Thursday 30 April 2015

Thursd'y Again

Oops, I was busy for a couple of days and forgot to post, lets fix that reet sharpish and hope that no-one notices, here's another dose of your (mostly) usually scheduled music things.


Keeping tabs on LIFU from the last post, digging his latest tune you can find above too, decidedly more laidback than the other Spitfire I have in my library courtesy of The Prodigy. First I've heard from him with vocal accompaniment, and I'm certainly looking forward to more.

Rex The Dog has come back swinging into my playlists again, he's dropped some new tunes as of late but I'm just itching for a follow up to the amazing The Rex The Dog Show. It's packed full of solid house tunes and sweet as synths, do yourself a favour and check it out!



Pretty Lights is also on a comeback for me, mainly because he's soundtracking me and my friend's antics around the sun drenched streets of Los Santos. As much as I say the more electro side of Filling Up The City Skies isn't as strong as the hip/trip hop side, it does have it's standout moments.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Sunday 26 April 2015

Diggin' Results

Got an interview with University on Tuesday, feeling good about it but of course that's always the case with me until I have to actually go in there. Anyway here's the results of my weekend's listenings.


Found the above on Reddit of all places, my music discovery there has been pretty limited until now, turns out there's some good stuff in them threads. Intro on this one's very lush indeed. Check this guy out, he more than deserves yer support!

I've been on the hunt for more classical meets experimental electronic since I got my mitts on Rossz Csillag Alatt Született, and where should I find my fix but from the most credited composer in my library Yoko Kanno. That breakdown in the middle is straight up amazing to boot.



And as always my most recent favourite jam from Squarepusher. It's got to have been well over a year since I first heard this one on that promo video and it's still just as sweet. The fact it's played by actual, literal robots only makes it even better. Welcome to the future, where robot bands play jazz.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Thursday 23 April 2015

Thursday Themes

Been sorting a multitude of things attempting to seem professional. But the time's come to take a step back and zone out with some fine digital audio. So let's not waste any time

Tony Oursler - Cherry Nokia (2008)

Some Plone was just what I needed, their playful breed electronic is always a pleasure to listen to, it's a shame the project was so short lived, I could see stuff like this going down well these days. Here's yet another bit from their unreleased second album that I'm loving right about now.



On that same track, props to Snap Ant for making the surprisingly depressing Playgirl from Ladytron into something that wouldn't sound amiss coming out of a bar's speakers somewhere in Spain. Here it is:



And last but not least, a lil' bit of reggaefied Gorillaz courtesy of Spacemonkeyz. Put the LP back in my rotation again, and it's always a welcome addition when it's time comes around. Ideally should have posted this one 3 days ago but what are ya gonna do?



-Claude Van Foxbat

Monday 20 April 2015

Commission

Apologies again for the quiet patch, but I done found myself a freelance job. Lucky for you it was a pretty speedy turnaround, so I can share with you the tunes I was jamming to while editing!

Chiho Aoshima - Yuyake Chan Miss Sunset (2006)

I always feel like I don't like The Chem' Bros. as much as I should. Don't get me wrong I love Exit Planet Dust and all that for sure but I don't really keep up with them as I should. Regardless when they hit their high points they really do, I've been looping this one for years and I'm not likely to stop now.



Remember when I was meant to give you a break from Simon Viklund? Turns out I LIED because this came on while I was editing and I forgot how much of a jam it was, this thing has some wicked bass in it. I'd love to see an album from the guy, if his soundtracks are anything to go by it'd be solid.



Also saw a return to form for the final track from Happy Birthday!, featuring Warp Records dwellers Maxïmo Park. Shame they've done nothing together since, the 'Selektor's style works real good with their contributions and I'd love to see where they take it with their current sound.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Preloadin'

Managing to remember to update here after that film fest slip up, surprisingly my sleep schedule has remained largely intact. The upload has been replaced by an even longer wait now though, as you read this I'm still downloading the PC version of GTA V at some occasionally abysmal speeds. Like I said before tho, it's given me a chance to go digging for potential custom soundtracks and with that, let's get stuck in.



Icarus return with another tune set for the summer. Though unlike Cassia this one's not for the mid-day get togethers, it's for the 9PM just before the sun goes down and you're going out moments. That bassline's been rattling my shelves all day, and I'm a sucker for a 2-step beat that reminds me of my garage listenings as a youth. Should be a nice addition to the streets of LS.

Returned to Stench's 2015 release for the first time in a while to look for soundtrack ammo and I wasn't left wanting. Even more 2-step shenanigans here, with Stench's trademark bass at work behind it. Surprised I missed this one out in my review of the thing, it's a solid addition for sure.



And while we're on the subject of garage and my youth, let's not neglect to mention one of the best garage tunes of all time that was actually already included on a GTA soundtrack. The original track is fine sure, there are better songs on the Sneaker Pimp's Becoming X though, but this remix is a cult classic that has earned it's reputation. That bassline is still savage nearly 17 years later.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Monday 13 April 2015

14 Hours Later...

Apologies for the slow patch; spent the better part of yesterday trying to upload a piece for entry into a film festival. Naturally, my ISP wasn't too pleased about me trying to offhand a 6GB file, even less after the two previous failed attempts that stopped at 1.5GB. But I watched it finish eventually! It took until 5AM but it is done! So we return to our regularly scheduled programming with some music.

