Halfway Point Awards

As we reach the end of June, AbandonSilence has decided to take a celebratory look back at the previous six months of 2010. It seems an age ago, back in January, when I decided to create this music blog. It has slowly grown and now is well established, for that I thank all of you readers. The lists below are my own personal opinion, so I apologise for any problems that you may have with these lists. If you disagree, plleeeease feel free to vent your own opinions with a comment, I promise to reply to each and every one. Thanks again, AbandonSilence.

Top 3 Albums

1)Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma == no competition, a masterpiece in cross genre production

2) Foals - Total Life Forever == the best indie record of the year, moving away from the 'Math Rock' of Antidotes has seen Foals mature into a terrific band

3) Gorillaz - Plastic Beach == just the complete record, Bobby Womack's two guest spots take this away from the crowd

Top 3 Tracks (right click on link, open new tab for Download - no CMYK dload available sorry)

1) James Blake - CMYK == recent addition, but just one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard

James Blake - CMYK by jdillon89

2) Deadboy - If U Want Me == heard this live so many times since it's release earlier this year, the droning sound at first appears irritating but in fact is genius, guiding the track along it's awesome duration

3) Skream/Instra:mental & D:Bridge - Acacia Avenue == autonomic. is. amazing.

Top 3 Remixes

1) Zomby - Float (Skreamix) == first released in 2009, but I only heard it in 2010, just miles ahead of any other remixes I have heard.

2) Goldie - Inner City Life (Sbtrkt timeless edit) == the ultimate chill out track, 6 minutes of epic bliss

3) Emika - Double Edge (Pinch Remix) == nice old style dubstep, just simply a great remix that adds layers and atmosphere to an already fantastic cut.

Top 3 Artists to Emerge in 2010

1) James Blake == so much potential, gaining hype from all sides, AbandonSilence hopes he can follow up the CYMK EP with equally great music

2) Sbtrkt == coming from no where, the anonymous Sbtrkt has had a fantastic 6 months, with some great remixes and brilliant releases.

3) Deadboy == I know very little about this guy, but since I heard U Cheated in January I have been blown away with everything that has come since.

Disappointment Award

Rusko -OMG == Had the potential to be THE crossover, but instead was a childish, unsophistiated mish-mash of good ideas in the wrong hands.

Caspa LIVE!

Just found this mix from the Rinse website, featuring a live set from Caspa with Flowdan on MC duties. Please download it and listen to it from 39 minutes to 49 minutes - potentially the best 10 minutes of live dubstep I have ever heard, so heavy - if anyone know what the tune is that gets reloaded during that time, please let me know!

Caspa and Flowdan - Rinse at Matter

Facebook and Tunes

Join our Facebook page! Well, it's actually a 'person', but still, become my friend... please? Haha, well, let's move onto the music. A biig triple header for you today, with a big Skream remix, a very nice Joy Orbison remix and the new Pendulum dubstep (?!) track.

Firstly, we have a remix of Skream's Make Me, coming from Distance. Distance's tracks usually take the way of an instrumental, with long drawn out 'riffs'. This remix is no different, but by splicing in the vocal samples from the original, Distance has almost bettered the original and created a great track.

Skream - Make Me (Distance Remix)

Joy Orbison has had a very impressive six months; after the hype of Hyph Mngo threatened to devour him, he pressed on with the fantastic The Shrew Should Have Cushioned the Blow EP, and some highly rated Live shows adding to his burgeoning reputation. This new remix is of a Todd Edwards track, I Might Be. The remix is just plain nice, the light vocals of the original remain intact, with some great 2steppy beats thrown around with some added trademark chopped vocals. Enjoy...

Todd Edwards - I Might Be (Joy Orbison Remix)

Finally, after the previous YouTube post praised Pendulum's new dubstep direction, here is the track in question. Set Me On Fire has it's influences all over it, just like their drum 'n' bass work I guess. This could be a good or bad thing, as the track essentially copies the ideas of Doctor P, Nero and Trolley Snatcha in the female rave build up and the huuuge billowing bass wobbles that are just silliness. But that's what we like, isn't it?

