Tastefully spans the realms of bass music, beat music, and other club-friendly styles—including sounds from the likes of Clicks & Whistles, Mike Gao, Abel, and more. – XLR8R
Heretic Compilation Vol.1
Trying new things is something Rebel does enthusiastically. Whether it be merging with another online music resource to create Super Rebel 2.0 this past winter, pushing sounds out of our label to newfound acclaim, re-vamping our website design or creating a limited edition cassette tape series, it’s safe to say we enjoy putting our ideas out there and crossing our fingers that others will dig them too.
It is with this enthusiasm that we are delighted to bring you our first very own compilation release, Heretic Compilation Vol. 1, with twelve carefully selected tracks offering up support from different corners of the electronic music world. The sounds are unquestionably varied–from the woozy, off-kilter sonic trip through Ashtre Jenkins’ “Whydafuqmyshirtsobig?” to the mellow and saccharine “Sunrise” by Rebel’s very own Etch–yet form part of a greater Rebel whole. Old school and futuristic, glitchy and smooth, downtempo chiller and dancefloor pleaser–we’re proud to say our Heretic Compilation Vol. 1 is pretty damn non-discriminatory as far as sounds go, and we don’t think you’ll be disappointed with our selections.
Abel – Bust A Move
We sought out San Francisco’s Abel Mariam to introduce the comp with this freshly cut single reminiscent of Miami Vice-esc synth work and lush hardware processing. The perfect anthem for any summer pool party.
Ages – Yo, Twinkie the kid… I know you hear me, bro.
Santa Ana based experimentalist and Rebel confidant Michael Lundy has quickly become an identifiable figure along the west coast beat circuit, bringing his twist on tasteful futurism along with him. The single’s layered chords give light to the whisperings of an unknown female vocalist, carried throughout each 808 kick and reverbed clap.
Dtcpu & Sir Froderick – Aslowgrind
Chopped and screwed vocal loops team up with hip-hop rhythm and early morning sunshine on this collab between Dtcpu and Sir Froderick. The product is much like the title would suggest–a slow, sweet grind through slick production, cinched at the end with echoes of vintage radio.
Headshotboyz – Mr. Nice
Budapest may not be the first place that comes to mind when associating forward-thinking bass music, but we won’t let your stereotyping persist. The genre-breaking duo of Lajos and Kristof donate their clanking rhythms of compressed percussion and woozy synth stammers. Mr. Nice may as well be an alter ego of the single that devoured the previous version.
Mike Gao – Nice and Easy
Though Mike Gao’s track may not be the easiest to define, it is however one of the compilation’s stand out singles. The intricacy intertwined between each percussive nod and airy chord breaks are testimonial to Gao’s arrant ingenuity. Stuttering synth work, squelching basslines and a disorienting vocal clip extract any lasting remnants of consciousness.
Ashtre Jenkins – Whydafuqmyshirtsobig?
Jenkins’ contribution is equal parts analog horror show and 21st century robot wheeze– with 100% awesome results. Woozy, tottering build-ups dissipate into thick 808s and a dash of extraterrestrial manipulation to taste.
9b0 – Mmmm
Hungary’s 9b0 uses his homegrown takes on electronic music–glitchy booms and crashes, thumping basslines, mechanical progression and rapidfire vocal loops–and weaves them through total disintegration and brilliant re-building. The track is a fitting addition to Heretic–a potpourri of musical perspectives amounting to one mighty forward-thinking gaze.
Nausea – I Know That’s You on My Window Sill, Minerva.
Though little is known of UK youngster Niall Lancaster’s musical past, it’s easy to uncover the imprints in which this single emits. Vocals filter in the the faint keys of a church organ, while the abrupt chiming tones ring through a series of low-slung kicks and half timed percussion. Close your eyes for this one.
Maribou State – Silver Lips
Maribou State’s efforts in “Silver Lips,” coming through Rebel via London, are hard to pin down in the little boxes words afford. Too euphoric for the confines of downtempo, too porous for a 2-step shuffle, but certainly lush and worthy of more than these sentences will say.
Etch – Sunrise
Brighton-based Rebel fam Etch uses swelling synths, rollicking percussion and soothing female vocal loops on “Sunrise,” a tune that carries on the sunny, summery vibes of the previous two tracks while upping the tempo.
Clicks & Whistles – Master Vibechord
NC-based Clicks & Whistles didn’t have to look far for the title of this tune–layer upon layer of smooth vibes come together for a whole that is nothing less than groove mastery.
Chaos In The CBD – C.I.G.A.T.
We’ve boasted about recent Youngunz signees Louis and Ben for quite some time now. The New Zealand natives have created an aesthetic all too far from home. With vivid homage to early UK Garage and a current obsession with experimentalism, the boys have shaped their sound beyond genre bound limitations. Buzzy synth work combined with precisely cut vocal stabs and percussive rolls make their contribution one for the club.
Nyx – Letting Go
Nyx is just one moniker of the ever-more-prolific Rebel guru named Taylor, and I for one am happy to reap the benefits of his otherworldly work ethic. Somewhere in-between the time he takes to make off-kilter tracks as Urulu, blog like a boss and curbstomp his business peers, he crafted this banger of a tune. It’s a slow-burning, understated, euphoric dancey bit that’s gotten the attention of XLR8R and clearly captured at least one Rebel staff member’s gushy review heart.
Johnny Sable – Sleep The Slate Clean
To close the compilation we gave the duties to New Zealand’s John Edward. The isolated islander fuses contemporary two-step with the inner-workings of filtered synths and progressively built drum work.
