So this is festival season then isn’t it!? Can’t say I’ve been that wildly impressed so far. Basically it’s just made me skint, I’ve had to hang out in the rain and watch a tiny man on a massive stage dj to a crowd of people who are staring and seem completely unprovoked to move or make any contribution to the world of dance, by busting some funked out hip hop treble step side wind glide biz, .….. Luckily though I remembered that main stages suck face so I wondered off to the second or even third stage and hark I see bodies a dancing, all sweaty and shit. Suddenly there is atmosphere and fun and engagement between the dj and the audience. People actually look like they’re here to party and dance rather than being a fifth wheel in a group of people they just couldn’t spend the day away from.
With that in mind we’ve gone all European this week, travelling between sets from Primavera and Sonar Festival.
Premier in today’s proceedings is Debilorithmicos, which in Spanish mean a “Debilitating Rhythm”, or “Death Bass” in some cultures. The pair hales from Barcelona and makes a mirage of party tracks that span the genre spectrum but insist on being feel good party music. No wobbly angry bass-lines, no raging or provocative lyrics here. The set is a sweetly awesome mix of styles jumping between hip-hop, soul, bass and reggae tinged with pure party vibes.
http://redbullmusicacademyradio.com/shows/4094/
Next we stumble back towards the UK talent, like a drunken holidaymaker in a pink polo shirt. However we can rejoice because we find ourselves about to listen to Darkstar at Primavera. They teased us with an album for a long time and then pulled the whole thing and started over. Thankfully though their live shows have never disappointed. Full of atmosphere, and a bleak appeal to their sets they are one of a kind. Often described as somewhere between Radiohead, garage, dubstep, trip hop and NIN, Darkstar continue to prove hard to classify. Now with vocalist on board they are really pushing their sound and bringing whole new levels to it.
http://redbullmusicacademyradio.com/shows/4056/
I remember the initial buzz surrounding Daisuke Tenabe, with early releases on Ninja Tunes, BBE, and Brownswood. Since then he has proved the hype was more than justified. Having been an addict to his craft since he was a wee lad of 16, it almost seems like he treats his dj’ing with the same reverence and respect that a samurai would treat his swordsmanship. The result is a beautiful orgy or samples and layers that are consistently uplifting and entrancing. I’m not sure how I would go about dancing to this however I do know that I always have a little grin on my face when listening.
http://redbullmusicacademyradio.com/shows/4079/
Large and avid fans of Kidkanevil for a while, including the work he does with Stateless. Clearly jazz and soul play equal parts in his tunes that hip-hop and bass music do. Not afraid of a sample or two either, Kidkanevil is continuously a joy to listen to and seems to somehow come up with new and original ideas about what artistry and insanity he can throw into the middle of a track. Whether it is a cartoon sample of a famous string interlude they always end up working!
http://redbullmusicacademyradio.com/shows/4072/
