This week we're dropping an exclusive 320 from Northwest Washington-based producer Cedaa. He was happy to lend us this recent tune of his, a re-edit of Destiny's Child with some footwork influenced ankle-spraining percussion. We had a chance to catch up with him and get to know a little more about his musical background and what he's got on the horizon for 2011:
BF: Yo, big up Simon. Thanks for taking the time out.
CEDAA: For sure man, thanks for having me.
BF: Could you take a minute to introduce yourself and give us a little background on your production name 'Cedaa'?
CEDAA: Sure. My name is Simon Ho and I'm a 20 year old college student from Washington state. I mainly produce music and also DJ a bit, most of the time under under the named you mentioned. My older brother is named Cedar actually, so that might have something to with the name. I'm also just a big fan of trees, cedar trees included. And i like the way it sounds.
BF: What was it that initially attracted you to producing music and what were some of the main influences of your early productions?
CEDAA: I played the drums before I produced, so I was already pretty into music before I started. I played the snare in my high school's drumline; we marched in the Rosebowl parade and stuff like that. I feel like it definitely influenced my productions. I even base some of my rhythms off cadences we used to play. Actually, the toms and various other elements of Juke remind me a lot of the quads (toms) and tonal bassdrum parts of my drumline. I'm sure I have plenty of other influences, but that's probably my favorite one.
BF: Earlier this year you released 'Tiffany / Simba' on Seattle's Car Crash Set label. How did that release initially come together?
CEDAA: I wrote those songs last Winter/Spring in a period of time when i was listening to a bunch of juke mixtapes. I wanted to juxtapose the raw energy of juke with some elements from the current "bass music" scene and the vibe of the area I live in. I found out about C/C/S through a blog I think, but I instantly hit them them up when I heard some of the releases they had put out and the fact that they were based in my area. I can't thank Cosby enough for working with me and putting out the single, he's got a great thing going. With some 30 odd releases, C/C/S is shaping up to be a really amazing label and I'm just glad to be a part of it.
BF: After hearing your tunes on Girl Unit's XLR8R mix as well as on Dusk & Blackdown's Rinse.fm show a month or two back, I was initially taken aback to find that you live out in Northwest Washington. How have social networking tools and resources like Soundcloud aided you in getting your music out there from the Pacific coast all the way across the Atlantic?
CEDAA: Haha, Soundcloud is dope! There's a really active little community of juke producers who post tracks all the time, some of the stuff on there is really great. Always heartwarming to be part of an encouraging community like that. I've met a lot of people online from overseas, as well as those from other parts of the country, that i doubt I'd ever have been able to get in contact with without the internet. I'm also pretty sure I've seen more DJs spin on Ustream than in real life. I almost linked up with Girl Unit when he came to San Francisco, but I couldn't get into the club because i'm not 21 yet, so I still have never actually met him "IRL"...(excuse the bad pun)
BF: Are there any artists that you'd like to collabote with in the future?
CEDAA: Of course, tons. I'd definitely like to work with some of the footwork producers from Chicago. It would be fun to work with a live drumline as well.
BF: Lastly, what can we look forward to from ya in 2011?
CEDAA: I'll be releasing my next EP on BYRSLF sometime very early next year. I'm doing some remixes and working on a third EP right now, as well as starting a little side project which you'll hear more about soon. I'm also planning on starting to play out a little bit, so if anyone is interested in me spinning at your function you know what to do!
Concentrating on the perfect mix of danceable and interesting, Secret Agent Gel has spent fifteen years producing, promoting and DJing dance music. After running into him amidst an afternoon burrito in Brooklyn a couple weeks back, it seemed like a ripe opportunity to enlist him to put together a mix for the blog. His mix showcases a variety of sounds from his homegrown Bass Tourist label as well as cuts from European labels such as Night Slugs, Nightshifters and Institubes.
Influenced by cutting-edge dance music from the UK and undiscovered producers online, Secret Agent Gel mixes genres like martinis, shaking together and concocting a blend of UK funky, dubstep, house, grime and bassline. He has collaborated with vocalists Juakali, Warrior Queen, Liz Toft, and RQM, and produced remixes for Sub Swara, Alland Byallo, Kush Arora and many more.
