Cet article Sidi Bou Said – Sidi Bou Said (Theme) [Flankup Recordings] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Cet article Garrett David – Sassy Lead and A Familiar Bark [Mate Records] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

From his humble beginnings in 2011, North African, Casablanca-born and based producer has been continuously shaping his sound signature in the sphere of electronic music, resulting in a cross-genres blend appealing to both DJs and music fans from all across the spectrum. After a small run of exalted singles and EPs, Polyswitch gravitates towards the full-length format with “PRAISE THE SUN“ a 13-track sonic testimonial showcasing his distinct sense of substantially blending a vibrant profusion of musical currents.

Emanating from an expression of delight and adoration, “PRAISE THE SUN” can be used as a universal answer to questions like ‘What to do?’ when there are no other solutions left. Reflecting the times, recorded during periods of duress and uncertainty, “PTS“ is a body of work conveying feelings of harmony, hope, love, and unity throughout 13 sublime musical works harkening back to the Jazz-funk fusion days with flavours of house, soul, hip-hop, and electronica. Within, the artist introspectively addresses perseverance and resilience using instrumentation as the prime expression vessel.

“PRAISE THE SUN” could very well be seen as a message of hope to a generation coming of age in a time of decay, collapse, institutional corruption, and societal change.

Pre-order.

text has been provided.

Cet article Polyswitch – Endeavor 212 (Byron The Aquarius Remix) [Astrofever Records] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Support for the album has come from DJs from across the house music spectrum including Danny Krivit, Mr V, Francois K, Danny Howells and Severino from Horse Meat Disco, which is no surprise considering the range of moods contained within ‘Simplicity…’. Album highlights include the German vocalist Meggy’s gossamer-light performance on ‘If You Care’ and the murky depths of the atmospheric ‘Intense’, which contrasts nicely with the clean, precise synths and beats of the breezy ‘Sans Saviour’. ‘Kafka’ expertly assembles tight, restrained synths which gradually morph into a Euro-tech wig-out while the deeper, driving ‘Pegasus’ presents a more stripped-down version of Matthieu’s dancer-targeted music.‘Sophistication…’ finishes with the massive Byron The Aquarius remix of ‘Winter Will Be Long’, a moody, jackin’ groove with jazz-ish keys with an unsettling undercurrent, creating a disquieting, dance floor destroying finish to an extremely accomplished album. With just the right balance of atmosphere and dance floor dynamics, this is a collection of music that will sound superb in the club and on the journey home too.

Order now on Phonica.

Cet article Matthieu Faubourg ‘Simplicity Is The Ultimate Sophistication’ [Jazzy Couscous records] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

ELE Records has been on quite the journey. The label was established in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2016, with origins in Manchester and now calls Berlin home. They tend to focus upon releases which reflect this variance, promoting artists whose backgrounds didn’t necessarily thrust them into the scene with the tools and training common amongst many successful musicians today. Instead, they liken their motive to the rise and success of hip-hop, declaring, “our art exists because it has a will to exist, like hip-hop.”

Their releases echo this compulsion to create, churning out gritty, sample based burners combining aspects of hip-hop, jazz, disco and house into deeply reflective and soulful records over the past three years. A VA featuring Byron the Aquarius and Glenn Davis has caught the eye of Detroit Swindle and other DJs around the world seeking those dark, chugging gems for late night sonic explorations. Edits from the ever mysterious Cottam rang in the label’s style with their sexy grooves and hazy melodic interpretations.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/nikki-o-and-javonntte-sweet-midnight/” /]
Now they are back with a flavorful edit of Nicholas’ 2017 track “Black Sugar” featuring vocals from Nikki-O. With Nikki-O combining with Javonntte for ELE’s latest release, it only made sense for label boss Sameed to handle edit duties alongside the deep house maestro. The track features all of the promised attributes of the ELE sound: dusty house chords on top of a hypnotic house rhythm complimented by soulful vocals and a loose standup jazz bass to bring it all together. It is one of those rare tracks that you could thrive both in the dark shadows at the end of a warehouse rave and the sunlit scene of a poolside rooftop party. Expect ELE to continue pumping out the tools for any deep house head. Grab your copy of the full release on juno.

