In anticipation of Kanji Kinetic’s Pittsburgh show FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2010@ BRILLOBOX, 4104 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224-1306. 10PM – 2AM, we at Subdivision wanted to get the frozen tundra that is the Iron some serious heat!! Therefore, sit down by your space heaters, turn on your big speakers [if you have power], crack open a bottle of your favorite booze, and freak the fuck out – it creates warmth! – to a highlight of 2009: Kanji Kinetic’s “Show Case Mix”. It’s 34 minutes 23 seconds of “splatterbass” mayhem!!

KANJI KINETIC'S SHOW CASE MIX

Kanji Kinetic ft Shiftee Moova – Splatterbass
Adam Freeland – Bring It (Kanji Kinetic Remix)
Syntonics – Flip It Out (Kanji Kinetic Summer Bounce VIP)
Kanji Kinetic – Scientist
Kanji Kinetic – Deep Down South
Drop The Lime – Devil’s Eyes (Kanji Kinetic Remix)
Kanji Kinetic – Toy Guns
She Is Danger – Hurt You (Kanji Kinetic Remix)
Subeena ft Violet – Znare (Kanji Kinetic Remix)

Now that Dubstep has been embraced on dance floors in the far reaches of the globe, the fledgling genre has reached that inevitable stage when it branches out into sub-genres. From the thrashing mid-bass grind of Brostep, to the upbeat electro-party pop of Ravestep, to the meditative minimalism of the Deepstep sound, Dubstep is maturing into her teen years. As Mark N-Type succinctly put it – the genre “has balanced and evened out”.

Raining In the Streets - DFRNT

Although there is merit with each of the emerging sub-genres, I am most intrigued by the yet-to-be-classified left field minimalism of James Blake, Joy Orbison, and Untold. This is why I was so excited to stumble upon the sound of cutting edge Scottish producer, DFRNT. I was even more surprised to learn that DFRNT is also writes the fantastic Sitting Ovation blog. Upon hearing DFRNT’s mix for Mary Anne Hobbs’ Breezeblock show on November 12, 2009, I sat in awe, listening to the depth of his production. And music is only the tip of the iceberg in DFRNT’s basin of brilliance.

Mammoth - DFRNT

DFRNT also runs the Echodub Label and Collective, and is the editor of Modus Magazine. At a mere 26 years old, DFRNT exhibits talents well beyond his years – and has not gone unnoticed. He has seen support from seen support
from many of the world’s top Dubstep producers and DJs, from heavier hitters like N-Type, Baobinga and
Headhunter, to deeper selectors such as Synkro, Scuba and even “dub-techno don”, Quantec. With his debut, Metafiction, DFRNT dove head first into the abyss of Dubstep’s deepest levels; with massive remixes from Scuba, Ital Tek, Quantec, Synkro, Indigo and DJ Madd.

Walking Alone - DFRNT

I am proud to share with you DFRT’s Guest Mix for Radio Magnetic, the promo mix for Metafiction (see below), as well as a handful of FREE tracks!! DFRNT will be in the U.S. from March until (hopefully) May of this year; U.S. promoters interested in booking a DFRNT performance, send your request here. Be sure to check out his Myspace for tour dates.

Metafiction Promo Mix - DFRNT
Track List:
1. 01 DFRNT – Wake Up
2. 02 DFRNT – The Warmest
3. 03 DFRNT – Tripped
4. 04 DFRNT – Therapy
5. 05 DFRNT – Landscapes
6. 06 DFRNT – Epitome
7. 07 DFRNT – The Next Step
8. 08 DFRNT – Dark Jazz
9. 09 DFRNT – Aftermath
10. 10 DFRNT – Winter
11. 11 DFRNT – Decay
12. 12 DFRNT – Headspace
13. 13 DFRNT – Lounge
14. 14 DFRNT – Sound Asleep

Valley of Shadow (DFRNT Remix) - Origin Unknown
Hip Hop (DFRNT Remix) - Dead Prez
Frequency (DFRNT Remix) - Altern 8

Our good friends B. Rich & DZ, along with the massive up & comers J.Rabbit & HavocNdeeD, conspired together to give away this HUGE E.P. of B.Rich’s now classic, “We Ball Harder”. Although all of these versions on this E.P. are damn near perfect, DZ’s “Spy Harder” version, for me at least, shines a little brighter simply because it reminds me of being a kid at the arcade pumping quarter after quarter into the game Spy Hunter. God I loved that game! So thanks to DZ for bringing me back to 1986.

Be sure to check out the upcoming Party Like Us releases!!

WE BALL HARDER E.P. (right click / save as)

Simon Green aka Bonobo returns with one of the key cuts from his forthcoming album, “Black Sands”. Drawing as much on the rhythms of two-step as the lush soundscapes for which he’s best known, “Eyesdown” also features a remarkable vocal from Andreya Triana and enough fuzzed-out sub-bass for a binful of dubsteppers. Classic and contemporary, melancholy and exhilarating all at once, “Eyesdown” sounds like the kind of record Massive Attack could be making if they were starting out now.

