Here is a snippet of what the crew from Plugged Not Thugged had to say:

Diesel Laws is a serious force to be reckoned with when it comes to the topic of production.  While largely unknown, Diesel Laws – – a graphic designer, DJ and nasty producer of house music that packs some serious bass and wonky wobble – – is definitely on the come up, evidenced by the fact that his tracks (many of which he shares for free) have been springing up all over the blogosphere lately.

Go check out the rest of the post and download the mix from here – http://pluggednotthugged.com/blog/2010/09/04/plugcast-009-diesel-laws/

In general, inspiration can come in many forms, most often when we least expect it. You may already have a bunch of tips that help you find inspiration when producing, so I hope you can add these to the mix and get back on track.

1. Loosen The Grip On Your Mind

If you occasionally beat yourself up for not coming up with something the way it sounded in your head, you’re not alone. The way we hear things in our mind and the way we interpret that thought into our music are nearly always going to be different. This IS a good thing. Allow your inspiration to come through your music in a way you weren’t expecting. It keeps it interesting, fresh and can spark a lot more inspiration.

2. Start Before You Think

Often referred to as “on the fly”, being spontaneous can sometimes kick-start your imagination in a big way. Dropping in a random loop, off beat percussion or quick melody and building a track around that regularly leads to something worth saving. Sometimes, getting stuck with a particular sound, VST or genre can quickly demotivate you in making another track.

3. Remix

Remixes (and bootleg remixes) are great ways for producers to gain some attention. They are also great for breaking free from the ‘freak out’ that can come from seeing a blank canvas. By challenging yourself to remix you will inevitably fuel your inspiration and at the same time learn how other producers construct their songs.

4. Humour Yourself

Got Cheese? Humour is a great way to break up an uninspiring production. Open a new project, lay down some random samples and add some humour either in the form of funny recorded vocals or cheesy sounding synths. Sure it may not be a track you ever show anyone else, but it might just be the kick* you need to jump into the next project with a clear mind. *Pun intended

5. Lay It Out

Some producers may struggle with melodies, while others may struggle with the layout of a track. Whatever your hurdle, laying out a track from another artist you admire may just help you overcome that obstacle. While I don’t recommend copying another artists work, I do recommend gaining inspiration from the way in which they have crafted their sounds, started their breakdowns, changed the riffs and fleshed out their layers; Which may help you get past those technical issues that can block creativity.

6. Enjoy Your Production Space

Most artists will tend to have one main space to which their productions are born. Allow this space to be a place that inspires you and invites you back each time. Some will find the addition of the Internet to this workspace to be a freeing move which can help break up studio time comfortably, especially in the track rendering down-time.  Other additions may be open window lighting, controlled darkness, sound-wall padding, plants, supporting chair and (monitored) alcoholic beverages.

7. Don’t Do Anything

How often have you forced yourself to create something even when you haven’t been in the mood? Producing is a very complex process and can occasionally be slowed to a halt with forced creativity. If you don’t feel like making any music, then don’t. While there are moments when you may need to push on through regardless of mood due to project time constraints (#Tip 2), creating a track when your mind isn’t there can often do more harm then good; Leaving you frustrated and annoyed which can alter your positive perception of your production space and musical abilities.

8. Time Constraints Are Good

If you have managed to gain a project with time constraints, think of yourself as a lucky one. Many producers ( usually including yourself at an early point in your career) would love to have the opportunity to be asked by labels and other producers to create original and remix productions for them. Essentially, it’s the next step up from producing tracks and sending them to labels in the hope that they listen to them, let alone sign them. If the time constraints are really eating at you, it might be best to go back to Tip #1 or #2 or contact the label/producer and coming to an alternative arrangement.

9. Allow Yourself The Freedom To Change

Most people do a variety of different projects at any one time in their lives. The same goes for producers, who often pick up the ‘cousin’ craft of DJing. Participating in another activity that occupies your mind for long periods of time can often alter how you produce; Sometimes making it harder to create new tracks. This situation is perfectly normal and may just mean that you are putting inspiration into your other activity and it may take a little while to get back into the mind space needed for new productions. To counter act this situation, you may just need to play out Tip #2 or even #7 until you decide which path should take precedence.

