand out. Maynix goes well beyond standing out. The sonic landscape on Trumours will resonate with all fans of eccentric music. With a meticulous eye for detail and a Midas touch for production and songwriting, Maynix has delivered an album in a league of its own.

FOLLOW Maynix: Bandcamp / Soundcloud / Spotify / Facebook

Elements Lakewood 2019 Stands Out Among Small Festivals

(Credit: AJR Photo)

By presenting diverse lineups in an immersive summer camp setting since 2017, Elements Lakewood Music and Arts Festival has been edging towards becoming the premiere electronic music festival in the northeastern United States. This year on Memorial Day Weekend, they solidified that spot by taking their stage production, logistics, and guest offerings to the next level.

Lakewood was nominated in DJ Mag as one of the best boutique festivals in all of North America in 2018. We’re not sure what criteria make a festival boutique - the size of the audience or its socioeconomic status, the festival’s infrastructure, its budget, or its independence - but these accolades may have surprised those who attended Lakewood’s first two years. It’s been fantastic, sure, but best on the continent? Well, BangOn! NYC went above and beyond this year, taking care of patrons, focusing on the details, creating a ton of that old magic, and truly earning this continental distinction.

Lakewood stands out among small festivals for its ability to blend different musical subcultures. This is reflected in their bookings, which center on house and techno but range into dubstep, ambient and jam. The fest also plays to fans who prefer different levels of experience, by emphasizing glamping and tiered cabin packages in addition to regular old tent-pitching. Catering to these audiences all at once and balancing their different desires and patterns of behavior is no small task, but BangOn! pulls it off year after year. One fan reflected beside the lake about how Lakewood was deepening his understanding of the wider electronic music culture, enabling him to experience parts of that culture he was unfamiliar with and helping him to “connect some dots”, in his words.

(Credit: Jess Bernstein Photography)

Lakewood pulls an international contingent that’s attracted to the all-star house and techno lineup. Lakewood lineups are truly all-you-can-eat buffets for four-on-the-floor fans. The bass crowd continues to show out for niche bookings and late night takeovers by area crews. Most importantly, Lakewood draws on New York City’s massive electronic music scene. BangOn! truly brings the best of New York nightlife, in all its weirdness and wonder, out to rural Pennsylvania. When you see Lakewood’s resident “Funtender” and House of Yes mainstay Rawb Lane presiding over a crowd on top of a huge welded art installation in a Webster Hall t-shirt banging out the rhythm on the tower with a gigantic metal spoon, you know it’s some New York shit. Many of the same individuals and collectives that hold down Brooklyn parties contribute to Lakewood, and it shows.

These diverse audiences were spread across Lakewood’s diverse stages. More mainstream house fans could see acts like Disclosure and Dirtybird artists on the Fire Stage, sponsored this year by Dancing Astronaut. The production and pyrotechnics here, always on point, were even better this year thanks to fire-breathing dragon art car and a fresh Hennessey Sound Design system held down by Tiaga Sound and Lighting Group, a crew based in Washington State. Bass music was concentrated on the Earth Stage and in the Theater Stage lodge, both of which were equipped with LEDs controlled by Rhizome, which has provided world class visual production at Lakewood since the festival began. Regional crews Sermon, Good Looks Collective, The Rust Music and The Gradient Perspective threw down at the Theatre Stage each night.

Local house DJs spun during the day lakeside at the Water Stage. The Brooklyn nightclub House of Yes curated the stage this year and brought their inclusive freak party to the beach every afternoon. Techno and the more rarified side of house music is found on the Air Stage, Lakewood’s premiere stage and the focal point of the energy at the festival. The best sound on the grounds could be found in the vector of the Air Stage’s Funktion One rig, controlled masterfully by One Source Productions. Sponsored by Mixmag and tucked deep into the woods, the Air Stage is the most remote stage at the festival and the most immersive. It includes platforms built into the trees, decorated huts surrounding the dance floor, viewing platforms and VIP-esque chill spots that anyone can access, and the greatest decoration of all - lush Northeastern forestry.

(Credit: Jess Bernstein Photography)

Memories are made in many ways at this festival, from interactive art installations and gorgeous murals to tiny enclaves of relaxation, curated activities, and dedicated spaces for wellness and harm reduction. Heck, you could raise the jolly roger with your homies and cruise the lake on a pirate ship. Your correspondent found his zen in the middle of the placid lake. Here I discovered the elusive East Village cabins, which are on the opposite side of the lake away from the action, arrayed in rows atop an open lawn which rolls down to the shoreline. Kids were playing soccer in the field, one cabin had Brazilian and Spanish flags flowing in the breeze, and Tycho’s “A Walk” was wafting across the waters from the cabins. “This is what it’s all about,” I thought.

The real and unexpected solace I found here was powerful. Music festivals can be a unique paradox. Weekend warriors take time off work and leave behind tiring routines to attend them. Functionally, they’re a vacation, but in practice, they can be anything but relaxing. But alone on a paddle board soaking up the hot sun and swimming in the cold water, I found energy that helped me float for the rest of the weekend and beyond. Space to truly get away and unwind is one of Lakewood’s key assets.

Musically, too, it was hard to predict where the best vibes would come from. I found them at dawn on Saturday at the Air Stage where David Hohme spun an unscheduled 6:00-8:00am sunrise set following five mesmerizing hours with Seth Troxler then Damian Lazarus. Hohme captured the energy in the air and pumped it back out with deep, ethereal house. There’s certain melodies, certain series of notes, that unlock certain emotions in the human being. We’re programmed to enjoy these archetypal sounds. They create a sense of unity and oneness when they wash over us, and it’s often these melodies that people spend a lifetime on dancefloors chasing. Hohme hit these notes just right, creating a spiritual experience for the small group of dedicated attendees seeing the night through to its beautiful end.

