Listening to and judging over 35 mix submissions was something of a life-consuming task, but one which exposed us to a number of incredibly enticing sets that left us quite proud of our readers. A hearty thanks to each of you who put your time, effort and taste into these mixes. This is our last […]
mixes
LWE Podcast 11: Simon Flower
December 11, 2008 – 11:03 PM
Simon Flower placed himself into DJing exile a number of years ago to hone his production techniques; and now with releases popping up on Poker Flat, Moon Harbour and Curl Curl that hard work is paying off. His tracks often have more parts packed into them than you could feasibly number and possess a style that provides a simultaneous contrast of light and dark elements. Having lived with Simon for a number of years and DJed alongside him at various clubs in New Zealand, I have long been aware of his faultless DJ style, so he seemed like an obvious choice for an exclusive LWE podcast. It didn’t take much coaxing to get him to put together this mix entitled “Act Natural,” which stitches together a selection of recent house and techno picks with a few older classics all assembled in his kinetic, fluid manner.
LWE Podcast 10: Andomat 3000
November 20, 2008 – 7:33 PM
Andreas Wiegand didn’t have much to say when answering our interview questions, but critics and clubbers alike have been quite noisy in their appreciation for his music as Andomat 3000. Retooling his career after years as DJ Mahatma, Wiegand (and Jan) turned heads with the massive “L Delay” for Cadenza, and he’s only gotten better since. His barbed and tightly laced “Cognitive Dissonance” helped propel Cécille Records into the spotlight before splashing his tracky, jazz-influenced aesthetic across releases and remixes for Four:Twenty, Platzhirsch Schallplatten, Poker Flat, Einmaleins Musik, REKIDS, and Cocoon, among others. For our 10th podcast, Wiegand opted for an exclusive live set crafted solely with unreleased tracks, offering a spectacular keyhole view into the future sounds of Andomat 3000. Given the nature of this beast the tracklist is necessarily sketchy, but few will have time to care when the irresistible, pumping rhythms draw you far from your computer.
LWE Podcast 09: Pär Grindvik
October 30, 2008 – 7:56 PM
As owner of the record shop Illegal Stockholm, Pär Grindvik established himself as a pillar of Sweden’s techno scene in the 90’s; the next step was making releases to appear on its shelves. His stark, rhythmically-focused productions cloud the air with delightfully malicious tension that only his breakdowns can resolve, fitting in well on Drumcode, Spectral Sound, Syndikaat Records and Truesoul. Grindvik also owns, operates and releases on Stockhold Ltd and Isles & Islets, home to Staffan Linzatti, Van Rivers, Hardcell and his own alias, The Hollow. For his exclusive new mix for LWE, Grindvik whisks listeners away to a murky, uncertain and largely unreleased world governed by drums and deep pools of delay. Grab a torch and take the plunge.
Talking Shopcast with Workshop
October 16, 2008 – 6:51 PM
Headed by Jens Kuhn, known to many as Lowtec, Workshop is as much a label as it is a series of EPs. Since 2006, Lowtec and crew have put out a new EP every few months, each comprising three untitled tracks. Some showcase a single artist (Move D, Kassem Mosse and Lowtec have each commandeered one), while others feature a handful at once. LWE’s current favorite is Workshop 004, a collection of shadowy house tracks by Move D, Even Tuell and Sascha Dive. With its gray aesthetic and cryptic design, Workshop has chiseled a distinct identity and landed a distribution deal with Hard Wax, arguably Berlin’s most respected record shop. Lowtec gives us the lowdown on the snacks that inspired the label’s creation, their stratified demo system, and how smaller release runs could save the vinyl business.
LWE Podcast 08: Solomun
October 9, 2008 – 9:26 PM
The hard work and excellent tunes of Mladen Solomun and his cohorts have made Diynamic Music a do-it-yourself success. They’ve developed a potent niche of melodically colorful and highly textured tech-house — with an emphasis on all things plucked, including heartstrings — that resonates strongly with dancers and critics alike, one whose foundation rests on Solomun’s solo and collaborative releases. He’s also wowed with 12″s for Sonar Kollektiv, Four:Twenty, Dessous, Compost and liebe*detail. Although he DJs as Play, we hoped his signature Solomun style would shine through on this exclusive new mix. We were only left dancing, not disappointed, by his nearly 60 minute mix of sunny house and techno.
