Pitchfork

Spank Rock is pretty confusing. It's the name adopted by MC Naeem Juwan, but it's also the collective name for Juwan and the trio of DJs and producers who surround him. Increasingly, those three have been striking out on their own. Alex Epton (aka Armani XXXchange), Chris Devlin (aka Chris Rockswell), and Ronnie Darko have a slew of projects in the works, starting with FABRICLIVE.33, their previously reported entry in the Fabric mix series. It will be released on April 16 in the UK and April 24 in the U.S.

Chris Devlin spoke to Pitchfork recently about the mix as well as the other projects he and the other members of the Baltimore crew have brewing this year. Right now, their biggest priority is recording the follow-up to last year's YoYoYoYoYo.

Devlin was less forthcoming about specific details of the album, however, saying its release date is "really anytime between now and some time from now." Nonetheless, after their performances at Coachella and Primavera Sound, as well as a Devlin and Darko DJ tour, they plan to "hit the studio pretty hard and get the record finished."

In the meantime, Devlin will release his first collaborative 12" EP with Baltimore producer Chipset via Flaming Hots Records, and Armani XXXchange has fielded quite a few requests for production and remix work, which he does through his own Royal Castle Productions.

The only XXXchange remix Devlin mentioned was of Thom Yorke's "The Eraser", but Alex's brand spankin' new website lists his recent production work for Kid Sister, Amanda Blank, and the soundtrack to the EA Sports game Skate. XXXchange also has collaborations and remixes with the Kills, Yo Majesty, and... Björk (!) in the pipeline. Next up: Armani XXXchange Presents Shoxxx Value.

Despite all of this activity, we couldn't help but keep bugging Devlin for info about the new Spank Rock album. He tided us over with insight into the group's approach to recording: "It's like, 'Alright, what's my favorite song right now? What am I really thinking of?' And then you try and copy that in a way, that general genre. So you're thinking, 'I've been going crazy to "Run Around Sue" by Dion for the last three weeks. How does that relate to modern music? How do I make a song that's that good, with that feeling, but making an electronic version or a chopped-up, fully-produced version?'

"It's nice to give yourself some sort of a template. There's so much music, and, especially if you're coming from a DJ perspective, you know what you really like and what you play every night and never get sick of. There are a lot of those songs out there, and I don't think it's a bad idea to figure out how to emulate them, or at least make your song either modeled after that or a critique of it."

FABRICLIVE.33 tracklist:

01 Intro
02 Kurtis Blow: "The Breaks"
03 CSS: "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above (Spank Rock Remix)"
04 Mr. Oizo: "Nazis (Justice Mix)
05 Dominatrix: "The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight"
06 Yello: "Bostich"
07 Zongamin: "Bongo Song"
08 Kano: "I'm Ready"
09 Daft Punk: "Technologic"
10 Switch: "A Bit Patchy"
11 The Contours: "Do You Love Me"
12 Mylo: "Drop the Pressure"
13 Yes: "Owner of a Lonely Heart"
14 Para One: "Dudun Dun"
15 Best Fwends: "Myself (XXXChange Remix)
16 KW Griff: "Good Man"
17 Uffie: "Hot Chick (Feadz Edit)"
18 Metro Area: "Orange Alert (DFA Remix)"
19 Tangerine Dream: "Love on a Real Train"
20 Simian Mobile Disco: "Hustler"
21 The Romantics: "Talking in Your Sleep"
22 Chicks on Speed: "Wordy Rappinghood (The Playgroup Remix)"
23 Bonde do Role: "Melô do Tabacco (XXXChange Remix With the Ford Granada)"
24 Miss Kittin and the Hacker: "Stock Exchange"
25 Rick Ross: "Hustlin'"
26 Hot Chip: "Over and Over (Maurice Fulton Remix)"
27 Gaz Nevada: "I.C. Love Affair"
28 L.T.D.: "Love to the World"
29 Outro

Spank Rock dates:

04-29 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Coachella)
05-15 New York, NY - High Line Ballroom *
05-31-06-02 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Festival

* with Ghostface

Alexxxchange dates:

04-18 Toronto, Ontario - The Social
04-19 Calgary, Alberta - The HiFi Club

Devlin and Darko dates:

05-17 Vancouver, British Columbia - The Bourbon
05-18 Seattle, WA - Chop Suey
05-19 San Francisco, CA - RX Gallery
05-22 Los Angeles, CA - Ex_Plx
05-24 San Diego, CA - Beauty Bar
05-25 Tijuana, Mexico - Tentaculo
05-26 Dallas, TX - Lizard Lounge
05-27 Detroit, MI - Masonic Temple