Fact Magazine recently wrote a really great review of “Far Nearer” that poses a poignant question. After addressing the fact that the likes of Jamie Smith and a select group of others have pioneered a difficult to pin down sound that’s spawning a huge number of copycats and offshoots, Fact asks: “After your hero’s released a track like this, how can you continue to copy him?”

While that quote is specifically about “Far Nearer”, the same thing can be said for Jamie XX’s recent Rinse FM session with Jackmaster. Calling it “hard to pin down” is an understatement.

The mix starts off with a slowed version of 20th Century Steel Band’s “Heaven and Hell”, stripping the track down a bit to let the exceptional steel drums ring out. He plays “Far Nearer”, but at a sluggish BPM and with Addison Grove’s “Footcrab” thrown overtop of it, changing the vibe immensely from tropical love song to a sluggish vocal looping club workout. Some tributes to recently deceased American legend Gil Scott-Heron are sprinkled in throughout, and the fact that it lacks a tracklisting adds to the mystique.

I guess if you want to be Jamie XX, (or sound like him at least) studying this mix is a good start – but maybe it’s a futile effort regardless.

Numbers Show on Rinse FM – Jamie XX, Jackmaster & Spencer (Mediafire)

Each day from Monday 6th June to Friday 10th June at 1200 GMT, a new set of 2 tracks will be announced and made available to download for 24 hours. This will happen for 5 days from Monday – Friday. Labels involved in the give-away include Warp, Big Dada, Tri-Angle, Numbers, Running Back, Earnest Endeavours, Circus Company, Infiné, and Hoya:Hoya. Please pay close attention to the campaign website for Bleep/Sonar2011 to be made aware of the MP3 give-aways.

Nicolas Jaar – Keep Me There – Sonar x Bleep MP3 Give-away by Bleep.com

Diskjokke – Panutup – Sonar x Bleep MP3 Give-away by Bleep.com

Finally it’s here, Jamie XX’s debut single on Numbers.

Maybe it’s too early to call “Far Nearer” the quinessential summer jam of the season, but then again maybe it’s not – especially considering the way its steel drums wrap perfectly around the slightly warped vocals so fittingly.

B-side “Beat For” trades in the feel good vibes for spacey, static electricity swirling around another pitched vocal sample, and feels kind of like slowly emerging yourself into a hot tub that’s got some live wires drooping in the deep end.

The hi-spec 12″ comes complete with heavyweight vinyl housed in a fluorescent inner and die cut outer sleeve. Stream both tracks below, then do yourself + everyone a favor and grab it from Numbers or Rubadub.

Jamie xx – Far Nearer (limited vinyl & download out now – http://farnearer.com) by Numbers

Jamie xx – Beat For (limited vinyl & download out now – http://farnearer.com) by Numbers

“Fabriclive 57: Jackmaster” is out today. (Via Dazed Digital)

Grab it here, and keep your eyes peeled for Fabric 57, which will be mixed by Jackmaster of the London based Numbers crew.

“Originally from Glasgow, I’ve been living out in Tokyo for the last 7 years where I run Numbers Tokyo and a new monthly night called Laguna Bass with my friends. This year I took some time-out from producing, to concentrate more on mixing and developing my own style as a DJ – The P.O.L.Style….LOL!!! I’m looking forward to getting back on the grind as far as production is concerned in 2011 though. Last year I started a booking agency here in Japan called Clear, setting up mini-tours and helping artists rolling through the city find gigs. Holler if you’re ever in the Tokyo area or come by one of my shows in NYC / Philly later this month!!”

For this mix, I started by picking out a bunch of tunes I’m feelin’ just now + a bunch of tunes from various genres / times in my life that I thought would work. After that, it was all about the blenderzz – looping up parts in Serato and making sure that each transition was tonally correct and added a new dimension to both tunes in the mix. For me, the best mixes are the ones that leave such a strong impression, that whenever I hear one of the tunes played somewhere else, I’m surprised to realize that certain parts weren’t in the track originally and it was just all part of the blend. Hopefully this mix will leave that sort of impression on someone, somewhere.”

