Terminally Ill - Ill.Gates (New Album!)

I've heard a few Ill.Gates tracks and remixes here and there, and have noticed on social media he's turned into a touring machine. This San Francisco based bass and future producer just released his new album - Terminally Ill - and it is FANTASTIC. It's the type of album you can listen to end-to-end and never get bored, and you know that it's the type of sound that melts your face in your headphones or live - either way you are SOLID.

My favorite tracks on this album are "Ice Bucket" - a track that starts out with an ethereal female vocal and drops some reverberating bass line that is one part house / one part dubstep, but without the over-the-top wobble or transformer creaks that can topple a good dubstep track. My other favorite is the Ill.Gates remix of Minnesota's Thunderdome.

If you like Bassnectar, Minnesota, Pretty Lights, then you'll like Ill.Gates. Listen and download here:

Thornato - Things Will Change EP / Chapinero Single

I'm absolutely jamming to this new track "Chapinero" by Thornato - a NYC based producer on Wonderwheel Records (Nickodemus, Zeb, Sid Vaga, Spy From Cairo, more).

"Chapinero" is a worldly house track with dance floor tribal percussion, wood wind gusts and trap inspired rhythms. The song is pure fun and very flexible - you can play it in any party DJ set and use it as a feature track or sample this thing all over the place to create your own monster floor mover.

This is the first time I've heard of Thornato, the producer on Wonderwheel. His album carries the vibe of "Chapinero" through a few other songs, and its a fantastic EP. Anything that comes out on Wonderwheel is going to be interesting, and this stays true. I highly recommend it.

Check out the track and Thornato's EP at Bandcamp:

Downtempo Compilation: Cold Busted - Bust Free 19

Cold Busted is a west coast label founded by downtempo master DJ Vitamin D. It just released a new sample compilations of artists on its roster. I have several Cold Busted series and they are always great. This news compilation - Bust Free 19 - ranges from chilled out breaks to experimental downtempo. A must listen for any downtempo or chillout fan! Download it for free, via Bandcamp!

New Album: The Deadbeats - Soft Focus

The Deadbeats released a new album a few weeks ago titled "Soft Focus." I got into The Deadbeats many years ago after hearing a few of their tracks featured on the Wax On Records compilation series (founded by downtempo legend Nightmares on Wax). This album is more of the same and more of what I love - downtempo, chilled percussion grooves with intriguing vocal samples. Check it out on Bandcamp:

*NEW MUSIC* --> Odesza - Light (feat. Little Dragon)

Two of my favorite artists come together on this beautiful mid tempo track. Love how Little Dragon's vocals sound over Odessa's chill percussion and beats. Out on Odesza's album 'In Return' on September 18, mark your calendars!

Suburban Dream - 26 EP (this is special)

I consider Ciaran of Suburban Dream a friend. I've never met him, but when I was first getting into DJing and writing about music, he was also starting to share this stuff with the music blogs. It was many years ago and still one of my favorite tracks to play in my downtempo DJ sets is his song "Wandering Around".

He shared this latest EP with me, a beautiful album inspired by his mother. It is four tracks of glistening, sometimes ambient, melodies over simple but layered percussion. The arrangement of the sounds create a perfect chillout mood to relax and enjoy a blue sky and focus on good memories and good vibes. Definitely introspective in places. My favorite track is "The Power of Doubt" - a track that builds and swells and rides on a light piano riff, and sweeping yet driving drums and synths. Check it out here and buy it for only a few bucks on Bandcamp: 

Jenova 7 & Mr. Moods - Time Traveller LP

Jenova 7 is a 25 year old downtempo trip hop artist based in Boston. He came on my radar a few years ago and his stuff keeps getting better and better. Mr. Moods is a Canadian producer. I'm not sure how they hooked up but i'm glad they did. I'm really diggin their new LP - "Time Travellers"  It's a great collection (12 tracks) of downtempo beats. Listen here, enjoy and stay chilled --> 

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

I've listened to Daft Punk "Random Access Memories" a few times now. Here's my super brief simple review - what you need to know: I like it. It's a pure musical experience. It's very true to Daft Punk's foundational style - simple, catchy, repetitive hooks & rhythms that sink in over a few listens. Get it and listen! Here's a great short interview with Daft Punk about their approach to the music and the recording process with their collaborators:

New Pretty Lights Album out July 2 - "A Color Map of the Sun"

Pretty Lights' latest album "A Color Map of the Sun" will drop July 2! And it will be available for free at www.prettylightsmusic.com as has all of his albums - but only on the DAY OF RELEASE! This album, if the latest single ("Around the Block" ft. Talib Kweli) and this album trailer is any indication, will stay true to Pretty Lights vintage sound. What's different is that this album will be original recordings with live instruments, written by Derek and his collaborators.

