The Swiss - In The City EP : Review

Veteran producers and favorites of blogs past (such as discodust and French express), The Swiss are out with an explosive new EP titled In The City. It includes three original productions and two remixes by Adapt or Die and Luke Million. The album contains The Swiss' trademark chord use and drums, but at the same it has an updated feel much more aligned with current tastes. That being said, if you prefer that pre-2009 sound, Antiquities( the second track of the ep) is what you're looking for. I give the EP a 4.5/5

Danger: July 2013 EP Preview

The elusive Danger returns for his long awaited 4th EP titled, "July 2013". Danger has been known to sit on his work for long periods of time before releasing, most importantly his full length album. His premiere album was said to be completed over 2 and a half years ago however, was finished around the time that Justice released, "Audio, Video, Disco" and Franck Rivoire decided to wait. From that point, the electronic world also saw a shift in production style, which could have prompted Danger to revamp his sound, resulting in what the latest teaser for his new EP hints at. To me, Danger's original sound of video game influence, strong emotional melodies, and pounding drum patterns created his own pocket of electro that stood out from the rest. Soon after many followed his lead creating similar styling with 8 bit/chiptune influence. This new sound of his is obviously very trap/dub influenced which has worked in some of his unreleased interludes floating around youtube, but will it be a transformation of his prior sound? Only time will tell. But for now, let's all get excited for some new Danger.

Album Review : Hawaii94 - Nightvision EP

Hawaii 94's latest effort, Nightvision, is nothing short of brilliant. A Synth addled adventure set in  a Dreamwave universe, Nightvision gives us a brilliant balance of music and expression. To my ears  it teeters oh so gracefully  between the Wild Nothing-esque Beach rock guitar and vocals and fundamental synth melodies, tropical beats and a touch of Shoe Gaze. The combination of all these elements give us a unique and fresh listening experience. I can see Hawaii 94 doing great things, and with up and coming Stellar Kinematics as their label it's only a matter of time before they hit it big in the Australian indie  and French electro scenes. I give the Album a 5/5, and  will be anticipating more great music from this talented producer in the future!

Interview : Nior | The Discus Thrower

There are some musicians whose musical style just catches your ear. For me, one of these styles was that of young French producer Nior | The Discus Thrower. With a solid remix of the Beatles classic  Elanor Rigby and  his Sax infused electro track titled Beside you, I was excited to talk to him about his music and his production!

How did you get into music production?

I started around ten years ago, at the time I listened to a lot of 90’s old-school hip hop and primarily worked on making beats. Then I started going out to electro concerts and it made me want to create my own electro sound. This is how my music changed. When I started to go to electro shows it really inspired me delve into the genre and I began experimenting with it and tried to create my own distinct sound.

 How would you describe your sound?

I try to give my tracks melodic and groove oriented and maybe just a touch melancholic. At the same time, I try to make them new and different by interpreting these traits through a wide range of sounds and melodies. I think this is a fundamental thing that distinguishes my music

What musical genres and musicians inspired you?

My favourite artist is definitely Stevie Wonder; I can’t get enough of his music.

I also love and get inspiration from the Californian sound from the 70’s (Artists such as Christopher Cross, The Doobie Brothers, Michael Franks, The Eagles, Chris Rea etc.) as well as English pop groups such as The Alan Parsons Project, Electric Orchestra, The Beatles.

What programs and hardware do you use?

I’ve been using Ableton for a few months. Before that, I worked on Fruity loops, but Ableton’s quality is better, and it software offers more possibilities both in production and  live.

What is in your playlist right now?

There are some tracks which I listen to over and over… such as  Stevie wonder’s- the best song ever. Other than that, I've been listening to a lot of blues artists such as Eric Clapton and JJ Cale.

As for contemporary music:
Dead living things by Jackson and his computer band.
Done Wrong by Pretty lights

Both are great tracks!

You recently did an amazing remix of The Beatles' Elanor Rigby, any remixes of other classic musicians planned?

Yes I have been working on a remix of Doobie Brothers’ “Echoes of Love”, a bit more funky than the last one. I find remixes to be a good way to attract people’s attention so I’ll probably make another mix if I get inspired!