Old Timey Radio - Motive

Motive

This debut EP by 21-year-old West Michigan producer Chris Murillo, aka Old Timey Radio, will tantalize your conscious spirit - elevating it to a higher place where the ground seems so distant and trivial that you'll never want to come back down.  A constant swirl of dream-like sounds and synths will leave your head torn between leaning back and taking it all in, or nodding along with the almost-tangible groove.

Enjoy the old-timey beats, and hopefully we'll see more to come from this talented producer very soon!

Mash J Prime- Womple

       Back from vacation of sorts, here's a grooving 6 minute dance party brought to us by producer Mash J Prime. A mix of rumbling basslines and 4-on-the-floor house beats mesh with trancey filter sweeps and playful, high-octane synth patterns to shake your rump to-this new track Womple is Great Fun!

Robotics Mix

   Another 8tracks mix of Robotic sounds and computer science. Beats that sound like androids dreaming of electric sheep. Enjoy! Happy Friday!

Robotics Mix from SleepNemesis on 8tracks.

Deku- Beginner's luck

        A gorgeous new album of soothing, ambient downtempo beats blended with an array of organic instruments such as acoustic guitars, harps, xylophones, etc.-to make up one of the best relaxing albums of the year. Hearing this EP by Deku is like watching the waves slowly washing ashore or discovering a fresh green meadow tucked away in the woods. It sounds corny I know, but if you give Beginner's luck a listen, you'll know where I'm coming from.
        A breath of fresh air and a relief after listening to so much heavily processed glitch music as of late. A welcome change of pace and will become essential listening for my journeys into Prospect Park.


 

Birdview Crew- MAY .EP

       Another Compilation from the Electronic collective, Birdview Crew dropping their monthly feature to Showcase some of their new found talent such as Planetmalcolm, Maximoe, and Aether along with old favorites. I gotta say- this is by far my favorite album they've released to date.
        Lush, Glitch Hop grooves along with some hectic off-the-wall wobbles thrown in to make for an adventurous ride through this compelling new project of underground producers hailing from around the globe. Hopefully the MAY EP will push you to uncover more tracks from the artists that stand out on this awesome and free mix. Keep 'em coming Birdview!


 

rssk- FatKidonFire Mix

     A 45 minute mix of deep, heavy, and overall just dark as hell dubstep. Coming straight out of the dungeon Sounds courtesy of FatKidonFire- an excellent music blog specializing in collaborating with DJs  to release some of  on the best deep bass mixes out there.This time its the DJ rssk, who I've never heard of before but delivers the goods. Massive and monstrous, this mix is not for the faint of heart, but if shadowy, tortured dubstep sounds are your thing (It sure is mine!) you don't want to miss out!
 

Edamame- Tokens

   A round of asteroid blasting chiptune bliss by production wizard and Chicago resident Edamame. After releasing Greenhouse, probably my favorite album I've found for this blog so far- he's back at it again, this time with some video game influence in tow.
      Based on wobbly, fluttering synth chords gliding over glitchy fx and bouncing-ball basslines that sound almost tropical- making for the perfect backdrop for playing Contra or some ish. Travel into the 8-bit dimension with Tokens and put your quarters up!

Dagobot Records- Dagobot Reloaded

    A wonderfully cohesive complilation from the various artists that make up the electronic record label Dagobot- a collective of electronic music with a surreal touch- a collage of dreamy, serene waves of synths and sound with a distinct wonky and dub-step style of layered beauty.
        Listening through this album, it is very clear that the musicians over at Dagobot have established a strongly unified vision of what their music should like. In fact, all these songs sound like the work of one singular artist, which in this case is a very, very good thing.

Davic Nod -Happy Tune

     Just what the name suggests, a bright and bubbly foray into electronic beats with light, sparkling keyboards and playful synthesisor stabs. Blissfully Fun and guaranteed to help put you in a good mood. As Nod himself says- Happy Day, Happy Tune :D 

DJ Mentos- Field of Vision

        Yet another wonderful addition to the Dusted Wax Roster, NYC resident DJ Mentos debuts to offer up some patient, old-school Jazz infused Hip Hop Beats filtered through the underworld. Fat Rumbling Stand-up bass, ancient, haunting pianos and smokey horn lines blend for a wonderful venture into shadowy, swinging Trip-Hopping jazz groove perfection. You can check out this EP of blunted beat goodness below or on DustedWax website, where there is a download link for this album and many more incredible Beatsmiths from around the world. Don't Sleep!

