Ah, summertime and long weekends, that's what I'm talking about. I hope everybody here in the States had an excellent Memorial Day weekend! It's always amazing how it goes from 50 degrees and rainy to 90 degrees and humid within two days here in New England. Anyway, let's talk about some music eh.
When it comes to vocalists, Adele is definitely one of the brightest stars shining in 2011 and the sheer amount of remixes of her tracks that pop up prove she is on course to leave a major mark on the music industry. With an instantly recognizable voice and the ability to tell a story like Les Claypol, UK native Adele is only going up from here. She recently released her Sophmore album "21" and it has been finding the ears of listeners far and wide.
One of the stand out tracks from the album that grabs me by my soul every time I hear it is "Rolling in The Deep". Chain gang drums and claps pound away at your heart as Adele's vocals penetrate deep inside to your core leaving not a nerve untouched. The background vox are wicked as well as Adele rips through notes like a knife stabbing deep. The keys are just as pained as Adele's lyrics and add just the right edge to an epic piece.
First up bringing us a Breaks remix of "Rolling in The Deep" is Kyle Cross from Calgary Canada. Kyle has been turning out some proper bangers including his forthcoming remix of "Twin Nation" by Botbass do out later this summer on Kick It Recordings. Plump breaks and cheeky bleeps and zaps get things moving as Adele's vocals work their way in alongside the hi hats. The tough and ravey bassline filters in through the first breakdown and comes in with authority on the downbeat. Wicked edits on the vox keep things interesting into the main break. Check out more from Kyle on his Soundcloud page.
Next up is Tune in Crew who turn in a massive funky and soulful House remix that will rock any dancefloor. High on energy with a solid groove and a dose of pop thrown in for good measure, Tune in Crew are bringing the business!
Just a quick post today, lots to do to get ready for tonight's event but I wanted to at least drop you guys a free tune. Today's business is coming to you from the San Francisco natives NITEPPL.
Everyone knows that the freaks come out at night but apparently so do long dead composers. Bach is back and he is "Bach to the Future" to be more specific. On May the first in the year of our Lord Two-Thousand and Eleven, Bach was in his spaceship with his organ and a bunch of bitches. I'm thinking a little Ecstasy may have been present as well. No matter, for the outcome of the days activities resulted in a spacey and tripped out 4/4 banger that is the perfect opener for getting the party started. If you listen to Sneaker & The Dryer on NSB Radio, you may have heard this little number dropped a time or two. Wicked synth work and well done editing are paired with a couple of vox samples in just the right spots. The little edit on the keys near the end is well worth waiting for and is my favorite bit of the track. If you like what you hear, check out the NITEPPL's Soundcloud page for plenty more free tunes. Have a great weekend everybody and Kick It!!
Let's start today off with a congratulations to us and a thanks for the support to all of our readers, we broke 50,000 views yesterday!!
Just to let you know, if you have a Facebook page (who doesn't) and you would like a very easy way to keep up with the blog, just click the "Follow This Blog" button on the Networked Blogs box on the right hand column. It allows you to read the blog right through Facebook and you only will see that days post, so it's faster to load! You know you don't want to miss out on any of the great stuff we're giving out, the free downloads or the Exclusive interviews so do yourself a favor and get networked!
Kick It is hard at work putting together bigger and better events and tomorrow night is the second edition of Kick The System in Worcester MA. We're upping the ante for round two with 2 rooms of wicked sound brought to you by Supreme Sounds and no less than 11 Djs from the likes of Terry Mullan, Midas, and Disco Ball Murder Kit who will be bringing you nothing but the best in banging beats and basslines! As always we will be giving away loads of Kick It schwag including T-Shirts, stickers and zipper pulls and we have a raffle for an iPod with headphones as well! Mutiny events will be in the building also and they will have a host of freebies for everybody too! Ten bucks for two rooms and six hours, you can't beat that!
Mastermind behind the label Fun N Dark is Spanish native Wardian who started out as many producers do, with a guitar in his hands. By the time he was eighteen, Wardian had found Electronic music and he was beginning to find his love for Breakbeats, Drum & Bass and all things with a bassline! In 2000 he bought his first bits of equipment and beginning filling his bag with vinyl. Working hard in the studio and relentlessly promoting himself as a Dj, taking whatever gigs he could get, the dedicated and hard working Wardian soon began making a name for himself. In 2004 Wardian got his first tune released on vinyl and it was all on from there. Wardian has worked with multiple labels including starting and running his own and has had several chart topping releases in the time since then.