(Credit: Julian Cassady)

The Belgian livetronica act Stavroz was the weekend’s biggest surprise. A band on the Air Stage? Unheard of! But sure enough, with guitars and synthesizers they put down dark and funky four-on-the-floor grooves garnished with trumpet solos, offering a twist on dance music that few attendees were expecting. Their energy was feverish, especially when they turned Daniel Norgren’s "Howling Around My Happy Home" into a full-blown house track with soulful guitar and pure, honest vocals. Another livetronica act offered fans an unorthodox presentation of groove at the Earth Stage; the 5AM Trio. With producer and multi-instrumentalist Tygris on bass guitar and turntables and ZONE Drums holding down the pocket, the Philadelphia-based group led by producer 5AM combined the psychedelic sound of glitch hop with the improvisational style of jazz and jam.

Attendance at Lakewood jumped this year, and the production team made key moves to enable this. They moved the Earth Stage into the forest from atop the hill near the entrance, which created more space up top for GA camping. Cabins are a key piece of the ecosystem at Lakewood, providing solid shelter and encouraging attendees to crew up. BangOn! moved artists off-site this year to a nearby lodge, which freed up more cabins for attendees. The parking and shuttle system was the festival’s achilles heel in 2017 and 2018, but this year it was a breeze.

(Credit: Julian Cassady)

Perhaps the key to Lakewood’s success is that it treats people right and encourages them to do the same to themselves and others. A safe, mellow atmosphere presides on the grounds, even during the most intense musical moments. The event promotes irreverence, new interactions and group activities. In addition to carving out more space in the northeastern festival market, Lakewood earned another distinction - the No. 1 Summer Camp for freaks, music heads and fun lovers.

Here’s one more detail worth sharing. Ella Mint’s Phonebooth Tiny Home was an art installation in the woods near the Air Stage featuring a phone booth decorated 1950s style with a white picket fence and garden plot to boot. Inside, there was a phone book hanging on the wall. Opening the phone book, I found it was actually a photo album full of smiling faces from the first two years of Elements Lakewood. Here’s to many more.

FOLLOW Elements Music & Arts Festival:   Elements Lakewood   /   Elements NYC   /   Facebook   /   Instagram

Lo-Fi Sundays 076 - J. Vibes

While the majority of lo-fi hip-hop content is, by definition, low fidelity, a few producers take a walk off the beaten path. Fusing lo-fi textures and sampling motifs with audio dynamics characteristic to trip-hop and other sibling genres, the music of J. Vibes comes out extremely lush and stereophonic. Hailing from Aarhus, Amsterdam, he is a member of the prolific international beats collective NINETOFIVE Worldwide Beatmakers, placing him alongside ØDYSSEE, Mecca:83, Axian, and a host of other top-flight producers from across the globe. Given his aptitude for churning out compositionally rich and texturally potent music, it’s no wonder he’s thoroughly connected to a large swath of veteran beatsmiths.

Synthesizers aren’t necessarily taboo territory for lo-fi music, but their variable presence is often sparing, lightly dusted into the background for some stereo wideness. It’s all the more interesting then to find such a focus on synthesis throughout J. Vibe’s available discography. Tracks like "Mood Swing" gradually evolve from smokey hip-hop anthems into vinyl-coated breakdowns, replete with wobbles, melody stabs, and transient downbeats. Going back further into his catalog, his music takes on a more traditional lo-fi veneer, save for the extremely juicy sub bass found in songs like “Organic Textures”. The arrangement and chord progression fits squarely into classic lo-fi modes, cushioned by surprisingly weighty low-end. Regardless of where the journey through the sounds of J. Vibes starts or finishes, there’s a deliciously wide palette of flavors available to taste.

By bucking trends and putting wide stereo imaging back on the table for lo-fi hip-hop, J. Vibes stands out above the crowd of his contemporaries. The presence and body to his music gives it a life that can be difficult to achieve through faded textures and muted tones alone. With a stellar team of fellow beat junkies and critically minded producers alongside him, the collaborative possibilities seem endless and inevitable, and serves as a reminder that we’re not the only ones with a close eye on this stellar musician.

FOLLOW J. Vibes: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook

Chalky - Blooe EP

Rounding back into the public spotlight for his sophomore release, Chalky doubles down on his particular brand of nu jazz in the Blooe EP. His debut album, Second Beach, saw him meander through various jazz modalities via intuitive instrumentalism and keen composition. The Blooe EP is a refined and tonally conversational next step in the Chalky catalog.

Much like his previous releases, this EP is both instrumentally verbose and compositionally airtight. Every track features organic pauses, refrains, and swells of emotion, like the natural moments spent gathering and debating thoughts within a dialogue. If the music is a conversation, “Bluebird” is the whimsical first “hello”, replete with a steady rhythmic pulse and succinct harmonies across the duration of the track. The composition gradually ramps up into further harmonies and chord progressions while simultaneously maintaining a smooth sonic profile. The everpresent smoothness in Chalky’s growing discography is very much his calling card, with his songwriting and music production skills being firstly responsible for the cohesion and fidelity felt throughout his music.

Most good conversations exude a mutual feeling of finality after exchanging goodbyes and farewells. The Blooe EP makes peace with its ending moments through a latinate serenade of the senses; “Blooe Bossa” is a stereophonic vacation, sultry in the ears and tropical on the palette. The wholesome blend of brass, strings, percussion, and foley alliterate the composition, bringing to life the totality of the EP’s musical strengths. From start to finish, the Blooe EP rides inside the rhythmic pocket, slowly rolling from each track into the next without the slightest dissonance. Chalky’s focus on harmony and instrumental dialogue delivers grander compositions with each successive release, and it should come as no surprise that this EP is a fortuitous step ahead in his career.

The current musical climate in the UK is undergoing a sort of new jazz Renaissance. Acts like Yussef Dayes, Kamaal Williams, Mo Kolours and others have been reinventing the modern jazz wheel, injecting a massive dose of acid flavoring and off-kilter song writing into the genre's blood stream. Chalky maintains his musical intrigue through his aural approachability; for the picky and critically minded, this EP is ripe with compositional nuance and emotive phrasing. For the easy listeners, it is just as laid back and digestible as it is tonally full. Regardless of whatever kind of listener you happen to be, it's in your best interest to power up your nearest sound system, grab a few rolling papers, and prepare to take flight with the ever personable Captain Chalky.

