LOCK SMITH - Settle Down Na EP - Thoughtless Music

Noah Pred’s Thoughtless Music imprint returns this August with a five-track package from Lock Smith, entitled ‘Settle Down Na’ and featuring remixes from Dave Aju, and recent Thoughtless signing Auk.

Lock Smith aka Marc Smith, better known as one half of the Mobilee Records duo Safeword, offers up his first solo venture here via Thoughtless Music. Smith’s style across the release, much like his offerings as Safeword, embraces a warm analogue sound and blossoming dynamic throughout, making it a perfect fit for the Thoughtless imprint. Following recent material from Arthur Oskan, Stone Owl and Auk.
The original mix of title track ‘Settle Down Na’ kicks off the release, an intricately melodic composition fuelled by swirling, reversed synth sounds, loose, stripped-back percussive elements and a meandering sub bass hook, resulting in a jazz-inflected electronica cut exuding elegance and personality.
Circus Company’s Dave Aju reshapes ‘Settle Down Na’ next, merging insistent organic percussion and throbbing sub-bass sounds to create an ever-blooming interpretation, which bubbles away with intensity throughout its near nine-minute duration. Canadian duo Auk turn in a remix of the title cut next following their recent debut, ‘Absolution’ on Thoughtless, the pair tip the focus over to deep and dubby sounds here impressively executed rework that underscores their versatility in the studio.
On the latter stages of the release we’re treated to two more original cuts from Lock Smith, the first of which, ‘Space Bucks’ skilfully blends eerie pad lines and glistening synth sounds to create a hypnotizing and mind-bending record. Smith then rounds things off with ‘New Sequence’, a smooth closing cut which as the name would suggest is fuelled by wandering arpeggio sequences, spacey atmospherics and penetrating low-end tones to close the release in style.

Lock Smith’s ‘Settle Down Na’ is out on Thoughtless Music 4th August 2014.


Tracklist:

1.    Settle Down Na
2.    Settle Down Na (Dave Aju Remix)
3.    Settle Down Na (Auk Remix)
4.    Space Bucks
5.    New Sequence

GUILLAUME & THE COUTU DUMONT - The Fight Within - Circus Company

Dear Listeners,

Here it is, one more 'gain, yours truly up at bat for the good people of the Circus Company. I thought I could drop a few lines myself about the inspiration behind this new EP to offer a lil' personal touch..

A Single String

So I'm light years away from being a specialist on the string theory but the idea of having everything and everyone interconnected by vibrations appeals to the imagination of the musician (and the dirty hippie) in me. Sharing a sunrise on a terrace or a hot and sweaty night in a club is all about this vibration. "A single string" is dedicated to that feeling, the one that makes you think : "wow, we're all in this together". It rolls, it bounces, and that synth line will hopefully make your little fingers reach up for the stars, and strings.

Keys for Hanuman

This one will be a personal mystery until the day I die. Last fall I returned from an Asia tour to work on some new music in the studio, at first I did as always after a hiatus in production and listened to the last stuff I was working on before I left. And though I have a relatively organized numbering system and decent memory (which may be on the downhill now due to mileage), I had no recollection whatsoever about starting, recording, or even thinking about this tune, at the time titled "Keys For Me". Regardless, it hits the spot just right as I had been thinking about coming back to this sound I used to love years back - more relaxed and stripped down, more hypnotic. Every artist channels inspiration in their own way, and sometimes it rains on you from unknown places. This song is dedicated to Hanuman, the Monkey God, faithful protector of Rama. And by the way, Hanuman also appears on the great cover artwork by Léo "Peanut" Butler.

Winning all the Battles (But Still Losing the War)

I remember a time when we all wanted was to be heard. It seems to me that this time has surely come, but somehow along the way, we may have lost some pieces of the core values that gave us our stride. Time to go back to the essential? Refocus our act? Step out of the limelight and dive deep into the stuffy, obscure, low-ceiling groove box? Maybe so. Winning while losing? Maybe no.


Tracklist:

A1. A Single String
A2. Keys For Hanuman
B1. Winning All Battles (But Still Losing The War)