Fantastic Four
This issue's hottest four names in dance music
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In the topsy-turvy world of sub genres, Lazersonic and Zak Frost are doing their bit to inspire some creative thinking on the part of music journalists. The creative forces behind Riz MC’s productions and the Nodisko parties, they’re fast gaining a reputation for bending the house template out of all recognition. Throwing in elements of dub, spaced-out disco and psychedelia, the release of ‘Aquaplane’ on Turbo earlier this year had Tiga calling it ‘one of my favourite records.’ Anticipating their debut album, ‘Adventures In Stereo’, coming in 2010, this month sees the release of ‘Thermionic’ on ‘Dance Tracks Vol.3’, released by Germany’s answer to DFA, Gomma. A cosmic treat of epic proportions, it’s guaranteed to excite both house and disco crowds. And with an Ali Love collaboration, ‘Levels’, following, there’ll be more genre-spanning antics before the year is out. |
Emerging from the pack of crystal-enamoured bands and DJs, it’s little wonder that Crystal Fighters’ new single declares ‘I Love London’. Hailing from the Basque speaking region of Navarre, in Spain, their cross-pollination of electro, disco punk and folk music has garnered plenty of fans in a capital feted for its multi-culturalism. And following their Kitsuné-released debut, ‘Xtatic Truth’, the band have been gathering rave reviews for their frenetic, all-out blood, sweat and beers live shows. While support has come from all the usual skinny-trousered suspects, even the stadium-filling Tiësto has been heard spinning their tracks. The disco stomp of their latest, out 16th November on Kitsuné, is re-rubbed by 80kidz, Qoso, Brackles and In Flagranti, taking it in every direction from minimal techno to UK funky, and ensuring it’s not only London who’ll be loving them back. |
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 Gate Shakes Shaken and stirred... Video might have killed the radio star, but it was a video game, or more specifically Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, that allowed Get Shakes, aka brothers Matt and Darren Farrow, to pursue music full-time after it featured one of their tracks. It might also explain why they’ve only just found time to break a two-year release hiatus with the arrival of ‘Love Hate’/‘She Found Diamonds’, out now on Shakes Recordings. Clearly enraptured by The Rapture, both tracks display the kind of taut, angular electronic punk-funk that’s seen them appear on Modular, Fabric, Renaissance and Wall of Sound compilations. Sitting astride a squelchy 303, ‘Love Hate’ is a slice of perfect post-rave pop, while ‘She Found The Diamonds’ dusts off the wood blocks for a percussive disco shakedown. They’ll be hitting the road very soon, so expect all manner of good vibrations on the dancefloor. |
 Brackles Dig the new breed... Snapping at the heels of the old guard like a tenacious terrier, Rob Kemp, or Brackles, is bringing the kind of beats that heads haven’t quite adjusted to — yet. As warm up DJ at one of London’s most influential clubs, FWD, Kemp’s cultivated quite the reputation for his fluid flows from the most cybernetic two step, to the rudest UK funky and other less definable wonked-out hybrids. But it’s as producer that he’s bound to make the biggest indentation on our brain-blown minds. Tracks for Berkane Sol, Apple Pips and Planet Mu have all shown his weird, techno-infused, bass-heavy perspective in full flow — check ‘Rawkus’ and ‘Air Pie’, (out now on Planet Mu), for a double dosage of hallucinatory future synth funk. With dance music mutating at a quicker metabolic rate than ever, Brackles is one of the mad scientists ringing the changes. |