Daft Punk - "Get Lucky" - new song trailer debuts at Coachella

No question that Daft Punk's new album is one of the most anticipated of the year - and they released a new song trailer this weekend at Coachella. The trailer for "Get Lucky" features Pharrell and that vintage Daft Punk sound.

Suburban Dream - "Not Dead, But Sleeping" New EP & Mix

Suburban Dream is back with 3 new downtempo tracks of his signature hip hop beats, scratches and chilled lounge sounds. Ciaran McCarthy is Suburban Dream and he's been sharing his music with me for a few years now. He consistently delivers a uniquely chilled out sound built over simple (yet very effective) drum breaks with introspective vocal samples that create an overall downtempo, lounge mood. I also particularly love how his samples and lyrics always have a loose connection to the stereotypes of suburban life - its an interesting commentary on the fear many of us face: being exiled to the boredom and irrelevance of the suburbs. For example his lyrics in "Switch It All Off" are telling: "Can you focus on anything? I can't focus on anything. Do you understand what you're feeling? I just want to switch it all off." And the titles of his new tracks say it as well - "Switch It All Off," "Safely Sane," and "Not Dead, But Sleeping."

Take a listen below, and also check out his mix for the Late Lounge Sessions on Urban Jazz Radio, a downtempo show based out of Antwerp in Belgium. Happy chillin'...

Special Suburban Dream Late Lounge Session - Urban Jazz Radio Broadcast #14:2 by Cham O on Mixcloud

Hidden Orchestra - Archipelago Album Mini-Mix

Whew, I've been delinquent in posting! Getting back into my FINAL YEAR of grad school has been a transition. But I'm working to continue to bring you great downtempo music.

Here's a mini-mix from Tru Thoughts artist Hidden Orchestra. The Tru Thoughts label distributes amazing artists like Quantic, Benji Boko and this is a a mini-mix of Hidden Orchestra's second album "Archipelago." It's a string-infused trip hop journey with a lot of atmospheric elements and hip hop drum rhythms that keep this album grounded in an organic, acoustic sound. If you like the mix, watch for the album to drop on October 9 via Tru Thoughts.

Artist Interview & Free Album Download: Simara - Yakushima EP

Simara (GTB Records) is a New York producer who recently released his EP "Yakushima." The EP features really interesting downtempo percussion that reminds me of other artists I've been into lately and including in my mixes, such as Sepalcure, Supreme Cuts and Tensei. The reverberating bass and staccato percussion sounds very natural, like they were created using sticks and stones and caves instead of a kit or drum machine. Simara combines this with Japanese strings and other lighter sounds that create a balanced and sometimes playful quality. My favorite tracks are "Water God's Lullaby" (chilled, introspection for weekend relaxing) and "All Night Long" (glitchy bass-trip for pre-partying). Check out a short interview with Simara, plus stream and download his new album "Yakushima" FOR FREE!



Downbeatscape: What does "downtempo" mean to you, and how does your work fit into your description?

Simara: Usually I associate downtempo with a relaxed pacing and mood - like ambient music with a beat. When it comes to my music, there's definitely a downtempo element. I've been heavily influenced by ambient music, but I also listen to a lot of artists like Massive Attack, Telepopmusik, Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, Taylor Deupree, etc. There's a lot of overlap with different genres but I try to stay above all of that and just feel it out.

DBS: When you're producing, what part of a song do you start with to provide the foundation?

Simara: It really depends on what comes to me first. Sometimes I'll hear a melody in my head and I have to record myself whistling the parts on my phone or something, or sometimes I'll hear a percussion groove or I'll dig a particular sound or even just want to mess around with some general concepts. Having a variety of music helps with discovering and playing with progressions and synthesis. So, if something doesn't come to me melodically, I'll just work out some vague ideas in my head and let them grow.

DBS: The new EP is called "Yakushima" - what does that title refer to?

Simara: "Yakushima" refers to the forest with the same name on a south western island of Japan. The forest was a huge inspiration for movies by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli films like Princess Mononoke and My Neighbor Totoro, which are movies I grew up with and really love. The forest itself is gorgeous, mysterious, and enchanting. To me, it represents the nostalgia and raw emotions from the memories I associate with my past and my encounters with the forest and Japan.

DBS: How has the New York scene and other areas you've spent time in influenced your style?

