Posted by Scott Willats

Just a few hours now till the Full Flex Express hits Toronto’s Fort York: the first stop on a magical mystery tour that will be rolling on to Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg and Edmonton before finishing up in Vancouver on Sunday July 22. The folks at Embrace Presents have brought out the big guns for this cross-country juggernaut — and the biggest gun of all is some guy called … Skrillex? Possibly you have heard of him?

The last time Skrillex was in this neighbourhood was at WEMF 2011. Things have changed just a little since then. He has, simply put, become a worldwide star. Now many bpm:tv fans aren’t keen on dubstep. Fair enough. Many don’t like Skrillex’s music. Again, fair enough.  But like him or not, you’ve gotta respect him as an artist.  He has, more or less single-handedly, brought a sound to a completely new audience — and that serves all of us who love EDM fan. He’s also been completely honest and up-front about his strengths and limitations, admitting outright that he has learned only recently how to mix at live performances. Some of your favourite house DJs could afford to demonstrate that kind of candour and humility.

I’m not here to have a debate about “selling out,” whatever that’s supposed to mean.  What I will say is this: when you have a chance to see a live performance by an artist who’s in such high demand, you should grasp that opportunity. I’ve seen Skrillex live on two occasions: the first a crazy show at The Phoenix before most had heard of him, the second at WEMF, by which time nearly everyone knew the glitches and wobbles in “Cinema” by heart. Both times he murdered the show. I expect he’ll do the same tonight at Fort York. And for DnB fans out there, his recent experimentation with drum ‘n’ bass might be added incentive to try catching up with the Full Flex Express.

Of course, Skrillex isn’t the only reason to snag a ticket. Diplo, Pretty Lights, KOAN Sound, Grimes and many more will be aboard the train as well — all headliners in their own right. Pretty Lights always delivers a great show, KOAN Sound has massive tunes, I have a major crush on Grimes and Diplo just crowd-surfed Digital Dreams in a giant f**king balloon. Festival season, is in full flight, and this one is a must-go!

Major Lazer – Get Free EP: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Grimes – Genesis: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Kill The Noise – Deal With It (KOAN Sound Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Pretty Lights – Finally Moving: LISTEN TO IT HERE

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Posted by Scott Willats

I couldn’t possibly wait for Friday’s” Sweets of the Week’” to share this one. DC and Hooks — better known as Zeds Dead — are back in the lab brewing up some remix shit. This time they’ve taken a personal favorite of mine, “The Fight Of My Life” from Colin Munroe and Lil Wayne arch-enemy Pusha T, and slathered it with grime sauce till it sizzles.

Right, I know I’m being corny as f*ck — but this track is massive. How massive? So massive I’m doing a post just for the f*cking two-minute preview. That’s how massive.

Colin Munroe feat. Pusha T – The Fight Of My Life (Zeds Dead Remix): LISTEN TO THE PREVIEW HERE

Plugggggggggg!

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Posted by Scott Willats

This week we celebrate a young artist known to many as, simply, “the Prodigy.” In anticipation of a rager of a show slated for this Friday at Toronto’s Sound Academy (which two lucky members of bpm Nation will be catching for free!), we delve into the work of  Porter Robinson, the 19-year-old North Carolina native who is leading the next wave of emerging EDM artists into glory.

Ever since he dropped “Say My Name” in 2010, PR has compelled attention, standing out even in a field as overcrowded as EDM. Sure, “Get Brain” and “Leaving” had been released earlier, and both were heavy tunes in their own right. But “Say My Name” was something different, something epochal. For a kid of just 17 to take a sample, produce such dramatic strings, and blend it with such a heavy bassline: it was unimaginable.

Don’t discount those earlier tracks, though. “Leaving” was a tantalizing preview of Porter’s abilities, proving that he knows how to blend beats and vocals to perfection. Meanwhile, “Get Brain” showcased his knack for taking a small sample and making it giant-sized. And here’s the rub: while your favorite producers are creating these kinds of sounds in studios with 15-foot Legacy consoles, Porter was doing it on a laptop in his bedroom.