His ability to tap into a wide scope of musical styles has lead to releases as diverse as DubWar001 (dubstep, 2006), tracks on Recordcamp’s "Brooklyn Keeps On Takin’ It" compilation (IDM/breakbeat, 2003), and Badd Inc's first Electroclash compilation (electrohouse, 2004).
In 2008 he founded Bass Tourist Records and recently celebrated his 'Cooking Up Bass / Frankenstein' release on the label earlier this month. You can support the release via the Bandcamp player below.
In 2009, he also founded DubFiler: a file sharing web site for DJ's and musicians.
NYC crew, you can catch him playing at the Alteration 2-Year Anniversary on November 7th.
The night that I first heard this release, I must have listened to both tunes on repeat for at least an hour without realizing it. With Deep Medi releases this is just something that we've all come to respect at this point, their constant output of music that you can completely immerse yourself in. You can always guarantee two quality tunes that are an experience to take in and listen to, whether eyes down in the club or just on a pair of headphones at home. Their latest release comes from Horsepower don Benny Ill & collaborative partner J.King with their debut 12" on the Medi label. Both tunes shy away from the foundational Horsepower garage sound with more of a half-step vibe, but when you really begin to isolate and appreciate all the different layers in the production, it's obvious that this isn't your average dubstep record. Nor are these your average dubstep producers. The release proves yet again that you can make dark and unsettling music without so much as a hint of NI's Brutal Electro patch or chainsaw mid-range. Enjoy the incredible accompanying music videos directed by Brede Korsmo for Wicked Wax productions.
For more information on the forthcoming Horsepower Productions 3x12" 'Quest for the Sonic Bounty' album releasing on Tempa November 29th, head over to Fact.
Order 'Kosmic 78 / Lithium Soular' on 12" Deep Medi vinyl HERE via Boomkat.
Last night London's Swamp81 and ATG crews invaded Deity Underground, a former Synagogue now turned underground hotspot for a mammoth night of bass music in Brooklyn. Featuring a crawl-in DJ booth and two barely lit chandeliers to each side; the dark dancefloor and the party's low-key location were a perfect compliment to the music on the night.
Walking downstairs, FaltyDL was already deep in the mix dropping some personal favorites of ours from 2010 'Boomslang' by LV and 'Fatherless' by Breach. Falty's selection is always on point and his sets seem to get more and more fluid every time I've seen him play out. Look out for his afrobeat flavored 'Mean Streets Part 1' releasing on Swamp81 in the near future.
Kode9 was next on the decks and started off his set with some heavy grime. It's a treat any time you get to see a true legend in the game like Kode and it's something that wasn't lost on the fans that traveled from near and far, even braving a marble-sized hail storm on a Monday night to make it. Transitioning between vinyl and CDJs throughout his set, a memorable highlight came with the mix of 'Claptrap' by Joe with Wiley's 'Eskimo' instrumental. Just one of those divine blends that stays with you for a while.
Loefah then stepped up and turned in one of the most dynamic and exciting sets I've seen him play. Notorious for gettings crowds at DubWar to absolutely lose their shit to deep and anthemic dubstep rollers when he comes to town, this set was instead all about showcasing the mighty sounds of Swamp81 and the music that is exciting and inspiring him at the moment. Boddika's forthcoming releases were among the set's highlights, as well as Instra:mental's 'When I Dip' which is slated for release on Nonplus+.
Big up Dave Q for masterminding the event and everyone who came out to support. Also, out to Kode9 & Loefah for running two of the most influential labels out there as well as all the LDN crew who made the trek stateside this week. To all other DubWar regulars in the place; was great seeing everyone again. Til next time...
