808s, Miami bump, and more with Los Angeles basshead Salva

By Chris Galvin

Since the 2011 release of his genre-blending Complex Housing on Friends of Friends, Paul Salva has been gaining traction and building momentum at an enviable rate. Admittedly, last year was a big one for the Los Angeles-based producer, as he was made a host of the BBC’s In DJs We Trust and his collaborative remix with RL Grimes of Kayne West’s “Mercy” garnered huge praise from leading DJs like Diplo, A-Trak, Skream, and Benga—and the LA radio station Power 106 added it into rotation. Not bad for an old-fashioned bootleg remix.

Track of the Day

The Gaslamp Killer talks Turkish with the brand-new "Nissim"

By Sean Lewis

“Nissim” evokes images of smoke-thickened rooms with dusty floors shared by musicians behind both traditional Middle Eastern instruments and the latest digital sampling hardware. Bridging two worlds into its soundscapes, GLK tells us a bit more about it.

Track of the Day

Om’Mas Keith - Girl Is A Player (Om Unit Remix)

By Sean Lewis

Om Unit isn’t a name you’re likely to hear about from listeners of entry-level electronic music. The media-molded view of glowsticking, college care-frees under laser-lit ceilings is not what Om Unit supplies. He undoubtedly leans more towards the “electronic music” side of the spectrum that he does to what is traditionally thought of as “dance music.” Om Unit’s Jim Coles first hit the spotlight as turntablist DJ 2Tall, winning the DMC championships (check some video of that here) back in 2003. Given that, his background differs from most producers in the electronic music world, but it seems to aid in his creativity as Om Unit’s catalog offers very little to criticize with its tendency to indulge in the type of complex layers associated with more “intelligent” productions, while lacing his work with the melodies and scales familiar to most radio listeners. It’s a balance that most producers will search for their whole careers.