Porter Robinson – Leaving: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Porter Robinson – Get Brain: LISTEN TO IT HERE

2010, then, was a big year for Porter Robinson — and he was just getting started. We’ll have more on his subsequent releases tomorrow, as we prep for his Sound Academy Show this Friday.  CLICK HERE FOR INFO AND TICKETS.

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Posted by Scott Willats

Attention shoppers! Today’s blue light special is the brand new EP from Australian duo Knife Party, appropriately and awesomely titled Rage Valley.

Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen are electronic artists in the purest form. I remember seeing them at WEMF last year and thinking that when they broke away from Pendulum and started putting out stuff as Knife Party, the pair really came into their own, eclipsing the work they’d done with their old outfit. That may sound blasphemous, but hear me out. They were darlings of the electro scene at that moment, but you also knew they were in the game for the long haul — not just a couple of resident club DJs who had struck gold with a couple of flash-in-the-pan tracks. So excuse me for straying away from their Pendulum stuff and crazing their Knife sound.

What happened next was, as they say, history:  The 100% No Modern Talking EP, plus a passel of remixes and a little track called “Antidote,” boasting one of the hottest videos of the year. It was official: Rob and Gareth were in it to win it.

Then silence — until now. This EP is pretty wicked, and that’s about as much as I can say. The title track is exactly what you’d expect: a huge sound, with just enough musical soul to connect with a large audience. “Centipede” bangs, I’ll leave it at that. “Bonfire” sounds like the hottest riddim of da summa for my dancehall fans, uzeeeminow?! — and then it melts your face. And “Sleaze” is like someone let Jaws into a Moombahton club, spraying blood. Each track unique, each distinct from the next.

Knife Party are back where they left off. Can’t wait to see them live. Cop the EP amigos!

Knife Party – Rage Valley: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Knife Party – Centipede: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Knife Party – Bonfire: LISTEN TO IT HERE

Knife Party – Sleaze: LISTEN TO IT HERE

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Posted by Scott Willats

I’m finding it hard to recall the last time an artist put out so many successful tracks in as short a time as Sound Remedy has done. With the release of his “Neopolitan Dreams” remix — already a contender for song of the summer — following hard on the heels of the epic KO KO remix “Float” and the Haunted Valor EP, you’d think the man in the mask would be ready to take a little down time. Not so much. When you find yourself in the zone, you just want to keep at it and see what other genius comes out the speakers.

Enter Sound Remedy’s remix of “The Funeral.” An amazing track from Band of Horses gets the dub-electro spin it was crying out for. The best thing about Sound Remedy’s remixes? He doesn’t diminish the parts that make the original song so compelling. Easy to say, harder to do — and harder to perfect.

I’d have no problem paying for tracks like these — the quality and replay value would make the price well worthwhile. Buuuuut … he’s giving them away for free. God Bless Sound Remedy!

Band Of Horses – The Funeral (Sound Remedy Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Check out Sound Remedy’s Web site HERE. And take a long stroll through his SoundCloud page HERE. Worth every listen.

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Posted by Scott Willats

Still riding the buzz from one of the best interviews of my career, with British dub innovator Rusko. And what should I discover in my inbox this morning, but the brand new visuals for “Lez Go,” from his new EP with Cypress Hill, Rusko X Cypress, due out June 5th.

Rusko is exactly what you’d expect: down to earth, easygoing, and full of energy and enthusiasm. While we were setting up for the bpm Spotlight interview, he pulled out an recreational cigarette and asked if he might indulge while we talked.  Network higher-ups thought it best not to have that on camera — but the message was clear: “Live life the way you want to live it.”

During my one-on-one session with the Cockney Thug I got a chance to find out about his collaboration with the Cypress Hill crew. The origin and evolution of this project is a story worth writing about — but you’ll have to tune in to bpm Spotlight to hear how it went down. I promise you’ll be surprised to hear how these two acts linked up.