DJ Schedule:

12/15 – 10% Disco @ ELEVEN, Tokyo
12/16 – Raw Luv @ LUV, Seoul

12/22 – P.O.L. B2B Nargiz – Blam City @ Medusa Lounge, Philly
12/26 – P.O.L. B2B Nargiz – Rad Summer @ The M Room, Philly
12/27 – Mad Decent Mondays @ Fluid, Philly
12/28 – Rando @ Gallery Bar, NYC
12/29 – Player’s Club @ Pianos, NYC
12/30 – Math + Science Show on 89.1FM WNYU

DJ P.O.L Style – Discobelle Mix, December 2010 (ge.tt)

1. Cooly G – Up in My Head

I love the intro to this tune, but it’s one of those fade in ones so I never usually get to play it cuz it’s difficult to play in the club. That’s why I decided to use it as the first track on the mix. The bassdrums in this tune are sick!

2. Roska & Untold – Long Range

One of my favorite releases on Numbers this year. I’ve been a big fan of Roska & Untold for a while, so I was really excited when I heard about the collab. The organ stabs and sax riff on this tune really do it and it sounds cool when the bassdrums from ‘Grab Somebody’ start kicking in.

3. Ramadanman – Grab Somebody

What can I say? Ramadanman – Killin it!!!

4. Braiden – The Alps

If you went to Carnival in hell, this is what it would sound like. I’ve been rinsing this tune in almost every one of my sets since before the summer. . Shouts to Braiden for one of my favorite tracks this year!!

5. Breach – Fatherless

Massive tune! Love the percussion and the flute sample. Who would have thought the word ‘fatherless’ could become such a catchy hook!?

6. A Made Up Sound – Alarm

I first heard this tune back on the Night Slugs Mishka mix before I knew anything about A Made Up Sound. I love the way the way the rave stab in this tune sounds detuned and the way the song builds up.

7. Altered Natives – The Bitch

I’m a sucker for square waves, Altered Natives and bitches. So this one works well for me.

8. BD1982 – Trails (Jam City Remix)

One of my favorite tunes by fellow Tokyoite, co-worker, Laguna Bass resident and major dude, BD1982. Jam City completely smashed it with his remix.

9. Untold – Come Follow Me

Some dark vibes going on in this tune and it’s a bit of a down beat number. It’s like the quiet before the storm, in terms of this mix.

10. Christian Martin – Ghosts (L-Vis 1990 Remix)

This is the “I’m goin in!” part of the mix. I remember playing this tune at 7am at an after-party in Tokyo. Everyone was either fucked up, sleepy or acting super shifty, and this tune just summed up the vibes in the room perfectly. I can ‘t get enough of that “Woooooo” ghost noise, and the bassdrum fill is hard as…..

11. Boddika – Boddika’s House

I got this EP the day I made this mix cuz I wanted to include the “Syn Chron” tune, but when I heard Boddika’s House I was like “Oooohshiiiiiet!!!” and this tune just seemed to work better in the mix.

12. Zoo Brazil – Rock The House (Rework)

This tune mixes perfectly with ‘Boddika’s House’. It’s like the two were made to be played together. I love it when that happens.

13. Canblaster – Jetpack

The best thing about this tune is that all types of people get into it and you can mix it with all different types of shit. It’s a pretty epic tune imo.

14. Spark – Revolving (Ramadanman Rework)

The bassdrum pattern in this tune goes hard, but I always try to mix it out before the emo breakdown.

15. DJ Assault – Vandalism

DJ Assault has always been one of my favorites. This tune demonstrates that DJ Assault has a deep side too, and any tune with breaking glass samples is usually a winner in my book.

16. KW Griff – Invitation

Last month I finally managed to get this track at a decent bit-rate (Big ups KW Griff!!) and I’ve been playing it constantly ever since. This tune always puts me in a good mood.

17. SBTRKT – 20/20

A bit of a break from the bangers. Again, this is something I would probably never play in the club, so I’m glad I managed to work it into a mix.

18. Slackk – Theme From Slackk (Dub)

I freakin love this tune. I’ve heard it being described as ‘obnoxious’. It’s definitely relentless and can be a little tricky to mix out of, but I was super happy with the way this Slackk X Dopplereffekt blend came out.

19. Dopplereffekt – Superior Race

This is the first record I ever bought from Rub A Dub in Glasgow and pretty much the record that got me into most of the stuff I listen to now. Shouts to Marty from Rub A Dub for the recommend all those years ago!

20. Roulet – Kitamanda (Girl Unit Remix)

The original of this tune is a lil bit fidgety for my tastes, but Girl Unit did a sick job on the remix. I love the way this version’s got grime, funky and fidget influences with the trademark Girl Unit syncopated drums. The start of MDMA looped up sounds so good over it too.