FOLLOW Chalky: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook

Lo-Fi Sundays 075 - Mecca:83

Every weekend we curate 10 tracks from one instrumental hip-hop producer to try to capture his or her essence. This can be a challenging task, but it may have never been more challenging than this weekend as we feature the music of Manchester-based producer Evan Jones aka Mecca:83. His catalog is vast, and virtually every cut is worthy of a deep listen. Plus, music from his jazz alias just became available for streaming for the first time. And just earlier today he debuted a new four track EP, Quiet Dawn. Midnight, dawn and times of day are motifs throughout the producer’s catalog.

Mecca’s music has been supported by Soulection and the legendary curator Giles Peterson. He’s collaborated with dozens of influential producers including Tom Misch, Grap Luva, and Es-K, and instrumentalists like pianist Kazumi Kaneda and trumpet player Octavio Santos. In addition to the label he’s favored most recently, NINETOFIVE Worldwide Beatmakers, he has compilation credits with Inner Ocean Records, Stay Cool, Chillhop Music, and more. He released his first project as Mecca:83 in 2010, and hasn’t stopped grinding since, infusing jazz and pure spirit into boom-bap beats that frequently include live instrumentation.

The playlist kicks off with a Malcolm X sample, which is an appropriate representation of the righteousness and spiritual depth of Mecca’s output. The sample comes from Rise, Mecca’s jazz alias (additional aliases include REdefinition and Alexis Davis). He first began producing as Rise in 2008, and for the first time, jewels from this era are now available to stream through The Rise Collection: 2008-2018 thanks to NINETOFIVE. Here’s some words from the man himself about this project.

If you've only been following me since the "Mecca:83" era you might not be familiar with the spiritual jazz side of my output under the name Rise.  From 2008 to 2018 - Rise was my alias for creating instrumental music inspired by the likes of Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra and the more Spiritual side of Jazz Music in the late 60s/early 70s: an era I hold dear to my heart. "A Rise collection" compiles 10 tracks from 2008-2018 that I think best capture the essence of the Rise sound. Expect to hear multi-layered percussion work outs, ample saxophone solos and spiritual vibes a plenty.

We won’t say more about Mecca’s music - it speaks for itself. We will say this; If there was just one producer whose music encapsulates this moment in time and musical space, this decade of instrumental hip-hop (and for the record, there are many), it might be Mecca:83.

FOLLOW Mecca:83: Official / Soundcloud / Spotify / Bandcamp / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter

Veteran Aussie Producer Spoonbill Drops Anticipated "Canopy" LP

Among the list of widely influential electronic music producers, it’s no surprise to find that a vast quantity of them either come from - or end up moving into - audio engineering backgrounds and enterprises. From a technical standpoint, there’s an obvious pairing between the ability to compose and produce the musical product and refine its overall sonic profile. This technical association is only half of the equation, however, as engineering capabilities often further translate into an enhanced composition and production output in a wonderfully circular feedback loop. Jim Moynihan positions himself at the center of that loop through his musical moniker, Spoonbill. A veteran instrumentalist and production prodigy, Moynihan’s releases over the last 14 years feature a number of critically celebrated albums, including the venerable downtempo album Tinkerbox. Channeling a similar vein of songwriting fundamentals and tonal fluidity, Canopy is the newest addition to the Spoonbill catalog, fusing time-tested design philosophies with fresh, lucid compositions.

Originally an avid percussionist, Moynihan went on to find himself enamored with electronic music after acquiring his first sampler in 1998. By the turn of the century, he possessed a degree in industrial design and a ferocious appetite for immersive productions. Across the last 16+ years, Moynihan has reached international acclaim for his intuitive audio-visual installations around the world while concurrently crafting and pursuing the Spoonbill experience. Crystal-clear patching and fidelity, improvisation, and glitched-out instrumental recordings are the plumage of this particularly eclectic avian, resulting in the sonic hallmark of stereo fullness within Spoonbill productions. Eschewing any and all rhythmic boundaries, his tracks take on a wide variety of forms and genre influences, and each consecutive release explores a bevy of tonal territories and attitudes.

The especially vibrant and organic timbres in Tinkerbox heavily contribute to its continued influence, bridging the gap between the formal precision of electronic production and the informal fluidity of instrumental music. Canopy is as much a positive successor to Tinkerbox as it is a uniquely original collection of tracks, further refining his trademark textures through an entirely new compositional landscape. The album opens with the incredibly cinematic “Open Misere”, blending orchestral string movements, harmonized brass, and powerful phrases of tension and release. It serves as a grand welcome into the often maniacal, always sultry Spoonbill experience, opening the way for vivid imaginings and emotional serenades. Expanding on the emotive atmosphere of the album, “Gullydupling” balances high moments of elation with relaxed breaks and passive turnarounds. The arrangement builds gracefully and resolves softly, mimicking the progression of Canopy as a whole, and indeed much of the Spoonbill Discography.

Moynihan’s musical catalog is a hodgepodge of original instrumentation and eccentric sampling, often resulting in fantastically imaginative combinations of moods and styles. “Coobalah” plays heavily on the use of scat samples, incorporating jazz vocalizations that are straight out of a 1920’s speakeasy. Resting these samples atop a frenetic arrangement, the track feels like an ode to the dance-first mentality of early glitch-hop, holding onto an in-the-pocket rhythm throughout its duration. Pocketed rhythms are a fast staple of Spoonbill productions, and Jim’s life-long passion for percussion is as foundational to Canopy as it is to every other Spoonbill release. “Nodding Greenhood” is a prime example of this percussive focus, with a shower of loquacious high-hats, clicks, pops, and downbeats pushing the song through its paces. Even at its highest moments of intensity, it remains driven by the rhythm, with every pulse of synthesis responding and calling out to the drums around it. The way the entire album meanders through its own vibe makes it all the more satisfying when it reaches the final track; “Thermal Ride” is to Canopy as “Lot Three” is to Tinkerbox. The note relationships and sensual choice of tone produces a constant air of finality, slowly rolling to the album’s conclusion through a song that touches the heartspace as well as the headspace. Gentle guitar lines dance between rubberized synthesis and splashes of delicate foley, finally saying goodbye with one effluent slidetar chord.

