In the interview below, Vaz discusses Yore’s goals and values, minimal and deep, and the potential value of adding friends on MySpace. To “deepen” your understanding of the label, we’re extremely pleased to host an exclusive mix from Kez YM, featuring music from Yore comrades, influences, and contemporaries.
podcast
LWE Podcast 31: Spencer Parker
September 28, 2009 – 12:01 AM
For LWE’s 31st podcast, Spencer Parker shows off the skills that put his career in motion with an exclusive mix of lithe and groovy house tracks, including unreleased cuts from Boola, Radio Slave, and Mr. Parker himself.
LWE Podcast 30: Santiago Salazar
September 21, 2009 – 12:01 AM
Little White Earbuds tracked down Mr. Salazar to tap his brain for more information on collaborations, being a part of the techno version of Parliament and the importance of dancing to your own tracks. In addition, Santiago helms our exclusive 30th podcast which is full of slamming (and often unreleased) techno cuts that’ll have S2 fans drooling.
Curator’s Cuts 01: Steve Mizek
September 14, 2009 – 12:00 PM
Curator’s Cuts is a new LWE podcast series in which our reviewing staff mixes together recent favorites and provides explanations for their selections. We’re kicking off the series with a podcast from LWE editor-in-chief, Steve Mizek, which first debuted earlier today on Modyfier; there you can read a full explanation of the process behind the mix. We won’t be posting the tracklist until a few days after publishing, as each curator discloses and describes the tracklist as part of the podcast. We hope you enjoy Curator’s Cuts 01 and encourage you to comment with your thoughts on the series.
LWE Podcast 29: Black Jazz Consortium
September 7, 2009 – 12:01 AM
For many listeners, Fred P. was one of 2009’s major discoveries. Less a young upstart than a veteran finally getting his due, Fred Peterkin has become one of the key players in New York City’s resurgent house scene. His affiliations with Jus-Ed and Move D — both of whom are contributors to upcoming releases on Peterkin’s Soul People Music imprint — hint at his elegant deep house style, but his releases for the past two years as Black Jazz Consortium have established his unique voice. Fred took off from working on his ever-expanding label and his own productions not only for an in-depth discussion, but to provide us with our 29th podcast as well: an exclusive two hour journey through the deepest house — including some unreleased cuts.
LWE Podcast 28: Paul Brtschitsch
August 31, 2009 – 12:01 AM
Don’t let the consonant-laden name trip you up, Paul Brtschitch (like “bridge-itch”) has too much to offer. The Berlin-based producer has been on the scene since 1996, both as a collaborator (André Galluzzi was his most frequent production partner) and solo, crafting knotty, floor-tested techno for Frisbee, Music Man Records, Ongaku, Leena Music and Ostgut Ton (in fact, his “Twirl/Under” was the label’s second ever single). These days, though, he’s concentrating on his own label, Rootknox, having just release his fifth album, Me, Myself and Live and its attendant singles. As you’ll read below, the focus of Mr. Brtschitch’s album is how his music works when being performed live without the aid of computers. In kind, our 28th exclusive podcast highlights a propulsive live performance from one of techno’s more underrated artists.
LWE Podcast 27: DJ T.
August 16, 2009 – 10:01 PM
In many ways Thomas Koch is living the techno pundit’s dream. After nearly a decade developing a following as DJ T., the Frankfurt-based jock founded Groove magazine, a vastly influential voice in techno/house journalism, in 1989. Serving as its publisher (as he still does today), Koch also found time to operate the Monza club in Frankfurt, launch the eventually massive Get Physical Music (with Booka Shade and M.A.N.D.Y.), and begin releasing his own tracks. As Koch reveals below, these accomplishments were long in coming and seem developed with the same audience-attuned approach informing his sought after mixes. T was kind enough to provide us with more than a morsel of his signature, light and groovy tech-house blends for our exclusive 27th podcast. Don’t miss this one if you’re craving summer spirits.
LWE Podcast 26: Ripperton
August 2, 2009 – 10:00 PM
Like many techno and house producers, Raphaël “Ripperton” Gros first laid down musical roots as part of a band. Though his groups Soul Merge and Reasons mined the live dance territory that was his calling (and even garnered critical renown in his native Switzerland), the appeal of coordinating eight members and their ideas wore off in favor of solo production. Soon his sleek, tech-house tracks adorned Connaisseur, Systematic, Sthlmaudio Recordings and liebe*detail singles, and he paired with Mirko Loko to form Lazy Fat People. While the pair’s project yielded their most widely received tracks to date (for Planet E, Border Community and Wagon Repair), Ripperton once again rides solo, dedicating much of his time running Perspectiv with Sam K and DJing around the world. The Swiss label boss and top notch jock curates LWE’s 26th exclusive podcast, offering a peak into his monthly residency at Lausanne’s D! Club.
