It’s strange seeing my so called electro world being split so readily in two like this. It seems the heavy electro sounds that brought the dance community so close together a few years back have progressed in such diverse ways that we’re no longer able to uniformly agree on what defines the most desirable new sound, and as such, we’ve been left with two entirely different genres of music that are both somehow still grasping to be considered electro. I suppose it is a bit strange, and almost a bit frustrating to think that there are going to be multiple tastes and preferences to satisfy along our future disco endeavors, but let me assure you, this can only be good: This may, in fact, require that a little effort be put back into the “job” that is Dj’ing, and as such, I feel there could be a massive drop in the number of freeloading blog abusers sometime in the very, very near future. The threat of required effort, my friends, is natural selection at its best. (That is, if natural selection were real, of course. But the earth is only 6000 years old, remember? Sarah Palin told us so.)

The Two Branches of Electro

That title made me feel like I’m writing a history book. Maybe I should make an outline due at the end of the quarter.

Anyhow, it seems the first half of the split electro genre has not only skimmed the fat, but it’s actually dumped a good 75% of its musical meal right out the window without losing a single bit of integrity. It’s like this: Rather than being served a burrito with everything that makes your taste buds get freaky, all crammed into one delicious dish, you’re now receiving a single bomb ass steak, and a baked potato. In the end you’ve only got about 10% of what you had before, but somehow it’s just way better. And steering away from this failed food analogy, I’d go so far as to say this musical sect could more easily be defined under minimal than under electro, although my opinion is likely to beg a rebuttal.

Bass Kleph

I suppose artists like DeadMau5 and his latest BSOD, The Royal Rumble, and even Herve (especially alongside Sinden), have all veered more toward this side of the argument more than the other, however, the audio craftsmanship of Australia’s Bass Kleph brings it all home. Presenting to you: The epitome of blip-tastic bounce.

Twocker - Stitch (Bass Kleph Remix)

Stupid Fresh - Get The Fuck Up (Bass Kleph Remix)

Part Two

As for the other side of our post apocalyptic electro world, well, that’s where I think all the Treasure Fingers, Twelves, Dangers, Van She Tech’s and DatA’s of our time fit in. They’re the guys who’ve taken the exact opposite approach to their furthering of electro, and have chosen to cram every last bit of harmonic Daft Punk influence into an already brimming sound, in order to create tunes that are nearly impossible to fully comprehend. In fact, I’d go so far as to say I don’t think I’ve ever heard the same song twice. (Figuratively speaking of course).

Big Gipp - Hot (Treasure Fingers Remix)

Rapture - House Of Jealous Lovers (Tenderlions Remix)

I think the way us disco fans listen to music has changed considerably over the last couple years. Maybe I’m just stuck in some weird state of mind where everything always seems as though it was better “back in the day”, but I feel like in a certain sense, we’ve all gradually lost part of our ability to truly appreciate music for what it’s worth. Now before you get all up in arms about my blasphemy, let me explain.

Due to its increasingly powerful capability to make our musical transactions instantaneous, the internet has allowed us to wreak havoc on our own musical tastes, and I’d be lying if I were to say I didn’t see it coming. In the early nineties, the net was all about buying the cd’s that you used to have to hike down to the local record store for, and after experiencing this ultimate convenience, we all began to look for even more potential spontaneity. Naturally, we were pushed into digital music downloads, which (as far as I’m concerned) totally eradicated the need to even like a song before stuffing it onto an iPod, and finally, we arrived at what’s generally accepted to be the current way of things: a musical scene controlled almost entirely by blogs.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m most definitely in favor of blogs (I do run one). What I’m not in favor of is the unfortunate practice that I’ve taken the liberty of titling “blog abuse”. Many people have become so accustomed to getting all of their music from a certain collection of bookmarked websites that we’ve begun to lose our concept of taste. It’s almost like Oprah, and her viewers’ weird willingness to read everything that she tells them to, and nothing else. Though a large portion of the music out there has indeed been touched by this little predicament, it seems that the electronic scene has taken the bullet right to the heart. Disco is a genre that revolves around DJ’s, and as such the people who choose to abuse the disco blogs frequently do so whilst keeping their dj sets in mind, thus creating a circle of what could be considered musical inbreeding. The result: you get themed DJ’s. Forget variety. Forget the idea that a dj should introduce you to new music, whilst keeping you comfortable by slipping in a classic every now and again. Forget being mesmerized by a dj’s unique style and direction. Say hello to a set full of everything that you already heard on Missingtoof over the last two weeks.