1. Pariah - The Slump - R&S
2. Digital Jacq+Greg Campbell - Deep Inside (J.Phlip remix) - Full Flavor Music
3. Guidewire - Techno Took My Soul (AJ Orbit remix) - Rebeat Music
4. Mekka - Night Runner - Bass Records
5. Global Surveyor ft K1 & Gab Gato - Global Surveyor (The Exaltics Close Down mix) - Dominance
6. Pip Williams - Computer Talk - Battery Park Studio
7. Boddika - 2727 - Swamp 81 forthcoming
8. 214 - Strackted - unreleased
9. Distal - Apple Bottom - Tube 10 forthcoming
10. Claude von Stroke&J.Phlip - California - Dirtybird
11. Wreck - Culona - unreleased
12. Girl Unit - IRL - Night Slugs
13. Boddika - Syn Cron - Naked Lunch forthcoming
14. Dez Williams - Knewjak - Elektronik Religion
It seems only appropriate to follow up our dB coverage with more fresh Cascadian sounds outta Seattle from 214 (pronounced TwoFourteen) for our next cloudcast. While hopped up on cold medication and battling a head cold one morning, Chris Roman aka 214 decided to channel congestion into production by lacing together this hour-long mix. Upon first listen, it became pretty clear that the sickness had spread to the mix itself. Aptly entitled the 'Snot Nose/Head Cold mix', it was also my introduction to the fine sounds of Dez Williams, a house producer based in North Wales. The mix also showcases forthcoming tunes from Al Bleek's new solo project Boddika, with '2727' set for release on Swamp81 and 'Syn Cron' on Naked Lunch in the near future.
Like most musicians, 214's path is rooted in a veritable melting pot of sounds. Some of those influences are obvious on the surface, while others reveal themselves over time. His Puerto Rican birthright and Miami upbringing ring apparent when he’s carefully pumping out Sci-Fi roller disco sounds, but when his vibe turns to the cold, dark comfort of Detroit influenced techno and house, it would seem he forgets his direct musical origins. It’s a memory lapse rooted by a deep love of eclectic and diverse sounds, and always delivered with a skillful balance and creative finesse.
This year's annual Decibel Festival marked the seventh year that producers, DJs, visual artists, and electronic music enthusiasts from around the globe have descended upon the city of Seattle for a week of musical performances, conferences, and even the occasional Boat party and outdoor bass rave.
dB 2010 saw an expansion on last year's festivities with an additional full day of programming on Wednesday, as well as the addition of a second afternoon of dB in the Park which had traditionally only been held on Sunday afternoon. The often heralded Optical A/V showcases also found a new home in legendary Seattle venues The Triple Door and Benaroya Hall.
Fresh off the plane and with a quick bite to eat in mind, we made the inevitable trek to Seattle staple Dick's for some much needed sustenance. All jokes aside, Dick's is one of Seattle's oldest and most respected burger joints, as referenced in Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Posse on Broadway". As fellow patrons conquered Deluxe's, milkshakes, and fresh-cut French fries; one hell of a gut-bomb later we ventured up Capitol Hill to Pravda Studios to pick up tickets for the weekend and made some brief introductions as the Decibel staff was well underway with preparations for the week to come. As Lusine shook his head with disapproval at my abomination of a passport (which has since officially been retired, a proper eulogy forthcoming...) we headed over to one of downtown Seattle's premiere loitering destinations, the REI flagship store. With a 65-foot indoor climbing wall, fake waterfalls, and enough outdoor gear for the entire state of Washington at our disposal, the primary purpose of this destination was to capitalize on the free parking in their multi-level parking garage while waiting to check in to our hotel.
After getting settled in back at the hotel, we decided to hit up Happy Hour at Club Contour before venturing over to the Ghostly International Label Showcase at Neumo's. Contour's HH is one of the few places you'll find two entrees and and a Pint for under 10$ anywhere, let alone right in the heart of Downtown Seattle. You also have to appreciate any establishment in which Happy Hour is actually a five-hour long affair. As the night's festivities fast approached, we made our way up Pike St. to Neumo's to make sure we caught the opening set of the night from Mux Mool.
Walking inside an almost packed to the brim Neumo's at little past 9pm, it was hard to not take a step back and appreciate the growth of this festival since we first attended back in 2008. The Ghostly Showcase in 2008 had then taken place at the much smaller Baltic Room with sets from Tycho, Lusine, Deru, and The Sight Below. Fast forward to 2010 where droves of ticket and pass-holders alike crammed into a sold-out Neumo's to hear the sounds of Gold Panda and Pantha du Prince, in from the UK and Germany respectively, with stateside producers Lusine and Mux Mool also rounding out the bill.