Pendulum - Set Me On Fire

UK Mainstream has Blooown!

This was really unexpected, after the painful electro-Tinchy-pop of Bad Boy, Skepta has blown me away with this huge dubstep banger. After the success of Tinie Tempah, this has given me a new faith in UK Mainstream music. Download this!

Skepta - Rescue Me

(Apologies for the YouTube clip, I could only find a radio rip)

Hot as Hell!

The trip to the other side of the world gathers pace, as we enter the second week. Network problems are threatening to ruin my holiday, as I can't get in touch with a certain someone back home, 'tis rather horrible!

Everyday here has averaged over 30 degrees, which is rather immense. Indeed, as I write this post I am out on our room's balcony over looking Bucklands Beach, Auckland, which I assure you is a lot better than the dusty old flat back in Liverpool. Indeed, despite being a Google Images cut, the image above is of this hotel where I am sat. I am to the bottom left on the balcony, good times.

The tunes that have been getting me through this week have oddly been some relatively old records. Radiohead's In Rainbows has been a constant companion, as has the epic Plastic Beach by Gorillaz, which has suddenly taken on a life of it's own as a Summer record - I hadn't noticed til 'Welcome to the Plastic Beach' came on shuffle, Snoop is so laid back on that.

The music today comes from Nero. After gain popularity with huge remixes of The Streets, Deadmau5 and Booty Luv, they come in strong with next single Innocence. The track is similar to the also huge Act Like You Know, with females vocals and huge house-like crescendo building up to a massive drop. Give it a go while it's fresh.

Nero - Innocence

Down Under

Hey there! Yes, we are finally down under. After a 26 hour journey. Yes, 26 hour, AbandonSilence is pleased to say that we are posting from the opposite side of the world.

We apologise for the dullness of this post, and promise to return with more music for your loyal ears. For now, here's the genius Solid State from Emalkay. This track came to our attention whilst watching Caspa at Chibuku, the thumping bass is fantastic and forces the track along. Give it a go while preparing for further, more plentiful posts in the week.

Much Love, AbandonSilence

Emalkay - Solid State

Plan B vs 16Bit

After another lengthy lay off from Posting, AbandonSilence hopes to bring you some speedy messages over the next week or so. So, let's get to it!

Firstly, 16Bit come in with a huge remix of Plan B's latest single, She Said. The original is in the same jazz crooning styles that are to be employed on forthcoming concept album, The Defamation of Stricland Banks. This remix is heavy. I mean heavy. The incandescent introduction is a rather eponomous precursor to what follows, as the listener is plunged headfirst into some underworld where everyone's ears are sprayed with petrol and matches are common place. It doesn't get much harder than this.

The only respite offered is through the miniscule breaks where Plan B's rap breaks through like a sun through hellish stormclouds. This track is huge, I recommend that you all check this out.

Plan B - She Said (16Bit remix)

Give me Some Signal!

Dub Police, the label founded by (amongst others) Caspa and Rusko, released a Scion Sampler compilation of artists at their label. The track listing is very impressive, including tracks from Emalkay, The Others, Orien and Trolley Snatcha.

The compilation is great carrion call for the label with some fantastic tracks, in particular cuts from Emalkay, Caspa and the laid back rhythms of Dubwoofa.

Dubwoofa's take on the now in demand 2step/dubstep style is intriguing, with stuttering drum loops being sprayed lavishly with sharp vocals and rises. Have this on the house, while you track down the compilation to buy from the usual suspects.

Dubwoofa - 7am Ghost

AbandonSilence apologises for the lack of posts recently, we've been incredibly busy. As well as writing for the magazine and spiralling Uni work, AbandonSilence is working on BIG plans, that hopefully will take AbandonSilence to the next level. More news as it is confirmed.