That’s not even the worst of it. While unsavory music collections and poor taste do indeed provoke a sour face, the hardest blow has been planted at the heart of our own ability to enjoy the music we listen to. With the rising popularity of electro and house music in recent years, we’ve seen a massive increase in the number of half-hearted wannabe dj’s, and a bit of contact with this amateur scene has allowed me to see that as these kids scour the internet for music, they don’t even look for music that they enjoy. I’ve heard things like, “Oh! This track would be great for a transition” or “I bet people would dance to this!” but I honestly can’t even remember the last time I heard anything close to, “I love the way this song makes me feel.” How can anyone be a good dj if they don’t feel an emotional connection to the beats they throw?

Indeed, music has a universal power to unite people, but that unity is largely due to the mutual feelings that each individual experiences within his own heart.

The Twelves

I’m almost shocked at how much thought a single Twelves remix provoked in me, but I’m consoled each and every time I press play, and listen to this remarkable piece of art all over again. It was clear a while back that these kids were more than just another bandwagon dj tag team, but this track honestly takes the cake. Seeing as this is the first time in months that I’ve loved a track enough to leave it on repeat (it’s been an hour now), I feel it’s safe to say that The Twelves have added an emotional touch to dance music that has almost become a rarity, and that if you’re one of the aforementioned people that has lost a personal connection with their music, that this latest track is likely enough to put you back in touch, if not provoke tears of joy. It’s always nice when music makes it hard not to smile. If you’re in need of reminder as to what emotion feels like, this track’s for you.

Black Kids - I’m Not Gonna Teach (The Twelves Remix)

Here’s one we’ve all been waiting for for a while. I’m pretty sure the Los Angeles trio known as The Royal Rumble have somehow managed to purloin a book of trade secrets from Steve Jobs, because it seems to me that the manor in which they release their tracks is strikingly similar to that of Apple: They keep you wanting more than you can have, by releasing a single incredible (and may I emphasize incredible) mix at intervals far longer than you’d prefer. In short, if the Royal Rumble three happen to read this, let me assure them, their techniques are proving quite fruitful, seeing as each of their releases leaves me both incredibly satisfied, and yet itching for more at the same time.

This latest track, a remix of Graveleaf’s “The Crusade” continues to embrace the familiar Royal Rumble sound (which, for those of you who’re finding yourselves a little confused, consists largely of whoops, whops, and other loopy and almost [pardon me if I'm overstepping my boundaries here] minimal sounding noises) but that’s not to say that it has, in any way, become repetitive. In fact, for those who’ve found themselves reading my lengthy trains of thought in hopes that you might find a few solid tracks to throw in your next set, the smooth transitions and gentle progression that tie this thoroughly bouncy track together will likely prove to be exactly what you’re looking for.

Go ahead. Indulge yourself.

Graveleaf - The Crusade (Royal Rumble remix)

Busy P was, is, and always will be where it’s at. I don’t know where this guy gets his ideas from, but whether he’s got a tank of manatees pulling musical notes out of a pile or he simply purchased a relentless creativity chip from some weird corner of Ikea, anyone who’s owned a pair of headphones within the last year can tell you that the guy has got more musical gravity than just about any other entity in the electro universe. I suppose I could discuss his having detected the potential of multiple internationally successful artists before their sounds were even remotely popular (The guy opted to manage Daft Punk way back in the early nineties, before they’d even acquired a record label, and I’m guessing we’ve all heard the rags to riches story of Justice’s one-song, chance encounter with Mr. Winter. Look where they ended up!), but I feel that there’s even more glowing potential in the French Producer/Ed Banger owner’s own original works. Where most producers tend to have a decent ear for what people know and love to hear, Busy P has the considerably rarer ability to know what listeners don’t know they want to hear. Confused? Let me explain:

