samedi 30 juillet 2011

DENIZ KURTEL FEAT. MYKLE ANTHONY - BEST OF (CRM080)

Crosstown Rebels gets set to release the next single from one of the reigning queens of House music, Deniz Kurtel. ‘Best Of’, taken from her dazzling debut album ‘Music Watching Over Me’ is a stone cold dancefloor killer, honoured here in the remix by Berlin’s Innervisions founder, Dixon.

Radiating an aura of effortless cool, Deniz Kurtel is an artist with that innate ability to communicate beauty. Whether through the visual art of her alluring LED and mirror Sculptures/ installations seen glowing at Burning Man Festival and bedecking the Wolf + Lamb label parties or in the roughed up lustre of her music, Deniz’s work has an enveloping quality that is precise yet warm and undeniably sensual. Her debut LP out this year on Crosstown ‘Music Watching Over Me’ won scores of accolades from the global music press for its mood- enhancing ingenuity and was declared Album Of The Month and among the best albums of the year by DJ Mag and Mixmag respectively.
A weapon of choice for many a prolific DJ, ‘Best Of’ in its original form has been lighting up countless dancefloors over the past few months with its breathless work out in strutting deep house. Featuring the vocal talents of Mykle Anthony, who peals away the years back to 90s Chicago, it’s impossible not to be carried away by the charged currents of ‘Best Of.’ Fluid and tightly crafted with a criminally infectious bassline pumping against the juxtaposing strings, Deniz evokes the old school house sound with a fresh modernity that defines her stripped back elegant style.
Crosstown are thrilled to have on board for remix duty one of house and techno’s finest producers, Dixon. Having started the luminous deep house label Innervisions with Ame in his native Berlin, Dixon has carved a pristine reputation through his outstanding DJ sets, magical parties and remixing midas touch. For ‘Best Of’, Dixon ups the murk factor by driving deep gaps between the sonic elements and creating a warped warehouse creeper that builds into a techy electro stomper.
In the ‘Best Of Freestyle Version’, Deniz creates a totally different atmosphere of apparitions and haunting organ melodies. A playful mix of dubby textures, down-tempo rhythms and swirling synths, it displays her technical prowess and knack for delivering a range of deep, emotive sounds. With this increasing versatility, it seems Deniz Kurtel is only getting started.

 

  • Label: Crosstown Rebels
  • Cat no: CRM080
  • Web: www.crosstownrebels.com
  • Distribution: Above Board Distribution
  • Released: Mon Aug 1st, 2011
  • Link to the tracks

    vendredi 29 juillet 2011

    FUR COAT

    Crosstown Rebels are delighted to welcome a brand new act to the label, they are Sergio Munoz (alos known as Delete) and Israel Sunshine, and they go by the name Fur Coat. Hailing from Venezuela, the guys first met when they discovered they were neighbours in Caracas and they both describe themselves as "100% party people".

    Sending four demo tracks to Damian Lazarus was what it took them to land them an album deal and the results are astonishing. Their debut single, Space Balled, features Argenis Brito on vocals and comes with a super cool remix by man of the moment and Crosstown Rebels favourite, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. Out at the end of September.

    LISTEN

    PEZZNER - ONE MORE EP

    Pezzner
    One More EP

    Crosstown Rebels offshoot label RebelLION strikes again with a superb four- tracker of off-kilter subsonic house from the illustrious Pezzner.
    Each cut is unique in it’s own charm and quirkiness. The two killer cuts on the A side feature the infectious, driving, heady resonance of ‘One More’ and the beautiful, transcendental nature of ‘Try it Again’ featuring the vocal talents of Nneka Gryffyn from APT Entertainment. The flip features the piano driven, snake charming ‘Native Language’ and the staccato sub-ska rhythm and flute- infested genius of ‘Not A Good Idea’. What a cracking EP!
    Dave Pezzner released his debut album, ‘The Tracks Are Alive’, last year on Freerange. He has a plethora of single releases on Om, Viva and Freerange, as well as releases as Jacob London (along with Bob Hansen) on Classic & Doubledown and countless remixes.
    Already a firm favourite in the Rebels Camp, this great EP is a feather in Dave’s cap, and is to sure cement RebelLION’s burgeoning cutting edge reputation.
    • Label: RebelLION
    • Cat no: RBL005
    • Web: www.crosstownrebels.com
    • Distribution: Above Board
    • Released: Mon Aug 15th, 2011

    HOT HOT HOT (CRM081)

     