Now you can grab one of Wardian's bangers from 2009 for free. "Bohemian Melodist" blends a bit of Si-Fi and circus music with chunky breaks and a meaty bassline, fitting right in with his fun and dark stylings. Good grooves and funky synths keep things bouncing and a half time change up that comes out of nowhere will keep the dancers on their toes and then get ready for the scary clown breakdown! Check out Wardian's Soundcloud page for a host of other free tunes and downloads.
Who likes free music? I know you do, that's why you're here! So, I suppose I can oblige all of you hungry for some fresh tuna and hit you with the sushi action. This one just went up a few hours ago and it's getting good response already. Making his name known by way of Seville Spain is the one known as Arahal. Not much is knwon about this enigmatic fellow but I do know one thing, he has some great free downloads available on his Soundcloud page.
Today we are talking about a classic that has been recently re-released with a host of remixes by the likes of Melleefresh, David Jones and Calvertron. Joe Smooth's "Promised Land" is an anthemic House tune from 1989 taking ya way back! It's been refreshed with new vocals from Billy Newton Davis and then re-done in a multitude of genres. Calvertron whips up the bassline business putting together a hefty Dubstep piece that will rip you a new earhole. Complete with talking bass and a plethora of wobbles, it's sure to satisfy the needs of all those people coming up to you asking, "can you play some Dubstep?" Arahal tosses a workable intro on the front with a meaty kick and cracking snare making it playable in a Breaks set. The first breakdown gives way to the trancey synths and quickly moves on to the well known vox bits. When it all comes back in, she's got that Breakbeat backing her again, making for a proper re-work you should grab for yourselves.
Check out Arahal's Soundcloud page for a bunch of other good stuff.
Happy Monday party people, I hope you all had fun filled weekends packed with good music, good times and good friends! It's back to the 9-5 for most everybody but we keep you up and running with a good dose of the high octane business. Today's top-off might just scare you right out of your seat if you're afraid of ghouls and the like. Green thumbs of the record business, The Bush Doctors are the highly esteemed, multi-award winning producers also known as Rennie Pilgrem and Jem Panufnik. Behind two of the most successful Indie Electronica labels of the last decade, TCR and Finger Lickin' Records, the dynamic duo are back again with a monster of a release.
Having not only individually DJ’d the world over while leaving a wake of hugely successful club smashers behind them, Rennie and Jem have also played their part in defining the dance scene as we know it. Now they join forces in a whirlwind of black magic and sinister grooves that will send shivers up your spine and cold fear into the hearts of the funkless.Concocting evil potions spiced with ‘70s Funk and Disco and whisking up rhythmic rituals that make young virgins dance like crazed banshees, the Bush Doctors are out to get your soul! Tipped by iDJ as “Ones to Watch in 2010” they’ve conjured up a spellbinding barrage of deep down dirty grooves entwined with their trademark Voodoo Funk. Their DJ sets throw grinding Funk, Disco, House and Breaks into the cauldron, all served up with the beating hearts of horn sections and the shrunken skulls of Latin percussion. In the distance the Jungle drums are rumbling… the Bush Doctors are coming!
"There's a Ghost in My House" is Dirty Housey Funk with a wicked groove and seductive vocals provided by the talented Heather McCullum. A deliciously funked up bassline provides the backing for the eerie vocals, resulting in a slick and seductive track on course to send shivers down the spines of dancers around the globe, if you can't enjoy this tune, I feel you may be broken! Check out the "Get Scarey With Me" edit from The Pimpsouls and the "Bump in the Night" Vocal and Dub Mixes from the Doctors themselves as well, one of which we have for you below.
And just in case that wasn't enough to wet your appetite for a Monday, we have the video below for you as well to help pass the time. Head on over to your favorite digital distributor and pick up the release for yourself!