LWE Podcast 07: DJ Bone
September 18, 2008 – 7:29 PM
When we finally figured out that Detroit’s DJ Bone was behind “No Sleep (True To Da Roots),” the first mysteriously launched release from Sect Records, it was only a matter of time before we rifled through his deep back catalog and saw a long history of quality tunes. Would his fast and furious producing style carry over to his DJ sets? The answer is loud and furiously clear in this exclusive mix which provides a sweat-inducing overview of Bone’s label, Subject Detroit. Try to keep up.
LWE Podcast 06: Adam Marshall
September 5, 2008 – 12:44 AM
Beyond producing quality house music for Thema, Cynosure, and Dumb-Unit (among others), Adam Marshall is also the head honcho for the up-and-coming New Kanada and KUJI labels. So when he sent LWE this exclusive new mix which seamlessly spans deep-house and techno with personalized edits, we knew it needed to be shared with the world.
LWE Podcast 05: Tama Sumo
August 14, 2008 – 7:32 PM
Before she made her vinyl debut for Ostgut Ton earlier this year, Tama Sumo (Kerstin Egert to her friends) was already a celebrated DJ with Tresor and Panorama Bar residencies under her belt. So it’s with great excitement that LWE offers this exclusive mix from one of Berlin’s finest. LWE HQ hasn’t stopped shaking since this one arrived.
LWE Podcast 03: Nick Höppner
July 10, 2008 – 8:54 PM
MyMy member and quality producer/DJ in his own right, Nick Höppner, kindly assembled this mix exclusively for LWE.
Stream a Ricardo Villalobos mix
June 25, 2008 – 9:25 PM
It’s been a unusual and busy week here at LWE headquarters, what with random tickets to baseball games and trying to select talented writers to join our ranks. But while reviews are largely on holiday for the week, we’re still committed to providing you thee good stuff. Case in point, this mix by Mr. Villalobos, […]
Paul Frick, mixes and more
June 23, 2008 – 8:52 PM
Sometimes I think electronic music, especially and techno and house, can be a sinkhole refuge of musical taste for musicians and music fans fed up with pop, rock and rap. Personally, I became increasingly frustrated with the stale state of contemporary rock, rap and soul in 2006 and fell in deep for house and techno. […]
LWE in the mix
June 8, 2008 – 8:29 PM
It’s been a drippy weekend here in Chicago. One minute we’ll have torrential downpours, the next it’s merely impenetrable humidity. Suffice it to say, it’s not shirt-wearing weather. I tried to capture the summery stickiness with this mix. Hopefully this mix only makes you perspire if you’re moving along. Download: Little White Earbuds, 6.8.2008 (72:33) […]
LWE Podcast 02: dOP
May 1, 2008 – 10:12 PM
Theirs for the taking: dOP hangs out. Photo by Myqua. Parisian trio dOP doesn’t DJ, rarely spends time in clubs, prefers physical instruments to VSTs, and writes “songs,” not “tracks.” Perhaps their outsiders’ instincts are exactly why Damien Vandesande, Jonathan “Jo” Illel and Clement Zemstov are poised on the cutting edge of house/techno, though their […]
Cavalry in the mix
April 6, 2008 – 7:49 PM
I feel like this was recorded years ago. In the midst of major changes [ie. moving – nb] I sat down and recorded this mix inconspicuously before dinner to take my mind off my hunger. I closed the door to my dark, cramped room and disappeared far away from present time and space into another […]
LWE Podcast 01: Terrence Dixon
March 13, 2008 – 12:45 AM
After nearly a decade and a half of producing and DJing, Detroit native Terrence Dixon seems to constantly redefine what it means to be at the top of his game. I have to admit, though, I wasn’t aware of Dixon until I found last year’s stunning Train of Thought album on Yore Records. His choice of gnarled, densely textured loops was unconventional delight which certainly stood out, as it subtly threaded together a swath of otherwise incongruous sounds into floor-pounding and mind-warping techno tracks. Later I found out he’s been wowing fans since the mid 90’s, with releases on Utensil Records, Tresor and Background. Dixon was kind enough to briefly chat with me and lend Little White Earbuds a recent DJ set of his. It’s a bit low-fi and unfortunately I don’t have a tracklisting, but if you’re feeling cavalier, feel free to trainspot in the comments.