SPRING HAS SPRUNG

SHIBA SAN - PLANET FLOOR
[DIRTYBIRD]

Claude Von Stroke's enigmatic Dirtybird label is currently celebrating it's 10th anniversary, and it's no wonder, thanks to it's impressive roster of artists such as Justin Martin, Catz n' Dogz, Breach and Worthy.  Add French producer Shiba San to that list; Planet Floor is a spiralling made-for-the-floor, tech - house number with a bumpy bass-line and infectious robotic stabs.

Also on this 2 track EP, is Show Me, Show Me, offering an equally effective low-end groove, contrasted with a simple single piano line.  Effective.

BREACH. JACK

In his previous incarnation Ben Westbeech was a master in deep disco, with Falling creating a massive stir in 2011.  In his current incarnation, as Breach, the onus has been on a darker sound encompassing techno, garage and all manner of genre's.  

The massive You Won't Find Love Again made the top 10's of many an end of year lists of 2012.  Recent tracks with Dark Sky on Breach's own imprint Naked Naked, have had a stripped low-end  bass shuffle reminiscent of some of Claude Von Stroke's Dirtybird releases, and so it is not surprising that Von Stroke jumped on the chance to release this booty shaker, simply titled Jack.  And you will.

Released-April 1st 2013

FRIDAY FLAVOURS. DIRTYBIRD.

Friend Within - The Game

Everything DIRTYBIRD touches is gold.  New kid on the roster is Friend Within, a mysterious, 'experienced' DJ with huge production credentials.  The Game EP is bumpin' house, with all of those Dirtybird flavours, synths and nasty low ends.  Out Now on Drip Fm.

So who is Friend Within?  Any ideas?  Well he also produced under the name DJ #Unknown, releasing a series of rare tracks on his soundcloud page.  The one that has created the biggest stir is the Renegade Master Refix, which will hopefully get a full release. This one does some serious damage.

Justin Martin & Eat's Everything - Feather Fight E.P

Next up, SOS favourites, Justin Martin and Eat's Everything step outside the Dirtybird nest to release this deep,  playful E.P on Hypercolour.  It fits with the label's sound; clean, deep, fluid house, but is just dirtier!  The second track combines low end frequencies, light atmospherics and cowbell 4/4, to make this another essential Hypercolour release. 

TRACKS OF THE YEAR 2012

1. HUXLEY - Let It Go

Released 13th February.  Hypercolour.

 

There's a lot to be said about simplicity in dance music.  On Let It Go, Huxley starts with a rolling, garage infused beat, a looped Boys2Men vocal (Huxley speeds up the Rn'B groups track, Can't Let Her Go) and a stunningly simple, yet staggeringly effective bassline.  It's when Huxley throws in a dual bassline, a joyous melodic synthy stab, on top of the deep groove that the track becomes magic.  The soulful vocal has a hypnotising effect; it's ridiculously catchy, yet effortlessly cool. I've read that this track was too commercial for some, but for me it should have crossed over even more so.  This is where British house music was in 2012 and, for me, this track wasn't topped.  Jus sayin'.

 

 

2. BARESKIN - Eyes

Released 22nd October. Hypercolour.

 

Another Hypercolour highlight from young producer, Joshua Thompson who produced a touch of techno-bass magic with Eyes.  The track has an acid bassline which toys with you for a while before dropping a sleek, melodic vocal.  It's a solid house shuffle, but it also fuses in some dark techno vibes.  A young talent to watch for 2013.

 

3. JULIO BASHMORE - Au Seve

Released 1st July. Broadwalk Records.

Au Seve is a track that did a fair bit of crossing over;  the hi-hat shuffle is instantly recognisable and enough in itself to induce pandemonium on the dancefloor.  There's an echo in parts of the track that sound so spaced out and distant, as if someone was shaking a snare drum in the background, yet the groove is so simple and fun, it sounds warm and loved up.  What a tune.

4. DRUMS OF DEATH - Let No Shadow Fall Upon You

Released 15th June.  Civil Music.





Old school vocal.  Breakbeats.  Piano Stabs.  Huge punishing techno thrown in for good measure?  Yeah, why the fuck not?  Here's to Drums of Death for producing a track that ticks all my boxes.  As does the ghoulish one's Blue Waves EP, which is pure throwback HEAVEN.

Blue Waves EP

5.  JUSTIN MARTIN VS. PILLOWTALK - The Gurner

Released 22nd May.  Dirtybird

Although The Gurner has had some quality re-works on the Ghettos and Gardens remix packages, it's still the original that does the business.  Deep, funky, senusal and soulful; this is a highlight from the album, and a really great song!



6.  Jessie Ware -110%
7. Mosca - Eva Mendes
8. Ejeca - Horizon
9. Breach - You Won't Find Love Again
10. Blawan - Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage?

FRIDAY FLAVOURS. CLEAN BANDIT. SHADOW CHILD

CLEAN BANDIT A&E EP

Clean Bandit are a DIY electronic, instrumental group from London with a really fresh, unique sound.  A&E is fantastic swagger-pop; completely British sounding and delightfully eccentric.  All the instruments are played by REAL MUSICIANS (saywhat?!), there is no Ableton or Logic as far as I know and the vocalists are members of a community singing group who the core band members found.  Oh, and they also made this brilliant video themselves.  Lovely.

Out on December 9th, on the excellent BLACK BUTTER RECORDS

ZINC feat. SASHA KEABLE - ONLY FOR TONIGHT

Proving once again, why Zinc is still at the top of his game in providing dance-floor fillers, Only For Tonight is just that.  Although Zinc has his detractors for his slightly more commercial tracks, you can't deny the catchiness and simple joy gained from his wobbly, dance-floor bombs.  Sure to be everywhere; proper festive banger.

