We’re very excited to announce that Truants is partnering with Seattle-based Decibel Festival to bring you some exciting coverage from this year’s festival. Taking place in various venues across downtown, SoDo and Capitol Hill, the festival is celebrating a monumental ten years of bringing forward thinking electronic music to the Pacific Northwest. In addition to 130 artists performing at 26 showcases, Decibel also puts on a conference dedicated to those interested in learning about production and hardware with lectures from artists performing at the festival like Kode9, Ikonika and DJ Rashad and hardware demonstrations from the likes of Ableton, Rane and Windows. Decibel also likes to keep things fresh, so don’t plan to be cooped up in dark, sweaty clubs all the time. They’ll be throwing a free Decibel in the Park showcase at Broadway Performance Hall Park, as well as multiple boat parties hosted by the likes of Kyle Hall and Ben UFO. They’ll even have some Yoga sessions at Q Night Club. Don’t forget about the Funktion One system and Q, either. Here’s a few of the showcases and acts we’re excited to check out:
XLR8R: Evian Christ, Thursday 12:30AM. Since putting up some tracks on youtube with a rotating parallelogram almost a year ago, what hasn’t this Joshua Leary guy done? Production for Kanye on Yeezus’ “I’m In It”? Check. Signing with Def Jam? Check. Participating in 2013’s Red Bull Music Academy? Check. We caught up with him early in the year at RBMA at a grimy metal bar in Greenpoint where he debuted some recent material and it doesn’t disappoint. Instead of hearing the sample (no doubt infectious) Tyga vocal samples, expect to hear some recorded vocals from other hip-hop artists. It’s also worth noting that Evian Christ is playing along side Truancy Volume 56 veteran Huerco S. Should be very, very dope.
Hessle Audio Showcase: Ben UFO, Pearson Sound & Pangaea, Friday 2-5AM. Pop quiz: Who comprises our favorite trio of lanky males that run a London-based electronic label? If you guessed Ben Thomson, David Kennedy and Kevin McAuley, b.k.a. Ben UFO, Pearson Sound and Pangaea respectively, you’re right on the money. Though Hessle itself has been somewhat quiet since releasing Pev and Kowton’s absolutely insane Raw Code, don’t expect this one to be anything short of bonkers. Ben will probably pull out some totally left-field records, so you’ll definitely want to be there for that.
Sub Pop 25: Shabazz Palaces, Thursday 12:15-1:15. The brain child of Digable Planets member and Seattle native Ishmael Butler, Shabazz Palaces doesn’t just make hip hop. It’s hard to even put a name on, but everyone agrees that their 2011 album Black Up was a game changer. The fact that they’ve signed to a label responsible for putting out the majority of Seattle’s rock music past is a testament to their cross-over appeal. Blending all sorts of insane polyrhythms with jazzy undertones, smooth vocals and some blown out drums, there’s something for everyone in Shabazz Palaces. On top of that, the masks that they perform in are next level, which reminds us that last time we saw them in Seattle was when they joined Sampha & SBTRKT on stage for their Wild Fires remix.
Optical 2: Nils Frahm, Friday 6:30-7:30PM. We first got hip to Nils Frahm’s music when Four Tet included it as the closing track to his amazing “Conference of the Birds” mix. A classically trained pianist and renowned composer, Frahm’s sense of control and restraint make his music incredibly attractive. After a thumb injury sidetracked his piano abilities, Frahm took advantage of the situation to record “Screws” which still sounds remarkable even though it was recorded with only nine fingers. Attendees of last years festival were treated to a live demonstration of the material and it was nothing short of spectacular. Expect more material from his album “Felt” which saw the resourceful Frahm dampen his piano so his neighbors would hate him a little less. Frahm’s set will also be accompanied by visuals from Timeboy and Leo Mayberry.
Shine On: Gold Panda, Saturday 12:35 AM. Since arriving with the odd ball “Quitter’s Raga” single in 2009, London-based producer Gold Panda has made himself a constant on the vaunted Ghostly International roster, melding the UK’s rich and variegated ‘num styles with the beat fascination of Los Angeles-based labels like Brainfeeder and Leaving. As safe a bet as any artist in his relative sphere, the man born Derwin Panda has been somewhat quiet over the past two years, cultivating a bright roster at his own Notown imprint and constantly tweaking his impressive instead of releasing a deluge of new tunes like some of his contemporaries. Having toured extensively across the United States, the man born Derwin Panda probably isn’t a new name for most heads, but one would be remiss to pass on the chance to see this impresario flex his new material. Oddly enough, Panda will not performing alongside his partners in crime at Ghostly and will instead be headlining the Shine On showcase at 12:35 AM.
