With just two single releases under their belt to date, the Jakarta based trio Batavia Collective have made an instant splash on the music scene with their infectious brand of neo-jazz fuelled funk, finding a highly receptive audience in the process.

On their latest ‘BTCV’ EP, released on genre shifting Belgian label R&S Records, the collective return, this time coming heavy handed with four new instrumental pieces, each one brimming with mesmerising melodies and dramatic passages.

As on previous singles ‘Propulsion’ and ‘Affirmation’, Doni Joesran, Elfa Zulham and Kenny Gabriel continue to enthral with a level of musicianship and musical nuance that goes beyond words, as the seasoned players drill deep into the soul of the genre and peel off four stunning recordings with ease.

At pains to not be defined or pigeonholed, BTCV explain “we are often asked what kind of jazz this is. To tell you the truth we don’t know. We don’t even know if our music can be considered jazz or not. We create the music through jamming, and afterwards, we vote on certain compositions together,” say the collective. Who said modesty was dead!

Pre-order.

text has been provided.

Cet article Batavia Collective – Interchanges [R&S Records] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Cet article Underdog Edits – In Need Of That Phone [Razor-N-Tape] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

It’s no surprise to discover that Kolja Gerstenberg is the son of the percussionist who toured with techno legends, Afrotrance, during the 90s. This early absorption influenced his musical development and is most likely responsible for his love of true old school house music. Mix that with a passion for funky 80s grooves and a university degree in Percussion and you’ve got yourself a Kolja.

The Leipzig native expertly dials in sounds that originate from eras and locations entirely different from his own and we can hear this in this lively irresistible track, ‘Get Over’ part of his new ‘Anna Melara’ EP coming off Marcel Vogel‘s mighty Amsterdam-based Lumberjacks in Hell. Quite clearly, it doesn’t matter where you’re from or where you’re based; our spirits and musical appetites are boundless. House, jazz, rnb, disco, funk (to name a few) have a way of transcending geographic location and working upon our inner spiritual connections – revealing where we are at on a deeper more inexplicable level.

Detroit, Chicago, New York are the notorious places, known as the epicentres of real House music and rightly so, they most definitely are. These cities are homes to some of house music’s MVPs whose struggles, surroundings and stories gave birth to much more than just technical ability, but drew out raw creativity straight from the soul. Be it a lyric, a track, a design or an artistic endeavour, creativity lies within the producer, irrespective of locality. The importance of those states can never be diminished. With the expansion of technology, we are able to connect with each other all over the world and gain so much information on different cultures that we can feel a part of it. It’s important to never forget your roots, respect those who paved the way whilst always be open to the new and the now. As the song says ‘house is a universal feeling’ so just get over the postcode and GET DOWN!

Listen on YouTube.

Order here now!

Cet article PREMIERE: Kolja Gerstenberg – Get Over [Lumberjacks In Hell] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Cet article Saul – Earth & Rain (feat. Poppy Ajudha) [Rhythm Section INTL] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Never failing to surprise, both Seb Wildblood and his beloved Church imprint are true firm favorites here at Bolting Bits. Originating from a basement of a church in Camberwell, the outfit has been going from strength to strength in recent times, delivering a blissful 40 now EP by the mysterious Biodive last month.

Their latest venture is a 10-track journey with the Italian Aura Safari quintet behind the steering wheel. Alessandro, Andrea, Daniele, Lorenzo and Nicholas all come from different musical backgrounds and generations, which is evident in the album. Years spent in the local scene of Perugia (Italy) attending Umbria Jazz Festival every summer and winter nights at the legendary Red Zone Club have shaped the sound of the collective.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/premiere-aura-safari-saturn-and-calypso” /]

Traces of various musical eras and influences such as Jazz Fusion, 80’s Boogie, World Music, Italo House, Balearic Beats and Jazz Funk can be felt throughout the release, giving it great diversity and unpredictability. The Aura Safari LP is an example of their genuine love of music spanning across a variety of genres. Swift percussion, sexy trumpets, funky piano chords and flowing melodies is only the tip of the iceberg of what you’ll find inside. The double 12-incher is coming out next month, so be on the lookout! Pre-order it here!

