As if the Electric Zoo festival hasn’t already gotten us beyond excited for this coming Labor Day weekend, the ambitious minds behind Blkmarket Membership, ReSolute, and Esthetik are putting their heads together to give New York City music lovers yet another reason to strap on our dancing shoes Sunday night – the Bpitch Control Showcase. We’re not ashamed to say we quite literally jumped for joy when we first glimpsed this incredible line-up. Ellen Allien, Sascha Funke, Nicolas Jaar, Kiki, Alexi Delano, Taimur & Fahad, and Steven Letigre will all get behind the decks for a no holds barred journey into techno heaven sure to carry you late into the next morning. You better start resting up now, as you will not want to miss a second of this musical event of epic proportions that promises to go even above and beyond the stellar  events we are used to seeing from these party facilitators.

As a DJ, producer, label owner and fashion producer, headliner Ellen Allien not only crosses universes, but rather tries connecting multiple genres through the creation of an independent culture. Her label Bpitch Control, which she founded in 1999, is one of the most successful independent labels in Berlin and beyond, and has released a host of boundary pushing techno, electro, and breaks from international producers like Sascha Funke, Kiki, Moderat, Modeselektor, Paul Kalkbrenner, Thomas Muller, Telefon Tel Aviv, Jahcoozi and more. Bpitch’s mentality is influenced by Berlin’s counterculture, and thus in some ways Bpitch Control represents the musical and thereby cultural and creative movement that has flourished in Berlin over the past ten years.

Ellen Allien – Flashy Flashy (Nicolas Jaar Remix)

Along with Ellen Allien, Bpitch’s second in command Sascha Funke will bring his particular brand of techno that sways between the polarity of emotional overload and concrete rationale. In addition, Kiki will be making his long awaited return to New York and will be adding his unique style which encapsulates everything new and exciting about electronic music, and New Yorker Alexi Delano, who has been a very important part of electronic dance music for the past two decades, will also be delivering his trademark sound. Have a listen below to one of Sascha Funke’s new collobarations with Nina Kraviz.

Sascha Funke vs Nina Kraviz – Moses

Completing the Bpitch Showcase will be electronic music’s new wonderboy Nicolas Jaar, who will be performing a very special live set. Nicolas Jaar was born in New York but quickly relocated to Santiago de Chile in the 90’s only to come back to his birth place as a teenager. Haunted by Mulatu Astatke and Erik Satie, Nico started to make organic electronic music in 2004 at the age of 14. At 17, he made his debut with “The Student EP” on Wolf and Lamb Music with a remix by Seth Troxler who called him “one of the most talented minds dance music is about to see develop”. In recent years he has continued producing and played live all around the world, and has even started his own label, Clown and Sunset. Have a listen to one of his mixes below recorded live inside Brookyn’s own Bunker.

Nicolas Jaar – Wolf & Lamb Showcase Live at The Bunker 3.13.09 [Download]

RSVP to bpitchny@gmail.com for more information and to learn the location. Advanced tickets through Resident Advisor are sold out, but tickets are still available from Halcyon Records in DUMBO, Brooklyn, or at the door on the night of the event.

The latest smash-up from the LA based trio, edIT, OOAH, and Boreta, aka The Glitch Mob, is an infusion of party-starting music. The mixtape is a diffusion of tracks and vocals that are taken apart, chopped and screwed, then put back together with a touch of hip-hop driven beats laced with jagged electro and bass. Presented in partnership with Mishka, the infusions and cuts on these tracks are no small feat. From start to finish, the trio does a great job of driving and steering the half-hour mix.  The overall consensus: glitches don’t sound this good. Check out the mix below. Click through for the tracklist and download.

The group will take the stage at Electric Zoo in NYC on September 5th.

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This Friday, July 30th, Webster Hall will be sculpted into bass heaven with Nero and Gaslamp Killer, while our favorite NYC trio, Ayres, Catchdubs and Jubilee, bring their flashing lights rave goodness to the stage. This is one not to be missed, period.

Last time we caught the mother fucking Gaslamp Killer, he delivered an epic sermon of cosmic bass that melted our brains in Brooklyn. Vaulting hip-hop into another dimension, GLK’s eccentrically dizzy dj sets wrap riddims around your soul while his hair keeps up the tempo. Have a listen to this mixtape from last year which Flying Lotus tells us is his first glimpse into the mind of GLK.

