Matthew David & XLR8R

I'm pretty unaware of this guy Matthew David, but his label Leaving Records has released a few joints I've enjoyed in the last few years from the LA beat scene. He dropped this little podcast earlier in the month with XLR8R full of some random jams. He has some field recordings and unearthed cassettes mixed in with a few new jack swing cuts, of course a few random beat jams and a whole lot more I couldn't even describe. Check it out! Enjoy the snow and you Sunday y'all.

Young Montana? "Scarce Leaks"

Finding new music has never been so exciting in my eyes. While I continue to find new kids making music via bandcamp, and other viral outlets I can’t forget the journey I’ve taken to hear whatever it is in my ears at that moment. Young Montana? has been getting spins from me for a lilttle while and shares a geographic similarity with some of the other electronic knob twisters and button pressers I’m playing loud as fuck as of late.

Young Montana? is a 19 year old from West Midlands in England. You may remember the BTS mix from dude I posted not to long ago and that is just another great example of what is music is and how he is condensing muiltiple styles into some of his own funkiness. He chops up vocals, throws stuttering synths, brings in heavy bass and throws that out in exchange for happy keys. While listening to the tune “F.F.F.F.” you will repeatedly look at you iTunes thinking it’s on shuffle and you’ve just heard yet another new song. You haven’t, Young Montana? just likes to keep it moving.

Elsewhere in this little collection of tunes is a remix he did for Fader that features him “remixing” Miley Cyrus to hilarious and awesome results. Montana doesn’t take himself too seriuos and you can tell he is till discovering where he wants to take his sound. “Scare Cool” is the song with the most fittin name, as the tune just excudes coolness via a beat that sounds like floating in the clouds. I want to hear Wiz spit to this.



While Young Montana?’s bandcamp page appears to be no more, I’ve asked what the story is but so far no response, the three songs he dropped on the site in the last few months don’t do anything to think that Daddy Kev was wrong in choosing this young Enghlishman to join the ranks of his Alpha Pup stable. Young Montana shows that the Low End Theory set is right up his alley.

“Hot Heathrr” is another one of his epic journeys of a tune that twists, turns and finally grooves you into submission. “Twenty3Skidoo” is probably the most Hip Hop of the cuts here featuring more recognizable sounds as samples. The whole track is anchored by some keys which start off in a normal chord progression before getting out of sync in a beautiful way with the rest of the beat. He brings in this womans vocal snippet that catches your attention always, the drums aren’t hard but their off kilter rhythm is something Dilla fans will feel before they realize the influence.

These six songs show an awesome talent just getting started. So many people right now are making tracks, throwing them online and just hopping somoneone somewhere hears them. Young Montana? has been heard over seas, he’s captured the attention of highly sought after individuals within a few scenes that remain at the fore of progressive music ideas. These songs have me excited for a future with more tunes that twist genre definitions and inspire people to think outside of the box.

Download the tracks here.

Freddie Joachim "A.M."

Taking a page from rappers today, San Diego based beatmaker Freddie Joachim has been flooding the Internet with an assortment of releases. Coming across him on Bandcamp (yes this is another Bandcamp entry, watch Friday for the interview to drop with dude!) and a few blogs I first downloaded his tape A.M. which at only 7 tracks had me replaying it for hours.

Joachim is great at capturing a mood. Perhaps it’s an endless cycle, whatever he names the project your preconceived notions will influence how you feel the music. I don’t think the tunes here would fit if he had named the collection “Summer Jams.” Over an assortment of drums and samples Freddie crafts the perfect morning music. I’ve been playing this in the morning for the last couple weeks and it never sounds old upon waking up!

While researching the guy to send off questions I also discovered a few other releases. He has two shorter, five track mini albums - Nights Alone and Dust. Dust evokes a feeling of dusk to me, all the tracks are a little more subdued then what you find on A.M. and vocal samples are more present. “From Yesterday” features some great chops on vocals throughout the song. Joachim has an ear for great sounds to flip. His drums are never alike, yet always raw and hard. He gets his sound crisp.

Nights Alone was the final project I really wanted to touch on here. This project may be the most full of emotion, and I guess with a name like that it’s only right. Here he once again sets a mood quite well. Choosing some awesome vibes to play over the crunchy drums on the opening track “Silent” sends you down a path of contemplation and realization. We’ve all had those nights we stay up late, perhaps it was because we were having a good time but maybe it’s because their just isn’t anyone else in that moment in time to listen. So listen to this and let the music hold you.

Freddie Joachim has been at this art for over 10 years now and throughout these (and other projects of his - find his Olive Juice Love Remixes Vol. 1 for some awesome vocalists over his own tracks) different albums of his I’ve listened to I’ve heard a continuity to his style. While he trades themes and certainly makes unique tracks I believe you can squarely associate his songs with the man, a trait that generally is reserved for only the legend's in this game.

Give A.M. a listen below and bounce over to Joachim's bandcamp site to hear and download more! If you like dude support and cop his full length offering Midway.

Teebs & Jackhigh "Rains"

Pretty fucking weird. Thoughts, comments on these visuals? Teebs & Jackhigh Tropics EP out now on Svetlana Industries.