Wolf & Lamb have brought us a 6 track free EP by the heinous genius Nicolas Jaar… its freely available on his Soundcloud and is most certainly definitely awesome (sadly i haven’t been able to listen too it yet.)

The release is fresh from the oven today, so grab it whilst its hot!

Recently I have been a bit lax on the posting front…limited internet has made it difficult to download and upload music…sorry about that!

However i have been keeping myself busy by updating the design of 1UPMANSHIP (if you love it or hate it, let me know,) I have also created a new page devoted to “Free Music,” wherein all links take you to a legitimate guilt free mp3 download – i will try to upload new material to this page as frequently as i post, so keep an eye out.

Anyway, as i write this, i am on the way to Saigon, and with 7 hours of traveling fun ahead of me, i thought i would put up a larger post than usual…so, enjoy!

Sonar 2009 was the most ridiculous week of my life, had such a good time, particularly at the pre and post parties, one of which (Secret Sundaze) was held at La Terrrazza – an open-air club located in the courtyard of a castle. The vibe was fantastic and the location was charming. Tranquil House was the genre on offer, perfect for swaying away, or (in my case) lounging up on the terrace with its panoramic view of Barcelona. Recently La Terrrazza released a celebratory “15 year anniversary compilation,” nostalgia meant i brought it, listened to it and found “Monohybrid.”

Monohybrid – CrisP.mp3

Yet again B-Complex has composed a winner. When i heard this i nearly shat myself, instant classic…a must have, great vibe, all that jazz… the bright synth bursts and plucked guitar make me moist…not sure on the release date (or the vocals,) but the general word is that the vinyl will promo in August

Rolling With The Punches (feat. Diane Charlemagne) – B-Complex.mp3

Etienne has taken his serious assortment of bloops and bleeps and applied them scientifically. Its harder and faster and (in my opinion better) than the epic Original – serious respect to Adam Freeland for the synthesised crashing ‘wha wha’ of the electric guitar, it’s a production masterpiece.

How To Fake Your Own Life (Etienne De Crecy Remix) – Adam Freeland.mp3

Seriously love this track… crooned lyrics over a gradual happy House beat, the chorus of strings, twinkling synths and soft chant give me goosebumps!I might have posted this before, but whatever, you can’t really afford to miss this one!

Hearts A Mess (Supermayer Remix) – Gotye.mp3

Jarring bass gradually winds down into a Balearic House melody before ramping back up to big beats…a very pleasant release from the respected Progressive label Anjunadeep. Buy it here!

Highway Rockers (Original Mix) – Jaytech.mp3

Mango is well known for producing quality Progressive Trance/House, never particularly inspiring but always enjoyable… However i really liked the original ‘Forever July.’ Sadly like most of my music, it sat neglected gathering dust, however last week my iPod decided to shuffle it on, prompting me to purchase the ‘Forever July (Remix EP).’ The best remix by far is Derek Howells’ glitched-up interpretation.

Forever July (Derek Howell Remix) – Mango.mp3

I enjoy some classical music, but i really enjoy when classical and electronic styles combine. In “A Necessary End.” Trip-Hop sorcerer ‘Saltillo‘ has fused haunting strings with rapidly bashed drums and vocals from Shakespeare (maybe?) The result is stunning.

A Necessary End – Saltillo.mp3

Sorry, I have been neglecting you guys… got slightly caught up meeting the indigenous folk within the bubble that is Bondi Beach. However i now find myself in Hanoi (Vietnam,) which is awesome but hotter than Megan Fox smeared with chillies. Tomorrow i leave for Halong Bay, and i have no idea when the next available internet will crop up… hopefully Lloydey and Graphics can pick up the slack, but its unlikely.

The 2 Bears are a most exciting duo indeed – Joe Goddard from Hot Chip and Raf Rundall, a DJ, musician and songwriter best known for briefly running labels for Basement Jaxx and Mathew Herbert. I have been grooving to their  debut EP for the last few days, and after much deliberation, i decided to post the title track “Follow The Bear.” It’s a deep slice of not so cuddly Electro-House. The hypnotic minimal synths wiggle away while soft vocals gently pump your heart. When following the bear keep your ears open, remember, beneath its fuzzy exterior are teeth and claws, so watch out for that roar!