21. Redlight – MDMA

One of the best uses of the side-chain that i’ve heard in a long time. There needs to be more tunes like this…..and Woo Riddim!!

22. Aaliyah – R U That Somebody (Brenmar Remix)

I’ve been using this tune a lot lately as a tool to transition from 140bpm bass ish into some 70bpm R’n'B stuff. I love the original of this tune but don’t get much chance to play it out, so I’m lovin this flip.

23. Mr De – Whonleone

I love it when an artist who is known for doing one type of music comes out with some shit on a completely different level. This is one of those tunes. It sounds dope in the mix with Brenmar’s toms over it.

24. K.P. & Envyi – Shawty Swing My Way (Edit)

This tune is a staple in my sets. It always kills it in the club and is a good tune to totally switch the atmosphere of the set.

25. R. Kelly – Ignition Remix (Edit)

R. Kelly’s the man! I know every line of this tune off by heart. So happy I finally managed to work it into one of my mixes.

26. Girl Unit – Wut

This is one of my favorite EPs from 2010 and it was difficult to decide which tune to use for the mix, but it just worked so well with the Do or Die tune that I had to use this WUT. Girl Unit = Badman.

27. Do or Die – Playa Like you and Me (Edit)

Everyone knows Bone Thugs, but I feel like people slept on Do or Die. Maybe that’s just cuz I’m from Glasgow though, where back in the 90s barber quartet style R’n'B wasn’t that popular. Random trivia – DJ Funk used to be in Do or Die.

28. Patra – Romantic Call (DJ Deller Remix)

Classic garage number! The pads on this tune over the Do Or Die edit are dope too.

BONUS: The mix he did for Parisian boutique Colette.

Jamie XX – Mix for Colette (direct link)

Tracklist for the Colette mix after the jump.

Electrelane : I Only Always Think
The Streets : Streets Score
The XX : Crystalised (DarkSky Remix)
Silentone : Beat For
Rossi B & Luca : Jah No Dead
Clubroot : Lucid Dream
Darkstar : Aidy’s Girl Is a Computer
Burial : Unite
Fantastic Mr Fox & Rich Reason : Lo-Fi-Ve
Joy Orbison : Hyph Mngo
Skream : Trapped In a Dark Bubble
Silentone : DUB PLATE 1
Aardvarck : One1
James Blake : Sparing The Horse
Boogaloo Crew : Hedgehog Sound
Zomby : Expert Tuition
Deadboy : Heartbreaker
Bad Autopsy : Psionic Terror
Cooly G : Narst
zed bias : To the left (test)
MJ Cole feat. Serocee : AO (MJ’s Open Your Gob Dubb)
DJ Champion: Motherboard
Bertrand Dupart : Ketokole (Boddhi Satva Ancestrial Mix) Fantastic Mr Fox : Plimsoul
Emvee : Glitch Dub
Dorian Concept : Trilingual Dance Sexperience
THE XX : ISLAND (JAMIE XX REMIX)
Silentone : You’ve Got No Love (Feat. Nigh)
Egypt : In The Morning (Original Club Mix)

Taz – Ligyrophobia (Sendspace)

“This is a selection of stuff i’ve been playing out recently along with a few older tracks that help to inspire what we’re doing with the club and label. Old / new music from Detroit, Truffle Club grind, and one of the maddest booty / jit tracks i’ve heard. Also new sounds from producers like Boddika/Instra:mental, Kavsrave, Joy Orbison made me want to dig out some old electro records. Really enjoyed mixing with those again, they take you on an otherworldly journey like nothing else really. Battle 101, Hofty, and the untitled Lory D track still sound fresh. (Lory’s track is from his 2001 extended EP called ’9 Tracks 4 A Fine Road-Hog’ – each of the nine tracks are untitled, all are good – let the record play out stuff.. more Lory D coming soon don’t worry!). Anyway these ones used to bring the house down at Jack and Cal’s Seismic parties in Glasgow – Seismic was circa 2002 > 2007 and one of the many precursors to Numbers. Photo sample here – Kazey up in it!! Bitch Ass Darius played one of the closing Seismic parties too, check his mix opus the UK and house tracks include some personal favs from the last year or so, and of course no mix would be complete without a couple of upcoming Numbers releases.”

Nelson – One Night in Paris mix for brain magazine (Nov 2010) by Numbers

The Town [Karve & Kazey] Xclusive Mix for Brain Magazine & Numbers by Karve & Kazey [The Town]