Paul C is the co-founder of PoshRecords and has already released on the likes of Hot Creations and Terminal M amongst many others. He has done so over the last 15 years, all while clocking up Beatport hits and playing in Europe’s best clubs. His forward-thinking sound is tinged with influences from his homeland and that’s laid bare once more here.
First up is the fantastic ‘ConeyIsland,’ which rolls on a warm and hooky groove that stays deep. The rugged bass stabs add texture as spoken word snippets bring the drama. After a breakdown filled with tension, it drops again and the floor is sure to go off as laser-like synths fire across the mix and the percussion gets raw.
Then it’s the brilliant ‘Combination‘, a much more textured and freaky track with a weird lead synth phrase and skeletal drums. It’s one that drags you down the rabbit hole and late into the night on subtle effects and with plenty of detailed sound design really making it pop.
These are two high-grade underground club tunes once more from this essential label.
French duo SQWAD have unveiled their new single ‘Big Ting Vibe’, out on Friday 29th November via DJ Snake’s record label Premiere Classe.
Harnessing a sound that SQWAD have made their own over the past few years, ‘Big Ting Vibe’ is an imposing, bass-heavy release that pairs speaker-shuddering bass with mutated Patois vocals to devastating effect.
The single marks SQWAD’s first release on Premiere Classe, DJ Snake’s record label that has previously put out music from the likes of Da Vinci, Plastic Toy, Malaa, Gammer and SAYMYNAME.
Making waves in the bass house scene since launching in 2015, SQWAD is made up of high school friends Etienne and Antoine, both from Toulouse, France. Their first real buzz was created by 2017 track ‘DamnRight’, which received support from fellow acclaimed producers JAUZ, Habstrakt, Ekali, and NGHTMRE.
The following year they remixed Zeds Dead & JAUZ’s ‘Lights Go Down’ for a remix package that also included Sikdope, Gentlemans Club and Subtronics. This, in turn, led to gigs and shows for the pair, who shared stages with Taiki Nulight, Getter, Tony Romera, Sikdope, Bellecour and Bad jokes.
2019 has already proven to be SQWAD’s biggest year yet, performing at several clubs and festivals – including Lollapalooza Paris, E-WAX Festival and SANS MERCI Toulouse – and releasing on labels such as Mad Decent, Monstercat, Nightbass and Confession.
Delivering the kind of bass-heavy sound that they are renowned for, ‘Big Ting Vibe’ sees SQWAD at their uncompromising best.
Sometimes we like to explore other genres as they can surprise and enlighten us. Avante-garde house producer, JKP does this with his double A-side single ‘BlueSun/Quiet Place’. The tracks were released on the 15th of November, with a premiere in Clash Magazine giving them a jump start.
Clash Magazine were clearly fans from the beginning as the gave JKP a beautiful write-up, “London’s JKP goes into another realm of the minimalism electro with his new track. The contrast is deceiving and would almost be seen as surreal. Organic sounds are still the basis of his work but slightly more industrial influences have been thrown into it.” You can read the full interview here.
JKP was also featured in an exclusive interview with The Playground in which he takes the time to describe his time in the recording studio, “I experiment more when I’m by myself as I often get into a very deep into trial and error mode, it can be quite an alienating experience for some…” You can read the full interview here.
Global artist Meduza returns with Goodboys to collaborate with chart-topping singer-songwriter Becky Hill on the intoxicating new single ‘Lose Control’, out 11th October.
The now-iconic signature sound of Meduza immediately draws anticipation, as the emotive and powerful vocals and songwriting from Becky weaves through the smooth and effortless cool of Goodboys harmonies and adlibs.
It follows on from the global summer smash ‘Piece Of Your Heart’, a track that has clocked up over 600 million streams and 69 million YouTube hits since its release. The song is multi-platinum and gold worldwide, including in the UK selling over 900,000 units and peaking at #2 in the UK Singles Charts and #1 in the US Dance Charts.
Within a few weeks of release, the single was added to the Radio 1 A-List, amassing over 60,000 plays on UK radio alone. It also featured as Spotify’s 16th most streamed track this summer globally and hit #1 on the Apple Music & iTunes, placing top positions on Capital Radio’s Big Top40, Spotify UK and Shazam UK charts. The debut single from the production trio remains one of the biggest hits of 2019 to date.
