Monday, December 19, 2011

Artist of the Month : Mystery Skulls

Holly EDM, Batman!

There is something so completely refreshing about 'Mystery Skulls', a new comer to the Electronic Dance Music scene.  He maintains the integrity and styling of traditional dance music; smooth bass-lines, love struck vocals, a great beat, yet blended so effectively well with contemporary styled synths. I managed to have a sit down with Lu(is) the main contributor and creator of Mystery Skulls, he is incredibly humble, talented and has mad style.
DnM : After a few hours of scouring the Internet, save a Wikipedia article, I couldn't find much detailing your current project, Mystery Skulls, or your last project The Secret Handshake. So let us start off light. Care to tell us a little about yourself and Mystery skulls?
 MS : Mystery skulls is something I started as most other things happen just for fun. Played the first show a few months ago just to see how it would go, and people have really accepted it in a short time.

The Secret Handshake - Magic by Drugs and Mirrors
A release from Lu's past musical journey...some Nu-Town


DnM : Mystery Skulls has combined those two previously mentioned genres in a brilliant way. The vocal and lyrical styling of Motown, and contemporary electronic; was this intentional?
MS : Thank you, no not intentional, but is just a meshing of what I'm personally into.
Sort of a retro futuristic sound if you will.



DnM : I'm told you are a self taught musician, not only keyboard, but several other instruments as well. What can you play, and how did you find the devotion and time to learn?
MS : Yeah that is true, Im not really amazing at any one instrument, Id say im more of a song writer than anything. Its not so much devotion so much as just the desire to want to explore music.


DnM : Being that you are so well versed in musical instruments, how much of your production is digital, and how much is live instrumentation?
MS :  At the moment, Id say 80% of my production is digital.
I still use actual analog synths (moog/prophet) and then I usually track a little guitar over top. But other than that its mostly done in logic



DnM : You have an amazing vocal range, did you have proper training ?
MS : Thank you, the vocals are actually the area of contention for most people when talking about my music.
Never had training though I wish I had!


DnM : Your music styling is so diverse, who are your most predominant influences?
MS :  I'm all over the board for sure. I love everything from J.Pop like capsule or perfume, and all the way across to good old motown soul. just anything that feels genuin and fresh.

DnM : What is the process of producing / writing one of your more current tracks.
MS : I always start with the drums, and I usually roll with the same beat, which is probably a bad Idea but then Ill usually pull out the prophet and start plugging away with chords and structures. Anything that sounds cool and new.
I try never to force it.


DnM : All right, I gotta ask. What are the obsessions with all-things-90s? From Contra to He-man and even what appears to be Donkey Kong Country.
MS : Good eye. Its just part of my childhood. Thats something that I Identify with greatly.
Just the innocence of youth and discovery through music and video games and television.
I moved to Canada from Venezuela when I was 8 and couldn't speak english so I was fascinated with everything going on at the time.


DnM : Now for my status-quo question; if you could do any drug, with anyone, past or present, who and what would it be?
MS : wow. never thought someone would ask this question. It's not a drug, but I wish I could go back and have a beer with Nick Drake. Always a big inspiration for me.

Mystery Skulls - You Got Me ( Demo ) Live @ El Sibil by Drugs and Mirrors
http://mysteryskulls.tumblr.com/
http://www.facebook.com/MysterySkullsOfficial?ref=ts

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Fred Falke - Bare Knuckle

Oh my Falking God. ..
Fred Falke - Bare Knuckle by Drugs and Mirrors
  Fred Falke has been producing and remixing songs for nearly 8 years, however, Part IV is his first official album. Comprised of old and mainly new tracks, Falke's album has been longly anticipated. However with Bare Knucle, irony strikes harder than the convolution and distortion of the song itself, for it feels like your ear canal has been punched with an overdose of awesome. Atypical to Fred's style, french house, Bare Knuckle borders on the genre hard house., with a deeply revered filtered synth and dark melody.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Beast of the weeK : Mac Lethal - Happy to be Living

" ...Fixing, all the broken parts and twisted screws, that were once missin' "

