Slave To The Rhythm

I've just had to remove the mix that Tony Lionni kindly did for us due to a request from the Strictly Rhythm label concerning the appearance of one of their tracks on his mix. While I have honoured their decision, I have to say that in my eyes their pseudo-ideological approach to the clamping down of any online mixes that contain any of their releases is a little heavy handed. Here's the correspondence:

From: xxx@strictly.com
To: TAPE
Subject: Strictly Rhythm Content
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:06:42 -0600

Hello from Strictly Rhythm,

We've come across your listing of Osunlade "My Reflection" at http://allsexistape.blogspot.com/2008/02/mixtape-tony-lionni-mule-versatile.html

We appreciate your enthusiasm for our music. But we have to ask that you remove this link as well as any of our content that you have uploaded to server sites and request that you not do this again. We do not permit our music to be used in this way, and besides, it's actually illegal
for someone to post or share our music without our permission.

If you would like to help us promote our music by directing your friends to our web site (www.strictly.com) or to the many legal download sites (like Beatport, Traxsource, iTunes, DJ Download, etc) where they are able to listen to clips and purchase our music, we would welcome your help.

We appreciate that people like the music we put out but if we can't sell it we can't pay our artists and producers. And if we can't pay them eventually there won't be any more new music.
Regards,
Jimmy R. Smith
Strictly Rhythm-USA


On Feb 26, 2008, at 7:58 PM, TAPE wrote:

Hey there Jimmy,
The mix is done by an artist that's happy to promote this record for you, it's mixed, and the mp3 is at 160 kpbs. I do hope that this is an automated message as if you'll look at our site, you'll see that we don't host unauthorised single tracks and try and promote people to actually buy music, and preferably keep the dance vinyl market alive.

Hope to hear from you soon,
Rich

From: xxx@strictly.com
To: TAPE
Subject: Re: Strictly Rhythm Content
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:57:59 -0600

Rich,

We don't allow our music to be used IN ANY FORM without our permission, PARTICULARLY if someone takes it upon themselves to give it away. 160kpbs is higher quality than iTunes sells. I don't understand how you can possibly think that this helps us.

Please remove all Strictly content immediately.

Jimmy

So there you go... I honestly don't think that someone will go to the effort to rip a partial track at 160kpbs when if they really wanted to steal it they could probably hop on to one of the many illegal firesharing networks and procure a full high quality version. Tracks on mixes are the perfect way for a label to get their records heard, endorsed, and promoted, and it makes absolutely no sense for labels to censor these if they're actually increasing their vinyl and download sales. The only way that it may have a negative impact on sales in the long run is if a large proportion of their market were 'casual buyers' who, if they had the track on a mix like this one, would not bother to buy it and would've done if they hadn't heard the mix. I'm not sure about you, but I'm pretty sure that the size of this 'casual buyer' market is pretty fucking tiny as far as independent dance music goes, and any damage will be more than offset by positive effects on sales through increased exposure.

Well... I won't be putting any Strictly Rhythm tracks on my mixes any time soon! Also, we'll have a new mix from Tony Lionni up for you next week.

In The Box - February

1) DJ Jus-Ed vs Anton Zapp - Real House Music... // Underground Quality
Easily one of my favourite 12"s this year so far, and it comes from Jus Ed's Underground Quality label. Four deep, dubby, and funky house cuts that never lose the groove or your attention. Honestly, I can't pick a favourite out of any of these. As Hardwax would say... TIP!

Listen:
DJ Jus-Ed vs Anton Zapp - Real House Music... // Underground Quality

2) Shackleton - Death Is Not Final // Skull Disco
Interesting one, this. Not only has Shackleton put his tribal wonk at a house tempo, but Torsten Profrock's remix on the flipside is the most resolutely 'dubstep' track that he's ever done. Both sides are choice cuts, and the artwork for this one is something pretty special as well.

