First Floor #248 – Another One Bites the Dust
Thoughts on XLR8R and its unnoticed closure, plus a round-up of the latest electronic music news and a fresh crop of new track recommendations.
There’s a lot happening in the world right now. Fires in Los Angeles. A potential ceasefire deal in Gaza. The run-up to Trump’s inauguration. Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan and a litany of other places. The average person has plenty to worry about these days, which makes it hard to frame anything that happens within the electronic music realm—or even the music realm in general—as terribly important.
Given that, I can’t really fault anyone for missing the news that XLR8R—which was once one of electronic music’s most important / influential publications—effectively closed its doors in December. I used to work there, and it took me nearly a month to stumble across the announcement. Even so, the fact that the closure flew so completely underneath the radar does say something about the current state of the music press, and just how far it’s fallen down our collective priority list. And as someone who A) enjoys quality music writing and B) somehow continues to make their living as a music journalist, I have to admit: This is a troubling development.
I wrote about that in an essay published earlier this week, and you’ll find a (temporarily paywall-free) link to that below. Aside from those musings, today’s First Floor digest also includes all of the usual dispatches from the world of electronic music—news items, new release announcements, suggested reading links, new track recommendations … you probably know the drill by now. The first weeks of January are often thought to be a “dead zone” when it comes to new music, but this week’s batch of recommendations includes some genuinely killer tunes, some of which come from what I think is 2025’s first must-listen album. There’s also a special guest recommendation, delivered by UK bass talent Yushh, so keep an eye out for that.
Let’s get started.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Every Tuesday, First Floor publishes a long-form piece that’s initially made available to paid subscribers only. But if you’re not part of the paid tier, now’s your chance to see what you missed! The latest piece is now (temporarily) open to everyone, and it’s an essay about the recent closure of XLR8R, one that examines not just what caused the publication’s demise, but what it means that its departure went virtually unnoticed for more than a month, even among dedicated electronic music fans.
REAL QUICK
A round-up of the most interesting electronic music news from the past week, plus links to interviews, articles and other things I think are worth sharing.
Liz Pelly’s Mood Machine book continues to stir up plenty of conversation about the exploitative nature of streaming and Spotify—in case you missed it, the New York writer talked at length about these issues in an interview with First Floor just last week—and it also prompted this fire-breathing review / essay by Sasha Frere-Jones. Published by 4Columns, his piece is dripping with righteous anger, attacking the greed at the heart of Spotify’s business practices and lamenting the ways that corporate consolidation has upended the entire music landscape.
Legendary synth designer Roger Linn doesn’t really do “righteous anger,” at least not in public, but he did seem a little miffed earlier this month, publishing an essay in response to the release of Behringer’s LmDrum. The new product is essentially a clone of the LinnDrum, a world-changing machine that Linn originally released in 1982, yet Behringer, which has a long history of ethically questionable behavior, “never asked [Linn’s] permission to either copy [his] visual design or [his] drum sounds.” The piece takes issue with that and the synth market’s ongoing obsession with nostalgia for old machines, and this week Linn elaborated further about those issues during an interview with Attack’s Adam Douglas.
Boiler Room has been sold—again. After being acquired by ticketing outlet DICE back in 2021, the streaming platform has now been purchased by Superstruct, a UK festival conglomerate that owns Sónar, Brunch Electronik, Flow Festival and a number of other events. (For those interested in following the money, it’s worth noting that Superstruct itself is owned by KKR, a global private equity firm.) Exact terms of the latest Boiler Room sale were not disclosed, but some additional details can be found in this news report that Murray Stassen assembled for Music Business Worldwide.
When Ayesha was interviewed by First Floor last year, she spoke about her recovery from a traumatic brain injury, and a big part of that process coincided with the preparation of her first-ever live set, which took place at the 2024 edition of MUTEK Montreal. Last week, that set was made available to the wider public via Crack magazine, who shared it alongside some new behind-the-scenes details from the New York-based artist.