Tom Wesselmann - Smoker Banner (1971)

Another fallout of my Cyberpunk binge a few moths back is a massive stack of great tunes. Ghost In The Sell is a standout for this, from the movie to the PS1 game to the Stand Alone Complex series there's plenty of solid tunes to go around. Presenting yet another number courtesy of Yoko Kanno under her Gabriela Robin alais, I absolutely adore this intro.



Again, I'm sorry for giving out so much of Simon's work, but he kills it regularly on the soundtrack front. Instead of a newer addition I've been diggin' this one as of late. Once again as at home on the dancefloor as it is during a daring bank heist.



And keeping on the soundtrack theme, I'm here arranging my very own custom FlyLo FM as I wait for my PC GTA V to download, and this track from his debut LP, 1983 is going to take a spot on there for sure among the other early FlyLo LPs. Check it out if this one slipped your radar.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Wednesday 8 April 2015

Typography Blues

To those of you out there with no experience in the world of typography, consider yourselves lucky. Nothing I know f in this world is as stressful as shifting kernings by fractions trying to get things looking nice. Even worse when it moves like in my videos! But I digress, I'm taking some time out to share some sound with you.

Edward Hopper - Western Motel (1957)

N.O.W has come back on me in a big way. I'm staggered by how good of an album In A Space Outta Sound is, it doesn't top Smoker's Delight for me, but it's a close bloody second. Many a time this tune has seen me home through the streets of Leeds.



Went digging up some DMX Krew earlier this year, and with it I found a new addition to my smooth synths section. I couldn't have done it without the original track that tipped me off to him, that is another remix from Music For Freelance. It's not much like the other's I've posted, it has a much more electronic edge. Get a load of that bouncy bassline though.



And finally another tune from Pretty Lights which accurately sums up my work ethic at least 33% of the time. Another solid addition to any playlist you may be prepping for the coming warmer months, as is any Pretty Lights really. Enjoy!



-Claude Van Foxbat

Monday 6 April 2015

Easter Jams

Took the weekend off thanks to the magic of scheduled posts, and now I'm back home and refreshed I thought I'd draw up another selection for you because why not. So without further ado let's get stuck in for some fine holiday jams.

Freddy Reitz - Berlin

Simon Viklund is fast becoming my favourite Swedish export ever since my long time loves The Knife parted ways, every single addition he makes for the Payday soundtrack is golden and one of the latest ones added for spring break, Backstab, continues that trend.



Bit of a rarity I've recovered from the depths of my Daft Punk folder, an 8 minute version of Musique taken from a French compilation circa 1996. Come to think of it I think I may have picked it up on here before I came onto the staff. Nevertheless, enjoy.



And as well over the weekend I dug out my old Vitalic and holy hell it's been a while. I put them away long ago because I had listened to them to death, but now they're almost like new again. And I don't see a legendary tune like La Rock 01 leaving my rotation anytime soon, originally released in 2001 and it still holds proud in my hall of favourite electronic stuff. I needed the energy it brings to the table like yesterday.



-Claude Van Foxbat

Saturday 4 April 2015

Inbox Highlights 2: Electric Boogaloo

Not often we hit a twofer in the old inbox. But here we are; I've got more than a few FFRR records in my collection, but I must admit I'd not heard from them in a while but to be fair I wasn't exactly looking either. Well, they came knocking at my door with their newly signed sibling duo dubbed Icarus, hailing from from my corner of the globe, specifically Bristol.



I'd assumed it'd start quite minimal based on the art, but I was surprised to find the intro engaging from the get go, it changes it up enough times to be fresh, and when the gorgeously 90's piano drops in at 1:40 it was pretty spectacular. While I was busy taking that in the rest of the mix came crashing back it and I was instantly transported back to the late 2000's when mainstream dance was solid and the airwaves ruled by Pjanoo and Calvin Harris. Here's hoping that this gets picked up and happens again just in time for this summer. This is certainly one I'm going to have on standby for any friends in dire need of sun-kissed tunes in the coming months.

-Claude Van Foxbat

Thursday 2 April 2015

Inbox Highlights

Normally when I post Soundcloud players it's for upoming stuff from big-ish labels, and it's easy to forget there's un-mined potential out there in the indie world. Granted the market is pretty saturated these days but there's some good stuff out in that vast expanse.



It's no secret I'm a sucker for silky smooth synths. My main source for that kinda thing is mainly old school deep house just becacuse that's practically what the genre was built on. I first picked this one up from the little artwork thumbnail, but my ears pricked up too when I got into listening. I can't get enough of that Instrumentation, especially on the outro!



Alright, I admit it, this is another one I picked from the artist profile pic alone. Art is my thing alright? Anyway, this one's a bit of an odd combo. The closest touchstone I can think of at the minute is Apparat, with maybe some of The Actress Not The Character I posted a long while ago and just a smidgen of Post-Rock thrown in there for good measure. But different isn't always bad, case in point:

-Claude Van Foxbat