Fortnightly Mix 01

We at AbandonSilence have decreed that due to the mass of songs we receive weekly, we need an outlet to insure that every track reaches your precious eardrums. Thus, we have devised the idea of a fortnightly mix to get every track in.

This series will run alongside current concoctions like the monthly chilled mix and normal posts. Don't worry, all it is is even more music for the masses! Enjoy the inaugral AbandonSilence fortnightly mix here.

AbandonSilence - FortnightlyMix 12 - 26 Jan '10

Tracklist (Under 'Lyrics' if uploaded to iTunes)

Numan - Light

Untold - Never Went Away

Sub Focus - This Could be Real (Joker remix)

Calvin Harris - You Used to Hold Me (Nero Remix)

Flux Pavilion - Got 2 Know

Foreign Beggars & Noisia - Contact (Excision & Datsik remix)

Skream - Listening to the Records on my Wall

These tracks may be reviewed individually in the future, if you would like to see any in particular, comment below and we'll do that for you coz were nice like that.

The Redemption of Flux Pavilion

After the downright rude lambast Flux Pavilion received in a previous post for their track 'Digital Controller', I thought I'd rush out to assure you of this producer's quality. The track in question is titled 'Got2Know'.

The track is very similar to the works of Doctor P, the jump-up Prince to Rusko's King. The sound barrier breaking high shots pummel your eardrums, whilst a lowly drum pattern takes the rest of you with it. I fully recommend anyone serious about their live dubstep to take this, it'll never be on the Pitchfork top 100 but you can guarantee you'll be hearing this out and about in the near future.

Flux Pavilion - Got 2 Know

Bonus: Flux Pavilion & Doctor P - Air Raid

DO THE DISHES

After a long few days I'm back with a set of new tunes for your pleasure.

Firstly, I have a new tune from Flux Pavilion, titled 'Digital Controller'. This track is similar to Chase and Status' White Lies remix and the works of Mt Eden Dubstep. The lyrical content is piss-poor, but the music is uplifting and wobbly. The whole rap can be summed up by the line, "Up on your profile page, how many hits can you get today." I am suprised that I would give it the time of day, but the track is so happy and just plain 'nice' that I can't ignore it.

Flux Pavilion - Digital Controller

Joining Flux Pavilion in this countdown will be one of the funniest tracks I've heard in a long time. The track in question is Borgore's 'Act Like a Ho'. The track rolls around with jumping synths accompanied by a light rap by a guy to his girl, and his demands for the bedroom. Then, from nowhere, the track breaks down and it is announced, "But first.. Do The Dishes!" Seriously funny, and also followed by a ridiculously heavy breakdown, which is becoming Borgore's trademark, after tracks like 'Cry me a River' and 'Ice Cream'

Borgore - Act Like a Ho

So now I will leave this post, not for today, just for now. The final track will be Emalkay's 'Angie Got Stoned'. This track is just another feather to Emalkay's very birdlike cap. It takes things a few notches down from 'When I Look At You' and 'Heroics' to a pulsating beat with some beautiful vocals. Give it a go, maybe partake in some activities similar to what happened to 'Angie', nice.

Emalkay - Angie Got Stoned

Potent Clunge

No, this isn't a vitriolic anti-feminist post, but instead a heavily bass-riddled post. I'm sure most of you will agree that that's for the best.

This track comes from SDUK, who first came to AbandonSilence's attention after remixing Emalkay's 'When I Look at You', possibly the original track of 2009. That remix included Ibiza steam guns and added gloss and sheen to a previously dirty and grimey track.

The track at hand is indeed called 'Clunge', I presume named after the Inbetweeners joke. Though without any vocals, it could be called anything I guess.

The track begins slowly, with house style jabbing synths leading off with hard hitting drums. After around a minute the track picks up pace and begins rolling around not too disimilar to Emalkay's track.

