FALTYDL Vinyl & CDs

Review: The third Rush Hour Direct Current release sees previous incumbents Cosmin TRG and Falty DL engage in some mutual back scratching activities with each remixing a standout track from the others RHDC EP. Falty DL turns the Romanian's "See Other People" into a crazed futuristic techno R&B hybrid - probably what a Kyle Hall remix of Kingdom would sound like. On the flip "St Marks Place" gets a truly menacing techno funky rerub from the Cosmin. Top release all round.

Review: What a coming together this is: Swedish label Studio Barnhus have always lived on the colourful and curious fringes of the house music world, and New Yorker FaltyDL operates similarly in his approach to rhythm and sound design. While superb A-side cut "Flechazo" is a bright melodic house cut with shimmering chords and grounded percussion, it is more likely that "New Lover" on the flip will get the attention here: bursting with throwback feels with its 90s house drums, big stabs and blissed out chords, it's an all loved up and subtly euphoric cut, so expect plenty of peak time plays.

Review: Drew Lustman aka FaltyDL has long been inspired by both US and UK rave culture, so it's little surprise to see him exploring these influences further on his first Unknown To The Unknown 12". Check, for example, opener "Untitled 111vgr" where jumpy rave piano stabs, sped-up vocal snippets and bombastic bass ride a groove that sits somewhere between happy hardcore and booty bass. "Beast" is the kind of rumbling electro/IDM fusion that could once have appeared on Rephlex, while the druggy "One for UTTU" sounds like Lustman paying tribute to Drexciya. Arguably best of all, though, is the ludicrously titled "Piano 4 9 18 Feux Master Erie 25%", a spacey slow jam that recalls the halcyon days of ambient electro.

Review: Hot remix action of Falty DL's recent Heaven Is For Quitters EP - the good (or even better!) news is that this is volume 1, so we can expect more of this gold in the near future. Much like his own tunes, The Cyclist and O'Flynn turn in two dusty, percussion-heavy dance experiments that blur the lines between bass and house, coming through with some lovely, late summer rays of warmth. On the flip, Lobster-boy Palms Trax rewires "Neeloon" into a sparse house banger with plenty of aqueous exploration in its underbelly, and Kaidi Tatham transforms "Drugs" into an magnificently off-kilter nu-jazz piece.

Review: NYC's FaltyDL has been constantly active over the last few years, with the majority of his music landing via his very own Blueberry imprint. He's prone to releasing EPs on the fly, so a new album by our beloved 'bass' producer is truly exciting. This is especially true as of late, because the artist has gradually moved away from the fidgety two-step-garage hybrids that he has been heavily associated with, and much more towards a leftfield/r&b kind of space. There are beat-driven, percussion-heavy grooves such as "River Phoenix" or "Frigid Air", but the majority of this album is drenched in a placid, soulful vibe that uses different styles of beats and arrangements to get its direction across. "Drugs" featuring Rosie Lowe, for example, will appeal to the soul enthusiasts as much as the dancers, while tunes like "Fleshy Compromise" might even get the coldwave jockeys to turn heir heads. The point is, FaltyDL is in a state of constant flux, and this album is proof of the man's many talents. YES.

Review: Although it has pretty much always been the case, it has to be said that Falty DL is absolutely on fire at the moment, and the New Yorker has been releasing bangers left, right and centre since the start of the year. This time, he takes a break from his own imprint and lands back on London's mighty Ninja Tune with a couple of bangers, all nice and deep, like. "Visceral" is a gentle garage hybrid running at a fast pace and blending all sorts of melodies into its shell, while "The Ah Track" verges onto housier territories. There is, of course, plenty of the man's own flair and manipulation at its core. As per usual, it's rocking gear for the floor.