Mac Lethal - Happy to be Living by Drugs and Mirrors

  The true defining factors for hip-hop, are; the lyrical content, rhythm, flow and emotional rapport. These embodying terms of hip-hop, tend to get passed over in the genre of rap. However, Mac Lethal, a first-timer at DnM, fully encompasses these specification of hip-hop, in his most recent release 'Happy To Be Living". His emotional prowess, and pure, unadulterated honesty, clearly sparkle as he approaches the half-full cup of life. Indicating the simple pleasures, that we tend to forget; from enjoyment of casual drinking 'Heyo, I am sittin here, sunday morning, I just  woke up but I'm sipping beer...so lucky that its crystal clear" to the fruitful bounty of love "I love a  women that can squeeze the sun like it's a lemon".  Accompanied by an melodic instrumental that is as tranquil as Mac Lethals' flow. A simple approach is taken,on the beat, by containing a minimal, reverbed, chord progression, and a true to form hip drum pattern.

DnM 

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Childish Gambino - Fire Fly

Swag.




The long awaited 'Camp' from, jack of all trades, Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino ), will be released November 15th. In a word, it is superior. His intelligent lyricism, poignancy, and pure honestly allow him to shine high above the majority of rappers currently in the game.  A plethora of comparisons can be made; from the soulful singing to that of  Drake, to the witty word play of Lupe, to the club style instrumentals of Kanye.  The album contains 12 songs that are as diverse in topic as they are in melody.  An absolute stand out is 'Fire Fly'.

Fire Fly comes down fast and strong, like a drunk girl falling down stairs, it will leave you draw-dropped wanting more. Beginning with a melodic crescendoed riff and a steady, progressive, synth the song encapsulates you with a 90s-esque beat. The intro has Childish spiting a verse and chorus addressing the the rise of his fame. " I'm so broke man/scholarship apology / facebook message from college kids who hollerin / Girls like we love you/we go to LSU/you gotta do a show/so we can come and molest you" The track continues on the subject of Childish in the blossoming, freshman, years as a young rapper. Albeit, his career is still in the developing stages, it is obvious that its end result will be fruitful.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Beast of the weeK : Balance and the Traveling Sounds - Something About Us ( Daft Punk Cover - Studio Version )

'I want to be the reason you smile everyday'

Balance and the Traveling Sounds - Something About Us (Daft Punk Cover) - (Studio Version) by Drugs and Mirrors

In order to make a cover successful, you need to maintain the integrity of the original, yet add your own creative elements and dynamics.  Balance and Traveling sounds achieve this with superior talent and skill. The lead singer, Mike Eddie, has an immaculate range, and sultry voice, which he demonstrates as he pours a, personal and heart-felt verse over the intro and into the chorus. Which proceeds into a jazz breakdown. Now the kids these days are far concerned with 'filthy drops',  which will never compare to a jazz break down, noticeable after the verse chorus(3:00). Where each instrument takes the lead with their own personal interpretation and attempt at expressing unrequited love.
Despite what the lyrics suggest, it is always the right time for, a soulful, cover of Daft Punk's 'Something About Us'.


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Artist of the Month : Logic

From its infantile state, in the early 1970s, to the contemporary cash-cow today, hip hop has been around for over 30 years. Like all musical genres, it has grown, matured, and flourished, but it has also strayed from its original roots. In it's juvenile stages, hip hop was praised for it lyricism with intellectual capacity, focus on social development, and addressed personal issues. This can not be applied to the majority of modern hip-hop.  With that said it is beyond refreshing to see a new artist emerge, who maintains the integrity, and emobiment 'classic hip-hop'. This prodigious artist is Logic.


Logic - Addiction by Drugs and Mirrors

 Fresh off his sophomore mix-tape, Logic shows dedication that makes a Tibetan  Monk temple look like a shanty town of homeless people.  His apparent skill, and realism allow him to shine through the plethora of mediocrity.