The night kicked off with a live set from Brooklyn-based producer Mux Mool. 2010 saw the release of his debut full-length 'Skulltaste' on Ghostly; an eclectic compilation of beats ranging across the entire electronic music spectrum. His live performance played to his expansive pallette, progressively winning the dancefloor over with one track after the next, even getting the head-nodding beat junkies to move their feet by the end of his set.
Next up was the Seattle debut of Gold Panda, also fresh off the release of his own recent LP 'Lucky Shiner' on the Ghostly label earlier in the month. After an ambient intro, he began cracking away at his Akai MPC with effect-laden hypnotic beats and delivered a set that could be appreciated by the instrospective chin-stroking massive as well as eager fans ready to let off some steam on the dancefloor.
A Decibel Festival staple, producer Jeff McIlwain aka Lusine was next at the helm and had the whole of Neumo's getting down in synchronicity during his spellbinding performance. His set pulsed with dark techno and house flavors, with driving sub-basslines causing the dancefloor to break out into a frenzy. Still able to showcase his vast knowledge of sound design and atmospheric nuances, Lusine played a stellar set targeted at getting Neumo's moving.
Pantha du Prince took the stage at around half-past midnight and started his set off with a patient construction and layering of ambient textures and soundscapes before the first hints of drums and percussion began to work their way into the mix. As the set picked up steam and the driving beats reverberated through the masses at Neumo's, we decided to up the BPM ante and head over to the Baltic Room to catch the tail end of the inaugural dB Drum & Bass Showcase.
With long-running Seattle weekly DNB Tuesdays and crews like Onset and Kaos Theory still holding it down for the DnB diehards in the Emerald city, it was well deserved that the genre and it's community get a proper showcase at Decibel. When we arrived, London's Klute was already heavy in the mix and obliterating it on the decks to the tenacious and rabid massive brukking out inside the Baltic Room. www.seattleDnB.com
After being featured as the #2 Sandwich in America according to TLC's "Best Food Ever", we knew that we needed to start Thursday off with the Cuban Roast Pork sandwich at Caribbean eatery Paseo. Now we here at Bassfaced take sandwiches with the utmost seriousness and this beauty was easily one of the Top 5 sandwich induced sensations of my entire life. To get the full effect, make sure you order it to stay and keep your eyes open for the highly sought after open table, which can be hard to come by.
After the ensuing food coma and taking some time to fully wrap our minds around the subtleties of the fresh cilantro, jalapenos, and aioli spread, we hoofed it to Neumo's which now featured dual projection screens as well as an LED backdrop directed by Audiopixel, to catch the Flying Lotus & Friends Showcase.
We arrived to the sounds of LA beatsmith and Brainfeeder alum Samiyam appropriately donning a Seahawks fitted, cranking out woozy beats over the PA. Just off a recent tour stint to Australia and NZ, he powered through the jetlag with a set of broken beat and bleary eyed hip-hop rhythms, incorporating the occasional MOP and Rich Boy verses and a Big Band sample flip for good measure. Perhaps the unsung hero of the set was Cupcake Royale for coming through with the mid-set power nosh to energize him through to the end of his set.
Next up was Milwaukee-based producer Lorn who threw together one of the more impressive performances from the weekend. Lorn took a darker and more direct path to the hearts of the Decibel faithful, with punishing and unrelenting low-end while still keeping the hip-hop influence alive with some Mobb Deep. The visuals provided by Killingfrenzy & Audiopixel were a welcome enhancement to the dark, foundation rattling subs and next level percussion.
Eskmo then brought the intensity down a few notches, but didn't slack on the low frequencies. With his self-titled, full-length LP out on Ninja Tune later this Fall, he performed some of that newer material, including the LP's first single 'Cloudlight' lending his own live vocals on a number of tunes throughout his set.
