Check out an interview I did with one of my favorite DJ's, Cassy Britton, over at Stylus Magazine.

Me on Ezekiel Honig's new one over at Earplug:

While his debut album, People Places and Things, found New York-based producer Ezekiel Honig working from a similar palette of warm, ambient tones and gentle 4/4 pulses, Scattered Practices shows him operating at a more intimate — even microscopic — level. Along with Rhodes and synthesizer, Honig uses defamiliarized samples culled from everyday life, crafting gentle, childlike melodies that nod ever so slightly towards Boards of Canada's Music Has the Right to Children. Despite his grounding in techno, Honig appears to move away from traditional loop-based compositions, notably on "Fractures and Fissures" and "Concrete and Plastic," in which his tones seep, branch, and bubble in organic fashion. Leaving loop-finding to the likes of Jan Jelinek, Honig's more esoteric search yields a comparably meticulous level of detail.

-CJN

Me on Georgia Anne Muldrow's new record in this week's Flavorpill:

There's certainly no shortage of R&B singer/producer collaborations. But when, at age 22, you construct your own Dilla-esque beats, handle vocals and production, and get signed as the first female to the esteemed Stones Throw label, you're onto something. Building on the acclaim of the Worthnothings EP, Georgia Anne Muldrow's debut full-length, Fragments of an Earth, features classically soulful singing with an occasional jazz-like cadence (her mother sang with Pharoah Sanders) and a modern production aesthetic rife with cut-up hip-hop twists and turns. Fragments' 21 tracks show remarkable variety — from the multi-tracked choral-style vocals, slap bass, and jerky, compressed beats of "Birds" to "West Coast Recycler," where she raps with authoritative flow over a modulating Hammond organ — the album is an eloquent and modern update of a classic sound. Jill Scott fans take note. (CJN)

A recent review I wrote for Stylus magazine:

My My
Butterflies and Zebras
Aus / AUS0602
September 2006

After their debut release, "Klatta," on Playhouse, Panoramabar resident Nick Höppner teams up again with Watergate DJ Carsten Kleeman and Lee Jones as My My. The result is a truly blissful piece of ambient house with sustained, ethereal tones floating and modulating over a buoyant bass groove. Recorded on the fly, the trio also brings in just the right dose of percussion nestled in the back of the mix to engage and keep you from floating away. For the remix, John Dahlback toughens things up, leaving only skeletal elements from the original and adding dark synth stabs, an angular kick and razor sharp snares for a floor-oriented counterpoint to the original’s spacey haze. Not to be overlooked is the third track on the 12", “Moneybowl,” a liquid, minimal cut that could easily be a standalone release.
[CJN]

The Black Keys- Black Door

Miwon- Semafora
Bollywood Freaks- She Rocks My Prada, I Dior Her Chanel
(Someone play this out, please.)

I realize I havent said much about the demise of Trevor Jackson's Output Recordings. It is one of my favorite labels of all time, and will be sorely missed.

Nate eulogizes over at unconscious repeat.

Ezekiel Honig- Concrete and Plastic

Greetings from LA. Waiting to get on my flight back to NYC, so some music to follow this week. For now, a quick update re: things I'm feeling lately.

Michael Mayer- Immer 2 (everything I had hoped it would be)
Dosh- The Lost Take
Heidi- Monza Club Ibiza 01 (DJ Mix)
Cassy- Panoramabar 01 (DJ Mix)
Triosk- The Headlight Seranade
Squarepusher- Hello Everything
Henrik Schwarz- DJ Kicks
Clark- Body Riddle
Georgia Anne Muldrow- Olesi: Fragments of an Earth

Also, a producer called October, based out of Bristol. His track, "There is a Glitch in My Soup" is going to be big. Tip!

FYI: Richard has another one of his spot-on mixes up over at Tape. Check it out asap.

Junior Boys- In the morning (Alex Smoke Remix)

Richard Branson rules.

Arthur Russell- Keeping Up

A nice story on Flavorpill in the Sunday Times Magazine.

Speck Mountain- Girl out west
Speck Mountain- Chlorine fields

Some background: I had the privilege of playing with these guys for a bit back in winter, 2004, when my good friend Karl Briedrick was in the process of writing and rehearsing songs. The band has since recorded and re-recorded, and I think the result of their latest session is quite beautiful. I'm very proud to present a few new tracks from these efforts. Plus, they are unsigned, so savvy A&R's hop to it!

Unconscious Repeat has another new track for your listening pleasure, and here's the Speck Mountain Myspace for more info.

Triosk- Tomorrowtoday
Dosh- One through seven

A blast from the recent past:

Rachel Stevens- Some Girls (Radio Edit)

RELAX. ITS ONLY A GHOST.

Lawrence- Along the wire (Superpitcher remix)

Wasn't initially sold on this one, as I thought the tones were too Enzian-ish, and I prefer my 'pitcher tracks to be blissful and emotive. I'm coming around though. The Troy Pierce versions are worth looking into as well, particularly the Black Boots remix.

Turner- After work (Carsten Jost mix)

And now, for the exact opposite vibe:

The Long Blondes- Fulwood Babylon