Listen: James Pants - "Hotel Collection EP"

Stones Throw beat scientist JamesPants delivers a 10-track instrumental ep to share on this overcast Friday in NY. James describes the project as  “A 7-star collection for business travelers, high flyers, and power-movers.” Check it in its entirety below…..

Download: Brainfeeder Sampler (feat. Martyn, Lapalux and other)

The LA based label Brainfeeder headed by Flying Lotus has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the field of beat-centered electronic music.  With a roster featuring the likes of Martyn, Lorn, Gaslamp Killer, Thundercat and Lapalux the imprint has remained on the cutting edge of the scene delivering fresh and new ideas on every release.  Having just received the label-of-the-year award through Gilles Peterson's show, Brainfeeder released a compilation available for free download here (in exchange for your e-mail address) with songs from the label's roster for your listening pleasure.  The comp also features a previously unreleased Lapalux track from his upcoming album. 

Bonobo - Black Sands Remixed

Bonobo's Black Sands was one of our favorite long players of 2010.  Throughout his multiple releases, the constantly morphing Ninja Tune artist has managed to maintain his signature organic beatmaking technique while keeping his ear to the ground and constantly sounding fresh.  The variety of artists remixing the Black Sands LP is a testament to his wide ranging appeal and influence.  Head over to the official site for Black Sands Remixed to enter your e-mail and download the footwork remix by Machinedrum (one half of Sepalcure) of single "Eyesdown" or stream the track below.   The impressive roster of Red Cup favorites offering remix work to this LP include Floating Points, Lapalux, Falty DL and Mark Pritchard.  Black Sands Remixed is out February 13th on Ninja Tune.

Bonobo : Eyesdown [Machinedrum Remix 5" Edit] - Download FREE at bonobomusic.com by bonobo

Evian Christ - "Fuck it none of y'all don't rap"

Came across this ill beat by anonymous producer (Evian Christ) via Dummy.  The mysterious Evian uploaded a whole bunch of tracks on a youtube channel and all of them are actually superb.  We would agree with Dummy in that the vibe here is Clams Casino gone footwork, though it sounds like Evian is more into crystal clear textures rather than distorted soundscapes.  Listen to highlight "Fuck it non of y'all don't rap below":  

Download: Mount Kimbie - "Before I Move Off" (Star Slinger Refix)

Leaving no stone unturned, Brit beatmaker Star Slinger offers up yet another bootleg refix (check out his recent refix for Drake's "Over My Dead Body" here) just in time for Christmas.  Star Slinger applies his characteristic vaccum pumped, ultra-compressed beats all over Mount Kimbie's "Before I Move Off" from their brilliant Crooks & Lovers LP.  Listen to or download the track below:

Mount Kimbie - Before I Move Off [Star Slinger Refix] by Star Slinger

Flying Lotus - "Mister Murky Socks (alt take mix2)"

A few hours ago, our favorite post-dilla experimental beatmaker and Brainfeeder labelhead Flying Lotus posted "Mister Murky Socks (alt take mix2)" on his soundcloud page, which is essentially an alternate version of his older track "Roberta Flack" off his 2008 Los Angeles LP.  While the actual beat is almost the same, the new element here is the catchy bassline that's as raw and organic as it is electronic and alien sounding.  Listen to it below:   

Flying Lotus - mister murky socks ///// LOS ANGELES ALT take mix2 by Flyinglotus

Download: Drake - "Over My Dead Body" (Star Slinger Jetlag Edit)

Drake's "Take Care" LP is a bit of a guilty pleasure here at Red Cup but we won't go into that right now (though if you haven't heard it you should).  Our first impression when we heard opening track "Over My Dead Body" was 'this track is ill, shame it doesn't have a beat'....little did we know our favorite British post-dilla beatmaker would agree with us and rectify the matter by slinging his stardust all over it.  Star Slinger's efficient jetlag edit of the track turns this album opener into a pumping set opener.  Listen to our download this excellent remix for free below:

