Showing posts with label low end theory. Show all posts

It's been a while since Free The Robots dropped his debut EP onto the world and in that time his contemporaries on the West Coast scene such as Flying Lotus and Nosaj Thing have firmly wedged themselves into our collective psyche. Now finally we have a full length episode of the FTR show and it's certainly been worth the wait.

The name of Chris Alfaro's project is most definitely apt. This is the kind of freedom that Johnny 5 tasted and all those other androids out there have been dreaming of since. The re-education of the robots takes on a history lesson of their portrayal in human culture with tracks like Sci-fidelity, a straight up 50s B Movie robo-invasion over a killer beat which we can’t help but picture Doom tearing up… ripe for the mash up we’d say. The rest takes in everything from 60s Eastern influenced psychadelia to modern crunk, all translated for the knowledge hungry robot's out there, whilst tracks like Voices takes the education further approaching the emotional side of things and teaching them about the relationships between pain and beauty.

Finally as the freestyle nature of The Eye (a collaboration with Mars Volta's Ikey Owens on keys) really highlights the computer as instrument and with the education complete you can almost feel the life force surging through their circuits. The Robots have most definitely been freed.

Ctrl Alt Delete drops via Alpha Pup Records on March 30th.

Download: Free The Robots - Orion's Belt Buckle / alt link

A Scribble Jam winner and Low End Theory host, NoCanDo is no stranger to those with any kind of connection to the current West Coast scene, so it's perhaps a little surprising then that his debut full length is only just upon us. Dropping courtesy of Daddy Kev's Alpha Pup label and with a producer line up that includes the likes of Nosaj Thing, Daedelus, Free the Robots and Thavius Beck, we were obviously excited about this album before it even hit the player. It doesn't dissapoint either, one of the most well rounded Hip-hop albums for a long time Nocando switches up styles, flows and deliveries in a way that truly showcases his long term love of the music without having his nostalgia chip jammed in any particular heyday. From crunked up club bangers to more instrospective head nodders, this is serious business which never takes itself too seriously.

The West Coast Hip-hop scene has always been a diverse and divided bag of noise. From classic Gangsta Rap to the Good Life Cafe attendees back in the late 80s and 90s, or Bay Area Hyphy and the kind of artists who grace the upper echelons of Low End Theory. Although this album is perhaps a little too grown up to truly cross over and a little too contemporary for the traditionalists, it joins the dots for the current scenes well and in many ways brings everything else up to date. Grab it!

Jimmy The Lock is out on Alpha Pup from January 26th but we have a copy of the new single for you here.

Download: NoCanDo - Hurry Up and Wait (produced by Nobody) / alt link

Robot Koch is currently sailing the seven seas spreading the gospel of digital bass music to the world, including a stop off at the legendary Low End Theory night in LA on Wednesday. However he dropped anchor long enough to tell us about a new remix EP he has coming out in late February with remixes from Loops Haunt, Flako, Blue Daisy, Shlohmo, Body Language and Phon.o (see below) as well as 2 brand new tracks. So consider yourselves duly warned and make sure you prepare for the coming!

Download: Robot Koch - Gorom Sen (Phon.o Remix) / alt link

Any regular listeners to the Mary Anne Hobbs show will know she recently headed over to LA and San Francisco to check the scenes out and deejay at Low End Theory and West Coast Rocks. Well XLR8R have just put up her West Coast Rocks set and true to form it's full of some of the most exciting new Dubstep-esque material out there.

(Direct Link)Mary Anne Hobbs Live in S.F. January 29 - XLR8R Podcast

For a full tracklisting, to listen live or download an enhanced m4a copy head over to XLR8R.com

You can also download the latest Mary Anne Hobbs latest with live sets from Glitch Mob and Lazer Sword via RapidShare here.