    Not a label to miss a trick, Crosstown Rebels snap up the sonic ashes of what seems to have been an epic studio session with some of electronic music’s most distinguished gentlemen, Inxec and Droog. It’s also plain to see that when they fight it out in the studio some kind of voodoo mischief goes down...
    Choice trans-Atlantic partnership Inxec vs Droog deliver ‘The Westbound EP’, their spellbinding debut offering on Crosstown Rebels. Comprising 4 original cuts destined to get deep inside your nerve centre, LA trio and Culprit label bosses Droog and Brit techno accomplice Inxec strike that all-important balance between magnetic dancefloor appeal and impeccably smooth and compelling production, rich in complexity and atmosphere. It’s got DC-10 written all over it.
    A-side ‘Westbound’ is replete in eerie techno soul. Electronic drops of water convey a spiritual dimension amid the dark and dreamy rolling textures - a skilfully placed sample juxtaposed as the grit. In what seems to be a running theme for the EP, ‘Westbound’ is danceably dark and entirely riveting. Murkier still, ‘Accidental’ is a melancholic ride along a dubby elastic bassline with sweeping ambient techno circled by a haunting female cry.
    Flip over to the B-side and enter increasingly druggy territory as the outfit gets ‘Unhinged’. Hypnotic, deep and sexy, ‘Unhinged’ is laced with sinister dissonant chords, out of which emerges a soul-piercing female voice, sensual and strange. “Pulling me closer” echoes distorted as if through disembodied souls as the techy hi-hats pick up along the melodic, gothic bassline. The overall effect is intoxicating.
    Out of the dark with the rising sun over the terrace comes the fourth and final instalment, ‘Sleepless Knights’. Structured around arpeggiated synths and a slowed down vocal refrain, housey and full of warmth, the atmosphere touches on both deep minimalism and electro all geared towards a pulsing, spaced out dancefloor at dawn. Sprawling and sanguine, ‘Sleepless Knights’ could be an anthem for sleepless nights.
    Nottingham-born and Munich-based Inxec is known for his epic, enthralling tech-house and Droog is North America’s most exciting DJ team, their stars on the rise. All hail the dream team and may they go to the dark side and back, again. Expect more from Droog on Rebels.




    Link to the tracks

    DAMIAN LAZARUS - DIFFERENT NOW

     

    Damian Lazarus finally imparts his own musical overtones for his mothership Crosstown Rebels with a special two-part EP ‘Different Now’ on limited edition 500 only coloured, hand stamped vinyl, featuring remixes from men of the moment Art Department, enigmatic genius Portable AKA Bodycode and up-and-comer Dead Seal.
    You might call Damian Lazarus a godfather to a new generation of artists currently sweeping the planet, a caped crusader on a quest to banish the mundane and ordinary in dance music with an ardent ear for the ‘next big thing’. Here the DJ, turned label owner, delivers an absorbing insight into the ever-evolving mind of the musician in a typically experimental package that showcases Damian’s own raw vox and an array of remix talent that get inside the track and blast the parts into their own stratospheres.
    In Part One, the A side and original mix of ‘Different Now’ is unadulterated Lazarus and the fruits of a solitary lock-in at his LA studio. A first time solo production after the critically acclaimed 2009 album ‘Smoke The Monster Out’ on Get Physical, which was a meeting of minds with Lazarus at the helm. The result is a dark, bubbling affair with a deliciously brooding bassline, futuristic deep bleeps and a dextrously padded gothic terrain of spaced out weirdness. Damian’s own stark appeal to an ill-fated love adds rugged texture and heart. Art Department answer their inevitable calling to apply their vision on the B side, lending their signature jagged synths, futuristic bleeps and rattling kick grooves in a spine-tingling remix. Lazarus was instrumental in putting together the duo of Canadian originators Kenny Glasgow and Jonny White and is about to unleash their monster debut album ‘The Drawing Board’ on the baying public.
    Part Two gets off to a glittering start with Portable AKA Bodycode’s metallic framework of effervescing glitchy FX, futuristic beats for the body and wisps of melody for the soul. This is ultra deep rolling tech funk at its finest. Having long admired the producer, Lazarus harboured dreams of making an honourary Rebel out of him and it’s been realised in the shining context of ‘Different Now’. Next up Lazarus introduces hot new San Fran based talent Deal Seal. His rework of ‘Different Now’ is a rumbling journey of built up tension and release with a delicately tribal drive that pulses with percussive energy and sci-fi synths over the menacing bassline. Damian Lazarus has chosen this moment to join Crosstown Rebel’s illustrious back catalogue by presenting his most personal work to date.

     
     
    Link to the tracks

    mardi 26 juillet 2011

    THE MODEL FEAT. MY FAVORITE ROBOT

    Crosstown Rebels get set to unleash the power of The Model feat. My Favorite Robot with a vampish feast of 80s ravey electro in 'Still In My Heart' followed by a playful epic rework from Ivan Smagghe and a dose of warped late night techno courtesy of two mesmerizing Brett Johnson remixes.

    Link to the tracks

    SUBB-AN FEAT. ANOMALY JONES

    Rebels are very proud to release their first double-sided single from Birmingham\'s number one son, Subb-An. Both tracks, Misleading and Positive Expression, featuring Anomaly Jonez on vocals, are killer cuts and are being played out by djs across the electronic musical spectrum.