Logic - All I Do by Drugs and Mirrors

Logic had originally confirmed to sit down with Drugs and Mirrors to do an interview. Unfortunately due to time constraints, he was unable. The team here at DnM completely understands, and looks forward to more work from this outstanding individual.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Beast of the weeK : Madeon - Teaser Part 1

Contemporary French Renaissance
Madeon, the leader of the French House Renaissance, wields a Novation Launchpad, slamming out insane EDM tracks, one after another. At the ripe young age of 17,  Madeon has created a musical outside the pants hand-job, with his most recent release, titled 'teaser part 1'. So while listening, dancing, and flat out grooving, be wary of Rick Hanson.
Ushering in with a fluttering synth pad, accompanied by angelic vocals, and soothing piano, Madeon grabs you by the collar only to say ' I am going to melt-your-fucking-face-off', metaphorically speaking, of course.  Proceeded by drums that drop in unison with a filtered chord progression, the song truly begins.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Chillax Trax : Apparat - Goodbye

I Won...
Goodbye by apparat

We fear the inevitable, for we are destined to succumb to its permanent ambiguity. Yet with the knowledge of the unknown, many men lead lives of avoidance, which enslaves the mind, body and soul in a state of stagnancy. Where men take no steps, take no chances, only to slumber, burdened with the weight of regret. This, is the folly of man, the true ban of existence. Only once, death is acknowledge and accepted may the first step be taken taken, which inevitably ends in death.
Appart's - Goodbye is the entire embodiment of crossing the threshold.  Accompanied by a lone, sullen piano, and near marching beat, Goodbye definitely is encapsulation of accepting fate, and taking the first and final step. In which a voice from the other side echoes
'Neither ever, nor never / Goodbye / Goodbye' 

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Beast of the weeK : Brenton Duvall - Phone Rings Goodbye ( Mike Posner + Jon Brion )

Eternally Chill
Brenton Duvall - Phone Rings Goodbye ( Mike Posner + Jon Brion ) by Drugs and Mirrors

 If someone stated that Jay Electronica and Mike Posner could adequately justify the same beat, large hunks of cinder block would be hurdled in the general direction, only to be preceded by excessive bludgeoning for such erroneous statements. Post-trial and conviction, I would stand morally and musically corrected. Brenton Duvall mashes Mike Posners - Save Your Goodbyes with Jon Brions - Phone Call, in  pure melodic cacophony.  Surprisingly, the inflection and cadence of Posners vocals fit perfectly with the looped guitar of  Phone Call.  In Brenton's remix he; revamps the beat, in a two-step minimalist approach, extends the vocals and adds the slightest dash of reverb.  Despite the heart-ache, break up lyrics, the track develops quite the soothing sensation, a brain smothered in vics vapo-rub.  
Its result, is surprisingly enjoyable.

DnM

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Hip-Hop Hump Day : Shad - The Calling feat Jermiside & Destruments

"I Caught a Glimpse of Heaven, It's Beautiful as Hell"

  Featuring  Shad, 'The Old Prince', once prior on, Drugs and Mirrors, did not assert the lyrical talent this man posses.  His flow and rhymes are immaculate, and his ability to hit the the beat, which is produced by Danny Diggs, is ineffable. 
Starting with an echoed announcer expressing his pleasure and excitement in introducing the up coming artist, a feeling which entirely mutual, the track begins. Which smoothly progresses into then 2nd verse, where Shad explicitly describes the effect of music through him and onto the crowd, where 'fellas heads bounce, and the ladies hip gyrate / noise projects and reflects, the joy in my face"  Slowly, the hook digs in, embedding its self in your sub-conscious, easing the anxiety of everyday life.
DnM

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra - Blow Your Mind


*Warning* Pleasure ensure that the following items are in close distance; attractive members of the opposite sex, condoms, and a music playing device, because this song will cause le sex.

Monday, September 19, 2011

M83 - New Map

It is easier to beg for forgiveness, than ask for permission.

 
Malice is a difficult feat to overcome. It takes bold character to look past the injustices, and analyze the bigger picture. Furthermore, it is challenging to forgive, even if it's a simple slip of a friends tongue or the sharing of unreleased music by independent journalists. It takes an even stronger person to not sue said journalist.  Luckily there are cures for the sullen spirits and head hanging woes of ill will, such as M83's 'New Map'.  A shoe-gaze anthem that promotes a strong, insatiable desire to close eyes, sway-heads, and tap feet. 
'New Map' seems to maintain M83's originality and homage to 80s synths and sounds yet, like an inter-racial dopple-ganger, has a few underlying resemblances. The last quarter of the song bares a striking kinship to Broken Social Scene, with allegro horns and airy high hats. Regardless, of influential sources, the song is outstanding among his 2 disc album 'HurryUp, We'reDreaming'. It's only true folly is the potential , forgivable,  repercussions of an early release. Which, as experience detects, is both highly positive or extremely embarrassing.   