Drake - Over My Dead Body (Star Slinger Jetlag Edit) by Star Slinger

Galapagos - "Feel Things Inside"

18 year old Galapagos is one of those young producers whose influences have yet to taint his personal style resulting in a sound achored in his time yet refreshingly different.  While he too samples an R&B diva and reaks havoc on her vocals (much like early James Blake, Lapalux and the Tri Angle crew all in their own respective ways), his subtle use of bit-crunching goes a long way in providing a harsher and brighter take on the technique.  The result is a Rustie-like take on R&B micro-sampling. Exciting stuff.  Listen below:

Feel Things Inside by Galapagos

Lapalux Double Post: Remixes for Astrid Williamson and Fink

Lapalux has been on our radar since his massive bootleg rework of Gwen Stefani's "Luxurious".  Essex-based Stuart Howar has since signed to FlyLo's Brainfeeder, where he must feel right at home among experimental hip-hop producers and other masters of the beat.  There's plenty to look forward to from Lapalux, but until then check out these two relattively recent remixes we've been enjoying.  First up is the Astrid Williamson track "Dance", which Lapalux winds down to a woozy tempo demonstrating chopped and screwed influences a witchy aesthetic (ghost-hop anyone?):  

Next up is his remix for Ninja Tune guitar player/singer (and former beat maker) Fink whose work we've often enjoyed yet have always though his songs would make for great remixes. That theory holds true as you can hear below:

Preview: DJ Food - "The Search Engine" LP

A few weeks ago we posted a nostalgic mix of Boards of Canada's "Geodaddi" by DJ Food.  Now you can preview DJ Food aka Strictly Kev's own album (the first in 11 years since "Kaleidoscope") releasing in January 2012 on Ninja Tune. The album is a heavier take on DJ Food's sound, features many collaborations and, like DJ Shadow's latest effort, also explores some rock elements.  As expected, the music is varied, as are the non-musical influences for the records, which range from astronauts to how search engines have changed our lives.  An interesting premise for an exciting listening experience.  Take a sneak peak below or pre-order "The Search Engine" here:

Watch: eLan - "Next 2 Last" Music Video

We've been big fans of eLan's chirpy chip-tuned Dilla sound ever since he was discovered and promoted  by Modeselektor through their Monkeytown imprint. After two brilliant EPs (Alligator Snaps and Fuzzy Numbers), the Californian beatmaker finally released his first LP on that label entitled "Next 2 Last", which features quite a few tracks from his previous short players, including the title track itself.  Watch this apt cartoony/performance video for "Next 2 Last" or preview the LP and order it at the Monkeytown site:

eLan-next 2 last from Ian Berenger on Vimeo.

Kuedo - FACT mix 288

Listen to or download this brilliantly varied genre-bending mix by Kuedo (formerly of Vex'd) for FACT available below for the next three weeks.  There's plenty of slow spun hip-hop, raw dubstep and even some Vangelis thrown in the mix (confirming the inlfluence the Greek synth wizard has had on Kuedo's debut solo full length for Planet Mu). Go for it:

FACT mix 288 - Kuedo by factmag

Watch: Birdy Nam Nam - "Going in" (music video)

Our favorite French turntablist quartet named after a Peter Sellers line in one of the funniest scenes in the cult classic movie "The Party", just released their new album "Defiant Order", a follow up to their previous release "The Parachute Ending" which also featured production help from none other than fellow frenchmen Justice. While the initial focus of the group's music was instrumental hip-hop, granted with a wide variety of influences from various genres of electronic music, Birdy Nam Nam's new sound seems to zeroing-in on the heavy hitting french-touch take on electro.  BNN's unique approach of printing their own productions and samples on vinyl and reconstructing them live for their records and performances remains a remarkable achievement that few have managed to recpilate to this day.  Watch the equally brilliant animation video for lead single "Going In", directed by Machine Molle or listen to the title-track, our favorite from the new album, below:

Birdy Nam Nam - Defiant Order by xserenz