    Link to the tracks

    lundi 25 juillet 2011


    SAMEDI 17 SEPTEMBRE
    23h00 - 07h00
    CABARET SAUVAGE

    REBEL RAVE
    DAMIAN LAZARUS (Crosstown Rebels- UK)
    JAMIE JONES (Crosstown Rebels- UK)
    SETH TROXLER (Crosstown Rebels - US)
    Rebel Rave Paris Nées de l’imaginaire du turbulent Damian Lazarus, les Rebel Rave se promènent de Miami jusqu’au Machu Picchu pour présenter les trublions de l’un des labels les plus excitants du moment, Crosstown Rebels. De retour à Paris ils investissent le Cabaret Sauvage pour une nuit en compagnie de Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones et du boss lui-même, Damian Lazarus.
    Artistes : Damian Lazarus (Crosstown Rebels / Los Angeles - Etats-Unis) Dj Set A la tête de Crosstown Rebels, il emmène dans ses bacs toute la révolution de la house : un son deep, puissant et psychédélique, teinté de techno et de breakbeat. Ses essais de mixes discographiques sont des perles du genre, comme le superbe Fabric54 paru en 2010. Sa projection musicale mais surtout son réel art du mix en font l’un des djs les plus passionnants du moment, à l’image de son Smoke The Monster Out, album paru en 2010 chez Get Physical.
    Seth Troxler (Crosstown Rebels / Berlin - Allemagne) Dj Set Pour la petite histoire, il commence à jouer à l’âge de 16 ans au sein des soirées Ghostly International, le jeudi au Goodnight Gracies près de Detroit. C’est aux côtés de Ryan Elliot ou encore Matthew Dear qu’il fait ses armes. Aujourd’hui installé à Berlin, Seth joue dans les plus grands clubs avec punch et talent. Le nouveau volet de la série Boogybytes, attendu chez BPitch Control en février 2010, confirme publiquement ses qualités de dj. Depuis il a littéralement explosé, les labels se l’arrachent, le public l’adore et c’est clairement un grand bol d’air frais dans le monde de la techno. Agitateur de première, clown à ses heures, dévastateur de dance-floor patenté c’est clairement l’un des dj’s les plus passionnants qui soient.
    Jamie Jones (Crosstown Rebels / Londres - Angleterre) Dj Set Le londonien est un habitué des plus beaux dance-floors, à l’image de 911, son hit sur Crosstown, conversation surréaliste entre un officier de Police complètement stone et les urgences, il ne fait pas vraiment les choses comme tout le monde et aide le monde à luter contre la monotonie. Que ce soit sur Crosstown, BPitch, Get Physical ou Wolf+Lamb, le groove de Jones fait systématiquement mouche.
    Préventes 50 places à 10€ puis 23€

    lundi 11 juillet 2011

    GET LOST 4

    In a stellar year for the Crosstown Rebels that saw them become the most groundbreaking underground dance music label in the world, surpassing even their own expectations their illustrious founder and musical director Damian Lazarus picks up the baton for their infamous Get Lost series and delivers a perceptive fusion of future dancefloor classics, illuminating the reason they came to be the most important label of the moment and unveiling the next chapter of their story.
    Following in the wake of Dinky and Jamie Jones Get Lost albums, and due to public demand the series is reignited with Get Lost´s ringmaster Damian Lazarus. Now a notorious 17 hour event at Miami’s WMC that features the whole army of Rebels artists (21 artists in 2011), Lazarus now captures some of its magic on CD.
    Damian Lazarus is a visionary, a caped crusader for underground music with an eye for detail and an ear for true talent. Since cutting his teeth as music editor at Dazed & Confused, to his days as A&R at legendary London imprint City Rockers spotting the likes of Felix Da Housecat and Tiga, through to more recently introducing Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones and Art Department to the world via his Crosstown Rebels imprint, Lazarus has continually shaped the face of underground dance music as we know it.
    The fourth episode of Get Lost while typically broody and eclectic steers heavily into Lazarus’ dancefloor nature, unraveling a hybrid blend of dubby, rumbling cuts touching on everything from deep house to UK garage, techno to futuristic bassline mayhem that each journey into the spirit of his enigmatic brood of artists. Lazarus makes characteristically calculated risks with his track selection, a largely unknown collection of exclusive records that give foresight into the next generation of Rebel artists, introducing an arsenal of fresh faces in Left, Fosky, and new Toronto talents Nitin and Iranian Amirali (with an album coming next year on the label). He also calls upon old label friends Dinky and Nico Purman and some peers from his past in Avey Tare of Animal Collective, dOP offshoot Aquarius Heaven, Ostgut Ton’s Dana Ruh and Caribou’s Daphni, fresh from their remix of Art Department.
    Featuring ten exclusive tracks including an unheard track from 2011’s biggest newcomers, Art Department who give a hint at their future evolution in a grand vocal climax. Delving into his own future material as an accapella over Berlin cult figure Acid Pauli, set to release an album on Nicolas Jaar’s label later this summer), Lazarus carefully balances the experimental with the insightful in this intricately woven mix.
    Damian gave birth to his own imprint, Crosstown Rebels 8 years ago with the intention of nurturing a younger generation of talent and bringing them to the forefront of global consciousness. The label has gone since beyond its intentions, releasing the debut album from Jamie Jones, one of the first records from Seth Troxler and in 2011 three of the best dance albums of the year came from the Rebels camp; Maceo Plex; Deniz Kurtel; and Art Department. Damian’s Rebel umbrella now encompasses a global booking agency, various sublabels, and even a film series about the group of musical misfits.
    “I’m so excited to relaunch the Get Lost mix cd series. The album has so many highlights for me and it seems to get better and better with each listen – and believe me I´ve heard it many times. I have taken a lot of risks in introducing unknown artists in the selection and I am confident some of these guys will be household names before long. I am very proud of the Get Lost series and I think this session, number 4, will mark a beginning of the next level for our music.” Damian Lazarus
    The collection of unreleased tracks made exclusively for the album will also be available as a limited double vinyl package. Damian Lazarus and his Crosstown Rebels vessel are true vehicles of reinvention and Get Lost 4 is their finest voyage.

    Label: Crosstown Rebels
    Cat no: CRMCD015
    Web: www.crosstownrebels.com
    Distribution: Above Board Distribution
    Released: Monday September 19th, 2011

    Tracklist

    1. Amirali – My Way
    2. Nitin – Blink Twice
    3. Aquarius Heaven – So Low
    4. Left – Please Don’t Come Alone
    5. Mikael Stävostrand & Cesare vs Disorder – Massive Attack (Makael & Cesare Rework)
    6. Kowton – She Don’t Jack
    7. Fosky feat Shiva – Shiva (Original Mix)
    8. Nico Purman – Fade Away
    9. Dance Disorder – Metallic Italic (Massimiliano Pagliara Remix)
    10. Dana Ruh – Night Till Dawn
    11. Dinky – Owls
    12. Acid Pauli – Japan
    13. Daphni – Ye Ye
    14. Avey Tare – Oliver Twist
    15. Art Department – All Mine
    16. Kashyyyk – Mario & Vidis

    ART DEPARTMENT - THE DRAWING BOARD

    A lot has happened since Art Department’s debut EP Without You (2009). The North-American duo, consisting of Kenny Glasgow and Jonny White, has made it to the big league with a variety of chart topping productions and remixes, and recently dropped their first full length album The Drawing Board.

    The album pretty much reflects Art Depts. well-known sound, which is often referred to as ‘gothic house’ due to the heavy use deep-bleep synths and dark bass work elements while incorporating elements from hiphop to dub to Chicago house and anything else that sounds slightly muddy and swampy. A closer listen reveals a handful of similarities between the sound of Art Department and their musical mentor Damian Lazarus, although the album as a whole clearly has a very personal touch.

    The album opens with Much Too Much, a lovely deep houser with a killer melody and vocal parts we’re not sure what to think of. After this somewhat bumpy start, the album luckily continues to serve up monster tunes such as the very trippy Tell Me Why pt.1, the deep and super funky What Does It Sounds Like? and their classic, intense club stomper Without You. In the second half of the album we find one of our personal favorites from the duo: Vampire Nightclub ft. Seth Troxler, a slow-moving semi-disco house cut with a great vibe and colorful melody layers, after which the album comes to an end with a few more experimental in the form of Robert’s Cry and I C U.

    Tracklist:
    01. Much Too Much
    02. Tell Me Why (Part I)
    03. Living The Life feat. Seth Troxler
    04. What Does It Sound Like?
    05. Without You
    06. We Call Love feat. Soul Clap & Osunlade
    07. Vampire Nightclub feat. Seth Troxler (Album Version)
    08. In The Mood
    09. Roberts Cry
    10. Tell Me Why (Part II)
    11. I C U

    DENIZ KURTEL - MUSIC WATCHING OVER ME

    After the success of singles ‘Yeah’ and ‘The L Word’ on Crosstown Rebels Deniz Kurtel’s debut album ‘Music Watching Over Me’ is already regarded in much eager anticipation. One of the core members of the Wolf + Lamb family and a conceptual artist and sculptor in her own right, Deniz is also a highly innovative amazing producer and her debut album is tantamount to this fact, it’s truly stunning. She is one the new breed of female dance producers that are really giving the traditionally male dominated world a run for their money. Deniz has a concrete craft and understanding of rhythm throughout this dreamlike album. She easily steps from ghostly dubstep (‘Trust’) to rock-infused electro (‘Vagabond’), to enchanting dancefloor weapons of ‘Best Of’ and ‘The L Word’, thrilling for their simplicity as much as their fairy-tale vocals. At times Deniz showers us in sounds overpowering the senses (‘Equlibrium’) and others she strips back to bear the soul of the music (‘One Chance of Happiness’), consistently crafting a strong emotional current leaving you powerless but to surrender to its aural pleasures. Deniz has worked with several notable vocalists on this album, from Jada (Defected) to Guests of Nature. She has also been extensively touring the ablum and playing live with the LED instillation light show display on the Rebel Rave tours.

    MACEO PLEX - LIFE INDEX

    It wouldn't be fair to say that house and techno fans take Crosstown Rebels for granted—after all, it did take the 12th spot on Resident Advisor's Top 20 Labels of 2010 poll. But by its very consistency, the label has made it easy for techno and electronic-house fans to simply presume that the Damian Lazarus-run label will continue to crank out the goods. As luck would have it, those people are probably right; among other Crosstown goodies lined up for 2011, albums from the likes of Jamie Jones, Deniz Kurtel and Art Department are in the pipeline. And the label is kicking the year off with a stunner in the form of Life Index, a sumptuous house long-player from Maceo Plex, the veteran producer Eric Estornel's latest nom de musique.

    Estornel's probably best known for his work as Maetrik, the pseudonym he uses for heavy, cavernous, occasionally ominous techno that would likely fit right in on the soundtrack of some particularly dark and esoteric sci-fi flick. There's little gloominess to be found on Life Index, though; the album is devoted to the relatively simple pleasures of straight-up house. While it may be more immediately pleasing and easier to get one's head around than the average Maetrik track, it's not exactly Top 40 material either, as Estornel's slow-burn version of house is rubbery, super deep and, very often, beautiful. It's also steeped in something else—soul.

