Off the new Grimes album, which is absolutely mesmerizing and you should buy it now (itunes), is this track Circumambient, which perfectly encapsulates the hypnotic garage pop of Canada's newest indie star. For the impatient, skip to 30 seconds in.
download: Grimes - Circumambient
The first single off of Lone's new album Galaxy Garden, which is set to release this May.
It is Thursday after all so i feel responsible for presenting you guys with some more club-oriented sounds. This Sticky K classic still goes big.
download: Sticky K - Club Persh (Original Mix)
I'm not usually big into the moombahton, but this latest single from fellow UCSB gaucho Sticky K is pretty bomb. Released for free by Mad Decent the other day, this is one you really don't wanna miss out on. The synth work is so clean and creative, I really love that sort of glitchy, lasers-shooting-out-of-a-pyramid sound that its got going on here.
download: Sticky K - Persian Algebra
Before he had even graduated from college, Californian producer Sticky K was already signed to Dubsided Records, the label of UK house titan Switch (1/2 of Major Lazer) alongside heavyweights like Herve and Sinden. Three years later, at the age of 23, he's remixed everyone from Crookers to Larry Tee and released multiple high quality original productions that show he's one of the most exciting young talents emerging onto the dance music scene right now. Based out of San Francisco, Sticky K has made a name for himself both in California and on a global scale with performances at major festivals like Los Angeles' HARD Haunted Mansion and killer tracks that have been supported by big name DJs across the world including everyone from Diplo to Foamo. He played in Santa Barbara earlier this year alongside Destructo and I was lucky enough to get to meet and talk to the man himself, and I can say he's one of the chillest and humblest DJs you'll meet anywhere. He was good enough to answer a couple questions for the Bright & Shiny nation, so check them out below along with some of the dude's best tracks.
[Bright & Shiny] You've enjoyed a lot of success recently, such as your inclusion in the lineup at the 2010 installment of the legendary HARD Haunted Mansion, but I want to rewind a bit and talk about your roots. I'm a student at UCSB, and I know you graduated from here not too long ago. How did being in Santa Barbara help craft where you are as an artist now?
[Sticky K] I can't say if Santa Barbara in particular was important in my development as a producer, but I think more generally just being in college and having a bullshit easy major that I did made it easy to find time work on beats. As far as DJing though, because of the social lifestyle of Santa Barbara, it did lend to more house parties and chances to try stuff out and get shit crackin'! Larry Tee - Let's Make Nasty (Sticky K Remix)
[B&S] How did you get into electronic music in the first place?
[Sticky K] My roots in electronic music are deep in Warp Records, like Boards of Canada, Autuchre, Jimmy Edgar, what was considered at the time as "intelligent" dance music, whatever that means. At the same time I was listening to this kind of music I was really into bay area hip-hop and this was the peak of the hyphy movement in 05' and there was a lot of weird crazy drum machines and synths. This was important because I first started making hip-hop beats and then started making house tracks. Crookers feat. MC Leka - Para De Gracinha (Sticky K Remix)
[B&S] How do you think your sound has changed since the early days of your career? I remember hearing the Willowz remix you did as well as the Maru one (two of your more recent releases), and being extremely impressed because they were really good and they also seemed to have a different feel from most of the other stuff I had heard from you. Is there any particular direction you're trying to take your sound right now?
[Sticky K] My number one rule for making music is to never force it...so no matter how bad I need to make a club banger, if I feel like doing something more deep than so be it. I'm not really in control of the vibes they kinda control me... The Willowz - I Know (Sticky K Remix)
[B&S] 2010 was obviously a huge year for you, between playing at HARD Haunted Mansion alongside some of the biggest names in the game, and your inclusion on Beatport's favorite Electro-House of 2010 list. What can we expect from you in 2011?
[Sticky K] In 2011 I have a bunch of new singles coming out. "Prince of Persia" came out on Dubsided on March 15. I hope to break out a bit more this year, just to have the general awareness of my music increase a little more and hopefully do some more touring... You never know though... you can't plan these things.
[B&S] What's your studio setup like? Any one piece of equipment you couldn't live without?
[Sticky K] My studio setup is can be considered a perfect example of wabi-sabi. No, but seriously I don't like to tell people what I use because it doesn't matter what you use. I just have a computer/midi keyboard and some small M-Audio monitors. Modest, but gets the job done. Sticky K - The Weirdo (Original Mix)
[B&S] What's your creative process like when you sit down to create a track? Do you go in with structured plans of what you want to accomplish or do you have a more free flowing approach? Is there a different process when you do remixes vs originals?
[Sticky K] As far as my process of making music I have to be a bitch and quote "to try and talk about music is like dancing about architecture." I cop out like this because in reality I have really no idea what hell I'm doing most of the time.
[B&S] Haha fair enough. Obviously the electronic music scene is totally exploding right now, with loads of great stuff coming out in all of the different sub-genres. What artists do you look at as being particularly inspiring or innovative?
