It’s not Scar City but Scarcity Records – an ambitious label coming from Bucharest. They’re aiming to promote an eclectic sound that’s missing in the breaks scene nowadays while keeping an eye on quality.
Mesmer set up the label in 2009 and since then Scarcity had a string of releases featuring artists from Eastern Europe and local talent. Some of their artwork is signed by Caine Verde aka Negru the same guy who’s responsible for our covers.
So far their releases harnessed a lot of positive reviews and support from renowned artists like Gella, Johan Sound Of Habib, Manuel Neztic, B-Phreak and Kickflip, to mention a few. There’s something for every raver out there from breakbeat to tech house and from dubstep to breakstep and drumabdbass.
Their homepage also hosts a free download section with some nice tracks inside, step into the Scarcity sound!
We got mail from Local Records advertising their new release and discovered a label that shares a lot with us in terms of vision and musical taste. So far, Local has signed Romanian artists such Alien Pimp, Bogdan, Candlestickmaker, Cosmin TRG, Cristi Cons, Discoballs, Inner, Makunouchi Bento, Minus & Ion, The Model, Poor Relatives, Silent Strike, Sillyconductor and Suie Paparude and expects to add a new artist every month.
Here’s a short version of the story in their own words:
“In the past couple of years, our homegrown community of electronic musicians hasn’t been shy on inspiration. Bubbling like a volcano underneath Eastern Europe’s post-communist facade, what this huge creative delivery needs is an external output for its artistic intent.
LOCAL RECORDS wants to create an artistic community based on shared interests and to discover a new Romanian sound by encouraging producers who currently don’t have the stimuli to persevere and reach the next level. LOCAL RECORDS is an atypical label because it does not sell music, it just promotes it.
We don’t work with money, we work with enthusiasm. Enter this beautiful new world in which music wants to be free and money flows through other opportunities. LOCAL RECORDS is working along the Romanian Organization for User Rights (ORDU), an NGO that fights for free internet sharing and the use of open licensing. This is why LOCAL RECORDS works under a Creative Commons license. The LOCAL RECORDS releases will be digital, for the general public, available for download on www.localrec.ro, and in limited hard copy, available for promotion.”
What can be more refreshing than this? Let’s get to the point, erm, music and see/hear what is all about:
Juggling easily with bass, glitch and synth funk reworked live, Minus has been present on the Romanian scene for the last 5 years with music ranging from Game Boy tunes to dub, hip hop, skweee or even to psychedelic improvisations along Ion. After releasing 3 EPs at the Romanian netlabel Arhiva 7 and notable performances at Red Bull Music Academy and Sonar 2010, his biggest joy is his spectacular evolution rather than his accomplishments.
Well said and well done so far, but all these words make sense when you start listening…
18 minutes of pure blissed out sample magic disco hop dubbed out extravaganza that shapes a distinct and personal sound outlining a sense of humour similar to Mr. Scruff and Mylo. We haven’t heard any tunes with a Maxx or a Jennifer Rush sample that can sound so good. When you enter the soundscape of Minus get prepared to have some vivid flashbacks from random summer moments with a possible timeline between the late 80s and mid 90s. It’s like the sound triggers a synaesthetic deja vu into a whirlpool of mixed and distant memories, rearranging and putting them in a new frame more appropriate for the present times. All about the uplifting pads and vintage synthsounds that made the music back then so catchy and even more about the dubbed out wonky beats and liquid feeling that makes it work so well.
A definite favourite this summer!
VanGraph Cafe is a select establishment in Timisoara that promotes good music and local producers/djs. This year they reached their 5th year of existence and they thought to celebrate this by releasing a free cd compilation that features some of the best alternative music bands and producers in the area. It comes in form of a free cd (available on the spot) and a free download continuous mix (link below). AnonimTM, one of the pioneers of the post ’89 dance music scene in Romania gave a helping hand to make this possible.
The compilation summons a diverse array of sounds, spanning from experimental electronica to deep house, funk, nu jazz, a pinch of indie for the good measure and jungle/drumandbass. Tracks are produced by already established artists like BAU , Makunouchi Bento, Leizaboy, Persona or Daniel Dorobantu and also showcases up and coming talent. Timisoara is the city where the Revolution started and also a renowned melting pot of good music. You’ll get a musical update of what’s happening on the alternative scene production-wise.
Mofo has been building a good reputation in the past two years as a drumandbass dj by playing some epic sunrise sets at big events like Summer Break Festival and Solid Like Rock (Brasov). He’s pushing a deep and dancefloor oriented mix between neurotech and sexy liquid that got him bookings at parties in Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj Napoca and of course his hometown – Deva where he is a regular infamous entertainer.
The Steps EP marks his recent taking on production. Although he still has a long way ahead to develop his sound there are definitely some good ideas and good vibes inside. A certain minimalistic direction in the veins of SpectraSoul, Lynx or Instra:Mental is obvious, you know what to expect – simple dubbed out breaks, nice atmos and some trippy voice samples. If there’s a favourite to pick “This Is It” does it for us.
As a side note, it’s really exciting to see how many people started producing in the past year in Romania and it can only get better. Besides Dan Habarnam, BAU, Deevision, Alien Pimp and Shull there is not too much home-brewed drumandbass that’s worth mentioning.
