The latest album from Julian Priessen is a handcrafted, meticulous work of art

Seven new tracks from the German artist were produced entirely by him with no sampled sounds

Dreams And Pieces Vol. 1 is the latest album from Julian Priessen, a musician based in Düsseldorf, Germany. As a member of the collective “kids in a candy store,” he is also a music composer for feature films, TV, documentaries, and more. Within his own musical practice, he creates emotionally charged music that features energized snippets to engage the listener and create space for them to drift away mentally and emotionally. Recording and producing all his music as a solo venture, he uses chance to shape perspective and discover different angles and approaches.

Priessen’s debut album in 2019 was Permanent Shore, a mixture of beats, found sound, song fragments, and more, all tied together through piano and bass undertones. More recently, in 2022, he released the single “Lovly,” from his forthcoming album, as well as the EP Fades. In 2021, he dropped singles including “Caught” and “Voyage,” as well as two EPS, Beam/In Bloom and Dawn.

His newest album from May 2022 features hip-hop-inspired rhythms and a smooth, funky sound with elements of jazz and rock woven throughout. The album is comprised of seven tracks, all of which are entirely created by Priessen himself, with no sampled sounds. Through his meticulous, handcrafted process, his music develops its own lexicon that is enchanting for the listener, provides an escape, and brings it back to earth intermittently to ground the entire composition in familiar elements.

See more from the artist:

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Beat-tape aficionado Nickelman’s ‘Sweet Blunts’

As Nickelman, Yuki Kitano has been creating music for more than 15 years, making his own mark on the beat-tape and lo-fi scene. Originally from Osaka Japan, Nickelman’s solo talents have been developing alongside his long term musical collaborator FROGMAN. Sharing a passion for deep beats, the two artists have worked to build ‘Freemanz Production’, releasing a tidy discography of chillout and jazzy tracks which manage to slow down time as you hit play. This partnership was also behind Deepconstruction Records, a label out there to support contributions from the worlds of lo-fi, hip hop and rap.

Nickelman’s collection of solo music has also continued to expand, with 13 separate LP size offerings up on his Bandcamp. The tracks presented carry deep vibes, glowing synth bass and a hazy atmosphere that surrounds the listener.

The pace of production hasn’t slowed, and the most recent addition to the discography was added in early January of this year. That said we’re looking back a little further to 2019 with the music on display today. ‘Sweet Blunts’ was supported by the record label URBNET last June as part of Nickelman’s ‘Elements’ album, and the bpm sits between typical lo-fi and instrumental hip-hop, maintaining a warm vibe rather than a melted one.

Support the album on Bandcamp or stream it on Spotify

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The work of a veteran in the modern sphere of beats

Juan Miguel Alsace, aka Bmbu, is a producer based out of Philadelphia who has been honing his craft over the past 16 years into an impressive collection of instrumental / chill out pieces. He has numerous releases across the web and is signed to German independent label Vinyl Digital. Bmbu mastered the skill of synthesis along with sampling and apart from his 13 solo projects and 4 collaborative beat tapes, Bmbu has also produced albums for various hip-hop artists around the world.

The piece ‘fun dip’ is part of his project titled Interludes III, and it holds true to the art of instrumental beats whilst at times taking on a more modern approach that can be heard through the rolling hi-hats and heavy basslines. It is a project that will satisfy the younger lofi crowd and old skool hip hop heads alike. Bmbu takes an open minded approach whilst sticking to the roots of his craft, delivering intricate melodies that will surely set the mood for any room of people. The short pieces leave you wanting more and encourage us to further delve into his discography. Interludes III was released on September 24th of 2019 and is a great example of the way Bmbu manages to incorporate all sorts of stylistic elements rooted in a vast number of musical genres, from trap, R&B and hip-hop to modern electronic sounds, Interlude III has them all.

Grab the release over here

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Jakspin consults the heavens for new EP series 'Zodiax'

JAKSPIN announces the March 29 release date for his highly anticipated ZODIAX EP series via Chillanthropy Music. ZODIAX I is his first EP, following his two beat tapes, "The Chillhop Era" and "Levitation", and sets the direction for the Zodiax quadrilogy dedicated to the star signs and the four elements. "ZODIAX I" is all about the zodiac signs of pisces, cancer, scorpio and their common element water. JAKSPIN delved deep into the abyss, the emotionality, their kindness, the melancholy, fluidity and sensitivity of water signs. Reduced to the core elements, each song is an intense stirring journey to underwater soundscapes, always entwined around concisely knocking hip hop beats.

German producer Jakspin harnesses the power of the stars for the first of four EPs entitled ‘Zodiax’. The release series focuses on ancient knowledge presented through the 4 basic elements alongside traditional aspects of astrology. The first instalment of the series entitled ‘Zodiax I’ takes pisces, cancer, scorpio and their common element of water and boils them all down into easily digestible lofi landscapes.

Featuring not only a well-thought out cohesive concept but also some tightly-knit sonic terrain, ‘Zodiax I’ cruises through a series of 4 tracks, each with their own unique shimmer and shine. Water, being the unifying element, seems an appropriate opener to the album and serves as a firmly rooted beat amid layers of well-crafted distortion and melodies. ‘Pisces’ then continues the interstellar experience with a steady foundation of low frequencies set against a backdrop of bubbling aqua and gently placed textures. ‘Scorpio’ finally concludes the orbital journey with a thumping beat next to floaty xylophone notes tied together with an overall air of repose.

You don’t have to be an astrological expert to know that the future of this series brings nothing but solid listening and good vibes.

Check your horoscope with Jakspin:
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Less is more with Sweden's lesspoint

really happy with this one, hope you like it! <3

With the seemingly limitless possibilities of today’s DAW’s it’s easy to understand how the modern producer can become bogged down by options. Endless samples, routing options and sound design possibilities can be both liberating and overwhelming at the same time. Despite all the technology in music production today, it really all just comes back to what matters most which is the music.

Enter 20 year old Swedish beat producer- lesspoint. The Computer Science major explains that when he’s not studying, “in my free time I make beats.” Originally learning from online tutorials and making house music, lesspoint describes his recent shift in tastes: “My love for chill/downtempo/hip-hop beats has been growing a lot over the last few years, some of my biggest influencers right now are Freddie Joachim, DJ Grumble, Ian Ewing and Quickly, Quickly.”

Despite his humble attitude, lesspoint’s productions are uncluttered and well-crafted dream pieces that sit perfectly on a chillout playlist or as background study music. His recent track ‘thepoint’ fits this description perfectly featuring crunchy drums, floaty pads, and chopped up samples, and is just the thing to toss on when in need of some decompression. lesspoint describes his production mindset - “When I made this beat I tried to make a beat that you can listen to whenever, something that can be played without interrupting your thoughts, maybe I am unconsciously making my own study music.”

With beats like this who needs study breaks?

Hit the books with lesspoint
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Laid back vibes from lofi producer- radicule

Straight from New York to your eardrums, 22 year old beat producer radicule cooks up well seasoned tracks with the right amount of dust and definition. With a taste beyond his years, radicule references old anime, 90s cartoons and classic video game tracks resulting in a hazy lofi sound that feels more like it belongs in a walkman than an mp3.

Fortunately for us, that lofi analog touch is now available through the beat compilation ‘Seasonal Sounds 5: Fall’ courtesy of Boston label - Dust Collectors. The compilation features 44 tracks of headnodding beats to pop in your cassette player and float away to. Expect a start-to-finish mix of diverse beats, nostalgic samples, and faded soundscapes.

Get your chill on and grab it on Bandcamp

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Lush Lofi from Kurt Stewart and Tomcbumpz

one for the weekend follow the boy @tomcbumpz

As contemporary music pioneer Brian Eno once said “Every collaboration helps you grow”. Whether it be the combination of different musical skillsets, production techniques or the sharing of unique ideas, theres no denying the fact that working with other artists or musicians can be incredibly beneficial for the creative process.

