The Beats and Pieces torch has been passed to me, Milli, and explores five tracks that haven’t only been on constant rotation, but have also refueled my adoration with the deeper side of electronic. I’m featuring familiar faces like Djedjotronic and Bob Moses, but you may not yet be acquainted with the Gorgon City-supported producer, Tee Circus, an enthusiast of UK garage. Listen on and enjoy my latest discoveries.
1. Djedjotronic – Mongolito
Djedjotronic released his Drum Program EP in 2014, but two months ago, he finally made the release available on his Soundcloud. I rely on Soundcloud for all my streaming enjoyment, and I’ve obsessed over the EP’s percussive tracks ever since. The Boysnoize connoisseur exemplifies his minimal approach to techno on “Mongolito”: with a kick-drum pouncing heavily at 128bpm, hovered over by a pitchy dissonance, this track fits right in as a peak-hour selection for any club set. Hearing it automatically conjures thoughts of being in the middle of a crowded and dark room that’s lit only by lasers and disco balls.
2. Bob Moses – All I Want
I’ve just begun following Bob Moses, a Canadian duo who met in art class before meeting coincidentally in a Lowe’s parking lot years later. Now based in New York, the duo produce lyrical, introspective deep house that they describe as “music that will make you want to build a highway through a low income neighbourhood.” “All I Want” provides the same type of melodic sensibility that you hear in Gui Boratto’s remix of “Paradise Circus” by Massive Attack: it raises you to a special place that nobody else can reach, and it carries you gently with a tapping four-on-the-floor beat.
3. The Acid – Ra (Luka Remix)
The Acid is a trio of musicians who are thriving in a post-dubstep landscape already inhibited by the likes of The xx and James Blake. Their 2014 debut album, Liminal, provides a throng of tracks tinged with acoustic-leaning synths, all of which progress into beautiful harmonies. This is all evident in the original track “Ra,” which is largely void of percussion, save for a soft, walking beat. Luka remixes the track into one that would satisfy any fan of ODESZA or Slow Magic. He throws in buzzing 808s and layers the vocals on top of each other to create a blissful and R&B-inspired atmosphere.
4. Killjoy – Blanka
Bass-house is the talk of the town at the moment, with artists like AC Slater pioneering the sub-genre. Killjoy has released a string of impressive mixes, including a recent hour-long stint for Thump. “Blanka” takes heavy advantage of your subwoofers as it provides the background to your midnight outing. The track is introduced by a dramatic build, and suddenly you’re locked into Killjoy’s signature bassline buzz.
5. Tee Circus – Just Me
I came across Tee Circus on Gorgon City’s Soundcloud, when they shared the DJ’s “TCM005 Mix”. Fresh off a UK garage kick after witnessing Gorgon City for the fifth time at a recent Output show, I was curious to hear artists with similar musical sensibilities. Thus came Tee Circus, a London-based musician whose latest, Encounters with Acid, releases on June 29. “Just Me” is a bouncy tune with a modern, blues-inspired melody that’s funky enough to take you back to a simpler time in dance music.