The funniest aspect of the whole team-up? Rusko claims (and I fully believe him) that when they hung out in the studio together for the first time, he smoked Cypress under the table. That’s right, he smoked them stupid. What up? First you’ve got Wiz Khalifa outsmoking Snoop, and now a pasty Brit putting Cypress to shame. What’s happened to our legends?

‘Twas all in good fun, though — and based on the evidence of this new video, the collaboration has clearly sparked new creative highs for all involved. Can’t wait to see the finished Spotlight episode. Until then, let’s enjoy the viz. And, if you haven’t already, beeeeeee surrrrrrrrre to check out Rusko’s latest album, Songs. Cop it HERE.

Sweets of the Week tomorrow!

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Posted by Scott Willats

Extreme! The Red Bull generation is coming into its own — and dubstep seems to be its soundtrack. Now, I’m a  bit of a traditionalist when it comes to sports, but not so much when it comes to music. You could say the same about Johannes Bürmann.

A graduate of musicology at Germany’s University of Giessen he has released outstanding remixes and originals under the names Brand Blank and Burman –notably “Take Me Away,” posted below.

Bürmann is in fine form on his cutting-edge remix of Bob Marley‘s “Sun Is Shining.” While that track deserves attention on its own, what really makes it worthy of a post is the amazing video below, which uses it as the soundtrack to footage of extreme athlete Jokke Sommer in his wingsuit, flying through some of the gnarliest places in the world. The images and sound together are truly inspiring. Enjizzoy!

Burman – Take Me Away (feat. Jessica Jean): LISTEN TO IT HERE

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Posted by Gosia Mrugala

Released just two weeks ago on Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak label, Datsik‘s album Vitamin D is the banger his followers were primed for. The B.C. artist has described dubstep as “totally the punk rock of electronic music,” and on this debut LP he explores his limits, merging a wide range of musical inspirations — most notably Wu-Tang Clan and its MVPs RZA and Method Man. The album definitely captures something of the spirit of Wu-Tang, with its ominous, futuristic sound and gangster vibe.

My personal favourite here has to be “Complete Control” — but the whole of the album is a dark, euphonious mental roller coaster ride. Let’s break it down:

1. “Annihilate” – Definitely a track to entice the listener into playing the entire album. A perfect introduction to Vitamin D’s diversity of dark and captivating sounds.

2. “Fully Blown” (feat. Snak the Ripper) – Here, Datsik displays his affinity for hip-hop. He wastes no time on this one, jumping right in, without any buildup at all, and enlisting Snak The Ripper to provide some heavy-duty rap vocals.

3. “Syndrome” (with Downlink) – This track starts off with a classical vibe, then drops in some overwhelming bass. For me, it’s a standout for merging two such seemingly incompatible genres with surprising artfulness.

4. “Bonafide Hustler” – It’s almost like a biographical anthem for Datsik, the quintessential dubstep hustler. The sound is grimy yet cutting edge, pretty much ensuring that this will be a “bonafide” banger in the clubs and on the airwaves.

5. “Evilution” (with Infected Mushrooms & Jonathan Davis) – A collaboration with trip-hop duo Erez Eisen and Amit Duvdevani (a.k.a. Infected Mushroom) and Korn lead vocalist Jonathan Davis results in psychedelic/trance/electronic rock track that opens the darkest corners of the musical mind. I pressed replay more than a few times — as will you. It’s one of those tracks that invades the mind and refuses to leave.

6. “Need You” – This one sounds a bit like a mash-up of music and sound effects from old arcade games. It creates a certain musical clutter in the mind (a bit of everything all over the place) — but isn’t that what dubstep is? Mashed-up, unpredictable and a bit cluttered (in a good way)?

7. “Don’t Feel Right” – Here he starts with a playful electronic rhythm, then shifts into memorable sample from Shakedown‘s 2002 hit “At Night,” and from there into an overpoweringly grimy sound. Quite the mash-up, but definitely worth a replay or two.

8. “Light The Fuse” – A track with a very catchy, bob-your-head-along kind of kick to it. Dubstep usually conjures a dirty, borderline-rebellious feeling for me, but this one put me on a playground playing hopscotch — at least until it reached the 1:09 mark and it took on a different spin: grimy, anarchic and overpowering.