JUSTIN MARTIN/LEROY PEPPERS - RIDING SPACESHIPS (SHADOW CHILD 'IN SEARCH OF 94' MIX

If you've not listened to Justin Martin's Ghetto's & Garden's album yet, then please get on it.  It's a unique fun-filled journey through booty-bass, dn'b, dubstep, deep house and everything in between.  A remix album dropped in  October, which I featured on here.  It included the bumpin' house remix of Don't Go by Dusky which has topped a few charts recently.  Well, Justin Martin is set to drop another remix album pretty soon.   This remix by Shadow Child is going to be on there, but we will have to wait for the full track because this is only a snippet. The original was a slow booty bass burner, but Shadow Child has gloriously dropped a HUGE breakbeat line throughout, giving the whole track a mad, atmospheric old skool sound

FREE DIRTYBIRD MIX

Download FREE Halloweend Mix from Dirtybird's Justin Jay!

19 year old Justin Jay once got turned away from a club for being under-age.  The extremely talented, young DJ didn't always have bad luck though, and soon got picked up by Von Stroke's Dirtybird US label and has released some excellent dirty, bass fuelled releases on the label.  He's now dropped a free mix for Halloween.  It's not very spooky, but pretty damn nasty.  The mix twists peaks and chills through the Dirtybird sound and more; from deep tech-house courtesy of Nina Kraviz, to the twisted bass of Trubble from label mate Eat's Everything, to the blissed out dark-house of Leeds' Last Magpie.  Seriously good stuff.

TRACKLISTING

1. George Benson - Breezin'  
2. Deft - Loqux & Past  
3. Nina Kraviz - Ghetto Kraviz w/ Alexkid Edit; Deft - Lucid/Overline; & SHDWPLAY - Drama Queen  
4. Learning to Hide - Carlo  
5. Aidan Lavelle - Stronger  
6. Justin Jay - Altitude  
7. Tom Flynn - Be Yourself w/ Philipp Schneider, Mike O Velja - About You  
8. Mak, Pasteman - Give It Up  
9. Eats Everything - Trubble  
10. Bobby Champs - Brooklyn Bomb  
11. French Fries - Space & Smoke (Justin Martin Remix)  
12. Last Magpie - 1995  
13. Copy Paste Soul - I Need Ya  
14. Breakage - The Promise  
15. Velour - The Scent of Romance  
16. Jett - I Know I Want You  
17. Cajmere, Russoul - Lets Dance  
18. Qbeck, Julia Govor - Alice  
19. Justin Jay - Femme Fatale  

KRY WOLF & CLAUDE VON STROKE

Kry Wolf are DJ's, producers and label owners of the super-cool, South Coast based label, Sound of Sumo.  Claude Von Stroke has helped cement the sound of 2012 with his bass infused house releases on Dirtybird.  Together they have produced Turbosteppa, a garage infused, 4/4 bass bomb.  This will tickle a few bellies on the dance floor, big stuff.

SHADOW CHILD
The House Crew - "Keep The Fire Burning" (Shadow Child edit)

Shadow Child has become one of the most consistent UK house/bass producers in 2012.  His releases on Dirtybird have been dropped by big names from Claude Von Stroke and Eat's Everything to Maya Jane Coles.  His remixes have helped solidify his sound; deep, cool and bass-led, whilst not conforming to any one sound.
Download this re-edit of the classic, and still relevant, 1991 'ardcore track by The House Crew, where he adds subtle changes, yet lets the original speak for itself.

JUSTIN MARTIN - GHETTOS & GARDENS REMIXES VOL.1

Dirtybird release Ghettos & Gardens received a lot of hype over the summer, and deservedly so.      Justin Martin's ability to twist through different styles in such a playful way, has led to this first remix instalment, with big names in house, bass and dn'b chomping at the bit to put their own stamp on  Martin's eclectic tracks.
Dusky gives the gorgeous, stripped back "Don't Go" more bass and bite, and Danny Daze is on hand to give standout deep house track "The Gurner" a mean bassline.  Elsewhere, title track "Ghettos & Gardens" gets an excellent dn'b makeover from Bachelors of Science, who utilise that big, big bassline drop to maximum effect.  Dirtybird release Ghettos & Gardens Remixes Vol.1 on Oct 16th.

JUSTIN MARTIN

Ghetto's and Garden's (dirtybird) is officially amazing.  A full-length album worth listening to, all the way through; the soundtrack to your summer.  The way Martin combines twee little harmonies and melodies, with bad-ass booty bass is killer.  The sheer range of styles is so refreshing; from the excellent dub-step n' string infused remix of Goldie's classic Kemistry, to the classic hip-hop sound of Lezgo VIP, to the deep-funk vibes of The Gurner, a collab with ultra-cool VisionQuest dudes PillowTalk. 



This cool bundle complete with 40oz liquor bag, only available in America.  Damn!

JUSTIN MARTIN. DIRTYBIRD US

22/05/2012.  The release date of 'Ghetto's & Garden's' from San Fran label Dirtybird's most exciting producer, Justin Martin.  He has tantalised with the dubstep infused 'Ghetto's & Garden's' and his latest release has only wet the appetite further.  'Don't Go' is a sugary, sweet, melodic house number that sticks like glue.  Adorable. 



The album is going to be Dirtybird's biggest release to date, with 2012 already a great year for label owner Claude VonStroke who has a string of great releases under his belt such as Shadow Child's  'Shadow Chill' EP, OUT NOW, which fuses spacious, garage-infused beats with intricate house sensibilities.