Mixmag After-Hours + High & Tight Boat Party: Kyle Hall, Saturday 2:00 AM, Sunday @ 3:30 PM. Originally hailed as a techno savior of sorts by many internet dwellers, Kyle Hall has spent the past few years reinforcing his roll as one of American dance music’s bright young stars, but also diverging from the styles that originally brought him to prominence. Like many of his contemporaries, Hall was born into a musical family in a suburb of Detroit, but it wasn’t until he started hearing ghetto tech tracks on the radio that he began to delve into the city’s rich dance music history. As the legend goes, Hall released his first EP at the tender age of 16 through Omar-S’ FXHE imprint and the rest is history. Earlier this year, Hall released his first LP, The Boat Party, under his KMFH nom de plume. A hard-hitting collection of lo-fi house tracks, the album fits into the grooves of Detroit’s musical history at times, but also portrays the desultory state the metropolis currently inhabits through blunt club machinations. Hall will be performing twice at Decibel, first at the Mixmag after-hours party at Q Nightclub and then at the High & Tight boat party.
Kyle Hall – The Architect by Wild Oats Music
Hush Hush: Cyril Hahn, Saturday 12:30 AM. Cyril Hahn has a knack for remixes. He quickly rose to prominence amongst the Soundcloud set with his moody, groovy, and strikingly catchy remix of “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child. Since then, he has released a string of remixes exploring this sound, a fusion of sultry RnB with house sensibilities, creating music that is pop oriented, but also engaging, trafficking in emotions and grooves rather than cheap thrills. A promising DJ as well as producer, the Swiss born Vancouver resident will be demonstrating his mixing chops Saturday night alongside a tandem of past Truancy Volume contributors in Ryan Hemsworth and Kid Smpl, as well as Henry Krinkle and DJAO at a showcase by rising Seattle imprint Hush Hush.
Timetable Records: Teebs, Sunday 10:15 PM. The music of Mtendere Mandowa, the visual artist and producer better known as Teebs, is a world of swirling textures and colors. Fragments of melody seem to paint themselves onto a vibrant, lifelike base of rhythms and harmonies, creating a sonic space that imparts beauty and humanity. This quality is amplified in his live set; hunched over his 404, you feel him conjuring his otherworldly sound palate, manipulating and blending sounds, and sending them into the room, charging the air with emotion and an indescribable feeling of “lightness”. a gem of the los Angeles music community, you can experience his live set at the Timetable Records showcase where he will be joined by fellow beat auteurs Nosaj Thing, Lorn, and D Tiberio, starting at 9 pm at The Crocodile.
dB Finale: From Disco To Disco Showcase: Archie Pelago, Sunday 9:30pm. This Brooklyn based trio have been making waves over the past few months. It seems like every month they release another genre bending record whether on their own Archie Pelago Music imprint or the labels of friends. Just in time for Decibel they’ve penciled in a record on New York’s Styles Upon Styles. Live, the group has one of the more compelling shows we’ve seen bridging the gap between instrumental improvisation and electronic music. If you’ve yet to see them in person Sunday’s show will definitely be the venue to do so.
Exclusive: Archie Pelago & Helix Mix (December 2012) by TRUANTS
Home Bass Showcase: Midland, Saturday 10:30pm. We absolutely love Midland. He’s made some of our favorite records of the last three years and has been a part of some excellent collaborations. Remember the Works The Long Nights tracks made with Pariah? His records on Aus Music have been some of his best work toeing the line between dance floor staples and heady ambience. Keep in mind he rarely makes trips across the Atlantic so we should be in for something special, to say the least.
Hyperdub Records Showcase: Kode9, Thursday 12:00am. For a decade, Kode9 has been an influential force in underground music. Known as the man who introduced the world to Burial, he’s done nothing but kept the ball rolling signing acts such as Brooklyn’s Laurel Halo and Canada’s Jessy Lanza. As for himself, he’s just as prolific in his solo work whether it be dabbling in footwork with this year’s “Xingfu Lu” or his continual work with The Spaceape. This mix and mash of styles is just as present in his DJ sets as recorded work; don’t be surprised if you’re berated with rushes of 160bpm sub bass next to classic electro. If you can find time in your surely chaotic schedule this is a more than viable option.
Hyperdub Rinse FM Show Archive 09-06-2013 by Hyperdub Records
Resident Advisor Showcase: Lapalux, Thursday 11:00pm. Lapalux’s records always posses a sense of longing with a flicker of a long forgotten memory. He writes the type of music that sounds like you’re simultaneously awake and lucid while also floating in a drug induced haze. Since his breakout cassette on Pictures Music he’s gone on to join Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder and release his debut album, “Nostalchic”. Unfortunately, this writer has never seen Lapalux live, but with such a dense aesthetic one can only hope it translates into a similarly tinged experience.
Lapalux – BBC Radio One Mix by Lapalux
Deep Roots Pt. 2 Showcase: Axel Boman, Friday 9:00pm. Axel Boman kicks Friday night off early with a 9:00pm set, but that shouldn’t be deterrent as his melodic brand of house is ideal for setting the tone for an entire night. The Swedes’ personal charisma transfers over into his music with his most recent record “Black Magic Boman” as a testament to. Our money’s on his set being filled with laid-back grooves and smooth bass led undertones.
Axel Boman – Cubic Mouth – Hypercolour by axelboman
John Talabot and Pional Performing at Decibel Festival 2012 – Photo by Tim Willis