neljapäev, 27. oktoober 2016

From Rivera's Groove Box #220: Kaazi - Balloon


100% Silk should be familiar for many outsider/lo-fi dance music enthusiasts. The label has brought some of the most unique sounding artists to attention. Although the label puts out music on all known formats, their cassette releases have had some of the most warm reception by the lo-fi music community. Kaazi is a new artist, but his album 'Zen Travel' is a strong beginning point in a future discography I can't wait to hear more.

laupäev, 22. oktoober 2016

From Rivera's Groove Box #219: Tuning Circuits - Mindbender



Now this is hardcore to the bone. This obscure acid techno track comes from a cassette only album, originating from the Netherlands. The music has been rediscovered, but there has been no contact with the creator of the music, he's disappeared or just doesn't care about the new interest into his music and wants to keep a low profile. If I listen to newer noisy techno tracks, like Greg Beato's 'F7' then it comes really clear that Tuning Circuits was way ahead of its time. The rough sound is achieved with using lo-fi recording techniques - no mixing or editing afterwards, no samples, no stereo, no dolby. And still it sounds so lively.

'Non-concessive creative energy against the common lack of new ideas and thrown away idealism for easy money!'

From Rivera's Groove Box #218: DJ Swagger - Where You Come From



'So where you come from?'. I get that question a lot when I travel to the Big City. And more than once, I've replied 'I'm from the ghetto'. Usually when I say that, people get amused like I'm joking around. But I'm not sure if this is far from the truth. I live in a rural place, away from the big city life. The life I see around me is a mix of backwoods and redneck culture way of living. It sometimes sure as hell feels like a ghetto. It's a unique rural ghetto. I feel living away from the city life has made me more hardened in life. But then again, my surrounding is a bit more safer than a real ghetto. Do I want to leave my hood? I don't know. Everyone who can, does. When I visit the city, I feel like I don't belong there. I'm an alien there. 

This moody DJ Swagger track made me think again about the question 'where you come from?'. 

'I'm from the ghetto'. 

neljapäev, 20. oktoober 2016

From Rivera's Groove Box #217: SAKI - Daytona Beach



There is a lot of mediocrity in dance music, and among all of this state of being mediocre, some great things can sometimes slip by unnoticed. I remember early this year when everybody had compiled their favorite lists of albums and singles of last year, and I tried to check them out as much as possible. This was because I didn't want to miss out something that had gone by me unnoticeably for some reason. I found many great things, but not the Palmbomen II album, which I stumbled upon much later. I was amazed that so few people knew about it. I'm pretty sure Palmbomen II's self titled album is going to be looked as a milestone for lo-fi dance music in the future. But this entry is not about Palmbomen II. I want to introduce you all to another lo-fi dance music producer who is anything else than mediocre - SAKI! This Floridan producer is making his own brand of exciting mix of techno and house, which he has lovably nicknamed 'swamp techno'. It's all rough and hardware only, a way of production which is again gaining popularity in the dance music scene, yet I can't recall any other producer who's taken a bunch of floppy disks with him for a live gig. When I say that SAKI is a future underground dance music talent to blow up, it's not an overstatement - just listen to 'Daytona Beach' and you'll understand.

neljapäev, 13. oktoober 2016

From Rivera's Groove Box #216: Mike Huckaby - Baseline 88



I was amazed how simple these Mike Huckaby 'Baseline' tracks were. The basslines are repetitive, and the tracks very loopy, with little going on, but man are they addictive and catchy! Great track to include in a techno, minimal, outsider, lo-fi, acid or deep house DJ set - it really goes good with anything.

laupäev, 1. oktoober 2016

From Rivera's Groove Box #215: DJ Sneak - In Da Clouds (Da Original Dub)



DJ Sneak is a house giant. A legend. That's a fact and no matter how much backlash he is getting from his twitter tweet rants, there's just no denying about his legacy in the house scene. He's got a huge discography, and while a lot of his tracks are maybe lukewarm, there are definitely some scorchers hidden there. All you got to do is dig. Some say that 'In Da Clouds' is their favorite Sneak jam. Well mine's 'Feel Your Body Talking' but I'll have to admit that 'In Da Clouds' will stuck easily into your head - it's loopy, but fun house track. Samples Chaka Khan 'Clouds'.