Black Sun Empire Reese Tutorial (Must See!) - 24/04/2013
As you know we are big fans of Black Sun Empire at Watchtower Records, they are totally bad ass, so as a producer it was wicked to see that the guys had put up a tutorial on how to make an absolutely essential DNB sound – the reese bass!
I find it really interesting to see how producers I look up to develop their sounds and this video was particularly good because it goes in to the actual synthesis of the sound; the splitting of the sound to enable more control at mixdown and, finally, modulation of the sound.
They use Native Instruments Guitar Rig for this modulation (a plug-in I’ve never really looked at to be honest) but it looks to be really powerful in terms of distortion and other effects so i’ll be looking into getting this shortly.
Anyhow, I’m off to practice so make sure you check the video out below!
Pearsall: Rampage Turbo 15. New mix to download now! - 10/03/2013
Regular readers of our website will recognise the name Pearsall from posts earlier this year. For those that don’t, here is a very brief overview: Pearsall runs Sonic Rampage, a blog that hosts a significant number of awesome mixes, either mixed by himself or guests. He also runs the scheduling for the weekly Freeformaniacs radio show.
The mixes on Sonic Rampage not only cover a variety of generes, from dnb right through to trance and freeform, but also a variety of time periods. I frequently find myself downloading them to educate myself in terms of historical releases. Pearsall also has an enviable record collection (his collection of classic hard trance make me particularly jealous!) and his mixes are particularly good at identifying nameless gems from the various tape packs and sets I listen to.
His latest mix is a bit different to the norm in that it is mixed on a set of CDJ’s rather than vinyl. I have found this interesting for the following reason. Pearsall’s track selections with the older tracks have always been spot on so, as a label pushing new freeform, it was intriguing to see the sorts of tracks he would consider when having the option of the newer (solely cd/download) freeform releases to choose from and to see whether Watchtower would feature at all.
I’m happy to say that there are quite a few tracks released through Watchtower on this mix, and several Endemic tracks as well (including Endemic – Hurricane, our personal favourite!). It’s warming to see our releases getting support on this mix and, in my opinion, shows that we are doing something right!
The tracklisting itself should make this an “auto download” to many of our fans so, as you are no doubt bored of reading my rambles, please click the following link to download the mix and to read Pearsall’s thoughts on the mix itself: Pearsall: Rampage Turbo 15
Here is the tracklist:
01. DJ Rx – Code Of Silence (Le Dos-On Remix) (Finrg)
02. Alek Szahala – Deimos (Finrg)
03. Aryx – Sylph (ReBuild Music)
04. Yuki Kajiura – Memaze (Nomic Bootleg Remix) (Unreleased)
05. Proteus – Get Fire! (Watchtower)
06. Qygen – Temporal Temple (Watchtwower)
07. Wyrm – Can’t You See It? (Electrode)
08. Lost Soul – Twisted Dream (Watchtower)
09. Amini – Guitarian (Smiling Corpse)
10. Substanced – Crank Cleopatra 2012 (Finrg)
11. Endemic – Hurricane (Watchtower)
12. Aryx – Chaldea (DJ Fury Remix) (ReBuild Music)
13. Epyx & Cyrez – Prelude (Penguin Conspiracy Remix) (Electrode)
14. Substanced & Alchemiist – Permission To Die (Finrg)
15. Douglas & Remane – Disorder (A.B.’s London Techno Remix) (Stamina)
16. Transcend – The Calling (ReBuild Music)
17. Transcend & Dyzphazia – Tormenting Flames (Relentless)
18. Ionosphere – PYLAAM (Electrode)
19. Lost Soul – Sacrifice Feat. Dark Angel (Endemic Remix) (Watchtower)
20. Penguin Conspiracy – Tripswitch (Electrode)
21. Substanced – Ghost Of The Future (Watchtwower)
22. Substanced – Stockholm Syndrome (Smiling Corpse)
23. Substanced – Shadows Of Tomorrow (Finrg)
24. Amini – Lost Elegy (Thank You For The Horse)
25. Nomad – Lose It (Transcend Remix) (ReBuild Music)
26. A.B. – Escapia (Stamina)
27. Eryk Orpheus – Benodihydrochloridebenzylex (Eryk Orpheus)
28. Le Dos-On – Flame
29. Alchemiist – Fate (Finrg)
30. Le Dos-On – Unelma (Relentless)
31. Substanced – Reptile Zoo (Finrg)
32. Aran – Taranis (Qygen Bootleg) (Qygen)
Epyx & Cyrez remix competition! - 09/03/2013
Epyx & Cyrez have recently announced a new website which can be found here : http://epyxcyrez.net/main.cfm
To celebrate the launch of the website going live, E&C have announced a remix competition. The track in question is Sound Of The Golden Clarion from their massive album “Two Against The Void” (available on CD via the Watchtower Store now).
The winning remix will be released via the Watchtower soundcloud later this year and the closing date for the competition is 01/05/2013 so get those DAW’s open now people. We can’t wait to hear the entries!
Epyx & Cyrez “Two Against The Void” repress available - 06/03/2013
Due to unprecedented demand Epyx & Cyrez’ debut WTR release, “Two Against The Void” has had a very limited repress. The original run sold out in a matter of weeks so we had to get more copied made!
If you missed out on the first release then you will pleased to know that stock is back in and available to buy via the following link:
http://wtr.bigcartel.com/product/epyx-cyrez-two-against-the-void
Thanks for all of the support so far!
Freeform Exposed 2 – Free Music! - 24/01/2013
Electronica Exposed have been pushing the darker sound of Freeform for a good few years now, 11 to be exact!
Rather than reword their statement I will copy and paste the first paragraph so please visit the link below to get the whole story, some history on the label and what to expect from this release.
“Freeform Exposed 2 is a free 5 part digital download freeform album in celebration of 10 years of Electronica Exposed. The album features 37 incredibly diverse and innovative, underground freeform dance music tracks and remixes from artists: Shanty, Penguin Conspiracy, Epyx & Cyrez, Firefly, Pulse, Transcend, Greg Peaks, Haze, Olly Addictive, Wyrm, Surtr, Carbon Based, Qygen, Electrux, Jerv, 3star, Guld, Nightforce, Twisted Freq, Optimise, Ionosphere, Defnoyz, Audio Warfare, Substanced, Digital Anarchy, Tazz, DOK, Ruffage, Size, Chwhynny, Sonic, Leigh Outrage, Denile and AC Slater!”
Clips are starting to go up online on the Electronica Exposed Soundcloud page and all the details of this release can be found on the EE website, found here
Freeform | Drum & Bass | Trance | Events | Tunes | Humour | Technology
Although we are nearly, we are not in fact superhuman. So if you want to let us know about you're own little bit of news please get in touch - hq@watchtowerrecords.co.uk.
