Dubstep and drum & bass extraordinaire James Boyle, aka Breakage, makes his Essential Mix debut. Hailing from Croyden in the UK, Breakage has been making tunes since the ripe age of eleven. His second album Foundation was recently released on Digital Soundboy, and we highly recommend picking it up. He’s also just remixed Florence & The Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over”. Listen out for tunes from Benga, Skream, Deadmau5, MJ Cole and AC Slater, and click through to check out Breakage’s video with Roots Manuva and to see the tracklist.

Download: Breakage – Essential Mix

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Ripping apart Radio 1 this week is Buraka Som Sistema, a Lisbon ensemble whose kuduro infused productions keep hearts pumping and asses shaking. Their debut album, Black Diamond, firmly shatters any assumptions about dance music. Built on the fundamentals of house, BSS’s tunes blend electro madness with coarse break beats and bass lines while sounding as though they pump out of a classic rave speaker.  Expect classic dubstep and UK funky anthems tuned up with soca rhythms while maintaing a firm grip on the Portuguese dance climate.

Buraka Som Sistema – Essential Mix [Download]

Click through for a full a full tracklist and be sure to CHECK OUT PHOTOS from their appearance at HARD Fest this April.

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Next Thursday, Simian Mobile Disco will kick off their quarterly residency with Fixed’s JDH and Dave P. Jas Shaw and James Ford wowed the crowd at Webster Hall last October with their synths, Moogs and drum machines. Don’t miss the UK duo when they return to our side of the pond to tear up Le Poisson Rouge next week.

Enter to win tickets to this massive event after the jump, and be sure to listen to Simian Mobile Disco’s BBC Essential Mix below.

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The first Essential Mix of the year comes from the very talented UK duo Jas Shaw and James Ford, collectively known as Simian Mobile Disco. Emerging from the ashes of the band Simian, these two caught fire by combining the propulsive groove of techno with basic rock dynamics to create unique productions and sought after remixes. Last October, the duo tore down Webster Hall with their synths, Moogs and drum machines, remixing their own dubs on the fly. This mix changes the pace, seamlessly grooving between minimal tech, dubstep and electro. Check out the tracklist and an XLR8R walk-through of their live studio rig after the jump and be sure to catch them when they return to NYC on March 11th at Le Poisson Rouge.

Essential Mix – Simian Mobile Disco [Download]

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Dubbed the “Daft Punk” of Brazil”, The Twelves bring us one of the freshest mixes to BBC Radio 1. João Miguel and Luciano Oliveira, who formed the duo in 2005, have made a huge impact on the blogosphere with a series of remixes, cover versions and original tracks. Be sure not to miss this one.

The Twelves – Essential Mix

Tracklist and download after the jump…

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This week Radio One brings us DJ Zinc, an East Londoner who made a name for himself producing hip hop laced drum & bass in the mid ’90s. Throwing the genre mask on him would be a big mistake however, as he is always about hybrid sounds and fusing new elements into his productions and DJ sets. His versatility is what sets him apart from other DJs, jumping effortlessly between breakbeats, electro, two-step and grime. Listen out for quality re-rubs of Passion Pit, Laidback Luke, Major Lazer and Emalkay.

DJ Zinc – Essential Mix

Full tracklisting and download after the jump.

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Radio 1’s Essential Mix returns to the now legendary Warehouse Project in Manchester for an exclusive back to back set from Ed Banger’s DJ Mehdi & Busy P, recorded live at the Chibuku party.

DJ Mehdi & Busy P – Essential Mix

Tracklist & download on the jump… Continue Reading

Planning your Halloween can be quite daunting – with so many great events to choose from, where do you begin? Fear not, The HiFi Cartel is here to help you narrow down your options. We’ve already told you about Above & Beyond at Roseland Ballroom, Danny Tenaglia at Pacha and Paco Osuna at Love. Here are some of the other happenings you might want to check out:

We’ll be at the FIXED Halloween Bash at Santos Party House, where German DJ sensation Boys Noize will be gracing the speakers with his signature funky electro. Fixed’s own JDH and Dave P will also be spinning. Boys Noize recently dropped a BBC Essential Mix, which you can check out here to gear up for this weekend’s festivities.

Fool’s Gold and Trouble & Bass are teaming up for what is sure to an epic night at Europa in Brooklyn. Kingdom, XXXChange and Nick Catchdubs from Fool’s Gold will face off against the Trouble & Bass Crew, Supra 1 and 77 Klash. Make sure you RSVP for reduced admission at the door.

After passport issues forced The Very Best to cancel their CMJ appearances, they will surely redeem themselves with a live performance at the Gods and Heroes Party presented by FlavorPill and MeanRed. The party will be held at a secret Brooklyn location. Tickets are well worth the $35 price tag, considering they include an open bar all night. 100% of the proceeds will go to Charity: Water to help bring clean drinking water to a school in Ethiopia.

The Park is also hosting quite the soiree, with a line-up that’s too long to list in its entirety. Headlined by Paul Sevigny, the event will also feature music by The Chainsmokers and B-Roc. Get advance tickets here, and be sure to arrive early to capitalize on the open bar from 9:00 – 10:30 PM.

Finally, Girls & Boys residents Gavin Royce and Stephen Pandolfi (a.k.a. Kids with Snakes) will spin at Dokebi’s Fourth Annual Halloween Party in Brooklyn, which promises to be “an excellent dark and sweaty dance experience”. If you love music but are short on cash, this is a great option since there’s no cover. As an added bonus, they’ll be serving Tacos to help you keep your energy going all night long. In preparation for the revelry, be sure to check out the Futureshock Mix Tape that Gavin Royce and Stephen Pandolfi did for Nicky Digital.

Halloween can be pretty hectic, so we highly recommend that you get advance tickets where available. And if you’re looking to get the party started early, Webster Hall has you covered, with a DJ Set by Justice on Thursday (with Jackson and Disko Dali) and live performances by Simian Mobile Disco and Phenomenal Handclap Band on Friday.

Rest up – it’s going to be a long weekend.

Check out the fliers for the events after the jump…

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The man Beatport just dubbed the best indie dance artist stops by Radio 1 to drop some funky electronic mayhem. Fresh off the release of his second studio album, Power, Alex Ridha a.k.a. Kid Alex, Einzeller, 900d1sco, or as most of you know him, Boys Noize continues to blow up dance-floors across the globe. If you’ve never been to one of his parties, he will be banging things up at Santo’s Party House October 31st.

Now on to the mix which, might I add, is strictly vinyl and contains not a single promo off his new album. Pretty badass is you ask me…

Boys Noize – Essential Mix

Tracklist & download on the jump

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This week, Radio One brings us a very special mix to wrap up the summer. No stranger to the Essential Mix program, Paul van Dyk continues to deliver tight mixes across the globe and this two hours is no exception. Except the fact you will hear the Berlin native reflect on Ibiza’s chill sunset side, a new direction from the Vandit man who pioneered the hard techno sound. Don’t worry though, his second hour brings the club beats back to life with a couple of classics and his new single “Home”. If you’re craving more Paul, he broadcasts a weekly radio show, VONYC Sessions, which showcases the best electronic artists around the world.

Paul Van Dyk – Essential Mix

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