Nicholas

Cet article Nikki-O and Javonntte – Sweet Midnight (Sameed dusty jazz mix) [ELE Records] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Adam P

Cet article DJ GLC – Blue (Byron The Aquarius Remix) [Onda Records] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Kai Alcé and Atlanta’s house scene are fairly synonymous at this point. The ATLien (by way of Detroit and NYC) carries a uniquely smooth sound; influenced heavily by the soulful sound of the motor city and surely related to his time at the famed Music Institute. Since relocating to Atlanta, Kai has cultivated quite a following by way of his wax imprint NDATL (those Special Editions are a must-have) and parties such as DEEP, MJQ and House In The Park. Alcé is an expert producer in his own right, having cooked up tasty tracks and remixes for the likes of FXHE, Mahogani Music, Kolour LTD, Local Talk, Defected, and obviously his own imprint as well. It’s safe to say Kai is a busy man. Lucky for us, the guru took the time to do a little Q&A and guestmix for the blog.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/mixedby-kai-alce”/]
INTERVIEW

A lot has been made of your role carrying the torch in the Atlanta house scene. What’s the status of the scene these days?
The status is great at the moment. We have a few different brands & styles thriving. The Sound Table, The Music Room, Wildpitch (owned by DJ Pierre) for the venues. Myself, DJ Kemit, Stan Zeff, Salah Ananse, Ramon Rawsoul & Bobi all have residencies that do well monthly.

Currently there seems to be an imbalance in the number of house labels and producers based in Europe as opposed to here in the States. What, if anything, can be done to change that dynamic? Do you think it’s a matter of getting younger heads hooked?
Yes that’s definitely the key as the elders that have been around and still around are dwindling we need new energy to fill the ranks. Not only in numbers but in tradition.

Speaking of the Europe / US dichotomy, you’ve always handled your NDATL operations (pressing, mastering, hell even production) in the USA. Was that deliberate?
Also definitely doesn’t make sense to me to be an american label but to get your product pressed and manufactured and then sold back to the states at a premium seems so backwards.

Has there been much a shift for you in your wax process going from working with Prairie Cat to Complete?
Yes as with everything there was a moment uncertainty but we’ve gotten bit more comfortable with the change

Speaking of NDATL, what can we expect from the label in 2017? Another Special Edition I presume? Do you have a specific vision for the imprint going forward?
Yes U can expect another SE & my direction is just trying my best to release music that the consumer wants & promote the sounds that I feel are not always represented.

What are some new names and labels that we should be looking out for?
Stefan Ringer, Byron the Aquarius, Chaos in the CBD & their perspective labels which I know CBD has already started and Stefan & Byron are in the making of their own perspective labels

Focusing more now on your own production: 2016 saw you come a little harder than you sometimes do with the Movin’ Thru EP on Sounds of the City, with some dope remixes on the likes of Shadeleaf, Local Talk, Traxx Underground and (my personal favorite) Modelisme as well. What is Kai Alce’ working on these days?
I’ve done some remixes for new Jazz greats Kamasi Washington & Gregory Porter that I’m working diligently with their labels trying to get them released. I have and project by singer Kayenne dropping later this feat production from strictly Atlanta producers and there’s always tracks being cooked up in the studio.

Martín

Cet article MIXED BY/ KAI ALCE est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

As house music in 2017 continues to mutate, fracture, and spread across the globe, Russia remains a hotbed of simultaneous innovation and reverence. Based in Moscow, Alexander Lay-Far (soundcloud) represents a growing faction of producers and DJs tapping into the wealth of dance music connecting dots from jazz, dub, funk, and everything in between from, quite literally, around the world. A&Ring the newest release from In-Beat-Ween Music, Lay-Far brings together geographically disparate, yet sonically coherent artists to create “Footwork House Jams #1”. Footwork House Jams started in 2010 as a small late night community, influenced by sound and visual aesthetics of 90’s house parties in New York and Chicago. Upon a first rinse, there’s no question Lay-Far nailed the local party feel filled with loose and seemingly off-the-cuff rhythms.