Flying Lotus was next up and had unexpectedly brought along with him Cosmogramma session bassist Thundercat, as well as drummer Ronald Bruner Jr. to play alongside his live set. FlyLo's jazz background and upbringing was unmistakeable as he did his best to conduct the Bruner brothers through some renditions of his original compositions as well as some unexpected covers and improvisation along the way. After hearing about his highly touted Infinity band's performance in LA earlier the year, it was a welcome surprise that seemed to captivate the entire Neumo's audience. Highlights from the set included a live cover of DJ Roc's 'One Blood' forthcoming on his Planet Mu LP 'Da Crack Capone' as well as a rendition of Bone Thugs & Harmony 'Ecstacy'. The vocals of Weezy and Thom Yorke also found their way into the energetic and mesmerizing performance that set itself apart as one of the most notable moments from the festival.
Friday night featured some of the toughest programming conflicts of this year's Decibel. The PlanetMu Showcase featuring Starkey, Ikonika, and FaltyDL at the Baltic Room while RBMA on The Floor at Neumo's boasted live sets from Shlohmo, Teebs, Addison Groove, Mount Kimbie, and Modeselektor.
We first stopped by the Baltic Room to catch the tail end of FaltyDL's set, bringing some of that NYGarage flavor all the way out to the Pacific Northwest. It was then off to Neumo's to catch a rare Addison Groove live set, complete with analog Roland 808 Drum Machine. After seeing Headhunter throw down an impressive DJ set at DubWar a few months back, it was a treat to see him playing out his recent Addison Groove productions in a live setting, with percolating and booty-dropping 808 patterns being triggered at a moment's notice.
After Headhunter, it was time for the highly anticipated Seattle debut of Mount Kimbie. With their debut LP 'Crooks & Lovers' gaining acclaim throughout the electronic music community and must-have mixes done for XLR8R & Resident Advisor earlier this year, the crowd eagerly awaited the duo's performance. While sound issues were few and far between during our romp through dB, this set seemed to be a nightmare for the sound crew at Neumo's. With only an hour-long time slot, the beginning of the set was marred with technical difficulties which had many in the crowd already foaming at the mouth for Modeselektor. While the duo managed to push through a seemingly insurmountable amount of obstacles and gain some cohesion by the end of their slot, the set would have perhaps been more appropriate for one of the early evening A/V Optical showcases rather than sandwiched in between the more club friendly sounds of Addison & Modeselektor.
From the moment Modeselektor hit the stage, backed by the incredible visuals from Pfadfinderei, you knew this was going to be a world class performance. As the crowd struggled to find room on the floor to throw the occasional elbow or skank, the zany Germans refused to let up, creating absolute pandamonium on the floor of Neumo's.
Waking up to a beautiful sunny day in Seattle on Saturday meant heading to dB in the Park ASAP to soak up some Vitamin D and rays while they lasted. This year saw a change of venues for dB in the Park, previously held at Volunteer Park and now moved directly under the Space Needle at the Mural Amphitheater. As tourists walked past the punishing JV2 Soundsystem, some stopping by to take the occasional peak at the beat-heads, hippies, burners, and Seattle-ites alike all enjoying the earth-shaking bassweight, we headed inside and linked up with BC-based DJ Mat the Alien before his set.
If you've ever been to Shambhala in BC, you know Mat. He's the one leaving jaws scraped on the floor in the Village every year, pushing that PK soundsystem to it's limit and showcasing some of the most incredible, exta-terrestrial feats of turntablism you've ever seen. After missing this year's Sham due to the birth of his son Elliot, we were happy to see his name show up on the bill for this year's Decibel.
If you have an intense passion for Turntablism and bass music, this man should undoubtedly be one of your favorite DJs.
Up next was San Francisco's NastyNasty playing a live Ableton set, as we took some time in the Beer Garden to take in a pint, appreciate the view and some serious tunes.
Despite not having a slot to showcase his visual show, which debuts this November, Nosaj proved to be captivating enough in his own right. Bluetech's live dub band Satori Social Club appropriately wrapped up a beautiful day in the park as the sun began to set and another night at Decibel loomed. Much thanks to Bass Drop and Decibel for a great afternoon of music.
Saturday night we headed over to the Baltic Room to catch the Hotflush Label Showcase where it became immediately clear we weren't the only ones with this plan....