Brazilian Bassline Bombardiers Dirtyloud having been taking over speakers and dancefloors with authority from South America, to the UK, the US and Asia and they are just getting started. One of the hottest acts to emerge in 2010, Dirtyloud have really moved themselves to the forefront of the Nu-Electro scene with their non stop assault on the charts, proof positive that the kids like what they are doing. Their latest release "Needle" on Surfer Rosa is just massive and will put a hurting on any dancefloor at any time! While relentlessly hammering out the bangers from their studio in Belo Horizonte, the Dirtyloud boys managed to set aside a few minutes and answer the Kick It 12 for us. Take a couple of moments and find out for yourselves what makes these time-bombs tick!
The Kick It 12 - Dirtyloud Edition
1. –At what age did you first find yourself gravitating towards electronic music and who were some of the artists outside of Electronic music that influenced that?
Hi, this is Edu. As a Kid, I always used to listen to Youngster radios like Jovem Pan and my dad used to buy a lot of dance music CDs. He was pretty excited about the compact disc format that he went kinda nuts and bought all kinds of stuff, but he always loved the hard hitting ones. He always used to tell me: "Ouve esse batidão aí, fio" and it means: "Check this big beat, son" It was something like '92. But he tells me back in '86 when I was born he used to put Beethoven for me to listen to while sleeping. Back to '92 until '96 all I could listen to was Information Society, Corona, Shamen, 2 Unlimited, Planet Soul, MC Sar & The Real McCoy, Ace Of Base, Haddaway and all this kind of stuff. And the compilation "Demorou mas abalou" of RPC radio from Rio de Janeiro was the biggest Funk Carioca hit back then.
So when I turned to a teenager, all this music became cheesy crap. Typical teenage behavior. So I was just listening to rock n stuff.
And the first CD I had money to buy was "One Hot Minute" from The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
3. –How did you first get involved with the Electronic music culture and what was the first event that you attended?
The first electronic music event I went to was the Chemical Crew label party, with some Israeli Psytrance Dj's, and this definitely brought me back to the electronic dance music. It was in 2006 and before that, I was actually listening to metal and jazz music, as a bass player freak.
4. – Where was your favorite gig that you have had to date?
The last ones here in Brazil are really blasting! But the one we had in Edmonton in February this year was really cool, not because the gig itself. We made a lot of friends.
5. - Who have you been most proud to play alongside?
Datstik & Excision, Neelix, Alex Gaudino, Felguk, Electrixx, Spencer & Hill, Hatiras, Tim Healey.
6. - Where would you most like to play that you have not yet?
Avalon in Hollywood. Sounds so exciting.
7. -What is your favorite tune you have released?
Needle, on Surfer Rosa Records. Long time we didn't release any original stuff.
8. - Who is your favorite EDM artist? How about outside of EDM?
Aphex Twin. Kaki King.
9. - Who are some artists you would like to collaborate with in the future?
We'd love to collab someday with Pendulum, Skrillex, Madeon, BT, Felguk and loads of other artists ;)
10. -What is your preferred software for producing? Hardware?
Cubase and Access Virus!
11. -What life lessons has the music industry taught you?
Always be honest, true to yourself and to your family values. This will keep you en route. And never give up.
12. –What does the future hold for Dirtyloud?
Loads of hard work! The rest are just consequences!
Holy crap, I actually have a chance to do a blog post! Things have been flat out crazy here at Kick It HQ and I've been on the road for most of May as well so I apologize for the serious lack of content as of late! Fear not, I have a plethora of material stockpiled to drop for you so I will do my best to make up for it in the coming days. Today we have got a nice little package of stuff in response to 2D's latest release, his "Give A Little Love" EP.
2D has been spinning Breakbeats, 2 Step, and Garage since 2001. Co-runner of the Dragon Step Radio Show on Radio Active (100.0 FM in Toulon) since 2002 with Metod, Stalefish and Smeen San, the four soon started Step Express Recordings. Keeping himself busy in the studio and on the road, 2D has played all over France from Marseille and in Toulon to Montpellier, Lyon, Perpignan, as well as at many free parties in the south of France. Following his successful releases on Step Express Recordings, 2D was soon signed to the UK based label Resin Records in 2008 and the story continues...
Bringing us funky and fresh new beats from the South of France, 2D returns with his brand new EP on Step Express Recordings composed of three fairly different tracks for the summertime parties and festivals of 2011.
