The 20 from Beatport

The 20: June 2008

June 2008

1 June, 2008 | 12.00PM

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

The 20 lists the top 20 releases available on Beatport each month.

Topping The 20 this month is Minilogue and their debut album, ‘Animals’.

Also in The 20 this month is Italoboyz, Josh Wink, Booka Shade, Loco Dice, Audion, Martin Buttrich and more.

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The 20 featured reviews for June 2008

Animals

Minilogue [Cocoon Recordings]

#01 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

Minilogue have released thought-provoking techno and minimal for over seven years, and finally we see the Swedes’ drop their debut artist album ‘Animals’.

But was it worth the wait?

Bahia

Italoboyz vs John Coltrane [Mothers...

#02 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

Known since ‘Viktor Casanova’ as being able to magically create minimal based out of soul, Italoboyz do it again with ‘Bahia’ — this time with the help of the legendary John Coltrane.

It may be fitting, too, that the native-Italians-relocated-to-London had put their mark on the world with that track while giving a grand introduction to Claude VonStroke’s underground label offshoot, Mothership, nearly one year ago.

Sexy Boy EP

DJ Yellow & Duotone [Saw Recordings...

#03 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

Having built his arsenal for quite a few years, DJ Yellow [pictured] releases the ‘Sexy Boy EP’ digitally as a collaboration with Duotone.

His roots lie in Paris, where 15 years ago he formed the label Yellow Productions along with Bob Sinclar, but his pedigree and influence doesn’t stop there.

Stay Out All Night

Josh Wink [Ovum Recordings]

#04 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

Beatportal got the scoop on ‘Stay Out All Night’ straight from Josh Wink’s mouth at Miami’s Winter Music Conference back in March.

Back then we predicted that the track would be a big hitter, and sure enough Pete Tong proclaimed ‘Stay Out All Night’ one of the biggest tracks of the year on his BBC Radio 1 show not long after.

The Sun & the Neon Light (The Vinyl Mixes)

Booka Shade [Get Physical Music]

#05 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

Germany’s Booka Shade have been moving at a steady but progressive pace.

Their third full-length album, ‘The Sun & The Neon Light’ has been rightfully gaining the Berlin-based duo “instant classic” cred, and now they’ve developed mixes that are exclusive to Beatport and tailored for the dancefloor.

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Get 'The Sun & the Neon Light (The Vinyl Mixes)' on Beatport

I Feel Free (Donato Dozzy & Modern Heads Slow Remix )

Xcoast [Modern Activism]

#06 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

Donato Dozzy [pictured] teams up with fellow Italians Modern Heads for a slow-burning tech house remix of Xcoast’s ‘I Feel Free’, which bears as much resemblance to the acoustic pop original as Britney Spears does to a sane person.

By choosing to ignore the vocals, the producers have managed to create their own dark hypnotic track that could work as a perfect set opener.

Love & Beyond

Jay Haze [Tuning Spork]

#07 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

Whilst Jay Haze’s full three-disc version of his album ‘Love & Beyond’ is neither here nor there (the full two and half hours is a rather confusing hotch potch of hip hop and minimal), Tuning Spork has wisely chosen to only release the dancefloor-friendly records on Beatport.

And there’s some brilliance to be found, including the groovy vocal-led techno of ‘Who Got The Funk’ and ‘Ass To Mouth’ – both scatological minimal tracks that show Haze’s ability to twist vocal samples into hypnotic loops of funk.

Drifting

Miss Fitz [Contexterrior]

#08 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

Nina Simone has been cut up, slapped about and abused by techno and house producers recently; at least, her famous vocals have.

Whilst Luciano has been playing his own Nina Simone secret bootleg (which features Felix Da Houscat’s piano line from his remix of ‘Sinnerman’ merged with an unknown vocal), here Miss Fitz dabbles with a bit of Simone by sampling ‘Feeling Good’ on ‘Drifting’.

7 Dunham Place

Loco Dice [Desolat]

#09 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

It may be surprising that a man from “D-Town City” — that’s Düsseldorf, Germany, for all you observers — would focus on a city based in the United States.