This is the first original SDUK track that I have come across and I must say I am quite nonplussed. SDUK clearly where's his influences on his sleeve, which isn't always a bad thing, but the lack of any individuality or anything new forces me to just feel the need to shrug at this track.

However, you may love this track, and you most definitely will enjoy the Emalkay remix (find the original if you don't already have it) so take these on the house, after finding SDUK on Beatport or iTunes of course...

Emalkay - When I Look at You (SDUK Remix)

SDUK - Clunge

Th Hngvr

Just been spending my morning recovering from a rather horrific hangover, so thought I'd take it down a few notches and give you lucky people a few new tunes designed for mornings like my current one...

Sbtrkt. No, it's not a typo, though he should really tell someone that some knob's robbed all his vowels. Anyway, this producer is crafting their own unique sound using old half-step, almost garage styles (a contradiction in terms, but stay with me). Their epic 7 minute remix of Goldie's Timeless has been on repeat for me throughout this painful morning.

The indispersed chopped vocal track recalls the works of the anonymous Burial for there sparse nature, and the drumtrack is also quite similar. However, Timeless is most unashamedly old school that this could've easily come out on an old garage dubplate in the late '90s, such is it's, ahem, Timeless nature.

Keeping it at 140bpm, Sbtrkt has created something that could be played at any time. The song is strikingly beautiful yet intimidatingly dark all at the same time, the vocal track gives extra dimensions to what is a quite simple but always evolving drum track.

I must send all my gratitude to Sbtrkt for helping to soothe my hellish headache ahead of a fun-filled day of lectures followed by a spontaneously planned but nevertheless sure-to-be-great trip into Wales later tonight.

(apologies for any made up words in this post, I really do have a horrible hangover and not really in the mood for spellchecking or dictionary searching.)

Sbtrkt - Timeless Edit

MIA vs Rusko

Exciting times, as AbandonSilence is proud to share new MIA material with you. The inaugral six posts on AbandonSilence were dubstep related, and this is no different, as the unexpected producer is... Rusko!

Did you see that coming? Well we most certainly didn't.

The track itself is very different from our man Rusko's previous efforts. He really appears to have adapted to the surroundings very well. The backing track is tribal, glitchy, grimey and bassy at the same time?!

This track will apparently be appearing on MIA's forthcoming currently untitled second album, and going by this MIA may have done the unthinkable task of actually topping Kala.

MIA - There's Space for Ol Dat I See (prod by Rusko)

Artist Profile: Eskmo

As we approach a new decade, it is important to analyse which new artists and producers will be taking a stake of the limelight over the coming months and years.

Eskmo, aka Brendan Angelides, hails from San Francisco and is a glitch and dubstep producer.

Eskmo’s rise to musical peerdom has taken a very similar path to that of the UK’s most popular dubstep demon; Skream. Both have been producing for just over 10 years and have inexhaustibly spread their musical wings over many different genres and styles before both falling into dubstep.

Eskmo's most high profile releases, as with most electronic music producers, is his collection of remixes. A body of work including mixes for Radiohead, Bar9 and Gella have helped to raise Eskmo’s profile.

Though, to really see the man’s personal style, you must experience his own original works. He has released four EP’s to date, with each release garnering more and more recognition. His most recent release, the “Let Them Sing” EP, is a fantastic summation of all that is fantastic about this young producer.

On the title track, a childish keyboard intro leads skilfully via an auto-tuned vocal into a distorted rumbling tribal beat. Eskmo’s influences are instantly recognisable, you could easily see this track fitting comfortably in the surroundings of “Los Angeles” or “Butter.”

Other Eskmo tracks such as “Agnus Dei” contain ruthless Bass distortions that spitfire along the low ends until you are feeling numb. However, light and fluorescence is abundant throughout Eskmo’s output, with vocals, synths and tribal patterns used to add depth and colour to his music.

Eskmo is available at www.myspace.com/eskmo and iTunes. Below are a few tracks for your listening pleasure. AbandonSilence severely recommend that you check out this producer while he’s still fresh.