DnM


Friday, September 16, 2011

Funk Friday : Viceroy - No Ending

New Mix, From an Old Friend
Apparently, our dear old friend, Viceroy has an endless supply of talent in his bag of tricks. His recent release "No Ending" brings the status-quo of filter vibes and a raspy vocal hook. It's clear  that, his skills in production continue to blossom. His knowledge of timing, his beat making continue to grow, much like my anticipation of his next release. The fantastic thing is, Viceroy's career seems to have No Ending.

DnM

Monday, September 12, 2011

Ambassadeurs - Rossler

Coitus Causation 

There are a small quantity of aphrodisiacs known, including but not limited to; Oysters, The Notebook and most commonly alcohol. Well maybe the latter isn't an aphrodisiac, but it does make things easier. Add another to the list, for Amassadeurs' 'Rossler' will get her wetter than sitting front row at sea-world and will cause more 'getting jiggy with it' than Will Smith is aware of.  There is something so sexually ineffable about the smooth bass lines and sultry distorted vocals, aligned against a funk-a-rific melody. There is a perfect balance, in 'Rossler' of slow, ariose beauty and cacophonous 8-bit allowing  Ambassadeurs' jam to be the perfect coitus causation.

DnM

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Hip-Hop Hump Day : Tayyib Ali - Do It

Soon To Be...
Tayyib Ali - Do It by Drugs and Mirrors

For up and coming rapper Tayyib Ali, it is certain that his destiny will be most prosperous. With flow as smoother than glass, and outstanding production, he will undoubtedly go far. His most recent release 'Do It', samples and old, un-placeable, soulful vocal that rings throughout the track 'Do it / And I can.' It is inevitably clear that Tayyib, can and is, doing it exceptionally well.

DnM




                             

Friday, September 2, 2011

Funk Friday : Starlesoufs - Love Cloud

You Know How..
Starlesoufs - Love Cloud by Drugs and Mirrors

There are few absolute certainties that exist in life. One being, that idiotic inebriation will indubitably result in shame and remorse. Two, brown eyed females create instantaneous smitten. Thrice, that Starlesouf have stumbled upon the perfect concoction for French inspired Nu-Disco. A recipe that includes a dash of filter, a dollop of funked out bass lines, a pinch of sextastic vocals, and splash of guitar. Voilia! A disco-vibed track that will have dance floor, rump-shaking in no time.
Starlesouf sampled late 70s disco star Phyllis Hyman's "You know how to love me" Which echoes continuously throughout this funk jam. Another certainty, if Starlesouf keep producing songs such as this, you will know how to love them.

DnM

http://www.facebook.com/starlesoufs?ref=ts

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Beast of the weeK : Logic - Can I Love

 It ain't suppose to make sense. Love. Passion. It is what it is...
Infatuation, heart-ache, and longing are emotions that are not entirely esoteric, these feelings are common ground.  Without the bleak state of heart break, we would never appreciate the butterflies of affection they are the; yin and yang, black and white, opposites yet inseparable. Much like, the lady of love logic raps about in a track titled 'Can I love' off his debut mixtape - Young, Broke and Infamous. Logic reminisces on the times of a prior girl friend, the happiness it brings, the emotions it stirs and the desolate state since their break-up. Quoting him '..and right now I'd love you more than I would like to admit, because we are separated, unto you this song is dedicated, I'm love sick and I need you to medicate it...because all it proves is that we never made it".  The chorus rings with the question 'Can I Love', yet the true question is, can you love again?
DnM

http://www.facebook.com/MindOfLogic


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Artist of the Month - Billions and Billions /w Interview

Artist of the Month
billionsandbillions.us
facebook -http://www.facebook.com/pages/Billions-and-Billions/124500474229634
http://twitter.com/#!/bilyunznbilyunz

It was a huge pleasure to sit down with, Carl Sagan, deep-space inspired post rock, ambient artist - Billions and Billions. His music is intricate as the cosmos, more beautiful than the crab nebula and pulls you in deeper than a black-hole.  With mellow guitar riffs accompanied by a sublime ambiance, BnB will put you at ease. This is Billions and Billions debut album and with the creative talent he posses, I doubt it will be his last. The only thing I enjoy more than the album, was the interview.

