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INV005 The Invaderz - So Low b​/​w All About Love

This month’s vinyl spotlight comes from London-based trio The Invaderz. Their songs “So Low” and “All About Love” are each above 6 minutes long, giving time for both songs to build and progress without being repetitive. While both songs feature heavy reverb on the vocals, “So Low” is a smooth liquid funk dream while “All About Love” fits more neatly into old school drum and bass. Being that the project was put out in 2001, you’ll be able to hear a lot of the 90s influences. Fans of LTJ Bukem, MC Conrad, Dazegxd, and dreamstation will probably enjoy this record the most, but it has a general appeal as well. Only “So Low” is on Spotify but you can find both on Bandcamp.

While selecting this month’s offerings a pattern of genre-fluidity began to emerge. Most of the tracks in In | Out and Chopped and Screwed either incorporate multiple elements of different genres or have a genre change within each song that is neatly organized by phrase. 

IT’LL BE  BETTER - A.G. 
Multidisciplinary artist A.G. smoothly ties together drum & bass, house, and jersey club underneath the repeated vocals promising “IT’LL BE  BETTER.” 

Diary - Cella
One of my favorite recent finds, “Diary” by Cella opens with cinematic vocals and quickly gains energy with distorted drums in the classic four to the floor rhythm.

BS2LDN - LOELASH, Counterfly
Take a journey from chill baile funk to bright 2-step by listening to this selection from the global compilation Amor Na Endz 2.  As the midpoint of a trilogy compilation from collective LOVEINTHEENDZ, it serves as a great starting point for a musical deep dive into the collective’s series.

Verão 2001 - Furacão 2000, Mcalexandre / Sandstorm - Darude
The group Furacão 2000 has put out quite a lot of music during their 45 year reign over Brazilian funk. “Verão 2001” (Summer 2001) fits comfortably into the funk carioca genre. The song features a very fitting sample for Furacão (Portuguese for hurricane), who sampled a song off of Darude’s album Before the Storm. Like most songs produced by the group, this impactful, high-energy song made me think “I can’t wait to play this in a big room.” For those who need more after listening to “Verão 2001,” their album Festa Techno, Vol. 2 scratches a similar itch.

Chobits - Albany / Locked Out of Heaven - Bruno Mars
The song has two notable pop culture references: the name, “Chobits” (derived from the manga of the same name), and the use of “Locked out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars. Both references serve to window dress a conversation between toxic lovers passed through pitched up vocals and a trap beat. 

This playlist tour is particularly special in that it was recorded in a moving car using a DDJ-FLX4 and a laptop. The recording was a test drive of a new concept from DJ and producer OddwOrld. Future iterations will give viewers a 360 degree view of passenger DJs showcasing their skills along scenic routes. The song choice of this mix is relatively free-spirited, indiscriminately moving between house, UK garage, jungle, jersey club, baile funk, hyperpop, and dubstep.

ChuneStation & LOVEINTHEENDZ: Global Groves

When: Saturday, September 21st from 11 pm - 4 am
Where: 327 Bowery St.

On September 21st ChuneStation is hosting their highly anticipated Global Groves event in collaboration with LOVEINTHEENDZ. If you’re looking to get a sense of the vibe, I’d recommend listening to their compilation trilogy Amor Na Endz (which I chose to spotlight earlier in this post before I found out about this collaboration). The lineup is set to feature a B3B with global DJs Blue Canariñho, LOELASH, and Daviaa in addition to standalone sets by frequent Chune collaborators Nusnce and Sea Rae as well as collective member OddwOrld. Musically, you can expect baile funk, hip-hop, UK garage, and probably the unexpected. This event has the potential to be the group’s best of the year with a fun, convenient location (Bowery Electric) and a cohesive lineup that is sure to harmonize well together.

Gong One

When: Saturday, September 28th from 4 pm to 9 pm
Where: Secret Location (RSVP to find out)

Gong is an event curation and production brand that focuses on creating community-based experiences to reinforce mindfulness with resonating sound. Their Gong One picnics have been a consistent and welcoming source of quality music and community throughout the summer. I recommend starting the weekend in the sunlight with melodic and jazzy sounds from DJs like Sophia Riv, Hanti, and West1ne. If you want a sense of the energy of the evening, you can watch my set for Gong One below.

New York Artist Meet Up

When: Saturday, September 21st from 8 pm - 2:30 am
Where: 40-09 21st St, Long Island City

For folks in Queens, several collectives are teaming up to host a New York Artist Meetup on September 21st. Make sure to stay until the end to see y2aura and castillonaire. 

BK Loves UKG

When: Friday, September 27th from 11 pm - 4 am
Where: 153 Morgan Ave

Collective BK Loves UKG is throwing their next free monthly event on September 27th at Our Wicked Lady. The group is a consistent place to find quality UK garage, breaks, jungle, and dubstep. I’m looking forward to seeing all of the new faces on this month’s lineup.

Book Club Radio

When: Saturday, September 28th from 4 pm to 12 am
Where: Secret Location

Book Club Radio will be returning to NYC for meeting #21: The Keg Stand. The frat themed night will bifurcate the ongoing US tour of founders Jojo and Tinzo. The lineup features DJ/ producer AG, mashup master @nickcheo, and returning DJ/ producer duo sznl (you can find their last Book Club set below).

