Ancient Astronauts have released their song ‘Do It To The Beat feat. Blessed San’, along with their anticipated EP Kampala Fire on the 16th of October.
Speaking about the EP release, Dogu mentions: “We have always been huge fans of African music and rhythms from different African regions. Afrobeat from artists like Fela Kuti or Ebo Taylor inspired us a lot when it comes to creating grooves in our own music. Kampala is our home base in East Africa and the studio of my partner label East African Records is the place where we record a lot of music and singers. The city of Kampala is such a special place with a really unique music and party scene that I cannot compare to any other place in this world. As a long follower of Nyabinghi Reggae Music, I was overwhelmed that the origin of Nyabinghi and its unique way of drumming is in Uganda. Since my first travels and tours in East Africa, I was stoked by the huge talent of young and mostly unknown artists within the city that it was a natural move for us to pay homage to that powerful vibe of Kampala.”
This latest offering by this duo embraces the country of Uganda and its many intricacies. ‘Do It To The Beat’ flows naturally rather than feeling pressure to conform to a particular style.
Kampala Fire EP Tracklist:
1. Ghetto Youth Never Give Up feat. C Wyne Nalukalala
2. Ddala feat. Spyda MC
3. Pump Up The Sound feat. Bani Fyah
4. Do It To The Beat feat. Blessed San
5. Source Of Life feat. Nilotika Cultural Ensemble
Condescending is set to drop his first release of the year, a mesmerising dual track project. It features a song who’s namesake is its creator, filled with resonating guitar patterns and haunting vocals. The focus track is ‘Kansas, the Band’, offering viscid strumming and breathy crooning, portraying a heavy sense of melancholy. The experimental melodies and eerie digital sounds on both tracks give this release a textured, atmospheric feeling without being overstated.
Speaking of his new single, Condescending says: “I think listeners would be surprised how many forms ‘Kansas, the Band’ has taken since its conception over two years ago. It was painstakingly overworked at least 3 times before being shelved for a year, being picked up again and put together in its final form in less than a week. The process is rarely short but it became challenging to get to the heart of this one.”
The time Condescending has taken to refine this release is audible, as it masters the fine balance between intricate and lucid. Previously dubbed as ‘provocative bedroom mid-fi’, this artist is veering off into a unique sonic lane, offering an unparalleled sound. His 2019 debut EP ‘Private Conversations in Public Spaces’ followed a sombre, introspective indie route not unlike his new release ‘Kansas, the Band’, although the latter is certainly more subdued, to great effect.
Condescending is the solo studio project of Free Creation Label producer WhatsHisName, who has worked with up-and-coming hip-hop prodigies such as Breon S.Y.N.D.E.L and Pook Hustle. Steering away from his quirky trap based productions for the label and his indie-rock leaning debut EP, Condescending is venturing into a hazy yet utterly captivating sonic realm and we can’t wait for the world to hear his new release.
Taken from the upcoming EP: ‘Love In The Backwater’, set for release on Modern Sky UK this Winter, the track is the follow-up to ‘Intentions’ (ft. Szou) – his debut release on the tastemaker label.
Complementing the new single, “Blood Bayou” arrives with a hypnotic animated video as created by visual artist Micah Buzan. Watch the video: https://youtu.be/D3VYDbUyNcQ
As dense, swampy and enveloping in sound as the southern-American marshland for which it owes its name, “Blood Bayou” finds the Sheffield-based producer coalescing myriad influences with Frankensteinian aplomb. As Freud says:
“This is talking about how love is never clean and is often messy with casualties. Yet it can be full of interesting things as a Bayou swamp can be…”
Steadily making his name in the electronic underground with a number of innovative creations already coined “Electrodub” by some, listeners will find references to dubstep, 2-step garage, bassline, reggae and more on this latest single. From Ruby Tingle’s haunting Ennio Morricone-esque whistle in its opening bars that lull like a siren song, to the burbling synth-driven soundscapes that subsume and intoxicate beyond, Dirty Freud delivers a bewitching new cut to lose yourself in over repeated plays. In typical Dirty Freud fashion, a heavy Electro-inspired production catalyses a second drop unafraid to pack a punch…
Dirty Freud is an electronic live & recording artist from London, but has found success since moving to the North of England. Impressing respected DJs such as Jon More (of Cold Cut), DJ Krush, and Dave Haslam early on his career with his cutting edge remixes and productions; word began to spread throughout the music world, with Dirty Freud’s distinct touch soon sought-after by established artists including Leeroy Thornhill of The Prodigy, Scott Garcia, Willy Mason, Big Narstie, Pixie Lott, and even Iggy Pop.
With a string of remarkable original productions already under his belt (including widely acclaimed 2018 EP: ‘Boxing with God’), Freud has been supported at radio by stations including BBC 1Xtra and BBC Radio 6, whilst receiving media praise from The Guardian, DJ Mag, and MixMag, who proclaimed him to be: “The Unruly Prince of Electronica”. In true recognition of his trailblazing work, Dirty Freud also scooped ‘Best New DJ’ and ‘Best New Producer’ at the prestigious Bass Movement Awards. Last year proved a benchmark year for Dirty Freud as his sound was given even bigger stages to flourish, with sets at Glastonbury, All Points East, Citadel, Boomtown, Beatherder, as well as internationally in countries like Germany, Croatia and France.
In 2020, Dirty Freud returns focus to the studio as he readies a new EP: ‘Love In The Backwater’ this Winter. Written and inspired by multiple locations, from the infamous Tresor and Hansa Studios of Berlin, to Spirit Studios and Blueprint Studios in Manchester, to the legendary Yellow Arch Studios in Freud’s hometown of Sheffield; the EP was eventually finalised in lockdown and palpably walks a tightrope of lockdown claustrophobia and the exhilaration of club escapism. Inspired by some of life’s most impactful moments, from bitter break ups (“Blood Bayou”) to surviving a pandemic (“Love In The Backwater”); to taking a carpe diem attitude to life (“Intentions”) and examining the enduring effect of split second choices (“Moments”); Dirty Freud wields his experiences and forges them into an exhilarating new release definitive of the artist.
It’s release day for Marcus James and RYYZN as they share their latest single, ‘Night Light’. The single is taken from their upcoming collaborative EP (which will be available early next year) and provides a small preview of what fans can expect.
Marcus James tells us about the single and EP: “Night Light is about trying to put on a brave face to the world when things aren’t going well. One of the hardest things is to be vulnerable and ask for help, and sometimes when you don’t want to talk about it, you just want to be around the person that makes you feel like it’s okay to feel this way. As the first single off our upcoming collaborative EP, the lyric video for Night Light really captures how RYYZN and I basically became family over the past year as we worked on these songs. After everything we’ve been through together, the RYYZN guys and I will always be there to support each other and we have this music to thank for that.”
This is not the first time Marcus James has collaborated with RYYZN as they previously released the single, ‘Honest’ earlier this year. The single was featured on Dave Rave, who had the following to say: “Marcus James uses the issue of time differences and space as a barrier between a relationship, but truthfully it boils down to the emotional distance between the two lovers.” Read the full feature here.