Mysterion Mix

      Kind of a weird mix of Smokey, Mysterious sounding beats and some chilled-out goodness Featuring tracks from Portishead,Blockhead,UNKLE, Mr Cooper, Bonobo, and many more . The intent of this mix remains an enigma to me. I hope it might make some sort of sense to you and that you'll enjoy.

Mysterion Mix from SleepNemesis on 8tracks.

Somepling- Properly Packed

      Fleeting segments of choppy instrumentals fueled by by a love of soul/jazz samples, as well as other, more spacey electronic sounds. Through and through, Somepling's most recent, Properly Packed is a joyfully constructed album of true-blooded hip-hop beats, laid-back and ominous that only seems to get better as the album progresses.Whether its WindyNights'hat or MinttGrapess with their delicate and surreal keyboard flourishes or flavaMemo with it's halting, off-kilter piano, this is an album of beats with a uncommon gift-a collection of smokey instrumentation that has heart and soul and was obviously built from the ground up with love.


 

Quanta- Recept

    Very dubby and tripped-out as funk, with gargling bass drifting in and out, reverb galore, and the soft ticking of reggae keyboards- moving at a deliberate snail's pace. This is roots-dub updated for scoring space-stations and the vast unknown. Off Quanta's new EP, Overflow this is a free single given away to promote the album. Hopefully it will inspire some of you to buy it/check it out.

Nosmo King- Start with the chords then bring the rest

     Nosmo King transmitting live from mars... some vintage lo-fi synth sounds create a groggy swirl of subdued hip hop beats and spaced-out, but swaggering funk.  Perfect for early morning sleep deprivation and dreaming of other planets. Start with the chords...  is an easy-going ode to fat sythesisor sound and tripped-out beat making at its finest.

Existence 76- Easy Living Summer

   Fresh off the Smashtales records compilation Smashtales presents: BadDudes Apr004- a wildly eclectic variety of sounds and styles of electronic music, Existence 76 gives us an absurdly catchy piece of music that is parts groovin' 60s influenced hook and part seductive and smooth bass-driven bounce. A track guaranteed for put you in a sunny disposition. Check this track out and many more on the SmashTales compilation here.





 

Zaika- Earth's Children

        His debut single (at least on bandcamp) German producer Zaika delivers a track of murky and mysterious bass music- wispy, out-of focus atmosphere with punchy 2-step drum programming and a low-end  hum for a bassline that will rattle your headphones. A great ambient dubstep sound I hope we hear more of.

WaMoo Papez- We Float

      Gifted New York Producer offers us a round of subtle  but experimental glitch music with delicate melodies buried in the mix and stuttering rhythms propelling music into touching and emotive fabric of sound. A difficult style to pin down, WaMoo papez' sound touches on a light, but hectic hip-hop and electronic sound, with the hazy ethereal sample chopping of Gold Panda and Four tet. (That's actually how I found out about this guy- a link posted on Four tet's Last.fm page) Familiar styles but totally unique and original approach- A sound you can't quite place or put your finger on. Listen to Elise, with it's meloncholy vocal sample and sense of longing,  the almost anthematic title track, or the sublime nod to my home state, Detroit Piston. with all the varied moods, buried                instrumentation, and stuttered ambiance, (if that makes any sense.) We Float is unmissable.

Chill Mix Volume 2

Another batch of laid-back grooves. This time with more artists from across the pond- Featuring tracks from Kid Loco, Blue States, Jon Kennedy, and many more. So sit back, relax, and soak in the sounds.

Chill Mix Volume 2 from SleepNemesis on 8tracks.

Broke for Free- Layers

      Slow waves of soothing melody and atmospheric grooves with a deep and heavy boom bap influence- making for a beautiful piece of sound and chilled-out moods with a rock solid beat to grasp onto.Californian producer Broke for Free's latest release, Layers is a perfect contrast; placid soundscapes melded with head-nod inducing drum patterns for the hip-hop lover in all of us.
    Broke for Free blends peaceful lullabies of glitchy serenity and is the perfect soundtrack for a stress-free afternoon. Breathe in, Breathe out, and absorb the Layers.

