Here are the top tracks the Plauge Boyz have been feelin’ lately.

Dalion: Starsmith – Lesson One
YouTube

So I checked out the info of the YT video for this track: “From co-writing/producing on 4 number-one UK albums (including Kylie Minogue, Ellie Goulding, Diana Vickers and Cheryl Cole) to crafting remixes for Robyn, Lady Gaga, Timberland, Katy Perry and Little Boots, Fin Dow-Smith has an impressive resume for a 22 year old.” First of all, wowzers trousers. Second of all: the track is probably not what you would expect from someone with that kind of pedigree. It’s pleasant enough, hints of Air, Sebastian Tellier and other French softies, but it won’t blow your socks off. And sometimes you don’t need your socks blown.

Milo: Frame of Mind – Hello Peaky!
Spotify / YouTube / BeatPort

Wow. Yeah, Hello Peaky! indeed. This track hurts. Ouchie. Who is this tune made for, seriously? I guess if you’re a regular at gabber parties in Holland and still think most people there are fucking pussies this tune should be right up your alley. And it’s an alley where I may not want to go. It’s probably full of people cutting themselves with rusty razors while listening to this stuff.

drS: Hal Incandenza – Mystical Tree
YouTube / BeatPort

Moving on to less ear-raping territory we have Hal Incandenza, a new name to my thirsty ears. Mystical Tree is nu-disco, but it still has an eerie vibe (or is that just leftover tinnitus from the previous track). That church bell is kinda reminiscent of Blondie’s “Rapture”? Yes? No? Anyway, it gives this track an atmosphere of spookiness. Suits the upcoming Halloween season.

wispy: London Elektricity – You Gotta Be Crazy (Enei Remix)
YouTube / BeatPort

My non-drum’n'bass-listenin ass probably shouldn’t comment on any tracks of the genre since my very limited experience concerns some LTJ Bukem and Goldie’s first LP. That said, I kinda like this remix. That hollow bass sound is so enveloping and guaranteed to get on the nerves of your neighbors. Blast this next time they start having sex. Although on second thought the porny chopped up rap vocals may only encourage the bastards.

Åke Kanaria: FatLip – What’s Up Fat Lip?
YouTube

Fat Lip dropped this little gem of self-deprecation a while back. It’s pretty funny when someone you might say “whatever happened to that guy?” about beats you to the punch. Life hasn’t been kind to Fat Lip after his Pharcyde heydays, but so what? He doesn’t sound bitter so don’t get all misty. Also peep the video, which is half of the joke, although the quality is horrendous.

Azure: Sandwell District – Function
YouTube

Now it’s time for some Berlin-ready techno from Sandwell District. Vintage synths and drum machines bop along and maintain the 120 bpm or so tempo. The perfect soundtrack either to that science fiction movie you’ve always wanted to make or driving around at night when it’s raining.

Herman Prime: Processory – Farewell Welfare (Sioyung Remix)
SoundCloud

Processory (or maybe Siouyng, the impossible-to-type-correctly remixer) come correct with this tune. Taking cues from techno, bmore club, balearic, house and who knows where else, it’s a chill and chilly bit of loveliness, floating in a sea of analog synths and spastic, percussive beats. I especially like the vibes and I may even have heard some good ole electric guitar in there. I watched Lost in Translation recently and this would be perfect for a Sophia Coppola flick if she could only get off the collective dicks of a lot of weepy rocker dudes.

Esmuntutu: Jamie Woon – Shoulda
YouTube

Speaking of weepy dudes (no, no, I kid, I kid!), here comes Jamie Woon. He’s been on everybody’s radar for quite a while now. He’s more or less James Blake with more pop sensibilities (though not much, which suits me fine, the last thing we need is a dubstep James Blunt) and “Shoulda” is a typical track by the dude, that is to say, cinematic, deep and emotional (in a good way, really). And I don’t care what you have to say about the man, he got the production down pat.

Jukola: Yona – Toisen Oma
YouTube / Buy @ Timmion

Yona is a really cool Finnish singer chick. She makes music that’s nigh impossible to lock down to a single genre, with elements of folk, jazz, soul and also traditional styles like tango. It’s funny because Yona has a lot of properties that are just ripe to annoy the living fuck out of you; she’s comes across as a tad pretentious and twee, the production is almost artificially old time-y and vintage and I initially thought that it’s music meant for (and made by) some hippie artist girl wearing oversized sweaters and sipping green tea. Give this a listen though, it’s really good, point blank.

Lars Palmas: Johnwaynes feat. Stee Downes – Never Enough
YouTube

Johnwaynes. I know I’m sometimes repeating myself but what’s up with all these new electronic music monikers? Aren’t they being just a tad too clever for their own good? I mean Tiger & Woods, Johnwaynes, Joy Orbison, Gay Marvine? Well, whatever, it’s the tunes that count, I’spose. “Never Enough” “chases the monotony” as Juergen Paape would probably say. It has it’s groove and won’t leave that groove for all the rice in china. James Murphy, I hope you’re listening.

Nikola MMI/Tesla: Rustie – Ultra Thizz
SoundCloud / BeatPort

Sometimes I may wax philosophical about how dubstep or bass music or whatever you want to call it should be deep and accommodating and have meaning beyond just big wobbly noise. And I’m sticking by that. But that doesn’t mean that sometimes it shouldn’t blow the bloody doors off. Rustie’s new tune Ultra Thizz deffo does this while taking the high road and not resorting to dubstep clichés. This is like… crunk on caffeine, out of control, off the wall, kray-zee!

Liked what you just read?