Follow The Bear – The 2 Bears.mp3

Eric Prydz a.k.a Pryda a.k.a Cirez D a.k.a Moo – there is no denying Prydz has an astonishing array of talent and a production rate that puts most artists to shame. The latest burnt offering comes in the form of “M.S.B.O.Y/The End EP” – I have been getting goosebumps from “The End” it’s a beautiful progressive soundscape with a gentle undulating melody and lush signature Pryda FX’s – released at the end of last month, its available from Beatport

The End – Pryda.mp3

Most of you will have heard it on the Fabric Autonomic mix, i didn’t post it before because i only had the mixed in version… but that all changed when the super limited, one off pressing of “End Credits” vinyl appeared in June, it has now sold out, however if you get your act together, you can pick it up here. I wouldn’t wait on this one, its just going to get more expensive. Super low-key dreamscape D&B, definitely one for the wank-bank

End Credits – Instra:Mental.mp3

Haven’t got any other tracks by this collaboration, but i think thats going to change after listening to “Knight Rider.” Raw thumping Tech-House with one of the sweetest Progressive builds i have heard in a long time

Knight Rider (Original Mix) – Filth & Splendour.mp3

Oh my god, so ridiculously happy – i first heard this at Fabric when Modeselektor were introducing their compilation “Body Language Vol. 8,” it blew the place apart…  I have literally spent months & months waiting for this to arrive in my Inbox…and finally my prayers were answered. “Deeper” – Venom & Damage, its bouncy, trouncey funky fun fun! Its available to download here…so massive

Deeper – Venom & Damage.mp3

As i come to the end of my travels around NZ, i have found time for this particularly special post. The sun is shining outside, my muffin sits half eaten, Starbucks employees bustle around me, like dull eyed automatons, and most of the customers are staring at me… my body got slightly carried away writing this post, as it contains (in my opinion) the best song of 2010, try to guess which one i am talking about!

A few weeks ago, i posted The Roots in an effort to add a touch of variety to the site. In the last couple of days The Roots released their massively anticipated brand new album “How I Got Over“  – to call it incredible would be a lie, however every track is good and there are a few songs that really shine through, particularly “The Fire feat. John Legend” – Mr. Legend has forged a successful career in his own right…however for those of you who are strictly Electronic, you may only remember him from his impressive feature on the MSTRKRFT track “Heartbreaker” – anyway, its extremely catchy and along with the Joanna Newsom “Right On” definitely makes the album a worthwhile purchase.

The Fire feat. John Legend – The Roots.mp3

First heard Round Table Nights through the excellent blog – You Can Call Me Pelski, and after listening to the “Calypso EP,” i quickly added them to my ‘artist to watch’ list. Anyway i am glad i did, because a few days ago came the release of their latest EP “Cut To The Top” – the title track is awesome, its a fusion of Bar Mitzvah Beats and Funky-House, all nicely wrapped around the guttural lyrics of the Reverend Beat-Man…a very jaunty ditty which you can buy here

Cut To The Top Feat. Reverend Beat-Man (Original Mix) – Round Table Knights.mp3

I don’t think i have ever been so wrong about a song before… a few months ago a brought the single because of the impressive roster of collaborating artists… i listened to it once and skipped through it before rating it 3 stars – that was a dire mistake, thank god for iTunes shuffle – anyway i was reacquainted with “Bright Star” a few days ago and have now been listening to it roughly 10 times a day. I cannot begin to explain how pretty this song is, the Sunset and Sunrise mixes are both true masterpieces… don’t make the mistake of listening to this only once, its truly beautiful, Julia Biels’ voice is enchanting, i rarely get this excited about a song, i hope you can see why!

