043 – Planet Mu
As our interview with Heterotic – Planet Mu boss Mike Paradinas’s collaborative project alongside his wife Lara Rix-Paradinas – will attest, Mu is a label which has positioned itself firmly at the forefront of challenging electronic music since its inception, and simply hasn’t let up since. As you’d expect, this latest Crackcast from Paradinas’s partner in crime Thomas Quaye treads a great deal of ground barely touched upon in our previous 42 mixes. From a grounding in confrontational jungle and drum ‘n’ bass, the mix journeys seamlessly through classic house stabs, roving atmospherics, face-melting IDM and breaks, all building towards the jittering, vital footwork sound which has become synonymous with the label of late. This 50 minute trip to Planet Mu is thrilling, up-front and fun.
042 – Move D
Move D has basically been garnering an ever-increasing level of respect in the house music world for as long as this office has been consuming the genre. From ridiculously lauded sets at Panorama Bar, to celebrated performances and mammoth sets in the connoisseur’s choice of club night, his stock has consistently endured the test of time and resulted in a peaked level of appreciation at a much later age than most DJs. (more…)
041 – Visionquest
You’ve got to be excited when a group of DJs announce a press conference to reveal their touring plans, but to be honest Visionquest aren’t your normal coming together of dance music figures. (more…)
040 – Anja Schneider
Crackcast 040 is a special offering from one of Germany’s most revered females, Anja Schneider. Head honcho of the ever consistent Mobilee label, Schneider’s brand of wonky tech and clinical house music has made her one of the most recognisable figures in German electronic music. Deploying a mix showcasing these different strands, Schneider’s mix draws primarily from the house staple, but never loses it tougher more metallic edge. An unmistakably main room set, her appearance at Eastern Electrics is currently the only time you’ll get to see her this summer in the UK.
039 – Psychemagik
They’ve been jetsetting all over the shop, the US is going barmy for them, and why the devil not. Fresh from the release of their digital EP of original material Lunar Escape, cosmic disco duo Psychemagik have thrown their hat into the Crackcast ring in seriously impressive fashion. They’ve provided us with an hour plus of deep and slinky house, that signature dreamy disco, the odd tongue-in-cheek edit to prick up your ears, vocal cuts galore and basically everything you’ll need to put yourself in a bloody good mood. In our brief chat with them, they’re calling it “Tropicalcodcosmicafrodiscoyachtboogie”. We’re just calling it insanely good fun.
038 – The Invisible
DIMENSIONS FESTIVAL SPECIAL
At the end of this summer, Dimensions Festival is set to make its second appearance at Fort Punta Christo Pula in Croatia. The lineup features wide spectrum of high end electronic acts, including The Invisible, who have provided a varied mixtape for the 38th Crackcast. The Invisible lineup features esteemed producer Dave Okumu as band member, who spends his spare time producing Mercury-nominated pop music. Also featuring in the band lineup is former Acoustic Ladyland and Polar Bear member Tom Herbert, and Leo Taylor, formerly of Zongamin fame, who provides this mix. In this eclectic selection, we’re treated to classic cuts from Todd Terje, Liquid Liquid and Julio Bashmore, as well as future modern classics from the likes of Factory Floor.