Eyes Down (Warrior One Remix) - Bonobo

Remix duties are taken care of by Floating Points and Warrior One, Appleblim & Komonazmu. The single – “Eyesdown” – will be out 03/08/10 on Ninja Tune, and the album – “Black Sands” – will be out on 03/29/10.

Pre-order here

I love Brainfeeder. And wouldn’t you know it – Brainfeeder goes global!

The Brainfeeder record label was started by Flying Lotus in 2008 drawing on LA’s underground beat scene, the early releases have established a new sound at the intersection of hip hop and electronica. Now they are going international, putting in place a distribution deal which means their records will be available to more than just a few aficionados.

Flying Lotus had a very simple reason for starting Brainfeeder. “When I first started out, I was lucky enough to have great people take me under their wing and point me in the right direction. I’ll never forget it, and I try to do my best to do the same for people I believe in. I know that what my peers and I are doing is really important, and I feel the music we’ve created is something that speaks to a new generation, so it’s our responsibility to nurture and guide this movement we started.”

With a roster incorporating buzz names such as Lorn, Samiyam and The Gaslamp Killer and with the next release for the label being a mini-album from Daedelus, the movement is taking shape. “Daedelus was one of the first people I met in the LA scene, he hardly knew me or my sound at all and invited me into his home and shared stories and music with me when I was trying to find my way out here. He’s been such a great and inspiring friend ever since. I feel like with this album we’re close to coming full circle.”

Following that up will be albums from Lorn (“a dark and brooding electronic record that I really think will surprise people”), a label compilation, plus “Sam[iyam] is saying he’s close to finished. And I know GLK is working on his album, he’s sounding super excited to be able to get some time in the studio, if he can ever stop DJing.”

And if there wasn’t enough – we are SO HAPPY to bring you a track from the NEW Daedelus E.P on Brainfeeder – “From the Righteous Fist of Harmony”!!

On Order of The Golden Dawn - Daedelus

*(Daedelus will be releasing his next Ninja Tune album entitled ‘Bespoke’ in late 2010 or early 2011.)

MAGICAL PROPERTIES TOUR

DAEDELUS along with NOSAJ THING and JOGGER, are currently on the “Magical Properties Tour” across North America:

Feb 4th – Space 120 – Palm Springs, California
Feb 5 – Echoplex – Los Angeles, California
Feb 6 – Mighty – San Francisco, California
Feb 7 – Jambalaya – Arcata, California
Feb 8 – Rotture – Portland, Oregon
Feb 9 – Fortune Sound Club – Vancouver, British Columbia
Feb 10 – Neumos – Seattle, Washington
Feb 12 – Hodi’s Half Note – Fort Collins, Colorado
Feb 13 – Gothic Theater – Englewood, Colorado
Feb 14 – Mad Planet – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Feb 15 – Majestic Theater – Madison, Wisconsin
Feb 16 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, Illinois
Feb 17 – Grog Shop – Cleveland, Ohio
Feb 18 – Wrong Bar – Toronto, Ontario
Feb 19 – Le Belmont – Montreal, Quebec
Feb 20 – Le Poisson Rouge – New York, New York
Feb 22 – Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 23 – Bourbon Street – Baltimore, Maryland
Feb 24 – Xscape Lounge – Richmond, Virginia
Feb 25 – 90 Proof- knoxville, TN
Feb 26 – Club 828 – Asheville, North Carolina
Feb 27 – New Earth Music Hall – Athens, GA

I have always found the best music to listen to whilst trudging through beating winds and towers of snow is MOGWAI. Though one of my “life changing” artists, I hardly ever listen to Scottland’s finest in the summer. Rather, the beating pellets of snow and ice are damn near comforting so long as the sonic boom of anything in Mogwai’s canon erupts from my iPod. They have gotten me through more snow storms than a pair of waterproof Doc Martin’s and sustained me when my car tires, screaching themselves bald on iced streets, have quit. It was the winter of 1998 when I first heard Young Team’s “Like Herod” and that record has remained a staple for the subsequent 12 winters.

As the whole of the Mid-Atlantic trembles beneath a shadow of snow, it seems appropriate to share with all of you the sound of a group of artists who transcended being a “band” to becoming a movement. If you don’t already have them, download these songs; if you do already have them, go get them, put them on your iPods, in your CD players or other portable audio devices and go for a walk in a snow storm.