Billions and Billions - Ghost View by Drugs and Mirrors

DnM : Hey, we are here with Xristos, from Billions and Billions. How are you doing today?

BnB :  I'm doing alright. Thanks for having me.


DnM : Xristos, for those unfamiliar with BnB would you care do tell the folks a little about your style of music?

BnB : Basically, I combine a sort of noodley/midwesat guitar style with some ambient beats and synths; maybe throw in a tad bit of European skramz or something heavy, then add poop/fart noises, and then you have yourself a Billions and Billions record, but don't hold me to that! Honestly, I'm really bad at describing my music with words. The best description would probably be the album cover, or just do some stargazing; that's Billions and Billions.


DnM :  Post-Rock is such a small unearthed niche, what drove you to pursue this genre?

BnB : I honestly didn't intend to make a post-rock record, but it was definitely one of the brighter influences that shined through the music, so I understand why people would consider it that; especially how the album flows like a post-rock record. There are a lot of post-rock bands that I like, and there are also a lot I don't like. So yeah, it just sort of happened on it's own.

Billions and Billions - It Was Beautiful by Drugs and Mirrors

DnM : Your Bandcamp page states that all music on the album was written by you, does that mean you play drums/piano as well? Or are you using some sort of software?

 BnB : I really do wish I could play drums and/or piano, but I do not own any of those instruments. I've always played around with production software just for fun, and one day decided to use what I've learned over the years to compensate for the lack of instruments I own. I'm not huge into theory, but I know enough to compose what's playing in my head. In the future, I will record some songs with guest musicians, and use real instruments.


DnM : Your song 'A Shift in Orbit' transverses so many emotions, from troubled-nervousness to peaceful-serenity. What I imagined was being pulled away from the earth, through the cosmos. What inspired this song? (By the way, the Carl Sagan vocal recording is a perfect fit, loved it)

BnB : Thanks! It's sort of a weird how that song came together. I decided to spontaneously record a jam session with a dirty guitar that was missing a string or two. During this time, I was going through some dramatic changes in my life, and just sort of poured myself out while playing. After I got the guitars recorded, I came up with the beats and piano sections, but felt it was still lacking something. Since this song was very personal to me, I decided to use a message in it from Carl Sagan -- the man who really helped me make sense of the world at a time when everything was totally new to me. I had no idea if the sample would even fit in the song where I wanted to put it, but it ended up working out way better than I hoped. It was like the song basically made itself.
Billions and Billions - A Shift In Orbit by Drugs and Mirrors


DnM : Cliche question #1 - Who are your biggest influences?

BnB : I could say it's my friends and family, a past memory of a stranger, the inspiring ideas from history's greatest thinkers, works of art, or maybe just a night of stargazing, but musically, it's even more hard to define. I listen to a very wide variety of music, and I try to absorb all these things that inspire me, but to name just a few bands that really shaped the way I make music, it would be Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Kaki King, The Album Leaf, and The Appleseed Cast, Owls/Ghosts and Vodka (anything Victor Villareal has touched).


DnM : Being that your music, borderlines on say...a unconventional form in concert, what does/would one consist of exactly?

BnB : I never actually intended for any of the songs to be performed live, although I would really love to perform some of them live. It wasn't until recently that I've been able to get a band together, and we're going to work on recreating the songs for a live setting. The new material is definitely being made for a live performance and hope to be playing shows before the end of the year.


DnM : Alright Xristos, If you had the opportunity to any drug with anyone from past or present, who and what would it be?

BnB : Bong hits with Dave Chappelle.



DnM : Thank you so much for spending time out of your day to chat with Drugs and Mirrors, Xristos, Take care.

  BnB : Thanks again for doing this with me! 



Saturday, August 13, 2011

Groundislava - The Dig


Groundislava - The Dig by Drugs and Mirrors

It's ironic how, when a songs predominant synth, such as Groundislava's-The Dig, can be so simple when in 8 bit format, yet be so complex. With an in-depth chord progressions, and  a broad intricate melody line, it truly tells a story.

-Rory

Friday, August 12, 2011

Beast of the weeK : Starsmith - Lesson One

You're the one that got away...

