Monday’s Best Pt. XXVI

For the last few years Wolf Music has been a safe haven for modern house music with one leg in the present the other in the early nineties. Even though there’s a general conscientious that organ chords and MK-styled vocals hit critical mass last year there’s still room for those who earnestly love that era of house music. In other words we still love Matt & Stu and would like them to keep fighting the good fight. At the tail end of last year the duo released “Wolf EP 15” a 12-inch split between mostly fresh signees, the highlight of which was Ron ‘The Don’ Basejam’s remix of “Nowt” by James Welsh. The majority of the track is devoted to a sluggish bassline and an equally laidback vocal, however the last few minutes are a prelude to part two of his remix. “Nowt (Ron Basejam Mix Pt 2)” ditches the cool flow of part one for a low-end with a bit more immediacy and spring. Its quick five-note arpreggiating line completely changes the atmosphere of the track, as does the inclusion of build-centric pads. Moving at a steady pace it has everything you’d expect from a floor filler – killer bass, easy-going chords, and a constant 4/4 groove. Both remixes are excellent for their own reasons, though part two brings a bit more kick for peak-time dancers.

Stream/Download: James Welsh – Nowt (Ron Basejam Mix Pt 2) 

There’s something for everyone on this compilation from the Glasgow and London based I Hate Fun blog, showcasing sounds from a host of underground producers. Grobbie’s massive ‘Nemesis’ is an album highlight, its firing low-end and lost in space claps see the producer sitting very comfortably amongst other excellent grime explorations from up and comers Mssingno, who channels Zomby’s dark bleepiness, Inkke and Shining Force. Elsewhere ISLAND’s firing ‘Fantasy VIP’ is a frantic synth vs. percussion showdown, while DJ Akeera fulfills the footwork quota with his swirling flip of Lumidee’s ‘Never Leave You (Uh Oh)’. In between all this you’ll find Disclosure-leaning house from CF80, rolling garridge from Soul Edmonds. If there isn’t a track that takes you we’ll eat our hats. Oh, and trust us when we say that all these artists are well and truly worthy of further investigation.

Stream: Grobbie – Nemesis (Download via I Hate Fun)

Right as we’re at our thirstiest for some new Rich Boy the rap lords saw fit to bless us with some concrete news on his future and a new track. A new tape seems to be actually happening and the fact that “Break The Pot” is available on itunes paints a very positive future for Rich Boy. While Supa Villain’s signature sound is missed here (Rich Boy has at least three album’s worth of material with him from the last three years), it’s understandable for him to want to come out the gate loud and hard. We’re expecting a good year for Rich Boy.

Stream/Download: [wpaudio url=”https://truantsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Rich-Boy-Break-the-Pot-feat.-Hemi.mp3″ text=”Rich Boy ft. Hemi – Break The Pot”].

Four Tet’s “0181” is an album comprised of sketches and ideas written between 1997 and 2001, and he shared it all on his Soundcloud: it quickly made its way into our library, but also left us wondering whether it’d been some sort of wonderful mistake. Getting to peer into the cast-off thoughts leading up to Four Tet’s second album “Pause” felt somewhat like finding a secret diary so we treaded lightly, and held our breath such that when the delicate looping began we were left unable to exhale again. “0181” is at risk of being misunderstood when regarded as an album in the traditional sense, its beauty is in the discord that made these compositions imperfect fits for releases past. The collection of songs brings us more of a sampler of ideas growing from the same palette that has made Four Tet’s past work so likeable, without the coherence or expectations overlaid by a more formal release structure. The included sounds stray from jazz to meandering piano and those gorgeous twinkly loops, to what sounds like a kettle faintly boiling at 10:00, among other things. A number of these sketches wouldn’t sound out of place on “Pause” and they all complement each other beautifully, each adding to that extra dimension of understanding when we look back at all that Four Tet has given us from 1997 until now.

Stream/Download: Four Tet – 0181 (TEXT) 

Cassettes have been enjoying a revival of sorts in recent years, with key labels such as The Trilogy Tapes and 100% Silk redefining the format as more relevant than relic. 2012 was a great year for Stephen Bishop’s Opal Tapes imprint, which seemed to appear out of thin air and released an impressive string of tapes including DJ Ford Foster’s jack-tastic Function Trax Vol. 2. In December the label offered a pay-what-you-like (ie free, come on) download of Cold Holiday, a 13-track compilation featuring tracks from Truants BFFs Huerco S. and Anthony Naples, as well as Bishop’s own music under his Basic House moniker. Dro Carey, under his Tuff Sherm alias, contributes the brilliant “Raymond Sees The Dog”, where a playfully spooky loop is decorated with echoing vocals and lo-fi crackle. IVVVO’s synth-fuelled “Rave 2 Die” recalls Legowelt’s most cosmic-friendly techno, but sits comfortably besides the abstract, chime-heavy sounds of Feloneezy’s “////////////”. Simply put, the compilation is a celebration of Bishop’s musical ethos and the success that it has brought his label. And with this week’s announcement it already looks like 2013 is going to bring even bigger and better things for Opal Tapes.

Stream/Download: [wpaudio url=”https://truantsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Opal-Tapes-Various-Artists-Cold-Holiday-11-Tuff-Sherm-PMM-Raymond-Sees-The-Dog.mp3″ text=”Tuff Sherm & PMM  – Raymond Sees The Dog” dl= “o”] via Bandcamp.

John Tejada’s “Farther and Fainter” is a gently hypnotic house cut from his 2011 album “Parabolas”. Toronto-slash-Berlin outfit Ambalance have slowed it down to a muffled crawl. Similar to their moody “Cokewave” and “Discard” EPs (available for free on the duo’s Bandcamp, it’s a fine example of how to imbue something beautiful with a sense of quiet dread. The track’s ‘drip-hop’ tag serves as a hint to the mood of the piece. A leisurely let melodic jaunt, its whirs and clicks undercut the reflective mood with sinister notions of uncertainty. An additional upward-moving four-note phrase contrasts with the simple chords of the original, while kicks like footsteps and unresolved strings result in a feeling of ghostly tension. Listen on repeat as you contemplate the universe in the dark.

Stream: John Tejada – Farther and Fainter (Ambalance revision) (Download via Bandcamp)

Written by: Sophie Kindreich, Cayley MacArthur, Jon Alcindor, Donny Marks, Aidan Hanratty & Tobias Shine.

Truants