Review: New York's FaltyDL has remained busy throughout the year, issuing a LP filled with bruk jungle on Planet Mu, collaborating with Fotomachine, dropping the odd Ninja Tune 12" and facilitating a most interesting album from Elysia Crampton through his Blueberry label. Speaking of which, the man himself lines this latest Blueberry 12" with a pair of signature heavy licks. The A side, "River Girl", is simply a great piece of house music with subtle tribal influences and sultry vocal samples, all wrapped up in a hybrid coating consisting of hip-hop, juke and even a little synth-pop, perhaps. On the flip, "Do You Box?" goes much deeper down the rabbit hole, offering an odd, broken beat that is just slightly too fast for hip-hop, and a tad slow for house. Whatever you would want to call it, it's clear that FaltyDL has the ability to marry just about any genre together.

Review: Pick up a dictionary, look up 'curveball' and you'll find "Rich Prick Poor Dick". You won't... But you should. After his experimental soundscapery on his In The Wild album, FaltyDL has decided to go all-out on our tooshes with two rather disparate club cuts. The unforgettably titled lead track is a rampant, near-150BPM, techno slapper with heavy elements of psy trance thrown into the mix for good measure and strong flavour. "Bookaloo" plays the cheeky, trippy antidote. A much slower (but still beat-heavy) beat jam, it's bedazzled in an array of both melodic and rhythmic leads and counter leads. Now look up the word 'essential'.

Review: For all the impressive vivaciousness of his previous albums, Drew Lustman has occasionally been guilty of throwing together far too many ideas. Of course, when he hit the spot - and his track record in that regard is impressive - few could match his ability to fuse a myriad of dancefloor-centric styles with vivid melodies and kkleidoscopic sounds. On Into The Wild, his fourth album, he consciously takes a different approach, fixing his colourful sound palette to more downtempo rhythms - think hip-hop, jazz, dub and pitched-down post-dubstyep -and ambient soundscapes. The results are, by and large, stunning, with Lustman delivering evocative and at times spellbinding compositions that are almost cinematic in feel. It's a surprise turn, for sure, but one that offers further proof of Lustman's impeccable credentials.

Review: In the period since the release of his late 2012 album Hardcourage, Drew Lustman has founded his own label as well as dropping singles on Swamp81 and Ninja Tune, slipped out the odd remix and kept up a busy touring schedule. Where he managed to fit in the studio time for a fourth album In The Wild is not clear but a new FaltyDL long player will always be welcome. At 17 tracks long, In The Wild is Lustman's most comprehensive display of his production palette by some distance with the Brooklyn based artist using the afforded space to really go deep into his various creative impulses. It's a lot to take in immediately, but tracks such as "Frontin'" and "Ahead The Ship Sleeps" feel like FaltyDL on top form.

Review: Making a welcome return to Swamp 81 after the Mean Streets pair of releases, Falty DL is on superlative form as ever with a pair of direct cuts that play on different sides of his production personality. "Huff & Puff Bruk" takes the fundamentals of 2-step and infuses it with lazy jazz and ethereal tones for a crisply funking, whimsical cut that should get all soulful spinners in a lather. On the flip things get edgier as "Mo" takes sharply looped vocal samples and works them around clattering slices of breaks to whip up the kind of frenzy that Tessela and co. inspire with their own rum choppery.

Review: Man like Drew Lustman returns to Ninja Tune for an excellent slab of forward thinking beat science under his universally acclaimed FaltyDL guise. It's nice to see FaltyDL back on the label after a stint overseeing the rise of his own Blueberry Records operation - expect much more from them in 2014 - and once again Ninja house Lustman's work in the classy throwback original Ninja Tune yellow and black housebag. The A Side title track to Danger expertly rolls in the crawlspace between contemporary juke and early millennial broken beat with subtle hints of classic 60s spy cinema. It's complemented well by "King Brute," a collaboration with the superbly named Shanghai Den which spills with creeping atmospherics.

Review: Avid record buyers should be more than familiar with "Straight & Arrow" a pleasant, bumping excursion through warbling vocal edits and soft brushed beats from Falty DL. Not only was it a highlight of his recently released Hardcourage LP, but Ninja Tune have already issued it in single format replete with a diverse clutch of remixes from Gold Panda, Four Tet and ballroom duo Mike Q and Divoli S'vere. This picture disc edition is clearly aimed at the fetishistic Drew Lustman completists out there, weighing in at a hefty 180g and brandishing some superlative graphics from the distinct visual agency La Boca. It also houses the seven minutes of dewy eyed, slowly percolating techno that was the remix from the irrepressible Four Tet on the flip.

