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Premiere: Listen to Len Leise’s “Seed of the Blushwood”

Darren Ressler Leave a Comment

Len-Leise-Bush

International Feel label boss Mark Barrott, who is known for helming Future Loop Foundation and pioneering ambient and jungle music, relishes in discovering music as much as he enjoys in producing it. A few years ago he stumbled upon a cassette tape of Len Leise’s Songs for Sunsets at the bottom of a bargain bin in a charity shop in Paris and instantly fell in love with Leise’s majestic synth-driven compositions. With no contact information on the self-released album, all that Barrott could ascertain was Leise’s nationality (he’s Australian) and that all eight songs were thematically centered the sun.

By the time Barrott tracked down Leise and made contact with him, Leise had destroyed the master recordings of Songs for Sunsets. But their union led to a connection and Leise — whose “Call of Kati Thanda” appears on Cut Copy Presents: Oceans Apart, a 19-track compendium showcasing Melbourne dance-music artists — went back into the studio and produced Music for Forests.

Inspired by sonic discoveries he made on a recent trip to the Ranges in Melbourne, Leise’s release for Barrot’s Balearic imprint is lush and deeply beautiful music. Listen to the world premiere of the instrumental “Seed of the Blushwood,” a song founded on delicate, twinkling synths, gentle percussion and deep, warm bass. We  guaranteed it’ll soothe the most tortured soul.

Len Leise’s Music For Forests is released via International Feel on December 8, 2014.

Listen to the World Premiere of “Dread U” by [crack]

Darren Ressler Leave a Comment

crack lost tribe

London underground duo [crack] — yup, that’s how they spell their moniker — have probably never encountered a musical genre they didn’t like. Their upcoming Snapped EP for Brighton’s Lost Tribe Records exudes this diverse mindset, with Ed and Gaz building their songs around a wealth of influences culled from the ’80s and ’90s and blending it with their fondness of dub, avant-garde IDM along the lines of Aphex Twin and Luke Viebert, and all things orbiting around the universe of Chicago juke and footwork.

In advance of the November 24 release of their eclectic five-track debut, we’re pleased to world premiere “Dread U,” a teaser track which finds the pair slicing and dicing Sonny & Cher’s ’60s gem “I Got You Babe” and injecting the tune with some of the dubbiest baselines you will hear this month.

Premiere: Stream Faded Ranger’s Debut LP ‘Mechanical Tonight’

Big Shot Magazine Leave a Comment

FadedRanger_1925

Having emerged earlier this year with a trio of excellent singles, Faded Ranger — listen to their exclusive Big Shot Guest Mixes here — is ready to release their debut album – the dark and body-moving Mechanical Tonight. The record is a collection of twilight groovers that are equal parts low key and high spirited. While emphasized on sensual, bedroom vibes, the tracks have enough snap to them that make them just as suitable for dance floors. During many of its sharp corners, the record calls back to the halcyon house days of old as well as the hoppy darkwave of Depeche Mode, which one could consider a reflection of the hometowns of the duo’s two members, London-based Neville Attree and Chicago transplant Nick Maurer.

Featuring singles “Be On the Lookout,” “Get Together (Right Now)” and “Blindfolds,” Mechanical Tonight  also clearly reflects the duo combined home of Heidelberg, Germany, which is an equally evident print in the record’s mold. Among its dubby moments like the psychedelic “Pretty Colors,” or the head-bobbing title track, there are a slew of unexpected surprises, like their transformed cover of Roxy Music classic, “In Every Dream House A Heartache.”

Faded Ranger formed in Heidelberg when Maurer and Attree were DJing at the outdoor party, “Girl’s Camp.” The two found an immediate musical chemistry, both honing skills that greatly complement the other – Maurer’s witty storytelling lyricism against Attree’s dynamic beats and melodic arrangements. The synergy they produced is an infectious blend of playful synth music, with a stoic overtone
Stream Mechanical Tonight below, and pick it up for yourself over at HFN Music.