Just before the end of 2024, Hesaitix (formerly known as M.E.S.H.) quietly dropped Noctian Airgap, an excellent album that also happened to be his first new full-length in seven years. With its December release date, the record probably generated less attention than it would have otherwise, but some additional shine came this week, thanks to a new Hesaitix interview by Chris Zaldua that appeared in the latter’s Thoughts of a Certain Sound newsletter. Their conversation dives deep into the Berlin-based artist’s creative process, and also lays out what he was up to during his time away from the music grind.
Barcelona-based writer / critic / commentator Frankie Pizá—who’s also a co-host of the highly entertaining Pizá i Fontanals podcast—has been doing some fantastic work with his FRANKA newsletter, providing thoughtful, insightful and (appropriately) cynical analysis of current trends in music, culture, technology and more. Why haven’t you seen it yet? Probably because he’s writing in Spanish, but even if you don’t know the language, it’s worth subscribing and using the translation app of your choice to read what he has to say. Pizá’s latest missive offers 15 predictions for 2025, a year he thinks will be defined by the word “independent”—and not necessarily in a good way.
The ongoing fires in Los Angeles have left large swaths of the city devastated, and while there will almost surely be a rash of fundraiser concerts, compilations and other actions in the weeks and months to come, efforts are already being made to help victims on the ground. Anyone looking to help LA’s music community right now would be well advised to check out this online spreadsheet that has been circulating, as it lists artists and other industry folks who’ve lost their homes, along with links to online fundraisers that have been set up to assist their recovery. (It also includes links to a myriad of services, resources and offers of assistance that are already available to fire victims.)
OBLIGATORY BOOK MENTION
My first book is out now. It’s called First Floor Vol. 1: Reflections on Electronic Music Culture, and you can order it from my publisher Velocity Press. However, if you’re outside of the UK, I recommend that you either inquire at your favorite local bookshop or try one of the online sales links that have been compiled here.
JUST ANNOUNCED
A round-up of noteworthy new and upcoming releases announced during the past week.
Sandwell District has a new album on a way. It was only a year ago that key member Silent Servant tragically passed away, but the iconic techno collective has soldiered ahead, with core members Regis and Function enlisting Rrose, Rivet and a few others to help them complete the new full-length. Entitled End Beginnings, the record is due to arrive on March 28 via the Point of Departure label, but LP track “Hidden” has already been shared.
Loraine James will soon be returning to her Whatever the Weather alias, as the London artist this week announced a forthcoming new album, Whatever the Weather II. Billed as a warmer outing than its predecessor, the LP will be issued by Ghostly International on March 12, though its closing number, “12°C,” is available now.
Q Lazzarus—best known as the artist behind the timeless “Goodbye Horses”—spent most of her life in the shadows, even as her signature song became an enduring multi-generational anthem. The late artist’s archives, however, are about to be opened to the public in a major way, as Dark Entries will soon be releasing an EP called Goodbye Horses, which features five previously unreleased songs, all of which were apparently sourced from original master tapes. The record is due to arrive on March 7, but the label has already shared one track, an extended mix of the title cut that was “newly mixed from the original stems.” Meanwhile, a different “New Wave Version” of “Goodbye Horses” has been made available by the Sacred Bones imprint, which teamed up with the artist’s family to assemble a career-spanning collection of her music. Entitled Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives of Q Lazzarus, it’s scheduled for a February 21 release, and will coincide with the appearance of a new feature-length Q Lazzarus documentary of the same name by director Eva Aridjis Fuentes.
In the wake of his releases on TraTraTrax and Nerve Collect, Doctor Jeep—whose tunes seem to get played by just about everyone—has solidified his standing as one of bass music’s most reliable producers. Next month, the NYC-based artist will be taking his talents to Madam X’s Kaizen label, which will be releasing his new Assassino EP on February 28. Ahead of that, the song “Pula Perereka” has already been shared.
Two of Washington DC’s finest, James Bangura and JR2k (a.k.a. Jackson Ryland), are linking up on a forthcoming EP for the latter’s Floorspeed imprint. Featuring two collab tracks and two JR2k originals, the record—which is simply titled James Bangura vs. JR2k—is due to surface on March 14, though two songs have already been made available here.
