The Californian producer put together an album of beats from the last few months of 2018. I found Ruffian Kick last year while waiting for a plane from Nice back to the UK. I was glad to find a new release in 2019 and his most recent is a belter. LEAVES. is, as he describes it himself: some beats from the fall & winter seasons….
Go from X to A with the new Roland SP-404A sampler. You know we LOVE the SP-404. Well, Roland went ahead and upgraded it. The SP-404A is a revamped version of the classic sampler “designed for live use”. It’s defining feature is the ability to marry up with Roland’s TR-8, combining both sample and percussive synthesis. It can either work as a standalone unit or…
Keor Meteor drops his second release of the year. Movie dialogue samples are great thematic tools and Keor Meteor used them to great effect on his latest EP, Chlorophyl. The project has the feel of a 60s/70s cop movie soundtrack and clocking in at just under 10 minutes, you’ll want to know how the imaginary film ends. Stream it below.
ruffiankick throws some more lo-fi coal on the fire with Spiritu∆lShr∆pnel.EP. I’m a big lover of albums made using the SP-303 or 404. Many say that dusty lo-fi aesthetic is overplayed and maybe the saturation has gone beyond the style’s compression techniques but I still enjoy it. ruffiankick is one such SP craftsman and his Spiritu∆lShr∆pnel.EP catches that vibe perfectly. The EP is a collection…
Mexico’s Darem brings us the sweet sounds of Sultana. Occasionally, Reddit can be a good source of information. I found this beat tape while browsing (even if it was in the wrong subreddit). Darem is a producer from Veracruz in Mexico and Sultana is of the lo-fi 404 variety. Regular readers will know this to be our catnip and we weren’t disappointed. Whether the artwork…
LA’s LINAFORNIA whipped up a fantastic track entitled “wetttt” last year and we’re bumping hard to it. Thanks to DJ Spaed for the tip. This is what happens when you have a talented producer, an SP-404 and a community like Los Angeles as your backdrop. What’s more, it’s another fine example of a female producer from the West Coast. LINAFORNIA’s wetttt lives up to its…
Jay Alpha mixes analog and digital with his latest project, Cult.Differences. As one of the hottest underground producers on the 404 right now and in general and always improving, Jay Alpha recently dropped his second tape of the year in the form of Cult.Differences. The album was made with nothing but vinyl, cassettes and his trusty SP-404. Just by naming his tools of the trade,…
Natural Material release SP-404-inspired compilation, 1000 IDEAS BEAT TAPE. Twenty lo-fi beats courtesy of online collective Natural Material. It appears every track was made using the SP-404, so expect gruff-sounding beats and obscure samples galore. Stream it below. 1000 IDEAS BEAT TAPE by NATURAL MATERIAL
Lithuanian producer Genn Bo pays homage to the SP-404 with 404 EP. It would appear Lithuania have a love for all things SP related. We told you about KASETA’s 303 EP a few days ago and after chatting on Facebook, he put us onto another fine SP-related project by Genn Bo. 404 EP is an homage to the 303’s upgraded sibling and, like the 303…
As it’s Christmas, why not treat yourself and a friend to some SP-404 albums straight from the internet’s Bandcamp crates in our latest edition of Leftover Links. In recent history, Roland’s SP-404 has captured the imagination of underground hip hop producers the galaxy over. Artists such as Ohbliv and Knxwledge have made names for themselves with the instrument, inspiring fans and producers alike. The sampler…