Cet article Aura Safari – Saturn And Calypso [Church] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Cosmic Resonance is a Toronto-based record label that’s only been around for a short while. It was launched in 2017 with a single entitled “Blue Notes” that was shortly followed up by the imprint’s first vinyl outing “Memoirs” from label co-founder Hemingway. The ethos of the label is to promote jazz, funk and contemporary electronic music, specifically from the Toronto area. So far they’ve done just that. Their sparse discography features locals Raf Reza and Korea Town Acid, as well as Hemingway.

Next up the label introduces it’s first various artists compilation, with artists from, you guessed it, Toronto’s underground electronic scene. Entitled Cosmic Residents, the music on the compilation goes beyond genres, spanning across quite a few and featuring sounds both cosmic and terrestrial. This first edition features returning local favourites and Cosmic Resonance residents Radiant Aura Faculty (aka Raf Reza), KOREA TOWN ACID and Hemingway along with newcomers (and making their vinyl and Cosmic Resonance debut) Body Butter, WeTurnToRed and Smoke & Shadows.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/premiere-hemingway-astralnauts” /] Today we’re shifting our focus to the premiere and A1 track, “Astralnauts”. A funked out bass starts things off alongside some airy pads and appropriate cosmic atmospheres. Jumping right into it, the track has got a fantastic groove that combines plenty of squelchy synths, a funky flute, rhythm guitar and some jazzy keys to boot. All of these elements are expertly applied in the arrangement where no one overpowers the other and only leaves you wanting more from the boogie monster that just had a go at your feet.

The compilation will be out April 26, but in the meantime keep an eye on the label’s Bandcamp and pre-order your copy.

Igor

Cet article Hemingway – Astralnauts [Cosmic Resonance] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Today’s premiere comes to you from the illustrious German label Toy Tonics. Presented by label bosses Mathias Munk Modica and Kapote, Teutonik Disaster showcases the crazy funky side of Germany’s underground disco and new wave from the late 70’s and early 80’s, as they are reworked into dance floor stompers. Most of these bands didn’t reach a bigger audience. Their records never got pressed to more than 300 – 500 copies as they were a number of years ahead of the huge commercial explosion of German pop in 1984: The NDW aka “Neue Deutsche Welle”, with Nena’s humongous hit 99 Red Balloons. The bands featured on the compilation released their music before the NDW hype and later broke up. Plenty of these early bands are best forgotten but if you dig deeper you’ll find the gems, bursting with style and attitude. And that’s just what Toy Tonics heads Mathias Munk Modica & Kapote did. They hit gold.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/premiere-carmen-schlaraffenland-kapote-rework” /]
While the whole EP is a spectacular peek into a time capsule of German boogie, our choice for the premiere today is a reowork of Carmen’s “Schlaraffenland” by Kapote. Like most of the songs on this EP, Schlaraffenland originally came out in 1982.  Carmen’s amazingly sensual German vocals stand out and the groove could easily have been on a Blondie or Talking Heads album.  The song was co-produced by Piet Klocke, who was part of another white boy funk group called Die Tanzdiele and later became a comedy star on German TV. Carmen’s sound draws a parallel to the New York Art-Funk Scene, as reimagined through a Soviet Era German lens. The track is a steady burning boogie anthem.

Dylan T.

Cet article Carmen – Schlaraffenland (Kapote Rework) [Toy Tonics] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

M5K. A shorthand German Submachine gun with a 20 round clip. Sounds severe, sounds like something used in the Westcoast of Los Angeles for some serious gang bangin in the early 90s.

Thankfully, this M5K is not a deadly piece of machinery, but the name of the talented Melbourne producer who is setting off but with his music, which is indeed heavily inspired by the dope Westcoast gangster beats of Schooly D, Easy E, Big L and all the other real hip hop artists we have grown up listening to. M5K has crafted an undoubtedly solid brand, think 80s VHS, white deloreans, gold chains, beach babes and fur bucket hats in the summer. He has done so with the help of imprints such as Voyage Recordings (you remember the amazing ‘Ford Capri’ video), Les Yeux Orange, Melbourne Deepcast and Dopeness Galore. His latest EP comes off LA label, Hobo Camp, a follow up to ‘Absolutely Real’ released in 2016, what a fabulous reunion!

