Exclusive Interview, New Release, Free Tune and Free Mix - Black Spark - Give It Up Now/Fry Your Brain

The beats continue to roll at Surfer Rosa HQ, as they welcome to their roster Black Spark. His latest opus is a double-headed slice of no-nonsense peak-time Nu-Electro Punk-Funk and we've got an exclusive interview from him along with a whole bunch of other stuff. "Black Spark makes the kind of music that we adore at Surfer Rosa: fresh, up to the minute production, inherent musicality and peak-time forward-looking sounds. Electro House doesn't get better than this" says label owner Tim Healey.

Now you may be asking yourselves, "but who is Black Spark?" Well, let me tell you. Fresh out of the studio and just signed to Surfer Rosa, Black Spark is starting things off the right way with his astonishing first EP. "Give It Up Now"/"Fry Your Brain" promises to permanently stamp Black Spark's identity on the international club scene with two top tier jammers. Not only that but so good was his bootleg of Katy Perry's "ET", which we have for you below, that it prompted a slew of remix requests from major labels, most notably Pitbull, who's latest single has been shredded by the monster sound of Black Spark.

First up on the EP is "Give It Up Now" which combines superb synth work with slammin kicks to get things started and then hits you with badass bass, killer leads and zaps just the way I like em. Female vox find their way into the mix next which only enhances the sexiness of this epic tuna adding a touch of femininity to the track.

   SRR013 - BLACK SPARK - GIVE IT UP NOW

Next up is "Fry Your Brain" which kicks off with heavy keys and a wicked roll that drops you off into the massive talking and wobbling bassline. Super funky vocal stabs and meatier low ends than your woofers will know what to do with will keep the dancefloor rocking straight into the main breakdown where you are met by another round of piano and a quick buildup to set things off again.

   SRR013 - BLACK SPARK - FRY YOUR BRAIN -

Support From

Scumfrog

Calvertron

DJ Dan

Kissy Sell Out

AC Slater

Barry Ashworth

Next up we have the previously mentioned Black Spark remix of Katy Perry's "E.T." which has catapulted him into the spotlight. Giving you a sweet little intro to mix in with backed with bits of the original, Spark gives you the impression that this will be just another cheeky remix. Right at the end of the first break he drops it all out on a reverb tail and a bending "Kiss me" before pummeling you with intense low ends that rise from the depths of Electro House Hell leaving you wondering what just happened to me! Heavy filtering leaves you with another dose of vocals taking you through the main breakdown and then it's business time again with another round of scale breaking bass.

   KATY PERRY - E.T - BLACK SPARK - (BOOTLEG EDIT MIX) - FREE DOWNLOAD

Now that we've wet your whistle a bit with what Black Spark can do in the studio, check out what he is doing behind the decks by downloading the free mix below. Moving from one banger to another with deft precision, you will be treated to an hour's worth of nothing but the best in Electro House and bassline business like "Fry Your Brain" ,"Start the Party" from Far Too Load and the superbly grimey "Unleash the Fuckin Dada" from Dada Life, the Dirtyloud Remix.

Black Spark DJ Mix Tracklist

1. - Fast Foot "Protect Animals"
2. - Katy Perry "ET" Black Spark Remix
3. - Freefire "Dataloss" Darth & Vader Remix
4. - Black Spark "Fry Your Brain"
5. - Electrixx & Alex Mind "No Discussion"
6. - Black Spark "Give It Up Now"
7. - Porter Robinson "Say My Name"
8. - Luciano Oliveira "I Like The Bass"
9. - Far Too Loud"Start The Party"
10. - Luciano Olivera "Dance With Me"
11. - Prutataaa - Afrojack & R3hab "Prutataaa"
12. - Avicii "Sweet Dreams" Cazzette Meet At Night Mix
13. - Dada Life "Unleash the Fuckin Dada" Dirtyloud Remix
14. - Autoerotique "Turn Up the Volume"
15. - Felguk Ft. Sporty-O "Tonight"

   Surfer Rosa Records - DJ Set by Black Spark

The Kick It 12 - Black Spark 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?

As a teenager I was into my guitar-led sounds: Metallica, Creed, Ramones, Iron Maiden, Queen, Sepultura, but I love all kinds of sounds from Pop to Samba. In Brazil you cannot escape the Samba.

2. What was your very first Album? How about CD?

My First CD was from Brazilian Rock band " Mamonas Assassinas "

3. How did you first get involved with the Electronic music culture and what was the first event that you attended?

I always liked Electronic music, It was love at first sight.

