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.

DJ Chicken George & J Boogie - Jazztronic Boogie Mixtape

DJ Chicken George (the Austin-based DJ and master curator of all sounds jazztronica) and J Boogie (the San Francisco-based downtempo and boogie fusion producer and DJ) come together to commemorate their summer tour with this great mixtape collaboration. These two mainstays in downtempo have crafted a great mix of funk, soul and jazztronica sounds. Chicken George curates the massively popular "Peddlin Jazztronica" podcast and J Boogie is a featured OM Records artist. Check out more J Boogie and DJ Chicken George.



And if you're in Canada, please see them live!

Canadian Summer tour:
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6.21.12 | 9One9 | Victoria
http://on.fb.me/MPhVFS

6.22.12 | Tall Tree Festival | Port Renfrew
http://talltreemusicfestival.com

6.23.12 | Fortune Sound | Vancouver B.C.
http://www.fortunesoundclub.com

6.24.12 | Hi Fi Club | Calgary
http://www.hificlub.ca

The New Law - Jiri

The New Law are back with an incredible glitch hop single that, in my ears, sounds like a continuing journey of the unnamed hero/outlaw from their last three albums into a Middle Eastern or old Eastern European underworld. "Jiri" is an ethnically-inspired song created entirely from samples and, according to The New Law, was inspired "by a street musician in Prague named Jiri Wehle. He plays the hurdy gurdy and sings epic Czech folk songs." The samples originate from the following songs: Jiri Wehle-"Pisen pro Barsinu", 4 Strings-"Take Me Away" and Styx-"Mr. Roboto". Stream & download the song here:

Show Review, Pics & Video: Ghostly International artist Shigeto live in NYC (Le Poisson Rouge, June 10, 2012)

I saw a side of Shigeto that I didn't quite know existed at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC. He was trained in jazz at the New School in New York and his studio work has an ambient, jazztronica vibe. But his remixes and original samples lately have been layered with ruptured electronic music that seem influenced by other Ghostly International artists like Mux Mool and Com Truise. His foray into other sounds was awesome live, and I was able to snap some photos and take a short video of his performance. The last 30 seconds of the video is a glimpse into Shigeto's new world, of deep broken beat electronic music that blew my mind. Definitely see Shigeto live (here's his tour schedule), listen to his tracks and check out the video and pics from his performance below: