Although I’ve lived the majority of my life in Canada, the fact that I was born in New York gives me a false sense of allegiance to the Big Apple. This favoritism manifests itself most strongly with regards to the arts. Whether it’s Broadway, the avant-garde architecture, or the critically acclaimed filmmakers, the city has produced some of the most recognizable pieces and talents across the vast spectrum of disciplines. It’s never easy to follow in the footsteps of greatness, a notion that NY-based producing partners Ben “B-Roc” Ruttner and James “JPatt” Patterson know all too well.

     The pair, better known as The Knocks, has seen a quick rise to fame since their 2010 hit “Dancing With the DJ,” recently sharing the stage with acts such as Chromeo, M.I.A. and Ellie Goulding. Veering off the path taken by today’s mainstream house records, these Lower East Siders aspire to  join indie and electronic, an endeavour which results in tracks that are often augmented by unaffected funk instruments and a traditional song structure. Their latest offering, a collaborative effort with French/German producer Fred Falke, is a good example of how they use these different elements. “Geronimo” starts with a rhythmic introduction where the kick drums and first synth are phased in. The song ensues with a light reverberating electro growl that leads straight into the short breakdown populated by a few syncopated beats. The lead synth entangles itself beautifully with the funky bass guitar and the “Oh Oh, Geronimo,” given during the chorus, where Fred Falke’s french house influence can truly be heard. This segment repeats itself after a lengthy bridge, as some pitch changes and scatted vocal cuts are strategically placed. Altogether, this track pulls from house, disco, funk, electro and indie influences and gets The Knocks well on their way to matching their artistic antecedents.

     This next artist needs no introduction. To say that Andrew Bayer is one of the most eclectic producers in dance music is an understatement. The 26-year old American is the unofficial usher for the next wave of innovation in EDM. From his work as half of the famed trance duo Signalrunners, to his collaborations with highly praised Norwegian producer Boom Jinx, his prestigious Fraction Records and his already superb solo career, the Anjunabeats signee lives on the border of progressive and cutting edge. Those who long for the trance and progressive of old have qualified his music as bizarre, refusing to acknowledge the possibility of change. His debut artist album, “It’s Artificial,” contained subgenres such as glitch hop, breaks and electronica, the likes of which many had never seen. I can only assume the complaints will continue as Bayer keeps on his trailblazing vision with “Floating Continent,” a demo of a current project he recently posted on his SoundCloud page to mark his 10,000th twitter follower.

     “Floating Continent” is vintage Bayer, in that the track’s direction is unexpected. The excerpt starts as a wind sound fades out, leaving a soft, lonely kick. An oscillating melody pad and bassline synth join the percussion, slowly gaining importance before their levels are reset and a clap is added. It all sounds quite minimal up to this point when the melody goes on a tangent, the wind sample returns and some distant sounding vocals are mixed in as the demo reaches its climax. Once again, the levels are reset, the vocals disappear and the wind fades out amidst the recurring clapping sounds. That description may not seem like much, but a new Andrew Bayer tune is always something to get excited about. As he warns: “[…] it’s probably going to change, so don’t freak out if it does,” it is after all, a demo. As long as the final version keeps its minimalistic tendencies while still giving off substantial amounts of raw emotion, I won’t nitpick.

     Of the 2 tracks, my obvious favorite is “What’s Wrong.” First premiered during the opening episode of this year Global DJ Broadcast Ibiza Summer Sessions, the original mix is a melodic, big-room, beast of a track. The tune truly starts in its breakdown, where the samples from the intro gradually fade out, welcoming a off-pitch sounding synth coupled with a growing wind loop. Then comes the build-up and the first taste of the complex melody and a barely audible bassline which comes in and out of hearing range. A wind sound and second synth are added as all the loops coalesce to create the drop, highlighted by the fat Coldharbour bassline we finally get to hear. As is the case in so many of the label’s releases, the bassline is absolutely massive and was created to be played live; just imagine what the stadium mix of this track sounds like. However, I think the melody is the loop that steals the show as it seems to hook the listener in and gives off a feeling of confident uncertainty. I’m not sure exactly how to explain that, apart from highlighting how well the name of the tune was chosen. All in all, this a great return to form for Skytech and we hope he keeps on offering up music as good as this.