Eskmo - Let Them Sing

Eskmo - Agnus Dei

Bar 9 - Murda Sound (Bar9 remix)

Zomby vs Skream... Finally?!

Ever since hearing this back in November when I saw Skream at Chibuku I have been scouring the web for this track. Finally through the magic of a 'Free mp3s but please buy a Ringtone' website, AbandonSilence have been able to bring this to you.

The combination of Skream and Zomby is just too good to be true. I absolutely love the original track, Float, and Skream's remix track record is unrivalled in the dubstep world. Skream's remix of La Roux's 'In For The Kill' went platinum, and fully rubber-stamped dubstep in the consciousness of the UK masses.

The original track, Float, is one of the highlights of Zomby's "Where Were U in '92" LP, so the task of adding to the song through a remix certainly is a tall one. Skream, at over 6 feet, is a tall man, so few worries. He adds even more piano, even more synths, even more high hats and adds a little extra tempo. There really is so much going on, but I guess you would call it Controlled Chaos.

I know this track was first heard in 2009, but at AbandonSilence it is our track of 2010 so far.

Zomby - Float
Zomby - Float (Skreamix) .. 128kbps sorry

Mad Decent vs Gucci Mane

Diplo has used his power as boss of fast-growing label Mad Decent to create a free mixtape of Gucci Mane remixes, called Free Gucci: Best of the Cold War Mixtapes.

Artists ranging from average at best (DZ, SALEM) to the truly genius (FlyLo, Zomby) appear to give Gucci's tracks an electronic jolt.

The competition for the mixtape's greatest contribution is a straight tie between remixes by Zomby and Flying Lotus.

Zomby is an artist that I rate very highly, "Where Were You in '92" was one of the best albums released in 2009. He will come under the AbandonSilence spotlight in a future post. His track features suppressed vocals partnered with trademark high hats and skittling synths. It really is an excellent creation that does seem out of place surrounded by these run-of-the-mill remixes.

Photo Shoot is a very average Flying Lotus track, but in this habitat, it stands out like a sore thumb.

I've actually met FlyLo on a particularly messy night, all I could muster was a stuttered "I loved Los Angeles mate, favourite album of the year," Then got the really embarassing picture below.

You can tell that this is a mixtape, however, as you get further along the tracklist. The final three tracks feature some rather patchwork sampling and some lyrical nightmares. "I'm The Shit" is a useful piece of evidence for anyone arguing why people in their right mind should give gangster hip-hop a very wide berth. Some terrible lyrics, the worst hookline, the worst chorus, "I'm the Shit bitch, I'm the Shit bitch, look at my bitch, damn." Yeah, that is the chorus.

Overall, this is an excellent publicity stunt, with some great tracks being created as a result. However, it is so blatant from the first listen that this is just a mixtape.

The album is available to download in it's entirety from the Mad Decent website, but if you just want the good stuff, take these on the house.

Boi (Zomby Mixtape) - Gucci Mane

Photo Shoot (Flying Lotus Remix) - Gucci Mane


Abandon Silence

Joker - City Hopper 12"

Bristolian Dubstep Icon Joker returns with the release of a new double A side, City Hopper/ Output 1-2.

City Hopper is another track to go alongside Digidesign, Grimey Princess and Purple City as Joker's best work. The steppin' drum beat is complemented by a trademark synth roll that is ridiculously infectious.

Output 1-2 is the Brother of an older Joker track, Zariak. For over a minute and a half the song seems to be going no where. A simple dubstep drumbeat is complemented by playfully spontaneous synths. Then from nowhere a subtly introduced extra synth rolls in, flitting in and out of the constant heavy bass synth-drumbeat to crescendo towards a the huge climax.

The songs on here are undoubtedly top quality, there is no doubting. Joker is one young producer to keep your eyes on, with rumours of an LP in the works, AbandonSilence predicts a very bright 2010 for this man.

AbandonSilence