The Upside of Down: Show Review & DJ Sets - Matthew Dear & Sleepy + Boo at Le Poisson Rouge, 6.14.12

Last night I attended Basic NYC, a house party at Le Poisson Rouge. Resident DJs Sleepy + Boo kicked off and guest Matthew Dear followed. The show was spectacular. For one, Poisson Rouge has quickly become one of my favorite NYC venues. There's no dress code, the crowd is all about the music and NOT about the "scene." The music is consistently amazing.

Before I get into the show, this post represents a slight departure from the "downtempo" music I normally share. Its difficult to segment music all the time. I find myself often wanting to share the uptempo or dance oriented music that I listen to as well. Balance is important, and uptempo is complimentary to dowtempo, its simply necessary. So with this post I'm starting a new feature: "The Upside of Down." Posts with this tag will feature more uptempo stuff that I'm enjoying when I'm not chilling with my favorite downtempo tunes. Don't worry though, this does NOT mean I will be writing about downtempo any less, just that I will be adding more uptempo flavor! Now onto the music and show:



Resident DJs Sleepy + Boo have curated the Basic NYC party for years and they are known house DJs in NYC, also hosting a monthly party at Cielo in the city. They describe their brand of house music as "thick drums, big basslines, hypnotic grooves and tripped-out sci-fi synthesizers." Unlike many house DJs, this duo keeps their mixes interesting by playing a variety of tempos, rhythms and sounds. It also helps they've created a really cool aesthetic in the club - their stage backdrop is a curtain of luminescent bulbs that create a waveform in time to the music. It also creates psychedelic swirls and visualizations.



Matthew Dear came on around 1:30AM and dropped heavy beats immediately. By that point, the crowd was well warmed, and he took us to an even deeper, tribal place. Matthew Dear (a co-founder of Ghostly International and featured artist on the label) is known around the world as an experimental electronic music producer and house DJ. His original work has a dance pop quality, but not the kind the mainstream kind that makes me groan. His DJ set certainly delivered - very heavy and deep, with all the right peaks and drops to keep the crowd grooving with him. AND I was excited to see he uses Traktor for his DJ sets - my personal DJ software of choice :)

Check them out some pics below and listen to sets by Sleepy + Boo and Matthew Dear. I suggest listening to these on some device where you can get the true bass experience. Enjoy!

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.

Monday Mix 3: New EROK Mix - Ebb Glitch Flow

This Monday Mix is one of my own. "Ebb Glitch Flow Repeat" is my latest mix and starts with an atmospheric intro that crescendos into melodic bass, dub and glitch-oriented downtempo music that pushes the intersection of chillout and dance. When I create mixes, I start with a theme - this one being particularly deep and glitchy. I also treat every mix like a story with an introduction, peaks and valleys, and emotional components, delivering an experience that isn't complete without hearing how the entire mix works together.

This mix features artists from Cut Music, Pretty Lights Music, DJ Kicks Series, and more. Download the mix for free and see the tracklist below. Please note, the download file is large because I preserved the quality for your listening pleasure.



Track List:
1. Indian Wells - Wimbledon 1980
2. Great Skies - Polaroid
3. Existance - Uninhabited
4. SBTRKT - Colonise
5. Gramatik - Illusion of Choice
6. Koloah - Pets Can Rock
7. Sepalcure - No Think
8. Supreme Cuts - Amnesia
9. Fog - Wonka Bass
10. Paul Basic - Doozy
11. Sepalcure - Taking You Back
12. Zero 7 - Ghost Symbol
13. Supreme Cuts - Fools
14. The New Law - Opium Den

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!

Monday Mix 2: Compa - Lucid Mix (WEARELUCID.NET))

Here's a great downtempo, bass-heavy mix to get you through the week - Compa's Lucid Mix for WEARELUCID.NET. Compa is a UK based DJ and producer who is gaining traction as a future garage trailblazer, creating bass heavy dubs that are equally deep, penetrating and energizing. This mix starts early with some hip hop and reggae, introducing you to the bass rhythms that he progressively drops lower and deeper throughout the set with his own original tracks.

Check more Compa on Soundcloud, every Wednesday from 2-4 PM on Sub.FM, and more like this at WEARELUCID.NET - a big thanks to WEARELUCID.NET for exposing me to Compa and sharing awesome music.

Usher - Climax (prod. Diplo) (Paper Diamond Remix)

I don't normally share mainstream music, but I do when some of my favorite artists - and other talented downtempo producers - do remixes of whats popular. Here's an example: Paper Diamond (on Pretty Lights Music) remixes Usher's Climax. I love Paper Diamond's original work and his remixes are always very steady and funky, and this remix is a deceptively basic, chilled out head nodder. Definitely something for any electronic music DJ or fan to add to their library.

Monday Mix 1: Junior X - Temple of Gnosis Dub Mix

Today kicks off a new feature at Downbeatscape - the Monday Mix! Every Monday, I will post a mix that I've been listening to and loving over the weekend, to make sure it's a worthy mix for you. That means you'll be getting 52 amazing DJ sets via Downbeatscape every year!

To kick it off, I was immersed in and inspired by the Temple of Gnosis Dub Mix by Junior X - a live recording of his hypnotic trip into dub and Goa-flavored downtempo at the Aurora Festival on Samothraki Island in Greece. Junior X is Greek and plays the outdoor European festival circuit. His next gig is the Tree of Life festival in Turkey in just three days.

OHM Dedication Series #3: Ahu presents Blossom Dearie

Ahu presents Blossom Dearie is an endearing, funny, relaxing and classic jazz mini-mix for a Sunday of chilling and recovering from whatever you got yourself into Saturday night. This mix is by Ahu, a Turkish singer on OHM who has worked with Flying Lotus and other legends in progressive and downtempo music. Her mix honors Blossom Dearie - an American jazz singer with an incredible voice and great sense of humor, which is a major part of her songwriting, live jazz and bebop performances. She was a staple in the New York supper club scene in the 60s and 70s, and this mix makes me want to travel back in time, drink Manhattans and see her live.

Most of what I blog about has a strong electronic component, but I love to share other classic downtempo sounds that have been an inspiration for today's music and lately its come in the form of jazz. This mix is the 3rd in OHM's Dedication Series, where OHM Label's artists and DJs share their love of artists that have inspired them.