Full, Uncut Interview with Brock Edwards & Meech of RYME

A couple weeks ago I had Meech of RYME back into the Radio Humber studios where we were joined by Brock Edwards. The embed below features our full uncut conversation (at least what was recorded). We tackled all things around their upcoming episode of My Mixtape (which premieres Saturday March 7th at 11 PM EST on Radio Humber), their upcoming releases, and their labels, before opening things up more widely for discussions on seemingly everything under the sun (still music related).

Other topics covered: personal problems with social media and award shows, country music vs electronic, the Toronto scene, growing out of the festival/club scene, Meech's thoughts on dubstep, drugs and the scene, the faceless quality of DJ sets that remain in the same key or BPM range, Brock and Meech's disdain for live sets, what a live set really means. Lots of laughs and lots of diversions.FOLLOW BROCK EDWARDS: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
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Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Eddie Amador - House Music (Jerome Robins 'Tribute' Remix)

This week's episode of Bump In The Hump marks the return of My Mixtape and with that comes an interview at the conclusion of each show. Followers of my socials will already know that the first episode/interview feature two of Toronto's busiest house creators and curators, Brock Edwards and RYME. While you can already hear their collaborative EP, the 60th BADLQQK release, Searching For Signal on Soundcloud here, you'll be able to learn more about it and their mix, with a clip of my conversation with Brock and Meech (1/2 of RYME) on tonight's episode as well as through the full, nearly two hour conversation, which is to be uploaded to Mixcloud tomorrow.

But back to the sneak peek illustrated in the title of this post. I've chosen to highlight the latest of Jerome Robins' many wicked white labels for two reasons. 1) Jerome is set to play Comfort Zone Saturday morning in honour of Deko-ze's birthday (RSVP/Info) and 2) "House Music" is a perfect fit not only with Brock & RYME's "The Beginning," but also the subject of house as broached in my conversation with the two. So stream below, grab free download here, and tune in to Bump In The Hump live from 7-9 PM EST on Radio Humber tonight or after the fact as cataloged on Mixcloud here.FOLLOW JEROME ROBINS: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Crowd Control - Is It Daylight?

Life is easy when one of your favourite artists drops a track just in time to get your week off to a smooth start. That was the case today when French house producer Crowd Control released "Is It Daylight?" as part of his 3 track Housy Love Songs Vol. 1 EP. Just last week Meech and I chatted (here) about the onetime BADLQQK rookie, and our love for him, especially his bootlegs, and here we are gifted with this beautiful, sampled based take on Ashford & Simpson's "It Seems To Hang On." Like his McFadden & Whitehead and more recent Black Box remixes, this too features fantastic use of filters, injecting a playful movement into every moment of the track. The drums bump and  bang, finding a funky balance between the four on the floor norm and the glitchy playful effects. However my favourite piece of this production comes in the subtle swells of synths, brass bursts and smooth sliding sample usage. Get Crowd Control's latest disco delight "Is It Daylight?" via Bandcamp and follow his socials below.FOLLOW CROWD CONTROL: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

My Mixtape featuring RYME Vol. 2

DOWNLOAD MY MIXTAPE FEATURING RYME VOL. 2

Tracklist

1. E91 - Shake Those House Freak
2. ASKY - Lemme Put It
3. M.in & Riven - Connect (RYME Remix)
4. Anna Lunoe - Satisfaction (RYME Remix)
5. Clinton Houlker - XTC On Tap
6. KMRT - Flash Flash (Slowbody Remix)
7. RYME - Cockfight (Fearz Remix)
8. Alien Grant - Big N Fat
9. Produser - Ritual
10. Fibertalk & CVPELLV - Charlie (ft. Will Mills)
11. ID - ID (Forthcoming on BADLQQK)
12. RYME - N'Nowww
13. Don Rimini - I Can Fix
14. RYME - Time 2 Bump
15. Don Rimini - Horny Gamble (Batmouche Remix)
16. Krazy Baldhead - Empty Boy (Meech Remix)

Full, Uncut Interview with Meech of RYME

Last Wednesday I had BADLQQK boss and one half of RYME, Meech join me for a chat in the Radio Humber studios. At least our third interview, we've perhaps grown too comfortable as this hour long chat is very loose and conversational. That said, Meech treated those courageous listeners who make it all the way through to some interesting stories, little nuggets, and tea. Broad topics include: the history & rise of BADLQQK, getting support and/or working with Carl Cox, Don Rimini & MSTRKRFT, taking BADLQQK & RYME around the world, how RYME became RYME, what's next for BADLQQK & RYME, and of course their new episode of My Mixtape, which airs this Saturday at 11 PM EDT.FOLLOW RYME: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
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Uncut Interview with RYME's Meech

My full uncut conversation with Meech of RYME, founders of BADLQQK. As recorded January 24th.