The last year has been a busy one for Moynihan: He’s returned to the United States for the first time in 10 years, delivering a Tinkerbox-inspired performance for Tipper’s three-night run in Brooklyn at the legendary King’s Theatre. He brought in the new year with a midnight performance in San Francisco at Cosmic Synergy’s highly anticipated Coalesce event. He released the Crosshatch EP, and now has yet another full-length album under his belt. He’s slated for performances at The Stone House in Nevada City, CA, as well as the Sonic Bloom and Yonderville music festivals later this summer, and will likely continue to perform here and abroad well into the fall. After a decade’s hiatus away from the United States, we can’t recommend enough that you catch him yourself, as his performances are as exuberant and immersive as his studio catalog. With Canopy now released into the public sphere, it can only be surmised that this material will receive a thorough reimagining as soon Spoonbill next graces the stage.

FOLLOW Spoonbill: Bandcamp / Spotify / Soundcloud / Website

Skope - Beneath EP

Bass-focused electronic music in the Western hemisphere has always taken cues from sonic developments in the United Kingdom. The career of Skope, one of England’s finest producers and engineers, is a great example. The tenured heavyweight in the underground music scene was part of a small wave of producers who envisioned modern neuro textures over the first few years of the 2010s.  After three relatively quiet years, the neuro progenitor has teamed up with Slug Wife to push out the Beneath EP, an emulsified lesson in audio brutalism.

Skope’s style during his first few years in the public realm was self-styled as neuro-hop, playing off of hip-hop rhythmic motifs and saturated sound design. Much like Koan Sound or Opiuo, his Razorbeam EP and Rollerskates & Hoverboards EP combined a dancefloor-friendly approach with technical precision, utilizing wide stereo imaging and consistent percussive grooves. On the Strange Science EP, Skope redefined his output around the proliferation of the half-time interpretation of drum and bass. Since that release, his production and arrangement philosophy have evolved dramatically, resulting in new, monstrous sound design and composition on the Beneath EP. From the synthesis to the percussion processing to the double-faced audio glitches, this release is another accolade atop Skope’s legacy. Every track slings mean-mugged bass lines that do exactly what he is so known for; absolutely shredding speaker cones.

It seems like Slug Wife is on everyone’s tongue at all times, and their discerning followers won’t be disappointed once the Beneath EP makes its rounds. Given the length of time since Skope’s last release, this meeting of the minds could slingshot his catalog back into the forefront for old fans and new. Considering the bone-crushing size of these tunes, our fingers are definitely crossed for some live and direct action with the man himself. In the meantime, we’ll have the Beneath EP on gratuitous repeat.

FOLLOW Skope Beatport / Soundcloud / Facebook

FOLLOW Slug Wife: Bandcamp / Soundcloud / Facebook

Saltus & Pathwey - Mirage [Single]

The latest single from Street Ritual finds two mystics of underground bass, Saltus & Pathwey, joining forces to cast a powerful sonic spell called “Mirage”. Saltus hails from Boston, MA and co-founded the production powerhouse Rezinate. Pathwey is from Asheville, NC and was recently signed to Street Ritual’s booking agency. Both put their best foot forward here and the result is one of the strongest tracks in either’s catalog.

As its name might imply, “Mirage” has a disorienting effect on the listener. Clocking in at more than five minutes, the song maneuvers through multiple forms before leveling the listener with its third drop, a sharp slice of neuro bass that comes from way out in left field. The sub bass is extreme, and sets the foundation for a brilliant use of stereo space. Sonic elements abound in the track - hi-fidelity glitches, foley, ambient pads, vague vocal samples - but the producers maintain a sense of dimension by carefully rounding the edges of their sounds manipulating the reverb delicately. They create a spatial hierarchy for their sounds so that glitches seep into your ear, percussive elements pop with force, and the sub bass, like water, both flows and crashes at different moments.

Both Saltus and Pathwey primarily focus on 140 & 85 bpm music. Their music emphasizes atmosphere and soundscape more than most 140 fare, but without compromising the style’s thumping, drum-driven essence. This summer, Saltus intends to drop a project long in the making - the “Nightsky” mix - an all original and unreleased (save for “Mirage”) dive into the deepest, truest part of the producer’s universe. Pathwey recently released an absolutely epic and earthy mix through the Shanti Planti series on RadiOzora, one your correspondent’s personal favorites of 2019 so far. (This renaissance man also put together the lunar lattice artwork for the single). Choon in to those frequencies but also be careful, because “Mirage” could come soon to wreck a dance floor near you.

FOLLOW Saltus:  Soundcloud  /  Bandcamp  /  Spotify / Facebook

FOLLOW Pathwey: Soundcloud / Spotify / Facebook

Lo-Fi Sundays 074 - 1 UP

Laying down stupendous cuts with an almost lackadaisical hand, 1 UP is a relative newcomer with an audacious talent for vibrant Lo-Fi music. With three EPs and dozens of singles under his belt already, his style varies as widely as the hip-hop terrarium allows, capturing a variety of moods separated by hazy lines.

The arrangement philosophy of 1 UP's music has a way of mimicking the natural rhythms in his chosen samples. The cuts contain lives of their own, originating from a multitude of backgrounds and genres. The real magic is pairing resampled or produced drum kits with the percussive artifacts left behind during the sampling process; the tonality and finish to the layered kicks, snares, and accents bring a sort of fermentation to each track. In conjunction with genuinely cogent rhythmic production, his melody cuts are a curated grabbag of instrumental dives and flares. Sprayed across the spectrum of his music, vocal samples from every heavy hitting hip-hop record in memory find a home atop any one of 1 UP's urbanized beats.

Given the short life thus far of his released catalog, 1 UP demonstrates an approach and application of sampling and production that does serious justice to the idea of beats music. With such high turn around rate on new releases, it's not wonder he's been able to establish a formidable selection of origin tunes in just a year's time. With a frequency like that, we can't wait to hear what else must be assuredly just around the corner with 1 UP.

