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‘Give You All I Got’ is the perfect opening track for an amazingly cohesive project, a certified disco monster with infectious brass, erotic vocals and huge space toms reworked to launch any dancefloor into the stratosphere! Steadily swung percussion rides nicely in front of a fat bottomed bassline, while Joe takes us to church with a sensual vocal that glides smoothly over the instrumental. ‘Give You All I Got’ keeps the energy contained, and it moves through four minutes with a graceful swagger that’ll surely capture the attention of eager dancers. Honestly, I just watched the new Quincy Jones documentary on Netflix and this EP sounds like something he’d like. That’s saying a lot.

Slothboogie SBEDITZ004 will be available on October 26th, and you’d be wise to set an alert because the project is limited to 500 copies. This is a vinyl only release, so if you don’t spin records, now is the time to practice (it’s great fun, trust me). You’d be dumb not to have this one in your bag, so do your best to be one of 500.

Ryan

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Elegy. Electronic. Elephant. Ele is back with its 5th serving and it is a big one! A young label known for its dusty jazz samples and superb deep house releases is coming strong this September, with the ELE 005 EP, courtesy of house music legend: Cottam. Following the triumph of their last collaboration ELE 001 – Cottam Edits it only seems right! Get ready for some more beautifully enchanting music. The first track ‘Love Affair’ is a floor-filler and ready-made disco classic. The second ‘Jigsaw” is an alluring deep dark bassy one. The tracks on the record are signature Cottam brilliance with pristine touches, sample-heavy cuts and David Mancuso-esque editing. Each track is made with love, passion and true feeling.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/premiere-cottam-love-affair” /]
First track, ‘Love Affair’ will have you spinning around in a disco fueled haze with its uplifting groovy sounds. Using the same techniques of editing and mixing as the great Larry Levan, Cottam has crafted another floor-filler for dancers everywhere. As a craftsman who never does anything by half-measures, Cottam digs deep to find 70s disco jams from Constellation Orchestra and moulds the track into his own new funky vibe that is a true hit! Balancing his own hectic life as a father, this track touches the hearts of listeners fighting their own struggles and was made for anybody in need of momentary bliss.

Whether the Preston producer is building a happy-go-lucky feel-good track or a dark alluring afro beat spectacle, his music is filled with spirit and vitality and to celebrate the release of ELE 005: Cottam Edits 2 we interviewed the enigmatic sampling guru!

INTERVIEW

Thank you so much for taking the time out to do this. We loved your last collaboration with Ele, it was everything we could’ve hoped for and more. How do you keep the creative rivers flowing yet hold on to your signature sound?
I don’t, consciously anyway. I just have a fiddle until my head starts nodding furiously. The “signature sound” is probably because I haven’t got a scoobies what I’m doing….

Something that I love about your music is the rusty, granular vocals that you sample. In your classic, EDITS B SIDE – I believe in every word he belts out… but I don’t understand Nigerian. That’s a powerful gift you have, an ability to convey emotion and have the listener transcend. Where do you find your samples and what is it about the African rhythmic vibes that resonates with you?
I’m not really sure, but wow do they ever. The rhythms/drums and the frenetic energy first attracted me to them, back when I was a straight up techno head. As I listened to more and more the whole musical vibe had me hooked. I get them from my modest collection of afro type music or films.

Ele is a sample-based, fairly young and dynamic label, with former releases from Byron the Aquarius, Werkha, Contours and other talented artists. What attracted you to working with Ele?
It was Sameed really. We have chatted over social media etc etc for quite a while. He’s just a top bloke, in it for the right reasons. I could see he had a vision so to speak. Art work/music/etc etc. He was, kinda, local at the time we first discussed it as well. Was a no brainer, top bloke, semi local, into same stuff (ish)… bingo….

Autumn is here and what a beautiful summer of music! I hope you enjoyed spending some downtime with your loved ones. As a husband and father, how do you balance music production and family life?
I don’t really. Well, I have time when my young lads at school and my older girls and Sian are at work. When they gat back it all gets turned off. It has kinda taken a back seat since I gave up regular gigging. Have had a hard time coming to terms with not gigging regularly etc etc so the music has really been lacking. I’ve realised now, after a long break, that I need to carry on, make time, get sucked in again. It’s good for my health and wellbeing and that in turn will be good for family life.

Your music is raw, uncut and emotive. ‘Jigsaw’, is a favourite of mine, the elements mesmerizing, entrancing you into a thumping tribal session. We’d like to know how you perfect your tracks in the studio. What is in the secret sauce? What’s the methodology behind a Cottam track?
I have no secret or secret sauce (unless you count umpteen cups of coffee and croissants). I’m a novice who just fiddles and fiddles until I think, that sounds alright. Usually when I start nodding my head uncontrollably. 99% of my fiddling just sits a rots on my computer as they’re a wee bit, well, they’re bobbin’s.

Since putting Preston on the house music map, have you noticed any changes in the music scene in your hometown?
It wasn’t me who did that. Preston had a wee club scene way before I took to the gramophones. There were artists and dj’s around Preston and the surrounding area when I was still on school dinners. Maybe, because the internet was so young and social media was around, most (not all) people who weren’t semi local just didn’t see what was going on in Preston

Whilst we are on the subject, please could you share your 3 things that define Preston? Action Records, The Black Horse pub and the bus station

Let’s imagine we are making a Cottam movie. It’s a biography with a few events added for entertainment purposes, but for the most part it’s a true story. Could you list some tunes that we would hear in the soundtrack to this hypothetical movie?
The Jam – Funeral Pyre
Inner City – Share My Life – Kenny Larkin Remix
Moodymann – Shades Of Jae

Would you say that you use music production as a crutch, a hobby, a sport or all three?
It’s a hobby, always has been always will be. I don’t know what I’m doing so its hours and hours of fun just fiddling. The djing/mixing side of things is more me though, playing for hours and hours with no one but myself as an audience is bliss. It’s always more fun when people are actually there but either way I’m like a pig in sh*t when I’m on’t spinners. It probably has become a wee bit of a crutch since my health started to deteriorate. Maybe I’ve only noticed this recently after a period of no music. It’s part of me, I NEED it!!!

You’ve been doing this for years and have put so much energy and time into your craft. Do you have any wise words or tips for emerging artists?
I have about as much wisdom on the subject as, well, something not very wise. I just try and enjoy it and try my best. Don’t be afraid to just plough your own path. If you love what you do, hopefully, it will shine through. Even if other people don’t get it, if your really feeling it, carry on.

Thank you so much for your time, all the best in the future and we look forward to hearing the EP!
ELE 005: Cottam Edits 2 is out now!

Cet article Cottam Edits – Love Affair [ELE005] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

NATIVE RED

Warm greetings from Russia’s northern capital Saint Petersburg, I am Andrei, a producer and DJ.
Beyond my own production, I am taking part in nu disco project Gradient Logic and live-oriented dark disco project The Skaars Duo.
In a variety of my musical preferences, I always enjoyed listening to disco of 70s and 80s, that’s why Native Red was born as my new side-project for the heart and soul, delivering rare edits of compositions I grew fond of, driven by boogie vibes of that epoch. I adore the melodious harmony and creativity of this music, and I am delighted to give it a second life, along with revealing its multiple forms to today’s listeners.
Recently the Violette Szabo label released EP Equilibrium with two compositions of Native Red and two tracks of Gradient Logic – the disc clearly exposes the diversity of non-trivial music of that time.
I welcome everyone to check out my new production. Heavy 64 is a groovy, deep bass track full of stringed instruments and analogue synthesizers.
Enjoy!

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Running since 2012, XVI Records has known no boundaries in genre or style. From the jazz riddled beats of Henry Wu, afro influenced house from Delonte Rivers, to poppier tones from Frankie Knight and even grime from Captain Over, XVI Records boasts a roster as eclectic as they come. The only common ground between all their releases is a certain grooviness & warmth, put best by XVI who define themselves as “a label on a journey to the sun”. XVI’s latest offering comes from their High Praise Edits series, as the edit focused offshoot inaugurated by Books last year continues with label newcomer Partner Music.

Our pick off the EP is “Patu”, the quirky yet groovy A side. Punchy drums, funky bass lines and sweet melodies come together to create an infectious groove, topped off by an enchanting acapella from an old Bollywood record. Funky, quirky and full of warm nostalgia, Patu is everything an edit strives for. Things never get boring as various solos come and go, and after every breakdown you find yourself begging to hear those vocals one last time. Simply put, great samples make for great edits and Partner Music’s done just that. This nifty tune is set to fill any dance floor with plenty of energy and genuine good feels. XVI Records’ journey to the sun continues with Partner Music, make sure to give this one a spin before the sun starts hiding again! Pre-order available directly from the label’s Bandcamp.

Alex

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The Bostonion Bosq has long been a favorite for heady fans of afrolatin and soul grooves. Having started as the production arm of duo Whiskey Barons, known for stealthy edits of the global soul variety, Bosq has been churning out consistently solid releases — 12″ singles, EPs and LPs alike — for the last five years. As a solo artist, the producer is renown for integrating the classic inspirations of african and latin dance musics into his contemporary melange. Whether through his uncanny work as an official remixer or his flavorful originals — Bosq is a bet for fans of tropically-inspired dance music. Lend an eye and an ear respectively to our interview with the man himself, and his entry for our MIXED BY/ series ahead of his next album “Love and Resistance” on Ubiquity records.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/mixed-by-bosq” /]

 INTERVIEW

Alright, I’ve searched around and can’t find the answer to this: how did you land on the name “Bosq”?
It’s actually very unexciting – it’s sort of an abbreviation of my last name, woods, in spanish. I also like that it represents something organic and natural which is a feeling & sound I try to imbue my music with.

How’s life in Antioquia? Are you playing out much in Colombia?
It’s incredible! I’ve felt really welcomed by both the music community and the local community that I live in. Me and my wife are just constantly filled with gratitude for the opportunity to live there. I’ve been djing something like once a month, I’m trying to not oversaturate my presence you know? I’d like it to still be somewhat of a rare event that I’m playing. I’ve been focusing a lot more on production and writing and practicing instruments than playing out in the last year or so.

It seems you’re still hitting the states quite regularly. Who’s holding it down in Boston these days, anyway?
Yeah I make it over every few months, and then whenever I line up some gigs I make it a point to go see my family while I’m around. In terms of nightlife in Boston I’m not sure whats going on these days. Serge Gamesbourg is a great dj / producer (& bass player) who is still there, Kon is still in and out. My homie Oliver aka Gucci Vuitton is making good things happen both on the music scene and in the fashion world with his shop Bodega. My friends CLLCTV throw great parties too especially their sunday day party called “The Wave”.

Love and Resistance marks your fourth LP. Have you approached it differently than Celestial Strut, or any of your prior albums?
It’s still the same basic approach for me on these Ubiquity albums, they are like a mix tape for me sort of, I like them to have a flow and a variety that is similar to how I DJ. It’s been a good and bad approach for me I think, on the one hand I never get bored but on the other hand it’s a lot easier to market something that is a little more narrow. I’ve never been good at doing things in a marketable way though, haha. I will say I definitely feel it’s another step forward though. Musically, I’m learning a lot between each record and understanding theory and songwriting better as I go. The first record sounds really simple to me in a lot of ways now. I still like it and stand by it but Im always after making things a little more musically interesting.

What’s it been like working with Ubiquity over the years, both on the albums and the 12” singles you’ve dropped through them?
All in all it’s been great! We’ve had to navigate a rapidly changing music business landscape together but they’ve been really supportive of basically whatever I want to do. I think, especially in the beginning, they helped me think bigger and worry more about really executing my vision instead of trying to do everything as cheaply as possible or something.

We had an interesting discussion a few months ago on social media about edits and properly crediting artists. . . in the past you’ve also mentioned that the Whiskey Barons got in trouble for copyright issues and you wanted to credit originals going forward. On that topic: what advice would you give aspiring and current editors alike on how to tastefully ply their trade and release their versions?
Yes, this is really important I think. The trouble we got in with Whiskey Barons wasn’t necessarily about crediting artists, because we always did that aside from the very first bootleg 12”, but because we had done an entire mixtape of bootleg remixes from the Fania catalog. Luckily they preferred to work towards doing stuff legit instead of just a cease & desist. The problem I have spoken out about a lot recently is the current rash of uncredited bootleg edits that seem to be flooding the market. A lot of these are just some rearrangement, a kick drum and some filters and are being labeled as an original track by the editor.

It’s fucked up in a lot of ways, the most obvious being that you are just straight up stealing someones work and calling it your own, but they are also seriously muddying the waters for people who are doing original music. I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me what the original track is for my originals. Something that’s just more of an annoyance is the ridiculous amount of edits flooding the market and taking space from original artists, like you see these year end or monthly lists of “top disco tracks” or something and it’s 9 edits and one original. I also think the too many edits thing is just making parties more boring and vanilla but maybe I’m just a salty old man, haha.

I do have to check myself here too though because I had kind of given myself a pass like, well I’m clearly crediting the original artist so it’s ok to sell these un licensed remixes but after that convo I realized that’s just another lame excuse, so I’ve stopped selling or giving out anything that’s not either original or an official remix. We kid ourselves that these are some kind of a service but we’re all just doing these edits to further out reputations and get gigs on the backs of other artists work.

I still didn’t really answer your actual question though, did I!? I would say if you want to do edits to make tracks more playable for your own sets, go crazy! But they should not be looked at as a shortcut for building your profile as an artist. Don’t release them for free or for sale without permission. If you are absolutely set on releasing them the LEAST you can do is title it properly so people know who actually made the music. Just think about how you’d feel if someone took your edit, changed it slightly then released it as their own? You’d probably not be psyched, and I guarantee whoever wrote the original spent a lot more time and money working on that than you did the edit. I would also say don’t be afraid of playing original tracks from the 60s and 70s, theres an energy in the tempo fluctuations and imperfections and dynamics that can get lost in an edit. Of course some edits are great and really useful, but a 2 hour set of them is, to me, super boring.

Similarly, has your general shift towards original instrumentation over the last five or so years been motivated by the complicated nature of sample-based music these days?
I don’t think so because when I think about it, I never really made sample-based music. The edits and remixes were always reworkings of entire tracks basically, and when it came time to make my own stuff, more in-depth sampling just wasn’t my thing. Don’t get me wrong, I think sampling can be done in incredibly creative and amazing ways and I’ve been listening to sample based hip-hop by whole life, but it’s just not the way I hear things. It amazes me when people can hear something immediately know how they are going to chop and flip it, my ear just always worked better building from the ground up.

You’ve had some fun EPs in the last year or so — Body Music and the Poly Rythmo Edits come to mind — that sort of expand your current catalogue a bit beyond the Ubiquity drops. Anything else in the pipeline we should be looking out for?
Thank you! And yes definitely! I’ve actually got another full album coming out later in the spring on Fania Records, it’s more heavily rooted in Afro-Latin sounds than this Ubiquity album. We also have another Body Music single lined up, and are working on a bunch more material this week while I’m in NYC. I did a remix in a similar vein of the Poly Rythmo project for Hot Casa records out of France and I think we’re just waiting to get the clearance all sorted out but that should be summertime I think.

Interview by Martín

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LA-based Chicagoan Dino Soccio is no stranger to the disco/edit game, with grips of nifty free flips available on his soundcloud, and prior releases under Only Children. Dino’s been running a sweet little weekly party by the name of Pleasure of Love in aHollywood basement venue for a few years now, and now the vibe is being translated into a wax label. Pleasure of Love aims to reflect the underground house and disco leanings of the feel-good party, sometimes even venturing into exotic and global territories. We know what you’re thinking–“oh great, another disco edits label”–but if the first release is any sign, Dino is managing to stay on the tasteful, useful and just plain fun end of the spectrum.

While the A1 is a high-energy burner, the A2–our premiere from the record–drops the BPMs a bit for a silky summer mood. It’s 80’s postdisco vibes from the get-go, with groovy percussion and chopped vocals providing the intro. The irresistibly summery bassline and keys will steal your heart, as the dubbed-out vocals and extended arrangement accentuate the experience. It’s a properly and respectfully tweaked version of the Lonnie Reaves jam, seeking purely to help DJs provide maximum dancefloor pleasure. On the flip, “Sharpflavor”, enters bouncy electro/pop territory, sitting nicely with the vibe of the lead cut.

POLR001 hits shops sometime this week and is limited to 300 units, so be sure to set that Juno reminder! From what we’ve heard of future drops, this will certainly be an imprint to keep an eye on for the more disco-inclined selector.

Martín

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