New Glasgow Label High Sheen launches with quality roster

There is a new kid in town as Glasgow welcomes a new label High Sheen into its burgeoning electronic music fold. Although new to the label world the people behind the project have serious credentials both locally and nationally. Sam Murray, one of the Vitamins crew and DJ hero Ben Martin have assembled a serious roster of artists for their first release.

Mia Dora, HaHaHa & Raksha have been residents in Glasgow and this release sees them bringing together their unique styles to produce a storming debut.

As well as this new EP which will drop on the 16th of April. The kind dudes at XLR8R have secured a free giveaway to tide us all over. Play it below or click the link to get the download.

PL007 – Production Unit – Bridge EP

Cat No: PL007
Artist: Production Unit
Release Date: Sunday 8th April 2012

Download free WAV/FLAC/MP3′s over at Bandcamp or pay with a tweet.

 
 
 
1 – A Broken, Rusted Angel (clip)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

2 – Dub Coat Parts 1 & 2 (clip)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

3 – This Otha Planet (clip)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

4 – Beat Too (clip)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

For the 7th release on our Phuturelabs imprint, we’re proud to welcome Production Unit onboard with the “Bridge EP”. With a previous incarnation as one third of Marcia Blaine School For Girls and as a former resident of Glasgow’s Numbers collective, this producer and DJ comes with serious credentials and a bright future.

On the “Bridge EP”‘s four tracks, Production Unit takes in elements of classic early house and techno with sprinklings of IDM, left of centre electronica and dub. Opener “A Broken Rusted Angel” combines a fierce bass assault with 808 claps and a hefty percussive backing, turning in on itself half way through with hypnotic synth stabs and eerie strings making an appearance. “Dub Coat Parts 1 & 2″ follows and layers minor key skanks over an unnerving backdrop of doom-laden atmospherics and pads.

“This Otha Planet” is next in line and we’re in classic techno territory here with swirly synths, cut up vocal snippets and chunky stabs all working to their full potential before “Beat Too” closes the EP and offers up a stripped back slab of electronica packed with rattly percussion and an infectious earworm of a synth line.

On top of a busy production and life schedule, Production Unit also co-runs the impressive Broken20 imprint and solely runs the cassette based Broken60 offshoot. Keep an ear to the ground for his “ICU Tracks EP” coming shortly and a new album set to arrive in the next few months.

Thanks to Offshoot Design for the brilliant artwork.

Lazy Sundays: Nothing But Noise – Not Bleeding Red

Front 242 have been one of the most influential electronic acts in the history of music since their inception in 1980 and while their style has shifted several times throughout the decades, they’ve consistently returned to the EBM genre that they originated.

Two of the groups original members Daniel B and Dirk Bergen recently teamed up with mutual friend Erwin Jarbot to form new project Nothing But Noise.

Taking things down a notch from the F242 material, the trio are set to relase their debut album in the shape of “Not Bleeding Red”. The long player’s nine tracks are all beatless and serve as an homage to the classic synths used in the trio’s studio.

It’s a lovely wee wander into electronica and ambience and you can check out more previews on the Nothing But Noise Soundcloud ahead of the album’s release on April 16th.

Read an interview with Daniel B over at The Quietus to find out more.

Superbreak – Easter Special Beatdown Mix

As we are currently celebrating everything that is funk, soul and disco on Saturdays. The mighty Superbreak has been kind enough to put together one of his special mixes for all you Easter bunnies out there.

No tracklist on this bad boy just a groove to burn as he has worked his edit magic on some underground classics.

Grace Jones – Pull Up To The Bumper

There are not many people who are icons in the world of both fashion and music but then Grace Jones is no ordinary person. A fashion model for many years she made the transition to music with forays into disco, funk and pop.

In the late 70s she released a trio of disco albums with legendary producer Tom Moulton at the helm before possibly her best work, the “Night Clubbing” album was released in 1981.

It took the elements of disco and combined them with softer RnB and funk sensibilities to make a pop crossover album. This is quality pop from the early 80s from an artist who started firmly in the underground.

There are many highlights on the album but for me the best is “Pull Up To The Bumper”. A raw infectious pop song with gallons of sexual metaphor.

Grace Jones – Pull Up To The Bumper

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Klute – Song Seller

We’re only going back to 2001 for today’s classic but it’s defo a timeless number that earns its position in the history of drum n bass.

Without a doubt one of the finest producers to grace the genre, Klute has a bundle of quality albums and 12s under his belt that should be in the collection of anyone with a working set of ears. From early work with Certificate 18 through to establishing his own Commercial Suicide imprint, his output reaches back to the mid 90s.

Today’s track of choice was released on Doc Scott’s 31 imprint and it’s an amazingly emotive piece of music that sees Klute wrap a hypnotic vocal around a lovely warm bassline and crisp, clean breaks to brilliant effect.

Klute – Song Seller

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Jackmaster & Ben UFO go Warm for the latest in the Oki-ni Mix Series

The Oki-ni mix series has long been one to follow with prime cuts from the likes of Tensnake, Layo & Bushwacka! and Andy Weatherall to name but a few. This time they have recruited two of our favourite young DJ’s to bring the art of the warm up set back to the fore.

Recorded in live at Trouw, Jackmaster and Ben UFO decided to go for the art of the long build up rather than both try to showcase their main room tunes too early.

The results, as you would expect from these two are spectacular.

Hessle announce Elgato for 20th release

The ever excellent Hessle Audio have reached a significant milestone with the release of their 20th EP. Taking the reins for this one is Elgato. The Northerners tracks come with a dark edge yet are under woven with killer subtlety as we saw on his last outing for the label.

This time round we have some glitchy minimal techno in the shape of “Zone” and mutant RnB in the appropriately named “Luv Zombie”. The EP is due to drop on the 23rd from all the usual outlets.

Elgato – Zone

Elgato – Luv Zombie

Joe Goddard – Gabriel Remixes Pt 2

You can’t keep a good tune down and Joe Goddard’s anthemtic “Gabriel” was one of 2011’s finest.

It’s already seen some tasty remixes courtesy of Seiji and Compound One and another pack of reworks has just arrived to keep things ticking over. The mighty Soulwax have stepped into the fold and delivered a chunky main room retake while Calibre delivers a smooth dnb version.

The pick of the bunch for me however is the Aston Shuffle rework with its ridiculously rotund bassline and thumping kick.

Available now at Surus.

Lando Kal – Rhythm Sektion/Inquisition

Lando Kal (a.k.a. Antaeus Roy) is one half of West Coast beats production team Laser Sword.

As he once again hits out on a solo vibe, we see him getting down and dirty with the Detroit V Berlin influenced EP for the stellar Hotflush label. There are also hints of jungle and rave in there to create what is for us his best EP to date.

Due to land on the 9th April, this is yet another Hotflush essential purchase.