Showcasing his distinctive brand of Reggae infused beats and calling on his varied musical tastes, 2D incorporates Dubstep, Breakbeats and Hip Hop along with some tasty basslines into all three tracks starting things off with "Give a Little Love". Full on Reggae Dubstep that is simple yet efficient and will get the kids moving any time of the day. Big wobbling bass, guitar skanks, sound-system FX and vocal samples from 80's Dub all work together in perfect harmony. Next up is"Soundboy Killa" which is more on the dub side of things composed of Reggae drums, fills and percussions that are supported by big and heavy subs that lead the track. Closing things out is the wicked "Zombies Skank" full of Old School breakbeats and Reggae samples plus a Dubstep breakdown for good measure and an almost Down-Tempo one worked in as well. Love the vox on this one and the sub frequencies have got a great vibe to them as well, top stuff and my pick of the bunch.
Support From
Aquasky - "Zombies Skank is the one here... would play that inna dance!" Freddy Fresh - "Good Tunage!" Freestylers - "Give a Little Love is the one for me.... Article Rude Boy!!" Bassnectar - "Thank You!!" General Midi - "Summer vibes, good stuff!"
If that doesn't satisfy your need for the bassline business, check out the promo mix we have from 2D for you as well. Opening with two tracks from the EP, this a great mix to chase away the clouds and bring in the sun, setting the tone for a proper summer full of ganja, girls, and green fields! Just over forty minutes of non-stop goodness all mixed with the skills of a proper turntable veteran.
2D Promo Mix
1. - 2D "Give a Little Love" Step Express 2. - 2D "Soundboy Killa" Step Express 3. - Skream "Dutch Flowerz" Tempa 4. - The Others "Quantum Leap" Dub Police 5. - 2D "Voodoo Night" Resin Records Promo 6. - The Others "Underscore" Ringo Recordings 7. - Joker "Do It" Kapsize 8. - Flux Pavilion "Night Goes On" Circus Recordings 9. - 2D Ft. MC Metod "Smokerz" Resin Records Promo 10. - Kion & Murda "Dub Cinderella" Argon Records 11. - Jay 5ive & Kromestar "Bass 96" Bass N Love Records 12. - Matty G "My 808s" Dubpolice 13. - 2D "Definition Of" Resin Records Promo 14. - DJ Fresh "Gold Dust" (Flux Pavilion Remix) 15. - Brown & Gammon "Painkillers" Circus Records 16. - WTF?! Ft. Dead Prez "It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop" Breakbeat Kaos 17. - The Others Vs Subscape "Lion Skank" Dub Police 18. - Emalkay "Crusader" Dub Police 19. - 2D "Zombies Skank" Step Express 20. - Rusko "Make It Funky for Me" Digital Soundboy 21. - 2D "Kinda Jazz" Resin Records
And of course rounding things out, as mentioned we have a free tuna available for download as well. "Tam Tam Ting" features shuffling breaks, grooving organs, a good dose of Reggae flavor and a drawn out talking bassline. A bit of Old School wobble makes it's way into the breakdown to keep it classy.
Man are things crazy in Kick It Land!! We've got events going on all over and we're pumping out the releases not to mention this week's latest from Kick It front man Farace, "Feel That Ammunition" is already charting and one of his latest remixes on Technocolor received recent support from Radio 1's own Kissy Sell Out, aww yeah!
Today we have got heapings of business on tap and the ones like Aquasky are keeping your glasses full. Receiving heavy support is their newest release out now from Passenger on vinyl and in digital format. It’s been 16 years since the guy’s debut on Moving Shadow and throughout those years they have recorded for a number of labels such as Reinforced, Good Looking, Hospital, Botchit & Scarper, Southern Fried, Polydor and Mr. Bongo. But their real passion is Passenger, 14 years of pushing out cutting edge dance music of all genres and things have come near full circle. After embracing Breakbeat back in 1999, Aquasky went on to define and create a sub-genre within the scene and during that era countless fine acts were inspired by the trio.
Now Aquasky themselves are being re-inspired by their earlier, bassline driven, rave infused jump up styles as perfectly compiled on albums such as Beat The System (Botchit & Scarper 2002) and Stayfresh (Moving Shadow 2003). A run of gigs and festivals with The Ragga Twins during 2010 headlined as ‘A History Of Breaks’ helped to bring back this passion.