9. “Complete Control” – A fitting title for this superlative banger.  With everything from intriguing build-ups to filthy drops, it takes you on a dark, fantastical. I put this one on repeat, letting Datsik take “complete control” of my mind.

10. “Punisher” (with Downlink) – Okay, the build-up was a little irritating, but the drop won back my attention. A daring, musically capricious piece of production that I can see entrancing listeners, whether on the dancefloor or chilling with headphones in the “grimy” comfort of one’s home.

11 “Napalm” (feat. Masinian) – The opening recalls the start of Skrillex‘s “First Year of (Equinox),” until the rap vocals swoop in and ambush the listener. Can’t say I was a big fan of this track or came away from it feeling the urge to press replay. But it does offer a unique sound.

12. “Double Trouble” (with DJ Z-Trip) – “We came here tonight to get started.” Except it kinda felt like it was taking a bit long to start. Still, once it revs up, this one repays your patience. A suitably filthy track from one of Canada’s brightest young bass music stars, this does what every good album-closer should: leaves the listener eager for more.

 Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Posted by Scott Willats

Lately we’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about Canadian artist Datsik and his debut album on Steve Aoki‘s powerhouse label Dim Mak. Now, those of us who live and breathe bass go to sleep at night grinding our teeth at the thought that Datsik isn’t already crazy famous. Sad to say, there are lost souls out there who don’t eat bass for breakfast — and it takes a special kind of sound to get these folks sitting up and really taking notice of bass.

Datsik has that sound.

This B.C. native has been ripping up dancefloors for a while now with his patented mixture of glitch, synth and bass, and his followers now are growing in number. For the past three months, I’ve been raving like a madman about “Lightspeed,” his collaboration with Kill the Noise. At an astonishing 128 bpm, it’s the absolute Platonic ideal of a bass track.

And then there’s “Fully Blown,” his track with Snak the Ripper. It’s got a sound that is recognizably Canadian: grimy in every sense of the word, and blending rap and bass with a facility matched only by fellow Canucks Zeds Dead.

While “Fully Blown” is very slightly dated, there’s a great reason to be checking it out now: the ever-innovative minds at Dim Mak recently ran a contest to see who could come up with the best remix of the track. These are some of the top dogs:

Datsik feat. Snak The Ripper – Fully Blown (THE TAPEDECK Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Datsik feat. Snak The Ripper- Fully Blown (Razor Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

Datsik feat. Snak The Ripper –Fully Blown (Dinosaur Religion Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

… aaaaaaand, the Dim Mak/ARTISTdirect Contest Winners:

RUNNER-UP! Datsik feat. Snak The Ripper – Fully Blown (Rekoil Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

WINNER! Datsik feat. Snak The Ripper – Fully Blown (The Frim Remix): LISTEN TO IT HERE

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Posted by Scott Willats

Posting has been a little light these last few days, but never fear: things are about to get very, very heavy. Today, some bass for your earhole. Seems the legendary long-haired freak known as Bassnectar is back with a new album packed of must-hear cuts designed to reduce your subwoofer to a cringing, weeping wreck. (No mas! No mas!) The deliciously titled VaVa Voom is a a collection of sounds that Bassnectar (a.k.a. Lorin Ashton) has been compiling for some time, all crafted with the same motive: to rock your brain into a coma. The illustrious likes of ill.Gates, Jantsen, Tina Malia and Lupe Fiasco all make guest appearances.

The title track showcases the sound that Bassnectar is so justly proud of: the climbing steps and low voice at the beginning make it feel real Dirty South, and for a second or two you have to remind yourself it’s an EDM artist who made this beat. Once the bass kicks in, the track is unmistakeably Bassnectar, and with Lupe’s philosophical flow and street fluency, it all blend together perrrrrrrrrrrfectly.

The rest of the album is equally essential, so be sure to check it all out.

Bassnectar: VaVa Voom: LISTEN TO IT HERE ON SOUNDCLOUD

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