The ill-ec-tro-nic

When record labels you love announce that they're closing down it's usually a cause of sadness but when the reason behind the closure is to join forces with like minded souls to move into bigger and better things it can only be a good thing.

This is exactly what's happening with Wireblock, Dress 2 Sweat and our friends at Stuffrecords as they launch their new Numbers label. Numbers has been running as a club night for 5 years now and from it's humble beginnings in Glasgow it has become known as major force on the scene, even coming second in last year's best club poll in Mixmag!

Releases on the three associated labels have been coming thick and fast in recent years and have received large amounts of critical acclaim as well as helping to thrust the likes of Rustie, Hudson Mohawke and TVO onto the scene as well as well as putting out new material from old hands such as Lory D and Rod Lee.

Originally planning to put out music on the new label this year, the first records are now scheduled for early 2010 but this hasn't stopped the crew from moving ahead with the partying. Given the current dispersion of the rather sizable Numbers posse it's only fitting that they hold multiple label launch parties. The Glasgow event went of in fine style (by all accounts) last week but next Thursday sees the party come to London's Plastic People. Performing live on the night are Dorian Concept and Redinho with Deadboy, Jackmaster and Ben UFO on DJ duties. While some of these names may be new to you, Numbers is surely an outfit that can be trusted on such things and if you're in any doubt as to the likely quality of the sounds on offer, check these mixes for a taster of what may lie in store.

Wireblock - XlR8R Mix
Jackmaster - Mix for FWD

Full details of the party can be found on the Numbers website where you can also sign up for their mailing list to get your hands on a whole pile of other mixes.

Labels: Ben UFO, Deadboy, Dorian Concept, Dress 2 Sweat, Jackmaster, Numbers, Redinho, Stuffrecords, Wireblock

Here's more quality tuneage that you need to be hearing innit.

Claro Intelecto - Chadderton // Modern Love Buy

Killer new EP from the Modern Love stable.

Scuba - Speak // Naked Lunch Buy

One of my producers of the year. You just can't fault his productions.

Joy Orbison - Wet Look // Hotflush Buy

Hyph Mngo is undoubtedly one of the records of the year. This B side is also a killer as well.

Levon Vincent - Late Night Jam // Ostgut Buy

After Medium is The Message, this is another big record from the hot New York producer.

Hot Mixes:

Shed - Wax Treatment Podcast 003 Tracklist

Jus Wan - Hotflush Podcast 005

Two brilliant mixes in a dubtec style.

Labels: Claro Intelecto, Joy Orbison, Jus Wan, Levon Vincent, Modern Love, Scuba, Shed

No new tunes for today's post but just a quickie to confirm that I'm alive (I've actually been away on holiday) and to offer a couple of pairs of free tickets for those looking to dance the night away on November 14th.

This time, we've actually got tickets for two different events to give away. First up is the last of the bi-monthly Sweatshop parties for 2009 down at East Village; on this occasion playing host to Ewan Pearson & Al Usher debuting their Partial Arts set.

The second party is a new night called Lost in the Loft being promoted by Secretsundaze's Giles Smith in a rather more intimate location with Chicago House Legend Chez Damier & the excellent Sven Weisemann on the bill.

Full details for both events can be found here and here respectively.

In order to be in with a chance to win the free tickets, mail us with your answer to the following question:

Q) Under what name did Ewan Pearson release his tracks whilst signed to Soma Records in the 90s?

Competition closes Thursday 13th November - be sure to let us know which party you're entering for too.

Labels: Chez Damier, Giles Smith, Partial Arts, Sven Weisemann

After a lengthy hiatus from this blog I've decided to return and give you all more music than you can shake an electronic stick at. These tunes have been rocking my stereo for the last couple of months.


Echaskech - Shatterproof // Just Music Buy

Title track from their great new album out now on Just Music.

Every month Echaskech showcase different electronic artists at their residency at The Concrete Bar on London's south bank.
The next event is on October 17th with Max Cooper (Live) and Input Junkie (Live). For more info go to www.echaskech.co.uk
They also have an album launch for Shatterproof at the Queen of Hoxton on October 28th.