[Sticky K] There are so many good artists out there right now it's mind blowing. Makes it harder for me. Some of the favorite guys out there right now are Savage Skulls from Sweden, along with another Swede, Tony Senghore. From France you have the Club Cheval crew and if you haven't heard of Canblaster go to his soundcloud page right now!
[B&S] Finally, if you could play any venue in the world, what would it be?
[Sticky K] If I could play any venue it would have the Social Club in Paris. It's small, but has character.
I won't waste your time with a lot of words. I'm on spring break and I'm stoked. There's been a crazy amount of good music coming out recently, and every one of these songs is absolutely dirty. You're welcome.
We'll start things out at a bit of a slower pace here. This Kaskade remix of J Boogie's Dub Science doesn't sound like the typical big room progressive Kaskade you're probably used to hearing. It's more like a hearkening back to his roots with the San Francisco based lounge-house label Om Records, where he used to make some seriously chilled out tunes. This sexy downtempo effort is reminiscent of that older stuff, except for it's more refined and shows hes clearly still growing as an artist almost 15 years later. Bump this one drinking mojitos poolside. J Boogie's Dub Science - Raining (Kaskade Remix)
Sticky K's long awaited Prince of Persia EP came out on itunes the other day, with the full release on beatport set for march 22nd, and it's absolutely MASSIVE. This sounds like what would be played at some futuristic desert rave outside the pyramids in egypt or something. Check out the 192 below, but be sure to grab the high quality on Itunes now or beatport next week. Also, be on the lookout for our interview with the Californian youngster himself coming later this week. Sticky K - Prince of Persia (Original Mix)
I just stumbled across this progressive BOMB by 24 year old Norwegian Funkin Matt today and its a huge high energy beast that's been featured in sets by everyone from Laidback Luke to Bart B More recently. Be sure to grab the release on matt's own label Fjordin. Don't miss out on this one. Funkin Matt - Anywhere (Original Mix)
Off of the Miami Noize 2 compilation, which came out earlier this month on Boys Noize Records, this Strip Steve original is a maddeningly catchy house stomper. The song is centered around an awesome jumbled up synth/piano-stab melody that pulses along with an upbeat, relentless sense of purpose (i.e. makes you want to dance). Be sure to grab the Miami Noize compilation off beatport, as it's stacked from top to bottom with some really quality tracks. Strip Steve - The Freaks (Original Mix)
The new Dillon Francis Westside EP, out now on Mad Decent, is completely outrageous. It features a blend of tribal-sounding dancehall music that sounds reminiscent of Portugal's J-Wow in a lot of ways and demonstrates that Francis is definitely one of the most talented young artists emerging on the scene right now. Check out two of the tracks below, but be sure to grab the whole EP since it's full of a bunch of other awesome tracks including a good moombahton collaboration with DC's own Dave Nada. Diplo & Dillon Francis - Que Que feat Maluca (Original Mix)
This comes off of Brodinski's Best of Everything vol 2 unofficial compilation, which was a project where he asked his various favorite producers to remix random rap/r&b songs. Djedjotronic completely kills it here, twisting this Young Money track around and making it into a crazily funky and futuristic hip-hop jam. Young Money - Bedrock (Djedjotronic Remix)
Steve Aoki really impresses on this new Klaxons remix, showing that he's equally adept at making beautiful melody-driven house as he is at pumping out crazy party anthems or running his label Dim Mak. Speaking of which, if you're in Miami during Ultra be sure to check out the Dim Mak afterparty on friday, the lineup is stacked, we'll definitely be making an appearance. Klaxons - Echoes (Steve Aoki Remix)
This new rework by Erol Alkan is completely gorgeous and shows why he's considered one of the most respected producers in the game, cause this is hardly the average hard-hitting house he's normally affiliated with. This and the MGMT rework he did a while ago are two of my favorite pieces by him, maybe this is signalling a new, more acoustic direction for him? Either way, this one is awesome. Connan Mockasin - Forever Dolphin Love (Erol Alkan Rework)
The past few days have seen some great tunes on the internets. Checkit oouutt.
Beautiful remix of Gyptian's "Hold Yuh" courtesy of Toddla T which stands somewhere between hip-hop and house, while utilizing d&b drums and featuring a dubby breakdown. Gyptian - Hold Yuh (Toddla T Remix)
I hadn't seen Foamo's name 'round these parts for a while but I'm guessing he's back in the studio. First "Here Comes" and now this, the king of UK Fidget house always brings his A-game. Purpl Pop - The Way (Foamo's Love Remix)
And last but most certainly not least, the awesome, cameo-filled music video for Duck Sauce's summer smash "Barbra Streisand" which came out yesterday.
P.S. if you're a Daft Punk freak like me, I recommend going to the Tron Soundtrack website, clicking the logo to enter, clicking anywhere in the blackness outside the highlighted border of the site content, and typing "derezzed" for a scrumptious surprise. Note: no field will appear to accept the code upon clicking the space outside the border.
