The U.K. electronic music scene evolves faster than anything on this side of the Atlantic. Almost every summer a new sound materializes, then takes over London clubs before anyone can describe it. The past few years have birthed micro-genres like wonky, purple and future bass, not to mention the industry's latest crossover success, dubstep. Even the DJs making the music can't agree on what to call it, but those resigned to speaking in shorthand have settled on U.K. bass — because if there's one constant to the chaos, it's the low frequencies.
Glasgow producer Russell Whyte, a.k.a. Rustie, is one of those U.K. artists playing on the frontier of dance music. He's part of Glasgow collectives LuckyMe and Numbers (the latter released Jamie xx's first solo single earlier this year), and he's about to release one of the most anticipated electronic albums of 2011, Glass Swords, on Warp Records. It's full of heavy synths and unshakable hooks, most notably on the recently released single "All Night," which you can grab on Rustie's SoundCloud page.
We asked Rustie to round up the beats of Britain's turbulent summer and blend them into a mix for our Songs of the Summer series. He picked tracks from dubstep producer Joker, fellow LuckyMe DJs Hudson Mohawke and Jacques Green and, of course, some Glass Swords highlights that have snuck into live sets over the past few months.
If there's one song that both epitomizes the recent unrest in London and makes you want to move, it's Zed Bias' "Trouble in the Streets." The titular vocal hook shouts what we're all thinking about and the gradual build during the songs climax is everything you look for in a dancefloor banger.
Listen Here [via NPR Music]
1. Rustie, "Flash Back"
2. Krystal Klear, "Clove Dagger"
3. Jacques Greene, "I Like You"
4. Nightwave, "Festivus"
5. Zed Bias, "Trouble in the Streets" (feat. Mark Pritchard)
6. Mele, "Mugged"
7. Rustie, "Hover Traps"
8. Skream, "Where You Should Be" (Seiji Remix)
9. Hudson Mohawke, "Foxy Boxing"
10. Turboshinboy, "Sparks"
11. Rustie, "4eva"
12. Joker, "On My Mind" (Rustie Remix)
12. Rustie, "Ultra Thizz"
13. Machinedrum, "LoveKing" (Machinedrum Edit)
14. Harvey Kartel, "Say Yes"
15. Lone, "Crystal Caverns"
16. Hudson Mohawke, "Thank You"
17. Joker, "Trancey"
18. Kavsrave, "Your Love"
19. Preditah, "New York"
20. Rustie,"All Nite"