Point B - Track 1 // Combat Recordings Buy

Great melodic Dubstep from the forthcoming 'Suicide Beauty Spot' album on Combat Recordings. Released October 26th.




Andrew Weatherall - Built Back Higher // Rotters Golf Club Buy

Radical Majik - Direct Action (Andrew Weatherall Remix) // Rotters Golf Club Buy

Andrew Weatherall confounds critics who try and put his sound into any type of box. 'Built Back Higher' is my favourite track from his new album 'A Pox On The Pioneers'.

Weatherall also teams up with his Boardroom crew for more new tracks and remixes from 'Andrew Weatherall Vs The Boardroom Vol 2'


Ikonika - Smuck // Planet Mu released Oct 26th

Subeena - Analyse // Planet Mu released Oct 19th

The ladies are upstaging the boys with these two new releases forthcoming on Planet Mu.

It's more great 8 bit Dubstep in a Zomby style from Ikonika plus a melodic Dubtec wonder from Subeena




Florence And The Machine - You Got The Love (XX Remix) // Universal

So this is a remix of a cover version of The Source feat Candi Staton - 'You Got The Love' which itself was a mashup of her original acapella plus Jamie Principal's 'Your Love'.

Hmm.... Worth it though.




And finally some superb podcasts and mixes you should definitely check out.

2562 - Fact Mix 81

Scuba - Podcast 03

SCB - mnml ssgs mix 37

Labels: 2562, Andrew Weatherall, Echaskech, Ikonika, Planet Mu, Point B, Scuba, Subeena

As the summer draws to a close, the relaxing sounds that have been keeping me company in the garden on many a warm evening are sure to feature in the soundtrack of my autumn whilst looking onto the outside from the comfort of my sofa.

Top of the pile for laid-back listening is LJ Kruzer's excellent Manhood & Electronics LP on Uncharted Audio. Equal parts synthesised ambiance and lazy piano melodies, this LP has fitted the bill perfectly on several occasions when the repetitive 4/4 thump that typically soundtracks my life doesn't quite suit the moment as I'm looking to totally unwind. Squeezing 10 tracks into 34 minutes might suggest a fast pace but things couldn't be further from the truth here and as each piece unfolds, you are dragged deeper into the soothing textures Stephen Fiske has conjured up. As hinted by the title, the album was written whilst LJ Kruzer was on on the brink of fatherhood; a timing that can only have assisted with developing the rich emotions exhibited within the album.

LJ Kruzer - Tam // Uncharted Audio buy

With a lengthy list of releases and remixes under his belt spanning the last 16 years, Chris Jeffs aka Cylob has established himself as an electronica producer of considerable note. His largely instrumental work for labels such as Rephlex, Breakin' and his own Cylob Industries also feature on numerous compilations although it's perhaps the disjointed electronica pop of Rewind! that is arguably one of his better known tracks. Jeffs' latest project is known as Ambient News and his album of the same name showcases yet another angle of his take on abstract electronics. Encompassing bells, playful melodies, abstract guitars and a whole plethora of effects, Ambient News delivers a pleasant dose of laid back tunes spanning the ambient and downbeat electronica genres. If you're new to Cylob and like what you hear here, his back catalogue certianly provides plenty of space for exploration; and somewhat generously, you can get your mitts on a healthy pile of it for free via his website.

Ambient News - Lang // Cylob Industries buy

Taking things about as deep into ambient listening as possible, the next release to feature today is another offering from the excellent Highpoint Lowlife stable. Alpine's 'fr:om harmed weather to stark, micro, climates' isn't exactly the snappiest album title I've ever heard but if repeating the name gets your tongue in a twist the ambient sounds that follow will help it unravel itself as the pace of life here provides plenty of time for thought. With abstract ideas incorporating running water, birdsong, passing planes and all manner of other sonic observations this stuff certainly isn't going to generate much movement from your limbs but if you're looking for some intrigue in your headphone listening then it could be just the ticket.