Remember 2006? Of course you do. That was the year Justice released their turn-the-world-upside-down Cross album, and hence, that was the year that the electronic scene was driven entirely by steady kick-snare beats and tricky, glitched out transitions. But while our faithful Justice and their nine-hundred spinoff counterparts were all following the same 123 bpm formula, Busy P had already begun to push his standards to entirely different places. Personally, I was drawn in by the Rainbow Man EP, which, though it drew several elements from the trendy hits of the time, had an unusually sedated drive to it, which managed to make it that much heavier. From there, though, colors started flying. A few months ago, To Protect and Entertain tapped into the Electro/hip hop crossover genre (one that happens to have become more than just a bit popular as of late) at a time when few more than The Chemical Brothers had even touched it, and apparently having already moved on, P’s latest track, a remix of Das Pop’s Underground, has nearly combined the weird Helium voices of Bass Kleph’s aptly titled work with a mess of frumpy, windy, slidy synths that’ve got me saying nothing but mmmmmm mmm MmnmLOL. Let me assure you that no matter how you try, it’s likely impossible to comprehend Busy P’s train of thought, but if you take the time to appreciate this mix friendly blend of whacky confusion, (in addition to grabbing one of the most well produced tracks in quite a while), you might, at least for the moment, feel like you have some sort of clue as to what’s going on.

Das Pop - Underground (Busy P remix)

And just so I don’t leave you with only a single track with which to occupy the rest of our night, I figure I should probably help spread the latest by Van She Tech (special thanks to Discodust for the heads up). The track has got a definite Russ Chimes feel to it (I guess the Nu-Disco-ish influence is spreading), but a careful bit of side chaining every now and again definitely gives it a unique touch. Sometimes I wonder just how far off the map Van She Tech would have to wander to screw up a mix. Thus far, I’m convinced they’re invincible.

Walter Meego - Forever (Van She Tech remix)

I know my posts have been coming in bursts recently, and trust me, the last thing I want to do is perpetuate the cycle, but as you may have surmised from my previously unscheduled publications, sometimes it is simply imperative: Tonight, the unfortunate streak of bleak and uninteresting electro house tracks ends, for I have, by some stroke of luck, stumbled across what is easily the heaviest, noisiest, and most tastefully confusing production since the surprising Kam Denny remix of Ce Ce Peniston’s “Finally”.

BSOD

BSOD. Does it stand for Blue Screen of Death, or am I just confusing myself? I’ve got no idea, but what I do know is that the quiet night of French linguistic practice that I had planned has been entirely ruined, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The endless stream of clicks, beeps, whoops, and whip-whopping (all of which makes the contribution of Joel Zimmerman, or more commonly, Deadmau5, very, very apparent) is more than enough to beg a rewrite of the definition of euphoria. Now if only I had an empty warehouse full of deranged and shameless youth…

Again, I must stress that this piece of audio wreckage is pushing insanity, so please, listen responsibly! I’m pretty sure the surgeon general would agree.

BSOD - Choplifted (Original Mix)

In case I’ve failed to make it apparent enough through my many needlessly extended rants among my previous posts, I truly believe that, with the power that music blogs have gathered throughout the last several years, the internet’s ability to promote and support music is fully capable of replacing the corporate music industry altogether. Naturally, I don’t think anyone’s going to argue the fact that they could, but seeing as I’m likely going to get a hefty number of people disagreeing with the fact that they should, I’ve decided to use this post as the quintessential justification for the cause.

There are no doubt a huge chunk of reasons why blogs are capable of the getting the job done, most of which I’ve explained hitherto (instant exchange of ideas and influence, balance of opinions and views, and the lack of the presence of greed and money as a driving force being just a few), but I think that the most respectable and revolutionary quality associated with blogs is their unique ability to promote incredible music that, due to lack of labels and names, would never have otherwise made it far past scribbled sharpie on a burned cd. To put it simply, discovering great music that’s been processed and prescribed by Hollywood is a bit of a thrill, but to unearth the gems from the far reach depths of Myspace (especially the ones who’s friend counts haven’t yet struck the thousands) is to experience an indescribable feeling. Example:

Bit Rate

I don’t think I’ve done a post of this calibre since I covered I Am Elektronik way back in the beginning, and boy, does it feel good to get back in touch with the underground. Steering clear of mainstream electro for even a short period of time has allowed me to see through the hype to the magical things that become of clashing influences, and artists who don’t quite fit into a single genre, and I must say that among all the classy no-name’s, Bit Rate really stands out. The Baltimore producer (another win for the states) has managed to capture a sound that clearly strips bits and pieces of style from his cited influences (Justice, Boys Noize — all the standard heavy hitters), and though the resulting sounds are nothing unheard of, their structure is unusually original. Specifically, I feel his remix of Empire of the Sun’s “Walking on a Dream” deserves a considerable amount of credit. It’s almost as if he’s taken the idea behind Treasure Fingers‘ “Cross the Dance Floor” (an incredibly catchy, yet not so dj friendly track), and made it thoroughly danceable, without ever having to sacrifice the the melodic lightheartedness that made it so memorable in the first place.

I suppose I could have made this post a little more concise and simply advised you kids not to overlook the unknown, but you’re likely only reading to kill your free time anyway.

Enjoy this funky little remix, and pride yourself in knowing that you’re likely one of the very first to ever have heard it. How cool do you feel right now?

Empire of the Sun - Walking On a Dream (Bit Rate remix)

I’m thinking this little update is going to steer pretty darned far away from my usual approach to blogging;  Accounting for those of you who might not have noticed, I tend to enjoy blending a sort of theme in to most of the writing I do, and the artists whose tracks I post generally have a place within that theme.  In the last couple weeks, however, I’ve begun to find myself stumped and at a loss for some kind of container with which to unite the massive of influx of artists about whom I’d thoroughly enjoy to post, and as such, you my friends have almost certainly been subjected to a serious lack of variety.

Not to worry, though.  I’ve come up with a universally likable solution, and it goes something like this:

I’m going to proceed to load every last piece of gnarly, pelvic-motion-inducing disco into my hypothetical shotgun, which I will then aim at some hypothetical object that people normally shoot with shotguns (be it birds, bucks, or Master Chiefs) and pull the trigger;  Assuming everything goes according to plan, over the next day or two, you chilluns should be left with a scattered mess of banging beats with which you may do as you please, and with a little luck, we should all be rubbing up against something attractive within *checks watch* twenty six minutes.

DeadMau5

My first guest is no doubt already quite familiar to you, the party goers.  Probably due to the fact that he’s practically invented his own personal genre (or maybe just because of his easily spotted, giant, red head), Deadmau5 has been seen in just about every festival in every city in every country over the last six months or so, and I don’t think anyone’s complaining.  The Canadian electro genius has somehow bolstered up his sounds to the point where the drop beats of his songs sometimes leave me wondering whether or not it really was a kick drum, and not an aluminum baseball bat, that knocked me so readily onto my behind, and as if that isn’t enough to keep the electro heads bouncing back for more, his mixes are frequently topped off with squeaking blips, beeps and whoops that fully complete the transformation from digital bits to a percussive sensory bliss.  Naturally, I’ll include his latest work (which you may have heard at events like The Coachella Music Festival in April of this year), however, I do recommend a catalogue search on this fellow:  The reward is far from cheesy.  (Gaha ha ha!)

Deadmau5 - Hi Friend

Ju-ju-ju…Justice!

You’re shitting me. What? No. Seriously!?

As weird as it sounds, Justice has indeed returned (although where they’ve returned from I can’t say) with what is probably the first original work they’ve produced since the completion of Cross, and (I wouldn’t be surprised if my standpoint on the track encounters a bit of controversy) I’m going to go ahead and say that these two Frenchies have done it again. I was rather surprised upon a first listen to find that their style, despite having retained a familiar grungy synth sound, has change significantly. It’s almost as if the glitchy repetitive hooks that tied Cross together have been fully replaced by progressive instrumentalism, and pardon me if you don’t quite agree, but I’ve decided that artists among the likes of Metallica simply must have been used as an influence at some point amid the creative process. Regardless, seeing as you currently have the opportunity to be one of the first to grab this track and to be cooler than all your friends, this is something you’ll surely regret missing out on. (Again, I’d love to hear what the many Justice fans out there have to say. If you’ve got any sort of opinion, do your fellow hipsters a favor and SPEAK).