Sunset Sesh

When: Friday, October 4th from 7 pm - 10 pm
Where: 1260 Myrtle Ave.

Connector, the indie prince of Knickerbocker Avenue, returns to Mood Ring on October 4th with the second offering of his Sunset Sesh series. The night will lean towards 130 + bpm electronic music from guest DJs y2aura and musnic. To prepare for the night, check out Connector’s triptych mix below.

HOGWILD by Haustoria

When: Friday, October 4th from 9 pm - 1 am
Where: 35-37 36th St
Another win for readers in Queens- Haustoria is back with another event. They’ve curated an all star lineup of past DJs to welcome in the fall season. Make sure to stick around to see DJ and producer peaceblvck at 12 am. You can listen to her last set for Haustoria below. 

ChuneStation’s Open Air

Collective ChuneStation started off the weekend of August 23rd with a UKG night at the Sultan Room rooftop. DJ XJames particularly shined with her confident stage presence and song choice which bounced between recognizable favorites and hidden gems.

You can watch the first available set from the night below.

BK Loves UKG 

BK Loves UKG recently put on two shows of note. On August 24th, the collective put together an exciting event at the Woodshop. Sets by samisosa, emski, tonton, Lovelydaze & shmookyy, and OddwOrld showcased high energy and exciting UKG, jungle, and even baile funk.

In their second event, U(KG) Got Mail, BK Loves UKG teamed up with Dugout Radio for a full takeover of the bar Dead Letter Number 9. While the year isn’t over yet, I feel confident that this event will remain one of my favorites. The unique location (a themed bar with attention to detail on a microscopic level), two rooms of masterful selectors, and a talented MC (Lord of Ciphers) gave the crowd a unique experience. The collectives were rewarded with a stellar turnout- about 130 tickets were sold prior to the event and around 200 tickets were sold at the door, mostly people who heard the music from the street and tracked down the sound to the Williamsburg bar.

Last Dance Sundays: OGD B2B Debs Basak

On August 25th Debs Basak and I took over the Public Hotel rooftop. Our initial 5 - 6 pm set consisted of house, UKG, and polyrhythmic transition into some jungle. We then hopped back on the decks at 10 pm for a 2 hour set. While the first set was organized and measured, the second was high energy and organic for a crowd who was not quite ready to start their work week.

Panic Room Volume 8

Collective Panic Room was welcomed back to New York City with open arms this past weekend in a Soho gallery space. The DIY space and underground aesthetic juxtaposed well with both member and guest DJ's polished sets. The packed lineup featured 3 member DJs (Waddle, Duco, and Nijeii) and 4 guest DJs (XJames, Identitee, Sein, and Rhode). BKG member Niche and Panic Room visual designer y2aura bookended the night with stellar offerings from each. The event went from 10 pm to 5 am, with many event goers staying the entire time, a testament to Panic Room’s curatorial skills and dedicated fanbase. 

This section is inspired by the history of white label vinyl records used as promotional copies by DJs. Record labels would often send DJs advance copies of releases to test out on crowds. In some cases, the records would even be mixed differently to sound better on club speakers. 

The below songs have been submitted by their respective creators/ remixers to share with you all. The hope is to spotlight new and exciting sounds that you are able to download and take with you - either for casual listening or to share in club settings.

I am grateful to Circa and sznl for being the first to trust me with this idea.

Circa’s Demos

DJ and producer Circa displays masterful storytelling with her upcoming soul-bearing deep house release. The themes of love and personal growth are effectively translated through curated sound design. The first selection from this project, “Go Easier On Me,” sets the tone for the EP with pleading and saccharine vocals contrasting with a strong baseline. She then continues without words on “Soft Spill,” describing an emotional push and pull through free falling synths and confrontational percussive elements. Circa notes that “Copacetic” “represents a larger look at the healing process after loss.” She’s a bit more blunt in this one- with lyrics like “I’m sad” over melancholy chords which build and transform over the course of the song. However, she leaves it up to the listener to decide if the title is earnest or sarcastic. The EP ends with “”Razor Burn,” one of Circa’s first creations. There is a call and response between high and low pitched elements intended to mimic an argument between lovers who are communicating at two different frequencies and are unable to reach each other. Overall, the EP communicates a life cycle of yearning, loss, and healing in a way that suits both casual and club listening. You can download an advance of this EP here.

Smoooth - sznl / Smooth - Santana featuring Rob Thomas

If you’ve visited any of the most popular bars and clubs in New York City you’ve probably seen sznl or an associate of their collective ChuneStation. The DJ and producer duo is known for their love of minimal house, funk, soul, and disco. They’ve chosen to share their Latin house remix of Santana’s Smooth for this inaugural White Label Records segment. The remix was first debuted while the two opened for Book Club Radio’s Jojo and Tinzo during the San Francisco stop of their Time Machine Tour. “Smoooth” keeps the character of the original song while also making it impossible to stay still while listening. You can download it for free here.

If you’d like to hear them play this on venue speakers, sznl will be playing at Old Flings this Friday (September 20th). 

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