tiananmen square dance //

BEAUMONT’S BLUSH RESPONSE EP

True to the form he revealed to us with his unofficial single “Midnight”, Glaswegian producer Beaumont’s debut EP fleshes out that sparse electronic lounge sound present in the standout jam. At its heart, his music is retro hot AC and neon sleaze. Mostly instrumental, it is populated by the soft keys, the guitar twangs, and the electronic drums of late 80’s elevator music. The metropolitan chic vibe in his vintage tunes resembles a cleaned up 18 Carat Affair or a more uptempo version of A Gap Between’s output. Available either as a 12” vinyl or MP3 download, the six tracks on Beaumont’s Blush Response EP glow with a soft focus sheen, what with their stark emphasis on wafer-thin atmospheric synth tracks, hi-fi retro basslines, and prominent italo-disco-inspired percussion. It’s like listening to an all-android jazz-funk quartet at midnight in an opulent members-only bar on the recently populated moon of Europa. Do tha right thing, and grab free downloads of our favorite songs below, and then purchase a copy of Beaumont’s Blush Response EP as a 12” vinyl or digital download via Amazon or Boomkat.

MP3 Download of “Foreign Intrigue”, by Beaumont

MP3 Download of “Midnight”, by Beaumont

CLAMS CASINO’S RAINFOREST EP

Clams Casino, best as known as the producer behind several rap and hip-hop acts (A$AP Rocky, Lil’ B, Mac Miller), released a five-track EP last year on Tri Angle Records, home of Holy Other, How to Dress Well, and several others of those ghostly electronic artists. Amid all the hype over his two Instrumental Mixtapes, which were quite good, by the way, the Rainforest EP sneaked by us, and we intend to put in our two cents now. We’re kind of ashamed to admit it, but were it not for our Clams Casino Pandora station (which is fucking amazing, by the way), we would have probably never known that Mike Volpe (Clams Casino) even released an EP comprised solely of original works.

The material that makes up the nearly twenty-minute outing is the familiar vocal loops, blistering basslines, and slowed down hip-hop percussion, but the atmosphere is much more atmospheric and lush, kind of like the EP’s title and cover artwork implies. Very much a concept album of sorts, the Rainforest EP is a dark experimental hip-hop ode to raw, untamed nature: lush, thriving biospheres far removed from the footprints of mankind. The above official video for “Natural” features footage from a German 70’s film called “Aguirre, the Wrath of God”, and it perfectly encapsulates the bleak heart and soul of the Rainforest EP. The music evokes a wilderness that is equally beautiful and powerful; a wild, primitive sanctuary that entrances men and subsequently swallows their minds whole. The steaming sheets of synth noise utilized by Clams Casino perfectly recreate the boiling humidity of, say, the Amazon or the Congo. The tribal beats, end-of-the-world basslines, and ethereal chants in “Waterfalls”, the EP’s standout jam, are a perfect manifestation of the heart of darkness that only a bewildering expedition into the wild unknown can uncover. In our collective opinion, this short, concentrated collection of Clams Casino’s experimental hip-hop tunes is his best work to date. Do tha right thing, and grab yourself a copy of his little known Rainforest EP via iTunes, Amazon, or Beatport. Don’t be like us. Be in the know.

MP3 Download of “Natural”, by Clams Casino

CASPA & RUSKO - “ONE OF THE SAME”

Dubstep artists Caspa & Rusko’s jam “One of the Same” popped up unannounced during one of our evening Pandora binges today, this time courtesy of our Clams Casino station. We’re always down with hearing some sweet bass-heavy instrumental tunes, so we were more than happy to oblige the thumb up button this time around. Despite the corny deep house vibes you may pick up on from the outset, “One of the Same” launches out some pretty serious downtempo synth tones throughout the entirety of the track. Featured on Fabric Records‘ Elevator Music Vol. 1, pulsating synth sounds from the future abound, of course, along with sheets of electric atmospherics. Indiscernible soulful vocal samples weave in and out, touched periodically by robotic noises from afar and servo-esque whines. Do tha right thing, and grab a free download of collaborators Caspa & Rusko’s “One of the Same” below today. The choir of androids has come to town, and they’re singing just for you.

MP3 Download of “One of the Same”, by Caspa & Rusko (from Elevator Music Vol. 1)

09.   CLAMS CASINO’S INSTRUMENTAL MIXTAPE 2

Clammyclams dropped his second mix (see: album) about a month ago for free by way of a Zippyshare link in a Tweet he posted. Everyone’s favorite no-name New Jersey producer and beat maker has, in fact, made quite a name for himself setting the tone for tracks by such artists as A$AP Rocky and Lil’ B. While personally not a huge fan of straight up rap music, I love soulful vibes, exotic tones, and dark bass anthems, so I had to give this one a whirl. At fourteen tracks and featuring the instrumental version of Lil’ B’s “I’m God” and several remixes of chillwave staples like Washed Out and Lana Del Rey, Instrumental Mixtape 2 boasts more than just a few stunners. What really gave me whiplash upon my first listen and my second rumination was the abject desolation present in the first half of the mix, which is composed mostly of original compositions for A$AP Rocky. The underground hip-hop machine that is Clams Casino really gives peers like Mux Mool and Rimar a run for their money when it comes to the conveying the sound and feeling of sheer romantic doom. Smooth as they are, jams like “Wassup”, “Human”, and “One Last Thing” leave not a sliver of light with which to illuminate the waste that has been lain with slow coming, creeping, pounding beats that would cause even Holy Other to ejaculate prematurely. Adhering notably to the Tri Angle formula, the album conjures up sounds and images of disembodied voices materializing to breathe smokey voodoo hymns that waft throughout a dead, nameless land rife with fallout. The ragged production in this new full-length entry is immaculately fucked up beyond repair, and packs so much force behind its punch, that it’s impossible to recover from the blows it lands over, and over, and over. Just when you think the gun at the knife fight is out of bullets, “I’m God” comes on. Holy god. Do tha right thing, and enjoy the instrumental track for A$AP Rocky’s “Wassup” and then grab your absolutely free download of Clams Casino’s Instrumental Mixtape 2 right here right now. Take the day off of work, cancel all of your appointments, and turn the electricity way up, because I think this experimental doom-hop masterpiece may just unseat Jay-Z.

