POW! // Shigeto
Shigeto, real name Zach Saginaw, is a Japanese American producer raised out of Michigan. Being a big fan of Matthew Dear, the wider Ghostly label family was always of interest to me, and I discovered Shigeto’s beautiful experimental ambient music on a trawl through the artists on the Ghostly roster. None more jazzy and ambient perhaps than this track Ann Arbor Parts 3&4 from his latest release ‘Lineage’.
Shigeto – Ann Arbor Parts 3&4
Shigeto’s 2010 Full Circle LP is a beautiful album to listen to in full – a rare thing amongst eletronic producers. He has always made music full of texture, percussion, and eerie melodies. At times you can also hear echoes of traditional Japanese music throughout the backdrop of hip hop and jazz inspired rhythms.
Shigeto – Children At Midnight
Shigeto – Look At All The Smiling Faces
The Full Circle album was also released as a remix LP with some names we’ve featured on Mahogany on the remix duties. One of the best tracks comes from Mux Mool with his bass heavy refit of ‘There Is Always Hope’.
Shigeto – There Is Always Hope (Mux Mool Remix)
Never scared of fractured rhythm and off kilter layered sound, below Shigeto has remixed the smooth RnB vocals of the late Aaliyah and lets them soar over a range of broken sounding beats.
Aaliyah – Rock The Boat (Shigeto Remix)
Lana Del Rey (Chad Valley Remix)
Chad Valley’s returned to his top reworking form this week and through skilled magic and creativity, enabled me to enjoy Lana Del Rey.
Big remix.
JD McPherson // Mahogany Session
JD McPherson recently featured for the first time on Mahogany through an ‘Introducing’ post and as soon as we got wind that he was coming to London for some gigs and meetings we got in touch and scheduled a meet up before he headed back to Oklahoma.
We got together in Hackney behind an old abandoned hospital and alongside Jimmy Sutton, JD performed an incredible stripped and raw version of North Side Gal.
Signed to Rounder Records in the States, JD will be returning to the UK later in the year including appearances at the Great Escape Festival in Brighton.
New Website (Coming Very Soon!)
The Mahogany Blog is now the ripe old age of three and although our current website has done us incredibly proud over the years, it’s time for a much deserved upgrade.
We took our time to develop the new website and it will finally house all of our content under one roof – as well as being very mobile friendly.
One key feature will be the new HTML5 streaming player which means you’ll be able to listen to our hosted Mp3s on your mobiles, smartphones and tablets.
The finishing touches and now being added and we’ll be rolling out Mahogany Blog V2 very, very shortly.
International Women’s Day (Ninja Tune Special)
Today is International Women’s Day, so before proceeding we’d like to send a big shout out to all the female followers of Mahogany, thanks so much for continuing to support that we do!
In celebration of this occasion, Ninja Tune are giving away a selection of tracks from some of the incredible ladies on their roster including Andreya Triana (pictured), Emika and TOKiMONSTA as well as the huge remix of the Roots Manuva and Rokshan track, Get The Get, by Mia Dora.
It’s a lovely gesture and we strongly suggest starting with the Mia Dora beat.
Introducing… Chairlift
This past Monday, Converse and record label Young Turks threw a party at the 100 Club in London, featuring an array of seriously hot talent. The likes of Sampha, Kwes and the incredible John Talabot entertained, but a real stand out was this duo from the US Chairlift.
Chairlift have been making music for some time. Their most recent release is not their first album, but I was notably struck by the energy of these two and felt they deserved a Mahogany introduction. Chairlift’s sound is a mix of pure pop and indie rock with loads of euphoric synths and really beautiful vocals.
Chairlift – I Belong In Your Arms
Chairlift – Amanaemonesia
DNB Tactics 009
The DNB Tactics crew have released their ninth mix/podcast which has become renowned for featuring sumptious liquid drum and bass and it’s become Mahogany’s fix for the genre that often doesn’t get the love it deserves.
Liquid Salvation is the guest producer for the second half of this dub-inspired set and with Netsky, Sapphire and Part Affair, it’s a big one.
Facing Jynx // Sleep (Dubstep Remix)
Feint and 2thirds // Starscapes
Skeletone // Strange Behaviour
Sapphire // Snowdrop
Nuage // Underwater Sun
Part Affair // Siberia
Seathsky // Glass Heart
Wreckage Machinery // Cold Hands (Fracture Design Remix)
Dj Chap // It seems im never
Furney // Beautiful to me
Liquid Salvation Guest Mix
DT Tatics // Movers & Shakers (incontext remix)
Clue // Homesick
Netsky // Give and take
DPB // Exosphere
Logistics // Daylight creeps in
Indivision // Final departure
Bachelors of science // song for lovers
Liquid Salvation // Vast horizons
Mausi
Already this month there have been two exciting developments in my life. Firstly, I learnt how to create my own pasta and secondly, I heard Mausi for the first time.
Whilst the prospect of delicate (and delicious) homemade spaghetti can’t dismissed, I think the majority of you would much rather hear some music that has literally warmed my heart since first pressing play.
The Newcastle 4-piece have already crafted a special and intriguing warmth around their imagery and visuals (the above video for their debut single sol. being a perfect example) and although it’s early days for the band – you can’t help but feel a quiet storm brewing behind them that’s sure to build as we move gradually toward the summer season.
‘sol.’ came with a few remixes (all of which can be heard here) but Channel Swimmer’s reworking manages to capture the same playful exuberance of the original and it’s well worth a listen…
I’m not sure what genre the band class themselves in, and I don’t even think it’s important in the grand scheme things – but for me this falls under pop music. Solid, genuine, refreshing, non-commercial, untainted pop music.
Let’s end this post then with their latest low-key but gorgeous studio session for Blank Studios performing a new original track, Disney Films.
It’s certainly not the last time we’re going to see Mausi on Mahogany…