Faust Ghoul- Brainforest

      An Album of experimental, lo-fi, ambient breakbeats and idm electronica with murky, mysterious undertones. Step into Brain Forest, a dark and out-of-focus creation by Boston/NYC musician Faust Ghoul- a collision of the acoustic and industrial to make an album that is both understated and psychedelic, with strange washes of melody and blurring atmosphere. A walk off the beaten path into uncharted territory that can captivate and confuse.






 

Astrobear- Polar Eclipse

       Brooding but delicate, spectral sounds floating in zero gravity- like some lost abandoned spacecraft, or a forgotten beacon home. The hushed ebbing of moody electronics and understated break beats like sonar pulses create a pondering and wondering look into the future ahead. Some of the later tracks on Polar Eclipse break this mold;  generating out-of-place electro house raves such as Eclipsed, but with songs like Let's not hate each other anymore and Antigua's antique elixir, you should give Astrobear a listen. 

Best of Beatscape Volume 1

    Its about time for some review and reflection. A mix made from some of my favorite tracks I've covered the past month along with some tracks I may have missed along the way. Glitchy Instrumental goodness. Did I miss any of your favorite songs? let me know!
   Hopefully you'll enjoy the mix and it might give you a second chance at some awesome artists you might have missed the first time around. Much more to come!

Best of Beatscape Volume 1 from SleepNemesis on 8tracks.

Blameful Isles- Bound to Ohra

     Mystic hip-hop melodies for the soul- exotic yet low key, a secluded altar to the deities. Bound to Ohra captures smokey eastern-world Instrumentation and smooth jazz vibes in sync; washing out aggression and filling up the mind with peaceful, open-aired bliss. At only 4 tracks, Blameful Isles conjures a time and place all their own, and sounds to me like a humble dedication to ancient forces of nature. It's time to wonder down the path of Ohra's forest.





 

Ghost- A Tale of Life in VI Parts

       Dramatic and meloncholy, A tale of life... is a concept album that channels Ghost's thoughts on life, death, and the great unknown. Comprised of organic string instrumentation and propelled by understated instrumental hip hop percussion- part clattering drum breaks,  part stark classical overtures and moody piano loops. Created as a way to deal with the fragile mortality of humanity, Ghost summons a cinematic 22 minutes to get us through tough times of the daily grind, and question parts of our existence.





 

Edamame- Greenhouse

          A euphoric Journey into a lush amalgam of glitch-hop, melodic IDM, and pondering down tempo music. Exploratory and complex- Chicago Producer Edamame weaves a unique landscape of sound and nature to spike the senses.Turning a steamy glass prism we knew so well into a world unto itself.
         From beginning to end, Greenhouse will rank up there as one of the most creative and lovely collections of electronic music you will hear all year, and it only came out in February.




   

Balmy- The Center of

       Ambling, tranquil, space-age hip-hop with a murky psychedelic pulse. Like a bio-dome in another galaxy, The Center of harnesses a breathy, out-of-this world haze and sets it in slow-motion to music. You can practically visualize the rainbow colored mushrooms sprouting from fallen logs and a supernova above in the sky- Shimmering beats made for other planets.






 

Gramatik- Illusion of choice

          A massive throw down of genre-defying Dub-Step. Exotic String arrangements, fuzzy, robotic synthesisers, that trademark PLM Soulful hip-hop, and absolutely punishing dub-step wobble destruction combine into what is probably the most EPIC track I've heard all year.  Check out this song and a few more killer tracks on his new E.P. Digital Freedom for free at his website, Gramatik.net 

BrokenTeaLeafs- First Steps EP

      Ethereal, Otherworldly, Dub-hop blasts from the city of love. First Steps marks the premier of BrokenTeaLeafs a Parisian Electronic Artist that specializes in Stuttering rhythms and wonky hip-hop excellence. Hard Hitting and psychedelic, this addicting sound is the hopefully a sign of things to come in the future. The First step on a long and prosperous musical journey.






