Other stuff that’s been on my mind (lots of charts and graphics) include this fascinating chart of “Influencers” on Soundcloud – Would be super interested to know how they came up with their formula.

Little study put together by Root Music. Note that only 3% of bands on facebook consider themselves electronic! And this isn’t a case of misclassification, people categorize themselves! My world is very very very small.

Finally, I’ve been meaning to do a post about PROTECT-IP / SOPA and fortunately it’s been pushed off till January but this is still an issue near and dear to my heart. Awesome letter here from the 100 or so people that basically built the internet/web/networks of today about what a bad idea it is. Check it out, brought to you by the EFF, of course.

Best of list coming tomorrow, and possible also the final mix of the year if I can get it together!

The latest release on DFRNT’s label Echodub is out. Super stellar release from a relatively new French producer named Isotroph. Lots of variation, with one track in the skippy nu-garage vein, two it the slightly more house/drummy mode, and one totally excellent joint (Fission) in that weird netherworld between hip-hop and dnb – the syncopated Autonomic sound of people like Indigo and Synkro.

Beyond just being a good solid, full release, it’s definitely a credit to Alex/DFRNT for what he does with both Echodub and his “other” label Cut for being able to do that thing of making and putting out sweeping, big, synth-heavy tunes that tweak emotions but don’t come across as cheesy or over the top, or calling on tropes and signals that miss the mark. It’s VERY hard to do that, and most people fail at it – and Echodub isn’t flawless, there are some things that aren’t for me on there. But on the whole it’s super impressive undertaking. Plus it’s just well run and well presented as a label/experience – and DFRNT even does all the art. Who knows how he has the time!

*It takes a lot to impress me when anything “Soulful” comes across my radar – only a few people do it well. Afta-1 is one of them. And now so is Abjo. Seriously amazing Sankofa EP from this cat from San Diego, hits that verrrrry difficult balance between smooth without being cheesy, chill crisp beats without being limp, and interesting from first note to last. Apparently he’s got 10 other albums to check out! From the Soulection label, who are giving away a gigantic comp packed with awesomeness that you should check out.

*My man Henry in Portland who goes by the name The Plain Ensemble has a whole EP worth of beats that he’s shopping around and that really needs a home. This guy is young and seriously talented, and he ends up making whatever he touches turn gold. He has me listening to Disco, a rare feat. Check out his tunes at his myspace page and help them find a home (I’m thinking maybe Top Billin’?)

*New-to-me Russian DnB producer Oak released his single Otaku this week. Totally beautiful beguiling stuff for fans of Bop – he and Oak run the Microfunk.ru blog, which is a the heart of this sound at the moment. Otaku has a killer remix by ASC as well.

*Super quality beautiful stuff from the Dewtone label coming at a rate of one per month. Another group of artists that I hadn’t heard before but are also doing a balancing act of ambient house and techno (and straight up ambient), drawing you in and not being cheesy at the same time. I like everything about their presentation too, their artwork is particularly nice. Personal favorites are Nadia Popoff, nikosf., and Recue, but check out their Foundations Compilation for the full range of flavors.

*I’ve been rediscovering Alva Noto’s Xerrox Vol 1. and 2. You should too.

*The eLan album is out on Monkeytown and totally overflowing with tons of quality tracks and remixes. It’s pretty hard to keep up with all that’s going on here, but eLan’s definitely nailed his sound and come into his own on this release. And the supporting cast of remixers is stellar.

*The Brokenchord remix of Fulgeance‘s “London Falling” is off the hook! Look out for it when it’s released on the Fulgance album.

*Finally, my partner Tinker has a new mix out, part of the big up magazine podcast series. It’s excellent, all flash and zazzle. Go fan her on facebook here.

Tim Staypuft knows what’s what. For a couple years now he’s been touting Skweee! Skweee’s this crazy, kind of simple but kind of infectious strange combination of dancehall, R&B, 8bit music and instrumental pop that basically only comes from Finland, Sweden, and now Norway. The big labels to know are Flogsta Danshall and Harmonia, but recently Oslo has gotten into the act as well with the Dodpop label and put out my two favorite releases so far, entirely Norweigan artists. Apparently 003 and 004 are on the way, can’t wait! Skweee’s weird stuff, but it’s all worth checking out, and I’ve definitely been bitten by the skweee bug! Basically it’s homebase is here, at Nation of Skweee. The added bonus about the whole genre is that it has great art (see below)

Just recently, the awesome Ramp Recordings has put out a whole comp of the stuff called Skweee Tooth that’s an excellent primer on the whole scene. And I wrote an article about it for XLR8R, which is finally up. Check it out!

Currently I’m listening to something that has nothing to do with Skweee … it’s Mux Mool! Check him out!

*Updated my fav tracks section of the moment. Looks like I’m actually listening to a lot of dubstep again, which wasn’t the case for a while. But really favoring the stuff that’s so complex and ethereal in some ways that it reminds me more of icelandic electronica or Vladislav Delay or almost field records/tape music … Specifically I’d shout out Rich Reason and Fantastic Mr. Fox, who clearly have a level of sonic detail that leaves many others in the dust. A lot of this stuff now gets featured on Rob Booth’s Electronic Explorations show, which I’ve been catching up on back episodes of. Highly recommended.