The Gaslamp Killer – Brainfeeder Podcast [Download]

Nero brings their internally bruising drum & bass and dubstep riddims straight across the pond to damage your ear drums. Remixing eveyrone from The Streets to Beyonce, these boys are poised to bring out the bassface in everyone. Check out one of the their hugest anthems from this year…

Nero – Innocence

The Flashing Lights crew needs no introduction. Let their latest mix do all the talking…

Flashing Lights Mix #6

FREE BEFORE MIDNIGHT WITH RSVP - CLICK HERE

ADVANCE TICKETS - CLICK HERE

This is the one we’ve been waiting for all summer, Breakage and Zombie Disco Squad join our Trouble & Bass family at Santos Party House, Thursday July 29th! We of course have you covered with all sorts of free goodies, check below…

After seeing Breakage tear down the White Room at the Winter Music Conference and most recently at Fabric in London, it is clear why his critically acclaimed album, Foundation, is such a great success. This man continues to switch up styles with production layers uniquely ranging from jungle roots to drum & bass while fusing bits of dub and ragga into your bass vein. If you are still not convinced, have a listen to his outstanding Essential Mix from January below.

Breakage Essential Mix 1.5.10 [Download]

London natives Lucas Hunter and Nat Self of Zombie Disco Squad push house music into new dimensions bringing a fresh perspective to a worn out genre.  Taking cues from African rhythms, Balie Funk, hip-hop, tech and fidget house, these boys throw one hell of a party. Check out the mix below they made for Diesel Japan and if you are craving more like we are, be sure to visit their mix page for a whole slew of listening pleasure.

ZOMBIE DISCO SQUAD – MIX FOR DIESEL JAPAN

We have a very special contest set up for HiFi readers. Two tickets for the show plus your very own Mishka x Trouble & Bass shirt. And wait, we also have a limited 7″ from Drop the Lime’s side project Bad Lupo Grande. To enter the contest through our website, fill in all fields below and click “Enter Contest”. It’s one entry per person, but you can double your chances of winning by sending THIS MESSAGE via Twitter. You must be following both @HiFiCartel and @Troubleandbass to be eligible to win. The contest will close on Tuesday, July 27th at midnight. Advanced tickets are $10 HERE…Good Luck!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED

This summer, Hard is going bigger than ever, with not one, but TWO New York City visits from the LA-based party machine.

On July 24, Hard will carry on one of NYC’s favorite summer pastimes with an outdoor concert at Governor’s Island. Headliner M.I.A. will be joined by fellow Creators Project alums Die Antwoord and Sleigh Bells, along with Skream, Benga, Rye Rye, Theophilus London, Borgore, Destructo, 12th Planet, Nguzunguze and Ninjasonik, all coming together for an evening of music you won’t want to miss. [tickets + info]

This August, Hard will also hit the road for their first tour, stopping in 12 cities across the US and Canada. Crystal Castles, Sinden and Destructo will take over NYC’s Terminal 5 on August 21, with more performers to be announced at a later date. [tickets + info]

To prepare you for the madness, the good folks at Hard released a promotional mix featuring artists that will perform at Hard this summer. Though the mix is geared towards the L.A. events, the mix is not only free, but also good, so who are we to complain? Listen to the mix below, or CLICK HERE download. Peep the tracklist after the jump…

Hard Promo Mix (Produced by Nitrus)

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We’ve seen 77Klash perform a few times over the past year, most notably as the MC for Major Lazer’s NYC debut and the Trouble & Bass Three Year Anniversary Party, but today he is finally releasing his first EP on Trouble & Bass recordings, Shadow of Death. The five-track EP, his first release in over two years, was produced by T&B’s own Drop the Lime and AC Slater. Shadow of Death layers 77Klash’s hard-hitting raps over beats inspired by a wide range of genres, including dubstep, ragga, hip hop and of course, bass. Check out the title track below, preview the EP HERE, or head over to iTunes to purchase Shadow of Death.

