When I look at this guy, the last thing that comes to mind is University Professor; however, to the contrary, Steve Nalepa teaches ‘Principles of Music Technology’ at Chapman University Conservatory of Music. He shows really talented classical musicians how to use ProTools, Ableton Live, Reason, etc.

To indulge his passion, he also makes his own beautiful audiovisual masterpieces, under the moniker ‘Nalepa’. On his own, he’s released a handful of tracks on various artists compilations:

‘Fresh’ on Left Coast Liquid Vol. 1 {Native State [2005]}; ‘Porcelain’ on Beneath The Surface {Native State [2006]}; ‘Pomme Granite Dub’ on Future Sound Theory {Celestial Dragon Records [2006]}; ‘Blue’ on Devil in the Detail {Interchill Records [2007]}; and ‘Flatlands’ on Visionair #53: SOUND {Visionaire [2007]}.

Thanks to some motivation from the awesome artist Bluetech [founder of Native State], we can look forward to all these tracks [as well as a handful of others] getting re-released later this summer as a full length album – ‘Flatlands’. On top of this, it comes with a DVD packed full of sexy fun times videos by Benton-C Bainbridge, Brian Kane, Brian Ziffer and Thomas Williams. Not enough? As an added bonus, this disk of goodness will feature remixes by The Glitch Mob, Ruxpin, Deru, (a)pendics.shuffle, David Last, RD, RaNDom, Slidecamp, Kero, Rena Jones, Kraddy, Aerostatic, Bluetech and the Nosaj Thing track we posted already!! For anyone into this music as much as I am, you are thinking ‘what an album’, and you are right!

Here’s an interesting side story while you regain your composure — while I was researching this article, I was told a very old friend of Steve’s came across tracks off my Nosaj Thing article that had been cross posted to pampelmoose, including the Nosaj remix of Flatlands. The mp3 was listed as ‘Nalepa’, and due to the relatively uncommon last name, he decided to check if it was the same Nalepa. Sure enough, it was… So there ya have it – downtempo.ca re-unites people!

Steve and his friend MattB [aka RaNDom] from Japan, have been bouncing incredibly wicked ideas back and forth over the ocean [man, I love the 'net]. Together they go by Bass Science. On December 7, 2007, they dropped their debut EP on Native State, ‘Transmissions from Planet Dub‘. This very unique blend of well produced glitchy-bass-heavy-electronic-dubstep will slam you like a typhoon, and before you even notice you’ll be drowning in lush layers of atmospherics and angelic symphonics. If you make it through that, you most likely will be smacked around by crisp drums and crushed by an immense bass weight. Look out for the Bass Science LP slaughtering heads across the nation, due to drop late 2008. Try ‘Imminent Threat’ on for size below.

On top of all this, Steve has been working with Justin Rickles [aka Brasswork Agency]. Justin’s portfolio is as impressive as Steves – a sound engineer, who’s worked with greats like Public Enemy and The Young Dubliners, releasing music on Plex Records, as well as the infamous Merck Records [a big favourite here at downtempo.ca, i love you Gabe!], and also putting out an upcoming release on LeftHouse Records. These Chicago-born, LA-based music/multimedia event producers combine powers to make the killer duo The FMs. Just recently they dropped Fabulous Morning Swim, also on Native State Records [you can buy it from Beatport]. The FMs reminds me a lot of early IDM, but with a more modern spin. The production skills of both of these talented individuals really shines through across the whole EP. I’ve had a very difficult time picking out my favourite track from this album because I like them all so much! So, I’ve chosen ‘Fancy Seeing You Here’ because it suits my current mood the best.

Nalepa – Porcelain
Nalepa – Flatlands
Nalepa – Pomme Granite Dub

Bass Science – Imminent Threat [Buy the EP]

The FMs – Fancy Seeing You Here [Buy the EP]

Ooah is a seriously amazing turntablist. Listen to some of his older mixes, and you’ll be spoiled with delightful scratching, beat juggling and mixing [do i really need to mention mixing, i mean isn't that part of the definition of a mix? I guess it depends you could be really hot on noisecore "mix" tapes]. Seriously, what ever happened to turntablism? It’s like ever since Q-bert destroyed the DMCs for a couple years in a row its been kind of a dying art. I’m sure I’m going to get heckled for saying that. I mean, don’t get me wrong here, but turntablism used to be so much more intigrated into an [electronic music] DJ’s set than it is these days. I guess turntablists have been replaced by ableton live dj’s with their armory of VSTs like buffer override, or at least this is what has happened to Ooah.

Besides being a member of the glitch mob, Josh is also one half of the Seedling Escape duo (see below for their promo mix). The other half being Kitty D, another member of the glitch mob. Ooah has a slew of mixes (complete list below) hidden on the otherwise useless glitch mob website [edit - well i guess you could be a fanboy like me and stare at their logo while you masturbate to glitch hop].
Ooah released Hacksaw and Tubstomper on Alpha Pup’s sub label Glitch Mob Unlimited. You can buy those tracks from addictech here and here. He also released Stomp The Yard on a Muti Music compilation I talked about recently, you can buy that track here. And finally the only other tune I’m aware that he’s somewhat officially released is contained within a mix, so i don’t really consider it as counting as a full release of the track. The tune, Tuesday Again, was released as track 4 on the Devil in Detail mix cd which came out on Interchill Records on Sept 27th, 2007. You can order that CD here. Although this mix cd is tight, I can’t wait for a proper release of this track for my own greedy mixing purposes, and well because its mental!
Biggup Ooah, you got nothin’ but love commin’ from me.

Mixes:
The Seedling Escape Mix
Scientific Sound
Dub(step)
Ooah Days
Ghetto Fabulous
Tastes Like Vinyl

Tunes:
<REMOVED>

Oh and just in case you weren’t already overwhelmed with good music, heres one last mix: Local Area Network
This CD was given out the last night after three nights of incredible STS9 performances @ Red Rocks and the Ogden in Denver. It was distributed at the Cervante’s Masterpiece Ballroom after party on September 8th, the bill included Ooah, edIT and Boreta of Glitch Mob and Bassnectar.

1. Ooah “Tuesday Again” (Interchill Records)
2. edIT “Straight Heat” (Alpha Pup Records)
3. Boreta & Eprom “The Good, The Bad, The Squishy” (Unreleased)
4. Dr Dre & Snoop Dogg “The Next Episode” (Kraddy Remix Instrumental) (Refiner Records)/Mr. Vegas “Under Mi Sensi” (Acapella)
5. edIT “The Sirens” (Alpha Pup Records)
6. Boreta & Eprom “Psyphy feat. Mc Epcot” (Unreleased)
7. Ooah “Stomp The Yard” (Muti Music)
8. Lupe Fiasco “I Gotcha” (Kraddy Remix) (Refiner Records)
9. Boreta “Lobegrinder” (Glitch Mob Unlimited)
10. The Grouch “Artsy (edIT Remix)” (Alpha Pup)
11. Clipse “Mr. Me Too (a.k.a. Jalapeno Body Poppers) (Ooah Remix)” (Unreleased)
12. BlackStar “Bright As The Stars (a.k.a. Mos Beautiful) (Kraddy Remix)” (Refiner Records)
*Mix by DJ Yogurt, MC Rev