AutoKratz Interview + album preview

AutoKratz' (David Cox and Russell Crank) 2009 debut album 'Animal' was acclaimed as 'a joyful mash of pounding electronica' (Guardian) and album of the month in Mixmag. New album 'Self Help for Beginners' (out June 20th on Bad Life records) expands the house rocking techno pound sound, and features collaborations with Peter Hook of Joy Division/New Order, Andrew Innes of Primal Scream and Jagz Kooner.

The album launch is on the 17th: "To get free guest list for our London album launch on Friday 17th June, email info@bad-life.com. You’ll then be sent the details for the show (it’s in Shoreditch).

1. You get a TV show called Cox and Crank - what would it be like?
David - We'd be the new Ant n Dec and the show would be called Catch the Banker. It'd be the same premise as The Running Man except the public would vote for the banker of their choice to be hunted down by men on steroids with chainsaws. A spin off could be Tw*t the Tory.


2. Who are your heroes? (We already know about Peter Hook and Jagz Krooner)
David - John Lydon, Bobby Gillespie, Russell Brand, Morrissey.
Russell - I'm gonna go for Anton Newcombe, Mark E. Smith and Neil Young.


3. If you could re-score any movie of any era, which would it be?
David - I think Requiem for a Dream would be good. Weird and dark.

4. Who are your favourite Superheroes?
David - I never liked any Superheroes. I always preferred the villains such as The Joker or Lex Luthor. Although I did like it when Superman turned bad in Superman III.

5.Who would win a fist-fight between Mao and Stalin?
David - Stalin for sure. Mao let himself go towards the end. He'd be weezing before his second swing at Stalin.

6. What are the best stories/times/adventures you've had doing shows?
David - One of the best was when we toured Australia as part of the Parklife festival with loads of great artists such as La Roux, A-Trak and The Rapture. It was five shows over 2 weeks and we all practically lived together. Same coach to the airport, same flights, hotels etc so that was quite funny/strange. You'd come out of your room in the morning and theres La Roux to the left and Crystal Castles to the right and then Empire of the Sun was opposite. "Morning... morning.. morning".
Russell - A highlight from that tour for me was bringing me Mother backstage at parklife to meet Busy P ....it was pretty hillarious, and he was extremely charming.


7. With access to easy technology allowing a plethora of mediocre or terrible music to be heard by the plenty; plus the devaluing of the process of creating art/ HOW do Autokratzapproach their own music/creative process
David - The process varies, it could start with a vocal melody, a chord sequence or even just a bass line. I try to keep the approach different each time to keep it interesting for myself.

8. If you could work with any vocalist for your next project, who would it be?
David - Bobby Gillespie or La Roux might be cool.

9. Which actors would play you in a film?
David - Woody Harrelson
Russell - Edward Norton could do me well.

10. Please finish this sentence. If you do not listen to the Autokratz you will not__________________________________"
David - ....ever see your friends and family again.


'Becoming The Wraith' featuring Peter Hook (Joy Division/New Order)



AutoKratz website.

Jon Phonics/ El Crisis & Thunder Single Reviews

Jon Phonics - Bruk out/The One


Here Jon Phonics presents us with a healthy injection of electro bass lines and splatter patterned snare on a pair of tracks guaranteed to ram the floor. Bruck Out combines neck snapping grooves with shimmering neon synths while The One flips the sound of spacious eighties soul with twinkling digital motifs to create a glowing future scape.



Either track is as deep and cerebral as it is danceable and euphoric and demonstrate the breadth of Phonics' talent as a producer and a welcome new direction for an ever evolving artist.

Get it here on Chakra Sounds http://chakrasounds.bandcamp.com/album/bruck-out-the-one



El Crisis and Thunder -
Could She Be Loved

The word fusion is too often a dirty one, the forced cojoining of usually separate styles resulting in a mutant hybrid. However, occasionally music can combine the essence of differing styles to find a shared fundamental. As the opening finger picked guitar line of Could She Be Loved winds it's way around the speaker a misty scene somewhere between Western Ireland and Western Africa is evoked. Similairly the at once recognisably Carribean influenced vocal further blurs the lines by taking on a sea shantyish melody. All this gives the narrative of the lyrics an at once dark and timeless quality, a song which could be sang on ships for many years to come. The HeyZeus! remix further develops this cryptic atmosphere, employing warped samples of tribal singing, bamboo flutes and rattling percussion to create a sound reeking of smoke from the camp fire and the mysteries of the night. An excellent combination of strong song writing with distinctive arrangement to create a thoroughly interesting listen.

Pick it up here. http://www.kilamanjaro.co.uk/?p=161

by Tom C. Grant

Oozing Sexual Grooves. LUDOVIC DE PASS - BRAZILIAN SONATA/SHABBAZ

LUDOVIC DE PASS - BRAZILIAN SONATA/SHABBAZ - OUT NOW WITH SUPPORT FROM LUCIANO, DEETRON, AUDIOJACK...



Citing everything from the NYC house music of Tenaglia, Junior Vasquez and MAW to the pop music of The Beatles as musical influences, Ludovic De Pass makes an electrifying debut for Claude Monnet’s Analog imprint.


Infused with Latin heat, oozing sexual grooves and with a use of percussion that could moonlight as the sound track to a David Attenborough rain forest special; Brazilian Sonata EP is as elegantly finessed, as it is innately primal.

Kicking off with the Original Mix of Brazilian Sonata, De Pass delivers a true Ibiza summer session anthem that unashamedly calls on your body to move. Layer upon layer of percussion, muted drums, dreamy synths and earthy rhythms carry faint strains reminiscent of early liquid drum & bass. Sucking you in, it’s like happening at a rave in the middle of the Amazon. Claude Monnet’s Drum Interpretation Mix takes the original and gives it an altogether darker twist, using wooden percussion samples with genius precision to evoke noises of the night, inducing a slightly more eerie feel while managing to keep the rhythm and the pace of De Pass’s Original cut.

Second track on the EP, Shabbaz, keeps with the dark and deep vibe of its predecessor. The Douala Mix blends together muted percussion, popping rhythms, sweeping filters, deep and gentle bass sounds and brush drum effects to create a gorgeously dubby, deep house track that still has its feet firmly in the South American country. With an elegantly delicate break, Douala’s edit is as much at home in a chill-out session as it is on the deeper dance floors. Meanwhile the Sugarhill Mix injects such a huge dose of funk with its bass-licking rhythm guitar, it sounds like the track wandered out of the Amazon and ended up in Spanish Harlem. The Dub, as expected, strips most of the higher elements out, but with a track so dominated by rhythmic sections, even with a reduction in parts it still maintains its chugging drive and tribal momentum.

Ludovic De Pass – Brazilian Sonata EP is released on Wednesday May 25th 2011 on www.beatport.com.