Despite what you may have heard this week, Beyonce releasing her new album as a surprise isn’t actually a risk.
No, the real December release risks are being taken by the independent labels who don’t make their money back on a 12″ half the time when it’s released in March, let alone the time of year when journalists are too busy compiling end of year lists to focus on new releases, potential buyers are saving money for Christmas, and the shops and distributors are winding down like the rest of you. With that in mind, we’ve compiled 10 releases that have dropped too late to feature on any end of year lists, but are worth your attention regardless.
And no, we haven’t included Rival Dealer. We think everybody knows about that at this point.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 1/11)
MALA
‘Changes’ (Distance Remix) / ‘Miracles’ (Commodo Remix)
(DMZ / Deep Medi)
Dubstep fans have already ordered the finally-released ‘2 Much Chat’ like it’s a new Harry Potter book, but it’s not the only Christmas surprise DMZ guardian Mala had up his sleeve this year. Out this week, it’s Distance’s time to tackle the classic ‘Changes’, with a Commodo remix of ‘Miracles’ on the flip.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 2/11)
SLACKK
Golden Era Grime Tape
(Reel Torque)
Self-confessed “Scouse bastard” Slackk has become a gatekeeper of sorts for 2013’s wave of fresh-faced grime producers, mostly due to his monthly mixes and involvement in club night Boxed. Here, he looks back on a scorching mix of golden era gear for Manchester’s Reel Torque.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 3/11)
RON MORELLI
Backpages
(Hospital Productions)
Accompanying EP to the L.I.E.S. boss’s album Spit. If that record’s hardware hypnosis didn’t prove club-friendly enough for your sets, then you’re likely to find more joy here.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 4/11)
CAS
The Number 23
(Self-released)
Long-awaited debut mixtape by the masked MC, featuring production turns from Skywlkr, Faze Miyake and MssingNo. Out December 23.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 5/11)
KING LOUIE
Drilluminati 2
(Self-released)
Chicago’s King Louie made our 50 Best Albums of 2013 with the romantic (well, as romantic as Louie’s likely to ever get) Jeep Music – this new tape, we expect, will see him return to the vicious style of last year’s Drilluminati.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 6/11)
ENSEMBLE ECONOMIQUE
Light That Comes, Light That Goes
Interval Signals
no-thing ness
(Denovali / Dekorder)
Nobody does it quite like Ensemble Economique. Brian Pyle releases a lot of music – and generally speaking, keeps the quality very high – but even by his standards releasing an EP and two albums in mid-December is impressive. We’re streaming Light That Comes over here.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 7/11)
MARTYN
‘Be My Own Pupil’
(3024)
A twinkling new Martyn single birthed from the sessions for the Dutch producer’s new album The Air Between Your Words, available for $1 from Bandcamp and all for a good cause. The title probably isn’t a reference to Be Your Own Pet, but we can dream.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 8/11)
ALIGHT
Iridis
(Local Action)
New club-focussed project by Throwing Snow, taking in snow-capped house, throwback dubstep, hardcore and more. Watch out for a thunderous remix by Bristol hot tip Ziro on the digital version.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 9/11)
EVIL FRED
‘Get On’
(H2)
Shed might seem bored of this whole techno lark, but the man can still belt out club tools like his life depends on it. ‘Get On’ might not reach for the lasers in the same manner as Shed’s Heads High alias, but deployed right, B-side ‘Back Out’ will bring the right dancefloor to tears.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 10/11)
RUSHMORE
Hot002
(Trax Couture)
More rumbling club fare from one half of the team behind London’s House of Trax – less sharp-on-the-ears and obviously ballroom-indebted than 001, but no less deadly.
Use your keyboard’s arrow keys or hit the prev / next arrows on your screen to turn pages (page 11/11)