British Artist and Songwriter BeckyHill is one of the UK’s upcoming stars and hitmakers, known for her heartfelt, powerful vocals and songwriting on tracks like 2019’s breakthrough solo hit ‘I Could Get Used This’, recent top ten hit ‘Wish You Well’ (With Sigala), worldwide hit ‘False Alarm’ (with Matoma), certified platinum hits UK #1 single ‘Gecko (Overdrive)’ (with Oliver Heldens) and top ten hit ‘Afterglow’ (with Wilkinson) and 2018’s UK top 20 gold-certified hit ‘Back & Forth’ (with MK and JonasBlue), Becky’s second collaboration with MK, following the pair’s success with their 2016 Gold-certified hit ‘Piece of Me’.
After an electric debut with Meduza, Goodboys who featured on ‘Piece Of Your Heart’ style their signature vocal hooks throughout with a harmonic tone, perfectly balancing the energy of the track and further cementing reputation as one of the most in-demand artists in dance music through their understanding of how to write incredibly catchy hooks to mesmerize the audience into repeating as soon as the first listen.
The follow up to one of the biggest songs of the year, ‘LoseControl’ sees three of the most in-demand acts in dance music come together for what’s set to be another global sensation.
London via Leeds electronic duo Prospa are back with blistering new single ‘Control The Party’, the first release to drop on their brand new imprint Rave Science. The propulsive track opens with heavyweight percussion before heralding in warm, shimmering synths and a euphoric, chopped up vocal – another irresistible earworm from the ascendant pair. The track is out now and the duo will be celebrating with a launch party at a secret London location tonight – sign-up here for more info.
The single comes at the end of a packed summer for Prospa – Leeds natives HarveyBlumler and GoshaSmith – which saw them make their debut at iconic festivals including Glastonbury, Lovebox and Parklife, sharing the stage with the likes Jon Hopkins, Paranoid London, Jayda G and more. A run of releases including underground hit ‘Intended,’ rave-ready smasher ‘GetThat,’ high-energy ‘Back To The Motherland’ (“An absolute heater” – Mixmag) and French Touch-inspired floor filler ‘Guitar Anthem’ had them garnering praise and spins from heavyweight and niche tastemakers from Annie Mac and Pete Tong to DJ Seinfeld and The Black Madonna, building on the breakout success of their debut single ‘Prayer,’ hailed by DUMMY as “a club staple in the making.”
Speaking about their new track, the duo reveals, “It all started with the vocal sample. We messed around with a few ideas and ended up time-stretching a classic ‘Hoover’ synth sound to make the bassline in the ambient section, and we built the tune from there. Control The Party is a new side to us, it’s a statement in terms of our sonic journey and where we are heading.”
With further DJ dates including two appearances at this year’s Warehouse Project season – with the boys making the first one last weekend to a hyped crowd – and a second stint at London’s Printworks, there’s no doubt that Prospa are heading rapidly in the right direction.
Prospa DJ dates:
27th September – Control The Party launch, secret London location 28th September – Stealth, Nottingham 13th October – Printworks, London 25th October – Nitsa, Barcelona 12th November – Cosmic Ballroom, Newcastle 21st December – Warehouse Project, Manchester
Electronic Producer Gidon Schocken released ‘Show Me The Way’ independently on October 4th. So far, Schocken has received support from publications such as Magnetic Magazine, CLASH Magazine, Music News, Essentially Pop, Chill Sounds Good Music, and others, and he will undoubtfully receive more praise. Featured on the track are singer-songwriter and electronic producer Tahel, composer and musician Filippo Fabbri and electronic artist OriLichtik. The song is from his album Immerse expected October 25th via Gidon Schocken Music.
Schocken names the likes of Massive Attack, The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, DJ Shadow, Lorn, and Throwing Snow as influences. ‘Show Me The Way’ demonstrates his versatility as an artist prompting one to think of artists such as Gesaffelstein, Perturbator and SebastiAn, with Tahel’s vocals reverberating over a driving beat. The track entwines the collaborators with true artistic mastery.
While speaking of the track Schocken revealed, “The track is about the fragility of life, how death can be so sudden and abrupt and how sometimes there’s no time to truly say goodbye to a loved one. I’d met up with a good friend for dinner who had told me of a family member’s sudden passing. A few hours later I got back home, worked on the track and added the main synth that comes in around the middle that set the tone for the rest of the song.”
Using the platform of fabric and FABRICLIVE that the London club have lovingly nurtured over the past 20 years, fabric Records present the past and future with 20 artists across 20 tracks, for the 20th Anniversary celebration of the beating heart of EC1.