037 – Dam Mantle
Adopted Glaswegian and Canterbury originator Dam Mantle has long been a producer we at Crack have revered, not least for his varied and original production talents, but also for his intelligence, music knowledge and his ability to condense the music scene with a awesome common sense and outgoing approach (see our recent interview with him). (more…)
036 – Artifact
Crack likes techno. Had you noticed? Because we wouldn’t blame you if you’d thought we’d taken some time off because as it’s been in very short supply in our ongoing Crackcast mix series of late. So coming out the blocks like a man possessed – Bristol’s Artifact. Punchy UK techno-bass that wouldn’t be out of place in the tougher end of a Pearson Sound or Blawan set. (more…)
035 – Greeen Linez
One of our finds of last year, Greeen Linez debut album, Things That Fade was exotic ray of retro-funk, disco ball reflected sunshine in very austere year of music. Coming in at the rather lofty position of 37 in our best albums of the year list, the placing reflected not just beautiful funk jams that made up the album, but some of the wonderful washed out sonic scapes and retro synth lines that made the listen far more dynamic than just a nostalgic funk odyssey. (more…)
034 – Jef K
Active since 1992, Parisian Jef K has garnered a hugely widespread reputation. Be that via his regular appearances at his hometown’s Rex Club, London’s fabric, or Berlin’s Panorama Bar, or as the supremo of the influential deep house label Silver Network; as one third of The Gathering, the collective (alongside Chez Damier and Chris Carrier) which produced one of 2010’s monster dancefloor riots with In My System, thanks in part to repeated plays from a certain Mr. Villalobos, or perhaps though the label he started alongside Thugfucker’s Holmar Filipsson, Crack & Speed. (more…)
033 – Jay L
Jay-L is an underground house aficionado who’s closely associated with the BRSTL imprint, a label which deals exclusively with limited hand-stamped, vinyl only releases. Jay-L’s recent Looking Up Pt.1 single marked the continuation BRSTL’s polished, groove-heavy dance floor tailored releases which have included jazz peppered tracks from the Outboxx duo as well as October & Borai’s collaborative project. (more…)
032 – Footprintz
Signed to the label headed up by Seth Troxler and his merry men, hugely exciting Canadian live duo Footprintz bring you the 32nd Crackcast, displaying an eclectic mixture of tastes and influences, delivered via a deluge of seductive grooves. Following their series of releases on Visionquest, they’re due to drop their feverishly-anticipated album next year, mixed by none other than the man behind our preceding Crackcast, Ewan Pearson. (more…)
031 – Ewan Pearson
Active since 1996 across a range of monikers and musical leanings, Ewan Pearson has established himself as one of the most respected DJ/producer/remixers in the UK. His thoughtful and intelligent nature is reflected in so much of his output, and that’s undoubtedly the case with this Crackcast mix offering. (more…)
030 – Duke Dumont
Duke Dumont’s Crackcast takes us into wild electronic territory with full-fat flavours. Featuring a selection of bass driven house and warped electronica to more straight up flavours, the mix is heady and fast-paced, offering the listener very little in the way of let-up. (more…)
029 – Deadboy
Deadboy has crafted a mix showcasing a cross-pollination of urban flavours that could only be found from producer coming straight out of South-London. (more…)
028 – Brandt Brauer Frick
Brandt Brauer Frick’s heady mix of classical musicianship and techno has left them in the highest regard in many musical communities. (more…)
027 – Navid Izadi
Having popped up on Denis Kurtzel’s second album earlier this year, and with a string of releases lined up on Wolf + Lamb, Navid Izadi clearly keeping exquisite company. One song from those EPs features on a Crackcast offering which will set your week off to a hell of a start.
026 – Hello?Repeat
Having formed the Hello?Repeat label back in 2005, Jan Krueger and Daze Maxim have continued to establish their international reputations as exceptional purveyors of house and techno, evidenced in both their own DJ sets and the output from the ever-developing imprint. (more…)
025 – The Organ Grinder
This intriguingly-monikered Cardiff figurehead, who goes by the almost equally impressive name of Cayne Ramos by day, has become the latest contributor to our mix series. (more…)
024 – Juju And Jordash
The 24th instalment of the Crackcast series is a head turner for all the right reasons. Israeli duo Juju And Jordash have created a psychedelic house music odyssey that bubbles and burns along with a degree of intensity that gives the mix an almost filmic quality. (more…)
023 – Alfresco Disco Pt.2
This second instalment sees Alfresco residents Justin Gettings and Tom Hodgson going toe-to-toe with another downright mouth-watering dose of celebratory disco and low-slung house vibes. (more…)
023 – Alfresco Disco Pt.1
Alfresco Disco has become a night of unparalleled innovation and popularity in the South-West, with their unique take on party hosting. (more…)
022 – Auntie Flo
Crack feature star Auntie Flo’s mix for Crack can certainly be branded the most exotic to date. World music percussion and tribal rhythms shuffle up against funk and house groove lines to generate an insatiable party atmosphere. (more…)
021 – Sei A
The latest mix for the Crackcast series sees full-fat techno make a welcome return. Having secured himself an album deal on Tiga’s Turbo label, a staple specialising in the more uncompromising strand of the genre, Glaswegian Sei A has taken the bull by the horns. (more…)
020 – Maria Minerva
With the LA-based 100% Silk label displaying its wares at Bristol’s Motorcycle Showrooms this coming Friday, before moving on to Dalston’s freshest venue, Birthdays, the following day, Estonian-born Maria Juur will certainly be a key figure in the evening’s entertainment. (more…)
019 – Justin Martin
Justin Martin finds himself at the edge of a fresh direction. The natural heir to Claude Von Stroke’s Dirtybird crown has been stepping out on his own of late with a brand new album called Ghettos and Gardens and this a new direction in sound illustrated quite superbly in this varied mix effort for Crack that showcases him in a considerably revamped guise. (more…)
018 – NZCA / Lines
NZCA/Lines: “We’ve just played a few dates in England and France with Of Montreal, who fill every performance with excitement and energy, so this mixtape is in some way inspired by that. Essentially, an exotic adrenalin rush and a disbelief that you can really be there.” (more…)
017 – Behling And Simpson
If the resurgence in house music is going to spawn offshoots like Bristol duo Behling And Simpson’s Crackcast 017, then we’ve all got reason to be thankful. Slo-mo chunky house jams, collide with sexy slow garage cuts in a mix that canters along at a wonderfully languid pace. (more…)
016 – D/R/U/G/S
D/R/U/G/S’ Crackcast 016 is a special entity indeed. Straying far from the traditional mix remit, Callum Wright’s hour-long selection is entirely compiled from rare, unreleased and original production material. (more…)
015 – Will Saul
In any given scene there are the glue types. The people who keep the standard at a high level with a brand of adhesive that doesn’t allow the quality to come unstuck. These people aren’t always necessarily just music makers; they are often the sharpest ears, honing in on cutting-edge offerings, pushing things forward and reinforcing their particular vision.
Will Saul, more than most, is an A&R dream. Producer and revered DJ, it’s testament to his status as a dance music aficionado that Saul is perhaps best known as the head of two sterling electronic labels, Aus and Simple Records. His offering for our Crackcast series catches him in his element, recorded live at his set at No Sleep in Glasgow.
014 – Crazy P
Crazy P’s Crackcast mix compiled by Ron Basejam takes you deep into the mid-morning. Imagine a Glastonbury coffee shop in the early hours with misty eyes and gorgeous slowed down cuts, with soft piano lines and soothing beats. (more…)
013 – Waifs and Strays
Waifs and Strays step into 2012 as one of the hottest emerging properties in house music. (more…)
012 – B Bravo
We’ve been lauding West Coast California man B Bravo’s productions for a while, his slick and soulful future-funk winning us over along with Gilles Peterson, who included the swaggering Computa Love on his Brownswood Electric label compilation. (more…)
011 – Joker
Joker gone done us a treat. A rare 45 minute mix of early garage and grime. (more…)
010 – Doc Daneeka
Assembled in between sessions at Modeselektor’s studio in deepest, darkest Berlin, Doc Daneeka brings us a deep selection of exciting and unreleased cuts from his Ten Thousand Yen label, his own productions and some choice selections from the last year or so. (more…)
009 – Miss Kittin
Caroline Herve, also known as Miss Kittin cuts an iconic figure in dance music. (more…)
008 – Kowton
“I wanted to go for a mix that definitely had a summer feel to it. It’s very house orientated and there’s a few classics in there.” (more…)
007 – Cairene
London based producer Cairene knocks out a delicious mix spanning a wide spectrum of contemporary sound. Definitely our most varied and forward thinking selection to date, it goes some way to explaining who this new producer is. (more…)
006 – Hyetal
A wonderfully modest person, the more than complimentary reviews piled on Hyetal’s debut album, Broadcast, haven’t really changed him much. (more…)
005 – Claude VonStroke
For Crack’s fifth mix in the Crackcast series we struck gold with Dirtybird Records boss and don of hip-shaking bass-house, Claude VonStroke. (more…)
004 – Furesshu
For our fourth installment of the Crackcast mix series, Furesshu delivered a mix from his studio down the road, but very much rooted in Berlin and particularly Berghian’s strand of uncompromising and upfront techno. (more…)
003 – Jay Sanders
Ever since we heard him rolling out some impeccable house sounds on the Just Jack terrace at Motion, Crack has been a fan of Jay Sanders.
Over the past several years Jay has played at some of the biggest clubs and events in UK such as The Ministry of Sound and The Den (Formerly The End) in London. Plus guest slots for Just Jack, Play @ The Thekla plus Switch and Empathy @ Timbuk2 in Bristol.
Having played alongside some of the biggest names in the scene, Jay continues to champion groove filled house music and stripped back techno. Perfect for the terrace and anyone who likes their house in the style of the Wolf and Lamb blueprint, Jay’s mix for Crack was a brilliant hour of all that is current and credible in house music at the moment.
002 – Futureboogie
The Futureboogie boys provided Crack with the second installment im our Crackcast mix series back in October last year with this hour long tour of house and disco wizardry. (more…)
001 – Julio Bashmore
Bristol’s breakthrough producer gave Crack a ride through his take on house music back in August 2010 with this superb mix. (more…)
