We’ve got a new website.
On 17 April 2011 we moved over permanently to www.deepabsurdum.com and launched our ‘TV show’ called Basic TV. It’s a live broadcast across the internet to the whole wide world of some fabulous DJs.
If you want to be the first to know about what’s happening click here to be added to our email database, you can also get updates from the Basic TV twitter here.
Video released yesterday of Black Coffee‘s ‘We Are One’ featuring the mighty Hugh Masekela.
We are one…
Andre Lodemann proving that he is not just one of those artists that just sticks to what put them in the limelight or what is hot right now…His productions just keep getting better and better.
Andre Lodemann presents Don’t Panic EP (Room With A View)
Released by: Room With a View
Release/catalogue number: VIEW015
Release date: Apr 1, 2011
We thought these videos of Move D and Juju & Jordash performing live are quite cool.
This second one has San Soda putting in his 2 pennies worth (in the form of an accapella).
It’s great to see such a massive move away from laptop DJing and so many artists taking up proper live performances.
How to play the Otamatone.
Buy for just over £30 at Juno, it comes in black, white & gold.
Beautiful isn’t it. Made by RD Silva, it started as a concept but now the maker is trying to put it into full production with the help of donations from the public. Check it out and donate over at Kickstarter. You can follow the progress over at his blog here, and view all his projects here.
Jus Ed & Move D‘s video for their new track ‘It’s A Struggle‘ released yesterday on digital only (points lost for no vinyl) has caused a bit of a stir at the office. Ed’s legendary label, Underground Quality, is seriously good and this track is… um… nice… but it could do without the video.
I really hate to hate on such a talented musician but, hey, any publicity is good publicity, right! Sorry Ed, we still love you.
Swedish producer Andreas Saag, a man that needs no introduction, is back once again with another brilliant release. Supported by the likes of Charles Webster, Iron Curtis & Soul Minority, it quickly becomes very apparent as to why once you give this a listen. The EP is titled “Leslie’s Vision” and features the very talented and good friend of Andreas, Filip Leyman.
The song is the result of a late night jam session between the two in Filip’s studio in Gothenburg.
Available in three versions, the original, deeper and deepest versions, there’s something for every occasion or DJ’s personal style. The deeper the version the more it is stripped down from the original while simultaneously becoming deeper with less instruments.
The original is the main attraction, rich with live instruments including a Hammond organ, live drums, old drum machines and analogue synths that truly bring the track to life. Andreas’ beautiful and captivating piano solo steals the show. All his emotion was poured into this 3 minute or so segment and is well and truly felt by the listener. This climaxes into a menacing low bass-line played on organ bass pedals which, accompanied by analogue synths, smoothly ease the listener out of this 10 minute voyage of a song. This song is well and most definitely one of the milestones in Andreas Saag’s producing years, a sure classic that will still be as beautiful many years from now. Available now on Room With A View.
Andreas Saag feat Filip Leyman – Leslie’s Vision (Room With A View)
Words by Andile Ayza Mahlaba
you know this song:
The original – Gwen McCrae – All This Love That I’m Giving:
Here’s a song I used to love ages ago, not everyone’s cup o tea but it was an anthem back in 2001:
I had no idea about sampling back then and thought that this was a completely original piece of music. Only recently did I discover where this came from. Turns out Funky Junction sampled/remixed KC Flight’s song from 1991…
… and that KC Flight sampled The Police. The original song being Voices Inside My Head from their album ‘Zenyatta Mondatta’ which came out in 1980.
and finally, here’s a really recent edit done of The Police by Cronk Family Industries (The Revenge & Si from Deep Space Orchestra).
Berlin-based Best Works Records are back with their 10th release, staying true to their name with a powerful three track EP by veterans Christian Prommer and Jazzanova’s Alexander Barck aptly titled: Lovin’, along with a remix courtesy of Best Works co-owner Andre Lodemann.
A twist even more amazing than the Inception movie is perhaps too subtle a metaphor for the title track: Lovin’. It starts off with a slow and steady mid-tempo-like bassline, greeted by dreamy pads, subtle keys and a laid back vocal. Soon becoming more deliberate in its build-up (with the introduction of Prommer’s drumming pieces), and then… the listener is dropped down the rabbit hole. The tempo is drastically changed, highs are crisper, and a sultry female vocal is introduced – taking us all the way through Deep House wonderland. It really isn’t every day where you hear producers trying such daft experiments (successfully), but the experienced duo pull it off perfectly.
Everything about the Alex & Grizzly’s Dub will make you wanna bob, or at least move some part of your body. This, thanks to groovy basslines, inviting highs, playful keys, and some rather intricate kicks. Definitely one of the more dancefloor-friendly cuts on the release.
Lodemann makes full use of the vocals from the original, building effortlessly around them. In a remix which is more of a constantly building and changing journey, than just another re-arranging of patterns. Class deepness from the Best Works man.