 

LAKIM/ Lacuna Manti- The Radiant

     Gorgeous ebbs of heavenly sound held down by blips and thumping grooves- The Radiant is an illustrious EP propelling you into airy, beautiful realms. Crafting music you can close your eyes to, and imagine yourself cloud surfing the sky at daybreak. I'm not sure what LAKIM meant by releasing this album under a different alias- perhaps to show us a slightly different approach of his beat making. This direction is more than welcome, providing us with a lovely, 6 track dedication to the heights above. We are the Stars, we are the radiant.

Neo-Safari- EP

     Tropical and playfully gorgeous; Dallas Musician(s?) Neo-Safari releases their wonderfully eclectic debut EP titled what else? EP. Whether it's the Balearic Bounce of the Opener Coastal Drive, the deliciously heavy and funky beat of Nightmare in the Jungle, or reworking other artist's tracks and shaping them into their own wistful creations, this debut displays that these new-comers have a vast arsenal of styles and aren't afraid to try anything. Sizzling Block-Rocking beats to blast in the summer heat. Also Check out their video for Coastal Cruise below- very retro and road-rash esque

Nice Icles- ShiverBurn

        Soothing, Aquatic Dubstep tunes From Nice Icles- an artist from the insanely fresh record label Dagobot. Whether he's using the clattering found-sound drum pulses of Burial and other UK-styled producers, or just laying down  heavy, prolonged synth chords to slowly loom over the track and provide a dense texture- Shiverburn is heading in an exciting direction in bass music; a relaxed but brooding collection of glitchy dub tunes to ponder over instead of just trying to melt your face. Check it out below..

Soulular- Thoughts Float

     Down tempo  Instrumentals made of moody, shifting, ambient sound and spiky electronic beats spreading out into vast sonic terrain. from L.A.'s Soulular, Thoughts Float is  a pensive trip through memory and Reflection.  As you listen, you can't help but feel a placid Emotion drift over you; a sense of welcome melancholy  and nostalgia. Check out this album out if you are in the mood for some retrospection or just need something to spur the imagination on a cloudy day.

Grillo- Mean Green

      A bouncy Glitch-hop album with a Breezy Bossa Nova Influence. Created in a Series of Chip-tune Beat Tapes Themed around various Street Fighter Characters, this time Grillo releases Mean Green- beats made to reflect the tribal beast-man Blanka. Video game themes and the music of Brazil combine into something playful and tropical while the bass-heavy glitch bumps like nobody's business.
        Other Installments of this Street Fighter series include E. Honda and Ken if you want more hard-hitting Sounds from the Video-game world.

Space Ship Corridor Mix

     A fresh mix I made to simulate Space Travel. Galactic, out-of-this-world Electronics to star-gaze with. Featuring Artists such as Mouse on Mars, Amon Tobin, BassNectar, Tipper, Tycho, and many more.


    

Space Ship Corridor from SleepNemesis on 8tracks.

Mustard Tiger- Bonus Round

         The very Definition of glitch.  A free single released to promote his new EP Hows' your Skrimz, Aussie producer Mustard Tiger (Trailier Park Boys Reference?) unleashes a barrage of funky robotic sounds and jerky rhythms to wreck the dance floor.  If you like what you hear, check out this beatport link to purchase the Skrimz.. EP,







 

Mad Cube- Retrospection

     Laid-back and moody. It's time for Retrospection, a great tour EP and introduction to the musical world of Mad Cube. Murky and Subdued. This is a compelling listen of Instrumental Hip Hop and Glitch fed through an nostalgic, and slightly hazy filter. When the time comes that you need to slow down and reevaluate your lot in the world,  put this on and maybe some revelations will come to you.
      Mad Cube released another EP earlier this month- titled LordoPorco- that has a much glitchier and more experimental vibe. A bit more intense listen- showing the contrast and  duality of Mad Cube's production. I'm hungry for more from this guy, but there is little to find on him. Showing me the frustrations (and wonders) of finding music on the Internet.

