I’ve been waiting for this one to surface since I first listened to the Major Lazer Essential Mix back in July 2009. The catchy hook sung by Collie Buddz has been ringing in my head on repeat for way too long. Toronto can get ready for the return of MAY-JAH LAY-ZAH on Saturday April 24th as Embrace continues to set the pace with another huge party at Sound Academy which also features Drop The Lime.
Major Lazer ft. Collie Buddz and Lindi Ortega – Never Good Enough
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Hailing from South London, Distance is widely regarded as one of the early pioneers in the Dubstep movement. He has a very distinct sound that has helped shape the genre into what it is today. Back in 2007 his album “My Demons” (released on Planet Mu) had a huge impact on myself and opened my eyes to this exciting new music genre that was bubbling up. Since then I’ve been excited to hear each and every release from this versatile producer. After having a quick glance at his myspace page, it appears Distance is going to be playing in Toronto on Friday April 16th!!!! (Which just so happens to be the same night as the Excision party being thrown by Embrace…hmmmm SICK!). 
Check out his new track “Menace” released on his very own label “Chestplate”.
Distance – Menace <—-right click, save as. (for 320 mp3 purchase HERE)
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This tune almost made my top 10 of 2009 and has really grown on me over time. You need some nice subs to really roll this out one properly.
Distance – Clockwork (for 320 mp3 purchase HERE)
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Back in 2007, Distance showed his versatility with his “My Demons” album on Planet Mu. This mellow and ambient track really caught my attention:
Distance – Delight (for 320 mp3 purchase HERE)
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Markus Ferdinand is an extremely talented Tech House DJ/producer from Frankfurt, Germany who has recently dropped an EP which is making serious waves across the world’s dancefloors and causing considerable buzz in the Tech House community. The producer—commonly referred to as M.in—has once again produced a tune that has left my ears and feet dancing for days. I woke up this morning with an immediate—and borderline uncomfortable—desire to hear “Sing And Blow At The Same Time”, the title track on M.in’s EP of the same name, released just a few days ago on Loco Dice and Martin Buttrichs’ indie label Desolat . M.in’s personal brand of Tech House is unquestionably unique. While most of his beats are undeniably minimal in nature, M.in always manages to skillfully blend together a complex and spicy mix of jazz, soul and afrobeat elements into his productions—ensuring that his creations are never bland. With an infectious mix of thumping bass, rolling cowbells and brass, M.in’s latest heater had no trouble eliciting a big smile and two thumbs up from me. Mandeezy agrees.
Another greasy track from the Sing & Blow EP which got my head pumping back and forth like an over-excited and exceptionally curious rooster was “Ponte Real” featuring Jonas, with whom M.in collabotated to create 2009’s trumpet-laden gear greaser “Balkan Style” on weplayminimal. After listening to both Ponte Real and Balkan Style, one can only wonder why these two would ever separate from each other. Ponte Real kicks off with deep looping drums and high hats which together give the track a toe-tapping, swing-like feel while other sounds resembling things like submarine radar blips and chemical sprays bring listeners back to the future…but definitely not back to reality. While Sing And Blow At The Same Time may get to enjoy the lion’s share of attention associated with this release, I personally think that Ponte Real is the diamond with the most glitter and shine on this 4-track gem. Check it out.
M.in – Sing and Blow at the Same Time (buy 320 @ beatport / Whatpeopleplay)
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M.in featuring Jonas – Ponte Real (buy 320 @ beatport / Whatpeopleplay)
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M.in featuring Jonas – Balkan Style (buy 320 @ beatport)
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The first Saturday of the month is once again before us, which means that it is time for Toronto’s party animals and beat freaks to prepare their hottest clothes and best dance moves for the 7th installment of the poppin’ MAJOR RAGER party series. The Major Rager Crew has put forth a real greasy line-up of local selectahs including Rager resident’s Billionaire, O-God and Ballistik, all of which have been known to get the dance floor shaking with bass-heavy heaters. The headlining act of the night will be the real treat however, as the crew has brought in party-slammers UKC, or the UK Connection, which consists of DJ Freeza Chin and MC’s Plain English & Riddimz. I have personally seen these guys get dance floors sweatier than soccer locker rooms after championship games, and they are known in Toronto for their high energy sets which evoke nothing but the stankiest of skankin’ among party goers. For more information on this month’s Rager, check out the facebook event here.