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/premiere-m5k-all-about-u” /]
One to fill floors and have heads rocking all night. The premier track, ‘All About U’ is neatly arranged, with that signature electrofunk feel bouncing along low slung lines and spacey keys that hop along. M5K’s high quality production is impressive throughout the new EP ‘Time 2 Jam’. Staying true to his Juno 106, using only the classic Rolands gear and legit 80s equipment, M5K is able to create gritty hip-hop infused house music, to bring us fire tracks like ‘All about U’. The title itself makes me think of the late great legend Tupac, which is fitting with the producers first true musical love of rap. I get the feeling this EP was made for us to vibe to whilst transporting us through space and time to bring us safely into a blended late 80’s early 90s era, with our shades on, joint in one hand, getting down on a rooftop somewhere in LA. Even under the grey UK skies, I’m sonically carried off into the sunshine, beach parties and lowkey city dancefloors of Los Angeles!

Olivia

Cet article M5K – All About U [Hobo Camp] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Continuing off the success of his inaugural release from last year, label head and Bolting Bits colleague Igor B is set to come out with another record on his percussion-loving Canadian label, Breathing Room Records. This time around he has chosen to spotlight a new project from Switzerland-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Lokke. For the EP Aquarius, Lokke has decided to operate under the whimsical name of Bixi in an effort to push out more sample & house-oriented tracks than the downtempo and jazzy originals he’s come to be known for. In total, this record will contain 5-tracks with a goal to jettison listeners closer to the equator with groovy rhythms that will instantly transport you somewhere beachside.

[soundcloud url=”https://soundcloud.com/boltingbits/premiere-bixi-cosmic-water” /]

If we had to pick the original that best accomplishes this goal, we would have to say it’s the track we are premiering for you today. Titled Cosmic Water, one will hear an assortment of slap-happy basslines and swelling synths that are complemented by an assortment of both expertly sampled and finely performed parts – making it the most dancefloor friendly tune of the bunch. However, what really rounds out the piece is the collection of bird calls and fluttering flute rhythms that are at the forefront of the song from beginning to end. If any fans of Brazilian jazz and samba are reading this, you will certainly feel at home the second the tune is played.

To get your copy of this, and Aquarius‘ 4 other tunes, make sure to pre-order your copy by following this link right here! This EP is set to hit the shelves on March 8th with one of the best artworks we’ve seen in a while!

Cet article Bixi – Cosmic Water [Breathing Room Records] est apparu en premier sur Bolting Bits.

Yadava is a Manchester-based producer and DJ known for his releases on local staple Ad Hoc Records and for his debut album, “It Rains Here”, that was released last year by London outfit Church. Catching our ears from day one, we’ve happily premiered a couple of his tunes in the past (and future) and now we’ve also invited the rising star to record a mix and answer some questions for us. We ask him about his influences, the city of Manchester, his album as well as his forthcoming EP, among other things. Find out more about Yadava and read the full interview while listening to this perfectly curated Monday morning soundtrack.

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

INTERVIEW

How would you characterize the sound of Yadava?

Hard question! Think I’m still figuring that out myself and I’d hope it would keep evolving as I develop anyway. A lot of the time it’s heavily influenced by what I’m currently listening to which can change pretty often. I guess jazz-influenced sounds are a common theme, whether it’s the samples I’m using or the sounds I’m creating myself. I like to incorporate percussive elements into the mix too, I’m always aiming to bring some richness to the rhythms. I think I also tend to gravitate towards slightly more laid-back sounds, even if I set out to up the tempo.

Your debut album on Church, “It Rains Here”, has been rinsed by us at BB HQ quite a bit since its release. Can you tell us a little about the background of the double LP? What were some of the inspirations behind it and is the name a tribute to your home base of Manchester?

Yeah the name is a reference to Manchester for sure, but it also has a double meaning. I wrote a lot of the LP whilst I was going through a bit of a difficult time so it’s a reflection of that too, even though that probably wasn’t a wholly conscious and explicit process. For me, there’s melancholy tones throughout but also some warm and soothing sounds in there. I can definitely recall the process of creating the music feeling like it was serving a therapeutic purpose, and when I listen back to it now it’s like a document of my emotions at that time packaged up for me to go back to and make sense of. I don’t think I’ve ever actually played the record out in a bar or club. At the same time, it’s cool that other people are going to engage with the music in a completely different way to how I do. In terms of the sound palette I was definitely inspired by the sounds of labels like 22a records and 2000 Black, as well as Manchester-based friends exploring similar musical territory like Contours.