LWE Podcast 25: Peter Van Hoesen
July 20, 2009 – 1:56 AM
His name on the tip of many a techno aficionado’s tongue, Brussels’ Peter Van Hoesen is accountable for quite a few of the year’s most heart-racing records. With their reanimated bass lines, unremitting kick drums, and penetrating atmospherics, his productions have a functionality that can’t be denied and a presence that can’t be shaken — the perfect pairing for the “dark, sweaty venues” he mentions in the interview below. Meanwhile, choice remix recruitment and the recent release of Donato Dozzy and Cio D’Or collaboration “Menta” have upgraded his fledgling Time To Express imprint from Van Hoesen home base to a growing leader in harder techno. The busy producer, DJ, and sound engineer generously took the time to talk with LWE about his label, his work with Brussels’ contemporary dance community, collaborating with Donato Dozzy, and his upcoming album. Our 25th podcast, meanwhile, offers an exclusive example of Van Hoesen’s propulsive live sets and an ideal primer on the producer’s latest work.
LWE Podcast 24: Arnaud Rebotini
July 6, 2009 – 8:19 AM
One of the reasons we love doing LWE is that at any time, someone we admire could send us something incredible out of the blue. Recently we were graced with an exclusive mix from Arnaud Rebotini, the analog giant behind Black Strobe and well-versed solo producer, whose churned out raw house, banging techno and leather-clad electro for labels such as Versatile Records, Artefact and Source Records. Tomorrow his debut solo album, Music Components (which if you haven’t heard, do yourself a favor and check out this album mix), arrives digitally on iTunes and in American shops. In this mix, for which we haven’t even yet received a tracklist, Rebotini jumps from disco flavors to more chugging beats and back again. It’s a great mix and we’re excited to share it with you. We’ll post a tracklist when we receive it.
LWE Podcast 23: Aki Latvamäki
June 28, 2009 – 10:45 PM
Few artists come from as genuine and distinct a perspective as Finland’s Aki Latvamäki. In his bio he speaks of dirt, and in the following interview, he speaks of love. Working at the distant boundaries of what can only ostensibly be described as “tech-house,” Latvamäki (who also records as Artificial Latvamäki) offers up sounds that are more closely tied to experience than invention. Latvamäki’s esoterically titled tracks have appeared on Cocoon’s G compilation, Ellen Allien’s Fabric 34 mix; EPs for Trapez, Mezzotinto, and Budenzauber Recordings; as well as split recordings with LWE favorite Mark August and Dub Kult on Curle Recordings. Latvamäki is also a member of the “junk percussion” group Transistori, who have recently posted to Youtube a documentary of their live work, Transistori Play Toppilan Tehdas, at the factory of Toppila in Latvamäki’s home town of Oulu, Finland. What Latvamäki specializes in is a sound that combines melodic daring, dizzying introspection, and propulsive movement, and this talent is on display both here in this stunning exclusive “mixtape” of unreleased/forthcoming material.
LWE Podcast 22: Portable vs. Bodycode
June 22, 2009 – 12:08 AM
Alan Abrahams maintains that traditional African music and house music are much the same thing. In his music as Portable and Bodycode, Abrahams acts a living link between the indigenous sounds of his youth in South Africa and the first Chicago house records whose futuristic aesthetic broadened his horizons. Since leaving South Africa for London, Lisbon and now Berlin, Abrahams launched the Süd Electronic label with Lerato and released on ~scape, Spectral Sound, Karat and Perlon (among others). Tomorrow sees the release of his second album as Bodycode, the spectacular Immune on Spectral Sound. Full of fuzzy organ chords, needling percussion and Abrahams’ emotion-filled vocals, the album finds his sui generis sound in its most realized state. Our 22nd podcast pits Abrahams’ Portable and Bodycode monikers against each other, providing an exclusive look into the sounds bouncing around this talented producer’s head and computer.
LWE Podcast 21: Le K
June 14, 2009 – 11:51 PM
Hailing from the city of Perpignan, Sylvain Garcia, aka Le K, exemplifies the curveball of French underground producers. In terms of style, he fits in the same milieu as compatriots dOP and Noze, favoring floppy, organic sounds, and a playfully anti-purist attitude. In the past few years, he’s released records on Circus Company, Thema, and Feinwerk, and has remixed artists like Scott and Paul Frick. As this exclusive mix reflects, his unique personality and focus on eclecticism set him apart as a truly original, and truly French house artist.
