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Ghettozoid: Boy Toy

• Written by: Dan Cole
• Filed under: Videos: ghettozoid, one4ho, silverman

Sophie Ruston’s new One4Ho imprint delves into its third release, a solo production under her Ghettozoid moniker entitled “Boy Toy.” Taking a larger influence from her time spent in Berlin, the single flits between Hard Wax-friendly techno rhythms and darker dubstep textures in a Bristol style; it’s topped off by a creepy spoken-world vocal that could set the dancefloor on its ear, dropped at the right moment.

The single comes with a remix from newcomer Silverman, who pushes the bass and takes the track to its maximum. Impossible to categorize beyond its breakbeat hardcore associations, Silverman’s remix could very well fit neatly onto a Rephlex compilation of weird and awesome rave tracks.

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• Check out One4Ho on Beatport Now

DJ Harvey reworks a Japanese classic

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Videos: dj harvey, endless flight, logic system, sarcastic disco

Trainspotters, fasten your bibs: a cornerstone of Japanese electronic-music history gets a killer rework this week, 30 years after it was first released.

Logic System’s “Clash” came out back in 1981; its creator was Hideki Matsutake, a former assistant to Isao Tomita and the synthesizer programmer for Yellow Magic Orchestra. (He’s sometimes referred to as YMO’s unofficial “fourth member.") The tune has been a staple in DJ Harvey’s sets for years now, and he included it on his Sarcastic Disco Vol. 2 mix CD. Now Hideki’s Motion label and EMI Japan have given DJ Harvey a shot at remixing “Clash” for Tokyo’s Endless Flight, a sister to the Mule Musiq and Mule Electronic labels.

While preserving all of its essential character, Harvey gives “Clash” a major working over, nearly doubling its running time (to eight and a half minutes), punching up the percussion, and adding the heaviest bass wallop you’ll hear this side of the dubstep scene. It’s a heavy, heavy jam, just the thing to tide us over while we await the Locussolus album.

The B-side turns up Logic System’s previously unreleased “Traffic Circuit,” a mid-tempo, almost breakbeat-oriented tune with layer after layer of bright, glassy synths and a heavy ‘80s feel. (From the sound of things, you can bet that the members of Sun Electric have this record in their collections, somewhere.)

Logic System’s ”Clash (DJ Harvey Remix)” is out now, with the digital release exclusive to Beatport. Keep reading to check out the release, and enjoy the original version via YouTube, above.

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• Get Logic System's "Clash (DJ Harvey Remix)" on Beatport now

Gil Scott-Heron, RIP

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Videos: gil scott-heron

As you’ve probably read by now, Gil Scott-Heron passed away last Friday, age 62, following an illness and hospitalization. A poet, novelist, musician, spoken-word artist, and activist, he might be best remembered for his 1970 spoken-word piece, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”; he was a fierce and insightful social critic who knew how to leaven his invective with humor and beauty.

Several articles have appeared online in recent days that bear reading for anyone with even a passing interest in Scott-Heron, spoken word, ‘70s radicalism, or funk and hip-hop, broadly speaking. Pitchfork ran an appreciation loaded with context and audio samples. Alex Wilkinson, who profiled Scott-Heron for The New Yorker last year, wrote a short, moving memorial. (For the time being, the magazine has moved the full 2010 profile from behind the paywall, and you can read it here.) Finally, Richard Russell, whose label XL released Scott-Heron’s last album, I’m New Here, as well as the remix album We’re New Here, produced by Jamie XX, posted his own memorial to the man, describing conversations with him as “a gift.”

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• Listen to Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie XX on Beatport

Par Grindvik: Sinister

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Videos: gary beck, jesper dahlback, par grindvik, samuel l session, staffan linzatti, stockholm ltd

Sweden’s Par Grindvik has always had a particularly ominous take on techno, if not outright evil—whether on his own label, Stockholm LTD, or records for Drumcode, Saved, and LTD400.

So it’s not entirely surprising that his new label, launched this week, is called Sinister.

Its first release is also called “Sinister,” and the music lives up to the title with swarming drones that sound like what you might hear queuing up at the gates of Hell.

Grindvik says that he wrote the original track in 2009 and 2010 as “part of a healing process.” That music wasn’t intended for release, and, says Grindvik, “it probably never will be.” Instead, he gave the parts to a small crew of friends and labelmates. The results—from Samuel L Session, S100, Gary Beck, Staffan Linzatti, Jesper Dahlback, and Grindvik himself—are six tracks of the deepest, darkest, most blackhearted techno you can imagine. ("None More Black” would have worked just as well as a title.)

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• Get Sinister on Beatport

NPR surveys Detroit techno

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Videos: a number of names, anthony shake shakir, carl craig, derrick may, detroit, ectomorph, inner city, juan atkins, kevin saunderson, model 500, moodymann, npr, underground resistance

America’s National Public Radio has never been known as a hub for dance music, but recently, NPR has been ramping up its coverage of any number of electronic styles. A recent segment (and related blog post) featured Pete Tong and Gilles Peterson breaking down the oft-discussed divide between the US and UK’s dance music scenes. Now, in honor of last weekend’s Movement festival, they’ve asked a handful of Detroit musicians and journalists to share they’re favorite Detroit techno tracks of all time.

In interviews with Carl Craig, Brendan Gillen (Ectomorph), Anthony “Shake” Shakir, Jeff Mills, and others, they look back at classic cuts from Cybotron, Model 500 (Juan Atkins), Rhythim Is Rhythim (Derrick May), Eddie Flashin Fowlkes, Inner City (Kevin Saunderson), Psyche (Carl Craig), Underground Resistance feat. Mike Banks, and Moodymann.

Click here to check out the segment, and keep reading to get the tracks currently available on Beatport, along with our six-part playlist from last year’s Pioneers of Dance Music: Detroit feature.

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