Starsmith - Lesson One by Drugs and Mirrors

The only lesson to be learned here, Starsmith's - Lesson one, kicks far too much ass. The daft punk correlation gets thrown around far too often, nearly as much as the passe phrase 'epic'. It has become completely redundant, and overly the top mundane. Having set that, Starsmiths fresh take on French-Filter-House breathes new air into that comparison. With; light, airy horns blissfully playing in the back ground, synthed funk guitar riffs and fantastic vocals, the Daft Punk parallels can be made once again.

This is dedicated to all the ECs out there

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Chillax Tracks : Olafur Arnalds - Gleypa Okkur ( Live at Bridgewater Hall )

The abysmal state of beauty 


Ólafur Arnalds -- Gleypa okkur (Live with full orchestra at Bridgewater Hall) by Drugs and Mirrors

Olafur Arnalds - Gleypa Okkaur's, in a word, ineffable.  A song beyond beauty and so moving it transcends contemporary vocabulary. This is a perfect example of how; something so simple as a piano melody accompanied by a string symphony can stir the body creating so many emotions, how the basic plucking of strings and vibrational patterns than bring a man to tears. To simply state it, Olafur is a genius, in his ability to evoke human emotion.

DnM

Monday, July 25, 2011

Artist of the Month : Clams Casino

http://www.facebook.com/clammyclams?ref=ts
http://soundcloud.com/clammyclams
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An apologetic preface is made by the Drugs and Mirrors team, for our inability to obtain an interview with Clams Casino. We understand that artists of this caliber, are highly busy and unable to attained all meetings.
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Clams Casino, also known as Mike Volpe, is a mid 20's producer whom, creates dark-ambient sound-scapes heavily influenced by a hip-hop background. At age 23, Mike has been involved with some form of beat making, since the age of 6. Which clearly shows Mike embodies the colloquialism of 'practice makes perfect'. Mike has ventured into a purely self-pleasing form of music production, stating "I just do it for a hobby". Clams Casino main integral genre can be defined as Hip-Hop, yet maintains a subtle border-line sound of shoe-gaze, down-tempo, and break-beat. The melodic embrace of Mike's beats are overwhelming, distilling and conjure images of concrete jungles, and places unknown.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

M83 - Midnight City

A Triumphant Return

M83 - Midnight City by Drugs and Mirrors

If this is any indicator of the impending album, disappoint will not take place.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Foster the People - I Would Do Anything For You

It's Better This Time



Infatuation is a stranglehold that is both pleasant and agonizing; the grin the accompanies their presence, the butterflies in the stomach, the trepidation. FTP gives their unique insight and unprecedented ability to juxtapose dark lyrics with poptronic beats. The hook is on the spectacularly catchy, and completely embodies the downward spiral into adoration.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Chillax Trax : Jon Hopkins - Afterlife


Intricacy at it most sublime; an achievement attempted by many, mastered by few. Jon Hopkins' - Afterlife is the purest form of relaxation and a perfect example of this. Relinquish all worries and drift into a mellow state of bliss, where echoing guitar riffs are your guide to serenity.

DnM







Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Hip-Hop Hump Day : Dead Prez - Summer Time

Life is reason to celebrate


Dead Prez - Summertime by Drugs and Mirrors

Humans are creatures of habit, hence the re-occurring theme for Wednesdays, these previous weeks; chill, laid-back, jams, about how swag summer is. Dead Prez's - Summertime, is no different than the others, immaculate flow and mellow beats.
DnM

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Beast of the weeK : Madeon - Pop Culture



Madeon - Pop Culture by Drugs and Mirrors

Normally when an amalgamated cornucopia of  songs are mashed, the result is blasé. However, at the mind blowing age of 17, Madeon, breaths fresh air into electronic music. Hailing from France, much like all great electronic artists, this young-blood is breaking ground and beats. For those whom may be interested, this was a free-style, that he later plans to fully implement in future shows.

DnM

Video footage of genius at work....

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Breakbot - When the Night Falls feat. Chromeo

Something about you girl...OH YA

Breakot - When The Night Falls feat. Chromeo by Drugs and Mirrors

A delicious combination of pure class and dirty filth. Chromeo's track 'When the night falls' has been upgraded to an 80s disco-boogie by the talented hands of Breakbot. The only folly on this exceptional track is the disgusted looks you get from individuals on the bus or your room as you dance in your chair.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Summer Sessions : Cream Dream - Club Coolada

Disco Denouement

Cream Dream - Club Coolada by Drugs and Mirrors

 A slow progression of funky filter vibes to full on dirty disco denouement. Enjoy the laid back cool jive beside the pool, or in the car with the top down. Cream dream posses an exceptional amount of talent, which is clearly evident in "Club Coolada". With beats reminiscent of a young bang-alter and fantastic production, the song is a near perfect jam, the only thing missing is a hook. 

