After hours grooving…
Three members from My Favorite Robot, Jared Simms, James Teej & Voytek Korab have combined there considerable musical tastes for this special Back to Mine selection.
Voytek – Thom Yorke ‘Harrowdown Hill’.
I think Thom Yorke’s solo album Eraser is better than most Radiohead work. This song in particular is probably one of – if not my favorite song of all time. Simply beautiful and haunting and to me nobody captures a mood like this better than Thom.
Teej – William Orbit ‘Montauk Point’
An all time fave of mine, off a fantastic album. the song always ends up tripping me out, and I get this great vibe that I remember having the first time I heard the tune. A timeless classic in my book.
Jared – John Grant ‘Pale Green Ghost’.
A big thanks to Jori Hulkkonen for introducing me to this song… been on repeat ever since.
Voytek – Fairmont ‘Old Ways’.
My favorite song off my favorite album this year and a great way to finish off a night out. Melodic, intelligent music that transcends genres and time.
Teej – Thievery Corporation ‘All That We Perceive’.
Another one of my favorite bands. This track is perfect for those wind down moments at the end of the night. Everything about it is just great.
Jared – Dire Straits ‘Brothers in Arms’.
Incredibly powerful song, and incredible musicianship. Blows me away every time I re-discover it.
Teej – Portishead ‘Wandering Star’.
Love the scratched vocal, and its got just the right mood to start winding things down after a heavy night. The harmonica section always puts a smile on my face, and I’ve always really dug the whole aesthetic that Portishead has with their music.
Voytek – Jesus and Mary Chain ‘Drop’.
When home I mostly listen to music from my teens and this song is always one of them. Still one of my fav bands today and this song has a chill, stoner vibe to it that always makes me stop what I’m doing and listen.
Jared – Massive Attack ‘Be Thankful For What You’ve Got’.
Blue Lines is probably one of the albums that I’ve listened to the most of the years and I really love the range of vocalists on the album. This is a great one.
My Favourite Robot ‘Looking for Frost’
Toronto trio My Favorite Robot team up with the ever excellent No.19 Music for a brand new single featuring remixes from Juan Maclean & Louie Fresco…
My Favorite Robot has come along way over the past four years. Launched in early 2009, originally as a duo and with a fledgling label in tow, the My Favorite Robot bandwagon has grown month on month, seeing the expanded line up of Jared Simms, James Teej & Voytek Korab become an international force to be reckoned with and their label become a hotbed for world class electronic music. The act’s history ties in with one of Canada’s other great recent exports, the ever-impressive No.19 Music. The Robots originally shared office space with good friend Jonny White and along with other Toronto linchpins such as Kenny Glasgow and Nitin helped shape the cities eclectic music scene.
So it is fitting that My Favorite Robot now join forces with Jonny White’s No.19 label for their latest single, a single that gives a taster of their forthcoming album due through No.19 Music later in the year. ‘Looking for Frost’ sees the Robot trio journey into blissed out, emotive territory with a record that fuses stirring pads, ethereal vocals and a catchy arp loop with subtle drum programming and deep bass, leading to a pulsing rhythm section as the kick drum drops almost two thirds of the way in. The incanted “Sometimes I get the feeling something ain’t right” vocal is a haunting yet memorable line that helps make this one of, if not the most, impressive My Favorite Robot song to date.
The original track is backed up with two sterling remixes on the vinyl package, the first delivered by US production heavyweight and DFA man Juan Maclean who turns in a delightfully hypnotic slice of leftfield house that pulls the original elements into a swirling, dark edged dancefloor destroyer. This is followed by a remix from one of Mexico’s rising stars, Louie Fresco who twists ‘Looking for Frost’ into a deep and acidic cut that swirls and bubbles with its heavy FX and deft understated piano hits. The digital package also provides an exclusive dub mix from Mr Fresco that strips back the vocals and lets the instrumentation take centre stage with a wonderfully bright and intense version.
My Favorite Robot never fail to deliver and now paired with one of the hottest labels in electronic music one can only wait with anticipation the release of their artist album in the autumn.
Crossing Wires 001 compiled & mixed by My Favorite Robot
Toronto trio, My Favorite Robot look to the release of their debut compilation, featuring a diverse and enticing mix of entirely exclusive music from some of the hottest electronic producers around…
Jared Simms, James Teej & Voytek Korab AKA My Favorite Robot have quietly been positioning themselves as one of Canada’s hottest exports in recent years. Releases on label such as Visionquest, Crosstown Rebels and Sasha’s Last Night on Earth, as well their own eponymously titled imprint, have seen the Robots become central figures in dance music’s ever shifting landscape, whilst their label showcases and guest slots at the likes of BPM, DC10 and Miami’s WMC have left no doubt as to the trio’s talents. With this level of success comes a network of friendships and working relationships and it is to these that My Favorite Robot have turned for the compiling of their debut mix album. Not content with a mix of licensed tracks featuring one or two exclusives, the Toronto three-piece have reached out to their industry friends and have put together a stunning album of entirely exclusive tracks.
‘Crossing Wires 001’ takes both its title and its inspiration from the broad range of musical styles and sounds that make up its 15 separate parts. The My Favorite Robot ethos has always been firmly rooted in an eclectic approach to music with the label and act bringing through elements of electro, techno, house, nu-disco and electronica. For ‘Crossing Wires’ Simms, Teej and Korab have brought on board a truly diverse selection of artists ranging from techno stalwart Alan Fitzpatrick through to disco aficionados The Revenge and encompassing everything from the mid tempo electro-disco of Jori Hulkkonen to the pulsating techy excellence of Eric Volta. There are obviously highlights in the three tracks which featured on the recent sampler, The Revenge’s ‘Maia’, Timo Maas’ ‘Dancing for my Pleasure’ and James Teej’s ‘I Like to Clip’ but the quality on this mix in no way stops there as the Robots offer up gem after gem of brand new exclusive material. The chugging brilliance of Stefan Z’s ‘Love Tonight’, the subtly uplifting ‘They Wos’ by Inxec & Droog and the intense and hypnotic Nitin & Clayton Steele remix of Fairmont’s ‘Libertine’ all offer wonderfully different elements in a mix that genuinely sees the electronic threads of MFR’s vision woven into a unique audio tapestry.
‘Crossing Wires 001’ is a truly original and inspiring electronic selection that is a testament to its many contributors and its three-headed selector and should keep music lovers happy for the summer months to come. As if that wasn’t enough there is a My Favorite Robot artist album in the pipeline for release on Jonny White’s No.19 Music label in the autumn leaving us with plenty to look forward to from Toronto’s finest.