77Klash – “Shadow of Death” (download via The Fader)

Over the weekend, the New York Times declared 23 year-old rapper Aubrey Drake Graham the “new face of hip-hop“. From fans to music heavy-hitters like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Diddy and Lil’ Wayne, there is quite a bit of anticipation for the mixtape wunderkind’s upcoming album, Thank Me Later, leaving many to wonder if the artist’s debut can meet expectations to break a million album units in sales in its first week. While we wait for the official release of the album tomorrow, it comes as no surprise that New York based record producer Chi Duly (known for his work with Nappy Roots) has released October’s Very Cold, a mixtape that blends the alternative rock style of Coldplay with the thoughtful and pensive lyrics of Drake. Not surprisingly, these tracks mesh well together – Mick Boogie and Terry Urban’s 2008 mixtape, Viva La Hova, combined Coldplay and Jay-Z. Among our favorites on October’s Very Cold: “Everlost”, “Troubles Over”, “Forever La Vida” and “Money to Fix”.

Tomorrow, Drake will be in New York City at South Street Seaport at 6pm to kick off Paper Magazine’s free Ray-Ban and Havaianas-sponsored Summer concert series with Hanson and Ninjasonik.

Click through for a listen of October’s Very Cold or download the mixtape here.

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From the moment we set foot at our first Trouble & Bass party, we were hooked. It was their three-year anniversary blowout at Le Poisson Rouge last September, a party that was packed to capacity with a line of people outside, hoping to get in on the madness. With the help of featured guests Skream and Benga (who crowd-surfed, much to the audience’s delight), the Trouble & Bass Crew had the crowd going from start to finish. It was a truly fantastic introduction to Trouble & Bass, a night that AC Slater remembers as “the definition of a good T&B vibe”.

Luca Venezia (Drop the Lime), started throwing parties under the Trouble & Bass moniker during his college years at Bard, but it wasn’t until 2006 that he started the incarnation of Trouble & Bass that we know today. After a six month stint in Berlin, Luca returned to New York and teamed up with Vivian Host (Star Eyes), Math Head and Zack Shadetek to fill a void in the New York City music scene. “At that time, genres like bassline, dubstep, and grime weren’t really being played in New York, especially not at the same party,” Vivian says of the musical climate of the time. Luca adds, “we started as a party in basement warehouse spots in Brooklyn and eventually progressed into a band of DJs and a label.” In 2007, Patrick Rood (The Captain) was brought on board after the departure of Math Head and Zack Shadetek, and about a year later, Aaron Clevenger (AC Slater) clicked with the crew at a gig in Brooklyn, rounding out the foursome.

Luca’s vision was “to bring the energy, the fun, and dancing back into New York nightlife.” Mission accomplished. Nearly four years later, Trouble & Bass has thrown dozens of parties that have featured massive DJs and producers from around the globe, but events are just the tip of the iceberg. Trouble & Bass also consists of a record label, has a publishing deal in the works, and an upcoming clothing line that will be produced exclusively through Mishka. Put more formally by Patrick, who counts ‘label manager’ among his many roles in the crew, “Trouble & Bass is a multi faceted company that specializes in the advancement of music through the artillery of heavy bass.”

And there you have it. Trouble & Bass has several exciting projects lined up for the summer – Supra 1 recently released their first single, “Still Believe”, and next week, 77 Klash will release his long-awaited EP, Shadow of Death, produced by Drop the Lime and AC Slater. Drop the Lime’s new single, Sex Sax, is set for a June 22 release, along with a music video produced and directed by The Captain. AC Slater’s Calm Down Trilogy EP is coming out in August, and features a double pack Serato vinyl designed by Dust La Rock (Fool’s Gold).

After the jump, read our interview with the Trouble & Bass crew, CLICK HERE for a collection of our Trouble & Bass photo galleries from the past year, and for your listening pleasure, we’ve included the Trouble & Bass crew’s collective Smashcast below (subscribe/download HERE).

Smashcast 006: Trouble & Bass Crew

Don’t miss the Trouble & Bass crew tomorrow night as they take over Canal Rubber at Santos Party House with Calvertron, Rico Tubbs, Class Actress, Dominique Unique Young and JDH (Fixed). Advance tickets HERE.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL INTERVIEW

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Before you plan your summer escape, Trouble & Bass is bringing us one final installment of No Escape from New York before taking a little vacation of their own. Not only is this month’s party the “Heavy Bass Champions” edition with Calvertron and Rico Tubbs, Trouble & Bass is also teaming up with Santos Party House and Canal Rubber to bring a fresh summer breeze to their monthly staple.

