Warning: do not drive or operate heavy machinery while under the influence of the new track (or especially the video) by French/German DJ/producer team Lifelike & Kris Menace. Let’s just say that in both the sonic and visual sense, its title, “Ecstasy,” is to be taken literally. The in-your-face old-school rave vibe of the tune is bound to evoke images of people madly flinging their bodies around a late-’80s/early-’90s Manchester club under the influence of a certain substance, and the joyous emotion usually accompanied by that scenario. The mind-melting video crafted by Hexstatic, who have previously worked for the likes of Coldcut and David Byrne, is the cherry on top, completing the head-swirling experience. Lifelike and Kris themselves had this to say about the endeavor: “Manchester and the Hacienda always had a special place in our hearts: its part of our musical culture, this is where it all happened, the birth of acid-house & techno movement, Tony Wilson, Factory Records, 808 State, etc…Back home in our studio, it was obvious, we had to do it, we had those old Roland TB-303/TR-707/Akai S950 sampler under a pile of dust that we had totally forgotten, this is what we used to produce ‘Ecstasy,’ all in one night, and we’re really proud of it, as it sounds like no other records out now on the scene.”
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Premiere: Sachrias & Aslak feat. Saroa – Crescent (Original Mix)
Finnish twosome Sachrias & Aslak connected in 2007 and have been releasing music for the dance floor since 2009. Known for spinning records and promoting underground house parties in Helsinki, they possess a discography of high-quality productions and remixes for a string of labels (Loco Records, Add2Basket, Dutchie Music and Peppermint Jam, to name a few). The duo make a welcome return to Stockhom-based Oh! Records Stockholm with a prime slice of uptempo house that takes the form of their impressive three-track Crescent EP. We’re pleased to world premiere the Original Mix of “Crescent” featuring vocalist Saroa from the twosome’s latest that’s out on May 13. Now go hit the play button below and get your party started right.
Premiere: Will Magid – Set Me Free
Bay Area musician Will Magid wears a lot of hats. In addition to being a producer and an electronic musician, he’s also a trumpeter, composer and an ethnomusicologist. All of these roles have informed Magid’s second album, Alligator Spacewalk, which is due out May 13. But the last-named might have had the biggest effect of all. Inspired by discoveries he’s made during his studies, of disparate cultures coming together in one big musical melting pot, Magid has crafted his new album with a strikingly diverse set of sonic references.
Not only do the styles that come into play on the album include everything from Cuban rhythms to New Orleans influences and slippery electro-funk—even the aural textures themselves are all over the map. Strings and horns share space with synths and guitars, but the whole thing hangs together. On “Set Me Free,” which you can stream below for a sneak peek at the Alligator Spacewalk sound, some of the funkiest Moog bass lines you’ve ever heard rub elbows with an elegant string section and Magid’s own sleek trumpet lines for a sound as resonant as it is singular. If you’re near the Bay Area, you can catch the debut party for the album at The Mezzanine on May 13, but if not, “Set Me Free” will still get you off to a good start.
Premiere: Klienfeld & Malt – “Believe”
As soon as you hear the propulsive, pared-down sound of Klienfeld & Malt’s “Believe,” you know that the New Yorker is a man with techno in his bones. Klienfeld refers to his own approach as a “stripped down Detroit” kind of feel. In fact, that’s part of what drew Alexander Technique—whose Drop Ready Records is releasing the three-track Believe EP on May 9—to Klienfeld in the first place. “I first saw Klienfeld DJing at an after-hours warehouse party and he was playing the sickest techno,” he recalls. “I went up to him when he was playing ‘Strike’ by Jimmy Edgar and we became friends instantly. I asked if he made music and when he said yes, I had to put him on my label.”
In that spirit, “Believe” is all about the beat, but it also offers no shortage of sonic atmosphere. Klienfeld’s blend of texture and momentum is probably what’s gotten him the admiration of DJ icons like Danny Tenaglia and Todd Terry. But you don’t really need to hear anybody else’s opinion of Klienfeld in order to get into “Believe.” All you have to do is listen and let the track take over.