RCRD LBL

Little White Earbuds' RCRD LBL

Posted 7/15/2008 12:38 PM by rcrd lbl

Tags: guest blogger

Welcome to the fifth edition of our new guest-blogging feature "[Insert Name Of Site We Love Here]'s RCRD LBL". Basically, we love to tip our hats to the folks posting great tracks day in and day out and chat with them about their sites and what makes them tick, or blog, as the case maybe be. Also included in every feature will be a hand picked list of their favorite artists and songs from both RCRD LBL and their own site. 

This edition is muy especial for the RCRD LBL family, as the subject interviewed here, Steve Mizek, will be joining the RCRD LBL editorial/A&R team starting tomorrow. Everyone please welcome Steve and keep an eye out for his posts about the most crucial/interesting/catchy/forward-thinking electronic and dance acts that will be blowing up the site on the regular. Yes, we are amped.

Please tell us a bit more about your site. When you started it, what your editorial mission is, what you think makes it unique, etc, etc.

Little White Earbuds covers techno and house through reviews and interviews because there are a million guys out there making tracks and someone needs to be obsessive about it enough to help sort through it all. I've been blogging as LWE since late 2005, but I only became serious about it in September of last year. I love sharing the music that keeps me moving when I'm at my desk and when I'm DJing. LWE also lets fans and other artists hear what their favorite producers are thinking through its interviews with artists, as well as the people behind their labels. There are a lot of cool stories to be told.

How have you seen the music blog world change/shift over the past few years?

The advent of really easy blogging tools has given rise to a lot of radically unethical blogs which upload every piece music they can find. They're driving down demand so low it's hardly surprising but entirely shameful that album sales are shrinking. I've stopped giving away anything that wasn't intended to be given away, a willing sacrifice some of my blogging peers have made as well.

What is your process for discovering music like? Or to put it another way, where do you find all the great stuff you post (without giving away too many secrets!)

I keep my ears and eyes open. I get a lot of emails and have to listen to a lot of terrible tracks before I find something to post about.

What are your future plans for the site?

I'm going to increase my writing staff a bit, and perhaps get more serious about a podcast.

Little White Earbuds' RCRD LBL

Matthew Dear

I can never get enough of all of Matthew Dear's many musical facets, though his techno frontman persona is especially engaging right now.  "Asa Breed" was my favorite album of last year and I can hardly wait to hear what he has planned next. He's also really cute.

Osborne

Todd Osborn is one of the most eternally curious people I've met, which translates well throughout his eclectic but tightly focused compilation album put out as Osborne. His sound spans deep house, old school electro, indietronic, tribal house and techno, but the flavor is all Osborne.

Hercules & Love Affair

Even though this band is a smidge too gay to take over the world right now, I'm thrilled Andrew Butler and Antony Hegarty still want to make something interesting with the disco form. Strikingly beautiful, entirely emotional, their self-titled album is one of the year's best.

Thomas Fehlmann

The guy who helped bridge the gap between Detroit and Berlin techno is still making awesome music, imagine that. Last year's "Honigpumpe" was a warm sleeper hit.

Justice

Some smirk because they're jealous, but I truly see Justice as a pop band who hits a lot of the right notes while still being a bit subversive and interested in pushing the envelope. Who doesn't want to see how that plays out? 

 Little White Earbuds' Favorite Tracks

Tobias - I Can't Fight The Feeling [Wagon Repair]

After nearly 25 years in the biz, Tobias Freund shows no sign of stepping off a long peak of incredible minimal techno and house. Here he gets completely hypnotic and surprisingly soulful.

Prosumer & Murat Tepeli

This pair which yearns for the salad days of Chicago house decided to bring song-writing back into house and nailed it on their debut album, "Serenity." They're also sweethearts and gave me my best interview to date.

DJ Bone - Sect 1 [Sect Records]

I got this as a promo with no info at all, no idea who had cranked out such propulsive, future primitive house music. Thankfully, my readers came to the rescue and figured out Detroit's DJ Bone was behind this incredible EP.

Melchior Productions - No Disco Future [Perlon]

Thomas Melchior has been bouncing around dance music since acid jazz gave way to acid house and has constantly edited his music to be sharper and more lithe. "No Disco Future," his second LP, is perhaps his sharpest and darkest yet.

Dettmann & Klock - Scenario [Ostgut Ton]

These Berghain residents know exactly what will make an 8 a.m. crowd scream for joy while jacking their bodies. And with their double 12" for Berlin's current flagship of underground labels, Ostgut Ton, Ben Klock and Marcel Dettmann made incredible techno music for just such an occasion. "Dawning (Revisited)" is enormous.

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