Justice - Planisphere

Kill The Noise

And then there’s Kill the Noise, who, in my opinion, are entirely misnamed. In fact, this electronic collective, who have gained a massive amount of popularity in recent history due to their frequent appearances on LA and SF’s MissingToof, should probably have been called something closer to “Fertilize, stimulate, and then provoke the noise so that it becomes an enraged, dance floor fiend“, seeing as their sets are rumored to be consistently and abominably off the hook.

Even at that, though, I tend to be reluctant to cover them in my posts, due to their already thorough coverage throughout the rest of the net, however, one of their recent tracks, a funky crossbreed between disco-house and electro appropriately entitled “Pull My Strings” induced a sudden change of heart; I’ve heard many a delicious sample in my day, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Kill the Noise’s tops the list.

Try not to be fooled by the intro…

Kill the Noise - Pull My Strings

The Bloody Beetroots

And before I let you get to digging in your closet for those dusty tables, I figure you might like to know that the long awaited (And when I say long, I mean long) Bloody Beetroots followup EP has at last been released through the infamous, Dim Mak record label. Though the release does (unfortunately) rely heavily on previously released tracks (Butter, Yeah Boy, I Love the Bloody Beetroots), I can assure you that the entire album if worth collecting simply so that you might enjoy the pure audio wreckage that is Rombo. This psychotic mess of loopy, slidy synths and ridiculous samples (I swear I’m hearing Lil’ Jon, as well as some sort of Disney cartoon character) has been the exclusive prime time backbone of MSTRKRFT and Aoki sets for quite some time now, and (lucky you) the track is now yours to handle. May I suggest rubber gloves and lab goggles? It’s a bit volatile.

The Bloody Beetroots - Rombo feat. Congorock

I must say it’s been quite some time since we’ve heard almost anything from the Ed Banger crew. I have this strange inkling that Justice might well have been struck with the misfortune of sailing off the edge of the earth in their gallant search for a proverbial new world, and even the immovable, longtime members seem to be shying the news as of late. But hush children, I assure you, there’s no need to worry; Though it may seem as though our beloved team of groundbreaking artists have hidden themselves away in their laboratories, you’ve simply found yourself at the mercy of a well kept secret. See, our good friends over at Dim Mak have (incase you failed to notice the exclusive appearance of Mr. Pedro Winter himself only a month ago) all the while been supplying LA’s truest disco fans with a constant stream of awe inspiring dj sets and sweaty, sweaty parties (think underground railroad), and, though it saddens me to say it, you’ve been missing out!

Fortunately, you shan’t be left in the dark yet again, seeing as Dim Mak has officially gone all out on their upcoming Avalon-strocity of a dance party and has managed (by means of some ridiculous supernatural power) to summon the dj Feadz to make Los Angeles sparkle upon the night of the 12th of September. (That means you’ve got a little over a week to go ahead and cancel all your appointments and such. Don’t worry, you didn’t really need to go to them anyway) Considering a live Feadz headliner has become somewhat of a rarity since the inception of Uffie, it goes without saying that this isn’t something you’re going to want to miss. And as if that’s not enough for your metaphorically Irish electro tolerance, I suggest you take a look at the rest of the lineup. We’ve got Kid Cudi (I’m sure you’ve heard Crookers‘ Embrace the Martian?), Paparazzi, Them Jeans (If you’re unfamiliar, you must live in a cave), and the notorious Hyphy Crunk, all waiting to help you lace up your dancing shoes. Sure, a couple of those names do indeed frequent LA, however, having them all to yourself together in one night is pushing insanity.

For those of you who’re finding yourselves a tad confused, here’s a couple tasters to get your blood running hot. I trust the next couple minutes shall ensure that I’ll be seeing you there.

Feadz - Go On Beef (Mr. Oizo Remix)

Feadz feat. Spank Rock - Back It Up

Kill the Noise - Hey You (Paparazzi Remix)

In response to Discodust’s recent update concerning the lack of a better name for the “Future Disco” style of music that engulfs Russ Chimes‘ latest endeavor (a remix of Le Corps Mince de Françoise’s track, “Bitch of the Bitches”), I believe I may (with the help of a good friend) have come up with a solution: My people, we shall call it Epiglam.