On this release Aquasky call on two Goddesses of Drum & Bass aka the Queens of the Jungle... Diane Charlemagne and LadyRoller and Aquasky are honored to have worked with them, both ladies are still just as talented as back in the day.
So, on that note, Aquasky present to you two 140bpm straight up bass bangers... simple as that. You know the protocol, turn it up loud and keep it rolling till the morning...
Long live the RAVE!!
Support From
Rusko - "Wow, these tunes just smashed in my backdoor in, 5/5"
Shimon - "I like this A LOT!"
NAPT - "Full on and in your face - classic Aquasky sound."
IDJ (Carl Loben) - "Wow, Aquasky have done it again!"
Been a minute since you've heard a proper bassline mix? Starting to feel those summertime vibes? Well then have we got the mix for you! The Aquasky three bring us just under an hour of nothing but the best in beats, breaks and bass with their Swagger Jacking 2011 Mixtape. Packed full of unreleased and forthcoming tunas, this one is sure to get the party hopping so click the download button and crank it up!
Now I know you are thinking, "I thought I saw Free Tune in the post title", fear not my friends, your free tune is here. Up for grabs is "Living Legends" from Aquasky & The Ragga Twins, the unreleased instrumental version. Funky feel good vibes and a healthy dose of horns and organs combine with natural drums for an all around groovy track with some wobbling bass to back it up. All you've got to do to get your hands on it is head over to Aquasky's Facebook page and hit the "Like" button. Once you, do the link for the download will pop up on the page.
Later this summer Passenger will be re-releasing "Take Me There" with remixes by Cutline, 601 and Jay Robinson, check out a preview of the Cutline remix below.
And if all that weren't enough for you, we have also got an exclusive interview from Aquasky for our readers. We were lucky enough to get them to take the time and answer the Kick It Twelve and you can check out what they had to say below!
The Kick It Twelve - Aquasky Edition
1.At what age did you first find yourself gravitating towards electronic music and who were some of the artists outside of Electronic music that influenced that?
It would be a free tape on the front of Mixmag or the face or something like that in 88-89. It was a showcase of Warp Records and it flipped my brain as I was still listening to old Electro around the time and it seemed to link into that. Next was listening to the pirates like Sunshine and Apple and Kiss. We use to get tapes come to us every Sunday/Monday from mates older brothers etc who spent the weekend raving in London (we were too young then to get to raves in London). That’s when I started to hear the sound of rave, acid and early jungle and techno jungle. I was locked in for the ride 100% by 89-90.
2.What was your very first album? How about CD?
First album was Electro 9 on Streetsounds and first CD would have been something on streetsounds, one of their dodgy soul CDs or something. I never listened to it!!! That would have been like 86 or something.
3.How did you first get involved with the Electronic music culture and what was the first event that you attended?
I first got involved when I went to college in 89. I had a vespa scooter so had transport and a bunch of us had them. A few of the older girls had cars. We use to go to illegal parties and raves around Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and Devon. Then we started to get into clubs around Bournemouth such as Madisons and Kevins House. I think Kevins House was the first club I ever went to. That was a club with a huge history locally.
4.Where was your favorite gig that you have had to date?
A38 boat on the River Danube in Budapest for the Fresh ER parties. Great venue, great promoters, great people, great city, great vibes… I love Hungary and I love Eastern Europe and Russia. I always try to grab those gigs when they come in.
5.Who have you been most proud to play alongside? We played the opening night of Fabric and after Rennie Pilgrem. That was awesome as we had just started to make breaks and knew of Rennie from his Rhythm Section releases. I think also when we played with Method Man in Texas was pretty mental. The early 95/96 Moving Shadow and Reinforced parties were great too as you met lots of your idols that way! Including Goldie who I was a fan of when he used to break with the Wolverhampton B-Boys and when he used to paint proper illegal graffiti around his estate and beyond. You all need to check the documentary "Bombin" which features a young Goldie, 3D (Massive Attack), Nellie Hooper and loads of heads. Including the New York TAT Crew who I was lucky enough to go over and meet in 1992 at the New York 18th Zulu Nation Party... I was 19 and was in the zone!!!
6.Where would you most like to play that you have not yet?