Review: There's always been something a little loved-up about the scattergun, genre-bending productions of New York's Drew Lustman, AKA Falty DL. Yet previously, his desire to fuse cutting-edge rhythms with vintage rave references sometimes got in the way. Hardcourage, his first full-length for independent behemoths Ninja Tune, takes a more 'softly-softly' approach. Whereas his last full-length, 2011's You Stand Uncertain, was a kaleidoscopic invitation to start the dance, Hardcourage gently beckons you towards a loving embrace. While there are still plenty of skittish rhythms present, they're wrapped up in a warm orange glow - all serotonin-soaked chords, cascading melodies, bluesy vocal samples and near-Balearic compositions. In many ways it's a startling about-turn, but one that comes heartily recommended.

Review: There's always been something a little loved-up about the scattergun, genre-bending productions of New York's Drew Lustman, AKA Falty DL. Yet previously, his desire to fuse cutting-edge rhythms with vintage rave references sometimes got in the way. Hardcourage, his first full-length for independent behemoths Ninja Tune, takes a more 'softly-softly' approach. Whereas his last full-length, 2011's You Stand Uncertain, was a kaleidoscopic invitation to start the dance, Hardcourage gently beckons you towards a loving embrace. While there are still plenty of skittish rhythms present, they're wrapped up in a warm orange glow - all serotonin-soaked chords, cascading melodies, bluesy vocal samples and near-Balearic compositions. In many ways it's a startling about-turn, but one that comes heartily recommended.

Review: On the basis of the material FaltyDL has released with Ninja Tune thus far, his forthcoming third album Hardcourage should rank as one of the more interesting albums to surface in the first quarter of next year. Following the excellent throwback styles of "Hardcourage", the New Yorker showcases his seemingly endless palette of styles with "Straight & Narrow", a wonderfully colourful and vivid sounding production. Dominated by some deft vocal chopping, it's the way these cooing elements intertwine with the beguiling synth noodling and crisp almost handclap style beats that resonates deeply. On the flip, Gold Panda delivers a typically prismatic reworking with thickly detuned vocals that outdoes even the likes of Four Tet in the melody stakes.

Review: On the basis of the material FaltyDL has released with Ninja Tune thus far, his forthcoming third album Hardcourage should rank as one of the more interesting albums to surface in the first quarter of next year. Following the excellent throwback styles of "Hardcourage", the New Yorker showcases his seemingly endless palette of styles with "Straight & Narrow", a wonderfully colourful and vivid sounding production. Dominated by some deft vocal chopping, it's the way these cooing elements intertwine with the beguiling synth noodling and crisp almost handclap style beats that resonates deeply. Ballroom duo Mike Q and Divoli S'vere naturally latch onto the most obvious elements in the vocals and clapped beats, laying them atop a breathlessly frenetic rhythmic mainframe, while Four Tet hogs the flip with a dewy eyed, slowly percolating seven minute remix that will tug at the heart strings of his legion of fans.

Review: FaltyDL arrives on venerable UK imprint Ninja Tune with his most accomplished productions to date in tow. Typically, trying to pigeon-hole this release into a single genre is an exercise in futility, with sounds and textures flittering between disparate samples and tempos with effortless ease. Title track "Atlantis" is a melodic, smudged out roller with a bassline that evokes memories of LCD Soundsystems' "Tribulations" which dovetails snugly with some twangy plucked instrumentation. "Can't Stop The Prophet" is more adventurous still, with crackly atmospherics, toyed-with vocals, sumptuous strings giving off a languid, relaxed air; that is until the frenetic jungle breakdown arrives! Flip over for the hip-hop esque swagger of "My Light My Love" and clattering hats and deep house chords of "The Sale Ends". Highly recommended.