FOLLOW 1 UP: Soundcloud / Spotify / Bandcamp

KLO, Mickman Offer Glitch-Hop Getdown at Middle East Downstairs

(Credit: James Coletta)

Around mid-day, Friday, April 26th, Rezinate began its familiar controlled chaos at the Boston mainstay venue The Middle East Night Club. Stacks of Battleaxes, Switchbacks, Cannons, and more were loaded into the building by the masterminds from Hennessey Sound Design, the Massachusetts-based company that works essentially as Rezinate’s exclusive partners at the Middle East. Through their long history with the venue, these teams have been able to perfectly adjust their sound set-up to the dimensions of the room. As a result, they consistently provide an expert-level audio experience, and this evening would be no different. This particular night, the collaborative powerhouse glitch-hop act K.L.O headlined in the historic venue’s basement.

The night kicked off with a familiar face, Tygris, a trained audio engineer, producer and instrumentalist. Fresh off a 5AM Trio performance the night prior in Philadelphia, Tygris took the early arriving crowd on a journey rooted in hip-hop, with a seamless flow that allowed the crowd to effortlessly follow the story he depicted through sound. He produces dramatic soundscapes coupled with voice manipulations that echo in the back of our minds and keep us bobbing our heads, especially when Rasp-5 hops on stage and dishes us some fresh lyrics for the brain.   

Next, the Street Ritual label boss took the stage and held the room in a constant wobble. Fresh off a Rezinate guest mix that received a ton of fanfare just a few days prior, spacegeishA was noticeably excited to be rocking it. Her personal tune collection is 50 fathoms deep, boasting names from every corner of far space, and samples galore from many dimensions of the underground electronic scene. She leaves no stone unturned in the worlds of halftime, 140, and psy-bass, and she delivered a crushing set once again.

By 10:15, the room began to swell with people. The sound team had seamlessly transitioned into Vinja’s set, and the room really began to feel more alive. This set touched on just about every concept of free-form production techniques one can think of, keeping the crowd bouncing from beginning to end with flawless scratches, cuts and mixes. Vinja’s primary style draws glitch hop, old-school rap and break-beats, but he can flow in and out of opposing genres while maintaining an overarching sound. This evening it was a deep house track that earned the most enthusiastic response from the crowd, believe it or not.

Direct support came from the one and only Mickman. There was a long turning of the sta turn which that left the room perplexed but not uncomfortable, he came out guns blazing with a set bursting - as always - with new music. Dripping in complex, original trip-hop and heavy psychedelic beats, Mickman brought a vibe that kept the crowd gasping for air between drops and breakdowns.

Hailing all the way from the UK, fresh off of a headlining set at Tipper and Friends, K.L.O. got things moving quickly for their highly anticipated Boston debut. Osmetic and Lone Drum lit up the stage with a style that can be described as none other than “acid scratch”. These two have a flawless technique when in tandem and really represent what high caliber live mixing looks like. Osmetic aka Mike Wallis (one half of Crunch) is an OG in the game and he rinsed out a surplus of selectors. Ben Parker (Lone Drum) was on the turntable duties that evening, splaying and fraying cuts and samples across stereo space.These two know what they are doing, taking the crowd through cerebral warfare with their complex soundscapes, layering endless samples and loops upon one another. It’s no wonder everyone around the country is flocking to see what The Slugwife crew has to offer.

Rezinate was able to display the spectacular visuals of New England native David Schunemann aka Actualize on a crisp, brand new LED. Actualize is a becoming a force in his own right, steadily gaining traction as a respected VJ. You can catch him at Equinox Festival this summer among other shindigs. His smooth transitions and deep reservoir of art to select from created a great audio visual synchronization at the Middle East.

It’s nothing new for this New England team to showcase world-class talent while simultaneously big-upping local artists with supporting roles. They strive to curate a rather avant-garde experience whose fundamental focus is “cultivating deep, reverberating sound for a discerning audience,” and they hit their mark once again this evening. The atmosphere cultivated by Rezinate, Hennessey, the Middle East and all the fans on nights like these helps nurture a wholesome community based around freedom of expression and an appreciation for authentic performances.

FOLLOW Rezinate: Facebook / Soundcloud / Instragram / Twitter / Rezinate HQ

FOLLOW the photographers: James Coletta

Saltfeend - Balboa EP

Bringing prime cuts and street-inspired style to the table, Portland based Saltfeend is a multifaceted producer with a knack for all things head-nod. Having been DJing from 1997 on, he has gained a well-deserved notoriety as an ambitious selector with a presentation skillset to match. Come 2016, he began to turn his hand towards original productions, and has released a multitude of tracks from across the genre spectrum. Running through stylizations of bass music, downtempo, lounge, and hip-hop, Saltfeend is a jack of all trades when combining his newfound production prowess with his long history of DJ fundamentalism. Expanding upon his quickly growing catalog, his newest release is a collection of dusty boom-bap sonatas; the Balboa EP brings a detail-oriented approach to Lo-Fi soundscapes, delivering a refreshing interpretation of mind-swelling hip-hop.

From top to bottom, the Balboa EP maintains a strong compositional dynamic, with each track breathing almost biologically through an attentive arrangement. Sultry chords and generous amounts of vibrato give a certain elasticity the stereo width of every song, giving the EP the impression of ducking and weaving around each downbeat. Indulgent arpeggios are a heavy staple across the five tracks, filling out the upper frequency spectrum alongside crisp snare transients. Gentle helpings synthesis has its place within the EP as well, serving as rhythmic turnarounds and the signal of approaching refrains. Altogether, Saltfeend has delivered a package of off-kilter beats and sensual melodies that are optimally suited for adjusting a vibe and maintaining a vibrant headspace.

In a sea of similar artists, Saltfeend separates himself from the pack through fidelity and composition. The fine tuning to his arrangements and internal mixing is the hallmark of his productions, and his ear for melodious interplay shines above the rest. Finding an apt home amongst like-minded producers and musicians, the Balboa EP is being released through Uncomfortable Beats, an Australian label with a laser-sharp vision for experimental hip-hop and bass music. With a world-wide reach and world-influenced musical aptitude, we can’t wait to hear what Saltfeend cooks up next.