The Prommer & Barck duo have given us a glimpse of their forward-thinking productions, and judging from this one, we’ll definitely be looking forward to their “Alex and the Grizzly” release, a first on the duo’s brand-new Derwin Recordings label – coming in April.
Prommer und Barck feat Lois Longerling – Lovin’ (Best Works)
Words by Daniel Gonsalves
Och is the latest incarnation of Autoreply boss Dicken Lean. Having released under Confetti Bomb on his own label, he keeps good company with an illustrious collection of artists that includes Baby Ford and Dan Curtin. However, it is this latest moniker that sees him explore a tougher sound compared to the more minimal leanings of before, with a recent release on PAL SL already drawing attention from the likes of Zip, Gerd Janson and Miles Sagnia to name a few.
Bombay Bedbath is tech house with zeal. It sounds like it was recorded in the very rooms the producer probably pictured it would (and should) be thundering through. The tumbling percussion and rolling bass immediately draws the listener in, even before the moaning vocalist reminds us that ‘it’s too late’. There is also a strange gritty ‘oldness’ that permeates the entire production (helped along somewhat by some beautifully original artwork). That bleak, bygone-era-with-a-modern-twist image is touched on briefly in the floating, breathy soundscape of Interlude Intuitive. In contrast to the tautness of the opener, Out of Key In seems like more of an introspective moment, it’s uneasy rhythmic snaps and lamenting de-tuned piano spiralling deep into melancholic, bass-heavy techno territory.
Sitting down to write this review, I am sadly restricted to my headphones, and thus I can only imagine the devastation these frequencies will cause at high volume. Obviously not content with evoking an emotional reaction through his music, the producer has also felt the need to evoke a physical one too! Broken down into it’s parts, each track offers something of substance to fans of that genre, but as a whole, this is an instantly classic-sounding record that eclipses current trends and straddles the timeline stretching from ‘then’ to ‘now’.
Och – Dickens Tracks (PAL SL)
Words by Robin Would
Here’s an oldish video interview of Frankie Knuckles, the interviewer takes him back to Chicago to the old site of The Warehouse – where house music originated.
Good morning folks,
Our good friend Erhan Sengenc from Turkey was over visiting this weekend and turned us onto this. Pogo has had over 5 million views just on this one clip so there will be very few of you who haven’t seen it. But for those who haven’t:
His name is Nick Bertke, better known as Pogo and has remixed movies such as Alice, Up and Terminator. Which has led to him working for studios including Disney Pixar and Showtime, appearing in the Wall Street Journal, performing for YouTube Play at the Guggenheim Museum, and has had over 12 million people view his videos on YouTube.
He’s currently busy with the World remix series where he gets society to donate money for him to travel to different places in the world to film which he then remixes from his studio in Australia. The first in his world remix series was of our home country South Africa, which isn’t as good in our opinion – not like his Disney series anyway.
You would think a heart shaped vinyl that gets released just before Valentines Day would be something you buy on the home shopping channel and be rubbish but this is far from it, with both singers voices complementing each other perfectly over a subtle and beautifully arranged track. Valentine by Jessie Ware and Sampha is truly an amazing track.
Both artists are fairly new to our ears but what we have found in our research is a pair of talented people that are definitely about to blow up.
If you have some spare time on your hands, or just need something fresh to listen to, Yes Yes Y’all offers a platform for music videos to be viewed in a never-ending playlist of awesomness. Tune in.
We found this artist on there called Tyler The Creator… he blew our minds, can’t even find the words to describe it, we are just plain stunned by his flow. If you like Hip Hop, click play.
At the time of posting this the video had been up for 13 hours and had 25,000 views, just over 24 hours later and he has 300,000 views.
Came across this documentary that aired on Thames TV back in 1989, well worth the watch.
Stream above or click here for direct download
We will introduce this podcast’s artist with words from the review we did of his release Luxarama.
Esa Williams has been a very busy man. Between curating Red Bull Music Academy workshops and one of the residents at the popular Subculture nights in his adopted city of Glasgow, not to mention forming part of live act Sensu and DJing at some of the biggest festivals around Europe, Cape Town born Esa has somehow found the time to launch Rememory Music, a boutique label complete with unique vinyl artwork, as well as summon a few friends (who also happen to be some of Scotland’s, nay the world’s, finest producers) for remix duties on it’s first two releases.
Having already earned the seal of approval from the likes of Jimpster, Mixmag (House Tune of the Month) and EQTV.dj (Record of the Day), it is hard not to proclaim that 2011 looks to be a banner year for this young artist. It’s no secret that this blog holds a special place for fellow South African expats, so we for one will be paying close attention.
How long have you been in Scotland now?
