We take both a musical and geographical detour with our latest guest mix, via Finland, Sweden, Scotland and Skwee. LuckyMe, the Scotland-based label and collective which includes the likes of Mike Slott, Hudson Mohawke and Rustie, and their associate club night Ballers Social Club got in touch a few days ago asking if we’d help promote their forthcoming night with Swedish musician Joxaren who’s had more than a hand in helping the expansion of the Skweee sound. With our curiosity picked, we checked the tracklist and mix and it was a no-brainer from there on.

From the Ballers themselves here’s some info on Joxaren. Show details, tracklist and download link below.

David Giese aka Joxaren is a Swedish musician with a background in Punk, Dub, Hip Hop and Electro. He has performed over 500 live music shows in different constellations all over the world since 1988, and founded the influential electronic music collective Moder Jords Massiva alongside Skwee creator / ambassador Frans Carlqvist aka Pavan – who is the dynamic brains behind the exciting Flogsta Danshall imprint.

He will be showcasing his take on the bubbling Skwee genre, which has had huge coverage since its U.K debut at Ballers in January 08. His Disco – driven electronic music is filled with quirky key works, bumping drum loops and that sense of experimental freedom that defines and embodies the genre. Having played at the widely acclaimed Skwee showcase at Sonar Festival ’08, toured the globe with punk outfits Big Fish and Pure Pain in the 90′s, and recently taken to the road with Swedish electropop act Parken, Joxaren is an experienced performer of the highest quality!

His live show will be fashioned as all Skwee live shows are; completely hardware based, improvised and energetic. Using customised synthesizers, old drum machines, taped up guitar pedals, modified toys and the occasional keytar, its contains the joyous ideology of the Punk-Rock he grew up listening too.

With an upcoming limited 7″ on the highly collectable Flogsta Danshall label and his mind-blowing track ‘Fel i Facit’ released on the “Skweee Tooth” compilation through Ramp Recordings, 2009 is set to be another wonderful musical journey for this ever adventurous musician.

Joining Joxaren at the Ballers Social Club will be longtime friend and local hero Chikuma. Chikuma has put on some of the best dubstep guests to come through Glasgow in the past 12 months at his monthly Hunt Them Crew bash at Nice & Sleazys. Having played last year at a Skwee showcase in Finland, we thought he would do the perfect job of complimenting our Scandanavian guest. This Lucky Electronic Music Party is held in the newly located Ivy on Argyle St, Glasgow.

So to recap, Joxaren will appear at the March 28th edition of the Ballers Social Club, alongside Chikuma and regulars. For more info on the Ballers Social Club peep the myspace. Suffice to say that if you’re in Glasgow you could be doing a lot worse than checking this out, and if you don’t believe than peep the mix. It’s a tribute to all things Skweee from Depeche Mode to Young Dro. Also Ballers Social Club have in the last couple of years more than made a name for themselves as one of the finest, most open-minded nights in the UK, just in case you still needed convincing.

Download the show right here! (right click and save as)

Tracklist:
Space – Velvet Rape
Telepathe – Lights go Down
The Cure – The Dream
Eero Johannes – We could be Skweeeroes
Rigas den andre – Wedge (mash-up w/Spank Rock)
Young Dro – Jackie Chan
Limonious – Swedish Pommac (mash-up w/Chopper City Boys)
Roots Manuva – Seat Yourself
Melkeveien – Melkeveien
Roots Manuva – Show must go on
Uday – Ghetto Bomb
Nitzer Ebb – Drive
Depeche Mode – Fly on the Windscreen
Boyz of Caligula – Izan Tiger
Cat Stevens – Was Dog a Doughnut
Teletron – What Time
Mtume – I Simply Like
EDMX – 100 (Uday Remix)
Eden Hashish Center – Black Label Bootleg
WET – Don’t hide inside your Love
Chocolate Star – The Pop
Kleeer – Tonight
Daniel Savio – We call it Skweee

Being American, I always find it interesting to see how my ears react to different cultures’ take on hip-hop, a genre of music that obviously has origins outside the States, but is wholly an American music phenomenon. That might be a simplistic look at a complicated subject, but I think it has some accuracy. Which brings me to Maga Bo, a producer originally from Seattle but now transplanted to Rio de Janeiro, who takes this American genre and combines it with influences from his new native country, alongside grime, ragga, and other decidedly non-American genres to create an intense and vibrant take on hip-hop.

“Nakhil,” featuring K-Libre would feel at home with some Southern crunk, with it’s skittering hi-hats and kick patterns but the squelchy synth sounds and foreboding bass backbone stick it in a whole new world altogether. The remix by Nettle takes this atmosphere and amplifies it into a string-led soundscape that acts as a perfect compliment to the original. The flip-side, “3ekel,” featuring Moroccan rappers Bigg, is my pick off this EP, though. The drum programming is brutally complicated and pounding, the bass makes your gut shake, and, capping it all off, is some traditional Moroccan rhaita on the melody, something that has me rushing to dust off my Master Musicians of Jajouka album. The remix by Dr. Das is somewhat similar to the original but adds in tabla percussion, some more experimental electronics, and a slightly less pounding drum. I just wish I could understand what the MCs were rapping about! The favored guttural voice is very dominant and adds a layer of texture that certainly matches the music perfectly. This EP comes ahead of a full-length Maga Bo opus, Archipelagoes. Both are forthcoming on DJ/rupture’s Soot Records.

Editor’s note: hear “3ekel” from this EP on the June 08 Rhythm Incursions!

I’ll come right out at the top and say that this isn’t normally something I’d listen to, but Stones Throw is such a reputable and reliable record label, it’s worth checking out anything they throw at the unsuspecting public. Dam Funk is possibly their most left-field venture, a decidedly synthetic non-hip-hop related record aimed squarely at two sides of the dancefloor, the laid-back smooth side, and the fast-paced shaking side. I have to confess, Side A’s “Burgundy Funk” is a lovely piece of synth-jazz worked over a cracking snare beat. I could easily see a DJ mixing this into some Dabrye to slow things down and give the hips a break. The only thing holding it back is the fairly cheesy synth melody. Speaking of cheesy synth melodies, Side B’s “Galactic Fun” is where the wheels come off for me. Not being a big fan of retro-dance, this simple pseudo-Prince funk does nothing for me, unfortunately. I applaud labels going for some diversity, but I just don’t get this stuff in any deep way. I personally would prefer to forget the 80s (except the parts with Iron Maiden).

Editor’s note: hear a track from this EP on the June 08 Rhythm Incursions!