    That soul occasionally shows itself in self-evident fashion; "Vibe Your Love," for example, is more or less an elegant cover version of Stevie Wonder's "For Your Love" (complete with full lyrics), its emotive piano chords punctuated by odd, ascending bursts of what sounds like heavily treated vocal snippets. Elsewhere, the soul is implied: The chugging "Sleazy E" layers congas and a gorgeous, Eastern-tinged synth line over its funky-ass "Billie Jean"-style bassline, for instance, while the elegiac "Love You Mama" transforms from pastoral techno into a deep disco-funk groover. (Rather charmingly—and a bit bizarrely—that track also boasts a vocal steal from the 1970 AM-gold classic "Precious and Few" by Climax.) "Silo" adds staccato horn bursts to the template; "You & Me" overlays its strutting throb with a Detroit-esque chord progression right out of the Kevin Saunderson playbook; the otherworldly "Arise" ventures into lightly acidic, deep-bleep territory.

    The set reaches its finale with "Bring It Back," a beautiful sigh of a cut, only slightly marred by the hackneyed "Detroit, bring it back / Chicago, bring it back" spoken-word lyrics. Truth be told, though, it's hard to argue with the sentiment; it's a heartfelt moment in an album brimming with them. As a bonus, the album is wonderfully recorded—every element is crystal clear, yet warm, thick and rounded throughout—and will undoubtedly sound great heaving through the speakers of a top-tier sound system.

    REBELRAVE

    Crosstown Rebel's owner Damian Lazarus chooses some of the label's more recent releases in celebration of the label's seven-year history at the helm of cutting edge dance music.

    Spanning three discs, featuring two discs of rebel favourites from artists such as Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones, Glimpse, Laurent Garnier and Peace Division. The third disc is a special DJ mix by Clive Henry (Peace Division / DC 10 Resident) featuring some unique re-edits and mash-up's of Crosstown's past present and future, in a truly unique DJ Mix.

    Rebel Rave also showcases the talents of some of Crosstown's new talent, including Deniz Kurtel, Glimpse, Maceo Plex and Soul Clap. The musical diversity on Disc 1 & 2 ranges from early dubstep (Shackleton 'Next To Nothing'), pure classic sounding house from an house master (Dyed Soundorom & Aaron Carl 'Naked'), to space disco (Brennan Green's take on Luke Solomon's 'Demons'), to the Laurent Garnier's anthemic 'Stargazing'.

    Includes unreleased exclusive tracks: Gadi (Wolf + Lamb) remix of Love Never Sleeps by Seth Toxler / Nicolas Jaar remix of Gravy Train by Maceo Plex / Rebel Rave Edit of Stargazing by Laurent Garnier Damian Lazarus has compiled and mixed several DJ Mixes and compilations from City Rockers and Rebel Futurism to his latest Fabric Mix.

    GLIMPSE - RUNNER


    DJ & producer Glimpse (Christopher Spero) releases his first full album in May, Runner. The album opens on my least favourite track, which i guess is a good thing, because technically it would be impossible to get any worse. Track 2 ‘If I was Your Girl‘ brings me exactly where i want to go. It has a dark, tech-house feel with a chunky drooling bass. ‘Things To Do In Denver‘ keeps us movin with a deep house track with a lot of vocal samples, this track picks up the pace. The album takes a side step for the next track, its deletes the funk elements and replaces them with some dark, eerie and spooky samples and gives off a trippy vibe. ‘New Beginnings’ is sixth in this ten pack of tracks and it bring up the pace up again. More tech-soul that could make you slip in to a coma or get you shakin’ your ass. The album pushes on and continues to fire more and more influences at us, house synth, jazz piano, bongos, oriental sounds, house vocal samples and stacks more. This is a massively eclectic album, and i guess that’s how an album should be. I think i’d have preferred a couple more big tunes on it like ‘Things To Do In Denver’ or ‘If I Was Your Girl’ I think i went into this album looking it to be a bit more banging, when in fact what i was listening to was a really great producer that was putting out a piece of music that was telling his story about his own influences. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of anything tech-house.

    JAMIE JONES - DON'T YOU REMEMBER THE FUTURE

    The U.K.’s Jamie Jones has quickly risen to the top of the dance-music ranks via a string of great singles, and his new album, Do You Remember the Future, will likely cement that position. As the name implies, the LP has a gleaming, sci-fi edge, hammered home by Jones’s spoken-word intro: “The year is 2116. It has been almost a century since the collapse and demise of the earth’s Western societies.” (Apparently, the Eastern ones are doing okay.) “I really just started randomly talking into a mike, and that’s what came out,” the producer, 28, admits. “It’s sort of by accident.” Whatever the case, it’s a great album, blending techno and house with a patina of ’80s-era electrofunk; one of the LP’s best tracks, “Galactic Space Bar,” even features vocals by original electrofunker Egyptian Lover.

    There are some talents that remain inconspicuous and then there are some you canʼt ignore. Jamie Jones is the latter, quickly rising to superstar status in underground dance circles over recent years. Releases on Cocoon, Get Physical and BPitch have catapulted him to become a cult figure and he is widely admired for his true originality. From his debut single “Amazon”, to his latest anthem “Summertime”, his unique sound has won him worldwide audiences and this album has been widely anticipated as one to change the face of the current house music spectrum. With his debut LP ʻDonʼt You Remember The Futureʼ, Jamie Jones delivers an album of “intergalactic techno house, where old school prince meets cybertron.” A seamlessly blended up-tempo mix filled with eerie and energetic moments.

