Forget next year's trends, in this day and age too many will settle for just flavours of the week. But it's the releases that stay in your mind and playlist that make those tiresome hours digging through overprocessed goods all worth it. We'll take care of some of that burden so you can sip straight from the raw with Night Rumours: skipping the homogenization to bring you top shelf dance music. Nothing too obvious or obscure, old or new. Just wholesome unpasteurized goodness.
Presk
Nobody Make Me Do EP
20:20 Midnight Visions – 10-29-2012
Netherlander Presk has earned a name for himself with heralded releases on Ten Thousand Yen, Fourth Wave and Audio Culture. Add another checkbox to that list, as he's just dropped the Nobody Makes Me Do EP on 20:20 Midnight Visions and it's simply fire. The title track wastes no time taking the gloves off and diving into some throwback madness. Full fledged house with flashes of acid occasionally bubbling up and some sexy vocal sampling a la Trusta – Feels So. "Akola" brings a weighty techno-swing to the table before "Cerano City" sweeps everything off with some head-lolling deepness. Plenty of replay value here; definitely a dense release for three tracks.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/2572079" height="200" iframe="true" /]
Boomkat · SoundCloud · Facebook
Artifact
Burst EP
Rebirth – 10-29-2012
Artifact, hot on the heels of his Worn EP on Local Action which also dropped last month, is back with another scorcher called the Burst EP. Fans of Thefft, South London Ordnance and Paleman need this in their lives.
The title track is a perfectly tense opener and a good representation of Artifact's production: boiling house, dark garage, and acid/techno edge all masterfully blended together. Infectious vocals/drop/everything. A collaboration with Sentiment follows on an understated smooth but tough house vibe. No doubt those will see a lot of well deserved play, but personally it's the last track on the EP that clinches it. That track varies depending which medium you buy; if you grab the vinyl you'll hear "It's So Far Down," a straight powerhouse of a tune the likes of Joy Orbison/Boddika's Sunklo series. Just when you think the acid lead is as good as it gets, the sample swoops in again for the kill and the percussion mutates into hectic clockwork. The digital version has "No Grip" which keeps you moving from a jacking intro with Goldffinch-esque vocal banding to full-blooded synth splendor.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/62837791" iframe="true" /]
Digital · Vinyl · SoundCloud
Grenier
Intentions EP
Symbols Recordings; 11-13-2012
Gotta give it up for Symbols Recordings. In less than six months they've got twelve releases lined up, yet the quality is still uncompromised. However label owner Kastle does it, he's done it again with a new release from Grenier, aka DJG, a veteran figure of original, good dubstep. Unsurprisingly, the focus is on the mood and the bass; Grenier/Symbols nail it and prove that the bay area is still bustling with talent. "Cursive" is replete with the signature warmly growling DJG subbass and a headspinning vocal loop. "Gutta" follows, shuffling along on an acidic lead and ominous string flares. That joyous Symbols flavor is summoned on "Intentions," a nothing-but-fun house jam. The uptempo neverending slow build of "Silver Surfer" is noted, building tension before the finale like the so many camera shutters sampled. The silky sweet release comes with "I Miss The Hiss," a beautifully mellow number with acoustic, almost lo-fi tendencies. Do cop.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/64379320" iframe="true" /]
Juno · SoundCloud · Facebook
Voyeur
Blame It On The Youth
Madtech Records; 11-26-2012
Last but not least in the reviews, yet another deep roller from the MadTech crew. By now my love for them is no secret, and they carry the torch with Blame It On The Youth. The A-side lumbers through an ethereal piano and an evocative vocal before "Get Up" tailspins the mood into uncharted thumping territory. Watch the breakdown; one of those heady tunes that shows how MadTech does it better. A contribution from the man himself, label founder Kerri Chandler only seals the deal further as he elevates the lead single in tempo and spirit. He's blessed us again. Already out as a Beatport exclusive, so grab it ahead of the general release.
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/2653740" height="200" iframe="true" /]
Beatport · SoundCloud · Facebook
To hold you over 'til next time, here's some other just-as-honorable mentions and previews you need to get to know: big names with new Drexciya on Clone Records and a limited vinyl run of Spatial on Stillcold Records. Speaking of potentially soon-to-be-rare vinyl, check the visual preview from the new Australian Untzz imprint. Seems like some local acid house homage heaters; details are sparse but some cursory sleuthing tells us that it at least includes these producers. Don't sleep.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/Z711nzUsqHc[/youtube]
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/65637635" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/48952169" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/48951177" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/48963965" iframe="true" /]
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/48954839" iframe="true" /]