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Beast of the weeK : Kartell - Pantera

Mothers lock up your daughters...
Kartell - Pantera by Drugs and Mirrors
Kartell belongs to the Shiny Disco Club records family and despite the lack of connotation to mid-90s metal band,  Pantera will have your body thrashing. For there is something distinctively sexy about the pulsating chord progression blended so carefully with the raspy vocal sample of The Jones Girls - 'Who Can I Run To'. Kartell, a French duo has an immaculate grasp on filter house, funk and disco, however with an unconventional  approach. The dynamic couple had the tendency to produce music at a lower than standard BPM. Regardless, the amount of talent and uniqueness is unparalleled.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Hip-Hop Hump Day : Asher Roth - Summer Time

Cool Breeze



"It feels good, so good, like it should, and you feel it too"
Apparently Asher Roth dropped-out after his brief experience with college, metaphorically speaking. The West Chester, Early Education graduate, has not made the slightest blip on the proverbial hip hop radar, until today. Mr Roth released a cool breezed summer jam that will indubitably get as much play time as I love College. Its perfect for chillin at the beach, bbq-ing in the back yard, or just rollin trees

DnM

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Feel Better Baby

jamie xx - far nearer by Artschoolvets

Pure, quintessential, post-dub track, from Jamie 'XX' smith. With a near burial approach to ghastly vocals and a juxtaposition of steel drums, far nearer, creates an uplifting / dark ambiance. 

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Hip Hop Hump-Day : Blue Scholars - New People (Empire Remix)

The degradation of  of hip-hop has gone on for far too long.  In order to be successful in its current state, two things are required; minimal lyrics on the frequency in which you smoke weed and a grade 11 grasp on the structure of rhyming,.  It is a shame, rappers with the intellect and poignancy are unknown and few and far between. However, Blue Scholars do follow the format of that hip hops' grass-roots were built upon; social awareness. Addressing issues from war, to immigration, and to racism, they encompasses a wide variety with exceptional skill.   Nevertheless, Blue Scholars took a lighter approach to "New People", a remix of Empire of the sun.

DnM

Friday, June 10, 2011

Funk Friday : Sweaters - What You Need (ft. Sunni Colon & Lisa Dank)

Dance Floor Love
Sweaters - What You Need (ft. Sunni Cololon & Lisa Dank) by Drugs and Mirrors
Eyes meet amongst the lights, synthetic fog, and sweaty bodies. She smirks, and glances down, an approach is made and the game begins. A playful back and forth of intricate flirtation begins...
Bedroom producer Sweaters, has created a unique, disco sound while maintaining tremendous originality. With a subtle hint and influence of breakbot, noticed in the piano progression, and light airy high-hats, immediate addiction takes place. There is perfect interplay of  with the vocals of Sunni and Lisa that creates a perfect, blissful romance reminiscent of dance-floor love.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Burial - U Hurt Me

Dubstep? True.


Burial - U Hurt Me by Drugs and Mirrors

Unbeknownst to most, dub-step has been around for nearly 15 years. Its origins differ greatly from that which is common today; an excess of drops, distortion, wobble, and an over abundance of pitch bend. Granted, this music does appeals to a vast majority but its traditional roots would not. While Burial is a contemporary dub-step artist, he still follows the traditional format of dub-step once originally was. Maintaining the integrity of heavy reverb and low bass, but at a much slower tempo, and enjoyable, with out the use of illicit substances.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Artist of the Month : The Friendly Giant

The Friendly Giant - No More Fairy Tales (Eminem vs. Lil’ Crazed) by Drugs and Mirrors

Greg Maddux, King Middas, Geraldo Rivera....Eli Sones. Not familiar with the common denominator?
The golden touch.