Check out some of what to expect from our boys @ UKC:
Freeza Chin & Plain English – Toronto Funky Volume 1
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Freeza Chin & Plain English – Toronto Funky Volume 2
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There has been a few different remixes of Massive Attack’s “Paradise Circus” floating around lately as their new album “Heligoland” has just dropped this month. I find that it’s these kind of tunes that are best suited for remixes (ie: what Skream did with La Roux). In this case, “Paradise Circus” is laced with some chilling vocals from Hope Sandoval. Here are a couple bass heavy remixes to check out.
The first is from the Toronto based Dubstep duo Zeds Dead and they are able to add that hype wobbly bass line to the mix.
Massive Attack – Paradise Circus (Zeds Dead Remix)
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The next one comes from the UK producer Breakage from the Digital Soundboy camp. This one has a more melodic churning bass line that will get your feet shufflin. I’ve been vibing out to this one for a couple weeks now.
Massive Attack – Paradise Circus (Breakage Remix)
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The crew over at Bass Music Blog have dropped a FREE full length album from I.D & Baobinga. “Bass Music Sessions” is a fresh new vibe that outlines the burgeoning sound of bass music in the UK and you would be completely out of your mind not to go over and cop this shit right now!
Grab the album ———-> HERE
Some crazy new sounds packed into this elaborate and versatile collection of music. The standout on the album in my humble opinion is the Still Tippin, or more specifically, the Hush Up Riddim. With an infectious bass line and a well known hip hop sample you can expect to hear a lot rotations up in the club for this little tid bit of filth.
I.D & Baobinga – Still Tippin
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I.D & Baobinga – Hush Up Riddim
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If you think that Michael Jackson did a good job of getting crusty zombies to shake their less-than-nimble corpses, then you obviously have not yet heard Harvard Bass‘ remix of Seas of Grease by Zombie Nation. This minimalistic yet robust heart-thumper builds into a tsunami that will get you and your friends jacked and rattled on the dance floor…after all, it even packed enough punch to get my mangled carcass out of bed following an heavy banger of a Friday night. The remix was released in late January as part of Harvard’s Zombielicious Remixes Part 2, a 4-track compilation of Zombie Nation remixes put out by Turbo Recordings. DJs such as Crookers have been dropping Harvard Bass’ tracks in clubs everywhere to hot and heavy crowds that shake and pop harder then Orville Redenbacher’s own kernels. But who better to drop these massive tunes than the DJ/producer himself? Well, good news folks — Harvard Bass is booked to play at Toronto’s The Social with Wolfgang Gartner on March 13th. Let’s get Ravey.
Seas of Grease – Zombie Nation (Harvard Bass Remix) (buy)
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DJ Zinc is a name that should sound heavy sirens in the dome piece of any true jungle head across our sick, sick planet. After all, this native of London’s east end brought a brain melting clash of breakbeats, bass lines and samples to dance floors across the globe that helped define an important generation in UK club music. Probably best known for drum and bass hits such as 1995’s “Super Sharp Shooter” and 1999’s “138 trek“, Zinc astonished thousands of fans in 2007 when he seemingly abandoned the sound he helped define and took a hiatus from creating music. Always known as a barrier breaker, in 2008 Zinc dropped back into the scene like a spaced-out super villain with a new hybrid genre of house music he dubs “crack house”. If you have not yet heard of this stinky style that blends the likes of deep house, funky, dubstep, drum & bass and fidget house among others, be sure to dip your taste buds in the Crack House EP available from any fine digital music retailer. Wile Out is the first track on Zinc’s recent Wile Out EP, which was released on the 2nd of February on Bingo Bass Records. The track carries the unmistakable vocals of Ms Dynamite over Zinc’s Blunt Edge instrumental, first featured on 2009’s Crack House EP. Feast your earholes on this nasty nugget people, I know I did.
DJ Zinc feat. Ms Dynamite - Wile Out (buy)
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It’s been a long time coming, but I’d like to introduce all you loyal PnT readers to the first official new addition to the team since we got things going last January. Coming to us with keen ears, quick fingers and a penchant for only the greasiest in heavy bass and electro knockers is a man with more nick names than real names, ladies and gentlemen… DICK DIAMONDS!
