Selections: Slam
In this regular feature, Selections, we invite DJs, producers and label heads to dig into their digital crates and share the contents of their Bandcamp collections. This week, Soma Records founders and DJ duo, Slam, step up with 10 cuts of cavernous, hard-hitting techno and electro
Clubs around the world are shut, and opportunities to find new music out in the wild have been ripped from under our feet as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. While hearing new music played out by your favourite DJs will have to be put on hold due to these unprecedented circumstances, it’s never been easier, or more important, to support the artists and labels putting out EPs, albums and compilations in the midst of all the madness.
With tour cancellations and festival postponements leaving many members of the international electronic music community out of pocket, Bandcamp has become an even more vital platform for supporting the music you love, with 80% of all sales from the online music store going directly to artists and labels. In March, the platform announced it would be waiving its revenue share for all sales for one day, and on Friday 20th, took no cut from purchases made. In total, $4.3 million was spent on music over the course of 24 hours, all going straight to the creators. Throughout lockdown, Bandcamp continued to waive their fees on the first Friday of every month up to July, as well as on 19th June (Juneteenth), when the platform donated 100% of its profits to the NAACP Legal Defence Fund. Last month, it was announced that a fee-free "Bandcamp Friday" would take place on the first Friday of each month for the rest of 2020.
In this series, Selections, we’re inviting DJs, producers and label heads to dig into their digital crates and share the contents of their Bandcamp collections. In lieu of opportunities to discover new records on the dancefloor, Selections – along with radio shows and mixes – will give you the chance to nab sounds from the crates of tastemakers, and support the artists behind them while you’re at it. Win-win, right?
This week, Soma Records founders and DJ duo, Slam, step up with 10 cuts of cavernous, hard-hitting techno. The duo of Stuart McMillan and Orde Meikle launched Soma in 1991, and the label has gone on to be one of the most prolific and well-known techno imprints in the world – though it is also known for releasing the original vinyl version of Daft Punk's ‘Da Funk’ in 1995. This month, Slam launched a new release series exclusive to Bandcamp, Strange Dayz. “The focus for the project is a more emotive approach”, McMillan says in an official note about the project. “In these dark times of uncertainty, we're trying to bring back some positivity, mixing in powerful energy with some musical emotion”. “It's a very organic process which gives us the freedom to put out the music as soon as it's ready,” Meikle adds. Check out the first release from the project here.
Dig in to Slam’s Selections below.
"We performed with Somewhen at Berghain a while back and ended up staying for ages - we loved his set. These are 4 tracks of quality on Kobosil’s great R-Label"
"Four brilliant electro tracks by the Scand resident and south London producer Steve Allman - you also get a top Sync 24 remix as well."
"Powerful dark simplicity from the Berlin based Mexican producer - we love most of her output."
"Old Skool-Nu Skool arpeggiated hook makes this a really stand out track."
“A truly haunting riff runs right through this tune - one of those stand out tunes you’d hear in a club and have to find out what it was.”
"Another one from the back of the crate - but just keeps coming out time and time again. Stunning work by Mr Ruskin yet again - Hypnotica indeed - masterful interpretation - timeless, we love this"
"Totally brilliant label - always quality - and Unwelt is always in a class of his own"
“Deep, dark and filmic electro - so much going on in this musical journey.”
"As the title implies - a retro Detroit flavour washes through this track and over you - takes you back , way back!"
