FaltyDL at U Street Music Hall
Artist, producer and pioneer FaltyDL provided forward thinking momentum once again at U Street Music Hall while opening for Montreal’s 20 year old Jacques Greene. Blending a collection of genres, such as UK funky, garage, 2-step, and bass music, FaltyDL got the crowd warmed up and ready for Greene’s headlining performance. This Red Bull Music Academy event provided monumental influences and inspired everyone on the dancefloor.
Going right in with New York and Chicago sounds, FaltyDL starts off with a perfect, sexy and chill vibe to start the night off right. He introduces a couple of his new tracks off his new album titled Hardcourage, where he plays tracks like “Bells” and of course his hit single “Straight & Arrow.” He incorporates a bright collection with the right mixture of jazz, garage, house and 2-step. After the very uptempo soulful start, he keeps the dancefloor moving by picking up more on the deeper side of things by playing colorful sounds of post-dubstep, similar to his track “Korben Dallas.” FaltyDL tells a perfect story within his sets. He kept telling his story, moving the crowd into a perfect build up into Jacques Greene.
In a recent interview with Pitchfork Weekly, FaltyDL stated that he wanted to improve on his DJ sets for 2013 by playing more diverse genres and more of his own music. He has definitely delivered that at U Street Music Hall and will continue delivering that through this up coming year.
Want more? If you haven’t heard his recent Ninja Tune & Blueberry Records release Hardcourage, then listen here! Don’t forget to grab yourself copy:
Jack Dixon – 1 EP
Following a positively pumping release on Leftroom Limited, Jack Dixon graced us with a lovely three track EP for free via his soundcloud. A lush, yet irreverent blend of house and UK percussive influence, this release evokes a contemporary urban landscape wrought with emotion. And it confirms what we already knew: if Jack Dixon can give away an EP of this quality on his day off, then the talented young producer has clearly got quite a back catalog of productions at his disposal. The EP’s title, 1, is telling insofar as it evokes simplicity and signifies a general disdain toward convention. Jack Dixon makes music for your heart and soul. Jack Dixon has no time for genres, and Jack Dixon certainly doesn’t want you to think, he wants you to feel.
Jack Dixon
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Lindsay Lowend
As of late, DC-local Lindsay Lowend has been making quite a stir with his lazy sound. A quick run-through of his SoundCloud reveals a young producer making well-polished, codeine-fueled tracks you might find on Flying Lotus’ personal “sex” playlist. Emotional, introspective, and oft accompanied by throbbing bass, these stuttering beats are perfect for a rainy day with your lover. And if you wanna catch some Lowend live, he DJ’s too, so keep an eye on his Facebook for upcoming gigs.
Lindsay Lowend
Interview with Black Light Smoke
In an interview, Francis Harris (Adultnapper), head of Brooklyn-based label Scissor & Thread, once described his DJ sets as composed of “grooving cuts for dark rooms.” No phrase better exemplifies the music of Black Light Smoke, whose sound is as raw and analog as it is fresh and sexy. Born Jordan Lieb, this Chicago native has been making music for years, but entered the house game as recently as two years ago. As far as we can tell, this guy is the next big thing. Honestly, Black Light Smoke sounds like the jazzy lovechild of “Mirror Conspiracy”-era Thievery Corporation and Maceo Plex, with a dusting of pop sensibility. And you don’t get credentials such as these unless you’re the real deal: releases on Poker Flat, My Favorite Robot, Get Physical, a deal with Scissor & Thread, and support from the likes of Bicep and Move D. Furthermore, if you haven’t heard DJ T’s remix of his absurdly catchy track, “Lovework,” then you may be living under a rock. We caught up with Black Light Smoke ahead of his live set this Friday to talk house, artistic schizophrenia, and Jim Morrison.
Black Light Smoke will be playing the Scissor & Thread label showcase at U Street Music Hall this Friday, November 16th, alongside Anthony Collins, R’n'B & Marko Peli. Doors open at 10pm. Buy tickets here.
Artist to watch: Druid Cloak
“I make what the earth tells me,” is what drives this up and coming innovative musician. Inspired by “otherworldly and unexplainable things,” Druid Cloak takes us through a mystical, yet emotional journey through his forward-thinking sounds. Already being respected by some of the most profound international bass scene musicians, Druid Cloak uses soulful R&B beats, precise percussion and organic basslines and blends them into colorful, fluid melodies.
With having his debut EP, The Grove, released by Symbols Recordings, he has already caused a stir across the dancefloor with his futuristic vibes. The Grove EP displays a mixture of different sounds such as post-dubstep and garage, which is predominant in the track titled “Heart of the Wild”– a head-nodding, deep-bassline track featuring dark vocal samples. Switch over to its featured track “Blessing of the Grove” and you’ll find strong house and techno influences — sultry vocal cuts followed by vivid synths.
Have a listen to The Grove EP by Druid Cloak below and grab a free download of “Blessing of the Grove” from XLR8R.com.
And here’s another excellent free download of Druid Cloak’s remix of “Blackspot” by We Sink.