1999: the beginning of the story. 1,000 weekends and 3,000 events, together with a seminal CD series that wrapped up last year with closing installments from fabric residents Craig Richards and Terry Francis with club founder KeithReilly, alongside London underground innovators Burial & Kode9 for FABRICLIVE. This special 20th Anniversary release reflects the history of the club from the very beginning to the current crop of residents. Here you’ll find artists who helped shape the sound of the club, grew up in the club, have been inspired by the club and have become part of the fabric family.
FABRICLIVE represents the finest in dubstep, drum & bass, jungle, breaks, and experimental beats. Houndstooth’s Special Request leads the charge in trademark style, opening the floor to Friday night luminaries Source Direct and J Majik. Shackleton and Pinch & Trim started playing the club during the birth of the UK dubstep scene and give a taste of the hugely disparate evolution of bass music. Daniel Avery and B.Traits show off their dancefloor versatility, while Rupture co-founder Mantra plants a flag for London’s vibrant musical future. Closing are two of the club’s longest associates Groove Armada and original FABRICLIVE resident James Lavelle as UNKLE.
fabric has been responsible for nurturing the underground London house and techno scene, inspiring and revolutionizing the clubbing landscape by confidently proving that you don’t have to book commercial acts to be a success. The breadth of talent here displays the far-reaching arms of the night – with an opening spread of melodic techno from Nina Kraviz, the shuddering electro of Steffi, and evolving experimental house of MargaretDygas. New resident IMOGEN veers things in a darker direction towards Cassy’s pumping house and MarcelDettmann’s classic late-night techno. AnastasiaKristensen drives ahead while Houndstooth’sCallSuper takes things down a deeper notch with a track reminiscent of many a classic night in room 3, and Maya Jane Coles steps up with a playful slice of house. British dance music pioneer Sasha closes out on a euphoric high with layers of building vocal and melody.
Founder of influential London and Ibiza party and record label Solid Grooves, in what seems like a short space of time MichaelBibi has become known as one of the most exciting House artists around.
‘Garden of Groove’ is a playful cut with an intoxicating synth line buried amongst razor sharp hi hats and chunky bass and kick combos. It’s one to rattle the walls of any club but has enough freakiness in the vocal line and weird samples so as to really get some big reactions. Just as impressive is ‘FunkFlex’ with its woodpecker drum programming and turbo-bass. Warped synths and a sleazy hip hop vocal bring things to life and ensure maximum impact in the club.
For the remix of ‘Garden of Groove’, Lee Foss links with Manchester mainstay Mason Maynard. The result is a bubbling track with sashaying drums that sweep you off your feet while the wailing vocal gets you into a trance.
MichaelBibi ‘Garden Of Groove EP’ drops on Repopulate Mars on 4th October 2019.
Tracklist: 01 Garden Of Groove 02 Funk Flex 03 Garden Of Groove (Lee Foss & Mason Maynard Remix)
Dark electronic pop producer Verasect has just had his ‘Catch Your Breath’ track remixed by Dobie via Terminal Blue records. The remix was premiered via The Playground before being released on the 23rd of August. The track is the third remix Verasect has released ahead of his upcoming remixes EP, ‘Awakenings’. The EP will also feature the same track remixed by the late Øfdream.
The track features a harsh mixture of drums meeting a smokey womans voice. We see elements of Trip-hop rise to meet both with a solid bass line to hold it all together. The result is a gradual build that gets your heart pounding and yet soothing it at the same time. The final electronic push of a kaleidoscope of sounds pushes home the individuality of the track.
We went hunting for the foretold sincerity with the British producer and peeled back his many layers. Read what truths he had to tell below
Hi Verasect, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. What has been the highlight of your week so far?
This week I’ve been lining up vocalists for the next EP. I’ve found three talented women with unique voices that I’m very excited to be working with. I have also been wandering the London streets at night filming some videos that I hope to have out soon.
To those not familiar with you, how would you describe your sound? I usually explain Verasect as dark synths with big beats and ethereal female vocals. A tug-of-war of melancholy and aggression in a perpetual dream-state.
What is the inspiration behind your name?
Verasect is a condensation of the Latin phrase Veraciter Sectari which means “hunt the truth”. So many of individuals’ and the world’s problems can be attributed to avoiding or denying the truth. Looking internally and being truthful with yourself is hard and often painful but is the only way to grow as a person. Those revelations have been my inspiration for writing music.