Tell us about your forthcoming EP for Ad Hoc Records – any particular inspirations behind it?

Yeah the tracks on that EP are some of the first ones that I’d recorded and decided to send out to labels. I’d just picked up most of the gear I made the Church LP with so was getting my head round using the MPC and recording live bass/keys so it’s a bit fuzzy round the edges. But yeah it was just experimenting really with mixing live instrumentation and samples from records I was listening to a lot at the time, mainly bossa nova and some jazz-funk sounds. One track actually had a digital release last year but it’s going to be nice for that to be pressed up to vinyl with some other sounds I’d made at the same time!

How is the scene in Manchester right now? There certainly seems to be a sound that’s hot there right now with producers and DJs such as Contours, Cervo and the like championing it. Would you say Manchester is carving out a bit of a niche for itself?

I’ve been in Manchester for about 10 years now and what I’ve always noticed is the breadth of music coming from the city – I don’t think it would be fair to put Manchester in a particular box musically because there’s so much music to engage with, and too much to try and make reference to here. I think there’s a lot of really nice jazz and soul infused hip-hop coming from the city at the moment, obviously championed by artists like Children of Zeus who’ve had a big impact and been doing their thing for a while; as well as younger artists like KSR and Blind Mic. I think because there’s such an eclectic music scene in Manchester, that gets reflected in sounds that straddle lots of different styles. For example, the Kawuku sound project that Tom (Contours) and Chris (Cervo) worked on, or what Tom (Werkha) is doing at the moment, occupying that space in between more electronic sounds and live jazz.

We know Manchester is full of talent. Is there anybody there that’s currently flying under the radar that we need to check out? Any special shout outs?

Taurtollo who released a really nice EP on Ad Hoc records last year is someone to keep an eye on for sure. Also Garth BE, who’s probably not so under the radar but if you aren’t familiar with his stuff then I’d go check that… and keep an eye out for more sounds in the near future. There’s loads more, too much to list here but a good starting point would be to check out the archived shows from local DJs on NTS Manchester, Reform Radio, MCR live etc.

Can you talk a little about So Flute, the event series you help with? What’s your role? Tell us how it started, the ethos behind it and if you see it expanding into something else in the future?

I started So Flute with my pals Dan and Billy when we were still students over 6 years ago now. Our friends Luke and Tom came on board pretty early on too and we used to do monthly parties at the Roadhouse (RIP) before it closed down. Music-wise I think we were influenced a lot by DJs and parties we had been going to with an eclectic music policy like Mr Scruff’s Keep It Unreal nights and Hoya:Hoya. We also wanted to put on nights that felt like a house party, where there was a laid-back feel and more of a connection between the people in the crowd. I think over the years So Flute definitely developed in that way. You’d see the same people coming each month and it feels like there’s a strong core community of people who we’d consider part of the So Flute family. I think doing parties in that way also meant that although we were booking some bigger artists like Floating Points or Sadar Bahar we could also put on a residents party and the vibe would be the same. At the moment we’re still doing parties every few months in Manchester, as well as one off parties in other cities. There’s been talk of a label in the pipeline for ages given the amount of people we’re connected with that are making great music so watch this space on that one…

You’re clearly a big fan of jazz. Was it always that way? Could you give us some musical influences you listened to growing up and a few that are currently inspiring you?

My dad is a jazz musician so although I can’t say I was actively engaging with the music, I was definitely exposed to a lot of those sounds when I was younger. I remember borrowing some Joe Henderson and John Coltrane LPs to use for an art project in college. Being drawn to them visually I naturally ended up engaging with the music too; although I think I did some blasphemous damage to the sleeves in the process. I also used to listen to a lot of pretty questionable hip-hop in my teenage years but then became interested in the source material so that was another route into those sounds. At the moment I’m digesting a lot more ambient and DIY synth stuff which isn’t something I’ve dug very deep into before. There’s so much great music being reissued by labels like Music From Memory and We Release Whatever The Fuck We Want (great label name) so I’m really enjoying that right now. Also the constant stream of really great contemporary jazz stuff from labels like Gondwana, Brownswood and Black Focus. The Mansur Brown LP has been on heavy rotation.