FOLLOW Saltfeend: Bandcamp / Soundcloud / Spotify / Facebook / Webpage

Tipper - Jettison Mind Hatch

In the landscape of independent electronic music, a bevy of formative musicians, producers, and engineers are viewed as having pioneered the current paradigms in the production and composition philosophy of this alternative sonic hemisphere. Amongst those prescient audionauts, Dave Tipper has served as an anchor and inspiration for an entire generation of fans and musicians alike. It’s been five years since the release of Forward Escape, a seminal dive into the expanse and attitude of compositionally rich electronic music. In the time since, Tipper has gradually redefined the framework of his musical output, as well as set a new standard on the design philosophy of curated live events. The inclusive, sonically-driven, detail-oriented vision that precludes his personal events and concerts has raised the benchmark time and time again, following in tandem with the almost biological evolution of his music. The frequency in which he unveils new material during his performances vastly outweighs the frequency in which he unveils new studio releases, but like most good dishes, he lets the music come to a slow roast before serving it as a full meal. Such is the case with Jettison Mind Hatch, the next installment in Tipper’s ongoing journey into space and sound. Replete with innumerable tones, textures, patches, samples, and compositional evolution, the album is a further testament to Tipper’s engineering and production knowledge; album to album, he demonstrates the impact and aural charisma achievable through an absolute focus on fidelity, and Jettison Mind Hatch is unquestionably another level of refinement atop his notably lucid catalog.

If the titular definition of an album is the most direct path to the album’s intent, then Jettison Mind Hatch could hardly be more fitting; from the very first steps into the lucent waters of the intro track “Sayonara”, the mind begs to be let loose of its daily toil. Synthesis paints ardent hues across the total spectrum of stereo space, setting the pace for an emotional experience expressed through harmony and cadence. The elasticity of the tones has a way of carrying the listener not just through the song’s breadth, but through the song’s perpetual state of buoyancy. This idea of buoyancy is a staple of Tipper productions, though the expression of it continues to manifest in ever more vivacious textures. “Viscous” brings the concept in an entirely different direction from the album’s instigation, sending synthetic condensation straight into a blender of melody, filtration, and cascading atmospheres. Once the track folds unto itself for the final time, it smoothly dissolves out of the mix, revealing the nascent ambience of “Sahra”. An overture for dunes, mirages, and grating winds, this song swells and drips with interwoven semitones and droning soundscapes. The percussion rattles and springs along the circuitry of the track’s rhythm, with reverberant pops signaling every turn and refrain.

“Tethers” reinvigorates the atmosphere of the album with effervescent chords and arpeggios falling back onto acoustic drums and duplicitous rhythms. The jazz influence in the percussion can hardly be overlooked, as they channel a palpable attitude that carries the underbelly of the song.  The deviations and glitches that burst between the aural focal points fill out the creamy center of the track, rising and expanding until hitting the optimal temperature. It’s at that specific temperature that “Tethers” splits open into an oxygen-rich head trip, building upon itself throughout every measure until it spills back out of the stereo image. Slowly entering that open space, “Permatemp” slides into the ear fully baked and fully stereophonic. The rise and fall of the lead lines bounce the mind to and fro with a gentle push, while the momentary flashes of starlight synthesis saunter along in step with every downbeat. Bringing a palatable finality to the album, “Oi Oi Spit” strikes a gentle balance between harmony and dissonance in a dance of phased-out synthesis and illusory textures. The thematic elements of the song reflect that balance, and indeed the equilibrium of the album, through its gradual evolution, swelling and vibrating at a sine curve pace until it reaches its final moments of Jettison Mind Hatch.

Without so much as missing a step, Dave Tipper continues to reinvent the sonic wheel, taking musical fundamentalism into fantastically sapient territories. The biosynthetic archetype of Tipper’s music is itself an amorphous nebula of audio twists and turns, and Jettison Mind Hatch succeeds in finding yet another new direction to turn unto. In the wake of the album’s release, Tipper is poised to take the stage across a wide swath of the US, with appearances slated for Camp Bisco, Summer Meltdown, Arise Music Festival, Imagine Festival, and more. While he will undoubtedly be showcasing music from Jettison Mind Hatch and beyond, one has to wonder what he will possibly cook up next.

FOLLOW Tipper: Bandcamp / Addic.tech / Spotify / Soundcloud / Facebook

Sweeps - Not Just One Thing [Single]

“See hip-hop is not just one thing. As long as it feel good and it hits you in the heart, and you can feel what the person’s saying in that type of way, then that’s hip-hop.” So says Nasir Jones aka Nas, as sampled by Sweeps in the Boston-based producer’s latest single “not just one thing”. Sweeps hits on a special sound in his latest tune, a cerebral take on hip-hop. The space created within the mix is deep, leaving the listener room to work his or her imagination. Each piece of artwork associated with his music fits a singular space-age aesthetic, including the video associated with “not just one thing”. Sweeps makes all this himself.

Sweeps has a small following on SoundCloud. A few tracks, including a remix of Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA”, have a ton of streams. He also has a few tracks reminiscent of old Gramatik street bangers. Across his catalog, and especially lately, the production is noticeably neat and clean, while still maintaining an emotional edge. The mix downs are well maintained and his sonic material, from kicks to snares to synthesizer blips, are defined for the ear. This is much appreciated in the context of lo-fi hip hop, where - not to anyone’s discredit - clean mix downs aren’t always assured.

The special vocal sample alludes to a dynamic at play for a generation of new hip-hop producers. Hip-hop’s broken beat has become a means to communicate so many ideas, emotions, and aesthetics not associated with original or traditional hip-hop. While this may frustrate some, it offers a language and a means of expression to so many others. That’s the beauty of the style, as Nas recognizes. It’s less about standards or qualifications and more about the ability communicate feeling. “The rest is bullshit,“ says Nas.

FOLLOW Sweeps: SoundCloud / Spotify / Bandcamp / Instagram

Lo-Fi Sundays 073 - Juan Rios

Hailing from Seville, Spain, producer Juan Rios has been releasing textured lo-fi instrumentals for almost five years. He’s released on over a dozen labels, and collaborated thoroughly with vocalists, especially Spanish rapper Soukin. Rios comes from a Spanish underground where the influence of 1990’s boom-bap hip-hop is strong, both on producers and vocalists. He puts his own unique spin on the traditional boom-bap sound and has rightfully earned a prominent place in the playlists of lo-fi fiends worldwide.