I’ve been in Scotland 6 years but been living in Glasgow for the past four years and since my relocation here things have really kicked off. I can say that I’m very lucky to have arrived in Glasgow thanks to a very special lady in my life and to be able to really establish myself musically. That’s because it’s so hard to become truly founded as an artist in Glasgow as the city has lots of great DJ’s and artists operating. For a South African to be part of this music scene is such an honour.
How did you get involved with Sub Club? What is it that you do there?
I first got involved with Macsorleys Music Bar which is owned by the same guys who own Sub Club, just for the odd pub gig. They liked what I played and gave me the opportunity to be part of one of the longest running club night’s in the world with two of the most amazing DJ’s Harri and Domenic. I’m also involved with the Sensu club night where I do live performances with Barry Price and Junior Ingram, last year was a great year where we played some amazing festivals in UK and Europe, 2011 looks to be an even better one with the new live act project in the works.
Were you already producing and DJing in South Africa?
At the age of 16 I inherited all my father’s music equipment; turntables, PA systems, records and I was on the verge of selling everything, when one day after school I decide to try and connect it all up and to my surprise I managed to get it all working. I think from that day I started messing around and it went from playing birthday parties to running my own club nights in community centre and old factories.
A few other South African expats such as Portable and Lakuti speak of early 90s house parties in Soweto, what were your influences / what made you get into house music?
My Dad and cousins mixtapes and record collection got me into house and clubs in Cape Town like Club More, Deluxe and Sutra were big influences to the sound I play today.
Did you study music, what’s your background?
I studied sound engineering in Cape Town but the course focused more on live recording, audio and visual elements, where all I wanted to do was DJ and make electronic music. I think the three months I spent in Germany in 2002 visiting my uncle really opened my mind to electronic music, I remember sitting with him on the floor of his lounge with CDs all around and him playing loads of different things from Portishead to Marianne Faithful, Nightmares on Wax and the list goes on. He also took me to see DJ’s like Sven Vath, Chris Liebing and Miss Kitten and to clubs such as Panorama Bar, Bar 25, Tresor and my first dance festival Love Family Park.
What did you do for the Red Bull Music Academy?
I spent some time in Cape Town in 2002 and met up with an old friend who managed the Red Bull studio’s and did some work with him there, we discussed just before I returned to the UK that he’ll get me in touch with RBMA in the UK so when I got back to Glasgow I contacted them and said I would be interested in doing work with them. From that point I became their representative in Glasgow and organised events at Sub Club with artists like Josh Wink, Linkwood and House of Traps, Kevin Saunderson, Tony Lionni, The Bays and Graeme Park whereby they did small lectures which was all part of the build up to Red Bull Music Academy event in London last year.
You recently gave a talk at an Apple store in Glasgow, what was the talk about and how did that come about?
I work for the Apple Store in Glasgow and recently started an Ableton Live course at SAE Glasgow so the talk was part of a series of SAE workshops in the Apple store, one of which was me talking about Ableton and the different techniques I use when producing, remix and performing live with this software using my mac.
What are your future plans for Rememory and Esa? What do you have coming up?
A few releases with some cool artists and also working some South African artists. 2011 I feel is going to be a busy year for Rememory Music, hopefully the buzz of Luxarama will keep a level of momentum and focus in place. Also watch out for my Mervin Granger Live Set and Sensu’s version 2.0 Live sets in 2011.
Snoek or haggis?
Haggis Nachos, Haggis Pakora and Haggis, Neeps and Tatties!
Tracklisting:
1. Herbie Hancock & Quincy Jones intro/ Yotam Avni – Jay Dilla’s Dream
2. Jimpster – Inside the Loop – Alsace & Lorraine EP
3. Alfabet (aka Awanto 3 & Tom Trago) – Lap The Music
4. Roman IV – Lucy
5. Ripperton & Minz – Crack
6. The Gathering – In My System – The Revenge Remix
7. Fonos – La Senna
8. Makam – Love Life
9. Mervin Granger – Never As Good
10. Jef K and Gwen Maze – Want You Back
11. No Regular Play – Serious Heat – Art Department Remix
12. Alex Arnout – Click City
We recently did a podcast for Nitzan over at Fine Art Recordings, really enjoyed this as we were asked to keep it deep and not your normal dancefloor four to the floor which suited us just fine.
Greta Cottage – Workshop (Brun Submariner mix)
Stereociti – Waiting For Your Call
Sven Weisemann – Xine Rising
Ben Rouke – After Hours (Pier Bucci)
Blakkat – In This World (Blakkat Devotional)
Secret Syndicate – Freshly Sound (Main Voc)
Dollkraut – Loot
San Proper & Steven De Peven – Twif Twaf
Sect – Thieve Scrilla
Fred Cherry – Busride To The Zoo
or
Reductio Ad Absurdum with Sahin Meyer 