Bright Star (Sunset Mix) – Ben Watt, Stimming, Julia Biel.mp3

Next up, Nicolas Jarr has returned with a fresh release “Marks & Angles” this time on the well known French label Circus Company… it is typically slow, and typically brilliant. I particularly enjoyed Materials, a gently shuffling House track broken by an extraordinary variety of instruments and sounds, the tinkling of piano keys, smashing glass, discordant snips, clicks and crashes, sharply plucked strings and softly strummed cello. An extraordinarily fresh production that solidifies my opinion of Jaar as an exemplary (perhaps visionary) producer… a must have, get it here

Materials – Nicolas Jaar.mp3

Seemed a shame not to post this, it was an accidental purchase via the album – “Drei Tage Wach Vol. 1 – The Official Soundtrack To A Weekend In Berlin” (buy it, seriously epic.) Julian Jeweil has done himself proud with this remix… its the best kind of Techno…the sort that gives you wings, a gentle undulating soundscape that masks a subtle vigourousness that electrifies your body. The 5 minute mark is a surpassingly excellent climax! You can get it here

Perihelion (Julian Jeweil Remix) – Markus Lange.mp3

This is a slightly silly piece of D&B, irritating but also extremely easy on the ears, maybe i am losing my taste, but i like it. I imagine this would definitely get a crowd moving, and is therefore worth mentioning here (despite the Nelly sampling). All in all its a sound piece of Liquid, and worthy of a purchase – buy it here

Love Affair – Quantrek.mp3

I have been a big fan of Pig & Dan ever since my brother showed me them waaay back. Anyway they recently released their “Mussian Rother EP” which i quickly snapped up (encouraged by the appearance of Spektre on the remix… its a good rolling Tech production, with a great Old Skool vibe… not incredible but very enjoyable nonetheless…get the EP here

Symphonies (Original Mix) – Pig & Dan.mp3

Just spent a night in Rotorua…a place that smells of Sulphur all year round, making it about as nasally attractive as, well, shit. Unbelievably early this morning, the miasma forced me to flee, so, with the smell of long forgotten eggs in my nostrils, i sped away too the less offensive climate of Whitianga. I now find myself with hours of nothing to do = post time!

It is really difficult to stay up-to-date with music as i travel along…so imagine my delight when i came across this gem. Danny Beall a.k.a NiT GriT, hails from San Jose USA, and is producing some very special stuff indeed… ramped up Dubstep with a hint of psychedelic glitch. You need big speakers and bigger bass to really enjoy this unique sound… check out the track that made me a NiT GriT fan, and then go to his Soundcloud or buy his EP here.

Dimethyltryptamine – NiT GriT.mp3

Ok, this is a sweet piece of Downtempo, that has had me nodding off behind the wheel…  I grabbed this epic track straight from the “Memento” soundtrack. Peace Orchestra is the solo attempt of one Peter Kruder (the better half of Kruder & Dorfmeister) – and this is probably his most famous track. Not only is it an extraordinarily serene journey, it also an interesting philosophical debate – ‘Who Am I?’

Who Am I – Peace Orchestra.mp3

Ok, since most blogs are doing it, i thought i would post my pick of the summer. It a Liquid D&B track from DJ Druid, what makes this one special is its sing-a-long quality. Really filled me with happy summer vibes when i was doing a wilderness walk and belting this out at the top of my lungs… as an added bonus its a completely free 320 download (get it here.) So big thanks to DJ Druid for filling us with summer cheer

Right Here – DJ Druid.mp3

And just for fun… 2 tracks here that share a sample, first reader to correctly identify the sample with a Comment under the post wins some Dubplates (unreleased tracks)

First up “Since You Are Gone” – Oliver Koletzki, this remains my most played song ever. It is the reason i get up in the mornings… i think i can safely say my relationship with this track is sexual. Words cannot express how amazing it is…even ridonculous wouldn’t quite convey its magnificence. If this was a painting, the artist would snap his paintbrush and sit in a corner and cry, knowing he had created perfection… Instead Koletzki went on to produce such classics as “Hypnotized feat. Fran” & “Yes We Can” plus a whole host of other goodies… well played Sir!