Whether it’s the organic textures or the loose, flying melodies, Rios knows how to evoke nature with his music. Sometimes that nature manifests in the mind’s eye as a rolling stream, or as lush, crawling grass, or as black, boundless skies. One of his more recent releases is Beats from Energeia. He produced Energeia by the rapper Soukin, which was their second album together. Rios decided to then release only the instrumentals, and here we can find some of his dopest work.

One of our favorite cuts from Rios is “Gelato”, the first track in this weekend’s playlist and the first track on Musings Vol. 1, the first compilation from Texas-based label Dead Gorgeous Records. Rios employs a killer synth bass line that bobs and weaves through the mix, carrying the listener’s emotions with it. Rios is a relatively young man, and with this much talent, we’re excited to see where he takes his music next.

FOLLOW Juan Rios: Soundcloud / Spotify / Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram

Waterchild & Space Cadet - Flabber Ghasted [Premiere]

After the release of Impressions and Premonitions in 2016 and 2017, respectively, the Nashville-based producers Waterchild and Space Cadet cap their collaborative trilogy of mystic downtempo EPs with Illuminations, dropping tomorrow. The multi-dimensional and aqueous single “Flabber Ghasted” premieres today preceding the full EP.

This tune delivers a sensation akin to the ground shifting beneath your feet, while your head rockets up to outer space. The producers make excellent use of the space within the mix to set up dimension and foundation that grounds the listener. Then they begin shifting and rearranging those elements, altering depth perception and eventually tumbling the listener headlong into a galactic climax of triumphant melody surrounded by swirling particulate matter. “Flabber Ghasted” acts as an emotional high point on Illuminations, which is itself a climactic conclusion to this series of EPs.

There’s much to appreciate in the separate production styles of Waterchild and Space Cadet, both of whom were featured on The Rust Music’s Oxidized Vol. 2 compilation. Each brushes up gently against psychedelia without overdoing it, and each can create musical moments of great emotional weight without needing to blast the listener with sound. Together, they elevate to a higher, more nuanced plane of creativity where each pushes the other take risk. They can frequently be found on lineups together in and around Nashville, helping to hold down that southeastern city’s small but growing psychedelic bass scene. Illuminations is available for pre-order now, and also check out the prior two EPs for the full Waterchild & Space Cadet experience. 

FOLLOW Waterchild:   Soundcloud   /   Facebook   /   Bandcamp

FOLLOW Space Cadet:   Soundcloud   /   Facebook   /   Bandcamp   /   Spotify

Lo-Fi Sundays 072 - Emapea

The name of the game for Polish producer Emapea is range and personality. Reminiscent of producers from the golden era of hip hop, Emapea aims to create a unique sound that is not limited to one style.

He seamlessly combines the elements of jazzy lo-fi hip-hop with dark trip hop, and funky bass line jams. He often uses rap samples, turntable cuts, and fresh boom-bap breaks to add just the right amount of street flavor to the smooth texture and serene atmosphere of the track.

The way a sketch artist will run their fingers over the sharp pencil lines of a portrait to create shading, Emapea blends his sonic pathways to create both depth and simplicity. Each song, even the heavier tracks, have somewhat matted textures that make for an extremely comfortable listen.

Emapea has released most of his work on the eminent Los-Angeles based Cold Busted Records. He just released an album called Zoning Out Volume 2 that perfectly captures his range as an artist. Most of his work is available exclusively on Spotify or Bandcamp, including his album Jazzy Tape, which assuredly lives up to its name. Relax, and join Emapea on a sonic journey of steez and precision.

FOLLOW Emapea: Bandcamp / Soundcloud / Spotify / Instagram / Facebook

Tribone - Incantations [Single]

Serving his label Shanti Planti with honor, Tribone rallies the troops with a battle cry in the otherworldy land of psychedelic bass music. A rare outlier in a field so clearly steeped in dub influences, Tribone faces this world with the smirk of someone raised around psytrance. He designs his sounds and arrangements with a flair for the heavy and tribal, occasionally collaborating with concordant producers Whitebear and Master Minded. His latest effort “Incantations” is a wild burst of energy to whet the appetite of fans and rock the socks off the dancefloor with strange vibrations. Be prepared to stomp this one out.

True to its name, “Incantations” begins with an entrancing whisper that steals into the psyche of the listener and leads them into psychedelic orbit. The vocals provided by Solar Kid are a vital energetic buoy for the track overall. They indicate an increase in vibrant and diffident sounds whenever a raspy shamanic spell is cast. The driving beat runs the mood, piling on reverb until it becomes bell-like, while a counterbalancing beat engages more of the body.

Certainly on the more aggressive and heavy side of tribal, it's a firm reminder that war is part of the spirit. As Shanti Planti is noteworthy in the psybass fold for clever polyrhythms, worldbeat aesthetics, and dark musical themes, it makes all the sense in the world that the label would export the heavyweight Shachar (ch as in Bach) aka Tribone for a rare single track release.

FOLLOW Tribone: SoundCloud / Bandcamp / Spotify / Facebook

Kodiak Kid - Gangster Cinematic ft. Mad Zach [Single]

Last week when we dropped a gnarly Rusted Rhythms mix from Melbourne’s Kodiak Kid, we told you he’ll be releasing his debut EP Drifting Status on May 10. Today the second single from that long-awaited release is here - “Gangster Cinematic” featuring the veteran producer and controllerism adept Mad Zach. This eerie six-minute ballad picks up from where Kodiak Kid’s first single “To the Point” left off. From the creeping bass lines to the tense string samples and the spacious mixdown, the sonic themes across both songs are similar, giving the listener a solid indication of what to expect from this EP.

“Gangster Cinematic” journeys farther than the first single into the outer reaches of the psyche. There’s more dissolve, more dissolution from the temporal. It cultivates a weightless, intergalactic feeling while still remaining tethered to the Earth through the organic sounds of the bass, rimshot, and occasional cello sample. A solid chunk of this vibe can be credited to Mad Zach. The grainy synth pad whirring in the background, ducking high and low from the side-chain compression on the soft drums, is surely his doing. That Kodiak Kid could link up with a wizard like Zach living across the world is a testament to the Australian’s strong connections in the global bass scene.