The friendly giant, Eli's mash pseudonym, is, hands-down, the prince of the mash world.  He dropped his 23 track EP last week and it is near flawless. A wonderful blend of hip-hop, club bangers, pop, and even some disco.  He was kind enough to allow me to interview him, and was nothing but a gent during. Much Respect.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thefriendlygiant1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/friendlygiant_1
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/thefriendlygiant1
Mixtape Download: http://hulkshare.com/mknoznfkqt4z
http://soundcloud.com/thefriendlygiant

Tipsy Love (Friendly Giant Mashup) by The Friendly Giant

DnM: Hey Eli, How’s it going today?
TFG : I'm great, thanks. Nice and relaxed.

DnM :Alright, I gotta clarify something, how old are you?
TGF : I'm seventeen years old.

Dnm :Haha thats wild,
What made you get into mashing at such an early age?

TGF : I sort of accidentally got into making mashups. I stumbled across this website (that no longer exists) that made it really easy to mix instrumentals and acapellas, and so after playing around on that website for a bit, I pretty much taught myself the basics of making mashups. The first five or so songs I made were absolute trash, but I eventually got a better hang of it and took it more seriously.

DnM : What really strikes me as interesting is your logo, how did you come up with that?
TGF : To be honest, I found the image online somewhere. I had made my first couple mashups and was trying to figure out what I should call myself. I was with my cousin and her best friend one day and her friend randomly said something like, "You're so tall for your age, but you're not scary at all. You're such a friendly giant." I liked the way that sounded, and I've used the name ever since. And so then I was looking for some sort of logo and I found the little monster guy online somewhere, e-mailed the guy who uploaded it to make sure it was okay, and it was as simple as that.

DnM : If I’m not mistaken your from California? This is where some of the biggest mash artists originate (Super Mash Bros, Milkman) Did they influence you at all?
TGF : Yeah, I live right in Los Angeles. I've definitely listened to a lot of their stuff, but I don't know if they've really influenced me. I'd say Girl Talk was the most influential artist for me-- I saw him at Coachella a few years ago-- in terms of introducing me to mashups and showing how much potential there is to be creative when mixing songs together.

The Friendly Giant - Too Untrue (Lupe Fiasco vs Kool and the Gang) by Drugs and Mirrors


DnM : You have a very distinctive mash sound, how would you describe it?
TGF : Hmm, I guess I would just say that I try to be as creative as possible by using songs from all different sorts of genres. A lot of times I mash up songs that people would not really expect to go well together, but hopefully I'm able to make it work and put a completely new twist on those songs. I just released my debut mixtape "No More Fairy Tales" about two weeks ago, and if you check that out, you'll find all sorts of songs used in the mashups-- electronic, rock, hip-hop, indie, funk, and even a song from a Broadway musical.

DnM : How do you decide what you are going to mash? And would you care to describe the process a little?
TGF : It's definitely a lot of trial and error. I honestly don't work on mashups that much just because I'm so busy with a lot of other things, but when I do have some time, I search on a bunch of different websites for instrumental and acapella versions of songs. If I find one I like, I go through all my files and sort of sing in my head to see if it would sound cool with another song (hopefully a song in a different genre). Sometimes I find a perfect match, but a lot of times I end up not being able to find a way to use that instrumental or acapella. The key and the tempo of the songs also make it harder to find matches (even though I can change tempo and pitch, changing it too much will make it sound too distorted), so I ideally, I try to match songs with similar tempos and keys. A lot of times when I'm listening to the radio or my iPod, I immediately (almost subconsciously) start to think if that song would work in a mashup, and many of the mashups I've released started that way. The creative aspect of choosing the right songs can be pretty difficult, but the technical aspect is actually a lot simpler than you would expect. I don't have any advanced equipment at all. I make all my mashups on my laptop using Audacity and GarageBand, both of which are free and extremely simple. I use Audacity to change tempos and pitches if I need to, and then I put the whole project together in GarageBand.
DnM : Have you had much of a chance to play live shows, or does your age hinder that?
TGF : I haven't gotten a chance to do any live shows, but maybe one day...


DnM : Now I know drugs are bad, but if you had the option to do any drug, with anyone, past, or present, who and what would it be?
TGF : Shrooms with former President Chester Arthur.
"Mushrooms find you. You don't plan them, you do not think about it, it just happens..."
DnM

TGF : Thanks again-- I really appreciate it.
DnM : Anytime Eli,