Listen:
Shackleton - Death Is Not Final // Skull Disco
Shackleton - Death Is Not Final (T++ Remix) // Skull Disco

3) Arto Mwambe - Hum Along EP // Brontosaurus
Arto Mwambe's 'Mudhutma!' 12" was a favourite of mine and Puffin's last year, and his follow up effort doesn't disappoint. 'Hum Along' chirps along to a heavy boompty beat whilst Move D lays some sultry chords and generally makes things a lot more slinky on his remix. Things go back to boomptiness with 'Greatest Love', but this time married to a plinky melodic synth line.

Listen:
Arto Mwambe - Hum Along EP // Brontosaurus

4) Luke Hess - Believe & Receive // Kontra-Musik
Simple but devastating late night techno from Mr Hess (who's also recently collaborated with FXHE's Omar S). Clinically crisp production, killer bassline... all you can ask for, really! Shed strips the percussion right back on his 'deepanddubbydub' and just rides the acidic bassline whilst modulating everything to absolute buggery. Add a wooshing snare, some grinding subbass action and dubbed out stabs and voila! One incredibly solid remix, but the original just pips things for me.

Listen:
Luke Hess - Believe & Receive // Kontra-Musik

Luke Hess - Believe & Receive (Shedsdeepanddubbydub Remix) // Kontra-Musik

5) Kerri Chandler - Atmosphere E.P. // Shelter
This rare KC gem from '93 has finally been repressed, so I'd snag yourself a copy before they all disappear. Vintage bumpin' old school instrumental house jams that'll get the ladies wiggling the early hours away.

Listen:
Kerri Chandler - Atmosphere E.P. // Shelter

6) MLZ - Crossed Swords (Alice Loop) // Modern Love
My favourite of the three MLZ tracks that've come so far, 'Crossed Swords' possesses a subdued yet surging synth loop that remains constant while the perfectly placed percussion rises and rises before the strings emerge and it all goes a bit '2008: A Techno Odyssey'. MLZ is actually Miles Whittaker of Modern Love stalwarts Pendle Coven, and he'll be DJing at our May TAPE which may be worth taking a trip down here to come to. The full line-up's over to the right and I'm currently working on some sort of afterhours shenanigans so check back for further developments.

Listen:
MLZ - Crossed Swords (Alice Loop) // Modern Love

7) Mock & Toof - Woof // M&T Inc.
Ultra wonky stripped back minimal disco cut that'll find favour with plenty of techno jocks out there. It's great to see the M&T lads experimenting with a more straight up house style (similar in ways to 'Tomcat' from the Black Jub 12"), though disco beards will be satiated with 'Big Hands For A Lady' on the A-side. It seems apparent that a lot more attention to detail has been given to these two cuts (just listen to the constantly chopping and changing percussion on the A), and for me it's the best thing they've laid their name to so far. Essential stuff.

Listen:
Mock & Toof - Woof // M&T Inc.
Mock & Toof - Big Hands For A Lady // M&T Inc.

8) The Hasbeens - Keep Fooling Yourself // Clone
Hastily purchased for the inclusion of the ultra-limited 'Make The World Go Away', Alden Tyrell and DJ Overdose's collaboration bears yet more golden retro-italo exclursions to get your teeth into. If you can get away with playing the aforementioned ode to suicide that is 'Make The World...' out, I salute you!

Listen:
The Hasbeens - Keep Fooling Yourself EP // Clone

9) October - Tape // Caravan
He may be our good friend, and also have named this track after our night, but trust me when I tell you that this one's a dancefloor stormer of epic proportions. Jules' analogue synth obsession is in full display here as he lets loose a maximalist assault on the senses, but it's the little flourishes that really make it so great. From the the shuffling beat and bassline emerging together with a breathtaking swing to what I imagine is the sample of a run out groove, everything just sounds perfect as it unwinds on its own micro journey. I've heard this out quite a bit since being first handed it at one of our Mutant Pop parties, and I don't think that it's ever gone down badly. Drop this, and just stand back and watch as it lights up the room.