Review: Two of electronic music's most exciting talents converge on one stunning record on Ramp. New Yorker FaltyDL turns in the original cut here, with "Hip Love" serving as the perfect diversion for those of you eagerly awaiting his upcoming album on Planet Mu. Falty's idiosyncratic stew of schizophrenic snares, manipulated vocals and murmurings of sub bass are all present and correct, with a particularly tough edge to the rasping kick. Jamie xx takes care of business on the B Side, stripping "Hip Love" of its intricate percussion and turning it into a low end roller with bass frequencies that'll have nightclub sound engineers waking up in cold sweats. Essential release.

Review: "She Sleeps" made for a welcome surprise on Hardcourage, Falty DL's recent Ninja Tune released album, calling on Friendly Fires vocalist Ed McFarlane to add his immediately recognisable warbles to a glistening production. It's obvious single material - with the radio edit here adding further credence - and the wonderful original is further complemented by remixes from two of Lustman's fellow New York dwellers in Gang Gang Dance and Ital. The former is delightful, adding unforeseen layers of ecstasy to McFarlane's vocals amidst a clopping beat and tropically infused melodic lead, whilst Ital goes in entirely the opposite direction, turning in a sludgy, strung out malfunctioning slab of techno.

Review: Drew Lustman has always been lumped in with the post dubstep contingent, but in truth his real influence lied in the broken stylings of West London that predated the "Great Dubstep Fracture" and was pioneered by the likes of Bugz In The Attic and 4Hero. This second remix 12" for the FaltyDL hookup with Ed Friendly Fires allows Lustman to indulge his love of that bruk style as 4Hero's Dego goes deep under his 2000Black alias. In his hands "She Sleeps" gets transformed into a wondrously bubbling analogue funker, not sounding dissimilar to the kind of soulful futurism Gifted & Blessed is noted for. Check the Martyn remix too, which retains only the line "I know that it's evil" from McFarlane's vocals; a neat trick that infers the sonic intent that the Dutchman crafts around it.

Review: A brand new venture from FaltyDL and Fotomachine, this starts a new series of animated 12"s that pay homage to 4Hero's influential Tom & Jerry imprint. With a mission statement that states they want to put a little sex back into techno, both cuts back up this vision with warm, visceral physicality. "Flesch" is all subby, slinky and twisted while "Neo Geo" is a sprightly, technicolour analysis of classic electro. Both are designed for the sweetest, sweatiest chapters of the night when pretentions aren't just left at the door... They're sent back home in a taxi and told to lock themselves in the shed.

Review: It's four years since Hemlock, the label run by Untold and Andy Spencer, opened its doors, and the exclusive tracks featured on their retrospective mix CD find themselves getting pressed to three pieces of wax. The first sees two newcomers to the label: Sei A and FaltyDL. Sei A's presence makes total sense - the crunchy brand of metallic, futuristic big room techno he's been perfecting for three years is one that Untold has become increasingly drawn to, and "Hyphen" is no different, alternating between thin kick drums and breakbeat stomps, while atonal strings swell in the background. Recent Ninja Tune signee FaltyDL is a less expected inclusion, but the fractal vocals of "Artemis" are backed up with some truly hefty warehouse sized drums.

Review: Volume Six of Tempa Allstars collects contributions from some of the underground music scene's pioneers and leading lights Skream. "Rollin' Kicks" begins the EP with a tapping drumbeat and a Breakage hued sonic palette (circa "Open Up") which is a million miles away from Magnetic Man. D&B-turned-dubstep minimalist Icicle steps up with "Anything". Crisp, acerbic breaks feature heavily, perfectly calculated beats and a futuristic touch. Falty DL adds a funky touch with "Sunday" as chirpy bleeps and bellows of bass underpin the fidgeting rhythms here, with notable sunny, upbeat vibes in the synth work. Benga injects a dose of humour with the ticking percussive lisp and robotic chant of "I Come From London" driving things along into a hypnotic state of sentiency. SBTRKTs "Sleep In Tokyo" is all broken, funked up beats, warm keys and delicately textured rhythms. Alix Perez brings the EP to a close with "Metric". Deep, atmospheric crackling, crisp SFX and rumbling subs roll along with dark menace. A superb finale to one of the finest releases in the Tempa Allstars series so far.