Blake – CMYK EP

Don’t you hate it when you remember that you wanted to mention something to someone or anybody for that matter but way after it’s too late? For the longest time, I wanted to come here and post about this EP by 21-year old super electronic producer James Blake and I never got around to it. Whether it was trying to mix up the diversity or trying to make other solid posts, I completely missed recommending CMYK and its four awesome songs.

Nonetheless, this is a short and direct EP that needs to be picked up by a lot of people. Somewhat dubstep, somewhat techno, somewhat IDM, and all electronic, these four songs push forward with tremendous results. Blake does a great job of keeping his beats heavy and at the front, while always carrying gorgeous sounds all over. And while I wanted to post all four songs on here, here are the two that I found.

Many will love the Burial similarities on this title-track but please, listen to those strings in the background and with just how melodic this all is. And once the snare kicks in and it explodes, wow.


And here is “I’ll Stay,” which reminds me more of Madlib and Flying Lotus than it does of Burial; especially with the almost worldly-sounding beats and its tempered groove. – Bryan

DJ Donna Summer - Raw EP

This is a new EP by Nightshifters lablehead Jason Forrest who goes by DJ Donna Summer. His first release in 2 years, the music on this EP ranges with everything from house, IDM, dubstep and straight up electronic music. But what makes it all the more engaging are his transitions and ear for layering.

There are songs ("Fighter") that are built around an addition of instruments and tones before exploding all over the canvas and then there are others like the title track that very simply, burst at the seems with intensity. The undertones are subtle and enticing and the atmospherics lend a blissful amount of style. When hearing something as good as this, I can’t help but wonder why it will never make it to the dancefloors – where it belongs.

Nonetheless, getting the word out is needed. Below is a video to that aforementioned title track, all of the songs on the EP can be heard on his myspace page and hopefully, we see a physical release soon. – Bryan

Dj Donna Summer - Raw from Nightshifters on Vimeo.