Africa or South America
7.What is your favorite tune you have released?
Probably ‘Images or Dezires’ from Moving Shadow or ‘777’ on Botchit and Scarper… or the Teamplayers album
8.Who is your favorite EDM artist? How about outside of EDM?
I don’t really have one TBH… my tastes are too broad!!! Outside it would have to be someone like Mark Murphy the jazz singer who we were lucky enough to do 4 tracks with back in 2000-2002
9.Who are some artists you would like to collaborate with in the future?
Well we are collabing with Tenor Fly, The Ragga Twins, Daddy Freddy, Acafool, Engine Earz and Lee Mortimer on our album so that’s good enough for now. I would love to write a tune with Ali Campbell from UB40 as he lives around the corner and has popped over to the studio before.
10. What is your preferred software for producing? Hardware?
Cubase and Ableton are the main platforms we use rewired together with a bunch of VST synths and plugins, we still have some hardware like some cool old synths a fender rhodes piano and a really good mic and channel strip for recording vocals. Also we have built a really good studio room which is really important for good mix downs.
11.What life lessons has the music industry taught you?
Hahaha... I have been asked that a few times lately so apologies to those who already know my answer to this question... I have quoted it for the past 15 years, lol!!!
Back in 1993 I was signed to my first label while recording instrumental Hip Hop under the name Jaziac Sunflowers. The label was Black On Black Records run by the good Dr. Bob Jones from KissFM and label management by Sav Remzi who went onto to set up Nuphonic and is now responsible for the awesome Tirk Records. Bob said to me “Be nice to people on the way up as you will meet them on the way back down”. Never a truer word spoken because i have seen so many ‘names’ lord themselves up on the way to fame and then try being your mate when their star has fallen. No time for people like that at all...
Kick It is locked, loaded and back again with another badass release to keep things moving along for 2011. Just last week we dropped our massive 50th release which is doing well on both the Beatport Charts, as well as Track It Down courtesy of Tactical Groove Orbit, and today prepare to duck and cover as Farace brings the firestorm with cover fire provided by Trevor Rockwell on the vocals. "Feel That Ammunition" has been Featured on Track It Down and is set to blowup the charts with a lead synth line that is just plain awesome paired with original lyrics and vox to set it off. The drum work is phenomenal and the grimey low ends add a mean edge to a rugged tuna. The energy in the main breakdown is enormous and will get the crowds hands in the air every time before slamming back in on the bass with authority.
First up on remix duties is the one like Wavewhore who brings us a Nu-Skool rendition complete with his signature sound that is already picking up support from the big guys. Punchy breakbeats and a driving bassline give "Feel That Ammunition" a dancefloor friendly but darker side that fits perfectly with the reworked bits from the original. If you've been looking for a proper Tear-out track that will annihilate your audience, this one is for you!
Completing the release on a bit more friendly side is Johnny Dangerously with his funky Florida style Reloaded remix. Old school leads and shuffling tops provide for a complete twist from the previous two while maintaining the Hip Hop influence from the original. While you're here, check out the video below and then head on over to your favorite digital site and cop the release for yourself!
Support From -
Aquasky - "Yeah feeling this one and will put into the Serato crate"
Far Too Loud - Big ups on the original, reeeeeeeallly nice!!"
Track It Down Featured Track - "Big Bad Drumstep with a neuro edge rolling underneath full rap vocals. Farace has recently gotten some major BBC Radio One support from Kissy Sell Out so don't miss out on this Secret Weapon!!"
Bill Vega - "Cheers, Wavewhore remix for me!"
Rob Ceos - "Stunning remix from Wavewhore. Rolling vibes with monstrous bass action! 5/5"
Left/Right - "Original is big and really feeling the Dangerously remix!"
Distorsion Records - "Big Release!!"
Sneaker & The Dryer - "Farace really nailed it on this one, wicked stuff!!"
Tom Llupa - "Great to see Wavewhore back, really dig his mix and it's the pick of the bunch for me, quality!"
Mobius - "Wavewhore mix on this one for me, nice n dirty!"
Diistortiion - "Seriously awesome package. The hardest thing is to choose which version to play! Full support fro me!!"
The Beatyard Blog - "Another quality Farace production, the original is the winner for me!"
