Funky Destination - Gonna Give Ya Something To Funk On (Cold Busted)

Cold Busted is pleased to present the Gonna Give Ya Something To Funk On EP from Vladimir Sivc and his Funky Destination project. As it says on the package - with both the artist and title featuring the four letter word - this one tips the ‘funk’ scale. Crossing his native country of Croatia from east to west, Svic first took up singing and playing rhythm guitar before discovering turntables and DJ’ing on the move. He now travels through various styles while producing fresh music based around the use of live instruments. With an inclination towards the wild and groovy, Svic turns back the dial to rest on a retro feel for his new EP. “Brothers & Sisters This Sound Run Town" starts the release with the revving of a motorbike engine and boastful reggae vocals over rock guitars … almost too much cool for one song, but indicative of things to come. Other highlights include the energetic squeal of prominent sax, horns, and equally ernest vocals on "Mamma Used To Tell Me" and the unapologetic dance floor focused "In My Soul" with its sliding guitar licks and swoon worthy singing.

Mark Farina - “Good tunes!”
Kid Loco - “More funky stuff … top class!”
Ursula 1000 - “Dope.”
DJ Moneyshot (Solid Steel Radio / The Allergies) - “Slick fonk, brother. It was a toss up between ‘In My Soul’ and ‘Something To Funk On’ as the one I’m taking for The Allergies’ bag, and the latter just pipped it with the bass and the cuts. Props.”
All Good Funk Alliance - “Nice. Some real funk, and done right for the B-boys.”
Fort Knox Five - “Some serious retro funk goodness here!”
Minus 8 (Compost / Stereo Deluxe) - “Now that’s phonky!”
Quincy Jointz (Timewarp Music) - “Damn funky. High quality as usual by Funky Destination. This will be in my DJ sets for months.”
Doc Proof (Funkanomics) - “Makes me wanna dance! Great funky vibes … the best funk release heard in a while.”
Stereo 77 (Plimsoll Records) - “Funky Destination and Cold Busted are a perfect combination.”
Irregular Disco Workers (Disco Volante) - “‘Something To Funk On’ is a real dance floor stomper!”
Simon Hodge (BBC 6 Music) - “Excellent release. Beats are really fresh and funky. Just right for the summer!”
DJ T-Bird (Los Chicos Altos / Something Else! Radio Show) - “Another chapter in the Cold Busted book of ‘how to funk.’”

Available now from Beatport and The Cold Busted Shop.

Alinka - Basic EP (Get Up Recordings)

Get Up Recordings continues to establish themselves as forerunners of underground house with the Basic EP from Chicago’s Alinka. The release contains two original tracks straight from the Chicago house scene, “You’re Basic” and “Reaching,” with accompanying remixes from wizard producers Lauren Flax and Lil’ Mark.

Alena Ratner, aka Alinka, fell in love with house music in the ’90s like many growing up in Chicago. In 2001 she landed the opening slot at Justin Long’s renowned .Dotbleep night at Smart Bar, which she played at regularly until 2009. She began producing in 2003, releasing a multitude of tracks on labels such as Igloo Recordings, Greenhouse, D’Lectable, and Smart Bar’s Area DJ Records. Alinka began touring globally, playing gigs throughout the U.K. and Europe shortly afterwards.

The last two years have been particularly fruitful and rewarding for Alinka, due in large part to her friendship and musical partnership with singer, DJ, and producer Shaun J. Wright. Their first EP, Twirl Vol.1, named after the monthly party they run together, was promptly signed to Derrick Carter and Luke Solomon’s esteemed house label Classic Music Co. The EP’s lead single, “Love Inspired,” was featured on the Defected Records Compilation Defected Presents The Closing Party Ibiza 2013 as well as Defected’s In The House Radio show. In addition, Alinka and Wright have collaborated on a plethora of remixes for Hi Fashion, The Carry Nation, JD Samson & MEN, and Baby Alpaca. Alinka’s most recent remixes include Eli Escobar’s track “Anotha Luv” for Get Up Recordings, and Asher Diamonds’ “Got to Know” for NBD Music Co. The Basic EP is her first original solo release.

The first track off the EP, “You’re Basic,” really showcases a producer who was born and raised in Chicago. Influences like the 303, Adonis, and Trax Records all contribute to the fierce groove. The voice in the track, Alinka herself, lays down the rules of the game in a steady command and tells all the others ‘you’re basic.’ The remix of “You’re Basic” comes courtesy of Lauren Flax, a DJ, songwriter, and producer from NYC. Flax is currently a member of the band CREEP with long-time collaborator Lauren Dillard and was the official Fischerspooner tour DJ from 2008-2011. Her debut single, “You’ve Changed,” featured vocals by Sia of Zero7 fame. Flax’s remix strips down the track even further where it just becomes the most basic elements of dance music: drums, bass, and voice. Flax’s streamlining of the track really packs a full dance floor punch.

The second original cut of the EP, “Reaching,” is a jackin’, ethereal house track. This is true house music in the sense that the keys, the kick, and the claps make up the rhythm nicely. There is a sprinkle of vocals that ride along with the eerily beautiful lead, giving the track a unique appeal. Veteran UK DJ and producer Lil’ Mark takes the cut one step deeper. He adds a bit of funkiness and puts his hypnotic house mark on “Reaching” to get the listener ‘into the sound.’ Mark has had a deep connection with the Chicago house scene after living and touring with Derrick Carter in 1997. Mark’s bumpin’ signature style can be heard on releases from Classic Music Co., MFF, Bump, Leftroom, and Hot Waves.

Another great package from Get Up Recordings, this one is anything but basic.

Quentin Harris - “I’m feeling the original mixes of ‘You’re Basic’ and ‘Reaching’.”
Brett Johnson (Bang The Box / Cynosure) - Lil’ Mark’s remix takes the EP!“
Terry Francis (Wiggle / Fabric) - ”The original ‘You’re Basic’ is the one for me.“
Justin Harris (Music For Freaks / Classic) - ”Excellent EP!“
Alkalino (Estimativa / Audaz Recordings) - ”The Lauren Flax remix of ‘You’re Basic’ is my pick.“
Craig Stewart (Montana & Stewart / DCSTrax) - ”The Lil’ Mark remix is perfect to set the mood.“
Pablo Alejandro (House Call Records / ChicagoHouse.FM) - ”This is one hot f#@king release! Man, it’s bonkers and it’s going to get some serious play!“
Moony Me (Maesonic / Apparel Music) - ”Lauren Flax’s remix is sexy as hell.“
Tommy Largo (Lost My Dog / Kolour) - ”The Lil’ Mark remix for me … classic sounding.“
Chris Udoh (Tigerhook) - ”That Lauren Flax remix is hot!“
DK Watts (Short Bus Kids / Bounce House) - ”Trippy stuff … perfect for dance floor change-ups!“
Bogdan Taran (Dance Box) - ”‘Reaching’ is a brilliant house track … will also play the Lil’ Mark remix.“
Joan Ribas (Ibiza Soulstice Music / Cafe del Mar) - ”Groovy release!“
DJ Deep Index (BOP FM, Australia) - ”‘Reaching’ is an awesome track … nice build ups, and it flows wickedly.“
Kosta (Vibe FM / AWD House) - ”The sound of 2014 right here. A good mix of dark, big room tracks on this EP.“
DJ Lolly (Freek FM / Ruff Diamond) - ”Loving these tracks … old school meets new school.“
Jean Jérome (Radio FG / Kut ‘N’ Paste) - ”Love that 909 groove … so good to go back to the old school!”

Available now from Beatport and Amazon.

Onium - Immix EP (Harmonious Discord)

From the seedy depths of dub-infested marshes comes the sound manipulations of Onium, a tenured producer with a handbag of pseudonyms and secret projects. The man behind the moniker, Stephen Moon, uses this alias to focus heavily on expanding the ‘dub techno’ genre. Always pushing the edge while seemingly staying true to the dub framework, Onium partners his vast knowledge of song creation with a deep understanding of what makes dub techno amazing. Harmonious Discord first featured Onium in the Discordian Dreaming series which resulted in a call to headquarters for more. Delivering on that promise, the label is proud to present Onium’s debut full length, the Immix EP, with remixes by artists forging ahead in sound like Echo Conscious, Bleupulp, and Hemipetra.

The journey begins with a deep breath of relief stretched into a progressive build of elastic dub melodies. Lulling the listener in, “He Breathes" creeps along before busting out later in the tune with heavier techno attributes. "Opslo" follows in a similar unwinding fashion with two key dub themes that dance in-between each other as subtle percussion scurries intriguingly. Echo Conscious — real name Brad Dale — is first up on remix duties with his cowbell-laden groover. Brad elevates the mood to be more relevant on the dance floor, turning the subtle original into an attention grabber with bright bells and a smoothly shifting bass line. From there the release takes a dive into the subversive depths of cerebral techno with contributions from Hemipetra and Bleupulp. Rumbling echoes of dissonance converge as these two selections travel into strange soundscapes. This changes with "Piped,” a melodic tech-house experiment still heavily swamped with dub effects that does a great job of balancing dub techno purism with real world feet fodder. A worthy book-end, “Sharing Light" takes dub chord construction to new levels, paying special attention to revolving melodies. It’s a meditative windstorm ready to drift the listener into the outer reaches of the stratosphere. Thus the journey ends … for now.

Anthony Pappa (Red Light District / Bedrock) - “Cool EP … the best track for me is ‘Opslo.’”
Nick Warren - “Wow, this is fantastic! I love the originals and those are some great remixes.”
Terry Francis (Wiggle / Fabric) - “The Echo Conscious remix is the one for me.”
Orde Meikle (Slam / Soma) - “Cool tunes … I’m liking this.”
Tyler Stadius - “Lovely tracks here. It’s tough to pick a favorite. Perfect headphone and late night grooves.”
Stacey Pullen - “This is cool.”
John Templeton (Great American Techno Festival / Emote Music) - “Very solid release. The originals have a lovely lush dub sound that is very appealing.”
QuestionmarQ (Red FM / Vision Collective) - “Outstanding stuff … I’m loving all the tracks. The Echo Conscious remix put a big smile on my face.”
Satoshi Fumi (Klik Records / Plastic City) - “I love the Hemiptera remix of ‘Opslo’.”
The Zars (Till2012 Records / Progrezo Records) - “Really warm pads and strings.”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “Great EP. The Echo Conscious remix is great from the remix selections, but the originals are the picks for me. ‘Sharing Light’ in particular is superb … really feeling the darkness there.”
Myxzlplix (Subdivisions Global) - “Dreamy and well constructed.”
Adam Collins (Euphoria Records / Omni A.M.) - “So musical and out there. Super good for the Burning Man crowd. Good stuff.”
Demarco Electronic Project (Soul Industries, Argentina) - “Excellent release! Nice sounds and ambiences and a great remix by Bleupulp.”
Danuta Kurkowski (Acid Ted) - “Gorgeous dub techno with impressive remixes! What’s not to like?”

Available now from Beatport.

Ivaylo & Slammer feat. Renate - Guide Line (Bogota Records)

Bogota Records celebrated the approaching summer with their seductive, previous “Twilight Room” single. Well, summer is here and Bogota have effectively turned up the heat with another special vocal-driven hit, the kind that just doesn’t come along very often. As a long time planned collaboration between Ivaylo and Slammer, as well as singer Renate, the Guide Line EP is a statement of intent and the start of a new perspective from the label.

Ivaylo is a Bulgarian native based in Oslo at the head of Bogota Records and Slammer is the label’s sound technician, and the two have numerous projects planned. Renate is a good friend of Ivaylo and they have worked together previously, highlighting her delicate vocal delivery over smooth house productions. It’s a combination that just feels right every time, so it’s not surprising the two have set a goal of eventually performing live together.

“Guide" is a piece poised to take beaches by storm and dark clubs by night, all just in time for Ibiza and beyond. Renate’s performance for this song is truly one in a million. Think Zero 7’s prodigious "In the Waiting Line" met with club speed and deep acid production from Ivaylo and Slammer. Half of the track is spent building around the vocals with ambient floating pads, acid swirls, and the shuffle of a 606 drum machine. When it does finally hit, the acid shifts into a tug-and-pull relationship between mid-range stabs and low end groove. The lyrical content is full of metaphor, exulting freedom, independence, and exploratory self-resilience.

Each of the release’s three remixers take the track into a more DJ friendly club territory. First up is Demarkus Lewis, a name where the colloquial “just to name a few” doesn’t even do justice to a shortened list of the iconic labels, compilations, and releases he has graced, including his own imprint Grin Music. Needles to say, Demarkus is a name that’s familiar and his remix also — in a way — is that ever familiar, pure and perfect lush house sound. Just the fantastic bass line in a seven and a half minute loop would probably get the job done, so the inclusion of his shortened Rockit Lab Dub is definitely a welcome touch. South Londoner Tom Gillieron (RvS) is a friend of Ivaylo’s from his days frequenting Bulgaria and it is in these good hands that the listener can really feel the special attention given to his dubby tech remix. Tom really gives the package that extra Ibiza push, this time appealing to the cool driving force of big room underground dance floors. Another friend of Ivaylo, Brokesteady DJ group member Andre Bravo finishes off the release in yet another direction, full of a cosmic darkness with a heavy bass growl. Be on the look out for a future Andre Bravo original release through Bogota.

All in all, a stunning performance from the Bogota crew and indications of a bright summer ahead.

Graeme Park - “This is absolutely delicious.”
Chris Fortier (Fade / Mindwarp) - “I love this.”
Tom Lown (Savoir Faire / Lost My Dog) - “This is awesome. Something a bit different … a real stand-out EP. Brilliant original and remixes … I’ll be playing these a lot.”
Inland Knights - “Loving the Demarkus Lewis remix.”
Nick Holder (DNH Records / Treehouse) - “Dope!”
Vincent Kwok - “Great haunting voice.”
Da Sunlounge - “Nice dub from Dermarkus Lewis … wicked stuff.”
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - “Cracking stuff … I’m particularly into the Tom Gillieron remix, which is pretty sensational to be fair!”
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) - “As usual, high quality and proper deepness on Bogota Records. Lovely release with a wider range of house tunes, with the magnificent Renate adding the frosting on top.”
Joey Silvero (Distant People) - “There’s a deeply meaningful groove to this and an effective hooky sound … Ibiza sunset vibe.”
Claudio Coccoluto - “The original is an awesome track!”
Richie Hartness (untitledmusic) - “The Tom Gillieron remix is a stunner!”
Dado Funky Poetz (Radio Monte Carlo) - “Soulful house for the summer with a touch of class. Cool.”
Michael Terzian (Motion FM / Salvation From Sin) - “The Demarkus Lewis re-work, as well as the original mix, is solid. Renate’s haunting vocals are a breath of fresh air.”
Myxzlplix (Subdivisions Global Radio) - “Excellent release … solid mixes all around but the Tom Gillieron remix is absolutely stunning.”
DJ Di Costa (MoodyLushious Influences) - “What an extraordinary release. Amazing collaboration … the original mix is simply out of this world.”

Available now from Beatport and Juno Download.