    BUTANE - ENDLESS FORMS


    butane’s endless forms comes amidst times when many strains of music continue to lean toward the house template; continue to burrow into the deep. no longer a resurgence, now rather de facto, this modus operandi is on the verge of becoming stale unless someone can re-interpret them with fresh perspective. says butane; ‘i get bored with the same places, the same tastes, the same sounds. my music evolves with me.’ couple that with the inspiration he takes from darwin, and butane’s obsession with change should set him in good stead to set off down an unspoiled path, hopefully to emerge somewhere different - somewhere interesting - at the other side. and that’s what endless forms is - an investigation; a journey into the unknown.

    and he’s good to his word. not only does endless forms evolve on a track to track basis, but on a more granular level as well: each tune twists and turns, ultimately sounding far displaced from its beginning. sometimes the mutations are explicit, sometimes more subtle - either way, you can’t help but get drawn in. each track intimidates and, whether through nonstop grinding grooves or building, frenetic ticks - all have mischievous and dark undercurrents which take a little working out, a little getting used to. this well proportioned effect/reward imbalance makes for more involved listening than your average release: and it’s sure true that the more you put in, the more you get out.

    as an album from beginning to end, endless forms is not one which makes for the best rounded listening experience in the way that, for example, burial’s work does. here, somehow, the disparate parts are better than the haphazard sum. but that’s not fatal (neither was it on exercise one’s latest album) because with invention throughout, and the fact that endless forms twitches previously dormant synapses, you’re still likely to come back to it from amongst the laissez-faire and largely unchallenging alternatives.

    there are warped, pulsing sounds from bass music; loopy glitch of the sort reboot might enjoy, and unashamedly brash, bolshie and swaggering tech house, all twisted with butane’s take into something which almost breathes in its bristling effervescence and resistance to settle. pushing on like this, searching out new atmospheres and soundscapes, it’s as if butane is playing - just seeing what he can do. as his inspiration darwin would have it – it’s the process of natural selection: butane has come up with a more successful means to the enjoyable end than most, and so will prosper.

    GET LOST 03


    In the beginning we had Lazarus & Styles. The second coming was Jamie Jones. Now the Rebels invite Dinky to guide us in to the unknown.

    In the current digital world we live in that´s overpopulated with DJ mixes and newcomers, it´s the one´s with concept, class, precision and originality that stand out. Dinky is a women that ticks each of those four boxes with an ease that´s both enviable and incredibly exciting.

    A former professional dancer and choreographer, Chilean born Dinky (aka Alejandra Iglesias) is no stranger to rhythm, sound and performance. A lover of all styles of music, as a teenager she grew up listening to Depeche Mode, Prince and The Cramps and then during the mid-nineties got introduced to electronic music thanks to her sister who was based in Berlin. Plastikman, Aphex Twin and Carl Craig where the first ones to fill her record collection, in fact like many others, they still do! Around 1994 Dinky met Ricardo Villalobos, Dandy Jack, Luciano and many other musicians that were somehow related to Chile and she soon forged great relationships with her countrymen, helping to push a new breed of dance music and flair.

    After various inspirational visits to Berlin throughout the 90´s, Dinky moved from Santiago Chile to Manhatten to join the Martha Graham School of contemporary dance and at the same time immerse herself in the American House and Detroit Techno scenes. Soon Traum Schaallplatten picked up on Dinky´s natural talent and she started her recording career, successfully releasing numerous singles and a full solo artist album. New York was great to Dinky and with her monthly party (which she co-ran with Magda) she formed a reputation as one of the most popular female DJs in NYC. Forced to leave the US due to post Sept 11th new visa regulations, she relocated to Berlin and in 2005 had a massive hit with ´Acid In My Fridge´ on Sven Vath´s Cocoon imprint. Now a regular for Cocoon and Circoloco as a DJ, she also holds a residency at the world famous Panorama Bar in Berlin and recently founded her already heavily praised label Horizontal.

    To put it short, Dinky is THE girl. With this wonderfully deep and thoughtful take on the Get Lost series and the fact she´s putting the finishing touches to her 3rd artist album for Crosstown Rebels, she´s now a fully paid up member of the Rebel alliance. The electronic world is her oyster and with plans in place for 2008 to do live shows, it´s safe to say that there´s a lot more to come from the one they call Dinky.

    Tracklist:
    01. Dinky – Lost In The Forest
    02. Dinky – Horizontal
    03. Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts – Salerilipopette (Matt John Remix)
    04. Dan Berkson – The Hollow
    05. Audio Soul Project – Community (Peace Division Remix)
    06. Gowentgone – One Of These Fusche
    07. Innersphere – Phunk (Ricardo Villalobos Remix)
    08. The Mountain People – Mountain People 003
    09. Tom Tom Groove – Mr Funkman
    10. Matt O’Brien – No Reason
    11. Samuel L. Session – The Stick Up (SLS Mix 2)
    12. Radio Slave – Bell Clap Dance
    13. Dennis Ferrer – Son Of Raw (Loco Dice Mix)
    14. Chic Miniature – Kimono
    15. Chica & The Folder – Souffle (Sonja Moonear Dans Ma Casbah Mix)
    16. Cassy – Toya
    17. Paulo Olarte – Solu Tu (Isolee Remix)
    18. Matthew Styles – Double Exposure
    19. Dinky – She

    GET LOST 02

    The British DJ, Jamie Jones, has mixed the second volume of the compilation Get Lost released at Crosstown Rebels. The mix CD will be out at the end of April, beginning of May.


