Cougar Microbes

End of Level Baddie is an upcoming electro producer whose work is an eclectic mix of vintage synths, retro samples, broken beats and saturated bass lines.

The self titled track ‘e.n.d.o.f.l.e.v.e.l.b.a.d.d.i.e’ is a basement break beat masterpiece. It kicks off with old skool style initialing then slopes into a sly sample of TLC before being beefed out with heavy baselines and  klaxon sounds.

Elsewhere, ‘What? More Wobble’ has a more rustic feel, heavy digital drums and bleeps to build on an aggressive and predictable bassline which almost treads into Stanton Warrior territory. There’s also sections of this track that set early dub step alarms ringing with a quasi Mr Oizo sound.

In contrast ‘Oww! Feel So Alive’ is a disjointed electro number and the lightest of the lot, but yet still contains a smorgasbord of sound effects to confuse you senseless.

There are times when you may feel there is some repetition in these overtly compact mixes. However, the fearless cross- pollination of genres that the Hull based producer has combined have left him with an impressive sound that is likely to provide him with a future of dance finery. Just check out his performances from Reading and Leeds festival for confirmation.

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Post by Ruby the high flyer.

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TRACKS:

Having just featured their remix of Error Operator it is only right we give UK duo Wing Commander their own space. Olly Coffey and Will Wilkojc have been making music together for some time and this is their latest collaboration.

The minimal approach displayed in their music should not be mistaken for one-dimensional. Rather, they craft delicate musical landscapes with layers upon layers of instrumentals that sweep you away with captivating hooks and occasional well placed vocals.

Additionally, they’re starting to make a name for themselves as quality remixers too as can be seen by their recently released take on Morning Parade’s ‘Under The Stars’.

Wing Commander to the rescue.

TRACKS:

French producer and remix artist Mondkopf, has turned over to the dark side with a minimal strain of ambient electronica that displays anunderlying complexity bordering on the cinematic.

The first two tracks on the EP are by far the most accessible; ‘Deaf House’ has an almost techno feel to it with aggressive baselines and dance synths which could rival established contemporaries such as Moderat. ‘Werewolf’ takes in down a notch and sees dance melodies replaced with hushed sirens and twisted warps; imagine Aphex Twins writing as if on death row.

Before you think it can’t get any lower, tracks ‘Legacy’ and ‘Eclipse’ launch into new realms of obscurity, pulses are reduced to below heart rate and the listened falls into to electronic paralysis.

This EP is more introspective and sinister than Modopkf’s earlier work so don’t expect to be hitting the dancefloor with it but if you want to indulge your darkest hour this may be your poison.

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Post by the bombastic Ruby

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TRACKS:

Schaatz‘s purported backstory is so far-fetched that it deserves to be posted in full here:

“We are a french duo based in Paris, they grew up in a german hippie community in Grasse on French Riviera where they lived many love stories with several german naturist ladies, sadly the ladies left France when they had to get back on Germany to study something serious. Convinced than love is something serious to study, Mat and Tonio of Schaatz have lived for many years alone in the mountains of Alps and founded Schaatz“.

We have not yet decided if we are going to take the above statement at face value but what we do know is that, whether they are producing their own mixes or remixing other, we like Schaatz.

TRACKS:

Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) perfected their approach to mixing electronica and live band feel on their latest effort ‘Ad Explorata’, released last month.

Inspired by secret Cold War era radio transmissions and an alleged secret military plan to gather information on other civilizations, these are future sounds played with great self-assurance. STS9 manage to somehow sound both vaguely optimistic and apocalyptic at the same time.

with a string of US dates planned for February and March you really should catch their singular delivery

TRACKS:

Stream the album here

Any other year and the superbly titled ‘Manual For Successful Rioting’ would have easily been the runaway winner for Cougar Microbes album of the year. I witnessed Birdy Nam Nam delight a partizan Parisian home crowd when they closed the second day of Rock En Seine back in August and was blown away.

There was a risk that on record the French turntablist crew’s would effectively be competing for who could pull the biggest/maddest  technical trick at the possible expense of the dynamics and energy displayed live. Fortunately their January 2009 release exceeded even my expectations.

Crazy-B, DJ Pone, DJ Need, and Little Mike handpicked and moulded a unique set of samples through their original turntable set-up. The soaring dynamics they manage to produce draw parallels with a band lineup with each of the four DJ’s taking centre stage and dropping to the background accordingly. Over eleven tracks they deliver a masterclass in electro placing themselves easily in the same league as their better known friends Justice.

Grab that manual and learn it inside out because as soon as Birdy Nam Nam hit our shores you’d better be ready to riot.

TRACKS:

Birdy Nam Nam – The Parachute Ending

NEXT: #01 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below

PREVIOUS: #03 Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2009: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz

Crimea X, AKA DJ Rocca and Jukka Reverberi, are  intent on proving that Italians do it best. This curious duo have set their sites on reclaiming Italo Disco from the Scandinavians and Americans, whilst at the same time hijacking Kraut and making it their own.

The emphasis is on having a good time and the ‘Chorne More’ EP possesses an unmistakable upbeat vibe with each track built on a foundation of dreamy samples and looped live instruments.

This is music designed for that euphoric 6am moment when you are standing in the middle of the dancefloor looking at the girl of your dreams nonchalantly knowing that no matter what happens tonight is your night.

‘Chorne More’ is out now on Hell Yeah Recordings

TRACK:

Crimea X – Chorne More

I don’t usually post mixtapes on Cougar Microbes (preferring to leave that to the experts) but I am willing to make an exception for (Pretty) Girls & Lasers. The NYC DJs have been on my list since they hit me up with their summer set and with a new mix under their belt I figured now is a good time to feature them.

In their own words the ‘Late 2009 Mix‘ is:”mostly upbeat synthpop and light electro with a focus on fun, danceable tunes and high-quality mixes”. Don’t take their word for it though, check it out for yourself at the bottom of this post and play it loud.

The guys are also hosting their monthly party at Arlo & Esme so if you are in New York and looking for something to do this Wednesday I would recommend you click here.