Simara: The New York music scene is crazy. I'm exposed to so many different styles. You can find me at a Grimes concert, a Baths concert, or even the Allman Brother's Band. A lot of people I'm around are into jazz, folk, and hip hop, so I'm thankful I don't have to go very far to be musically inspired. Before university, I thought I was going to be a house music or "electro" producer. I wanted to be a DJ. But I was never 100% into that stuff - I had always liked the alternative stuff, and my first ever album was a CD by a Japanese artist called Daishi Dance, who liked to use lots of piano and pretty melodies to accompany his beats. I really dug that. I think spending time in lots of different areas, whether they be physical or mental, really helps to carve out a groove. All the while you have to be open, you know? Inspiration is everywhere.

DBS: How do you distribute your music and achieve the production quality you expect?

Simara: This is the hardest part about it I guess haha. Actually, I'm no longer truly independent, since recently I was signed to a small label called GTB Records, which hosts a number of wonderful musicians and people. We are still getting off the ground, but its been fun even in the short time I've been involved, and the situation regarding distribution / production hasn't changed that much. To be honest, I don't spend too much time focusing on distribution. Every once in awhile I might send something to a blog I follow or a person I think might like my music. I just want to keep doing stuff for its sake. Production quality, of course, is a really tough issue when you're working alone (and when you're broke). You've just got to keep listening to stuff that sounds really nice, and try to emulate. There are tons of resources that I'm thankful for, and going through the motions of trial and error teaches me a lot. I try not to get too satisfied or fall into a particular pattern of doing things. Getting lazy never helps. If I have to automate a million parameters, or fix the smallest things, I'll do it. If I have to ask someone for their opinion, then I'll do it. But settling is never good. I can't level up that way.

Album Review: Rapping with Paul White - The Room Below Versions

UK producer Paul White is often included in the same conversation as Flying Lotus and Diplo for his experimental and other-worldly music production. His latest album "Rapping with Paul White" (One Handed Music label) ventures into hip hop, working with underground rappers such as Guilty Simpson, Tranqill, Moe Pope and more. The album was released this year and recently received a really cool electronic make-over by producer Henry Keen, aka The Room Below. This re-edit/total success is a wandering electronic hip hop odyssey that showcases really creative production and hip hop talent. The Room Below took the entire "Rapping with Paul White" album and re-did everything using drum machines and synths. His interpretation is amazing and worth many listens. You can stream and download the "Room Below" Versions below, plus listen to the originals - compare for yourself and enjoy!

My two fav songs on the album are "Stampeding Elephants" and "One of Life's Pleasures."

Album Review & Interview with Mr. Meeble - Nostalgic for Now EP, Star Power Single

Mr. Meeble is an electronic glitch rock band from Phoenix, AZ. They just released their latest album and first in three years - "Nostalgic For Now." The album is a collection of music that captures the spectrum of introspection and emotion that nostalgia creates. Its electronic-oriented percussion and ambient synthetic overtones evoke a sort of happy-sad feeling - that contradictory experience of looking back on amazing times with both fondness and regret. Don't get me wrong - this isn't sad music. Mr. Meeble creates a very meaningful energy with this approach.

The single "Star Power" is a perfect example of this balance. Its chilled and glitchy wave of percussion drives you forward and relaxes at the same time, while melodic elements create space in the song which the vocals fill perfectly - telling the story of a man who longs to return (or remain?) in the world of another who makes him reach the upper limits of his potential. The video for the song is also incredible. It's a representation of what it'd be like to see Mr. Meeble live. Devin, the band leader, dons a mask called the "Ghost Portal" which projects an eerie but compelling visual of his likeness on a giant screen.

Mr. Meeble connected with me to share their new album and the video for "Star Power." I did a short interview with Devin, the band leader, and they've made a free download of Star Power available for one week only - announced exclusively via Downbeatscape! CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE TRACK (via Soundcloud)





Downbeatscape: Why the 3-year hiatus between albums? What was the impetus for a new one?

Devin, Mr. Meeble: Well, we have a lot of other things going on and 3 years goes by faster than I wish it did. I don't make a living from Mr. Meeble, so I have to juggle quite a few things. Add to that my tendency to be a perfectionist, and there you go. No real impetus - we just finally got a video done so
we released the EP.

DBS: There's a lot of emotion in your music. How does the balance between analog and electronic elements help create this emotion?

MM: Emotion is kind off an intangible component of music, but yet so fundamental. I would hope that our music feels like something... anything. Nothing annoys me like hollow music. As far as electronic and organic elements go - I don't know if we balance the two. I like both, I need both. Why not have both? Maybe Mr. Meeble is something like the corpus callosum. Right meets left.

