Sadly I wasn’t able to get to volume 4 of raqhow’s experience!, but here’s a great video report that runs through all the main floor madness. As you can see, it looks like the balance between all the genres was spot on, even if there wasn’t any darker freeform on show this time. raqhow’s excellent b2b set with NONAKA+CHIN was recorded and is downloadable here, while there should be a special mention for ikaruga_nex, who looks like he also came up with another nice set.
A bit late giving this one some TYFTH time, but Tyranoid’s new set joins Pearsall’s 10 Years of FINRG set as one of the real mix highlights of the year so far. There’s no holding back here, with an excellent, dark atmosphere that runs through industrial, psy, NRG and freeform.
The selection is top class, including a few tracks from Tiifa, who seems to be a really promising new producer. Add in some FINRG classics and it would already be an absolutely recommended set, but the climactic mix/mashup between 2023 and Engel is truly inspired. That there is the sound of a DJ doing what we should all aim for – creating an amazing, unique atmosphere that you simply can’t get when listening to the two tunes separately. Needless to say, it’s the mix connection of the year so far, for me.
- Combichrist – Forgotten
- Tiifa – Cut Off (Diablik remix)
- Trimada – I Am
- Sinith – Found Objects
- Ultraform – What I Saw
- Epyx & Cyrez – Game Over
- Tiifa – Get Hit
- Tiifa feat. Double T – Blood Lust
- Proteus – Get Fire!
- Guld – Hannya X (Proteus Kampai Forever remix)
- Tiifa – Face
- Nemes & Blender – Inquisition (Blender remix)
- Nomic – Bad Dream
- Osmo – 2023 (Tyranoid/Strongstream remix)
- Scala & Kolacny Brothers – Engel
I’ve got a lot of catching up to do when it comes to Freeformaniacs sets, but this new effort from Custom Built DJs caught my eye with its lively-looking tracklist. As expected, it’s a really nice hour of melodic freeform, with enough of a Finnish influence to ensure there’s a bit of an edge to things.
Nice to see the filter-tastic Gate Crasher in there, as well as less common choices like the tricky-to-mix Immaculate. It’s always great to hear Alek in a set, but this time the incredible atmosphere of Darkstar didn’t really match with the rest of the set, in my opinion – wonder if a more uplifting tune might have worked better to finish things off? Either way it’s a really enjoyable set, and definitely gets a recommend.
- Jon Doe – Warehouse (Cube::Hard remix)
- Epyx and Cyrez – Immaculate
- Grimsoul – Lightshaft
- Substanced – Wistful
- Furyan – Galaxias Glaciere
- Custom Built DJs – Get out of Here
- Eryk Orpheus – PVC (Lost Soul remix)
- Penguin Conspiracy – Mechanical Fables
- Ephexis – Sick Seduction
- Full Circle DJs – Gate Crasher
- Horzi – Infernal Psycho
- Alek Szahala – Darkstar
The next part of Freeform Exposed is now downloadable, an incredible (and free) selection of Electronica Exposed-style tracks. I’m still working my way through the tunes on offer, but aside from the obvious highlights of Unohdetut and The Brinicle there’s all sorts of other interesting material in there – Difference Engine and the Penguin Conspiracy remix of Prelude are two I’ve especially enjoyed so far.
Congrats to Shanty on another job well done!
All being well there’ll be a little time to catch up on news during this week, but before that here’s a reminder that Le Dos-on’s excellent debut album ENERGY is now available online. This is a must-buy, and even with all the free music around these days it’s no real hardship that for once the tracks have to be purchased as a set rather than individually.
As for me, I had an excellent one night off last week, spent with Guld and Skylight’s Alex at the new Tokyo Skytree and Shibuya’s Womb. Alex is in Asia on promotional duties, and it was pretty fascinating to talk about the more commercial side of the electronic scene, his and Proteus’ thinking behind Skylight, and Chinese trance collaborations.
Some video from this month’s Sinistry is finally appearing, including this dark-but-atmospheric clip of Alek Szahala playing Iron Squid. Looks as if Alek’s set was as well-received as ever, though I’d love to see a tracklist and some more video/photos, if there are any floating around online.
The master has returned! Nomic is back with Suicide Machine, a brand new track on Smiling Corpse that has all the signs of becoming a future classic. While in Finland I was lucky enough to hear a work-in-progress at Nomic’s studio, and even the day after the guitars had been recorded it was already a phenomenally complex tune. The guitars add some real weight to the pre-breakdown, while the melodies are just beautiful – reminding us once again that Nomic’s in a league of his own when it comes to danceable melancholy.
The next I Love Hard Beats is coming up in a couple of months, featuring a Substanced – Aryx b2b (!), and to mark the occasion the HBC crew have posted a quick interview with Aryx. Sounds like it’ll be quite an event, and Aryx will have yet more new material ready to play.
Facebook fans can (hopefully) check this link for the full interview.
Here’s a very highly recommended set from Olly Addictive (of Smiling Corpse infamy), mixed just before last week’s Sinistry over in the UK. This was a really nice surprise, from the creative tracklist to the interesting mixing – fans of the older FINRG sound, filtered hoovers and acid will feel right at home, with Olly’s pacing and selection absolutely spot on.
Photic Zone is an excellent choice to start, and there’s a great blend of nasty filters and melodies in the first half. The overall atmosphere of the set is pleasingly dark, while any fears that things might tail off after the promising opening are put to rest with some quality connections like Geneva II – Kadotettu Todellisuus and the mad-but-it-works Adagio – The Definition of Freeform. This has been my commuting soundtrack for a couple of days now, and is absolutely worth a download.
01) Weirdo – Photic Zone
02) The Mexican – Land of the Pharaohs (Carbon Based Remix)
03) Tempestarii – Lightning Force
04) Carbon Based & DJ Rx – Reptile
05) Oli G – Cordelia
06) Raver Rose & Thermal Force – Eternal Cannon (DJ Rx Remix)
07) Substanced – Geneva pt. II
08) Grimsoul – Kadotettu Todellisuus
09) Lost Soul – Outta My Brain
10) Endemic – Loki
11) Mark Ashley & K-Complex – Imitation of Life
12) Nomic – Unique Mind (Horzi Remix)
13) Alek Száhala – Barber’s Adagio for Strings
14) Tazz & Shanty ft. MC Drew – The Definition of Freeform (Olly Addictive Remix)
15) Scott Brown – Boomstick
Wonderful to see that Betwixt & Between is getting back into music again, starting with a set this Friday at KOTOBUKI NIGHT in Aoyama. He’s also been looking through his back catalogue, and recently uploaded an old (and previously unheard) track called I Believe Nothing.
It’s vintage Betwixt, with some beautiful melodic sections up against dark semi-industrial hardcore – an awesome combination, and the unusual style suggests all sorts of possibilities for use in a set. Although it’s absolutely deserving of a real release, for the time being it’s downloadable here.