YUSHH HAS BETTER TASTE THAN I DO
First Floor is effectively a one-person operation, but every edition of the Thursday digest cedes a small portion of the spotlight to an artist, writer or other figure from the music world, inviting them to recommend a piece of music. Today’s recommendation comes from Yushh, a Bristol-based producer and DJ who also heads up the essential—and reliably bass-centric—Pressure Dome label. When she’s not touring around the world, Yushh also pilots a monthly show on Noods Radio, and though her productions have appeared on a multitude of imprints, she’s most frequently partnered with the always adventurous Wisdom Teeth, which issued her debut EP, Look Mum No Hands, back in 2023. Here she flexes her love of low-end sonics, sharing a cut from one of her favorite contemporary producers.
Notte Infinita “Manila Killer Float” (Hundebiss)
Notte Infinita is pretty much a buy-on-sight artist for me. He has the ability to combine beautiful, detailed and immersive sound design with danceability and soundsystem pressure and this track is no exception. Usually there is a strong focus on synthetic sound design in his tracks; this time he explores using vocals as a focal point in this dripped-out take on dancehall that hits on both an emotional and functional level. The sheen and detail in the high end make for a tasty listen in the headphones, the low end hits hard in the club and the overall structure lends to mixability while maintaining interest and unpredictability throughout.
NEW THIS WEEK
The following is a selection of my favorite tunes from releases that came out during the past week or so. Click the track titles to hear each song individually, or you can also just head over to this convenient Buy Music Club list if you prefer to listen to them all in one place.
Voice Actor & Squu “Lust Is Stronger Than Us” (STROOM)
Voice Actor & Squu “Moving On, Moving On” (STROOM)
Voice Actor & Squu “Look Nice” (STROOM)
Lust (1) just might be the first great album of 2025. And unlike Sent from My Telephone—the sprawling, critically adored 2022 debut album from Voice Actor (a.k.a. Noa Kurzweil) that included more than 100 genre-defying tracks and ran for nearly four hours—this new LP has a more reasonably digestible runtime, clocking in just north of 45 minutes. More importantly, however, it boasts a notably more plush and cohesive sound palette, pairing Kurweil’s vocals—which alluringly alternate between a hypnotic drawl and a breathy sort of not-quite-singing—with reverb-drenched textures and somnambulant strains of trip-hop. Perhaps that’s due to the involvement of Squu—Sent from My Telephone, which had a quirkier, more cut-and-paste feel, was created in collaboration with Levi Lenser—but given that the bulk of the promo text accompanying Lust (1) is literally dedicated to talk of farming, it’s difficult to decipher exactly how the record came together.
That lack of narrative clarity may leave some listeners clamoring for more behind-the-scenes details, but no matter your appetite for mystery, the album is deeply beguiling, to a point where selecting individual highlights becomes difficult. Even so, “Lust Is Stronger Than Us” is an excellent place to start, its poetic meditations unspooling as the song’s moody swells somehow infuse a sense of orchestral grandeur into what’s ultimately a smeared strain of late-night avant-pop. Much of Lust (1) swims in waters previously occupied by artists like Mica Levi, james K and Lolina, but things get noticeably spookier on “Moving On, Moving On,” where both Kurweil’s cadence and the track’s lurching, post-punky bassline have a subtly sinister feel. “Look Nice” is another haunted gem, its dimly lit nods to R&B fondly recalling some of Holy Other’s most spellbinding material.
bvdub “贵” (Past Inside the Present)
A master of the ambient expanse who also boasts a clear cinematic streak, Brock Van Wey (a.k.a. bvdub a.k.a. Earth House Hold a.k.a. East of Oceans) is one of those artists who’s been so prolific for so long that it can be hard to know where to begin with his catalog, or which of his albums are truly must-listen affairs. His latest full-length, 13, is in some ways more of the same—the LP is stuffed with swirly, slow-brewing compositions that stretch out over what seems like several football fields—but there’s something truly stirring about the music on offer. Perhaps that’s because the record is inspired by the Tao Te Ching, the foundational text of Taoist doctrine, and specifically takes cues from its chapter 13, which Van Wey says, “promotes humility and freedom from desire as the core elements of a peaceful existence.” Serenity is certainly one of the defining characteristics of pillowy album standout “贵”, a majestic, string-laden tune that weightlessly glides toward the horizon.
