Hey! It’s finally Friday again here at the Beatery (where it’s always Friday at least once a week!) and we have another tasty sampler of five fresh tracks for your ear holes. We got your Electro House. We got your Tropical Bass. We got your Dubstep! We got you covered, is what I am saying.
Tracklist:
1. Meat Katie & D Ramirez ft. Odissi - Stop the Revolution
2. Illikon - Circus Jack
3. Vaski - Jelly (Nostalgia remix)
4. Heavyfeet ft MC Mad Rush - Vs Up (Rack n Ruin remix)
5. FS - Touch O’ Klass
After a decade of Stanton Sessions mixed CD and countless breaks remixes of song from every genre, the Warriors are back with their very first album of completely original material, entitled… drumroll please… The Warriors. Hm. Okay, no points for originality in the album title category, but the music is a different story. This compilation represents a shift from DJ-friendly dance floor-oriented breakbeat anthems to shorter, catchier tracks that seem more geared towards home and radio listeners. The Warriors have always been known for their crossover appeal and, um, The Warriors might be their most mainstream album yet.
However, the focus on mass-appeal comes at a cost. Unlike previous Stanton Warriors albums, the tracks here are unmixed, and with the variety of styles and influences this results in a rather uneven listening experience for those used to their mixed DJ albums. Additionally, you can’t produce a radio-friendly album without relying on heavily on vocalists. We’re certainly used to rap vocals from the Warriors, and, er, The Warriors has them in spades, but there’s also an abundance of singing in the choruses. Being able to sing along to your electronic music is a matter of personal preference of course, but some long-time fans, your intrepid blogger included, may lament the absence of instrumental hooks.
In my eyes (or ears), the album is a solid collection with a little something for everyone, and has at least one highlight single I look forward to spinning, but as a whole it fails to move me in one direction or the other. Is this because these new sounds mark a departure from the Stanton Warriors I know and love? Most likely. But this seems to be happening to me a lot recently so don’t take my word for it. Have a listen to to some tracks from The Warriors, and let us know what you think of the new sound of, sigh, the Warriors.
It’s SXSW season again, as I’m sure all you dear readers noticed (or failed to block out as the case may be), which means shows, secret showcases, album drops, mixtapes, and more schmoozing than any sane person could possibly stand. But what serious musician is sane?
In the grand tradition of self-promotion, even people who may or may not have actually gone to the festival are joining the party. Mad Decent DJ Benzi dropped a mixtape (sponsored - also an enduring SXSW tradition - by Oakely) full of party jams to help people dance through the week. As someone who sorta follows the festival, it’s my impression that there isn’t a whole lot of EDM featured there (though Skrillex did play a set this week, and Beatery buddy Kidhack had a few gigs around town) and that in general Rock is king. But really, who doesn’t like to party? No one. No one doesn’t? Hm.
Anyway, this mix is an hour of Electro beats, club raps, and fun vibes. If you’re at SXSW, throw this on your ipod to take a break from all the bearded flannel dudes singing about feelings. If you’re not, just turn it up and shake that ass.
UPDATE: High Rankin is on a North American tour right now. Go see him.
In the short time between my last post and today, High Rankin has become a new musical hero of mine. He’s brought some desperately-needed humor to the Dubstep scene (see: Meow Meow andDon’t Carry on Like a Rude Boy If Daddy’s Got a Yacht) but more importantly, shown that it is possible to add some serious bounce to the much loved/loathed, 140bpm-fixated genre. I came across this mix while digging around for tracks of his and it was like a kick to my brain-balls. In a good way. Is that even possible? Anyway the point is that I found it totally thrilling and invigorating and rank it as one of the best of 2010.
In some ways this mix almost calls into question what the definition of Dubstep actually is. Sure it’s got the right tempo, and the machine-vomit bass is all over it but cavernous, stoney dub is pretty much nowhere to be found. Is the tempo enough? Maybe they’re just slow Breaks or fast Electro. I suppose it doesn’t matter except that this is a great rundown of vital, exciting, Dubstep(-sh) from the last 12 months, and a great cheat sheet for anyone who is interested in the scene. If you knew you’d hate this from the moment you read the word ‘Dubstep’ then it may not change your mind, but if any of our recent posts - Feed Me!, Skrillex, NSFW - did anything for you, then I think you’re gonna love it.
It might seem like missing the point a little to nominate a vocalist for EDM star of 2010 in our little poll here, but he’s featured on so many stellar tracks that he’s become a star in his own right. To be fair, Beatport does give him producer credit on a lot of the tracks he appears on, and though he often works with other DJs and remixers, his presence is always the most memorable element, and his flow has become one of the most recognizable sounds of the year. Collaborators abound, but without a doubt these are Sporty-O tracks.
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