We arrived during Untold's set to the unmistakeable vocals of Flowdan and the sounds of Autechre's remix of The Bug's 'Skeng', now available on the Ninja Tunes XX boxset. Leave it to Autechre to somehow make a more grim, sparse, and haunting reinterpretation of Kevin Martin's music. The week's festivities also seemed to have already taken their collective toll on the subwoofers down at the Baltic Room. As we heard some Redlight entering the mix, we took a bit of a breather from the ramjammed club, but the BQE-esque traffic backup for re-entry meant sacrificing sets from Scuba and Sepalcure to hear some music over at Neumo's where Carl Craig was already championing his headlining set at the D25 Showcase.
After a quick trek through the tailgating massive outside of Qwest Field on Sunday afternoon we came to grips with the fact that neither a half sleeve of stamps nor will a Modeselektor ticket stub grant you entry to a Seattle Seahawks football game. We wrapped up our stay in Seattle at dB in the Park where Mary Anne Hobbs was already busy blaring some proper Shieffield bassline, winin' up the crowd to Kase & Shinobi- 'Ya Dirty Girl'. Mala 'Eyez', Joker & Ginz 'Purple City', and a picture perfect blend of 'Tron' with 'PClart' by Kavsrave were among the set's highlights. As she dropped 'Sweet Shop' to cap off her set, running down into the crowd to skank out one last time with the supportive crowd, Plastician stepped up to the decks to do his thing sporting a military grade laptop and a fresh Mishka Cyco Symon T.
Now nearing the end of his massive US tour, Plastician threw together a marathon two-hour set that had the feel of Seattle's own personal Rinse.fm show, albeit without the consistently entertaining host MC Nomad. Playing out a selection of crowd-pleasing top Dubstep hits of the Summer from Magnetic Man & Benga, 'Stician also didn't shy away from dipping into some murky Grime selections with tunes from Rude Kid, P-Money, and DDoubleE.
Serious gratitude to Erica Toele from Decibel Festival for the press hookup and everyone involved for all the hard work they put in to make this event possible each and every year. For additional dB coverage, be sure to check out iamalaser who did a great job capturing the Ghostly, FlyLo, and RBMA showcases.
Would also like to take the time to big up the people we met along the way: Mat the Alien, Graintable, Ill Cosby, Evan, Amy, Incyde, NastyNasty...be easy everyone!!!
Ghostly Int'l Showcase photos credited to Megan Dapper
1 Aquadrop - Theme From An Abstract Cinematic Love Scene [Eight:FX]
2 Pariah - Crossed Out [R&S]
3 Synkro - Vacant [Z-Audio]
4 Rob Sparx - Independent Life (TRG Remix) [Z-Audio]
5 Icicle - Minimal Dub [Shogun Audio]
6 Sclist - Dubx [Urban Scrumping]
7 Terror Danjah - Air Bubble [Butterz]
8 Sines - Stuff Dreams Are Made Of [Embassy Recordings]
9 Droid Sector - Fathomless [Paradise Lost]
10 Sclist - Cyanide [Urban Scrumping]
11 Pledge - Close 2 U (Acapella)
12 Burial & El-B - Prophecy [Ghost]
13 Clueless - Talk Is Cheap [Dub]
14 Late - Under These Conditions [Immerse]
15 Late - Bittersweet [Immerse]
16 XXXY - This Much [Fortified Audio]
17 Synkro - Just Say [Box Clever]
18 Skream ft Freckles - How Real [Tempa]
This week's mix comes straight outta Norway from L2S recording artist Clueless. After being put on to his music by a friend's recommendation a few months back and being big fans of his recent L2S EPs, we asked if he would put together a mixtape for our Cloudcast series. In addition to his mix, we asked him to drop some Norwegian knowledge on us:
Traditional female "Bunad" costume
Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre
100 Kroner bill featuring legendary Norwegian opera star, Kirsten Flagstad
Also be sure to check out local hot-spot Fruugard if you're ever in the neighborhood. To the best of my ability, it seems to be a bakery/coffeeshop/lounge/restaurant/discotek all rolled into one.
Big up Gaute for putting together the mix and keep an eye out for a forthcoming release of his on the Night Audio label soon.