Alien Pimp’s DubKraft Records decided to approach the end of the decade with a new ethos and enhance its vision after spending almost three years pumping fresh blood into the dubstep scene. Things are getting interesting as the press release confesses that the present target is ”that niche of electronic music lovers who appreciate Bass, Spirit and Character in a track.”
The introduction to this new perspective comes in the form of their first uptempo release which is based on 160 -175 bpm breakbeats with minimalistic aesthetics and infusions from dub, glitch, jungle and techno.
The release is already getting support from key players across the scenes like Loxy, Gremlinz, June Miller, Migrant, Fine Cut Bodies, Nerm (BBC), Rogue State and is one of our faves aswell.
You’ll have to hear it to believe it, this one goes deep!
Romania is buzzin’ musically more than ever and this is a testament of a fresh, good and minimal selection. Suie Paparude, Cosmin TRG, Alien Pimp, The Model and Makunouchi Bento are among the chosen ones that contributed to this compilation released by one of the leading Romanian music blogs called Freshgoodminimal. This is also the first local music compilation released under Creative Commons license. It has a run of 1000 physical copies and the digital pack contains 7 extra tracks. All the songs can (and should!) be shared and downloaded from the net for noncommercial use and part of them can be sampled and remixed.
The purpose of the CDs is to promote the artists and the digital compilation which will be distributed to labels, promoters and other artists form Romania and abroad. If you want a goodie pack – get in touch with the guilty parties and prove you’re worthy!
Spring is in the air already and Scarcity Records kicks it off in style with Mesmer‘s “Whenever You Want Me”. It’s all about the vocal hook assorted with the dreamy melody and trademark breakbeats that beg for peaktime tracklisting.
“Bag comes packed full of remixes, to satisfy even the most exigent tastes in electronic music: from the tight drums, bass heavy, storming Line of Sight Remix , to the darker, big bass line, twisted vocals and dubby effects of Great Scott Remix, to the very atmospheric dark piece of tech house Quentin Remix, to the lush, deep, electro breaks remix of Adeser and to the Lain Christoph Remix that retains the harmonics of the original and takes it to the dancefloor with a throbbing bassline and deep, subtle swelling pads. In the end, Line of Sight provides a bonus dub version, that brings out the more melodic and emotional elements of the original with a wonderful fusion of driving electro bass and futuristic electronic tweaks to create an energetic progressive voyage.” (Scarcity Records)
The tune harnessed good reactions from artists like 601, Kalr Sav, B-Phreak and others and it’s going to be a firm favourite in our office this month.
You can find it in selected mp3 shops starting 22 March.
Recently we listened to Cosmin’s RBMA Radio Show and we couldn’t help noticing his forthcoming Rush Hour release in the tracklist. A step aside from Cosmin‘s Tempa stuff, this new 12″ which is due to be released sometime this month brings another proof (like we needed any…) of the Bucharest based producer’s versatility. “See Other People” is an infectious garage stepper, announcing the future of r&b – at least that’s what the label said and we can’t agree more. “Groove Control” has a more classic techno feel and hints to a post 90s detroit acid flick that matches heavenly with his trademark future garage swing.
HD Music is gearing into 2010 with Readymate and his 126 BPM funky-soulful-techy fusion called ‘Clash Clap’. If the 4/4 groove is not your cup of tea you can virtually flip this for a more uptempo liquid drumandbass version that keeps the original vibe and adds more breakbeat sweetness.
Intr-osearaorganicais as hypnotic as equally organic built opus that transcends space and time to become a universal story. No wonder that the artist took a moniker that references a Romanian culture icon. He is a teller which works with sounds instead of words. It is all about peculiar sounds that go beyond minimal techno production aesthetics and become heteroclite in the most interesting way. You’re not likely to fall for it the first time you hear it. This is the kind of music that comes back with every listen as all its different layers begin to puzzle out little by little to reveal the details in a beautiful complex.
To call this material a cult record would mean taking things a bit too far but nevertheless judging by the experimental flavor and the limited edition of 450 vinyl copies – it is clearly meant for the happy few. The overall sound is a moody fusion of tech-house with musical phrases that build progressively and brings chills down your spine. There’s a certain feeling of a modern and electronic jazz improvisation emanating in a dense and smoky atmosphere that’s equally good for any sweaty after-hours or the day-after introspective moments. Choice samples, hypnotic percussions, emotive musical snippets and a stylish personal way of gluing them all together define Petre Inspirescu’s trademark sound.
The 6 tracks will hook you into a long, deep and twisted musical trip that begins with the finesse of Actiune and ends with the emotion fueled Dezlegatlacapat. In between we have the dubby and percussive Templet Shout, beautiful chopped up melodies of Evar intertwined with an obsessive and nightmarish helicopter sound, a minimalist whining jazz from Sad & Sand and the abstract Astral that sounds like a perfect soundtrack for a pair of mating whales.
Arguably a milestone in contemporary Romanian electronic music and a timeless piece that doesn’t need a corporate marketing plan, fancy covers or pumped out promotion budgets to sell. That’s what music should be all about, something that you can rarely see these days.
