95bFM: Coldcut Solid Steel

In Hour 1 this week it's Hugo Massien who's had a number of high profile releases already behind him for labels including the legendary XL Recordings and Dusky’s 17 Steps imprint. His recent EP 'Advanced Aerial Threat' came out on Tectonic Recordings last month, carving a sound for himself that sees him bring together elements from house, techno, dubstep and hardcore. He had this to say about his mix:

Solid Steel (22nd June) In Hour 1 it's Hot Chip Megamix which is currently hitting festivals all over Europe this summer. Having previously featured Joe Goddard on Solid Steel before, it's the turn of fellow band member Felix Martin to open up the record bag. Head over to https://www.hotchipmegamix.com/ for the upcoming dates and they had this to say: “This is the first in a series of mixes under the Hot Chip Megamix name. This instalment was put together by Felix. Megamix is a way for us to play music we love and to integrate it live on stage with electronic elements like 808 drums and a TB303.This mix includes a selection of tunes that are relevant to the Megamix concept - fun ways of remixing and messing around with our own music, along with some of our favourite cuts by other artists. It includes tracks from Joe & Alexis under their own solo monikers,  Hot Chip music as reimagined by Erol Alkan and Carl Craig, and a very well know Alexis acapella put into a new context alongside music by Matthew Herbert & Trevino.

In Hour 1 we are pleased to welcome Superorganism with a concept mix based around music with themes from sea to space. Starting with 'Jungle Waters' by Sam Gallantry, 'Sea calls me home' by Julia Holter and 'Swim Good' by Frank Ocean, the mix goes on to feature 'Stratus' by Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, 'Deep Blue Day' by Brian Eno and 'Starman' by David Bowie. Their self-titled debut album came out in March on Domino and you can catch the multinational eight-piece group at festivals throughout Europe this summer, before heading to North America and back for a full European tour in Autumn. They had this to say about their mix;

In Hour 1 we welcome  Sassy J who has a colourful and charming sound informed by her simple and honest love of music and emotion. She runs her own Patchwork night, does the art for each party and has a passion for sewing one off pieces of clothing that marry many different textures and styles in compelling ways, much like when she mixes records. She has also done artwork for Eglo and did an excellent cassette for The Trilogy Tapes. Sassy J has been passionately doing her do for 20 years now. In that time she has kept a focus on forward thinking electronic and analog sounds, has been a consistently exciting DJ and has earned a reputation amongst esteemed artists and fans that appreciate her unhurried style. Driven by a feel for the occasion, a passion to present new sounds and desire to leave a mark on her audience, Sassy J has played everywhere from Eglo Dance and Dekmantel to OHM and De School. She had this to say about her mix;

In Hour 1 our guest is Chrome Sparks (aka Jeremy Malvin) following the recent release of his debut self titled album on Counter Records. The album is the product of an obsessive approach to production as much it is about a restless hunt for new ideas over several years spent between Malvin’s Navy Yard, Brooklyn studio and a secluded cabin in upstate New York. He spent a month there to escape the distractions of the city, and to distill his process during what became an intensive period of creativity. He is currently on tour with Machinedrum in North America, before heading over to Europe for 6 dates in May. He told us;

Our guest in Hour 1 is Answer Code Request ahead of the release of his new album 'Gens' which is out next week on Ostgut Ton. For the Berghain resident, this is his follow up to his celebrated debut LP 'Code' from 2014 and you can catch him playing tonight at index, Dublin, 17th Feb at Fabric London and the album release party at Berghain on 24th Feb. He told us: "With this mix I explore opposing musical poles that I gravitate towards as a DJ and producer – but even more so as a listener. Namely, abstract electronic pieces on the one hand and more obviously rhythm-based tracks on the other. I’ve included music classic and new, all of which however shares a certain state of mind, a feeling of distance, restlessness and isolation. The first 40 minutes wander through ambient and experimental music textures, eventually moving toward more club-friendly vistas, broken beats, dubstep, electro and techno, and including the occasional uplifting track. Having long had a soft spot for UK hardcore outgrowths and related club sounds, I also hoped to show with this selection what I see as a broader bass music continuum, one which includes producers outside of the UK. Finally, this mix was recorded at home after several sketches made on the road during my album live tour. It's been a pleasure to compile for a series as pioneering as this one."

In Hour 1 we welcome Robert Hood, founding member of the legendary group Underground Resistance (with ‘Mad’ Mike Banks and Jeff Mills) following the release of his third and final installment in a trilogy of EP releases for Dekmantel Records, that initially began back in February 2016. 'Paradygm Shift Volume 3' embraces the trademark, minimal, funk techno sounds that defined his earlier career and is an extension on the concept as outlayed by Hood during the project’s conceptual stage: ‘‘The idea behind Paradygm Shift is similar to a shift in our focus. We can become so complacent; we are so comfortable with our surroundings, I think this is the time for electronic music to find a new mindset.’’ He’s currently finalising a new EP due for release in April on his own M-Plant label.

In Hour 2 we hand over to Canadian producer CFCF, also known as Mike Silver who has been producing for nearly a decade on labels like Paper Bag, 1080p, International Feel Recordings and Arts and Crafts for his last release alongside Jean-Michel Blais.  He had this to say about his mix;