Selections: Emerald
In this regular feature, Selections, we invite DJs, producers and label heads to dig into their digital crates and share the contents of their Bandcamp collections. This week, Rinse FM and BBC Radio 1Xtra resident Emerald steps up with 10 gems spanning futuristic club sounds and rave revivalism
Clubs around the world are shut, and opportunities to find new music out in the wild have been ripped from under our feet as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. While hearing new music played out by your favourite DJs will have to be put on hold due to these unprecedented circumstances, it’s never been easier, or more important, to support the artists and labels putting out EPs, albums and compilations in the midst of all the madness.
With tour cancellations and festival postponements leaving many members of the international electronic music community out of pocket, Bandcamp has become an even more vital platform for supporting the music you love, with 80% of all sales from the online music store going directly to artists and labels. In March, the platform announced it would be waiving its revenue share for all sales for one day, and on Friday 20th, took no cut from purchases made. In total, $4.3 million was spent on music over the course of 24 hours, all going straight to the creators. Throughout lockdown, Bandcamp continued to waive their fees on the first Friday of every month up to July, as well as on 19th June (Juneteenth), when the platform donated 100% of its profits to the NAACP Legal Defence Fund. Last month, it was announced that a fee-free "Bandcamp Friday" would take place on the first Friday of each month for the rest of 2020.
In this series, Selections, we’re inviting DJs, producers and label heads to dig into their digital crates and share the contents of their Bandcamp collections. In lieu of opportunities to discover new records on the dancefloor, Selections – along with radio shows and mixes – will give you the chance to nab sounds from the crates of tastemakers, and support the artists behind them while you’re at it. Win-win, right?
This week, Rinse FM and BBC Radio 1Xtra resident Emerald steps up with 10 gems spanning futuristic club sounds and rave revivalism. For half a decade now, Emerald has been one of Rinse FM’s most celebrated presenters. She has hosted both the breakfast and drivetime shows over the years, as well as her own regular shot, where she has showcased the very best in new UK club sounds, from UK funky and garage to house, bass and breaks. In 2019 she started running Afters with Emerald, a series of intimate parties held in secret London locations, and broadcast live on Rinse FM, with guests including Jossy Mitsu, Plastician, Elkka, DJ Randall and more. Throughout lockdown, she broadcast ten live from her living room for Afters at Emerald’s, gradually introducing guests such as Barely Legal and Hutch as regulations allowed for it. She’s even launched a merch line for the Afters series, with long and short-sleeved Ts available to pick up from Keep Hush’s new platform.
This Saturday, 19th September, she will make her return to the club for a socially distanced party at Night Tales in London alongside Mella Dee.
Dig into Emerald’s Selections below.
“Anz’s Boiler Room is one of my favourites ever. She’s someone I look up to not only as a WOC in UK Bass but also as someone who likes to play and produce tunes unrestricted to one sound. She’s experimental, brave and joyful. This release is on repeat at the moment for me.”
“This tune blew me away when I first heard it. Plead is someone I discovered on soundcloud a while ago and have been fan-girling ever since. Anunaku AKA TSVI has this unique hard drum-esque sound that I think is really special. The two of them together is a match made in heaven."
“The resurgence of breaks and hardcore is something I am very much not mad at. Denham Audio are part of the Club Glow collective along with LMajor, Borai and Mani Festo. Every release is consistent and absolutely massive.”
“Loads of great bass and garage coming from Melbourne lately. Big fan of Pugilist, This particular tune I’ve been throwing into all of my mixes lately, rich, bassy rolling goodness.”
“Representing Montreal, Martyn BootySpoon is such an expert at fusing together all my favourite dance sounds. On this one you can hear Chicago, rave, and it’s a little bit grimey and well sexy.”
“I first heard this tune when my mate Barely Legal played it to me during a b2b. It’s got that familiar Kelis ‘Caught Out There’ sample that we all know and love to hear, but in a nicely subtle way. Another one that’s on repeat for me right now.”
“I played this one in my SW4 live stream over lockdown and it sounded so incredible through a proper system. This is one that’s got me itching to play out again more than any other. It’s one of my favourite Hessle Audio releases.”
“I had to get this EP on vinyl over lockdown. My favourite track is ‘Cheatin’’, another great edit. I mentioned Mani Festo earlier as part of the Club Glow collective and another who’s throwing out consistent breaks/rave/hardcore. This one is the first vinyl release on Club Glow.”
“Another match made in heaven. Both hailing from New York bringing club traxx, juke, footwork, jersey club consistently but not exclusively. This one is part of an EP called ‘Outta Bounds’, well worth a purchase.”
“Possibly my favourite breaks EP yet. It came out in late Feb on Sneaker Social Club, who have still been smashing it over lockdown. They are a wicked label out of Bristol. My favourite track on this EP is ‘Eyes Closed’. 10s across the board.”
