The Predatory Wasp
I have a real soft spot for anything that sounds like it’s harkening back to an especially synthy period of the 80s, and Counting Stars fits very neatly into that particular little box. Vocally he also sounds quite a lot like Toro Y Moi, who released one of my favourite albums of the decade a couple of years back. Really very good indeed.
This is an extended version of one of the tracks from Floating Points’ recent album Crush. It’s now a 10+ minute beast and is epic and hugely impressive. Makes me want to be raving in a field with thousands of people so much. Sigh.
Conforce was already one of my favourite producers even before launching his Versalife alias a few years back. Now I love him and his music even more. This is pretty much perfect: big emotional pads, little acid line bubbling happily away…. just brilliant. And if you like this you should definitely listen to his recent Live in Los Angles mix, it’s ace.
This is taken from Yaeji’s debut album What We Drew, although she refers to it as a mixtape. I’m still not entirely sure what the difference is, despite multiple conversations and Google searches. Regardless, this is really, really good and the entire album/mixtape is definitely worth checking.
Ben Frost absolutely terrifies me. This is one of the more melodic records I’ve heard of his, and it’s still pretty brutal. Really amazing though, and exactly the kind of thing you want to play really loud first thing on a Monday to properly kick start your week: lovely, doomy industrial techno all over your quietly weeping face.
Groggy cloud rap meets downtempo breaks from Zak Arogundade aka Ecco2K. Includes the lyric “Crushing rocks with Oyster card, so nauseous, can’t sleep it off” which tells you everything you need to know about the tone. Does very little, but remains completely engaging throughout.
Pop meets trance in a hyperactive bubblegum echo chamber. About as positive a record as you’re likely to hear this year. Plus the entire EP Beauty is on YouTube, which is what I’ve posted below: You is the first song on there. Or there’s a pay what you like option to buy via the Bandcamp link. Florescent pink gold.
Want to feel even more paranoid and stressed than you already are? Dive into this whirling 808 fest from king of lo-fi house Joey Anderson – it’s great! And actually not that stressful if you can get past the incessant alarm-synth into the lush pads beyond. It’s Friday, so let’s party like it’s three weeks ago and we were allowed to mingle. Also Bandcamp are waiving their royalty fees for today only, so there’s never been a better time to add this to your collection.
Ultraísta is a trio of Atoms For Peace members Nigel Godrich and Joey Waronke, and singer/songwriter and producer Laura Bettinson. Save It ’til Later is taken from their second album Sister, and has more than a touch of Warpaint about it, like a less grimy, slicker, more electronic-obsessed cousin.
Today I wanted to take a moment to highlight one of my favourite electronic records ever produced. Traumprinz’s remix sounds nothing like the original, but is for me absolutely perfect. I can’t even being to estimate how many times I’ve listened to this, and if you’re never listened to DJ Metatron’s (one of his many, many pseudonyms) This Is Not… mix in which this features, then you’re in for a treat. Utterly sublime.
The Predatory Wasp 