"the go to label for bangin' disco house" – ttlab staff
To be completely frank and somewhat embarrassed – I know very little about this Fred Falke jam. I do know it has yet to be released. I know Laberge did a bootleg of it. I know that Quinten 909 also did one. Seems if I am correct that this has not been released, perhaps ole Fred is a day late and a dollar short. Oh modern music – you never cease to amaze me.
That being said, we love Laberge and Quinten is a name to watch in 2010 as well. Let’s get on with it then…
So after taking last week off from NERD ALERTING to rant on how amazing the label is shaping up for the coming year (Pleasure & Pressure Vol.2 drops March 16th), I realized we have explored Parallel compression but maybe we have not covered the basics of what Compression does? Contrary to popular belief, compression does not just make things louder. In fact it can destroy your dynamic range and make your track a mess of bloated noise. So really the question is, do you know what your parameters on your compressor are even doing? A compressor is basically a automated volume control. When you think it got louder – it is usually just that the peaks of your sound wave have been tamed back. Here is the most basic overview of the parameters that all compressors have. It gets super nerdy after the jump.
Continue reading ‘NERD ALERT: Compression – The General Idea’
Although it may be surprising – judging from the recent Solid Bump discography – but Chicago and French disco house are actually just a small part of the label’s influences. One of my earliest and most pronounced influences came from the unassuming (at the time) location of Miami in the form of a series of mysterious white labeled 12 inches with little information on them. As it turned out, these were the productions of Murk – a duo who would go on to have a huge influence on 90′s house music.
In the beginning, the label was nothing more than two dudes, Oscar G and Ralph Falcon, doing records under an assortment of monikers (Liberty City, Funky Green Dogs, Deep South, etc.) to deliver the illusion that Murk Records was bigger than it was. The duo hit gold with it’s third release – “Some Lovin”. It is still common to hear this track (almost 20 years later) in current DJ sets. Soon Kevin Saunderson licensed a Murk “best of” EP, which helped the Miami boys gain international exposure. It wouldn’t be long before Murk attracted the attention of Tribal Records, who eventually released a complete retrospective of their tracks in 1993. You can read a great interview with the Murk boys here where they discuss their early career, working with 90′s pop stars, and such. Read the interview here.
Wednesday is usually Nerd Alert time at Solid Bump, however this week we have something far more exciting. In continuing to build anticipation for the second installment of our label compilation Pleasure & Pressure, we are introducing the new players on the Solid Bump team for 2010. Here we introduce Le Principle!
This young duo emerged in 2009 with a huge sound that paid homage to their Chicago legacy of disco infused house, all while firmly pushing the envelope beyond what could be simply labeled a “throwback” sound. An initial fury of free releases soon caught the attention of music blogs worldwide, while also attracting the keen ears of DJs such as Louie La Roche, Kissy Sell Out, and DJ Ayres. Most recently “You Can’t Fake It” has appeared as a staple in Treasure Finger’s live sets.
Their debut single, Paper Cat (co-produced by OCD Automatic), will feature remixes by Sammy Bananas, The Phantom’s Revenge, Bit Funk, and more. Le Principle will also be appearing on Tommie Sunshine‘s new Brooklyn Fire imprint, as well as the pinnacle of Chicago house labels, the infamous Trax Records.
For now, please enjoy this free exclusive 320 MP3 entitled “You Can’t Fake It” to give yourself a taste of what is to come from the most exciting young act in the new era of infectious Chicago disco house. Le Principle takes Geraldine Hunt and flips her upside down.
Direct Download To “You Can’t Fake It” 320 MP3
Solid Bump Records: Le Principle members?
Le Principle: Garrett and Josh.
SBR: Previous releases/ projects?
LP: Garrett as Adulture & Nude Beach. Josh as DJ Figure.
SBR: What are some of your major influences?
LP: Bossa Nova, Chicago House, Detroit Techno, Mad Chester, DIY hardcore, even doo-wop.
SBR: How does the current “Disco House” revival distinguish itself from the style of a decade ago?
LP: There is a difference between just taking obvious samples and sticking a drum beat behind it and creating something unheard of. The generations before us recognized this and in our opinion their tracks will be timeless. By combining what past influences have showed us and recent technology, we can take the next step from where they left off.
SBR: What is the process of a track? Where does it start? When is it done?
LP: It usually starts in a record store. Searching for dirty diamonds and gaining inspiration. We also get a lot of inspiration from the cities we inhabit, its all really personal to us and the output usually depends on the song.
SBR: What is your current gear set up?
LP: Roland Mc 909 Workstation, Roland Tb 303, Several Midi controllers and Ableton Live.
SBR: Is anyone notable championing your music?
LP: Treasure Fingers, Louis La Roche, Tommie Sunshine, Grum, Kissy Sell Out, Sammy Bananas, DJ Ayres, etc.
SBR: What attracted you to Solid Bump Records?
LP: The aesthetic and focus on building a brand rather than making money.
SBR: Give us a link to a song that you consider “one of the greatest”.
Mike 2600 has been a friend of Solid Bump from the start. His company Burlesque of North America is a top tier design studio, known mostly for their cutting edge screen printing. This year for SXSW, the team decided to do another installment of their Do It To It series.
This installment continues the tradition of big name artist with the likes of Amanda Blank, DJ Ayres, Nick Catchdubs, Emynd, and many more… including Solid Bump chiefs – White Girl Lust.
The compilation will be given away at SXSW at the Burlesque event (Thursday March 18th at Silhouette – 718 Congress Ave, Austin TX). The packaging will showcase the screening styles of the design camp. For now, here is a preview of the diverse selections. White Girl Lust’s contribution is a bootleg edit of Prince’s Wanna Be Your Lover. After SXSW we will be releasing the track for free here at Solid Bump. Watch this space!