Alpine - micro, // Highpoint Lowlife buy

Dance music DVDs are one of those things that always seem interesting whilst still in the storefront but when you get them home, rarely seem to make repeated viewing. This isn't down to the quality of goods on offer but sitting in front of a TV when great music is booming out never really seems appropriate. Nevertheless, there must be a market for this stuff and one of the latest acts to venture into this ambitious world is Minilogue. Their Animals album has been a a firm favourite of mine right since it's release last year and even some 18 months on, makes regular visits to my turntables. The mellower cuts to be found on the CD version's second disc are more for the home than the first CD (and vinyl version) and it seems fitting that these tracks form a large part of the soundtrack for 'Animals the Movie'. While this DVD isn't the kind of thing you're likely to want to give undivided attention to for repeated viewing, it's an excellent piece of work and as background entertainment whilst chatting with friends it holds its own as the music still sounds fresh and when people devote a few minutes to watching the visuals, the constantly evolving images provide an extremely pleasant interlude. The official release for this DVD was a good few months back now but it's limited presence in the UK is perhaps the main reason why I haven't seen it given much press. You can however, pick up a copy online.

Labels: Alpine, Ambient News, Cylob, Highpoint Lowlife, LJ Kruzer, Minilogue, Uncharted Audio

It's been a while since JD Twitch has featured on these pages but when we heard that he'd been given the run of the R & S back catalogue to knock up a mix we were pretty excited. As you'd expect from a DJ who's well known for keeping the interest levels high, there's a weighty 22 tracks crammed into 'In Order To Edit' and he's thrown in plenty of the label's lesser known cuts in amongst some of the big guns (Energy Flash, 20Hz, Plastic Dreams etc). As the title suggests, there's also a scattering of Optimo re-edits of some of the tracks too.

I'm not sure how long the mix has been out and I've not actually heard a copy yet but the folks over at R & S have provided us with 5 copies to give away. In order to be in with a chance to win the album, you'll need to register for the R & S mailing list via this link and in doing so you'll also get 4 free R & S tracks up front.

Good luck.

Labels: JD Twitch, Optimo, R and S Records

Given the solid reputation and impressive back catalogue that Various Production has established over the years it must have been with equal parts pride and fear that Gold Panda found himself as the first 'signed' artist to be putting out a release on Various' eponymously titled label. The Miyamae EP came out in July and it's a definite winner for all concerned as it maintains the high standard set by the label owners while nicely opening up the path for other producers to follow in Gold Panda's footsteps.

As with Various' own releases, Miyamae isn't a record to be easily pigeonholed as it takes in all manner of influences including techno, electronica and dubstep and even includes some good old computer game sounds. Whilst there's a clearly a massive amount of digital processing going on, the EP also maintains a strong organic feel, particularly through the presence of the melodies and it's perhaps the unashamed Japanese influences that are the strongest reference point here. Back Home and Mayuri exhibit strong dancefloor sensibilities, although it would certainly be interesting to hear these dropped in a peak-time club environment. Long Vacation is more of an excursion into sonic experimentation and is delivered at a pace more akin with the live set Langer and I saw Gold Panda perform a month or so back as well as the "Before" mini album of his I picked up too.

Gold Panda - Mayuri //Various Production buy

Various' ventures have long since been of interest to me and I'm glad to say this deviation from their previous path delivers pleasing results. Gold Panda is currently in the middle of his debut live tour and details of further gigs can be found at his MySpace page. Various Production are also due to do a free live gig at London's Cafe 1001 on October 1st.

Labels: Gold Panda, Various Production

As with most of my posts, this is somewhat overdue as it contains a recording taken from my debut live gig which was a good few weeks ago now.

As advertised on these pages at the time, Langer and I put on a party at London's Concrete and despite a few technical issues with the venue we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and were happy with how the night went. TVO played a superb live set and then went on to DJ from his laptop back to back with Goodhand when we discovered one of the decks was broken - in hindsight the broken kit was a blessing as the pair rocked it good style between them.