    Influenced by artists such as Derek May, Mathew Jonson, Kerri Chandler, Moodyman, Masters At Work, Ricardo Villalobos, Mad Mike, Juan Atkins, Aphex Twin, Steve Silk Hurley, Luciano, Jamie Jones has become a solid artist for Crosstown Rebels, where he has already released an EP.

    The Get Lost compilation series made its debut with Damian Lazarus and Matthew Styles’ mix.

    Tracklist:

    01. Cassy - Alexandra
    02. Plasmik - Pearls on a String
    03. Tanzmann & Stefanik - High Heel Sneaking
    04. Nico Purman - Lunatique
    05. Jennifer Cardini & Shonky - Come Down To Earth
    06. Ripperton - Tainted Worlds (Plasmik Remix)
    07. DJ Spell - Lisa
    08. Dennis Ferrer ‘P 2 Da J’
    09. Jeremy P. Caulfield - Against The Rip
    10. Sebbo - Chunky Fudge (Original mix)
    11. Jamie Jones - Panama City
    13. Zander VT - Dig Your Own Rave
    14. Larry Heard Presents Mr White - Sun Can't Compare
    15. Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts - Concrete
    16. John Keys - Rumba Triste

    CROSSTOWNREBELS VOL.01

    If dance music has a dark demented prince, Damien Lazarus is definitely him. From flamboyant A&R guru for the once great City Rockers label, to compiler of the trend setting Rebel Futurism mixes, to ruling the cavern of DC10 with his twisted, driving blend of tech-electro, Lazarus has a Midas touch, albeit one laced with gleeful mayhem. His label Crosstown Rebels may have gone off the rails a little in the last 12 months, but it has a great back catalogue and has fostered some truly breath taking talent eg. Current Phar Lap house kings Matt Tolfrey and Craig Sylvester and the amazing Pier Bucci. This mix, yet another label compilation, displays both the highs and lows of the dark prince’s flagship label, thus it’s expectedly impressive in parts and predictably boring in others.
    Thrills emerge early on with the Rob Mello’s liquid groove reworking of Presslaboy’s forgettable ‘Electric Generation’ into a tech house treasure. The gorgeous ‘Far Away’ has an undeniable Kompakt feel but represents a direction Lazarus could take the label in; blissful electro pop that Michael Mayer has been purveying for years. Dominik Eulberg beckons you into a k-hole with his skilful remix of Pier Bucci’s ‘L’Nuit’ and Matthew Jonson lets the analogue warmth loose on his 12 minute interpretation of Hiem’s ‘She’s The One’. Why Roman Flugel thought he could rework Jennifer Cardini’s already great ‘Stay’ into a schnaffel bore fest baffles the mind, and the much touted 3 Channels totally misfire with a washed out digital ditty totally devoid of funk, which is a Lazarus trade mark.
    Nowhere near as enticing as the Rebel Futurism albums and, thankfully, not an accurate representation of this great label, Crosstown Rebels feels rushed. While it hits some of the dizzying highs one would expect from this dark prince, it mostly sounds flat and shrouded in the common complacency about music of this kind; crap if you are straight, awesome if you’ve just had a line of ketamine.

    GET LOST

    Get Lost is a deep and tripped out fusion of mighty mastercuts, techno toys and special songs carefully excavated from the electronic underground. Featuring exclusive new Rebel releases from Mlle Caro, Naum, Ost & Kjex and DJ Koze, Get Lost offers up new angles and fresh experiences for both the head and the feet. Disc 1 is a wonderfully twisted mix for the dancefloor while CD2 spreads its wonky wings even wider…
    The incredible painted artwork for the double album has been created by LA based artist, Natalia Fabia. Glasses filled with illuminous liquids, ladies holding weasels and octopus haircuts are just some of the weird and wonderful images to be found on the booklet and sleeves.
    Lazarus and Styles mixed both CDs together having spent the best part of six months compiling its awesome 29 tracks.
    This is the first mix album from Damian Lazarus in 2006. As label manager at Crosstown Rebels, Matthew Styles has up till now been the secret weapon in the Rebels DJ team armoury. After receiving critical acclaim for the See You @ The Party CD on Music For Freaks, Matthew has created a buzz and a great deal of love for his exceptional DJ sets at some of the world's coolest clubs, particularly the Panorama Bar and WMF in Berlin, Pulp in Paris and Fabric in London. Matthew is a DJ and producer on the rise.