 

ProleteR- Curses from Past Times

       The Dusted Wax Kingdom does it again.. Curses from Past Times by French Producer ProleteR is an undeniably awesome album of feel-good Instrumentals. Mining the olde dusty records from the 40s and further into the Pre-Sinatra Era. Curses... time travels to a crossroads where Swanky Horn loops, tin-alley player pianos, and Boom Bap drums mix into a cocktail so enjoyable, it's sinister.
 

Subaqeous- Emerald drops

         An EP composed of meditative techno and house elements with a thick wobbly undercurrent; ideal for prowling the city blocks and absorbing the surroundings. According to his description, Subaqueous created  Emerald drops to reflect the sights and sounds of walking around in downtown Seattle and it shows- Equal parts delicate  melodic flourishes and chaotic low end to reflect the nature and machinery of city living.
       The northwest is rapidly creating a fresh and terranean dub-step scene that's not quite like anything else out there. It's about time we take notice.



 

Mr Bird- On a sunny day

          And now for something almost completely different... a smooth hip-hop injected R&B/ Soul tune summoned right out in the mid- 60s, courtesy of Portugal via Britain Producer Mr Bird. An expert homage- beautiful and touching, this subtly funky track has the rare gift that the greatest soul music seems to possess- being able to dwell on the subject matter of heartache/ longing and turn it into something strangely uplifting.
       If only it could uplift me out of bed, since this New York weather is definitely not sunny today, but this helps. If you like the song, Download it of course, it's only 1 British Pound.

Thomas William- Deccan Technicolor

       A Very dense and jarring approach to Glitch Music, Thomas William threads layers and entangled Shards of sound that pull you inside, and have you try to unravel the complexity that is Deccan Technicolor.
       A lot of best albums I've heard create their own personal world to inhabit, and this album is a prime example. Not sounding like hardly any other music out there, but has reoccurring themes throughout to hold your attention and fascinate an adventurous electronic fan looking for something creative and abstract. Give this a listen if you're looking for an album to unlock and trap yourself inside. download below..


 

Halc- Zero-G & G2: Supernova

  Chilled out ambience and glitchy chip-tune instrumentals from Halc. His latest work- Zero-G and its companion EP, are an adventurous venture into science fiction video game scores and sound FX of a golden age- and when he fuses them together with dubby atmospherics and break beats, and your sent spinning into orbit.
     Zero-G has more to offer than just childhood nostalgia, this is a genuinely superb electronic album that I feel can hang with the best of em.
     Having said that, I can't think of anything better to blast at your next Super Nintendo/ Genesis party (This is really something people don't have enough of) Download these blissful 8-bit tunes in the player below.

Tendts- Midnight Drive

     An uplifting and grooving slice of  electronics, funk, and the disco of yesteryear that's just begging to be played on the dance floor. They really know how to throw down, and their music really invokes the great times I've had in the past with old daft punk and avalanche records.
    I've fallen in love with this sound but with only 4 songs, I feel like this EP is painfully short for my liking, (even more so than other EPs I've listened to/reviewed) but it's supposed to be a free sampling/Demo of their sound so we'll just have to look out for more of these guys' work in the future.



 

Thriftworks- Rainmaker

     I really should have posted this sooner... Eerie Dub step from Berkelian Producer Jay Atlas A.K.A. Thriftworks. He's a true master of his sound- slow, smokey dub with bone-rattling wobbles and dark, other-worldly vocals collide with delicate world instruments, to end up with a sound that evokes the feeling of some shaman summoning apparitions into his night-ritual.
     Rainmaker is the soundtrack to the dark and unknown, conjured in the Haunted Forest of the psyche.
       Download for free on the Bandcamp Player below. Check out his other albums too- Massive stuff.

Havelok Grim- Hoof years

   Wicked Instrumental Hip Hop with an experimental edge. A compelling album/ EP by UK Beatmaker Havelok Grim- is where you should turn to if you like your Electronic Music warped, claustrophobic, and frazzled. Fans who can't get enough of abstract producers like Daedelus and Flying Lotus, or just craving some sonic variety, should defientely give this album a listen. It may take a couple tries to grasp- with the confusing interludes and scatter-shot song structures- but once you lock in, the Hoof Years turns into a pretty fascinating listening experience that you can discover something new on with each listen. DL for free Below or on Bandcamp.