4. Where was your favorite gig that you have had to date?

At the Heaven & Hell Club in Brazil, where I had the pleasure of meeting Surfer Rosa label owner Tim Healey, who dropped two of my tunes in his set.

5. Who have you been most proud to play alongside as of yet?


That would have to be Tim Healey!

6. Where would you most like to play that you have not yet?

The UK, and to tour the USA coast to coast in the fabled Rock N Roll tour bus.

7. What is your favorite tune you have released?

My new EP on Surfer Rosa, Give It Up Now / Fry Your Brain. I also just remixed the new Qwote ft Pitbull tune : "Throw your hands up" for Universal, so look out for that. If you fancy a free bootleg, you can grab my Katy Perry Mash Up below!

8. Who is your favorite EDM artist? How about outside of EDM?

I listen to all kinds of music these days for inspiration. Of course I love the classic Electronic artists from Kraftwerk to the Prodigy, and most recently I am digging Dirtyloud and Skrillex. Outside of EDM I love the Nirvana/Reggae mash up: Battle for Seattle by Little Roy - awesome!

9. Who are some of the artists you would like to collaborate with in the future?

Felguk, Dirtyloud, Tim Healey, Deadmau5 and more AND SOME NON-DANCE MUSIC ARTISTS i.e. MARILYN MANSON! (JOKE)

10. What is your preferred software for producing? Hardware?

I love FL Studio and Ableton Live, but I also work out chord sequences on my guitar.

11. What life lessons has the music industry taught you?

Have patience and goals, because the results are more than satisfactory.

12. What does the future hold for Black Spark?

Everything is possible. Black Spark is coming!!

Black Spark on Facebook - www.facebook.com/blacksparkofficial

Black Spark on Soundcloud - soundcloud.com/black-spark

Surfer Rosa Records on Facebook - www.facebook.com/surferrosarecords

10 Free Samples - Monster Sounds - Deep South Rap Acapellas

The boys from Aquasky and Black Noise have been gathering more fresh samples for everybody to drop in their productions and this time they are back with a wicked collection of Deep South Rap Acapellas.

Loopmasters and Monster Sounds are very proud to present a fresh collection of royalty free Rap Acapellas from some of the best MC’s from the Deep South!

Many times in the studio you hit a wall when making a tune and the need for an MC to take the track from being great to being a remembered banger is so simple but tricky if you don’t know any decent mic controllers. Monster Sounds label bosses Aquasky/Black Noise have been fortunate over the years to have befriended and associated with many great vocalists and here they compile another great Rap Acapella pack for professional and bedroom producers alike.

This pack is far more explicit than the previous. Not for the faint hearted or those easily offended!!! Going for that real gritty Southern rap drawl, the content covers what you would expect with plenty of profanities to grime up your track. Featuring vocalists Baller B, Big Mike, Ka Ching, Lil O and Lo Lo, these 5 wordsmiths raise the heat with some merked out content alongside some party lyrics and plenty of one shots to spice up your recordings.

Deep South Rap Acapellas is a great collection of original vocal performances which can be used for all styles of Dance music, from Breaks, Dubstep and House to D&B and Drumstep. The pack weighs in at 750MB and includes 484 Rap Samples recorded in pristine 24 Bit. You get 303 Loops between 96 – 140 BPM, and181 Single Shot vocals. Also included are 5 ready to play patches packed with the vocal one shots for Reason NNXT, Halion, EXS, SFZ and Kontakt soft samplers. Apple Loops, Reason Refill and Ableton Live versions are also available to purchase separately.

Grab yourself 10 free samples from the kit below and if you like what you get, head on over to the Loopmasters' Website and pick up the full pack.

   Deep South Rap Acapellas - Free Samples And Demo! by Monster Sounds

Loopmasters Website - www.loopmasters.com

5 Free Tunes - Niko & Lyall - Booty Pack Vol. 3

Ah yes that's right everybody, we've got another handful of free tunas coming at you by way of those purveyors of bass, Niko & Lyall. Just a few hours ago they uploaded their Booty Pack Vol. 3 and all five tunes contained within are available for Free!

Nick Kopout (Niko) has been Dj'ing and producing for around ten years now and is most renowned for his collaborations with international star Kelevra, solo release work and gigs at club nights such as We Love Space @ Space Ibiza. As a solo DJ he has played across the UK circuit @ nights such as Simma & Misadventures and is resident at club night Essence where he can be seen regularly working the dance floor. 2010 was the breakthrough year for Kopout as he performed in destinations across Europe such as the French Alps/Ibiza and London, but probably most significantly he teamed up with Slinkys Tim Lyall to form the production duo Niko & Lyall.

