Berlin-based Wilde Agency will release its second label compilation, WILDE Freiheit, on January 12, 2015. The compendium features a dozen rising stars working in the fields of deep house and techno including Julian & Der Fux, Juliet Sikora, Sierra Sam, rEJEKTS and others.
In advance of the release of WILDE Freiheit we’re pleased to world premiere one of the set’s standout tracks, Lewis Boardman’s “You Got To Show.”
Boardman, who has released tracks and remixes on NRK, Play It Down and Rekids and has DJ’ed at Fabric London, The Warehouse Project Manchester, Circus Liverpool and London and a litany of top clubs, goes for the jugular with “You Got To Show,” a raw, pumping 4/4 monster forged on a twisted, hypnotic vocal sample and devilish bassline from heaven.
Have an exclusive first listen to Boardman’s gem below and keep an eye out for his Rambunctious EP out December 22 on Cadenza Lab.
Fast and furious is the musical mindset of Seclusiasis’ honchos Dev79 and Starkey. Last summer while shooting the breeze with homeboy .rar Kelly, the trio came up with the concept to take their usual 140-150 BPM forays into the 160 BPM realm. A few months later the idea has been realized into a brilliant compilation. Simply titled 160, the 10-track collection takes the label’s ethos to the next level while presenting an international array of producers including Holland’s Subp Yao, China’s Howie Lee, North America’s Darren Keen and Spain’s BSN Posse.
We’re thrilled to world premiere Keen’s six-minute mega mix of the comp and present an exclusive conversation with Dev79 and Starkey about the release out on December 8.
When did you both develop a need for speed?!
Starkey: I just liked the concept of showcasing music around a given tempo because as a DJ it’s something I think about when I’m constructing my sets.
79: Well, I’ve been diggin’ ghettotech and upper tempo club music for many years now. But with 160 vibes specifically, I guess the last couple years its been creeping stronger and stronger into my listening habits and DJ sets.
With deep house now back in fashion, what inspired a compilation with faster BPMs?
79: Deep house isn’t something you’re likely to hear from our labels, whether it’s in fashion or not. Trends have never been a super direct concern of ours. We’re way picky and we dig what we dig. Of course we’re into being fresh and current, but the trend of the week is not our game. I’m not sure what the exact inspiration for 160 was —we came up with the tempo themed compilation series concept in general and then 160 just seemed like the obvious bpm to kick off with.
Starkey: Yeah, I agree with 79. I could care less about deep house. And we’ve always been involved with things left of center with Seclusiasis and Slit Jockey Records, so I’m not really concerned with what’s in fashion.
“Trends have never been a super direct concern of ours. We’re way picky and we dig what we dig. Of course we’re into being fresh and current, but the trend of the week is not our game.”
How did you both go about culling tracks for the compilation?
79: Some stuff was from demos we had from people and some came from reaching out to friends and associates asking them to be involved. Also one of our label accomplices, Teddy .rar Kelly, came across Darren Keen and brought him to the table.
Starkey: To be honest, I kind of let 79 and .rar Kelly contact most of the people on this one since they both have more of a connection to playing faster stuff out in their sets. I just listened through things with them and gave my input from a musical perspective. They smashed it though… it’s a great collection of tunes.
Where do you plan to go from here? Are you planning a sequel comp?
Starkey: Yeah, I’m into this. Was joking the other day that we should do 45 BPM next. [Laughs.] But in all reality, you’d think that it would just end up being all screwed up sounding stuff, but it wouldn’t. That’s the beauty of this type of thing. The diversity from the different producers is what makes it so great.
79: There’s def more in the series to come. We’re still deciding which tempo will be next so just wait and see.
Any other projects in the work for both of you?
79: Always projects in the work! We’ve got a Darren Keen EP coming out in the beginning of 2015 on Seclusiasis and the Choice Cuts 4 compilation will be coming early 2015 on Slit Jockey Records. I’ve got two Dev79 EPs I’m wrapping up at the moment. Starkey and myself just had our collab remix of Aquadrop come out on Top Billin this week and my remix of DJ Pound came out on Saturate Recs this week as well.
Starkey: I’m working on my next album which will be out in 2015. My remix of Warsnare will be coming next month as a Seclus Jockey free download. Also, I did a remix for The Glitch Mob that will be coming out sometime soon as well.
Jay Haze is a producer whose name is synonymous with bespoke house music. His array of tracks issued over the years speak effortlessly to the mind, body and soul. After sharing “Take A Dip” with Charlie and Eli from Soul Clap back in 2012, Haze, who has been working as a social activist in recent years, finally delivered two more stellar tracks and has resulted in The Mulatar House EP due out December 1 on Soul Clap Records.
We’re pleased to world premiere the gorgeous track produced with Signor Andreoni on the beach in Sardinia from the EP featuring the Mulatar, an exotic string instrument — there’s only 16 of them — built and played by his musical collaborator Jordi Lockruf.
Says Haze of the EP, “This EP is super special for me not only because I was able to introduce a new instrument to the world via vinyl (how cool is that?), but it was made with friends, and with the intention to put more music into electronic dance music.”
We can’t wait to hear more musical magic from Haze and his Multar.
This month Italian dreampop duo Welcome Back Sailors will issue their eagerly anticipated new album, Tourismo, on the We Were Never Being Boring indie imprint/collective. The follow-up to 2011’s acclaimed synth-filled gem Yes/Sun finds kindred musical spirits Alesio and Danilo drawing inspiration from iconic ’80s groups like Tears For Fears and marrying their ideas with the mutual love of the acts on the New York/London Cascine label (WBS remixed Cascine’s Keep Shelly in Athens’ “Stronger” last year).
As they count down the days until they unveil their album that’s brimming with musical maturation, we’re pleased to world premiere “Faces” from Tourismo, a gorgeous, thoughtful and synth-driven slice of heaven that’s guaranteed to take you back to the future.
“About a year ago we found out about a garage sale of a guy we’d been told had an old Korg,” they tell Big Shot about the song’s genesis. “We went to take a look and found an absolutely perfect Poly61 that we brought home for a dime. We turned it on, and the first random notes we played became the beginning of ‘Faces.’ This is a song with a deep ’80s soul, but a slightly melancholic atmosphere. It is like a written note scribbled on a Post-It after a trip, but it could as well represent our lives so far.”
Have a listen to “Faces” below and get a taste of what’s in store on Tourismo.
Welcome Back Sailors’ Tourismo is released via We Were Never Being Boring on November 24.