LWE Podcast 20: Stefan Goldmann
May 21, 2009 – 10:46 PM
It’s somewhat of an anomaly that Stefan Goldmann’s profile isn’t writ as large as his thrilling productions. The German producer and owner of the Macro label inhabits a special place in electronic music, constantly wowing with each subsequent release, be it twelve inch, full length album, remix, or concept re-edit of Stravinsky. Even from his earliest beginnings on Derrick Carter and Luke Solomon’s Classic label it was evident Goldmann stood out from the pack, not afraid to move in his own direction and moreover always pushing himself further. It was 2005’s “Sleepy Hollow EP” that finally awakened many to his unique musical charms, and since then he hasn’t put a foot wrong, releasing a string of twelves culminated in an album that housed them all (The Transitory State) and notching up a slew of remixes that eclipsed the originals (Force of Nature’s “Sequencer” and Sideshow’s “African Cheri” immediately spring to mind). It’s less surprising, then, that the scope and sheer quality of Goldmann’s work earned him a nomination for the German equivalent of a Grammy award. But then rather than keep reading about how great we think he is, it would be much easier to check out his exclusive podcast mix and hear for yourselves.
LWE Podcast 19: John Daly
May 7, 2009 – 9:41 PM
Only three years ago John Daly was just an upstart from Cork, Ireland, whose raw and ready tunes on his own Feel Music made small waves. These days each highly anticipated Daly release (and there are a lot of them) rocks the boat, as his dubbed out grooves for Francois K’s Wave Music, IRR, Plak and Drumpoet Community becomes a fixture of many house and techno DJs’ sets. The effortlessness of his inviting and varied productions have well earned the crate space. In kind, we wanted to hear what’s pulling its weight in Mr. Daly’s crates, and thus was born our exclusive 19th podcast. Moving from hypnotic deep-house to interstellar disco and future primitive techno, Daly’s set speaks louder than his tight-lipped interview. Strap on your headphones and absorb what the man has to say.
LWE Podcast 18: Patrice Bäumel
April 23, 2009 – 10:16 PM
Patrice Bäumel often cuts close to the bone when crafting his floor-ready productions, leaving only the leanest wiry bits to rile dancers. Yet the Dutch producer’s singles for Get Physical and Trapez and remixes for MBF and Systematic, make a big impact with bare essentials. If his exclusive podcast mix is any indication, his DJing style offers a considerably fuller sound while utilizing some tracks as tools. After a successful residency at Club 11, Amsterdam’s (if not one of the world’s) finest and dearly departed, Bäumel has moved on to helm its successor, Trouw. Get a taste of the club’s go-to guy in this stirring new podcast.
LWE Podcast 17: Louis Guilliaume
April 9, 2009 – 8:48 PM
Louis Guilliaume’s debut 2×12″, Soulpoint, tore a hole through everything being played around it, and no one even knew who he was. It is an album that doesn’t really fit in any one period of time, its fidelity waxing and waning across slates of naked, raw techno, thought it always lunged ahead with conspicuous style. Guilliaume’s influences are broad and his experiences perhaps broader; check out tour photos of the Dutch producer on tour with Christian Death as their sound engineer. LWE’s Podcast 17 affords an exclusive glimpse into Guilliaume’s DJing head space which seems as loaded with surprisingly soulful jams as it cuts across great swaths of styles.
LWE Podcast 16: Mike Shannon
March 12, 2009 – 11:23 PM
For the latest LWE podcast Mike assembled an exclusive mix of forthcoming and never released tracks in the old fashioned, two turntables and a mixer way he describes as “a little raw (no effects or edits), just the way I like it…” Help celebrate the tenth anniversary of one of Canada’s vanguard techno labels by peering into this sonic crystal ball of up and coming Cynosure exclusives.
LWE Podcast 15: Duplex
February 26, 2009 – 11:43 PM
Although Detroit revivalism is presently en vogue, Europe’s techno artists have long drawn inspiration from the Motor City’s creative geniuses. Two hardcore enthusiasts, Chris Callahan and John J. Matze, have fused their love for America’s techno roots and their own spacious vision in their music as Duplex since 1997. The Rotterdam-based duo is perhaps the most underrated members of the Clone family, with several spots (including an album) in its catalog and those of its Djak-Up-Bitch and Frantic Flowers sub-labels. Though the pair has been relatively quiet since 2007, our 15th podcast, an exclusive hour of spectacular techno cuts, is about shatter that silence in fine fashion. We haven’t had a DJ mix on repeat for so long in ages, and we suspect this will keep you coming back for more, too.
LWE Podcast 14: DJ Sprinkles
February 13, 2009 – 1:15 AM
If house were a nation and LWE its president, Terre Thaemlitz is the first person we would look to when filling our cabinet. It would be difficult to decide where to put her, though, as his abundant talents make him perfect for many roles. As a top notch producer whose roots are tangled in the history of house, she’d make an excellent minister of culture; as a great thinker who elucidates hidden truths in media, gender, sexuality and our interactions with them all, he’d fit well as secretary of the interior of our heads. Midtown 120 Blues, his first album delivered under his disc jockey alias, DJ Sprinkles, brings these departments together, recontextualizing house music to the tune of sumptuous deep-house (easily nabbing the #3 spot in our top albums of 2008 list). So we’re very pleased to have Thaemlitz curating LWE’s 14th podcast, which is actually a live DJ mix from his Deeperama series.