You’ve released a string of remixes with the ‘Catch Your Breath (Dobie Remix)’ being your latest one. What do you enjoy so much about having your work remixed?
I never thought much about having my work remix until Dobie asked for the stems for Catch Your Breath. I tend to not listen to many remixes myself but after I heard Dobie’s version, I knew I wanted to do a full EP. Hearing others take what you’ve done and twist it in totally different ways is fascinating. This also lead me to do my first remix which I did of Cheerleader by Luna Shadows.
Tell us some of the highlights and lowlights of working with Dobie?
Dobie has really opened my eyes to a different way of producing. I’m the type to sit behind the computer and overthink every creative decision in the songwriting process. Dobie has a much more laid back approach. He also pushes me to write more and to release more. The latter of which I’m still struggling with.
There haven’t been any lowlights of working with Dobie but we both have been through our share of personal struggles over the past year that I rather not go into detail about.
Who are the 5 most influential artists that have impacted you the most throughout your life?
As a kid I was a full-on elitist metal head and it wasn’t until high school where my musical journey took a turn. I met an interesting friend who was quite experimental and exposed me to a bunch of new music, art, books and philosophy. He would play me a few songs during lunch and most of it was too weird for me at the time but I remember really liking a song by KMFDM. On a whim I bought their album Nihil as was hooked. I had never heard mixing heavy guitars and electronic beats before and it took me down the rabbit hole of industrial rock for years.
Three years later I got my fake ID and was hitting up the New York underground clubs and was being exposed to all new sounds. I remember being on the dance floor and an epic song coming on that had me in a trance for a full nine minutes. I went right up to the DJ after and found it was Figurehead by Covenant. It was so futuristic yet the lyrics were emotional and poetic. They took me away from rock and since then I full embraced synth-based music.
In my 20s I was dating a girl with great musical taste. She exposed me to so many new bands that I listen to to this day. In the car she played Your Joy Is My Low by IAMX which was so strange but grew on me quickly. I soon moved on Chris Corner’s first band, Sneaker Pimps and fell in love with the melancholy and slower tempos for trip-hop.
By the late 2000s I started getting board of new music and stumbled across Alice Practice by Crystal Castles. Had never heard anything like it before and it got me back into music again. It also opened my eyes to what was happening in the indie electronic scene and all the branching genres, particularly wave and witch house.
The most recent band to influence me is Chvrches. Around this time I was writing the first music for Verasect and I became hooked on their retro analog sound. They inspired me to get out of the computer and write music on keyboards again. Soon after I bought a Prophet 12 which is I wrote most of the hooks for Sleep Stories on.
Do you have any particular gigs or festivals that you dream about playing?
While I’d certainly jump at the chance to play a festival, that’s not something I’d personally enjoy very much or that is well-suited for my music. I’d prefer a small intimate crowd in a dark basement in Berlin where people know the songs. My dream gig would be more about playing with artist that I admire.
Last words for your listeners?
If you love music, try making it. Not every great musician is naturally talented or classically trained, but every single one started by being moved by someone else’s work.
After releasing their debut album ‘Rhinoceros‘ last February and having received widespread approval on both the airwaves , Manchester-based band CALVALOUISE have unveiled their explosive new single ‘Belicoso’.
Taken from their upcoming EP ‘Interlude for the Borderline Unsettled‘, the band has taken a slightly different path from their indie sound to pursue a more alternative endeavour.
A sonic boom waiting to happen, Calva Louise come from different parts of the world. Sailing from Venezuela, France and New Zealand, the band have been tearing up the airwaves with support from BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens, Jack Saunders and Abbie McCarthy, BBC Radio 6’s Steve Lamacq, Shaun Keaveny and the legendary Iggy Pop, BBC Radio 4’s Front Row, Radio X’s John Kennedy, as well as Communion presents, and Amazing Radio.
Meanwhile, Clash and DIY have hailed them as rebels with a cause and Fred Perry selected the band as their ‘Best New Music’. Summoned to support Albert Hammond Jr, Spring King, The Blinders and Hunter & the Bear on tour, 2018 has seen the trio leaving a trail of beautiful destruction from London to Glasgow, which only looks set to continue in 2019, having supported Razorlight on the German leg of their tour in February, a full run of UK headline shows in March, supporting The Maine all around Europe in early April and going on tour all over the UK with Strange Bones in June.