2 Wrongs Make 1 Right
Like Herod
I'm Jim Morrison and I'm Dead
O I Sleep
Killing All The Flies
Kids Will Be Skeletons
Small Children In The Background
Mogwai Fear Satan (Live At All Tomorrow's Parties NY, September 2008)

BONUS
Death Bells (Mogwai Remix) - Soul Savers

Everyone here on the Northeast of the United States seems to be snowed in, drinking cocoa, eating brownies with peyote in it and listening to Shackleton’s discography. Well whether you’re recovering from poorly-prepared, homemade Eggnog or a Skull Disco inspired mind bender, this music video will calm you down from your winter worries. It’s a music video for “Dawn,” off my latest EP “New Year’s Day” on Subdepth Records. It’s a short film by Donna K. made with over 1,000 pictures. If you’re into her work as much as I am, go check out her flickr page and say hello!

Viking Funeral EP collects five choice Mux cuts into one concentrated blast of music, an introduction to Brian Lindgren’s dazzling take on homespun electro hip-hop and a preamble to his upcoming full-length opus, Skulltaste.

Viking Funeral contains everything that Mux Mool does best, making it a fine road map to Lindgren’s cracked universe. “Teal Trim” starts things off right with a tight, incisive beat, mixed to cut through a fog of hard-panned synths and distorted melody lines. Mux’s live edit of “Ladies Know” is a hard-to-find instrumental version which foregrounds the track’s bitcrushed drums and dirt-crusted vocal samples. Next up is “Drum Babylon”, a highlight from Mux’s song-a-day project Drum EP, and “Goblin Town”, a mischievous interlude featuring a choir of deep-voiced goblins, singing about their hometown. The Viking Funeral EP closes with its lone track with vocals, “Death 9000 (Prof & POS Broadcasting Version)”, in which the MCs have their way with one of Mux’s more sinister beatscapes.

Five tracks, five different shades of Mux; but the Viking Funeral EP is just the tip of the iceberg. Skulltaste is lurking below the waterline, and it goes down for miles. (from Ghostly)
MUX MOOL – VIKING FUNERAL E.P. (Ghostly International)
Teal Trim (Edit)
Ladies Know (Live Edit)
Drum Babylon
Goblin Town
Death 9000 (Prof & P.O.S. Broadcasting Version)

Tracklist:
Omen Reprise
Take Me To The Hospital
Funky Shit
Get Up Get Off
Phoenix
Breathe
Warrior’s Dance (Kicks Like A Mule Remix)
Climbatize
Android
Everybody In The Place (Original)
What Evil Lurks
Thunder
We Gonna Rock
Smack My Bitch Up
Your Love
Break And Enter
Invaders Must Die
Fire (Sunrise Version)
Jericho
Omen
Skylined
World’s On Fire
Firestarter
No Good (Start The Dance)
Speedway
Charly (Trip Into Drum And Bass Version)
We Are The Ruffest
Wind It Up
Out Of Space
Voodoo People
Hyperspeed (G-Force Part 2)
Claustrophobic Sting
Heat
Full Throttle
Everybody In The Place (155 And Rising)

Scion, makers of the world’s most comfortable socks and distributor of excellent dance music compilations, highlights premiere London-based label Dub Police. Since forming in 2004 Dub Police has risen to become one of the most well respected Dubstep labels in the planet, its artists traveling the globe regularly, bringing the heaviest new sounds from the UK to devoted fans worldwide. Turn up the low end on the system and get ready to step to the massive sounds of the Dub Police crew…

Although all of these tracks are standouts, I wanted to share of my personal favorites. I’ve listed them in descending order, from my absolute favorite on down. Be sure to grab your own copy of the sampler – TRUST ME!!

-Kellz

DISTINCTION - Bionic Bug
Clever use of synths emulate the sound of insect wings swarming in the distance while more immediate sounds pan across the stereo field to get you instinctively swatting the air for digital mosquitoes. These effects, underpinned by a giant splash of a snare and sub-rumble of a bassline make this tune a winning experiment in the vast reach of the modern synth. Hands down, my favorite track of the collection; it sounds like a riot stomping out of the speakers!!

TROLLEY SNATCHA - Slow Down
An ominous minor key string loop opens this heavy piece and sets the tone for this lumbering giant. A slow motion dirge whose bass is as heavy as its mood. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

SUBSCAPE - Dominant Species
An incredibly aggressive bassline reminiscent of the late 90’s drum and bass sound drives relentlessly throughout.

THE OTHERS - Quantum Leap
Serious bass odyssey here ya’ll. Once the theme is established at the top, it’s play time. The Others run the gamut here, playing with call and response ideas, basstones, and breakdowns.

D1 - BRB
Situated a bit more on the modern electro side of things, this up-tempo club rocker repeats and tweaks an ascending synth line over a four-on-the-floor kick to great effect. Still, the persistence of the hi-hat and clap patterns ground this track in the Dubstep world as well.

DUBWOOFA - 7am Ghost
Dubwoofa creates a hauntingly minimal vibe with lush synth pads and a drum pattern that is both sparse and incredibly tense. A deft marriage of the texturally ambient and rhythmically aggressive.

The collection also features Caspa, Emalkay, Matty G, Unitz, Orien, LD, J Kenzo, and L-Wiz.