Record Store Day 2012

If there is one day of the year that E.A.R HQ really appreciates, it’s today.  Record Store Day!

Record Store Day is the celebration of that unique phenomenon called the “Independent Vinyl Emporium” – the holy grail of shops!  In recent years, record shop numbers have been heart-breakingly dwindling, but today is the chance to support these little gems.

Today, all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl releases are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists across the globe make special appearances and performances.

So embrace the gift that is your local record shop.  Go buy some vinyl.  Hug it!  Kiss it!!! And keep the joy that is wax living.  Forever and ever, Amen.

Annual Label Party! Saturday 25 February 2012

Its that time of year where E.A.R like to put on their annual label party, and like last time ITS FREE and with a killer line up!!LUKE SOLOMON – Classic / E.A.R Craig Bratley – Instruments of Rapture J.Cub / Ryan Shaw – E.A.R This is a STRICTLY INVITE ONLY party and we are limited to ONLY 100 people. To receive your invite, put your FULL name on the  Facebook Event Page and we shall send you your invite with more details about the party. Facebook Event Page DONT HANG AROUND THOUGH! THERE ARE ONLY 100 INVITES …..Looking forward to it already! From all at E.A.R HQ Resident Advisor Event Page

J.Cub’s Warning EP Forthcoming on Foot & Mouth

So here at E.A.R HQ, we couldn’t be prouder than when our talented partners get recognised for their production abilities.

And what bigger accolade than J.Cubs recent track Warning, being snapped up by one of our favourite labels Foot & Mouth Records, due for release on 9 February 2012.

Here’s what our chums at the label have to say about it…

“Foot & Mouth kicks off the year with J. Cub’s slamming ‘Warning’
single, hot out of Leeds (home of house) with a superb narcotic infused
Lil Mark remix!

Warning evokes that heady summer of ’89 as J. Cub dubs and twists the
garage beats and vocal into submission, a surefire barnstormer, make no
mistake! J. Cub then gets deeper and more electronic with his great
rendition of ‘Werds’.  Hooky as hell!  On the flip Lil Mark (Classic,
Disco 45, Baker St) works his hallucinatory jacking magic, stripping
‘Warning’ down to its rudiments whilst funking it’s rawness to the bone… “

Have a listen right here:

J.Cub’s Warning EP

P.S. The tracks are mixed up i.e. Warning’s music sample is Werds and vice versa, but who cares?! It’s out on a top label!

New Vinyl Only Podcast by Andy Baxter

As we are more than aware at E.A.R HQ, it has been a rather long interval between our last podcast and now.  However, there is more than a  good reason for this – we were waiting for the right one.  And here it is…

Andy Baxter has pieced together in excess of an hour long’s worth of pure house.  And all on VINYL ONLY!  Something we are sure you are aware, is ridiculously close to the heart of E.A.R.

Andy Baxter is an Ibiza resident of not only The Island but also of Pacha, where he has graced the decks every Summer for the last 10 years, playing pretty much every genre of music you could possibly imagine.  And playing it well.  This Summer he has warmed up for the likes of Cadenza, Defected, Swedish House Mafia and Subliminal, as well as hosting the Pioneer DJ Laboratory on the legendary Pacha Terrace where he shows visiting DJs how to get to grips with all the new Pioneer Equipment.

He has also been a resident at We Love… Space Sundays for the last 4 years, as well as doing Café Mambo sunsets.  But in the Winter he really comes into his own.  Not only does he present his own radio show on Ibiza Sonica called The Fix (22:00 EST/21:00 GMT Wednesdays), he also hosts his own party Pachatronica, at the iconic club on a monthly basis, bringing a unique, underground element and introducing emerging young talent selected by Baxter himself.  Recent guests have included Bones from Black Rabbit and System of Survival.  Read more here…

White Ibiza – Pachatronica

Baxter’s passion for new music also landed him the enviable role of A&R scout for seminal label Defected, after head honcho Simon Dunmore spotted his E.A.R for new talent in 2010.

But above all, his talent on the decks has made E.A.R sit up and take notice.  A superbly versatile DJ, Baxter is as at home living out his obsession with vinyl, as he is demonstrating state-of-the-art equipment.

Listen to this sublime mix and hE.A.R for yourself.  You WILL NOT be disappointed.

Moose – Grime Writer Extraordinaire

Although most subjects on the E.A.R blog pertain to either food, music or vinyl, we are loathe to be pigeon-holed.  So this particular post is a nod towards someone who we consider to be inspirational and who is also a friend of the label with some serious entertainment value.

Paul “Moose” Curtis was the first to create a new type of art by using an alternative technique to your average graffiti.  Instead of sullying a wall with spray paint or pen, Moose decided to take a more environmental stance by instead cleaning beautiful stencils into the dirt already created by pollution and everyday muck.  Hear the man himself put the ethos into words in his own inimitable style…

This kind of project does not come without problems.  Moose has been accosted on more than a few occasions by the local fuzz who are regularly confused when Moose asks what exactly the crime is.  ”Cleaning Dirt”?! Or “refacing” to quote the lad himself.  The authorities are now less negative and Moose has embarked on campaigns for both the Metropolitan Police and both Scottish and English Governments.

Moose has also utilised his street art form for commercial campaigns.  For example, his images were used nationwide for the Big Brother 5 advertisement (the year that Nadia won!) as well as for Ted Baker, the XBox launch and for the launch of the Size? store in Leeds.

If you want to learn more about this creative and unique character and his environmentally friendly version of an age-old street art, have a gander at his website right here…

Moose’s “Symbollix” Website

E.A.R on Ibiza Sonica tomorrow Friday 18 November 2011

 

Listen in to www.ibizasonica.com tomorrow at 11:00 to 13:00 EST to hear E.A.R’s Leena Sharma live on the “Winging It” Show talking vinyl & nonsense and playing some tunes alongside Callum Wordsworth from Messalina Records.

We’re going to get the chance to pioneer wax and all that is great about it, whilst playing tunes from our labels and other stuff that makes us giddy, whether past or present.

TUNE IN!

E.A.R Phono Free Party in Sheffield on 26 November 2011

The team here at E.A.R HQ are proud to announce a gig and a half coming to you next weekend in Sheffield.

J.Cub is to make a spectacular appearance alongside friend of the label, Joshua Iz at one of Sheffield’s fine boozeries, The West on Glossop Road, on Saturday 26 November 2011.

But what is so damn spectacular is that it is all FREE!

Some of Sheffield’s youngest and finest, Growmore, Alex Cooke & Dan J, are hosting one of their pioneering nights, Phono, down at The West.  These boys certainly live and breathe good house music, having featured guests such as Atjazz, Crazy P and Chris Duckenfield, but to name a few.

So in the same vein, they have asked our very own J.Cub to come down and play some tunes with house legend, Joshua Iz.  As you may all remember, Joshua produced a fine record for us under his Dubwise Moniker earlier this Summer and “Magnetron” was a huge hit on terraces and beaches all over.  And available on vinyl only – of course!

Have another listen right here…

So what can you expect on the night?  Well apart from 2 House Legends, you can also expect unbelievable music, plenty of incredible vinyl, buckets of ale and some excellent Northern banter.

And it’s all for FREE!

Link to Resident Advisor event