Although this track isn’t bass music at all. Even in Kodiak Kid’s downtempo mixes and sets, there are heaping helpings of bass, and many selections that emphasize sound design. Judging just by those mixes, which are all one has to go by, Kodiak Kid’s tempered, cinematic approach to production on both of his originals so far is surprising. It’s atypical electronic music, that’s for sure, even compared to his work as a selector. It sounds organic, more composed than produced. Perhaps he had more on his mind this whole time, thoughts crawling on inter-dimensional edges which are now coming to the fore through this first release.

FOLLOW Kodiak Kid: Soundcloud / Facebook / Mixcloud / Bandcamp

FOLLOW Mad Zach:   Official   /   Soundcloud  /   Bandcamp   /   Spotify   /   Youtube   /   Facebook   /   Twitter

Bent Audio Hosts Inaugural Party With Richard Devine, IDM Luminaries

(Credit: FractalTribe)

If electronic music is a proverbial rabbit hole, the deeper you go, the stranger it gets. At its apex, that strangeness manifests itself as obscure rhythmic associations, broken slags and slices of resampled audio, and a feeling of immersion in the center of a bonafide audio glitch. The newly minted Bent Audio production company specializes in these depths by nurturing an “infatuation with IDM, sound design, experimental electronic music, and breakcore.” On April 11th, New York City dove down that rabbit hole. Fans were treated to a particularly euclidian evening; Aphex Twin made his first appearance in the Big Apple in over a decade, then Bent Audio hosted their debut event after hours at the equally euclidian Polygon BK. Their lineup exceeded topological dimensions, featuring IDM luminaries Woulg, Rob Clouth, Richard Devine, Ruby My Dear, and Hitori Tori, plus supporting sets from Naudible and Rob Fractaltribe.

The individuals behind Bent Audio’s coast-to-coast operation are Rob Fractaltribe and Micah Young, who have had their hands in multiple operations over the years that weave through the fabric of the global electronic music scene. Rob is the co-founder and head event coordinator of FractalTribe, the event curation/production company and frequency freak collective that’s been serving their brand of underground audio on the east coast for over 11 years. He’s also an affluent DJ and selector of eccentric IDM and psychedelic cuts. Micah is the founder of camp Hyperbole, known for its high-powered musical residency at Burning Man and beyond. He’s also the mind behind Naudible, a production project through which he dives into a range of styles, tempos, atmospheres, and sonic temperaments. The cumulative reach and capability of these two was on display during Bent Audio’s debut event.

The venue for the affair, Polygon BK, couldn’t have been more appropriate; an auspicious venue for an auspicious project. Officially opening its doors in Summer 2018, Polygon’s mission cuts straight to the core of all musical communities: “Polygon BK theorizes on the joining of people from all walks of life together under one roof (and two rooftops) to enjoy in the polygon of life – art, music, food, culture.” Boasting two Funktion One stacks and directional monitors acutely tuned to the naturally acoustic space, the venue achieves nearly 360° of sound on the dance floor. The spot contains a series of cascading rooms, with two rooftop bars, the dedicated music space, a third full wraparound bar, the “Polygon Room”, and backyard equipped with direct-line audio.

Richard Devine’s modular setup

Woulg

Rob Clouth

Woulg

Richard Devine

Woulg + Rob Clouth

Rob Clouth

Rob Clouth

Robert Fractaltribe

Richard Devine

Robert Fractaltribe

Woulg

Robert Fractaltribe

Gassed Attendee

Woulg

Rob Clouth

Woulg + Rob Clouth

Rob Clouth

Rob Fractaltribe delivered a deliciously well-curated set of melodious arrangements, leading the energy of the room directly into Naudible’s performance. Given the complexity of his discography, Micah delivered everything from slime-coated broken beats to “four-on-the-floor” head trips to outright audio deviations and manipulations. Shedding the mold of dance-floor-friendly rhythms entirely, Woulg captured up the crowd in a radically asymmetrical experience. With a musical output like solar flares, his catalog is an amorphous gel of audio design that slips and slices through the frequency spectrum. Following up the sonic madness with yet more sonic madness, Rob Clouth unleashed a distinctly tonal bevy of music, with criss-crossed textures and wrap-around glitches turning the air in the room into a sound bath.

The next producer to ascend the stage is one of the most venerated audio engineers and designers of this age. Richard Devine has a seemingly unparalleled devotion to and understanding of modular synthesis and texture resampling. He’s at the forefront of the immersive audio movement, utilizing state-of-the-art ambisonic microphones and his engineering know-how to create true three-dimensional music. His performance for the evening was just as captivating in person as his eclectic studio output, with a setup of several modular devices chained into war chest of an instrument. Rocking the crowd through space and time, Devine set the stage perfectly for Ruby My Dear to unleash a wild torrent of breakcore through the sound system. Dissolving the space between IDM, jazz, and classical compositions, Ruby My Dear simultaneously crossed the boundaries of intensity, melody, intention, and randomization. To close the evening, Hitori Tori sent the crowd into a stupor with jet-powered percussion, quickening the energy of the room to light-speed intervals like photons shooting through the Large Hadron Collider.

In the ever-growing sea of musical developments, every genre has the capacity to branch out into the best possible niche of itself, like a matryoshka of aural classifications. IDM continues to follow this pattern, with its rate of development depending solely on the daring of audiophiles. Bent Audio is playing the role of the wholesale distributor, placing their focus squarely on this niche genre and its pioneering members. If their first impression is an indication of what we can expect from the company, then the best and strangest is surely yet to come. Their next event is just over the horizon on May 10. Sakura takes place at the Wisdome Immersive Art Park in Los Angeles, featuring live Microdose VR visuals with the music of Mr. Bill, David Phipps (of STS9), Bwoy De Bhajan, Easyjack, Biolumigen and more.

FOLLOW Bent Audio: Facebook / Sakura Tickets