Little White Earbuds: Little White Earbuds Presents Bambounou @ MNS

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• Little White Earbuds Presents Bambounou
• Little White Earbuds Presents D’Marc Cantu
• Little White Earbuds Presents Olin
• Little White Earbuds Presents Ethyl & Flori

Little White Earbuds Presents Bambounou Posted: 04 May 2015 10:01 PM PDT Photo by Ilyes Griyeb By the time Bambounou’s Cobe 12″ dropped on the 50Weapons imprint in 2012 he had already racked up close to a dozen remixes for different artists and three EPs, a quietly prodigious effort for someone who had only been putting out records for two years. It was arguably this appearance on Modeselektor’s dance floor focused off-shoot label that propelled the Parisian producer to more widespread acclaim. The EP was swiftly followed by a full length which seemed perfectly molded to the 50Weapons sound; bass-influenced techno heavy on the mechanics and light on the sentimental nature of music. The musician born Jéremy Guindo-Zegiestowski has released exclusively on the label since, recently following up that 2012 effort with an impressive sophomore album entitled Centrum. Ahead of his American tour for the album, including a Chicago date this Friday at Primary, Bambounou reached out to LWE with a fresh mix of everything that’s been exciting him lately and divulged more about his career to date and making it big in the Dominican Republic. Hi Jéremy, how’s your day going? What are you up to right now as you reply to these questions?

Little White Earbuds: Talking Shopcast with Acid Test @ MNS

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Talking Shopcast with Acid Test Posted: 04 May 2014 10:01 PM PDT Rarely do you find a record label as focused as Acid Test that delivers on its promise. Many times concept labels grow tiring after their first few dispatches, struggling to unearth new material that’s relevant to the cause. The Los Angeles-based Acid Test has avoided this by challenging its artists to find novel new ways of interpreting the acid sound. And thanks to a stellar core group of artists like Tin Man, Recondite, Donato Dozzy, and Achterbahn D’Amour, as well as exceptional guests like Pepe Bradock, they’ve had no problem wringing compelling tunes from this oft-abused sub-genre of dance music. Label owner Oliver Bristow is a steady, assured hand at the wheel, building on his experience running Absurd Recordings in years past and serving as a manager at Amoeba Records, the world’s largest independent record shop (by their count). He’s also launched the Avenue 66 label with a promising 12″ from Joey Anderson. LWE reached out to find out where Bristow is coming from and where he’s aiming to go. Acid Test’s most frequent artist (and LWE fave) Tin Man returned to add a killer exclusive DJ mix, as well — Talking Shopcast 21.

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 198: Jacques Greene @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 198: Jacques Greene Posted: 13 Apr 2014 10:01 PM PDT Listening to Jacques Greene’s music, you get the feeling that we won’t have much longer with the artist in his current state. The achingly beautiful melodies, steamy synths, and chrome plated production that has so far attracted the attention of people like Radiohead, Azealia Banks, Katy B, and the XX is destined for major exposure. It is most likely the producer’s penchant for r&b that has got him to this point; his tracks typically play with saccharine vocals and heat-warped, shimmering keys that wouldn’t be out of place on a commercial pop track. Greene, however, keeps his sound firmly rooted in the club, drawing influence from, among other places, the most forward thinking UK dance music over the last 15 years. It is a sound that quickly won favor in those territories, his first two releases coming out on the London-based Night Slugs and Glaswegian LuckyMe labels. Anyone who has seen Greene perform live can also attest to the fact that the producer can strip away the gloss and meter out some punishing sounds, also evidenced on his Ready EP for Martyn’s 3024 label. LWE popped some questions to the Canadian in a bid to discover what it is that drives his music [his answers are coming soon] and also asked him to assemble our 198th exclusive podcast. With a raft of exclusives and unreleased material, Jacques Greene turns it out over 70 minutes for your listening pleasure.

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 197: nd_baumecker @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 197: nd_baumecker Posted: 06 Apr 2014 10:01 PM PDT On paper Andy Baumecker has only been putting out records for a few years, but his limited discography belies a wealth of experience that stretches back more than twenty years in the music industry. From DJing and producing to working in a record store and even running a couple of labels, Baumecker’s exposure to the music he loves to make has been intensive and varied. Though he has had a couple of credits to his own name, it is with Sam Barker that he is best known; their Barker & Baumecker project has so far generated a handful of releases including the very impressive Transsektoral album in 2012. Though output from the duo has been only occasional to date, its high quality has kept fans of their work anticipating new releases. We got in touch with Andy to find out when we can expect to hear more from the pair, if he plans on releasing any of his own tunes and who else he is working with in the studio. He also mixed our 197th exclusive podcast which shows off his incredible talents as a DJ; an hour of house and techno mixed with a few early influences too.

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 196: Bicep @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 196: Bicep Posted: 23 Mar 2014 10:01 PM PDT Sitting in the East London studio of Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar from Bicep, there’s a wealth of covetable machinery on various racks and stands around us. The Belfast duo whose Feel My Bicep blog won them a huge fan base before they’d even released a record are explaining to me their shift toward using hardware and how it has flamed their creativity. It’s been a somewhat fortuitous rise for the two friends, who found the outlet for their love of music they began in 2008 started attracting increasingly impressive numbers of visitors, soon becoming an internationally renowned blog for its solid content and design. Their first releases found outlets through Traveller Records and Throne of Blood, but it was 2012 that saw their biggest spike in popularity, with three twelve-inches, including the Inner City-sampling “Vision of Love” on their own Feel My Bicep label. The record was a big boost for the duo, though ultimately lead to increased scrutiny by critics due to its association with the revivalist sound of 90s house. Over the course of our chat, we discuss media perceptions, their plans for their own label, and why it’s more fun tweaking a knob than clicking a mouse all the time. They also put together our 196th exclusive podcast, which they described as a collection of their latest acquisitions and fancies, and shows off their immaculate taste for house and techno.

Little White Earbuds: Talking Shopcast with West Norwood Cassette Library Recordings @ MNS

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Talking Shopcast with West Norwood Cassette Library Recordings Posted: 16 Mar 2014 10:01 PM PDT Bob Bhamra was by no means new to the music world when his West Norwood Cassette Library Recordings launched in 2010. As far back as 1996 the South East London producer had been releasing drum & bass, house and techno on some reputable labels under the names Plastic Soul and The Bob Bhamra Project. Though Bhamra hit on a small run of success, from 2000 he fell quiet again and it wasn’t until 2008s At Home With… by No.1 Astronaut that we heard from him again. Although the release was actually taken from old material, it showed Bhamra in full experimental mode as he dissected and stitched back together selections of old cassette tapes. Two years later the first WNCL Recordings 10″ was released by Bhamra under the elongated form of the name. It was a taut, dubstep/techno track called “What It Is” embellished with a Brackles remix on the flip, that together with the sublime homage to Larry Heard on the follow up, Mrs Fingers, all of a sudden marked WNCL as a name to keep an eye on. As the label started amassing new recruits for its releases, it became clear that there was no set style for the label, or at least if there was, it was buried beneath layers of open-mindedness. With this in mind, LWE quizzed Bhamra on the WNCL release policy, how he managed to squeeze an EP out of Ultramarine, and just how far reaching a moniker can be. Hot out of West Norwood studios as well, Bob mixed together our 20th Talking Shopcast feature with an exclusive clutch of freshly pressed dubplates and future classics.

Little White Earbuds: Curator’s Cuts 33: Justin Cudmore @ MNS

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Curator’s Cuts 33: Justin Cudmore Posted: 09 Mar 2014 10:01 PM PDT LWE’s Curator’s Cuts podcast series features our staff mixing together recent favorites and providing explanations for their selections. LWE’s ad manager, Justin Cudmore, compiled Curator’s Cuts 33. We will post the tracklist later in the week, as the curator discloses and describes it as part of the podcast. Download: Curator’s Cuts 33: Justin Cudmore (69:51) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 195: Amir Alexander @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 195: Amir Alexander Posted: 02 Mar 2014 10:15 PM PST Photo by Lauren la Quiche Thank the universe for artists, for without them our lives would be devoid of the colour and sound and movement and thought that they give us as their deepest expressions. I was reminded of this after interviewing Amir Alexander. Even though our exchange was email based, there is no denying the overpowering force of the artist that comes through in his words and ideas. For some people, these ideas might be pretty out-there, for others, down-right absurd, but I would argue that those who feel like that lost touch with the muse a long time ago. Alexander makes house and techno and has been doing so for a long time. His releases began gaining more traction a couple of years ago and nowadays can be found on labels like Finale Sessions, Deep Vibes, Hypercolour, Secretsundaze, Argot and of course Vanguard Sound! Like a true artist, Alexander took my questions and ran with them, giving us a deeper insight in to his music and purpose at the same time. He also put together our 195th exclusive podcast, which is about as good a way to start your week as I could imagine. So thank the universe for the artists. They are our connection to the eternal; a touch of the otherworldly here on earth. Download LWE Podcast 195: Amir Alexander (75:17) Tracklist:

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 194: Rolando @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 194: Rolando Posted: 23 Feb 2014 10:01 PM PST By the uncompromising standards of Underground Resistance, Rolando Rocha’s debut EP, The Aztec Mystic, was fairly typical for the label. The title track an up-tempo, driving, bit of sci-fi techno, while the other two little more than modulating percussion tracks. His follow-up release took the form of a collaboration with Mad Mike via their “Aztlan” track for the split UR/430 West 12″ with Octave One. This track made clear the steep hike in Rocha’s production capabilities, perhaps a result of working closely with Mad Mike. His next record, Knights Of The Jaguar EP, went on to sell more than any other

Little White Earbuds: LWE Curator’s Cuts 32: Per Bojsen-Møller @ MNS

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LWE Curator’s Cuts 32: Per Bojsen-Møller Posted: 16 Feb 2014 10:01 PM PST LWE’s Curator’s Cuts podcast series features our staff mixing together recent favorites and providing explanations for their selections. LWE’s podcast producer, Per Bojsen-Møller, compiled Curator’s Cuts 32. We will post the tracklist later in the week, as the curator discloses and describes it as part of the podcast. Curator’s Cuts 32: Per Bojsen-Møller (101:08) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 193: Appleblim & Komon @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 193: Appleblim & Komon Posted: 09 Feb 2014 10:01 PM PST It is often said that the UK music scene is an exciting place to be. Such is its nature for innovation and perpetual evolution that it consistently throws up new styles and twists on existing genres. Undoubtedly one of the most inspirational mutations to have taken place in English music culture in the last twenty years is that of dubstep, with its many protagonists all branching out from their early forays into the sound and going on to explore a myriad of new pathways. The influence that Appleblim and Shackleton’s Skull Disco label exerted in its short, three year life is not directly measurable, but it is undoubtedly one of the most unique stables from the era. Appleblim’s next venture, Apple Pips has charted one strain of the post-dubstep mutations that have been echoing throughout the world for more than five years. The label has gradually shifted focus since its 2008 launch, showing also the evolution of some of the artists who have appeared regularly on there. Keiran Lomax, who started out as Komonazmuk but is now under the slightly abridged Komon title, has been one of those artists, going from making proper dubstep to house, techno and off-kilter permutations of all three. Laurie Osborne (Appleblim) has a long list of collaboration credits to his name, but chief among those he prefers to share studio time with is Komon. Their original productions are few at this stage but they have been notching up remixes for the likes of Bonobo, My My, Beat Pharmacy and Paul Woolford for around five years. Their latest EP for Aus is a solid three-tracker of house music that you'd never have once expected to hear from either of them. LWE jumped at the chance to speak to the two producers, in the process finding out more about their personal studio habits, their outlook on their music and how a view of constant discovery has emboldened their productions. They also put together our 193rd exclusive podcast, which at a staggering 32 tracks and nearly two hours is going to keep fans of the pair very happy for a long time.

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 191: Ma Spaventi @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 191: Ma Spaventi Posted: 26 Jan 2014 10:01 PM PST Although Marco Antonio Spaventi has been building up a steady rate of releases for the past few years, both under his own name and with his R-A-G and Crystal Maze partners, that’s probably just a very small percentage of the records that have borne his touch. In his capacity as an engineer and professional producer he has lent his expertise to a huge number of artists, helping the records of people like Terrence Dixon, Conforce, Tom Trago, Delta Funktionen, Juju & Jordash, John Beltran, John Heckle and Gerry Read sound as good as they do. First appearing alongside friends Aroy Dee and Gijs Poortman as R-A-G midway through 2010, the Beyond EP and its solid framework of deep, analogue techno were just a hint of what was to come. As the trio continued to produce equally vital EPs for Dee’s M>O>S label, Spaventi was beginning to release his solo material and also collaborate with Poortman as Crystal Maze, whose more refined sound could be fairly likened to R-A-G on high polish. His first truly solo output was an enjoyable, if not slightly atypical release (when weighed in against the rest of his work), which found the Italian in heavy Italo-disco mode. After a couple of collaborations with James Priestly, we heard from Spaventi on his own again and this time he was wringing out every last bit of grit from his hardware. His aptly named “The Jungle/Insanity” was an unrelenting call to action for those who hadn’t yet made his acquaintance, and the “Lonely” capped 2013 in fine style. With Spaventi in demand both as a producer in his own right and an engineer, LWE managed to pop some questions to him as he made his way to a rather prestigious awards show. His exclusive mix takes in classic, freshly minted, and unreleased techno, making the 191st in our series just as crucial as his impressive discography.

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 190: Octo Octa @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 190: Octo Octa Posted: 19 Jan 2014 10:01 PM PST The past three years have seen Amanda Brown’s label 100% Silk release so much music it’s quite frankly a bit difficult to digest it all. Undoubtedly its stand-out moment of 2013 (and perhaps the entire catalog to date) was Octo Octa’s Between Two Selves album. The eight lush, sun ripened house tracks stood their own amongst a horde of throwback genre releases last year without ever themselves sounding contrived or merely derivative. Some may have been surprised to find that this was in fact the third album for the Brooklyn based producer, born Michael Bouldry-Morrison in Chicago. His first outing on the label (which has been home to all of his releases so far) was the Let Me See You EP, followed swiftly by a cobbled together collection of working tracks that formed the Rough, Rugged and Raw album a few months later. A collaborative album in 2012 with Brown and her LA Vampires project matched Bouldry-Morrison’s melodic rhythms with Brown’s ethereal, poppy vocals. LWE discussed vocals with the producer, the love he has for his 100% Silk family, and found out why we won’t be hearing too many remixes from him. He also put together our 190th exclusive podcast; an outstanding collection of house music and a truly sublime intro thanks to his light fingers and his dad’s own record collection.

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 189: Fishermen @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 189: Fishermen Posted: 12 Jan 2014 10:01 PM PST Back in October 2012, Skudge opened a new sub-label, Skudge White. Its first record, the simply-titled Fishermen seemed like perfect fodder for Skudge’s usual blackout tactics. For one, nobody had ever heard of Fishermen. And while the EP’s five tracks bore a distinct and striking signature, it didn’t seem an obvious match for any established artist. Sure, plenty of people do brutal industrialism, but at 110 BPM, with fragile chords soaring overheard? Skudge had the perfect hype-generator on its hands, in other words. From the very beginning, though, the world was permitted to know about Fishermen, a fresh project from two Swedish old-timers Martin Skogehall (AKA MRSK), and Thomas Jaldemark (half of Donk Boys and Kretipleti). Since then, two more records have surfaced: the twisted Delirium Tremens EP for Kontra-Musik and December’s under-the-radar Patterns and Paths LP, another for Skudge White. Despite this, next to nothing else has been said about the project. We called up Martin and Thomas to bring us up to speed, and to compile our 189th podcast, an hour of haunting, chord-heavy techno.

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 188: Redshape @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 188: Redshape Posted: 05 Jan 2014 10:01 PM PST When Delsin Records released the Shaped World EP by Redshape in the first quarter of 2006, there was nothing to indicate who the producer was or where they were from. The three tracks on the EP clearly had their roots in Detroit techno, and much speculation was made over who the masked figure might be as subsequent releases grew his fanbase. The steady stream of 12″s were all aimed solidly at the dance floor and were issued on labels like Styrax Leaves, Music Man and Redshape’s own imprint, Present. If live shows by the producer, all performed behind the red-gloss anonymity of his trademark mask, furthered his reputation, then his début album, The Dance Paradox in 2009 cemented it. By this time someone had outed the producer as one Sebastian Kramer, a German whose previous output dating back to the year 2000 had been of a much harder variety of techno. Keeping the mask in place, Kramer continued with his solid run of releases as Redshape, also turning in an impressive number of high quality remixes for artists like Martyn, Ripperton, Santiago Salazar, The Black Dog and more. His full-length follow up to The Dance Paradox was 2012′s Square, an album that revealed new sides of the producer and garnered critical acclaim. LWE got in touch with Kramer to talk about the two albums, his relationship with his Redshape identity and how his production methods have changed over the years. As long term fans we were very happy to be presented with a recording of one of the producer’s formidable live sets from 2013, kicking off 2014 in fine style. Download LWE Podcast 188: Redshape (56:11)

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 187: Maria Nannou @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 187: Maria Nannou Posted: 29 Dec 2013 10:01 PM PST After evaluating nearly 40 mixes, LWE’s judging panel has made its selections. Our congratulations go out to Maria Nannou, the winner of our sixth annual podcast mix competition. Her entry channels the darker energies in techno to create a standout mix, one that makes perfect sense of Dopplereffekt, Omar-S, Ike Yard, and Autechre. Nannou shared this about herself: “I left my tropical Greek paradise 10 years ago to move to a gloomy country, also known as the UK. There I found myself in another kind of paradise… a music one! I’ve done lots of blogging, music business studies, and also found myself working as a music journalist for a while. I’m not a self-proclaimed DJ or curator. I simply enjoy mixing and recently I dipped my toe into making music as well. My love for music is gigantic, and that would be an understatement.” In second place we have Ross Holland of New York City; and in third place we have Royer of Copenhagen. Thanks to all of those who entered. And now, please enjoy Maria’s excellent mix.

Little White Earbuds: Talking Shopcast with Udacha @ MNS

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Talking Shopcast with Udacha Posted: 08 Dec 2013 10:01 PM PST For a while there, Russia was practically silent. House and techno may have been global phenomenons by the 90s, but we heard precious little about it from the planet’s ninth most-populous nation. Recently, however, that’s begun to change. Alexey Kalik, who runs Udacha with his wife Oksana, can’t explain the quiet revolution. All he knows is, “three to four years ago, we had an absolutely different situation here.” At the time, there were no labels like Arma or Ethereal Sound, and artists Anton Zap were barely known outside the country. Now, though, having achieved a “certain level of self-expression,” Russians are finally beginning to attract international attention. 29-year-old Kalik, who produces under the moniker A5, is one of a number of artists and label owners helping to lift the lid from the native scene. “It’s difficult to say about the future,” he admits, “but I’m sure we will find a lot of new names.” Udacha, which means “luck” in Russian, has showcased a good number of them already, as well as cultivating an approachable and subtly unique brand of music. Its seven 12″s have been a tour de force fusion of house, jazz and good-natured synth weirdness. Udacha 5, for instance, is bookended by two slices of sharp jazz swagger, while the middle is dominated by Kurvenschreiber, a Russian trio who record their rambling, dream-like tracks live. Oksana & Alexey Kalik

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 186: Gunnar Haslam @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 186: Gunnar Haslam Posted: 01 Dec 2013 10:01 PM PST It’s hard to think of a record label in the past few years that has charted success quite like New York’s L.I.E.S. Yes the trusted institutions like Delsin, Rush Hour and Clone have continued to go from strength to strength, but when you consider that L.I.E.S. Is still very much the new kid on the block and add to that equation that the majority of their signings have never appeared elsewhere, it speaks volumes about how well the label is doing. Gunnar Haslam is one such signing, coming to attention with his Mimesiak LP released in July of this year, the collection of rude, often experimental tracks harnessed perfectly the ethos of the label. As impressive as the long player was, his just-released follow up EP for LWE editor Steve Mizek’s Argot label revealed that the producer is learning on the job; the three tracks that make up the Bera Range EP showing a marked evolution in his abilities. Without any real information on Haslam, LWE sought to unearth some vital facts about the New Yorker and charged him with putting together our 186th exclusive podcast. The resulting mix is 85 minutes of top notch techno that reflects both the dance floor and more cerebral sides of Haslam and is a vital listen no matter what your personal preference is. Download LWE Podcast 186: Gunnar Haslam (85:46) Tracklist:

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 185: Vester Koza @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 185: Vester Koza Posted: 24 Nov 2013 10:01 PM PST Until the early part of 2013 Vester Koza was an unknown quantity. In February though, he began to trickle releases via his Maslo label that has quickly established him as a producer to watch; his blend of understated, dubbed out house and techno hitting all the right notes. Cuts like “The Way (of the Dub)” proved to be cerebral yet functional on the dance floor as well, and this is an aesthetic he’s carried through to his most recent output, an untitled two tracker again on the Maslo label. His eye for detail, which has imbued his tracks with a refined, accomplished touch also extends to the label artwork, giving the impression that Mr. Koza is taking his time to construct an engaging body of work rather than pumping out tracks for the sake of it. With little known about the London producer, LWE went in search of one of 2013′s most promising new arrivals to get the low-down on the method behind his work. He also mixed together our 185th exclusive podcast which is a mesmerizing, deeply submersive experience in late night techno and house music.

Little White Earbuds: LWE Podcast 184: Benedikt Frey @ MNS

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LWE Podcast 184: Benedikt Frey Posted: 17 Nov 2013 10:01 PM PST If the small handful of releases that Benedikt Frey has been releasing over the past couple of years sound carefully considered and far from the work of a new hand then it’s for good reason. Frey had already been active under the name Suedmilch for some four years before he turned to using his own name. As Suedmilch, he made perfunctory dub-inflected house and techno that occasionally showed signs of the promise that was to come. By Frey’s own admission he started releasing too soon, though if his Suedmilch period served as a means to get to where he is now then it was certainly not in vain. When Frey appeared on the It’s All In The Mind Ethereal Sound sampler, it was apparent that here was a real talent. That small taste of meticulous, burnished deep house was soon followed up by a four track EP for Mule Electronic, which mined even deeper recesses of house and also conveyed Frey’s ability to credibly work with vocalists. Since then, increasingly impressive EPs have been forthcoming for Live at Robert Jonson and his own Love Pain Subshine & Rain imprint, all favoring a slightly tougher style, mixing his considerable talents for deep house with techno. LWE reached out to Frey to quiz the producer on his approach to music making, if having his own label gives him more freedom in what he releases, and whether we are likely to see a full length album from him soon. He also gave us our 184th exclusive podcast made up of scintillating exclusives and forthcoming tracks that shows his mastery in the studio also extends to the DJ booth. Download LWE Podcast 184: Benedikt Frey (62:35)