Tim’s DJ’ing career began 19 years ago while filling in for a Miss Moneypenny’s DJ. H then later flourished at classic venues such as The Gardening Club and the legendary Madison’s in Bournemouth. With a growing reputation, he went on to play across the UK at The Cross, Peach, Po Na Na, Evolution, Club M, the Tunnel, Roar, Escape, Passion and many more. Tim has rocked huge crowds across the UK at Homelands, VFestival, South Coast Weekender, Wakestock and numerous Slinky Arena Tours. He has taken part at Nature One Fest in Germany, MTV/Slinky beach party, Boracay Beach and several tours of Australia and New Zealand with such names as John Kelly, Leroy Thornhill (Prodigy), Public Enemy, Lee Haslam, Tribe Called Quest, Tripper, B.L.I.M, Sander Kleinenberg and Eric Morillo. As a Slinky resident for 8 years Tim’s gained a wealth of experience from playing alongside the biggest names in the industry including Fergie, Tiesto, Judge Jules, Seb Fontaine, John Kelly, Paul Oakenfold, Lisa Lashes, Eddie Halliwell, Carl Cox, the list is endless. Even in this exalted company Tim more than holds his own. His musical style incorporates everything from House, Breaks, Progressive, Techno and beyond, placing him firmly at the cutting edge of today’s DJs.Together these two have been smashing out killer production work on numerous bootlegs which have been caned the world over and on their first official release (Remix of Atlantic Drift - Another Day 2010) they got a feature on the Ministry of Sound Mash up Mix 2010 compilation CD which got raving reviews.

Kicking off 2011 supporting Pendulum for Essence on NYD was a great start to the year for Niko & Lyall and they've also had numerous tracks released this year on labels such as Ispirato, Up:start Music & Born 2 Dance Records which have received great reviews in high street magazines Mixmag, DJ Mag and the website Tillate.com. With current track support from the likes of Judge Jules, Brandon Block, Joshua Roberts & Lisa Lashes, 2011 is looking like an exciting year for the Niko & Lyall.

Keeping the buzz on their name hot you can now grab five massive tracks from their Booty Pack Volume 3 absolutely free! First up is Friends Electric's "Puzzle Pieces" the Niko & Lyall Remix which is a perfect display of what these guys can do in the studio. Crispy drums and anthemy vox are paired with a big phat bassline and a touch of Drum & Bass flavor.

Next up is Brainbug's "Rain" receiving the Niko & Lyall reworking. Also backed by precision drum work with D&B style this is another top tune with an epic feel. Warping Hoover bass and vocals from the original will take you on a journey back to a time when you had glow-sticks in your hands and a visor on your head.

"Pumped Up Kids" takes things in a funkier direction while keeping it heads down with slamming sub frequencies and another dose of Hoovers.

"Steel Drums" the Niko & Lyall remix takes things into Reggae territory with twisted keys and the Ragga Twins providing the crowd moving lyrics underscored by wobbling bass with a big dubbed out section to make the kids smile.

Finishing things off is an original from Niko & Lyall entitled "In the Crack Den". Method Man bits are paired with a phat breakbeat and an onslaught of gun shots before the sirens are unleashed. An homage to the green goodness takes center stage for the main breakdown before it get's real hot for the ladies again.

   Booty Pack Volume 3 (Free Downloads!) by Niko & Lyall

Niko & Lyall on Facebook - www.facebook.com/nikoandlyall

Niko & Lyall on Twitter - twitter.com/#!/nikoandlyall

New Release and Free Tunes - Rebel Sketchy

What do you know, another Monday is upon us already and today we've got a couple of free tunas up for grabs as well as a brand new release that just dropped last week to talk about.

Rebel Sketchy returned to the Breaks scene earlier this year on Ground Level Recordings with "The Ride" on part 5 of the Disruptive Beats Series. Well, he's back again with a driving Tech-Funk number entitled "Square Dance." Packed with serious amounts of bass, killer synths and a wide variety of edits, "Square Dance" has got heaps of energy and good dose of funk mixed with a bit of an Electro edge and an awesome breakdown where the tracks producer, an AI Computer, comes to life and let's you know that you're now under it's control!