Cet article PREMIERE : Intr0beatz Feat. Lay-Far – That DUB [In-Beat-Ween Music] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

No stranger to the production game, Byron The Aquarius, real name Byron Blaylock, has been around since 2007 when his debut EP with Onra “The Big Payback” was released. Originally hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, Byron is a trained jazz musician and keyboardist who has had numerous releases throughout the years. His earlier work was firmly rooted in hip hop but his more recent productions, specifically his “High Life” and “Gone Today Here TMRW” EPs (reviewed here) have caused somewhat of a commotion in underground house music circles. Before embarking on a busy summer touring schedule, Byron The Aquarius has provided Bolting Bits with an interview and exclusive mix.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/mixedby-byrontheaquarius” /]

Let’s start off with your musical background. You’re a keyboard player and you studied jazz composition in university. Where did your love for a jazzier & more soulful sound come from? Any particular influences?
To answer that question it came from my hometown Birmingham Alabama. Living with my grandparents they had crates of records when I was little they always played to me. Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, Chick Corea, Bob James, Parliament, Pink Floyd, etc. After that my Parents got me into piano lessons, then it evolved to jazz studies with Frank Adams who played in Duke Ellington’s band. It’s like for my whole life I was around jazz greats and it gave me power to dig deep in soul and jazz…

Any particular influences?
For my influences in my creation was Herbie Hancock, Funkadelic, Gary Numan, Stereolab, George Duke, A Tribe Called Quest, Dilla, and Bill Evans...

 What are some of your favourite records, past or present?
     1. Herbie Hancock – HeadHunters
     2. Slum Village – Fantastic Vol.2
     3. George Duke – The Aura Will Prevail
     4. Glenn Astro – Thowback
     5. The Big PayBack LP (Byron and Onra)
     6. Dwele – Rize
     7. Gary Numan – The Pleasure Principle
     8. Air – Pocket Symphony
     9. Jay Dee – Welcome 2 Detroit
     10. 4 Hero – Creating Patterns

Primarily you’ve been known for producing some hip-hop, soul and R&B tracks in the past, but lately it seems that you’ve been trending towards some housier vibes, can you give us a little bit of insight into that?
What’s crazy to answer that question I never was into house music that much till living in Atlanta, where producer legendary Kai Alcé introduced me into producing it. It started with me playing keys on his production which he was paying me as a session player then after that I started watching how he created it and took it to the next level. With my hip hop and jazz influences… I think me being a true trained musician and trained by jazz greats it opened my mind to experiment with house music in a way that nobody never really took it, I wanted house music to have a live feel but have energy at the same time. I think nowadays people don’t give house music that much feeling and creativity so I wanted to touch it in a way it never been touched…

Is house music the main focus for you right now or are you just going with the flow and focusing on what feels right for the moment?
Yes indeed house music is the focus now after these huge releases on labels Sound Signature and Wild Oats, but to be real I’m gonna always be a producer that touches all genres, will not just stick to something cause of success. I still work in the studio with different artists of different styles and play for live jazz electronic and rock bands… Which that’s just me being a musician and feeling of influence in the universe.

You’ve just released a couple of tracks on Theo Parrish’s Sound Signature label and you’ve got an upcoming EP on Kyle Hall’s Wild Oats label. It seems like you’ve really embraced the Detroit sound, did something or someone in particular help guide you in that direction?
Kai Alcé guided me in that direction of house music. If I never met him I don’t even think I would really be creating house music, cause it never was my first love like jazz and hip hop but I think in my opinion, it all comes with one another. Kai Alce really took me under his hand and showed me the house game, how to live with this knowing the business side and create for the love than for some fame.

Collaborating with some great artists in the past, from Onra to Kai Alcé to Flying Lotus, do any particular productions stand out for you? Are there any artists you’d love to team up with in the future?
I will say what really stood out was the project i did with Onra. It was a LP The Big Payback, that album that me and Onra made really affected the world musically in some way cause to me it wasn’t nothing that sounded so organic and full of genres we created for the love and even the joint I did with Flying Lotus jazzy and electronic at the same time.

