Event: Moodymann coming to Manchester!

Listen up party people... the one and only soulful house master is coming to town. Mark the date in your raving diary forward slash chillout; September 17th he descends upon The Roadhouse for Cutloose. Check it out!

Of course, such wild excitement and persuasive agenda must show some relevant backing. His music evokes an emotive spectrum, with slick instrumentation binding together the breaks, like an edible, adhesive honey. Examples follow.

Enjoy. I know you will.

This is Moodymann's music lecture as part of The Red Bull Music Academy's London take over 2010. There are expletives in the following video, so for all of you that don't want to hear it: be warned.



And this below is an example of one of his most popular tunes. It transcends the realm of simplistic house music by forming a jazz-enthused, instrumental dream with a vocal that floats soulfully with the tunes ambience.

Link: MySpace

Flashback: Claude VonStroke - Who's Afraid Of Detroit?

The Dirtybird label has been smashing out some fine ass chewns since 2003, and this is a tune in 2006 that put VonStroke (Barclay Crenshaw) on the house map. From humble Detroit beginnings, VonStroke released Bird Brain in 2009 and a Dirtybird collaborative compilation earlier this year. Big tings are still expected.

Enjoy.

Artist: Thomas Bangalter

As I was researching the previous post I made for James Talk & Ridney's latest version of 'Forever', I came across this little man. Little not in height, nor in stature or even DJ status. So why did I use the term 'little'? I hear you ponder. Well, that I don't know. But what I do know is this man, along with DJ Falcon, collectively known as Together, was reason enough for me to stomp my feet back at a night in Nottingham called Love Zoo. The perfect accompaniment to alcohol, friends and light snacks ;)

A tune that was ripping through the airwaves at that moment in time when I was just learning the ways of rave was one quite romantically called 'So Much Love'. That tune is posted at the bottom of this post and provided many hugged-up, loved-up, hunchback moments. Aside from that tune, did you know that Mr Bangalter is half of the Daft Punk duo, as well as that he provided music for the French independent film called 'Irreversible' and consequently named his album the same thing? And now resides in Beverley Hills?

Bangalter has stated some interesting quotes:

Upon being asked about celebrity status;

"We don't believe in the star system. We want the focus to be on the music. If we have to create an image, it must be an artificial image. That combination hides our physicality and also shows our view of the star system. It is not a compromise."

And about drug usage;

"Personally I don't like ecstasy. It makes me lose any sense of critical judgement, it makes me like every track I hear. All the music we've done, I think people can enjoy it and really go crazy even if they're not on any drugs. Maybe that's why it's successful and has crossed over."

Very smart indeed.

So here is Eric Prydz 'Call On Me'. Oh, sorry, I mean Bangalter's 'So Much Love'. Similar, much?

Enjoy.

Artist: Cragga

Who is this guy?

Up and coming, fresh and new, Cragga's sound seems to replicate the youth appeal of N Dubz, instead applying it to the urban dance scene. Take that as you may, his pop styled garage version of Crookers 'Day N Nite' and mellow dubstep remix of the Twilight theme are sure to be heard on a ringtone near you soon!

The surprise drop in 'The Postman', sampled from motown beauts The Marvelettes, is reason enough for his name to be thrown about. At least for a little while.

Enjoy.

Artist: Original Sin

Adam Tindall is rising high in the drum and bass ranks, though he hasn't always been releasing infectious beats under his solo alias Original Sin. His previous guise as part of Geordie duo G Dub became renowned locally and their skills didn't go unnoticed. Whilst performing at Area 51 his ability to positively demolish raves gained the much needed feedback from headlining acts, eventually being signed to DJ Hype & Pascal's Ganja imprint. He now leaves his individual footprint on the drum and bass scene, bashing out heavy stompers such as 'Don't Be Silly' and his remix of the Shy FX classic 'Rah'. Having released his first Original Sin LP last month called Grow Your Wings, his music is now out of the local and into the national.

This below is a track from said album and an example of his hypnotic work where a classic house vocal is cut and inserted over a junglist background, thrown in with some psychedelia, some soulful bridge undertones and a few subtle steel pan knocks.

Enjoy.

Album Review: Bibio - The Apple And The Tooth

Stephen Wilkinson, or Bibio, is a British music producer who released his third album of 2009 earlier this month. The Apple And The Tooth LP flaunts four new tracks and eight remixes of tunes taken from his June release Ambivalence Avenue. Previously having released albums under American independent label Mush, he is now signed to the more heavyweight contingent Warp Records.

From the four new tracks, 'Steal The Lamp' deploys a psychedelic panorama before teasing in a hint of dubstep, closing the track with a scrambled drum and bass arrangement. And title track 'The Apple And The Tooth' is much like 'Bones & Skulls', which both combine folk-pop guitar and vocals from Bibio himself.

As for the remixes, heavy influence is drawn from Warp's way of life, illustrated by label-mate Clark who adds his own gritty, melodic electronica to 'S'vive' (think urban ice cream van) and ultimately transforms Bibio's original with spectacular effect. The stand out remix is Leatherette's easy going version of 'Lovers' Carvings', which pans a broken vocal spread over dream-like percussion and satisfying hip-hop beats.

Unlike Ambivalence Avenue, this album permits you to take a stroll down a more chilled out street, donning an intelligent mix of electronically produced music laced with guitar pop-folk meeting hip-hop. The Apple And The Tooth LP proves Bibio's natural innovation in production is no accident - his previous attempts are the foundations to this claim. With a high turnover of albums as per this year it seems he could be hitting double figures by the end of 2010 - which can only be a positive thing.

This below is the Leatherette remix of 'Lovers' Carvings'.

Enjoy.

Artist: Trevor Loveys

Who is Loveys? It sounds like he could be a vicar who skips and sings through life whilst producing soulful beats on the side, all of which is true. Except the vicar bit. And it wouldn't be right for me to speak on behalf of Trev in his skipping and singing exploits.

His recent single release on the 19th of October called 'Organ Grinder' shifts from nu-jazz enthused melodies of the past to a more electro-pop outlook, suiting the current dancefloor trends of today. His previous album released in 2005, 'Selected Singles And Remixes', is a collection of his own tunes put through a very cool remix machine leaving a silky, soulful outcome that sounds like it takes inspiration from the Masters At Work. It hosts Hipp-e's Full Mix of 'The Bounce' that samples the brilliant sound of Jazzanova's 'Our Time Is Coming' as well as another lazy summertime lick of soul called 'Elevate Your Mind'.

After swapping records labels over the years he now sits comfortably in Cheap Thrills, under which the new single is released. Though in recent years his most notorious venture is that of being teamed with Solid Groove to create an array of funky, edgy remixes under the guise of Switch.

So from downtempo, to deep house to dancefloor electro, Loveys is an established producer who has me anticipating his 2nd solo album release. Below is one of his finest solo tunes as mentioned above 'Elevate Your Mind'. For more of his stuff check out Kraak & Smaak's 'Squeeze Me', 'The Bounce' and 'Turn It Up'.