And yes, I could spend a good amount of time explaining to you why I’ve picked that particular name, but something tells me that simply having you listen to the Russ Chimes track mentioned above might serve as a better explanation. Let me know what you think!

Russ Chimes - Bitch of the Bitches

We all know the internet has had quite a large effect on the music industry; Sometimes I doubt that there remains a single soul left in the world that hasn’t contributed a dollar to Apple’s iTunes at least once in their life, but looking at this massive change from a modern perspective, it’s all good, right? Digitalization has allowed artists like Radiohead (and several other open-minded trend setters) to release their work upon completion and without corporate delay. Further, I feel it’s safe to say that a fairly large chunk of those of you who are reading this would find yourselves shit out of luck when it comes to discovering new music without the abundance of audio blogs on the net. In fact, you might actually be forced to (gasp) scour a record store. And I mean, yes, there’s the whole issue of creative copyrights, but seeing as it’s been discussed just about everywhere else on the net, I’m sure we’re all quite aware that merchandise and performance make up most of a musicians income anyway, so really, the only ones getting hurt by free music downloads (in most cases!) are the massive (although it must be mentioned that they seem to be losing steam) record labels. Point being, to sit back and accept the digital takeover as a collective win for the music world is quickly becoming an effortless feat, and this makes it twice as hard for the hesitant few to point out the complications that most certainly do arise.

Sure, there are thousands of complications here and there that I could complain about, but what’s really getting to me as of late is the notion that the ease of the transfer of music across the globe may actually be having a negative affect on the concept of culture that separates one nation’s musical style from another’s. Thinking back a couple years, ever since French artists like Justice pioneered the nu-rave electro sound back in late 2005, we’ve been hearing nothing but knock offs of that particular sound, regardless of the country of origin, and it’s only when an artist emerges that truly has pioneered a unique and individual style that it becomes easy to see what we’re missing.

Balkan Beat Box

Hailing from all over Eastern Europe, the project known as Balkan Beat Box claim a “strong urge to create a new musical breed that surpasses the old reality borders,” and after having a listen to a couple of their works, you won’t doubt that they know what they’re doing, and exactly how they’re going to do it. Their music incorporates the talents of 10 unique instrumentalists to create an almost Klezmer-fused electro style distinctive of the Eastern parts of Europe, and though you might find yourself a bit overwhelmed and confused at first, approaching these tracks with an mind will truly open the floodgates of possibility and leave you begging for more. In fact, the Balkan sound has so quickly become irresistible that several other artists, including the Italian Crookers, who were previously completely unrelated to the sound have already made the effort to embrace it within their own work.

Here’s a funky saxophone heavy Balkan Beat Box track, as well as the aforementioned Crookers effort.

Balkan Beat Box - Digital Monkey

Crookers - Gipsy P

Rayflash

Hopping back in the plane, I must say it’s certainly about time we return to Japan to follow up on the early summer post on the Japanese crunch god, Rayflash. Though I can’t go so far as to say that his music has much of a Japanese influence, I can certainly endorse the fact that Ray has truly extended his reach into entirely untouched areas of electro. His mixes are notorious for their audible pool of influences, reaching just as much into the Daft Punk library as they do into the heavy electro of artists like Circuit Freak and The Bloody Beetroots, and his latest track is certainly no exception. His nearly eight minute long remix of Artego’s “Girl” will take you on a pummeling electro journey through crunchy, hair-raising worlds, and I can guarantee that, assuming you make it out alive, the place you end up will not be the one you expected. All things considered, I would advise that you make use of your seatbelt.

MP3: Artego - Girl (Rayflash Remix)
YSI: Artego - Girl (Rayflash Remix)
ZShare: Artego - Girl (Rayflash Remix)

And for those of you who simply can’t be satisfied by a paltry single track, I thought you might like to know that our good friend Ray has made a special effort to cater to your (and I do mean your; he loves us all) interests. He’s come up with a mixtape that will fill more than an hour of your life with the warped out glitches of his dj sets, and may I say that he’s done an unbelievable job. You may have noticed I’m not prone to posting mixes, but trust me, this one will take power over you. I simply couldn’t hold back.

YSI: Rayflash DJ Mix 2

ZShare: Rayflash DJ Mix 2