I really like The Rogue Element. Like, I mean I REALLY like him. Like, if I told him exactly how much I liked him, it might, like, get really weird. Especially if I went to his house and told him to his face. As that would mean I probably flew all the way to the UK just so I could find his house and tell him exactly how much I like him. But it would be worth it. Maybe. See posts here and here for more. He really is very good.
The Rogue Element originally began his musical career in the party wilderness that was the nu-skool breaks movement, but of late his sound has started swinging markedly towards the tech-funk end of the spectrum populated by other ex-breaks artists such as Koma & Bones, Meat Katie and Elite Force (although, admittedly, most of their pseudo-house output always did sit uneasily under the ‘breaks’ heading). I’ve been quite enjoying this sound recently though – at its best it’s an intoxicating mix of techno’s solid and relentless beat structures and the grinding energy and bassed-out heaviness of breaks circa 2004-2005. Sure it’s not synth-driven, sunshine electro or shiny space disco, but when it comes to the 3 am special, this shit always goes down a treat.
Which is all really just foreplay to today’s main event: The Rogue Element’s exciting new single. Yay. Huzzah. And such and such. It’s a double A side due for release at the end of this month, featuring the tracks ‘Hives’ and ‘Vices’. I’ve had the privilege of listening to both and, let me assure you, these tunes are fucking pounding. ‘Hives’ is a full-on techno barrage that puts me in mind of Vitalic’s mighty ‘La Rock 1′ – heavy beats, rolling bassline and a constantly evolving siren style high-end that, as the name would suggest, sounds ever so much like a hyped up bee swarm. Taking the edge off slightly (but only slightly) is ‘Vices’, a dark and funky number populated by little glitchy drum and synth stabs that make it sound vaguely like minimal’s beefed up cousin. I’m attaching a 128 version of ‘Vices’ for your perusal, but if you like what you hear then the single should be dropping in a week or two, and is definitely worth the purchase.
For a further taster of all the wonderful things to come, there’s also a cranking new DJ mix available for download here. The brief but beefy set contains a whole lot of new Rogue Element material as well as a suite of other heavy hitting and soon to be much hyped tracks. Sure to spice up any depressingly packed journey on peak hour public transport. Full tracklisting after the jump.
Hopefully these should keep you piqued until the release of the new album early next year. I’d tell you to keep your ears peeled, but hell, I’ll be talking about it the second I hear more anyway, so that may be a little redundant. Just keep checking back here. That’s a far better option.
-luke
1. Wiley ‘Summertime’ (Bart B More Remix) (Asylum)
2. Alfonso Mango ‘Can You Feel’ (Made to Play)
3. Timo Maas ‘Der Scheiber’ (Funkin’ for Hope in NY Mix) (Hope Recordings)
4. The Rogue Element ‘Vices’ (Exceptional)
5. A-Trak ‘They Say Whoah’ (Boys Noize Remix) (Boysnoize Records)
6. Armand Van Helden ‘Shake That Ass’ (Dogmatix Remix) (Southern Fried)
7. Cassette Jam ‘Retox’ (Pieces of Eight)
8. The Rogue Element ‘Sidewinder’ (Exceptional)
9. The Rogue Element ‘Hive’ (Exceptional)
10. Dylan Rhymes ‘I Am Sweet’ (Hyperion’s Into The Sun Mix) (Lot49)
11. The Rogue Element ‘Soretooth’ (Exceptional)
12. Shinichi Osawa ‘Star Guitar’ (Data)
13. The Chemical Brothers ‘Keep My Composure’ (Virgin)
More Rogue Element, More!
I really like The Rogue Element. Like, I mean I REALLY like him. Like, if I told him exactly how much I liked him, it might, like, get really weird. Especially if I went to his house and told him to his face. As that would mean I probably flew all the way to the UK just so I could find his house and tell him exactly how much I like him. But it would be worth it. Maybe. See posts here and here for more. He really is very good.
The Rogue Element originally began his musical career in the party wilderness that was the nu-skool breaks movement, but of late his sound has started swinging markedly towards the tech-funk end of the spectrum populated by other ex-breaks artists such as Koma & Bones, Meat Katie and Elite Force (although, admittedly, most of their pseudo-house output always did sit uneasily under the ‘breaks’ heading). I’ve been quite enjoying this sound recently though – at its best it’s an intoxicating mix of techno’s solid and relentless beat structures and the grinding energy and bassed-out heaviness of breaks circa 2004-2005. Sure it’s not synth-driven, sunshine electro or shiny space disco, but when it comes to the 3 am special, this shit always goes down a treat.
Which is all really just foreplay to today’s main event: The Rogue Element’s exciting new single. Yay. Huzzah. And such and such. It’s a double A side due for release at the end of this month, featuring the tracks ‘Hives’ and ‘Vices’. I’ve had the privilege of listening to both and, let me assure you, these tunes are fucking pounding. ‘Hives’ is a full-on techno barrage that puts me in mind of Vitalic’s mighty ‘La Rock 1′ – heavy beats, rolling bassline and a constantly evolving siren style high-end that, as the name would suggest, sounds ever so much like a hyped up bee swarm. Taking the edge off slightly (but only slightly) is ‘Vices’, a dark and funky number populated by little glitchy drum and synth stabs that make it sound vaguely like minimal’s beefed up cousin. I’m attaching a 128 version of ‘Vices’ for your perusal, but if you like what you hear then the single should be dropping in a week or two, and is definitely worth the purchase.
The Rogue Element – Vices
For a further taster of all the wonderful things to come, there’s also a cranking new DJ mix available for download here. The brief but beefy set contains a whole lot of new Rogue Element material as well as a suite of other heavy hitting and soon to be much hyped tracks. Sure to spice up any depressingly packed journey on peak hour public transport. Full tracklisting after the jump.
Hopefully these should keep you piqued until the release of the new album early next year. I’d tell you to keep your ears peeled, but hell, I’ll be talking about it the second I hear more anyway, so that may be a little redundant. Just keep checking back here. That’s a far better option.
-luke
1. Wiley ‘Summertime’ (Bart B More Remix) (Asylum)
2. Alfonso Mango ‘Can You Feel’ (Made to Play)
3. Timo Maas ‘Der Scheiber’ (Funkin’ for Hope in NY Mix) (Hope Recordings)
4. The Rogue Element ‘Vices’ (Exceptional)
5. A-Trak ‘They Say Whoah’ (Boys Noize Remix) (Boysnoize Records)
6. Armand Van Helden ‘Shake That Ass’ (Dogmatix Remix) (Southern Fried)
7. Cassette Jam ‘Retox’ (Pieces of Eight)
8. The Rogue Element ‘Sidewinder’ (Exceptional)
9. The Rogue Element ‘Hive’ (Exceptional)
10. Dylan Rhymes ‘I Am Sweet’ (Hyperion’s Into The Sun Mix) (Lot49)
11. The Rogue Element ‘Soretooth’ (Exceptional)
12. Shinichi Osawa ‘Star Guitar’ (Data)
13. The Chemical Brothers ‘Keep My Composure’ (Virgin)