Listen:
October - Tape // Caravan

10) Martyn - Velvet/Twenty Four // 3024
Warm, melodic 4/4 influenced dubstep business from Dutchman Martyn Deykers, who's really on top of his game at the moment.

Listen:
Martyn - Velvet // 3024
Martyn - Twenty Four // 3024

MixTAPE: Tony Lionni (Mule / Versatile / Wavetec)

You might remember me mentioning Tony's 'Better Change' EP a couple of weeks back (due out on Mule Electronic in March), and he's got a couple of other bits coming soon on Gilb'r's Versatile Records, and Francois K's Wavetec offshoot. Not bad for his first three solo releases, eh? Anyway, here's that mix that he promised us - the second instalment should be posted up later this week.

1) Tony Lionni - Feel Me (Unreleased Demo) // CD-R
2) Osunlade ft. Divine Essence - My Reflection (Deetron Mix) // Strictly Rhythm
3) Kings Of Groove - Cubalibre // Kings Of Groove
4) Prosumer and Murat Tepeli - Turn Around // Ostgut Ton
5) Jimpster - Dangly Panther // Freerange
6) Nick Holder - Flying Around // CD-R
7) I:Cube - Prophetization // Versatile
8) Sid Le Rock - Naked (DJ Koze Remix) // Cereal/Killers

Download:
MixTAPE - Tony Lionni (Part 1) - DELETED DUE TO REQUEST FROM STRICTLY RHYTHM

TAPE in March

Oi Oi London, This Is Bristol!

A couple of weeks back there was a comment expressing an interest in the seemingly London only dubstep scene. I was quick to retort that I'd consider our fair city of Bristol to be the UK's second city of dubstep - I'd even go as far as saying that our boys are putting out material of a much higher quality than what's coming out of the capital at the moment. There's an incredibly strong scene here in Bristol with new producers popping up all over the place and a string of quality nights that will have your ears ringing into next week.

Our very own Mr Soft has rounded up some of the city's recent offerings over at his monthly 'The Contemporary Fix' column, so head over there now and get reading, innit.

Link:
http://www.factmagazine.co.uk/da/71591

To force my point home, here's a mix from Punch Drunk's Forsaken that showcases the raw talent that's coming out of our fair city at the moment. Really been enjoying this selection of late, and I'm sure a lot of you guys will as well.

1) Intro
2) Gemmy - Back 2 the Future // Unreleased
3) Koast - Koast is Clear // Unreleased
4) Joker - Retro Racer // Unreleased
5) Komonazmuk & Whiteboi - Shankstep // Mode
6) Headhunter - Sushi Brain // Tempa
7) Joker - Snake Eater // Unreleased
8) Diem - Sitar Dub // Immerse
9) Gatekeeper & Appleblim - Tomb // Skull Disco
10) Headhunter - New Dawn // Unreleased
11) Forsaken - Sensei // Unreleased
12) Pinch - Qawaali // Planet Mu
13) Gatekeeper - Tense Past // Punch Drunk
14) Wascal - Protocol V2 // Unreleased
15) RSD - Pretty Bright Lights // Punch Drunk
16) Monkeysteak - Lighthouse Dub // Punch Drunk
17) Forsaken feat. Ben Blackmore - Sagrada // Unreleased
18) Peverelist - Roll With The Punches // Punch Drunk
19) Peverelist - Infinity is Now // Tectonic
20) Forsaken feat. Ben Blackmore - Calles Traseras // Unreleased
21) Appleblim & Peverelist - Circling // Skull Disco
22) Forsaken - Boat Noodles // Punch Drunk

Download:
Forsaken - Make No Mistake Vol. 1

If you're in the city this weekend then you could do a lot worse than heading down to our good friend Andy Basic's Byte night tonight (Friday) at Native on Small Street. Zed Bias will be rocking the place with his new found eclectic vibes, Sunship will be getting those ovaries fizzing with an old school UKG set, and the aforementioned Forsaken (who counts himself as one of the Byte residents) will be doing both the first and last sets of the night. It all goes to prove, if you want bass in your face, Bristol's the place!