Tuesday 15 April 2014

6 New Releases To Groove To

Lancelot - No. 2


1) Charles I & Craig Williams - This Is It

If there hadn't been so many other songs I was desperate to share with you, I would have done a whole post on this EP, dropped last week on Discobelle. Having also released Attrition earlier this month (which I posted about here), it seems that LA-based tech-magician Charles I has been pretty busy. Joining forces with Craig Williams, This Is It could power a dance floor from dusk to dawn with its dogged energy and quivering pulse. 'Increase The Doses' is a personal favourite, perfectly suited to that 3AM peak, when the climbing synths and urgent vocal sample drive the night into its oblivion.




2) Paul White - 'Song From The Old'

Oh Paul, it seems you can do no wrong. After having read on a SoundCloud comment that the sample was bulgarian, a quick search for bulgarian choir music led me straight to the song's original sample. In a stroke of genius, Paul harnesses the coarse power of the vocals, attaches two-tonne weights to their natural rhythm and creates something raw, dynamic and compelling. 



3) Luke Warm - 'Brockley Spears'

The second track off Luke Warm's promising debut Instant Vibe, 'Brockley Spears' is an impossibly funky soup of old-school samples and vibrant refrains. Compiled masterfully into what is ultimately a house groove, it manages to preserve simultaneously the energy of disco, soul and jazz. This isn't one for side-stepping. This'll make you want to shimmy like an uncle at a wedding.



4) Little Dragon - 'Paris'

'Klapp Klapp' was the song that introduced us to the new sound of Little Dragon's upcoming album Nabuma Rubberband (posted about here), and now we've been further teased with 'Paris', a synthpop lyric that announces, 'It's that time to transform,/To come around, I'm changing'. There's no doubt that the Little Dragon's style is transforming, but compared to 'Klapp Klapp' I'm finding 'Paris' a bit underwelhming. Underpinned by a propulsively rigorous beat, it packs the punch of their earlier work in terms of energy but lacks the moments of harmonic beauty that made Ritual Union so addictive. While the lyrics express heartbreak poignantly, this emotion escapes the music itself.



5) 6th Borough Project - 'Back 2 Black' (Cuthead Remix)

If you read my blog regularly, you might remember that I brought in the new year (go on, have a read) with Cuthead's brilliant album Everlasting Sunday. This time, the German artist is back to provide remixes (alongside Fantastic Man and Ben La Desh) of the fresh new album by Scottish duo 6th Borough Project, Borough 2 Borough. Released last month on the quickly flourishing new label Delusions Of Grandeur (which counts its fans amongst house heavyweights Soul Clap and Seth Troxler), the LP boasts a collection of 'slo-mo grooves' with 'a crawling pace'. 'Crawling' not really being Cuthead's style, he uses this remix as an opportunity to harness the festive percussion of the original, up the BPM and inject some melodic depth with lush synths and a healthy dosage of hi-hat.




6) Lancelot - 'Truth' ft. Ngaiire

This man's music grows on you in the same way that his gorgeous hair luxuriates over his shoulders. Taken from his forthcoming J.O.B. EP, which is to be released on British Anjunabeats sub-label Anjunadeep on April 28th, 'Truth' is soon to be available from a reliable dance floor near you. The track isn't groundbreaking, but as soulful deep house grooves go, it's pretty sweet. Vocals from the gorgeous Ngaiire are what makes this track special, accompanied perfectly by mellow chords and those classic house claps that'll get you moving in a matter of seconds.

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