What instruments do you play? How much do you tend to sample and how much do you usually play yourself? 

I wouldn’t claim to be technically proficient but I can fumble around a bit on bass, guitar and keys so I tend to incorporate live recordings into my music. Although saying that, the balance of samples and live recordings can really vary from track to track. So tracks like Rebecca’s Jam and Weightless off the Church LP are all live recordings I played, apart from the drum samples that were programmed with the MPC; but then “Hiromasa’s Interlude’ is pretty much all sample-based except some chords and percussion really low in the mix. If I can get the sound I want by recording something in then I’ll definitely go for that because you have so much more control in manipulating the sound, but I also really enjoy working with samples. I see sampling as just as valid a method of making music as creating original sounds, but I do think it’s important to try and make sure you’re adding something new if you’re using sampling as a creative process in which you’re taking some credit as the artist. Whether that’s pulling samples from a range of different sources, layering samples with your own sounds or whatever your approach might be. Otherwise from my perspective what are you adding to the source material?! There’s blurred lines I guess, but yeah in terms of my own process I’m happy moving up and down that scale of sampling vs. playing in live recordings.

Are you an avid record collector? Do you remember the first record you bought? How about the last one?

I do tend to buy a lot of records, but I buy and play loads of digital stuff too. I definitely like having things in physical format and generally feel a stronger connection with the music if it’s something I can hold in my hand and engage with the artwork and inner notes etc. One of the first records I bought that I’d really wanted for a while was a copy of this amazing gospel record, Spirit of Love – The Power of Your Love. It’s been reissued now but at the time there was no other way for me to engage with the music other than listening to a pretty low-quality video on YouTube so it was really exciting to have a physical copy with all this extra information about the recording and artists.
I remember buying a CD single of Eddie Grant – Electric Avenue on a school trip when I was about 11 but I think the first record I bought was a copy of the Velvet Underground – Loaded in a tourist trap record shop in New York. The last one I bought was a reissue of the Mkwaju LP by Mkwaju Ensemble.

What are some of the must do’s/eats/sees in Manchester?

If you’re looking for dancing into the early hours then I’d be heading to venues like The White Hotel and Partisan where there’s some really interesting programming and nice crowds by virtue of being that little bit further out of the city centre. There’s plenty of wicked record shops to check out too; Piccadilly Records, Eastern Bloc, Vinyl Exchange and King Bee in Chorlton is definitely worth a dig. There’s a really good Ethiopian restaurant called Habesha, hidden above a takeaway in the Village just off Canal street. Also I could eat pizza all day every day so Rudy’s Pizza in Ancoats is another one of my favourite spots for food.

How much can you divulge about what’s coming up in Yadava’s near future, music-wise.

After the Ad Hoc release I’ve got another record coming out on a Swedish label and I’m also working on finishing another EP for a new Canadian label too. There’s a few more bits in the pipeline including some edits and a collaborative live project I recorded with another Manchester producer, but I’m having to focus my energy on other responsibilities for the next few months so I’m taking a bit of a break from any major new recording projects at the moment. There’s also the monthly ‘Expansions’ show I host with Contours on NTS Manchester where you might hear some forthcoming/unreleased sounds from ourselves and close pals!

Between running an event night, gigging, producing a whole bunch of music and trying to finish a PhD, how are you managing to balance your time?

This is something that has been really hard for me, it all kind of fell apart at one point and I had to take a bit of time out from everything last year. Trying to find a balance between so many different competing interests is really difficult and something I’m still working on. It’s even harder when there’s something you want to focus more of your energy on; for me that was music, but I had other responsibilities and so I’ve had to learn to put things on hold to make life manageable. Finding that right balance of things isn’t something I’ve been able to do on my own and I’ve really benefitted from the support of people around me, that’s probably been the most useful resource in terms of coping with things. By virtue of studying a psychology-based course I think I had access to people who were well placed to provide support as well as having some close friends who really helped me out in my hour of need! Also being self-aware and taking care of your basic needs you know, getting enough sleep, eating well, all those things contribute massively to your ability to manage pressure and they have to come first.

Interview by Igor

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