DBS: What does "downtempo" mean to you? How does your music fits into your definition, if at all?

MM: Not sure what it really means, other than a very literal meaning of slower tempos. We use a lot of slowish to mid tempos, but I also really like fast tempos, so go figure.

DBS: What is it like to wear the "Ghost Portal?"

MM: I would like to answer something like "exhilarating" or "surreal" - but in reality it's a bit heavy and quite awkward. The only joy I get is sensing the energy of the crowd. The last time I wore it, I could really feel the peaked attention - a strange mix of wonder, excitement and confusion. That's fun, no doubt, but I still couldn't wait to take it off.

DBS: More and more artists are adding aesthetic entertainment elements - like the "Ghost Portal" - to their live shows. How do you see the live experience evolving ?

MM: Are more bands doing stuff like that? I still see a TON of bands touring with zero visuals. I don't know much about the future of the music business, except that music will continue to exist. I'm pretty sure about that. Oh yeah, did I mention that I love lasers?

DBS: What's your favorite song on Nostalgic for Now?

MM: hmmm... I would have to say Gift, with Star Power being a close second. I dunno why, I just resonate most with Gift. It's hard to pick a favorite when you've spent so many hundreds of hours deep inside of the innards of these tracks. I think artists lose all sense of objectivity.

Album Review: Dirty Art Club - Hexes

I'm not sure I can define Dirty Art Club - which makes me really excited. This group just released Hexes - their second album - a fantastic mosaic of sounds ranging from funk- and jazz-like brass and deep hip hop beats to electric guitars and synthetic melodies and bass. The album carries a downtempo theme and feels like an ahead-of-its-time 70s movie soundtrack - a little brooding, a little psychadelic, and an abundance of funky energy for lounging or getting ready for the night.

Dirty Art Club is composed of members Madwreck and Matt Cagle. The album is released via Phonosaurus Records (based in Montreal). Check out three songs from the Hexes album via Soundcloud and buy it direct from Phonosaurus' online store!

Artist Interview & New Acid Jazz/Jazztronica Release: Outerattik - Attic EP

Outerattik, the UK's Jamie Smith, released his acid jazz Attic EP recently and it's a great downtempo tribute to the nostalgic early days of jazz that he discovered pouring through vinyl records in his parents' attic. As he progressed as a jazz musician, Jamie began to experiment with more acid improvisational techniques and electronic sequencing, creating a "jazztronica" sound that pays homage to his classical training and gives a nod to his interest in other genres like electronica and funk. Read my interview with Outerattik, listen to Attic EP and download his track Electro Funk #50 for free:



Downbeatscape: What does "downtempo" mean to you and how does your style fit into this genre?

Outerattik (Jamie Smith): Downtempo to me means groovy, laid back and atmospheric. Chillout music with some bite. Genres are so blurred that I find myself going in circles trying to define the music I produce. In essence, I produce downtempo with harmony and rhythms from jazz, funk and soul.

DBS: How did your interest in jazz develop and how has it evolved through the years?

Jamie: Early on I’d been playing and improvising over stuff that had some overlap with jazz: mainly American songbook material. My uncle introduced me to it, and how to play chords and improvise. A few years later I bought some jazz CDs and books and began learning how jazz worked. I plucked up the courage to go to a few jam sessions around town and eventually joined some jazz combos. It was a difficult transition from previously playing mostly classical music. Jazz is quite different and I spent six or seven years not being able to play well enough to record - really frustrating.

I’d also experimented with sequencers and computer music in my teens, and after playing jazz proper I wanted to combine the two. It was after playing in fusion bands and learning to play funk that I felt confident and versed enough to embark into acid jazz and form Outerattik.

DBS: How did you first get your start as a musician?

Jamie: Music was always in my family. My Dad still plays in a brass band (which I played in for a few years) and my Mum performs in musicals. I started piano lessons when I was six and began composing a few years later, first with pencil and paper then with a sequencer my parents got me for Christmas.

DBS: How do you like composing in the studio compared to performing live? How does the art of improvisation, so important in jazz, come into play in a studio vs. live setting?

Jamie: I enjoy both. Going from one to the other keeps things interesting. Playing live is exciting but often the sound on stage, especially if playing in a noisy bar, is a bit rubbish. Being in the studio allows you to concentrate fully on the sound and play with more nuance.

The stage tends to be where you can really stretch improvisationally. I find the studio experience to be quite tense because I know bad notes will be recorded! But on stage, you’re jamming in real time and can be spontaneous - I find that really exciting.