Alex Calver – one of the UK’s most established electronic music DJs – is bringing his most recent alter ego, Calvertron, to our side of the pond. Over the past 8 years, Alex Calver has released over one hundred 12” vinyls under various aliases; Calvertron mixes electronic beats with vocals from a wide range of styles including hip hop and rock, expertly accented with bass in all the right places. Check out his Trouble & Bass Smashcast below out below or download/subscribe HERE.

Trouble & Bass Smashcast 007: Calvertron

Hailing from Finland, Rico Tubbs has been steadily cranking out party beats since he exploded on the scene in 2002. Citing James Brown, The Prodigy and Biz Markie as his biggest influences, his first single, “Flashlighter”, was inspired by the 1977 Parliament classic imbued with massive amounts of bass.  Rico Tubbs often selects funk-based tracks to remix and possesses a sort of musical Midas touch – every track he touches turns into bass-heavy gold. Check out his take on Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s “Next Episode” below.

Dr. Dre – The Next Episode (Will Power & Rico Tubbs Remix)

The evening will also feature performances by Class Actress and Dominique Young Unique, along with DJ sets by Fixed’s JDH and the Trouble & Bass Crew. We’re giving away a pair of tickets to the show – CLICK HERE to enter.

Come back on Wednesday for the Trouble & Bass edition of our “Behind the Decks” series, featuring interviews with Drop the Lime, The Captain, Star Eyes and AC Slater, and don’t miss the Trouble & Bass crew on July 29 when they team up with Fixed to bring us Breakage and Zombie Disco Squad. CLICK HERE for tickets & info and check in with us next month for your chance to win tickets. No Escape from New York will be back in full effect this September.

Additional reporting by Rawi Chebat

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE CONTEST

In a surprising union, Major Lazer (Diplo + Switch) has teamed up with La Roux to create Lazerproof, a mixtape that combines Major Lazer’s electro-dancehall bangers with tracks from La Roux’s eponymous debut album. No stranger to the realm of mixtapes, Diplo has collaborated with M.I.A. on Piracy Funds Terrorism and Santigold on Top Ranking, creating mixtapes that fuse the respective artists’ debut albums with a selection of hip hop, dubstep and reggae beats. La Roux’s songs have seen their share of dubstep remixes, making her collaboration with Major Lazer a little less surprising (bonus: check out tradehooks compilation of the best La Roux remixes HERE).

Lazerproof balances the familiar with the unfamiliar, while delivering surprise after surprise. Some songs are close derrivatives of their respective archetypes  - the Costra Nostra Edit of “Cover My Eyes” adds a ska beat while keeping the melody and vocals intact. “In For The Kill” gets reworked twice, first in “Independent Kill”, where Candi Redd raps over the original melody, then again in ”In 4 The Kill Pon de Skream”, which takes Skream’s pervasive remix  and laces it with a stripped-down beat from “Pon de Floor” for a curiously subtle result.

“Magic (Falling Soldiers Dub)”, a less obvious interpretation of “As If By Magic”, takes the vocals from its poppy predecessor and lays it over a reggae dub. Stripped of its synth undertones, the song takes on a completely different mood. The two closing tracks – “I Said It (Major Lazer Dubplate)” featuring Opal and “Hold Yuh (Double Dubplate)” featuring Gyptian – left us mystified. Although there are two La Roux songs that didn’t get the mixtape treatment (“Saviour” and “Reflections Are Protection”), neither resembles the tracks in question.

CLICK HERE to download Lazerproof from the Mad Decent blog, a free download if you get it today (Wednesday, May 26). Last we checked, the server was having some issues, so if you need it right this second (as we did), head over to the Stockholm Beat Connection for an alternate download link.

We leave you with two samples from Lazerproof: “In 4 The Kill Pon de Skream” and the mysterious “Hold Yuh (Double Dubplate)”. If you can figure out its origins, by all means, enlighten us in the comments section below.

Major Lazer & La Roux – “In 4 The Kill Pon de Skream”

Major Lazer & La Roux featuring Gyptian – “Hold Yuh (Double Dubplate)”

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