I also got to burst my live set cherry and again depite a few minor glitches (of my own making) I was pretty happy with how it went. I've just put the set up on my website (you can get the track listing there too if you're interested) but figured I'd put it up here as well. All tracks are unreleased and pre-demo. Hope you enjoy.

Nanorhythm - Live at Concrete (July 2009)

Labels: Goodhand, Langer, Nanorhythm, TVO

We've got more club tickets to give away and this time we're fully loaded with a whopping 5 pairs for Future Flash at Cable on 22nd August! The lineup's a bit of a corker with both DJ Koze and Lawrence on the bill and the residents (Will Saul, Dave Congreve, Sean Johnston, Matt Waites) have got more than the usual share of production and DJ credentials between them too!

As you should know by now, we try not to make our competitions too taxing so if you fancy a piece of the action, just mail us at illectronic.blog(AT)gmail.com with your answer to the following question:

Q) What is Lawrence's other production moniker?

Competition closes Thursday 20th August and the winners will be picked at random the following day.

Full event details are available here and you can buy tickets at ticketweb or residentadvisor.

Labels: Dave Congreve, Dj Koze, Future Flash, Lawrence, Matt Waites, Sean Johnston, Will Saul

I'm by no means a fan of everything that graces the Planet Mu label but as with last year, 2009 has seen some excellent releases from this camp. One thing that the label has always been synonymous with is experimentation and it's usually a fairly certain bet that anything it puts out isn't going to be formulaic and too easily pigeonholed.

All three of the albums I'm featuring here have been out a month or two at least but they've all proved to have the staying power to make repeat plays on my stereo so I figured they deserved a mention.

First up is Boxcutter's Arecibo Message which starts with two very strong tracks, Sidetrack and Mya Rave, both of which deliver solid 2 step variations and Burial-style atmospherics that'll satisfy any hunger you have for the days of old school rave. From here on in, the album takes all kinds of twists and turns, moving from the Drexyican influenced electro of the title track, through the kind of borderline mentalism one might typically expect of a Planet Mu record on Arcadia 202. There's room for some soulful vocals on Kab 28 and the final cut, A Cosmic Parent even brings a touch of disco to the party.

Boxcutter - Mya Rave // Planet Mu buy

Falty DL's Love is a Liability shares a number of similarities with Arecibo Message, exhibiting garage and electronica sensibilities throughout but where Arecibo Message seems a little erratic at times, Love is a Liability maintains a better sense of cohesion and flow. 2-step patterns, playful melodies and haunting vocals feature heavily and the album has a very strong sense of atmosphere. Dark dubstep vibes also feature heavily and while so many of the influences exhibited are taken from the past, the album also has a futuristic sci-fi feel to it and is without doubt one of my favourite albums of the year so far. It's hard to pick a standout track as there's so many strong cuts on offer so it's perhaps the wealth of the complete package that makes this album work so well. With his first release only coming out in 2007, Falty DL, aka Drew Lustman is a relative newcomer to the scene, but by all accounts he's been making some serious waves and with the quality of work on offer here it's not hard to see why.

Falty DL - Paradise Lost // Planet Mu buy

Upon hearing Few Nolder's, New Folder album, Planet Mu probably isn't the first place you're likely to think of as being its natural home as it's a much more 4/4 affair than usually appears on the label. This isn't to say it doesn't fit with the rest of the label's output, it really just gives further credence to my earlier statement that you should never make assumptions about anything bearing a Mu catalogue number without first giving it a listen. Over 9 tracks of varied micro house similar in style to the likes of Akufen, Lithuanian Linas Strockis serves up some interesting glitchtronica and shows that his decision to quit his career as a professional pianist back in 2001 was certainly to dance music's benefit.

Few Nolder - Pillow // Planet Mu buy

Labels: Boxcutter, Falty DL, Few Nolder, Planet Mu