DBS: What gigs do you have coming up?

Jamie: I’m looking to take Outerattik live soon. I put some feelers out to other musicians to collaborate and I’m pleased with the enthusiastic response. Until then I’ve gotta write more tunes!

DBS: Where do you find influence for your songs?

Jamie: Sometimes I write tunes to reflect a particular experience I’ve had or mood that I'm in. Other times it’ll come from something I’ve improvised. This EP, particularly Attic Faery, has quite a nostalgic feel to it. The main inspiration was discovering music through my parents’ vinyl collection in the attic. It was quite eclectic.

DBS: Where do you see the future of downtempo music and of acid jazz in particular?

Jamie: Downtempo will always find an audience. It’s such an adaptable form. You can fuse it with other genres, like folk and jazz, and it works really well. Who knows what the next twist on it will be. I thought glo-fi a few years back was pretty good, bringing back that 80s pop sound but in a new way.

As far as acid jazz goes, I have a vested interested in a revival! They say these things go in 20-year cycles, don’t they? Musicians like BADBADNOTGOOD and Robert Glasper are having a lot of success at the moment with their jazz and hip hop sound, and a more mainstream audience is responding. So it’s an exciting time to be playing acid jazz.

Ancient Astronauts - Orion Nebula Remixes Review - ft. ESL artists & friends: Second Sky, J-Boogie, Kabanjak, Subatomic Sound System, more

Ancient Astronauts recently released a remix album that features a ton of ESL Music (Eighteenth Street Lounge - Thievery Corporation's label) artists and friends. Ancient Astronauts are an international trip-hop duo from Germany that have dropped two previous downtempo hip hop albums through ESL Music. This remix album features great producers and artists that hail from ESL Music and other labels that put out great downtempo. Their guests include: J-Boogie, Subatomic Sound System, Entropik, Thomas Blondet, Second Sky, Kabanjak (one half of Ancient Astros), plus more.

This remix album takes Ancient Astronauts unique hip hop sound and adds a variety of international flavor, ranging from dubby reggae and afro-beat rhythms, bouncy funk, chilled lounge snyth melodies, and more - all with atmospheric ambiance that gives this remix album a texture that is distinctly ESL.

Listen to a mini-mashup of the album here, and you can get the album via Amazon here or iTunes.

Artist Interview: Rainbo - Volatile EP

Rainbo - an up & coming downtempo, electro hip hop producer in St. Louis - dropped his new EP on me and I'm excited to share it. Rainbo's music has a smooth downtempo vibe rooted in hip hop beats and organic samples from earlier eras, giving it a texture you wouldn't get with computer-based production. This sampling element is what caught my ear, so I asked Rainbo why he uses these samples. Listen to his EP, download it on Bandcamp & read why he finds certain samples below:



Downbeatscape: I noticed you mix samples from musical eras ranging from old, nostalgic, 50's to more recent. What inspires you to use a sample and why ones in these eras?

Rainbo: There are a few different reasons. The first and probably most important reason is the analog sound of these recordings. The natural saturation that occurs during the analog recording process is really difficult to recreate digitally. So for me its a short cut to a more organic sound. Also there's a bouncy soulful vibe that i was looking for, and just seemed to find more often in older recordings. Finally, i would say older pop/dance music has a much more human sound than modern pop. Being that modern pop is basically an auto-tuned vocal over synth and drum machine sounds, usually its easier to go back in time if i'm looking to add a human element to the track.

I have to apologize to Rainbo though - I lied to him. I told him I wouldn't post his replies verbatim, but as I read them I found that I didn't want to paraphrase or interpret. What he said really resonated with me and I thought was important for you to read too.

New Gramatik EP - #DigitalFreedom - Pretty Lights Music label

Gramatik (Pretty Lights Music) released a new EP last week called #DigitalFreedom. His sound is historically hip hop driven (like most Pretty Lights Music) with gritty funk elements and less electronic sampling than other PLM artists such as SuperVision, Paul Basic or Paper Diamond.

#DigitalFreedom maintains the foundation of downtempo hip hop but brings in a much stronger electronic element (mostly dubstep oriented) than his previous work. I've heard this shift across many of Pretty Lights Music's latest releases. Fortunately, they all incorporate new sounds without sacrificing the style that their listeners have come to appreciate. This is true for the new Gramatik release. It really does meld his style with new elements, and there's a healthy balanced mix of really organic hip hop samples and synthetic downtempo electro. Listen on SoundCloud and download his new album on Pretty Lights Music for free: