Artist of the Day: Deru

Deru’s music bridges different worlds. Hip-Hop, Electronic, Avant Garde. Back in High School in Chicago, Deru (Benjamin Wynn) had his friends wearing out underground hip-hop mix tapes. The second tape had Slug of Atmosphere rhyming with a “borrowed” microphone bought just for the session and returned after… Those tapes, by the way, are still being played.

Since then, Deru has found himself studying music in California (where he now resides) and writing music for TV and even dance. One of his recent projects was a collaboration with a classical composer for the Paris Opera Ballet. This piece was a far cry from hip-hop yet this is his music; a synergy of influences.

What this means, in short of course, is that Deru can get both the thinkers and the drinkers on the floor dancing, all in perfect synergy (Last.fm, 2010).

You can listen to Deru's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Deru



Released Albums:
Deru - Trying to Remember
Deru - Pushing Air
Deru - Pushing Soil
Deru - Say Goodbye to Useless

Reference:
(2010). Deru. Last.fm. Retrieved from http://www.last.fm/music/Deru

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Artist of the Day: Aphilas

Aphilas is a duo from Helsinki, Finland. They make sample based instrumental hip hop.

They have released “Instrumentally Ill EP” (2003) and “Prisoners of the Planet” (2006) on the Internet. They have also had some kind of record deal with the label merck and “Instrumentally Ill” is also released on vinyl. “Prisoners of the Planet” was to be released on merck as well, but merck closed their doors and this didn’t happen (Last.fm, 2010). 

You can listen to Aphilas' music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Aphilas



Released Albums:
Aphilas - Instrumentally III EP

Reference:
(2010). Aphilas. Last.fm. Retrieved from http://www.last.fm/music/Aphilas

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Artist of the Day: Machine Drum (producer)

Born Travis Stewart on March 4th 1982, Machinedrum has produced and composed several albums under various aliases since his first independent release in 1999. Covering an astonishing variety of styles with ease, he has always been a trailblazer - bridging the gap between genres that would otherwise never have met before.

His debut Now You Know, was released in 2001 on the influential Miami-based Merck Records and gained worldwide attention and praise from musicians, fans and critics. It was heralded as the “standard to which the next wave of imitators aspires” by Pitchfork.com

Having a strong background in both acoustic and electronic instrumentation, he dances between those elements on all his releases. This can be heard in the field recording and vintage synth laden Urban Biology to his seminal production and mixing of the This Charming Mixtape with MC Theophilus London. His critically acclaimed 2009 album Want To 1 2? was the latest showcase of his most recent production. With a combination of the songwriting skills of Timbaland, huge club sound of Daft Punk, and crafty experimentation of Aphex Twin, he manages to bring a new and bold take on electronic music.

This summer, Machinedrum dropped his Many Faces EP on LuckyMe and he performed alongside other label mates at Sonar Festival in Barcelona. Under the name Sepalcure, he’s also released the Love Pressure EP on Hotflush with friend and collaborator Preveen Sharma- a sound they describe as “an exploration of chopped up 90s diva house acapellas and wooden sounding snares reminiscent of UK funky and dubstep”.

A true electronic music Renaissance man, Machinedrum blends together current pop music standards and trends with his own extensive knowledge of experimental production techniques, delivering his quality signature on every thing he touches (Last.fm, 2010). 

You can listen to Machine Drum's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Machine+Drum

 

Released Albums:
Machine Drum - Now You Know
Machine Drum - Bidnezz
Machine Drum - Cached
Machine Drum - Want to 1 2
Machine Drum - Many Faces

Reference:
(2010). Machine Drum. Last.fm. Retrieved from http://www.last.fm/music/Machine+Drum

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Artist of the Day: Deceptikon

After the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in 1980, Deceptikon was born out of the ash and dried magma of Northwest Cascadia. Recently relocated to San Francisco via Tokyo via Seattle, he spends his time making music for the future, a soundtrack for future-minded space travelers and skiff-jumpers from the 23rd dimension. The Deceptikon Industries studio, orchestrated by mastermind Zack Wright, is the basis for all operations. The first Deceptikon 12", released on Merck Records in 2003, was sold out only four months after the initial pressing, and was followed by the critically acclaimed albums "Lost Subject" (2004) and "Greater Cascadia" (2007). Deceptikon has now teamed up with San Francisco bass luminary Mochipet and his label Daly City Records to release the highly anticipated third Deceptikon album, entitled "Mythology of the Metropolis" (Daly City Records).

You can listen to Deceptikon's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Deceptikon



Released Albums:
Deceptikon - Lost Subject
Deceptikon - Greater Cascadia
Deceptikon - Mythology of the Metropolis
Deceptikon - Birds of Cascadia
Deceptikon - Ascii Ghettoblaster Mixtape

Reference:
Deceptikon. Daly City Records. Retrieved from
http://www.dalycityrecords.com/promo/dcr148-deceptikon-%20mythology_of_the_metropolis/

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Artist of the Day: 40 Winks

No hay banda! (“there is no band”, Mulholland Dr. 2001) pretty much sums up where 40 Winks aim to take their instrumental hip hop: meticulously chopping and pasting samples together to create an atmosphere of beats and vibes that steps beyond unimaginative loops. Their emphasis on creating vintage organically sounding beats has left people wondering why 40 Winks won’t perform live… The answer simply being, ”there is no band!”. 40 Winks hit the scene about 5 years ago with a slew of laidback beats. Eager to share their sound with the world, they released a couple of albums independently. The attention received from these records allowed them to build links with people and record labels from around the world. One of these independently released albums, More Than Loops, was reissued in Japan on Swamp Records. From then on the ball kept rolling. On their first worldwide release, Extended Pleasure on Escapism Records (2005), they reached listeners well beyond the (instrumental) hip hop community with the song “melancholia”. After appearances on compilations, like Weapons of Hope on Little-D (2006), they got a chance to do their thing on the renowned label, Merck Records with Sound Puzzle (2007). All these exotic international adventures led them back to Europe, where the German based Project Mooncircle welcomed them with a spot on the compilation Heart on the right spot (2007). Right now 40 Winks are preparing to release their latest album on Project Mooncircle, called The Lucid Effect. This will be released on LP, CD and MP3 in 2008 (Project: Mooncircle, 2009). 

You can listen to 40 Winks' music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/40+Winks



Released Albums:
40 Winks - The Lucid Effect
40 Winks - Sound Puzzle
40 Winks - Extended Pleasure
40 Winks - More Than Loops (Japanese Edition)
40 Winks - More Than Loops
40 Winks - Hit the Hay
40 Winks - April to July (demo)

Reference:
(2009). 40 Winks. Project: Mooncircle. Retrieved from http://www.projectmooncircle.com/artists/21

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Artist of the Day: Malcom Kipe

Malcom Kipe (a.k.a. Skyler McGlothlin a.k.a. Nautilis) produces experimental breaks and instrumental hip hop, mainly for the soon-to-be-defunct American label Merck Records. McGlothlin has cut two proper 'albums' and a compendium of beats with Merck Recordings.

Austin, Texas based instrumental hiphop producer Malcolm Kipe is perhaps better known for his productions as Nautilis on Mike Paradinas’ Planet Mu label, and this second album from him under his own name emerges through Merck mere months after his debut offering ‘Beatspiracy Theories.’ In many senses, ‘Lit’ represents a direct continuation on from where ‘Breakspiracy Theories’ left off, and follows a very similar sonic trajectory, blending strong early nineties hiphop influences with an experimental electronic approach similar to the likes of Prefuse 73, DJ Shadow and DJ Vadim (Evilchris2, 2007).

You can listen to Malcom Kipe's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Malcom+Kipe



Released Albums:
Malcom Kipe - Lit
Malcom Kipe - Breakspiracy Theories Vol. 1 and 2

Reference:
Evilchris2 (2007). Malcom Kipe. Vibra Online. Retrieved from
http://www.vibraonline.com/genres/beats/malcom-kipe.html

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