Nadia Ksaiba - Virtual Lover

Usually I don't dig in the wave/synth crate in my local record store, but Nadia Ksaiba's Virtual Lover single cover looked soooo 80's I just couldn't pass. Like the artwork everything else is also vintage - Virtual Lover ticks all 80's pop/funk boxes - spaced out retro synths, sweet vocals and crispy playful bass. Most 80's singles had (dub) versions on the flip and it's no different this time - we get a stretched out 6-minute spaced out affair. Last but not least Jimmy Edgar returns to 2013 with his spot on Detroit electro remix combining old, new & robots, lots of robots (and echoes too). Released on Phantasy Sounds, the 12'' is available in most record stores so grab your copy at least for the cover, perfect for an instagram sleeve-face photo. 

Beatscapes pres. 'Put On Your Dancing-Gown'

First in-house Beatscapes mix is finally here! We've overcome the laziness and put out a 55 minutes set of  disco, slo-mo, house and boogie straight from vinyl. Definately "feel good" vibes and favs from 2013 were the ideas behind the selection process, but we've still added a few older gems here and there. Hope you dig it! 

Put on your dancing-gown by Beatscapes on Mixcloud

Sons of the Morning - The Way Winter Passed Us

Warp beatmaker and glitch-hop godfather Guillermo Scott Herren aka Prefuse 73 launched his very own imprint Yellow Year Records. His plans with the label are quite fascinating as it will release Speak Soon, a twelve-volume series of EPs that will feature Prefuse 73 collaborating with beat scene masters Teebs, Nosaj Thing, Lapalux, Synkro, Nathan Fake, Dimlite to name few (Pitchfork). 

The first big move is Sons of the Morning,  the new duo comprising Brainfeeder artist Teebs and of course Prefuse 73. "The Way Winter Passed Us" is an instrumental masterpiece, with flowing melody powered by rolling percussion. As Herren speaks himself (Spin): 

"On a musical level, Teebs taps into really simple hardware and pulls off consistently beautiful music. He's kind of like the Erik Satie of the SP-303, which is a cheap sampler. I'm inspired by his effectivness with what he works with and the sincerity that comes out in his sound".

On Point Summer Sampler 2013

So, we've reached mid August and most of the summer '13 is behind us. I therefore call On Point Summer Sampler 2013 a late summer compilation. Freekwency, Jazz Neversleeps, Billy Palmier, The Essence and Seiren, are all brought together on one 12" delivering perfect tunes to close summer season with. Watch for the 12" when it comes out! 

Starship Connection (B. Bravo & Teeko) “We Can Go All Night”

Two of the Bay Area's finest future funk personas, Teeko and B.Bravo (Brownswood, RBMA) are back with an ode to going all night long. "We Can Go All Night Long" is a brand new track released on 7" earlier this week by Bastard Jazz ahead of their Tempo Dreams compilation series (in fact compiled by B.Bravo and Teeko). B side features another San Francisco producer and vocalist K-Maxx on "Dreamin' Of You". This 45 is a must have, purchase it here.

Pathetic Waste of Talent – Triburbia

This duo going by a quite sarcastic name, Pathetic Waste of Talent, is hailing from Heidelberg, Germany. In case of their new track Triburbia, there is no speculation about waste of talent whatsoever. Triburbia can be downloaded for free... and I guess you're already in the process of downloading it. 

FKA Twigs - Water Me (EP2)

Sounds like this autumn is going to be taken by storm by a bunch of talented vocalists, all trying to find their place in the future soul/electronic pop scene. Jessy Lanza w/ an upcoming debut, personal favorite Fatima just released the 12'' single Circle, Py & Maths Time Joy working on former's debut LP... FKA Twigs fits nicely in this lovely bunch of beautiful female voices; Water Me ticks all the boxes of our definition of beatscapes from the top of the page: ethereal, glitchy and spacious yet intimate, absolutely stunning future soul ballad. EP2 drops in September, reserve your 12'' HERE

Jessy Lanza - Kathy Lee

I dunno, but I have a feeling that new music has been a bit weaker this year than last couple of years. This feeling was immediately gone when I listened to Jessy's Lanza track Kathy Lee - wow this shit is amazing. I reckon this has been my top 2013 discovery so far.

Kathy Lee has been co-produced by Canadian synthpop wizard Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys. This will be released in September on Hyperdub. I look so much forward to!

Tiger & Woods - Golden Bear EP

Not much is known about these dudes or Editainment label on which they release their stuff. Tiger & Woods duo is back with their another jaw-dropping installment. The Golden Bear EP provides three tracks of loop rich and groove heavy tunes. This will surely be another big one for all their fans. Out now in good record stores.

Roux Spana - 9 Weeks of Sun (Morning Heat)

The time has come and the summer is here in effect. Roux Spana is, for the second time, delivering unstoppable vibes for the picnic days (make sure that you check 9 Weeks of Sun vol.1). The concept is slightly different, since this time, the album drops at once, where last year Roux Spana released one track for 9 weeks.

This record isn't just for headphones. It's a summer album, conveying images of spraying fire hydrants and melted popsicles and can be well played during hot barbecue nights and beach parties.

