These days, discussions on the subject of electronic music will often, quite understandably, deal with the importance of innovation; there seem to be some critics who will dismiss an artist as “derivative” simply for displaying any hint of being influenced by another’s music. This comes as no surprise, as there are indeed many producers who make their living by churning out passable emulations of whatever sound is currently held in high esteem.
On the other hand, it’s important to remember that good records can be—and are usually—made without forcing the listener to “reinterpret the meaning of electronic music” or some nonsense along those lines. With that in mind, we turn to The Phantom‘s EP 2, a release that deserves to be noted not for challenging the status quo but rather for celebrating it, in the best way possible. Hit the jump for the full review.
Brand new remix from LA’s own, Them Jeans. This track is very tastefully done (like edible undies) and it really compliments the original. I have a feeling 2012 is gonna bring big things from this dude.
Well, that happened. As I pored over my iTunes, looking at the songs that I had added to my library over this past year, I couldn’t help but be amazed at what the year had provided for us, musically speaking. The overexposure and prominence in popular culture of Tyler and the rest of Odd Future, the term ‘post-dubstep’, James Blake releasing his debut to much fanfare, A$AP Rocky, I could genuinely go on for ages. For those of us that were musically inclined, we were quite spoiled, treated to albums upon albums of fantastic material rather than the EPs so many of us became accustomed to. Rather than speak extemporaneously on the matter, I’ll actually get to my picks, the reason for your reading in the first place. Once again, thank you for your readership that allows us to keep going with this funny little project that started in a Facebook message thread senior year of high school. There’s no order to this, just a compilation of what I loved. Apologies for the tardiness, my laptop seems to manage to completely crap out whenever I need it most. Biggups library computers for letting me finish this. Support the acts and hit up your favorite record store, online or in person, and make sure they can keep making greatness. Here’s to 2011.
We’ve entered music’s final year, as well as our own. At least if my tracking of the Mesoamerican calendar serves me. But assuming the world wasn’t created on August 11, 3114 B.C., we’ve got years and years of ear-filling frequencies yet to come. Just in case, though, we may as well review what could have been the last full musical year… for posterity’s sake, eh.. ?
Each year the Squeegie writers like to compile a list of their favorite tunes to share with the world . We saw tons of shows and listened to a ton of music, so we hope everyone can find something to suit their tastes in our wrap up. We wish you all the best and safe partying in 2012! So without further adieu in no particular order… (I tried to include as many promotional DL’s as possible so be sure to check each track, and as always, if you would like anything removed please contact us).
Dillon Francis – Westside EP (Mad Decent)
This may not excite some people, but it goes without saying that the young kid from Los Angeles Dillon Francis has had a fantastic year in music. It started with his track “Westside”, which established support from artists like Drop the Lime, Diplo, and Sinden, which resulted in the track’s official debut on Mad Decent. Since his debut, he has worked with the Dim Mak, Plant Music and Top Billin Labels and remixed everyone from Kill the Noise to Digitalism. Watch out for some new releases in 2012. Buy the EP here.
Each year as I write my favorites list, I feel it’s necessary to say that I find ranking music to be utterly pointless. Seldom are two good records enjoyable for the exact same reasons, and so to attempt to assign any sort of empirical value to the expressions they hold doesn’t really make any sense to me. My favorites, therefore, all hold equal merit in my eyes. With that in mind, you’ll find a small selection of my favorite music released in 2011 after the jump.
Ghostly International is a label that puts an extraordinary amount of care and thoughtfulness into each and every release, from the fantastic and mesmerizing visual designs of Michael Cina (who is responsible for much of the label’s album artwork) to the vast and varied stable of talent the imprint boasts. The free 2012 Selected compilation, released yesterday as a teaser for what’s to be expected from Ghostly in the coming year, is no exception. Cina contributes a piece of his celestial wonder for the cover, and the download features tracks from a handful of recent and upcoming releases from Ghostly artists. You can download Aeroc‘s superb “For Sake” below; 2012 Selected is available for free download here. (via Ghostly)
Hate to abuse the site as a self-promotional tool, but I’ve recently completed a new track, the first in a while that I actually like, and I would love to hear some feedback. Any commentary/advice about the mix down is appreciated. Special thanks to vocalist Sami Stevens (N.E.C.) and bassist Evan West for recording with me.
Just straight damn. I’d like you to meet Innamind Recordings, a label I will be following with hungry eyes from here on out. They just put out their first release, a delicious compilation from deep and dark producers such as Wheeler, Gantz, and Ghost Note, among others. As far as first releases go, these guys went all out, and I encourage each of you to show this young label your love and support and buy this release. It can be found here. In honor of the release, one of the artists, Ghost Note, gave this baby out for free. Put your mean face on.
beatport
juno records
dj download
itunes
boomkat
bleep