Topics include: Last set at The Hoxton. Favourite Hoxton memory.  The story behind the growing, nearly two year old, label. Fostering young, and often local talent. What's next for BADLQQK. The evolution of the Toronto scene. And of course, he sets up RYME's hour long mix for My Mixtape. Fittingly their remix of Chad Tyson's "Coochie Lip" dropped today and is also in the mix, stream it below or purchase here.

Catch My Mixtape live tonight at 11 PM EST on 96.9 FM Radio Humber, here. Download the mix, here.

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Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Basecamp - Ghostown (aiwake Remix)

Yesterday a remix of Basecamp's track "Ghostown" arrived in my inbox, but the remixer was one I was entirely unfamiliar with, aiwake. Since it is their first release there's almost no other information out there. However, I did my usual digging which has led me to some hypotheses.

Their soundcloud account is following only three others, Riggadale, Orphan Jr. and themightyberz, so perhaps they are somehow associated. It might also be valuable to note that both Orphan Jr. and Riggadale have blacked out profile pictures, the same as aiwake. themightyberz's soundcloud and facebook URLs both use the same phrase "almost art" as the track's genre tag, leading me to believe all three of the accounts are involved with aiwake. The final piece of information from their account that may be some kind of clue is the date "02/21/17."

Still what that means is beyond me, although my best guess is that something will be revealed that Tuesday in February. Will it be another remix? An EP? A concert date? Or maybe just a further reveal as to who aiwake is. Regardless, I'll be playing aiwake's touching and emotionally aware first release tonight on Bump In The Hump, which you can download free, here. Tonight's episode also includes an exclusive premiere from Fahjah, once again working with Mees Van Den Berg, Shaun Frank's VIP mix of "Let You Get Away," and three tracks honouring Saturday the 21st as one of the busiest night's in Toronto club history with A-Trak, Autoerotique and Frustra all spinning sets. Rounding out the episode is my conversation with Meech from RYME, ahead of their set for My Mixtape, airing Friday the 27th at 11 PM EST. Stream tonight's episode live from 6-7 PM EST, here.

Throwback Thursday: RYME Interview & BADLQQK Remixed

For this installment in my Throwback Thursday series, I take a look back at the duo RYME, aka Meech and Rynecologist, and the huge leaps and bounds they've taken with their label BADLQQK. About 10 months ago, my partner in crime for Electronic Impressions, Christian Kwamie and I had RYME in studio to chat about their lives as DJs, producers and all around awesome Toronto artists. While the topic of their BADLQQK collective came up, I doubt any of us had any inkling just what it would become. Now after six original EP releases from Slowbody, Cosella, Fearz, Craig Williams, KMRT and of course the duo themselves, they are set to drop a massive five track remix EP, April 19th on Beatport/worldwide May 3rd. After having the Fearz remix of their track "Cockfight" premiered by the one and only Anna Lunoe on her Beats1 show (listen here), the duo have released the full streams of each remix on BADLQQK's soundcloud page below. Since then RYME have teamed up with Toronto outfit Euphoradio dropping a 60 minute mix that serves as an excellent entree ahead of their April 23rd set at The Hoxton alongside Justin Jay, for which you can buy tickets, here.

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Baauer w/ Internet Daughter B2B Eytan Tobin

With the year ending The Hoxton had few opportunities left to go out in style, but when bad boy Baauer took over Friday. He certainly brought his unique flair, as he dropped one of, if not, the best set of the year doing everything at an incredibly high level; whether it was his hype work on the mic, constant mixing, impeccable track selection or his physical involvement in the music. The night was an all around success as locals Internet Daughter and Eytan Tobin went back to back for two hours doing a brilliant job getting the crowd ready for a masterful performance. I do however have one gripe before I get to breaking down the sets (the next paragraph, so skip it if you like for videos and links to tracks played).