*I’ve done the recording, but not the editing for, a mix for Modyfier. I’m sort of not happy with it at the moment, but I want it done. I’ll go back and edit it, and then probably discuss that process, since that’s the whole point. Rayna might get a big ramble from me, but hey, when you access Kid K to process, he takes it there. The funny caveat to making this mix was meeting the woman of mystery herself at GAFFTA meeting, an organization we’ll both have a nebulous connection to in the coming months. Very cool. Keep and eye here, Gaffta.org, and at Modyfier for more info.

*Getting very excited for Surya Dub this weekend, I’m still convinced that Mala and EPROM is a great Surya Dub pairing. But I’m not sure how much buzz there is around the show (and only partially because I haven’t been paying attention). If you’re reading this and are coming or even if you’re not but support us, send folks to the going link and have them get their tickets early! www.going.com/suryadubmay30 Or just have them come out! Maybe it’s just pre-show jitters.

*PS – More meta – my god, I just realized how different this blog looks on FF vs Safari. I can only imagine what it looks like on IE. If anyone knows specific resources about alignment/layout/photos/embedding in working with the Royale theme in WP, hit me!

The gig itself was great (well, the upstairs room was great … for my room, meh …I have to say that’s the least people I’ve played to in a long time … until the next gig at 103 Harriet!) But the coolest thing was the two videos that it produced… One by Mary Anne for her Youtube channel and one by Professor Smith and myself for XLR8R. Check ‘em out below. Couple notes: one is that I’m SUPER happy with the location and the sound for the XLR8R one … I loved that location but was worried about the wind on the mics. So that was a win for me. Also … yes, that’s me asking Mary Anne a long ramble of a question in her video …

XLR8R’S WEST COAST ROCK’S SPECIAL

Finally, looks like someone has ripped the BBC show that she did! Get it HERE from Rapidshare (where all good things that don’t live on What.CD live). Track list below. Big tracks here for me are Zoning by EPROM, WLTA by Teebz who I had the good fortune to meet last week, The Architeq vs TAKE track, and Sonido Del Principe track on Bersa Discos.

0200
Mono/Poly – ‘Red & Yellow Toys’ (Dubplate)
12th Planet – ‘Smokescreen’ [Jack Sparrow Mix] (Dubplate)
Exile – ‘We’re All In Power’ From the ‘Exile Radio’ (Plug Research)
Bookworms – ‘How Can I Remix’ (Dubplate)
Samiyam – ‘Bricks’ (Dubplate)
Teebs – ‘WLTA’ (Dubplate)
Alice Coltraine Ft Pharoah Sanders – ‘Journey in Satchidananda’ from the EP ‘Journey in Satchidananda’ (Impulse)
DJ TOMAS INTERVIEW
Flying Lotus – ‘Auntie’s Harp’ from the LP ‘Los Angeles’ (Warp)
Architeq – ‘Sleeping Bear’ [TAKE Remix] (Dubplate)
Jega – ‘Soul Flute’ (Planet Mu Dubplate)
Daedelus – ‘Touchstone’ [Jimmy Edgar mix] from ‘For Withered Friends’ (NinjaTune)
Vaccine – ‘Radiate’ (Dubplate)
GLITCH MOB INTERVIEW AND LIVE SET, LOW END THEORY, LA
Dam-Funk – ‘Killdat* (Stones Throw)

0300
Ras_G & The African Space Program – ‘Crazy Alien’ (Dubpate)
Madlib – ‘J.D. & J.B.’ from ‘Beat Konducta Vol 5-6 Bonus 45′ (Stones Throw)
EPROM – ‘Zoning’ (Dubplate)
Kid Kameleon Interview
LAZER SWORD LIVE SET, 103 HARRIET
Bassnectar – ‘Boombox Sketch’ (Amorphous Music)
Ghosts On Tape – ‘Mogadishu Nightlife’ (White label)
Clubroot – ‘Sempiternal’ (Lo Dubs dubplate)
MIA & Rye Rye ‘Tictok’ [Ant-Ten-Nae remix] (Dubplate)
Nobody presents Blank Blue – ‘Blank Blue’ from the LP ‘Western Water Music Vol II’ (Ubiquity)
DADDY KEV INTERVIEW & MIX, LOW END THEORY, LA
Nosaj Thing – ‘Coat Of Arms’ (Alpha Pup)
Sonido Del Principe – ‘Cartagena’ from the compilation album ‘Bersa Discos 4′ (Bersa Discos)
THE GASLAMP KILLER INTERVIEW & LIVE TRACK, LOW END THEORY, LA
Dorian Concept – ‘Yorktown Recreation’ From ‘Maximized Minimalization’ (Affine Records)
Legion Of Two – ‘And Now We Wait’ (Planet Mu)