Technology and the internet have made these collaborative undertakings that much easier with creatives sharing ideas from across the globe.

Although this particular collab is a bit closer to home, the results are none the less impressive.

Kurt Stewart is a young up and coming producer from Burlington, Vermont and Tomcbumpz is an established name in the beatmaking community hailing from Long Island, New York. The two join forces for an ultra chill excursion entitled ‘Headrush.’

It might be the crispness of autumn, or the waveyness of the great lakes, but something is up in the Eastern United States! The track features a rough-edged beat accented by the falling keys of a dreamy Rhodes. It’s an infectious headnodder, that would be the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon spent strolling under the fall colours.

Stay tuned for more laid back beats from Kurt Stewart
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Denmark's iamalex brings the summer vibes

EP coming soon with https://soundcloud.com/soundplate

For most of us outside of the southern hemisphere, this time of year brings shorter days, cooler weather and dark thoughts creeping in the psyche. Although I've never visited northern Europe in fall or winter to attest to such things, (although hailing from Canada, I think I can relate) I can imagine the Danish may need a few things to remind them that summer is a state of mind; that warm, relaxing, chilled out days are not really that far away.

Enter Soundplate Record's iamalex. Our featured track above, “Tell Me” is a lo-fi, summer sizzler from the get go. It's a sweet little instrumental hip hop tune that breezes by. “Tell Me” is also the first tune of four, from Alex's upcoming self-titled EP.

"Tell me" will leave you California Dreamin' on such a winter's day. While just over 2 minutes in length, this track has a definite old school feel; it’s comprised of semi-phat bass lines, a cool jazz breakdown, guitar tinges and RnB vocals. It’s the perfect tune to get you in the mood for a mellow evening or leisurely morning, free of stress and worry.

If you dig the vibes of our sample track, iamalex has just dropped a cassette release with his homie Bonus Points, that is similarly chilled out and tightly produced. With track names like “Coastal Breeze”, “Time Off” and “Ice Macchiato”, you can see the vibe Alex is going for. As the cool months linger on, the world needs warm coastal beats like the kind iamalex produces. Join me in eager anticipation for the full EP to drop in the next month or so and show your appreciation for iamalex on the following platforms:

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Smooth jazzy beats from Bristol's Natty Reeves

@marnixkeys on the keys - check it out! https://deepmatter.fanlink.to/bills-launderette

Music can be so many things for different people. A way to escape, heal, refresh, reflect and even forget. British producer/songwriter- Natty Reeves deals with many of these themes throughout his discography, in a no-nonsense approach that focuses on quality and authenticity above all else.

A talented multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Reeves often relies on his quiver of guitars and live vocal takes to form much of the foundation for his tracks.

However his recent release ‘Bill’s Launderette’ moves in a slightly different direction, forgoing the vocals for a smooth, soulful collaboration alongside beat producer and keyboardist- Marnix.
The track is 2 and a half minutes of chilled out guitar, floating keys and a rolling, head-nodding beat. The two musicians take touches of soul, hip-hop and jazz and set it on the spin cycle for a memorable collaboration.

Support the release over on Bandcamp

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Lush downtempo from Japanese producer- KEET

KEET is a Japanese artist, designer and producer who crafts chilled out, downtempo beats. Previously studying music theory and jazz piano, he was attracted to beatmaking and electronic music for it's limitless sonic potential and creative flexibility. 

In addition to his audio prowess and crisp beats, KEET also designs his own cover art. He designs both the audio and visual designs in parallel, so as to compliment one another and serve as a singular cohesive package. 

His recent track 'Told you so' is a fresh twilight drive along the Japanese coast. A 5 minute journey through falling keys, cascading vocals and gently lapping guitar fading into the distance. 

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