But when you’re talking about the world-class New York City, geography seems nearly irrelevant.

Billy Says Go

Audion [Spectral Sound]

#10 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

Showing off his ever-expanding palate, Matthew Dear utilizes his Audion alias for his latest fling with techno.

The three tracks on ‘Billy Says Go’ all seem to have a life all their own.

Raw Beauty

LoSoul [Playhouse]

#11 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

Though LoSoul had been steeped in music since the 1980s, it wasn’t until he released 2000’s ‘Belong’ on Playhouse that anyone seemed to notice.

It was his playful way of mixing funk with techno unrivaled by many of his peers that got everyone’s attention.

Stoned Auto Pilot

Martin Buttrich [Planet E Communica...

#12 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

In Carl Craig’s widening reach of the Planet E Communications record label, its latest release features Loco Dice collaborator and artist in his own right, Germany’s Martin Buttrich.

And on close listen, the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

Peter’s Secret Weapon

Tigerskin [Dirt Crew]

#13 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

Fans of darker, more progressive techno should check Tigerskin’s new ‘Peter’s Secret Weapon’ which is more than your average minimal techno record.

Produced using just analogue equipment, the warmth and subtlety of ‘Peter’s Secret Weapon’ is what makes it stand out from the sea of minimal currently cluttering clubland.

Pox Box (Johnny D Remix)

Ralph Sliwinski [Sushitech]

#14 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

Beatportal has been a huge supporter of Johnny D since his seismic debut ‘Manipulation EP’ in November 2007, and now comes a hot new remix of Ralph Sliwinski’s ‘Pox Box’.

Johnny D has a talent for creating rolling house that ebbs and flows organically like a river of groove, and here on ‘Pox Box’ he demonstrates his ability to create funk-infected techno.

Heavy Day

Falko Brocksieper [Sub Static]

#15 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

Falko Brocksieper’s ‘Heavy Day’ represents the fun, electroclash sensibilities of the Cologne techno scene and here on his second studio LP he combines moody, dark soundscapes with funky electro-tech house.

In the five years since his debut artist album ‘Hoax Deluxe’, Falko Brocksieper has matured his sound through a frenetic number of remixes and releases, and when comparing his two LPs, it seems he’s retreated into his soul a little.

136 Trek

Pinch [Punch Drunk ]

#16 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

Dubstep label Punch Drunk releases the latest by rising Bristol star Pinch to true underground form.

But it’s the release’s b-side, ‘136 Trek’, that steals the show.

Whispers

Aeroplane [Eskimo]

#17 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

All the screams of “Disco Sucks!” and record burning parties in the world couldn’t crush the disco strength of ‘Whispers’ by Belgium duo Aeroplane.

Nearly as a revival of the sound, UK songstress Kathy Diamond adds her vocal touch to remove the cut further back from house to touch on its roots.

Corydon and Manjrekar

Jack Marchment [Benbecula Records]...

#18 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

Jack Marchment’s digitally distorted take on electronica sounds at times like Plaid’s best work, and although the British producer’s second album effort ‘Corydon & Manjreker’ isn’t quite up to par with Plaid’s ‘Rest Proof Clockwork’, it’s a fine effort in electronic meticulousness.

Too often conceptual electronica albums can disappear in a haze of nonsensical glitch and abstract, disillusioned melodies, but Jack Marchment’s stride towards meaningful melodic arrangements makes ‘Corydon & Manjreker’ more accessible than most electronica LPs.

Prototype

Swat Squad [Tic Tac Toe Records]

#19 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

Swat Squad is quirky minimal techno act based out of the unlikely location of sunny Barcelona, Spain.

It may be its location that keeps the sound from getting too deep while maintaining a feel that’s slightly on the lighter side.

Identity Politics

Shin Nishimura [Plus Records (Plus...

#20 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: Terry Church

Surreptitiously funky, Shin Nishimura’s third album ‘Identity Politics’ is unashamedly dancefloor-focused techno and it doesn’t lose its kick drums for longer than a breakdown.

As a collection of driving techno tracks, the LP laughs at the idea of a concept album.