detroit
Erika – Hexagon Cloud Remixed [IT031]
Hexagon Cloud RMXD celebrates the diverse influences of Erika’s solo release Hexagon Cloud on Interdimensional Transmissions Marcellus Pittman remixed the hypnotic Tow Ride from Erika’s debut Solo album with a stated goal of making it darker and ”more evil”. Canadian electronic music duo Orphx, remixed Hexagon Cloud, resulting in an immense, impeccable production. BMG, Erika’s mate in Ectomorph, also shares his vision of her track, A Cellular Meltdown.
Koehler – White 2 [SKUDGEWHITE002]
Koehler brings a malfunctioning technoid monster to Skudge via an out of the blue white label.
Reavis Mitchell – Soul Beats Volume 1 [DS12001]
Scientist/Producer/Artist Reavis Mitchell breaks the sound barrier again. Though he recently became prominent as a co-founder of BKE Technology and an architect of the Beat Thang Mobile Music Production System, Rev has been manufacturing beats for years. On Soul Beats Volume 1, the Soulbeat Scientist concocted a collection of signature soul-infused hip hop and funk for your sonic toolbox.
J Dilla – Lost Tapes, Reels, and More [MM032]
Moodymann’s Mahogani label releases another posthumous J Dilla release, titled ‘Lost Tapes, reels + more’. Despite his untimely passing in 2006, J Dilla’s legacy has remained strong thanks to the enduring qualities of his back catalogue, the endeavours of the J Dilla Foundation and the Yancey Media Group, not to mention the countless Dilla themed reissues and projects that have surfaced in the wake of his death. Moodymann’s Mahogani imprint have of course played their own part in ensuring J Dilla’s enduring legacy with the release of the Dillatroit EP last year, a 12-track release of previously unreleased J Dilla material done in collaboration with the aforementioned Yancey Media Group and J Dilla Foundation.
Robert Hood – Slam Radio 026
Contakt – Nobody Else [IH004]
The latest offering from San Francisco’s Icee Hot label finds the young imprint officially welcoming another artist to its gradually expanding roster, the Michigan-reared, New York-based producerContakt. Particularly on “Nobody Else,” Contakt’s flair for big-room melody remains intact, but he takes notes from classic KMS, filling out the song’s cresting synths with a full-bodied bassline, a hooky vocal sample and a sturdy rhythmic underpinning. “Tessera 04” goes deeper, channeling Maurizio while delving headlong into a dense cloud of synths and maintaining a steady sense of forward momentum. Remixes by Ghosts on Tape and Robert Hood.
Mike Dehnert – Roulement EP [ECHOC023]
The new release on Echocord Colour comes from Mike Dehnert, featuring 2 powerfull Techno-Tracks, typical stripped down Mike Dehnert sound, perfect for the peak time dancefloor. The remix comes from Mike’s colleague Sascha Rydell, a monster flowding powerfull track.
CN – Voyages [CPU00000010]
Norway’s CN aka Stian Gjevik delivers 4 cuts of spatial analogue electro. Overflowing with uber-melodic synthesizers along with CN’s complete mastery of the drum machine, Voyages is Detroit influenced braindance at its best.
Electric Street Orchestra – The Natives [DTR02B]
This is a journey led by Jeedo’s Electric Street Orchestra to his native land, Detroit City. The Natives: It was created in direct defense to the assault on Detroit City. The uprooting of it’s original citizens is fastly becoming the norm, as the population has plunged by 25 percent over the last decade. The Natives is meant to celebrate all the pioneers, revolutionaries, Moms and Pops that somehow get last in the media’s coverage of newly imported ”do gooders”. Serpents: According the Bible’s Book of Genesis, the serpent is a symbol of evil who appears in the Garden of Eden to tempt Eve. The serpent is portrayed as a deceptive creature or trickster with ill intent. We’ve all encountered numerous snakes in life, however this metaphor can also be applied to the cities ongoing issue of land-grabbing by numerous corporations with empty promises to build farms. Reconstruct: This is the quiet after the storm, cleansing the palette for rebirth. A new beginning, one with hope and great promise. It was used as a sonic bed for the theatrical trailer of the award winning documentary ”Detropia”. Once again Waajeed AKA Jeedo has assembled a cast of sonic masters under one of his many monikers, Electric Street Orchestra. Including UR’s Mad Mike, DJ Skurge, Ray 7 and newcomers Tiny Hearts.
