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."

Monday Mix #5 + Label to Watch: Bohemian Club Soundtrack (Episode 7) + Future Dub

The Bohemian Club is a new music label I've been following since its inception. Alistairr - the man behind the Bohemian Club - does a great job showcasing downtempo talent via his mix series The Bohemian Club Soundtrack.

In Episode 7 of the Bohemian Club Soundtrack, Alistairr ties fantastic tracks together from artists and producers around the world. This is certainly a chillout mix, with ambient elements and atmospheric lead-ins to rewarding, jazzy drum breaks and cool melodic synths. Definitely listen for a chilled evening - you won't be disappointed. Plus, check out two other dub songs I'm particularly enjoying right now from The Bohemian Club, called FUTURE DUB:



Track List for "Bohemian Club Soundtrack - Episode 7":
1,Rykard - North Cormorant Obscurity
2,Conrad Schnitzler- Ballet Statique
3,Mister 1-2-3-4 - The bones will stay
4,Jon Brooks- Regie
5,Mordant Music - Pissing in Sinks
6, Walls-Raw Umber/Twilight
6,Oneothrix point Never- Sand Partina
7,Hyph mngo- Joy Orbison
8,The Advisory Circle- As the crow files
9,Theo Parrish- Summertime is Here
10, Raiders of the Lost Arp- Night time (Rude 66 Forever Darkness Remix)

Plus, here's the FUTURE DUB tracks that I'm really grooving to. I connected with Alistairr about these songs and this is what he shared: "Modern dub and reggae producers usually fall into 2 categories: either very traditional and follow the King Tubby route or they are dubstep influenced. Future Dub is centered around the main trumpet/sax/organ interaction which is a key feature of most of my dub productions, and is highlighted here. The sound I tried to create uses the traditional template - combining edgy samples and effects, to create an atmosphere of mystery and surprise." Keep up the mystery and surprise - its working!

Mostly Robot - Behind the Scenes - Native Instruments Showcase

Native Instruments is my DJ brand of choice. I use both Traktor Pro and Maschine in my setup, combined with Hercules RMX midi and some Ableton integration when I'm teaching myself/learning more basic production skills. This video showcases a lot of NI tools and techniques in a really cool way - by creating an "electronic super group" of DJs, artists and producers. Mostly Robot is DJ Shiftee, Jamie Lidell, Jeremy Ellis, Mr. Jimmy and Tim Exile. Each artist has their own specialty that is showcased with a different Native Instruments tool or functionality. Check it out:

STS9 - Axe the Cables - Re-mastered Acoustic Set

STS9 is incredible. I've never heard acoustic versions of their music, but this all acoustic set demonstrates their true range as musicians and how/why their music has such an organic analog feel, despite being highly electronic oriented. The acoustic version of their songs shifts between classical, jazz and folksy rock. This was released in 2009 but STS9 recently re-edited and re-mastered this album to make it even more crisp and beautiful.



Gratuitous cut-and-paste description of this set from STS9's Soundcloud Page: "In December of 2009, STS9 sat down in one of America’s most pristine modern opera houses on a chilly night in Denver, CO to create the inaugural “Axe The Cables… An Evening of STS9″. What this night encompasses is one of, if not the most flawless STS9 event in the bands decade plus history. The entire show was played, for the most part, sans all “electric” gear including the common stage instrumentation of laptops our fans have grown quite accustomed to. To say the event was a hit is an understatement. It was a night legends are made of. So much so the band has decided to re-cut, re-mix, and re-master this into one massive release."

Monday Mix #4: Nappy Riddem - Samba, Reggae & Drum&Bass Mix (All Vinyl)

Nappy Riddem (Fort Knox Recordings) is a reggae-funk band that's always on my radar because of their roots in D.C. downtempo culture. Their members work with legendary D.C. bands and artists like Thievery Corporation, Thunderball, Fort Knox Five, and See-I. This mix is from one of their members - Rex Riddim - and showcases his love of Brazilian beats combining samba and drum & bass. It truly is a chillout rasta mix laced with drum&bass energy. Many thank to Fort Knox Recordings and Andrew Cerutti (2Tuff Productions) for always sharing great music!



Also check out this interview with Nappy Riddem, courtesy of Fort Knox Recordings:

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