    Tracklisting:
    CD 1
    01. Mlle.Caro & Franck Garcia - Far Away
    02. Repeat Repeat - Carpark
    03. Goldfish & der Dulz - Privacy (Patrick Chardronnet Mix pt.2)
    04. Styro 2000 - Sanagol
    05. The Knife - Silent Shout (Troy Pierce Barado En Locombia Mix)
    06. DJ Koze - Pattern Wirtschaft
    07. Rob Mello - Give Me (Demo Mix)
    08. Butane - Sound of Digidown (Someone Else Remix)
    09. Monolake - Plumbicion
    10. Add Noise - Jam Econo
    11. Prosumer - Blei
    12. Solieb - Circus Maximus
    13. Ost & Kjex - How No To Be A Biscuit
    14. Und - Coccopuffs
    15. Ra-X - Opium Den (Part V)

    CD 2
    01. Andy Couzenz - De Do Da Da
    02. Naum - Feln
    03. Fourtet - A Joy (Battles Remix)
    04. Position Normal - Jimmy Had Jane
    05. Trickski - Sunshine F**k (Part 1)
    06. Anaerobic Robots - Darwin or Lose
    07. John Tejada - Paranoia
    08. Si Begg - On Ice
    09. Berghiem 34 - Take My Soul
    10. Modeler - Mint Condition
    11. Duoteque - Lola
    12. Moonstarr - Detroit
    13. Abe Duque Feat Gene la Fosse. - Take Me To Heaven
    14. Hannas Barber - Beautiful Squishy Lightbulbs

    PIER BUCCI - FAMILIA

    Crosstown Rebels is proud to present its first artist album Familia by producer extraordinaire Pier Bucci.
    Already something of a legend, Pier Bucci along with fellow countrymen Ricardo Villalobos and Luciano have lead the recent emergence of cutting edge electronica in Chile – producing some of the finest and most original works in the world. This Chilean trio is writing a new chapter of dance music, splicing traditional South American melody and rhythm with conventional electronic music to create an infectious hybrid.
    Pier Bucci has previously recorded with Argenis Brito as Mambotur, with Argenis and Luciano as Monne Autonme, and he co-produced last year’s Lucien & Luciano’s album Blind Behaviour – but it’s with Crosstown Rebels he’s branched out as a solo artist working under his own name.
    A masterpiece from an artist at the top of his game, Familia features 10 brand new and exclusive tracks creating the perfect balance of headphone sensibility and dancefloor abandon.

    Tracklist:
    1. Tita
    2. Towers
    3. The R-8 Mooger
    4. L’Nuit
    5. Jesss
    6. Hay Consuelo
    7. Cosmix
    8. Siberian
    9. Pipostrack
    10. Hydra

    REBELFUTURISM SESSION TWO

    Helmed by Damian Lazarus, London’s Crosstown Rebels label has forged a path in 2004 with an unabashed sonic head-charge that has moved the label into the position of ‘next big thing’.
    Last year’s initial Rebel Futurism session fused house, techno, breakbeat, and electro with DIY/electropunk attitude into a forward-thinking, party-rocking mix that picked up plaudits across the board including a stunning review in Rolling Stone! Now The Rebels are back with their manifesto for 2005, Rebel Futurism Session Two.
    Again mixed by Rebels mainman Lazarus, the ears behind the acclaimed Futurism compilations for City Rockers, Session 2 shows Damian knows what it takes to move the floor. A proper labor of love, all the tracks here have been road-tested for inclusion in the past six months in such respected spaces as Fabric (London), Zouk (Singapore), Rex (Paris), Circo Loco (Ibiza), DJing tours of Australia, Mexico, plus other dirty and sweaty underground parties around the world.
    A reminder why we all love dance music in the first place Rebel Futurism - Session 2 is a mixture of underground hits and distinctive delights, while keeping one eye on the road ahead with a barrage of exclusives and special bits and pieces.

    Tracklist:
    1. Simon Says - Deliverence
    2. Geiger - Hear My Train Coming
    3. Steve Bug - Loverboy (Rebugged Mix)
    4. Commercial Breakup - The Garden (Sascha Funke Remix)
    5. Portobella - Viva La Difference (Playgroup Dub)
    6. Silversurfer - Parisis
    7. Subjekt – Step Back (Edit)
    8. Jennifer Cardini + Ho - Stay
    9. Anthony Rother - Back Home
    10. Jim Spring - Strange
    11. Petter – All Together
    12. Superpitcher - Happiness (M.Mayer Remix)
    13. Andre Kraml – Safari (Kiki & Silversurfer Remix)
    14. DJ Koze - Brutalgar Square
    15. Beanfield - Tides (Accapella)
    16. Ame - Nia
    17. Spectrum 311 - Lying Eyes (Oscar Fullone Remix)

    REBELFUTURISM SESSION ONE

    From the look of the record and the sound of the first few tracks, dance fans may confuse Damian Lazarus with an obscure DJ trying to ride the coattails of the DFA as well as early-2000s dance developments like electroclash and the return of post-punk. But while his first mix for his own label (Crosstown Rebels) certainly dovetails with the sound of the new circa 2004, it's one he's caned for several years and it's also one he shows a lot of talent in. Forgive him for opening with one of his label's own tracks (the regrettable Certain Ratio knockoff "Shake" by Kiki & Silversurfer), since Lazarus proves himself later on with a host of tracks that reference all manner of early-'80s styles on the dance fringe (Italo-disco, new wave, Factory dance acts, acid house, early New York house) without ever sounding derivative. The middle of the mix is where the sparks really fly, beginning with Tiga's apocalyptic "Burning Down," extending through a Silversurfer instrumental layered over the a cappella of Chicks on Speed's "Disgraceland," and cresting with the sublime acid of Bushwacka!'s "Nettbugs." Lazarus must have spent a long time finding so many excellent contemporary tracks that all sounded exactly 20-23 years old, and the result is a mix with a shelf life.