XLR8R Review of Samuel Max (Roche + CB Radio) "Rayne"

Samuel Max "Rayne"

• Words: Shawn Reynaldo

There's something really wonderful about two brothers working together to make music. San Francisco's Roche (a.k.a. Ben Winans) is an artist we've featured multiple times on XLR8R, but his big brother Bret (a.k.a. CB Radio) makes quality beats of his own out in Brooklyn. Why it took this long for the Winans boys (pictured above, sometime in the '90s) to properly collaborate remains a mystery, but "Rayne," created under the moniker Samuel Max, is a wonderful start. A house tune of the most relaxed variety, the song skates along mellow, clap-punctuated percussion while cooly rolling out breezy synth melodies and a plucky bassline. Yes, it's a little Balearic and more than a little retro, but it's all tastefully done and thoroughly enjoyable. Mama Winans should be proud.

• Download

  (320kps, 16.0MB)

Roche Live @ Haceteria SF

Roche Live Set @ O.K. BBQ AUG 6th SF

"Love You Crazy (Livestyle Version)" XLR8R review and download

Roche "Love You Crazy (Livestyle Version)"

• Words: Derek Opperman

With an ever-expanding digital back catalog, Roche is a San Francisco-based artist that we've been following for some time now. The last we heard from him, he had remixed "Age" for Bay Area production duo Wav Dwgs. Since then he's been releasing a steady stream of tracks online, one of which is the excellent "Love You Crazy (Livestyle Version)." Moving through the claustrophobic and paranoid dreamscape of Detroit beatdown, Roche constructs tight deep house in the best sense of the word. The track has actually been sitting on his soundcloud page for more than six months, and we don't generally make a habit of posting older tracks on XLR8R.com, but given that it has less than 150 plays to date, we figured that the song is still new to 99.9% of the population and an exception to the rules was in order. For something fresher, check out the similarly well-crafted "The Morning After," which Roche only unveiled a couple of weeks back.

• Download

The Morning After

The Morning After by rochesolos

Playing In LA @ 2True monthly

Jam===on===the===1

Jam On The 1 by rochesolos

WAV DWGS "Age" remix by Roche

Wav Dwgs "Age (Roche Remix)"

• From XLR8R.com
  
• Words: Glenn Jackson
• Label: Pacific Housing Authority

"Last summer, we heard from the duo of Greg Zifack (formerly of the hyper-ravey Eats Tapes duo) and Bobby Browser, who were jointly operating as Global Warning. Now the duo has resurfaced under a new guise, Wav Dwgs, and have unveiled a handful of new tracks, including this remix from fellow San Francisco-based producer Roche. Where the original version of "Age" weaves elements in and out of its repeated synth stabs, Roche sends those stabs to the back of the line, instead focusing on a barrage of overdriven percussion, and bouncing, syncopated synth lines. Throw in a mechanically precise drum machine driving the whole affair and this one is sure to prove satisfying for even the most yearning of hardware-based techno fiends."

04 Age-Roche remix by WAV DWGS

WAV DWGS Condensation EP

Condensation EP by WAV DWGS

WAV DWGS

O.K. HOLE FEB 19TH