Upon arriving I was greeted by two Heineken girls giving away plastic light-up wristbands; nice enough, who doesn't like free swag? Before I could even get to the bar I noticed my wristband went dark, and yes it had already died, oh well I'm not one for glow sticks or flashing lights anyway. Back at the bar, I asked for my usual tall can of Coors Banquet, to which the bartender replied "It's a Heineken night," okay, I'll get a tall can of that, "Nope." Well, do you have any tall cans? "Nope." Well, what DO you have? "Only Heineken." Fine I guess I'll have one. "$8, please." Now, the reason I always get tall cans is two fold, one, it's the best bang for your buck, and two, I have to go back to the bar less often. These kinds of corporate sponsored buyouts have to stop, there's no way it gets the company any good will, I'd think it's exactly the opposite. Sure if you usually drink Heineken you're happy but for everyone else who is now forced to drink it, I'd imagine they'd be at best mildly perturbed and at worst totally boycott Heineken. I know I'm not happy about it and certainly won't be rushing to get a Heineken again. People want and deserve choices, monopolies are never alright, even the board game is of questionable merit.

Monday Mashed Up Mix #4

Each Monday I post a little mix of less than 30 minutes for your listening pleasure. It contains a variety of electronic music mixed and mashed up to varying degrees. The music is always first and foremost while DJing and mixing skills are meant to take a back seat. It includes some brand new stuff but also some forgotten gems and whatever it was that had entered my consciousness. I'll be hosting them on my Dropbox page for your listening and downloading pleasure, MONDAY MASHED UP MIX VOL 4. You can find the tracklisting and links for each track after the break...

AC Slater, RYME & Cosella, Night Bass At The Hoxton

Last night, The Hoxton played host to a crazy party combining the forces of two bass heavy labels, BADLQQK and Night Bass. Cosella, part of the BADLQQK collective, took over the decks just as I arrived shortly after 11. Being the crafty local talent that he is, he started his set off with a cheeky remix of Drake's "Hotline Bling" with a female singer rather than the six god. But that wasn't the only remix of a local pop star. He also dropped his own edit of Chris Lake's bootleg mix of The Weeknd, "Can't Feel My Face." I'm with RYME on this one, really hope he uploads it, unfortunately Chris Lake hasn't even uploaded his version so it's doubtful, but we can still hope.

@S91McInnis @RYMEonRYME unfortunately probably not gonna come out ! It was my edit of it

— C Ø S E L L A (@cosellamusic) November 29, 2015

@cosellamusic @S91McInnis upload your edit brooo

— R Y M E (@RYMEonRYME) November 29, 2015

Cosella did an incredible job filling up the dance-floor and getting the crowd active. He played just the right mixture of old and new tracks, constantly working them over with filters and other knobs. I specifically remember him playing the Tom Staar remix of Dansson & Marlon Hoffstadt "Shake That," and his release on BADLQQK, "Elevator," which got people so hyped a fight broke out. However, the standout track for me, was a forthcoming one from Eyes Everywhere, that I'll be watching out for.

Throwback Thursday: La Roux - Quicksand (Boy 8-Bit Remix) [Review]

This is the first in my TBT series, in which I'll review the most influential tracks from my past. What better place to start than with the most played track in my iTunes, my favourite track of all-time and arguably the most influential for me in many ways. Flashback to 2009 when I was still just learning about the vastness of the world electronic music (not yet called EDM). I had just returned to school after summer break, armed with a new secret weapon, Fake Blood; thanks to my guru who had shown me Fake Blood's killer remixes (Any Way You Choose To Give It, I Want Your Soul, Stuck On Repeat). I then showed my friends at school and we agreed to go see Fake Blood when he came to town. And unbelievably he was coming just a couple months later, with the biggest crew I've ever seen at Sound Academy; Aeroplane, Annie Mac, Boy 8-Bit, Calvin Harris, Fake Blood, Laidback Luke, Nero, Toddla T, and to top it off locals Zeds Dead and my boy Meech. Since it would be a waste to go only to see Fake Blood, I set out to familiarize myself with the rest of the lineup and the one that immediately caught my ear, was Boy 8-Bit. His combination of video game inspired sounds and progressive and playful electro style was everything I wanted in a producer. I was lucky enough to find a discography torrent, complete with a large number of mixes he had done for various radio shows. I was particularly enamored with the following video in which Annie Mac gives the first play to Boy 8-Bit's remix of La Roux, Quicksand.