Other Worlds – Live From The Memory Warehouse [BOOMCHIK002]
BoomChik is back with a 2nd release featuring Si Murray with his Other Worlds project. Solid basses and rattling percussion fuel an E.P. that gurgles with bright Detroitesque finesse and variety that shifts between large almost basic channel feelings, to glitteringly precise house music. A five track release, full of floating pads and spacious reverbs take you directly to other worlds as lush strings and tight percussion patterns do exactly what they intend and trip you back to memories of warehouse days. Murrayʼs extremely tight production and musicality give this an edge that though reminiscent of the tones and feel of days gone by, has itʼs feet firmly planted in the here and now.
Voiski – The Inner Citadel EP [SYNCRO014]
D-Ribeiro – The Circus EP [SD028]
Strong techno debut by D-Ribeiro, one of Rotterdams finest talents, on Syncom Data Records. Four deep and grooving techno tracks with a hint of house and a strong Detroit feeling: wandering in the night through empty streets.
Rick Wilhite – Connecting The Compass [RS007]
This bumper 3×12″ release sees Joe Babylon’s Roundabout Sounds imprint enlisting the help of respected Detroit house artist Rick Wilhite to curate a compilation of unreleased house tracks from like-minded contemporaries under the appropriately titled Connecting The Compass. Highlights out of the 11 track compilation, which includes the likes of Theo Parrish, Baaz and Sean Tate are numerous, but there are several standout moments; Karizma’s “I Think” lays tracky breakbeats over a sonorous synth melody, Marcellus Pittman’s “Wolf & Moonbeams” pairs otherworldly synths and an improvised analogue melody with a low-slung bass led groove, and Norm Talley’s “Track From The East” is a devastingly simple combination of driving claps and pitched organ chords.
XDB – Frocks [SIS020]
Sistrum proudly welcomes the return of Mr. Kosta Athanassiadis, aka XDB, back to the fold with the deep, hypnotic electronics of the Frocks EP. This three track EP features Patrice Scott on remix duties. This is another quality installment in the revered Sistrum catalog.
VA – Reverence [SRT155]
Paying homage to the beloved underground, a prime collective of neo-electronic architects spawn a quintessential four track vanguard. “The Greatest” by Drivetrain begins gritty and minimal, blossoming into an orchestration of vocal samples fused with melodic pads and acid bleeps. CloudMaster Weed utilizes the vocal stylings of Goddess Stephanie on the raw and sultry “Sweet & Delicious.” Rennie Foster makes a strong return to Soiree with “Low Boxing” – an amalgamation of silky vocal samples dropping amidst heavy syncopated acid. Lush pads provide the final polishing. J.Garcia’s “Lost” serves a commanding conclusion. The throbbing rhythm drives alluring female vocal samples thru an infectious late night sizzler.
Blackboxx – Black Boxx EP #3 [FPR037]
Mixing elements of Dance Mania and Relief Records sprinkled with Detroit Techno, Black Boxx’s final EP of the series delivers 4 more solid dancefloor destroyers.
KMFH – The Boat Party [WO013K]
Wild Oats is proud to present the KMFH debut album The Boat Party. After a year of collaborative releases, Kyle Hall, under the alias KMFH, has produced a debut album; a fusion of original work, sample tracks, and raw edits. The Boat Party album artwork pokes fun at European summer boat parties and juxtaposes the destitute state of Detroit and its recent proneness to discarded luxury in financial crises. Mainly, the inability to leave and the sometimes pleasant isolation of a boat party is what the album exudes. The listener has a certain commitment to the material which definitely has its place on the dance floor. You can find tracks that have soulful, funky, and organic feels, while others have a more abstract, mechanical, and robotic sentiments. The Boat Party was carefully constructed which makes the album a cohesive mix of soulful etherealness and roughly raw sounds; KMFH’s cueing into the true aspects of Detroit.
Marcelus – Another Way [SINGR002]
New Marcelus 12” on his own label.. forward thinking advanced techno tracks with a little of that jacking chicago drive in it.
Makam / Roch Dadier – Lost Archives – Part II [AERA007.2]
The second EP in their new “Lost Archives” series stands out in it’s clear dancefloor direction and it’s recognizable oldschool feel. On the A side Makam brings in a typical oldschool techno track which resemblances a mixture between old Jeff Mills material and Robert hood’s Floorplan output. The title of the B track simply points out it’s purpose. Roch and Pacou were resident DJ’s at Tresor, when they recorded this track for Roch Dadier’s Label Portrait in 2002. However, short afterwards it was recorded, Roch stopped his label, so this gem never saw the light of day. Pacou and Roch Dadier show us that tribalistic techno is still actual these days with this rhythmic piece of music.
The Hipodrome Of Music 