For artists to team up with in the future I always wanted to work with Derrick May, Pevin Everett, Jamiroquai, Moodymann, and Thundercat.

 Let’s talk a bit about gear. What’s your studio set up like? Do you have a lot of gear or a few select pieces that you can’t live without? Give us some insight into your production process.
For equipment it’s a small set up. I like to not use that much equipment because sometimes you can get so lost in the creative process with so many sounds… I use a Fender Rhodes, Maschine Mikro, Ableton Live, Talk Box, Korg Krome, Arturia V Collection and the Mikro Korg.

 For my production process I just go with the feeling. Sometimes it can start with me drinking wine listening to some records… Then laying a drum programming down then adding some synthesizers and key programmings to it, or it can be the key programmings first it just depends on the mood of my creativity it’s no process its really just freestyling and being creative in experimentation with using digital and analog together.

You’ve got a great selection in your mixes and some upcoming gigs this summer such as Dimensions Festival in Croatia. Are you excited to tour? Will you only be DJing or do you have plans for a live show as well?
Fucking yes! I’m too excited about my tour. Will be my first time going overseas performing, it’s nothing like playing your music to the world, it gives me a high that can never go down. For my live show it will be me DJing and playing synths on some of my selections in my mixing. Playing nothing but good vibes and entertaining all crowds… that’s one thing about me I don’t like to stick in one sound I love evolving and showing that to my fans.

Looking a bit further ahead into the future, what else can we expect from Byron The Aquarius?
All I can say is expect nothing but the best of some more creative projects which I can’t announce at the moment, very exclusive but it will be good and maybe a live album with me experimenting with a band. Something that I always wanted to do…

Interview Igor
Cover original AW by Douglas.H

Cet article MIXED BY/ Byron The Aquarius est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Still relatively unknown in house music circles, Byron The Aquarius has managed to catch the ear of some prominent tastemakers from the Motor City. Coming off of his recently hyped “High Life” release on Theo Parrish’s renowned Sound Signature record label, Byron The Aquarius continues to ride the Detroit wave. This time, we see him release a six track EP called “Gone Today Here TMRW” on Kyle Hall’s Wild Oats.

Byron comes from a primarily Hip-Hop focused background and his roots shine through on “Co$mic $hit” which features Trey Hemingway, a producer he’s collaborated with in the past. A pumping shaker and opening pad, an alien-like voice paired with a paranormal ambience and a synth solo effectively combine to take the listener on a trip into extraterrestrial territory. The arpeggiated elements on “Space and Time” give it a cosmic vibe as well but with more of a jazzy flavour due to the Rhodes keys and natural sounding drums heard throughout. Live elements such as the aforementioned drums are what Byron The Aquarius believes to be missing in much of today’s music.

MDMA has featured on quite a few of Byron’s tracks in the past and the pair collaborated again on “Exxxtasy”. An uptempo groover with repetitive vocals and atmospheric noise throughout, it’s got a perfect late night vibe. “Moments in Life” has a more uplifting and soulful tone about it and it’s simplicity is what makes it one of the stand outs. That’s not to say that the track is simple by any means as the instrumentation on it is superb, with all of the elements forming a perfectly ear-pleasing concoction. Taking on a similar lighter flavour is the second track on the B side, “The Sun”. Running water, exotic bird samples, arpeggiated rhythms and playful chords all form an ambience that takes you right to a tropical beach. The final track on the release, “A Better Tomorrow” may lack some of the pizzazz of the others but it still appeases the aural senses with a galloping rhythm and playful groove.

As a producer still coming into his own in a thriving underground scene, Byron The Aquarius is quickly standing out. With his outstanding keyboard playing and refreshing jazzy riffs and solos, he’s definitely somebody to keep an ear on. For more on Byron The Aquarius stay tuned for a special exclusive interview and mix.

https://soundcloud.com/wild-oats-music/byron-the-aquarius-gone-today-here-tomorrow

Igor

Cet article Gone Today Here TMRW – Byron The Aquarius est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.