Step Your Fresh Up Friday

This week has been pretty exciting and chock full of great material from across the globe.  A couple of real treats are in store for you to rock over the weekend and beyond!

Curtis B's new EP coming up on Drop the World is an all around killer.  From electro to breaks and dubstep to Drum and Bass/Drumstep he's smashing it up and never getting pigeon-holed.  His sound design is familiar but distinct.  It's not just another cookie cutter complextro tune, it's Curtis B!  The glue of the EP is just this.  No matter what the genre, there's a common sound set.  My personal favorite attribute about his sound is the lo-fi wind downs and killer fills.  Scope the tunes and pick up the EP on Beatport when it drops!

 DTW014 Curtis B Chromatic Album Teaser by Curtis B

The always expected clean sound design from Mord Fustang, but the cutting edge of BT and vocals from Angela McCluskey crush this one.  Glitched out, and sounding epic in its very own way are trademarks of Plasmapool's most popular artist right now.  The vocal pitch manipulations are spot on with what my ears expect.  This one is a big room banger for sure.  The drums in the beginning of the taster build just right to the vocals and come smashing right back out to the drop.  The arpegiated leads that are the trademark of the modern complextro sound are polished and give you just what you want.

Morgan Page, Sultan + Ned Shepard, and BT - In The Air feat. Angela McCluskey (Mord Fustang Remix) by Mord Fustang

Vize is coming to Cincinnati on the 29th for Shut Up Gina and Dance by B.O.T. productions and has just released another killer breaks tune to condition your eardrums for his arrival.  The drums come out swingin' from the beginning and the synth stabs build it up just right.  The driving basslines are a staple and make this beast come to life.  If you know how to build anticipation like Mitchell does, you're definitely on the right track.  It is not only killer sounds, but killer arrangement is what make a great producer, and he hits it on all the marks.

Juice 2012 by Vize

Stylus Rex from Ground Level just had a release on beatport and wanted to give us a bit of a taste of with a free short edit as well as full previews of the tunes!  The edit showcases the rolling sub bass and emotion that hasn't been present in a lot of music lately.  It's quite refreshing to see tunes like this pop up and I'll guarantee you'll have a spot for it in a set upcoming.  The Access Denied mix takes it to a harder level and gives it to you with a raw style.  Grinding synths crunch down just right at the drop is and leave you wanting more.

Snatch it up here at Beatport

Amplify Album Sampler part 2 by groundlevel

Last but not least, the man himself Simon Shackleton aka Elite Force has a full 2 hours of mayhem from Burning Man 2011 at the Distrikt camp and TWO free tunes.  There's not much to say but WOW.  Check out the refixes and you can pretty much count on dropping them this weekend if you haven't already.

http://www.eliteforcemusic.com/crankitup.htm
http://www.eliteforcemusic.com/techno.htm

As always...don't fake the funk, catch you next time!

New Tune Tuesday

Some serious work being done by Rebel Sketchy on the latest Ground Level release Square Dance.  A progressive and melodic but techy intro take you into the world of breakbeat through an atmostpheric breakdown.  A rolling techy grinder with a side of funk is the best way I can put it.  Some choice sound design here and a lead synth reminiscent of Groove Allegiance and Malente brought me back.  Along on this release is the Lo IQ? mix but wait, THERE'S MORE!  A free tunes never did any harm so here ya go!

Rebel Sketchy - Square Dance by groundlevel
Rebel Sketchy - Square Dance (Lo IQ? Remix) by groundlevel
Nyse - Moguai (Rebel Sketchy RMX Re-Edit) by groundlevel
2011 Lo IQ? & Johnny Dangerously - The Invincible Wild Style [FREE DownLoad] by Lo IQ?