MP3 Download of “Wassup”, by Clams Casino

MP3 Download of “Human”, by Clams Casino

1990 - “EEPROM”

1990, one of my favorite instrumental beatmakers, is back with a new mini-album entitled The Chassis Collection, released via the Mexican record label Pira.md. After the success that was The Discovery 1 Beat Tape, along with the lush, overdriven single “Seers”, this solo chillwaver has really brought back his A game. Sandwiched between the illest hip-hop tempo imaginable, “EEPROM” is a pop song’s worth of digital wonderland, slathering on twice the required daily serving of atmospherics. Heavily processed vocals serve as the primary leads, along with an ever-present glistening synth effect that rings like the stars when the moon waxes gibbous. Ever since getting bit by the 32-bit bug, this prolific producer has faithfully churned out jam after melodramatic jam of some of the sweetest tones and the phattest beats to ever grace your mono iPhone speakers. Not to mention, the video by Simulacra gives Com Truise a run for his 80’s nostalgic money, and the cover artwork for this particular release is probably some of the baddest I’ve seen since Anoraak’s Nightdrive With You EP or Mux Mool’s Skulltaste. Do tha right thing, and grab a free MP3 download of “EEPROM”, by 1990 today; and if you like what you hear, download The Chassis Collection absolutely free via his Bandcamp. The only condition is that you have to share the love.

MP3 Download of “EEPROM”, by 1990

MP3 Download of “Aphelion”, by 1990

TOURS - “ENTHUSIAST”

I discovered the music of Tours the other today. While his work is honestly more of this site’s typical chillwave fare, I personally never say “no” to seconds. “Enthusiast”, today’s instrumental standout track from the aforementioned artist’s Stay EP, employs some serious basslines and percussion work that channel the vibe of fellow chillwaver Sun Glitters, in my opinion (sans the trip-hoppy lurchiness). Arena-worthy lead synth tracks buzz along, though almost playing second fiddle to the almighty beast that is this track’s beat. Fans of the sounds of artists like Ice Cream Social, Ilkae, or of Phantom Power will appreciate Tours’ short, sweet burst of flavor that doesn’t waste any time getting down to business. The EP from whence our song of the day comes was recorded in a bedroom to a very limited release of only fifty cassette tapes via Purr Tapes, but is nonetheless positively pulsing with life throughout. While Tours certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel with “Enthusiast”, it makes for a lush and well-balanced dip into refreshing waters that will never go out of style (as evidenced by the above official video). Grab a free download of the jam from his Bandcamp below, along with another good recent standout that’s worth adding to your growing collection.

MP3 Download of “Enthusiast”, by Tours (from the Stay EP)

MP3 Download of “Grand Lux”, by Tours

ELITE GYMNASTICS - “HERE IN HEAVEN 4 & 5 (CFCF REMIX)”

This epic and lengthy CFCF refix of Elite Gymnastics’ “Here in Heaven 4 &5” begins with light and plaintive piano, which soon gives way to a slow, but steady regiments of percussion, in typical CFCF style. The vocal effects that pour in like a gentle onslaught at the one- to two-minute mark are desperate and unintelligible, and coupling them with a sensual underground hip-hop beat gives the track a strong witch-house/experimental pop vibe that’s hard to ignore, despite the ever present violin section bringing up the rear. Halfway through, the vocals retreat, leaving the listener only with manufactured analog sound, twisted and molded into an extended instrumental outro, bordering at times on Aphex Twin Drukqs-esque ambience. Do tha right thing, and come out for CFCF’s desperate digital plea for order, and stay for the subtle nod to post-rock’s moodier days there towards the end.

MP3 Download of “Here in Heaven 4 & 5 (CFCF remix)”, by Elite Gymnastics

MP3 Download of “It Was Never Meant to Be (Games remix)”, by CFCF (from The River EP)

Ghostly downtempo/trip-hop artist Mux Mool released some early versions of the second installation of his Drum EP series back in January, but the real deal is now available to purchase today via the Ghostly Store. Mux Mool’s first Drum EP was like his very own “Final Fantasy”, in that it was a last-ditch compulsive effort that he used to discover whether or not he wanted to continue producing beats on a nearly daily basis. Thankfully, he chose the affirmative, and in memory, he recently created and released Drum 2 EP, all while on various flights around the world supporting his Skulltaste tour.







With six tracks of mostly instrumental chill electronic music and some kick ass cover art to boot, Mux Mool’s Drum 2 EP runs the gamut from Shigeto-esque exotic mashups (“Hypercolor ADD”) to emotional IDM in the vein of Teeel (“Jen and Soda”) Do tha right thing, because it is well worth the $5.89 it costs over at Ghostly International, and is also available via iTunes and Amazon for those of you who like to take a more mainstream approach.

MP3 Download of “Jen and Soda”, by Mux Mool (from “Drum EP 2”)

MP3 Download of “Enceladus”, by Mux Mool (from “Skulltaste”)