Beat Culture - Belong (ft. Steffaloo)

At 17 years old, Sunik Kim has gained the respect - no, adoration - of almost every aspiring producer who bases their work on Soundcloud. If ever you needed evidence of the Platform’s benefits and its ability to break an artist and help build a steady career for them, this is it. Steffaloo features on virtually every relevant producer’s work but on ‘Belong’ she sounds fresh, new to these ears: Completely enthused to be featuring on ‘Belong’. If the ‘Goldenback Weaver’ record felt like a breakthrough, this tops the triumph. An elated, potentially seminal example of the producer’s early years. Quite phenomenally, he can go even further than this, if he chooses.

[Taken from the LYFSTYL compilation, ‘Dreams’]

1981 - Ramas Caidas

Maximiliano Pietroboni aka. 1981 likes to make songs that play up to their title. ‘Ramas Caidas’ translates as “Fallen Branches”. And the natural bursts of mellowed-out energy give out a suitably autumnal feel - in fact the song works perfectly as a soundtrack to the snowy view from my bedroom window. It’s a gorgeous backdrop to get lost in; an instrumental work of many hidden paths and beautiful twists and turns. 

Analog d r i f t: Manuel Antonio

It’s possible for me to be enamoured enough with a single second (or in this case, sample) of a song, so much so that I have to post it. ‘Manuel Antonio’, one of many works by Oklahoma producer Brad Holden, draws you in with a sweep (and it is, a literal sweep) of shimmering guitars. He repeats this sample every 5 seconds or so (if you scroll back through the rest of his souncloud page, you’ll see that this is a tactic he employs with several of his otherworldly works), until you’re well and truly shrouded beneath hundreds of layers of dreamy guitars and pent-up drum patterns. 

Great Bays: Numb

‘Numb’ knows how beautiful it is. And like every walking supermodel or subject of a Mike Skinner song, its self-awareness is almost off-putting. Yet, when you put this Great Bays track on and you look outside, it gives you a lease of life, a reason to get out of your bedroom and explore. The most gorgeous thing to come out of Brighton in ages. 


[via] 

Cosmonaut Grechko: Only Friends

Somewhere on Earth, the sun is shining, the beaches are empty bar from some romanticised happy couple and the sea is as clear as can be. This certain “somewhere” isn’t Russia, but the artist most in-tune with such a sensation bases themselves there. Victor Klyuchnikov is the producer of the first piece of music this year to get my heart set on a timely escape to a distant haven. Now it’s just a case of raising the cash, putting a degree on hold and booking the flights.

via Unholy Rhythms/ Jon Hillcock’s New Noise Podcast

Art Crime: Nobody can breathe on the moon

Released some few months back, only finding out about Art Crime’s ‘Forever and Never’ EP now is sort of like being told that your workplace sent you an e-mail back in June, saying you could have two months off, with a courtesy holiday in Mauritius, only to discover said e-mail, right now, in your spambox. This would have been perfect for those six or seven days of glorious British sun, or the ridiculously sweltering week I personally spent in Berlin over August. Percussion tip-toes around a breathtaking, multi-layered collection of sweet, glossy synths, and all you can think about is the winter coat sale and the Christmas decorations. Where did it all go? 

For those who had Art Crime in their life before today: You’re very much envied.  

nobody can breathe on the moon by Art Crime