Since You Are Gone (Original Mix) – Oliver Koletzki.MP3

Second track is a new track from D&B wunder duo Camo & Krooked, its more of the same CalvinKlein enjoyable pumping dance-floor D&B…vinyl is available here the flipside Climax makes it worth the purchase

Reincarnation – Camo & Krooked.mp3

So i have made my way up the East coast of NZ’s North Island, and am now resting for 2 days in Napier… as always when i find myself with time on my hands, i sit down to write a post…  todays post is slightly controversial, as it contains a track i actually don’t like at all… but in the attempt to promote discussion i thought i would include it along with my humble opinion… enjoy!

Really never thought i would write this. Mr. Scruff has produced Dubstep – thats right, the happy tea brewing, fish loving super DJ has tried to get some grime on his magic hands… So do we hurl abuse at Mr. Scruff for jumping on the craze bandwagon that is Dubstep, or do we recognise Mr Carthys’ valiant attempt to delight and excite the fans with a new Scruff style. Well i suppose it comes down to how good the tune actually is. On first listen it did nothing for me, but i was nonetheless intrigued, so i put it on my driving playlist and had another listen…and another…and another. Its not amazing and its irritating in its simplicity, however it does have merit, elements of groove within the monotony excite your subconscious resulting in the tapping of toes, nodding of the head etc… there is a definite ‘je ne sais pas,’ that has you coming back for more! Buy it here

Pickled Spider – Mr Scruff.mp3

So Autechre is back with another album in half a year… this would be ludicrously impressive if it wasn’t for the fact that it sounds like a barrel-full of drugged up monkeys have been given a synthesiser. Seriously i am kicking myself, once again i have spent money on white noise. The IDM gourmets will of course disagree with me completely, some will point out that this music transcends rational thought and is in fact distilled genius – others will lament my obvious retardation and will attempt to correct my ear “Can you not hear, this is the musical version of Pi…YOU IGNORAMUS.”

If you are currently enjoying the sensation of being made of lego and are in fact crying with joy at the general awesomeness of everything, then this will be right up your alley… if you aren’t on drugs i call on you to give me a rational explanation of what makes this music good. I chose to showcase this tune cause on occasion it actually exhibits a semblance of melody… so here it is, a taste of the madness… you can purchase more insanity here

M62 – Autechre.mp3

Sorry i didn’t post this sooner… was very happy when Audio Bullys’ released their newest album “Higher Than The Eiffel” – most is nothing special.. however i really enjoyed this track “Smiling Faces” – i think its because the drop is just so ridiculously unexpected, the song opens with a gentle melody taken straight from the French Riviera before descending into a nice whomping whistley electro break, pretty intense and perfect for a jump about…you can get it here

Smiling Faces – Audio Bullys.mp3

Been receiving some fantastic tunes from Mr George Lenton, first started to pay attention to his production skills after hearing his dubbed out tropical shuffle “Island In The Sun” – he sent through “Paulie” a couple of days ago and i haven’t stopped listening to it, ridiculously addictive tribal ryddyms… what makes it even sweeter is that the 320 is free…you can grab it here, or mince over to his Soundcloud and indulge in some Lentonism… he is undeniably talented!

Paulie – George Lenton.mp3

Sweet, sweet track here, firmly at the top of my driving montage…its a stunning melody coupled with kick drums interweaving seamlessly with Adam Parker slightly nasal vocals,  – calm, collected and effortlessly cool, one of my favourite tracks at the moment… buy the worthwhile “Highlife EP” here

Highlife (Sasha2Involver Remix) – Adam Parker.mp3

I have just completed the 4 hour drive from Wanaka to Frans Joseph – the weather is so awful i can’t go and see the glacier. So i thought i would post up a couple of tracks that have been twiddling my knobs for the last few days… enjoy!

Its the stuff of dreams, a collaboration between 2 Dubstep titans – Burial and Flying Lotus. It’s untitled and unreleased (with no known release date,) its also pretty uninspiring… i think/hope it’s merely a taster of the genius to come. Whatever it is, its an exciting prospect and definitely worth a listen!

Untitled – Flying Lotus & Burial

Pretty unexpected breakdown with this one, opens with a spacey electronic melody straight out of The Neverending Story – before dropping into familiar Foreign Beggars filth with ramped up bass grinding along to the jumped up lyrics, you can buy it here

Get A Bit More (New Sex Fiend Remix) – Foreign Beggars.mp3

Haven’t heard of this producer before, but i had a listen on Beatport and decided his style of nice deep Tech was worth the purchase, its a mix between Funky House and Latino rhythms… and its very, very sexy

Madrugada (Original Mix) – Macromism.mp3

Good piece of Tech – House from Cozzy D. Heavy repetition with the vocal sample “Long Time” draws you slowly into a hypnotic spiral before the groovy beat breakdown kicks in,

Long Time – Cozzy D.mp3

This has to be up there in the top 100 greatest electronic tracks of all time, it is without question my favourite Modeselektor. They were obviously so inspired by Bjorks‘ original, that they made two stellar reworks – one for boys and one for girls. Slightly worryingly i prefer the girls! Its a slowly evolving House build, that gradually works up to into a beautiful Trancey finish … truly stunning! You can buy it here

Dull Flame Of Desire (Modeselektor Remix For Girls) – Björk.mp3

Bonus – Remember the really amazing Portishead remix from Max Cooper that i posted earlier, well, huge thanks to Indieshuffle.com and Cooper for giving away this awesome remix for free in 320 – don’t forget to say you love it at hypem

Roads (Max Cooper Remix) – Portishead.mp3

I have returned to winter…now sitting in Queenstown NZ, in Patagonia Chocolates, having a great Hot Chocolate and more importantly raping the free internet for as much downloading as possible… i have been neglecting you guys, so i thought that i would take advantage of this rainy day and write up a monster post… got some really brilliant music to showcase today, new and old, really enjoyed writing up this post!

Recently got reminded of this awesome band… so i went back through reacquainting myself with some of the classics from Kraak & Smaaks’ seminal album Plastic People – “Ready For Life,” “Plastic People,” “Squeeze Me” and of course “Il Serpente.” I get such good vibes of this song. The synthetic sweeping melody swirls along before the funky break beat kicks in… Fun fact of the day, their name means ‘crunch & taste’, and is derived from a Dutch proverb, you can buy the track here

Il Serpente – Kraak & Smaak.mp3

“Old Neighbourhood” is an old skool Ambient track from the Greek artist “Side Liner.” Taken from the album “Crying Cities,” this lush production is a mesmerizing piece of Chillout with a layered complexity that is exotic but at the same time cold. Close your eyes and and let your subconscious run wild.

Old Neighbourhood – Side Liner.mp3

Saw Ulrich Schnauss at the Big Chill Chillout tent a couple of years ago and immediately fell in love. Within his organic melodies Schnauss slowly builds minimalist beat into uplifting crescendos, sometimes soothing, sometimes energetic, he is a constant delight to listen too. There is a beauty in each of his compositions that will effect you regardless of your musical preference or mood. His album “A Strangely Isolated Place” remains firmly in my most listened, while “Clear Day” sits in my top 10 most played – i cannot recommend him highly enough, he paints an epic soundscape  – maximum punch with minimal effort, close to 8 minutes of audio heaven… you would be a fool not to buy the album here, single download is available here

Clear Day – Ulrich Schnauss.mp3

This post wouldn’t be complete without a smidgen of D&B – i got this fantastic piece of liquid off Mistabishis’ album “Drop” released early in 2009 it may have passed you by, so i thought i would post it up, cause it really is amazing. Compared with the rest of the album “The Light’s Really Bad” is positively minimal. Its not for the club, more for the early morning walk home, Starting with a beautiful but cold melody, it quickly warms up with a  throbbing synth that grows into a very pleasant rapid fire beat… the album is available for purchase here

The Light’s Really Bad – Mistabishi.mp3

Never thought i would post Nelly on this blog, but this remix is great, serious dancefloor candy, plus its FREE in 320. Nelly’s smooth lyrics are expertly juggled blended into a fruity baseline wobble…cheers Bassnectar… download it here!

Magical World feat Nelly Furtado – Bassnectar.mp3

Jesus he is a talented producer, Extrawelts‘ latest EP “NeverEverDiskoTricks” is a superb three track EP… With a slightly sci-fi feel “Too Confuzzled” takes you on a spooky Techno journey, gently rolling beats and the hypnotic pads lull you into a state of relaxation… like having chocolate poured into your ears. Buy the EP here

Too Confuzzled – Extrawelt.mp3

Haven’t heard a huge amount of quality productions from Lutzenkirchen… maybe i just got too involved with ‘Drei Tage Wach‘ to see the quality in his newer work, but i really enjoyed his latest EP “Just Thursday” – “Loopholes” is a great piece of sauntering Funky Tech-House, and it’s available exclusively from Beatport (here)

Loopholes in Marseille (Original Mix) – Lutzenkirchen.mp3

Tried not to let my slight obsession with Trentemoller cloud my judgement when i listened to his latest album “Into The Great Wide Yonder“. So here is my impartial review: There is definitely a suprisingly fresh approach to his production style, however whenever the signature Moller samples do shine through every now and then, it takes you back to your comfort zone… this blend of old and new gets better with every listen! One of my choice tracks is “Shades Of Marble” – with a slight Wild West ring in the crashing electronic chords, rolling pads and orchestral elements, this is currently my favourite track to relax to! Get the album here

Shades Of Marble – Trentemoller.mp3

I have finally hit summer, and have now stayed for 5 days in International Backpackers on Rarotonga, the largest island within the Cooks. Its absolutely stunning, but there is literally no internet…so for the next 8 days or so, posts will be infrequent and will mostly be old songs – really sorry about that!

One of my favourite D&B tracks has just been re-released as a VIP along with a remix from Vent, ‘Gold Dust‘ came out in 2008 and was immediately wrecking sound systems everywhere. The VIP rework by DJ Fresh includes some very catchy vocals whilst maintaining the same squelchy synths and pumping beats that we know and love… a very refreshing take on a classic track…

Gold Dust VIP – DJ Fresh.mp3

I have had this for a while, seemed a shame not to post it… Miles Dyson has proved that nothing is sacred when it comes to electronic music. The opening classical score will be very familiar to you… i am pretty sure people living in small caves in Guatemala will know it, however the grinding breaks drop will definitely come as a surprise to most – a 2001 Space Odyssey remix (also Sprach Zarathustra – Richard Strauss) …masterful – buy it here

Intro (Miles Dyson Breakfest Edit) – Miles Dyson.mp3

With the ever increasing popularity of heavily auto-tuned tracks, i have basically given up on the genre… however i do still have a lot of love for the old-school, and this is one of my favourite tracks. The Roots are famous for their jazzy style and live instrumental based Hip-Hop, its not electronic music… but its nice to break the mold every now and then, ‘Guns Are Drawn‘ is taken from the album ‘The Tipping Point‘ which is available to buy here

Guns Are Drawn – The Roots.mp3

He was my favourite producer of 2009 – i mentioned him as one of artists to keep an eye on in 2010, a few weeks ago Rodriguez Jr. came out with a debut EP for Mobilee Records – ‘Princess Guacamole‘ – took me a few listens to get used to the new quirkiness within his production style – hypnotic Deep Tech House with a plunky melody & pneumatic bass – get it here

Princess Guacamole – Rodriguez Jr.mp3

Sweet Minimal Techno track from Nick Olivetti, the up&coming Italian DJ labeled as ‘One To Watch in 2009.’ Rolling beats march along accompanied by an intoned “Amsterdam” vocal – really feeling this one! Get it here

Amsterdam (Original Mix) – Nick Olivetti.mp3

Bonus – Free 320 Bootleg courtesy of “Rising Digital.” Prodigy classic ‘Smack My Bitch Up’ has received a groovy remix from AN21 and Max Vangeli, it’s pretty good, get it here