Being a long time breaks listener I'm quite familiar with the work on Bombtraxx.  Bombtraxx is dedicated to the techy and aggressive side of breaks but that doesn't mean they've lost the funk.  Quadrat Beat and Chevy One bring it to you proper with their own spin on The Day Before.  The original mixes catchy melodic build drops into a breaky grinder that progresses with more complex shuffled hats and pleasing synth stabs.  I have to say it has a killer fill right before the last drop!  The Chevy One mix takes a slightly more aggressive take with retains enough melodic elements of the original to keep those dancing shoes moving.  With higher pitched slightly squelchy stabs I'm a huge fan.  The half-time breakdown to dubstep for a couple measures at a time really kicks it into high gear when it drops back into breaks.  Check the tracks and follow Bombtraxx for release updates!


BTX041 Quadrat Beat - The Day Before w/ Chevy One Remix - Bombtraxx by Bombtraxx

I've mentioned him before, and he's back again, KWeRK is dropping some serious breakbeat heat with his latest work in progress The Werkout.  I talk to Ian on a regular basis and he tipped me off to this unsigned tune with great responses and wanted me to have a listen.  I put on the cans and was in it from the beginning.  I really like the wind up into the bass heavy lead breakdown in the beginning.  Another element that I really dig about his work in general is the variety of sound choice.  Progressive synths along with grinding sub bass and distorted leads coupled with b boy vocals get me every time.  Check his other tunes and look for an EP coming soon!  Keep KWeRK'n it...

KWeRK - The Werkout (WIP clip) by KWeRK

Step Your Fresh Up Friday - Breaks that Bang

If you know breakbeat, you know this man. Deekline is a veteran producer of many styles but I can say that some of my favorite releases from him have been in the breaks department. This continues from his earlier tracks on Botchit and Scarper to his latest projects on Rat Records, Sludge, and beyond. The forthcoming release "Always RIP" on Rat Records is nothing short of his energy he always brings.  The original mix with it's progressive intro brings it up just right to the piercing vocals.  The drop hits hard with slimey detuned squares with a righteously funky groove.  The Pyramid remix has a classic breakbeat feel that will get you in the gut.  The Eddie K and Minus remix brings the DnB just how I like it, smooth enough to flow and dirty enough to get down to.  The release as a whole is absolutely out of this world.

  Always RIP - forthcoming on Rat Records by DJ Deekline

Deenk continues his steady flow of breaks releases that hit the spot.  His tracks are always carrying a great energy with a funky driving beat that's nonstop to the last drop.  His synths are super clean and his arrangement is dancefloor ready, just what you need for the weekend.  Kyla's vocals carry your feet on a journey of their own.  From glitch to funk to drivers, he does them all in proper fashion.


Deenk by DEENK

You were gettin juiced before, now they're back at it again with their latest release Back To Back.  A Tribe called Wes and DJ Fixx bring it with a breakbeat styling.  The orignal mix takes me back to florida for sure!  Fixx takes you away with the electro stylings with a hard hitting funk like he's known to do.  Check both the tunes!

JRSR069, Back To Back (DJ Fixx Remix) by Wes Smith on Juice Recordings by The Juice Squad
JRSR067, Back to Back, Wes Smith on Juice Recordings by The Juice Squad

Ian Padley aka KWeRK is always bustin out some funky breaks, and this week is no exception.  With a Calvin Harris remix and a sick WIP, I'm stuck on his page!  Don't forget the Calvin Harris tune has the free download so you can bang it out at the club.  Face The Front is a chunky tune with extra catchy drums and a breakdown that's ever so sweet.  Check his other tunes and look for his releases on Kick It Recordings and beyond!

Calvin Harris - Feel So Close (KWeRK ReRub) (**Free 320 D/L**) by KWeRK
KWeRK - Face The Front (work in progress clip) by KWeRK

Now for a couple mixes to set you off right into the night...

Curtis B Summer Session by Curtis B
PRODUKDo - Gettin' It In by PRODUKDo
8*B1T + Jon Wert - Blood Guts & Basslines by 8*B1T