Homeward “A Cloud on a Dream” (Styles Upon Styles)
Styles Upon Styles co-founder Phil Tortoroli spent much of the 2010s making avant-garde techno under the name James Place, but following an extended hiatus—his last release dropped back in 2019—the New York-based artist has reemerged with a new name, Homeward, and a new EP, Only Child. With only two songs, the record is apparently a teaser for a forthcoming album of what he describes as, “trip-hop odes, Cocteau nods and songs for a travel soundtrack, all laced with lower frequencies,” and if “A Cloud on a Dream” is any indication, the Mo’ Wax catalog should probably be added to his list of descriptors. Built atop a distinctly ’90s sort of sample-based boom-bap, the song comfortably settles into a charmingly odd groove, its psychedelic feel primarily fueled by a warbling vocal that Tortoroli apparently lifted from an old animated video he discovered online more than a decade ago.
Portway “Dropout” (CloudCore)
As with just about everything on the CloudCore label, “Dropout” is a lively banger. Credited to Bristol-based producer Portway, the track follows in the genre-bending footsteps of labels like Fade to Mind and Fractal Fantasy, melding brawny, lightly wobbling basslines with gleaming sonics and pitch-shifted vocals that harken back to the glory days of 2000s-era R&B. In other words, it’s a post-dubstep tune, albeit a damn good one, thanks in no small part to Portway’s clear penchant for melody; in fact, some of the song’s best moments are those in which he abandons the dancefloor altogether, allowing his gauzy, free-floating keys to take center stage.
Laima Adelaide “COLD” (Predawn)
One of the best things about acid is that it comes in so many different shapes and sizes. (To be clear, I’m talking about the music, not the drug, although some might argue that the previous sentence could be applied to both.) The tweaky, high-energy stuff might attract the most attention, but “COLD”—a highlight of German artist Laima Adelaide’s recent BLAZE EP—makes clear that acid can be just as effective when it’s slow and slinky. Similar in spirit to many of Tin Man’s acid excursions, it’s a subdued number, to be sure, but that chilled energy is just a smokescreen; this song’s wonky grooves are potent, and are sure to wiggle into the brains of everyone in earshot.
Hamlam “77” (Altamira)
Anyone longing for the soothing confines of a Y2K-era chillout compilation might want to check out Hamlam instead. The Norwegian producer has a knack for high-polish ambient pop, and “77”—the standout track on the new Reflex EP—puts a playful spin on the template carved out by songs like Télépopmusik’s “Breathe” more than two decades ago. That’s not a knock on Hamlam. Sure, the glossy exterior of “77” might make the music go down better with normies, but just beneath the surface, there’s a bit of pranksterism at work; the track literally includes a sampled recording of his grandfather laughing, and its tripped-out grooves, mellow as they may be, are perfect for a few minutes of zoning out in front of a blacklight poster.
SANSOUNI “Park” (United Identities)
A Dutch-Iraqi artist based in Utrecht, SANSOUNI has released only a handful of tunes to date, most of which have demonstrated an affinity for laid-back vibes and cooly shuffling percussion. His new Wasp EP, however, adds some serious thump to the mix, dialing up the drum attack and practically charging onto the dancefloor. This more assertive posture suits him, most notably on EP highlight “Park,” which combines his luminescent melodies with a rough-and-ready drum & bass rhythm. It’s an unexpected move, especially from a record issued by Carista’s soulful, groove-oriented United Identities label, but it also seems that SANSOUNI may have unlocked a new level of his artistry; hopefully he’ll head further down this path in the future.
That brings us to the end of today’s First Floor digest. Thank you so much for reading the newsletter, and, as always, I do hope that you enjoyed the tunes. (Don’t forget, you can find them all on this handy Buy Music Club list, and if you like them, please buy them.)
Until next time,
Shawn
Shawn Reynaldo is a freelance writer, editor, presenter and project manager. Find him on LinkedIn and Instagram—and make sure to follow First Floor on Instagram as well—or you can just drop Shawn an email to get in touch about projects, collaborations or potential work opportunities.