Turning up the heat stateside as of late has been Miami resident Lo IQ. With releases on Icey's Zone Recordings and Technocolour Sound Recordings, he's at it again with his wicked remix of "Square Dance". Opening up with heads down low ends and making full use of the computer vox, Lo IQ turns out a wicked stormer that will quickly have everybody moving to the chunky breakbeat and luscious bassline. Old school leads push the energy higher as you work your way into the Trancey but brief main breakdown which gives you just a moment to rest before you're off and running again, top stuff.

   GL036 - Rebel Sketchy - Square Dance by groundlevel

If it's free business you're after than look no further my friends, I've got just what you need. First up is the super glitchy but heavier than a Hummer remix of Nyse's "Moguai" from Rebel Sketchy. More jamming than a worker on the line at Smucker's and chopped up like the goodness they're packaging, dancefloors around the globe will be eating this one up for sure.

   Nyse - Moguai (Rebel Sketchy RMX Re-Edit) by groundlevel

Next up we've got a super funky original Breakbeat banger from Lo IQ and Johnny Dangerously entitled "The Invincible Wild Style". Getting you moving right from the get go is an Old School beat paired with edits and vox stabs that match the drums perfectly. Hip Hop Vocals take you through to the first breakdown which quickly drops you off into Funkytown circa 1995. A bit of Rave flavor keeps with the theme and a killer dubbed out section rounds things out in style.

   2011 Lo IQ? & Johnny Dangerously - The Invincible Wild Style [FREE DownLoad] by Lo IQ?

Ground Level Records Website - www.groundlevelbreaks.com

Rebel Sketchy on Soundcloud - soundcloud.com/rebelsketchy

Lo IQ on Soundcloud - soundcloud.com/lo-iq

Johnny Dangerously on Soundcloud - soundcloud.com/johnny_dangerously

Featured Artist - Gin Joints - Know The Ledge

Holy been a week Batman! Some times time flies faster than I can and before you know it's been seven days since the last blog post! Fear not, I've got lots of good stuff on tap for the coming days and we're kicking things back into gear with a super-duper dose of funk coming at you from the one like Gin Joints.

Hailing from Sweden, Gin Joints started DJing at the early age of only 11 years old thinking that it would get him girls. He was to soon learn that he was wrong but he found a love for music instead and it shows in his work.

After a few failed break in raves and fifteen years of making Hip-Hop with rappers like Planet Asia, Grand Agent. Movits! and Young Ivy, Gin Joints was introduced to 80's funk and there was no turning back. Diligently pushing his new found calling, none of the artists he was previously working with were digging his groove and he found himself writing his first bars on his cell phone. The following night he hunkered down with a microphone and worked out the vocals to what would soon become the title track for his debut solo 12 Inch, "Know the Ledge".

Consisting of three tracks of pure throwback business that are dripping retro flavor and jam packed with funkalicious grooves, Gin Joints has got a style all his own that puts a refreshing twist on electronic music.

Starting things off with my personal favorite of the bunch and the title track from the EP, we've got "Know the Ledge". Funkier than a pair of three month old gym socks, Gin Joints hits you with heavy lyrics and super sexy synths backed by vocoded vox and grooving guitars that will having you rocking out in no time.

Next up we've got "Done Wrong" which keeps the feel of the previous track and adds wicked synths and a bit of slap bass to get you moving. Not only is the tuna awesome but you've got to check out the Official Video for "Done Wrong" as well.  The video was filmed, edited and blown up Matias Ostling one light night in August for Emilia Ranea and is totally improvised. The only thing they actually had in the script was the exploding of actor Andre Aberg's head which adds a nice touch to the cheekiness. Not to mention that Andre had never heard the song before filming the video, clearly obvious by his horrendous lip-syncing which does improve a bit as things progress and adds to the satire perfectly.

Lastly for originals on the release is the laid back piece known as "On the Phone". Giving you another dose of vocoder and great drum work paired with a bout of 80's synths and strings, Gin Joints round things out in proper fashion.

Finishing of the EP is a Techy 4/4 remix of "Know the Ledge" from Neon Workout which gives the original more dancefloor appeal and should do very well in the charts. Check out Gin Joints and his label Discotheque ala Carte by following the links below and be on the lookout for lots more goodness forthcoming from this rising star.

   Teq04 Gin Joints - Know the ledge 12" by Discotheque ála Carte

Gin Joints "Know the Ledge" EP on Track It Down - Know The Ledge

Gin Joints on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Discotheque