It's made up of old-sounding elements, but sounds fresh and new. Funky vintage synthesizers, chopped funk & boogie samples, and woozy drum breaks bring new life to these 80' tunes.There is some straight-out hits like Week 1 (She Got The Move) or Week 6 (Out Tonight) or buttery tracks like Week 2 (You Give Me Fever). Without further ado, make sure that you check this album. Free download!

DJ Nature/Admin - BoogieFuturo #2

Futureboogie Recordings little sibling Boogiefuturo returns w/ the 2nd installment and the both cuts on this limited, hand-numbered 12'' are absolute masterpieces, the groove seems to never end, just perfect for looping it all summer long. DJ Nature does magic and remixes Typesun's Last Home adding the bongos and reworking the trumpet and string arrangements. Looks like even simple measures can lead to a tasty groove. On the flip, Admin put out a wonderful piece of jazz house in Gold Soul, really Vakula-esque (and even more jazzier than Andres' tracks from 2012). Seriously recommended 12''  - don't miss out because the stock is running low, yet it's still available in a few shops.

Shigeto - Detroit Part 1

This time it's not any recovered music but really fresh output from the one and only Shigeto representing Ghostly International. With Ann Arbor series seem to be done and dusted it's time for Detroit, Part 1 to be exact. Multi-textured melodies are floating over crisp drums while the track builds towards it's climax. But when you think it's the end a lush outro re-emerges serving as a little nod to the Ann Arbor days.

Exquisite piece, No Better Time Than Now drops on August 19th/20th on Ghostly.

Yosi Horikawa - Vapor

For anyone who checks Beatscapes the name Yosi Horikawa should be a familiar one. Our favorite Japanese producer is finally releasing his debut LP titled Vapor, which drops on June 24th via First Word Records. The signature sonic elements should all be present - prescisely crafted eerie soundscapes, multi layered melodies and some field recordings and unexpected samples (like on the Wandering EP). Don't sleep on deluxe version - it's stricly limited to 35 copies and has Letter pressed on... a playable postcard. Get your's HERE. Here are all the tracks we've been able to find in one playlist - and oh my they're really groovy and breath in the own sense, pure bliss: 

DJ Czarny/Tas - Time To Build LP

Since their first album Passion, Music, Hip-Hop Dj Czarny & Tas have made huge leaps forward - 2 years forward the're IDA World Champions and return w/ a new album that's a few levels higher than the debut. At 14 songs long the Polish duo manage to squeeze in 90's hip-hop, LA Beats, Jazz-Hop and forward thinking electronic music while maintaining a warm, soulful vibe. Turntablism skills are presented by DJ Czarny, but with a certain balance without overshadowing the beautiful melodies. Roux Spana & 3K from RSBT, Night Marks Electric Trio and rappers AB & Ozzay Moore all make guest appearences. Don't know if it's hip-hop yet, but that's what I would like to hear in 2013. Stream the album below or grab a CD HERE.

Shigeto - Lost Tracks

The story goes like this..

"Just about a year ago my laptop was stolen at a show in NY. I lost an album I was working on and learned my lesson the hard way. This is one of the tracks I recovered. It features some good friends of mine Brandon Mitchell (Kadence) and Carlos Garcia (L05) on vocals. ♥ Shi"

Quadron - Better Off (with Kendrick Lamar)

Robin Hannibal is certainly one of our musical heroes from the 00's and we can't be more stoked about the new Quadron (Robin + Coco O.) album titled Avalanche which drops on June 4th. Better Off is the second single, a truly lovely piece of bedroom soul, w/ a quite similar vibe like Rhye, but it's still trademark Quadron sound. And Kendrick Lamar provides a little bit of head nodding. Just perfect.

Turquoise - A Touch Of Turquoise LP

We didn't post about Turquoises' debut LP when it first got out, but as it got the fair share of air time at the Beatscapes HQ it's better to recommend the proven stuff, right?

Turquoise Summers delivers an 11 track LP filled with nothing but pure and gear-heavy Modern Funk. Not too fast nor too slow, just #kool, as Dam-Funk would say it. Galactic synths meet fat, hard hitting drums and all we can say that the Funk is strong in this one, Omega Supreme Records are really going strong - can't wait for the next releases!

Last copies of the tape are at the label's Bandcamp, last copies of vinyl are still at hhv, juno or jetset records - don't sleep on this one.

Bibio - À tout à l'Heure

U.K. producer Stephen Wilkinson as Bibio has been on a two-year break with releasing new albums, with spring 2011 bringing us his previous LP, Mind Bokeh (called a "masterpiece of headphone music" by some bloggers), and June 2009 seeing the release of its predecessor Ambivalence Avenue. Wilkinson is continuing this cycle with Silver Wilkinson, his next full-length album which drops on May 14 via Warp Records. 

À tout à l'Heure is the first single, and as Bibio himself wrote on Facebook : "The recording of À tout à l'Heure started out in my garden on a gorgeous sunny day when it felt morally wrong to be hidden away indoors. I still had the urge to make music so I limited myself to a few bits of gear and set up in my garden."