10. Listen, Watch and Attend

Listening to new music, Watching music videos and Attending gigs, concerts and festivals should be a must for every producer. Opening your mind to ‘research’ via the Internet, or in the physical world will impact directly on your productions. As humans, we often emulate what we hear and see, and as most productions fit to a certain style based on genre (Kick, Snare, Perc, Instrument, FX) the visual and aural learning can only benefit your mind and concepts. Add to that the rapid rise of the digital producer taking his productions to a LIVE show purposely blurring the lines from bedroom producer to live act.

Hopefully you will find these tips useful for your own productions as I have. If you have any questions:

Two new tracks, both very different from each other. Acid Man is a hot bouncy Electro/House track for peak time sets and Sexy In Miami takes a sexy house form as it struts its way into your ears.

Acid Man

Release date: (TBC)

Release Label: Epidemic Recordings

SNEAK PEEK: Acid Man (Original Mix) [Epidemic Recordings]

Sexy In Miami

Release date: N/A

Release Label: Unsigned

SNEAK PEEK: Sexy In Miami (Original Mix) [Unsigned]

My thoughts on ‘unsigned previews’: Some artists, producers and labels may feel it is not the smartest move showing previews of unsigned tracks. The reason for this, is that by doing so, you are possibly creating a buzz for a track that has no current home. Thus, when (and if) it comes time for release, the buzz would have died down considerably.

While this may be very well the case, I would rather showcase my latest works in preview form to gain feedback, have something new to offer my fans and continue building my name through my productions. If I were a well known artist and people knew my sound, than maybe I would take a slightly different tact, more like the current ‘hidden until released’. Once a track is signed however, I feel it only fair to come to a common ground with the label and work with them on whichever release path they choose to take, even if that means removing the preview from public view.

The music industry has gone through many changes over the years but nothing seems to have hit it harder than the arrival of the Internet. The Internet appears to have completely changed the game to the point where the big labels/corporations are still struggling to find their feet. Previously, DJ’s who were lucky enough to buy the first release of an LP were usually the only ones to have it in their area, thus propelling their star further for having the freshest tracks.

But these days, anyone with an Internet connection can access the latest music, sometimes even before it has been officially released worldwide. This situation has been changing the general appeal of the DJ for some time to the point where producers seem to have been overtaking the lime-lite. From where I sit I continually see producers getting more attention through the Internet in terms of events, opportunities and even fans.

Some producers have set the world alight in such a short time with their incredible productions, leaving the actual art of DJ’ing to second place. One producer in particular (love him or loathe him) is Deadmau5. His productions are state of the art; colossal beasts that have generated a massive fan-base in a ridiculously short amount of time. With the aid of the Internet (and portals such as Ustream, Youtube and Beatport), Deadmau5 has been able to craft a career focusing on his skills as a producer first, before any DJ’ing actually took place.

And he’s not alone. There are a ton of other artists gaining increasing attention for their productions and overtaking spots usually reserved for extremely skillful DJ’s. In some cases (and it seems to be growing by the day), the Producers are able to sell out shows much quicker without the actual proof that they can DJ and/or even have a live act presence. But that doesn’t stop the hordes of fans wanting to get a glimpse of an artist that inspires/moves and fuels them with their creations that other DJ’s often can’t match.

The shift is happening right now. And to stay on board with current demands (and eager/impatient downloaders) veteran and fresh DJ’s alike may have to start considering the addition of ‘producer’ to their title or they may find themselves lost in the sea of creators.

Agree or Disagree? Drop your thoughts to my Twitter or Facebook page.

- Diesel Laws

Axwell brings us a smashing track that has been ripping up dance floors across the world. Now, comes the dirtier, wobblier remix by myself, ready to slot right in the middle of your electro and fidget collection. Enjoy the free download!

Axwell – Nothing But Love (Diesel Laws Remix)

In November Wonked Records will be turning 1! To celebrate, they are (amongst other things) re-releasing Dont Give Up Disco (Wonk) along with a stack of remixes. I have had a chance to listen to another birthday remix for the EP and I can officially say that this genre-hopping release is going to be huge! Here is the sneak peek of my Tech House remix of Don’t Give Up Disco. (Listen to the original here)

Release date: November (TBC)

Release Label: Wonked Records

Have a listen to this preview:

LO-FI PREVIEW: Dont Give Up Disco – Wonk (Diesel Laws Remix) [Wonked Records]

Through the connections of Facebook and Wonked Records I was asked by Epidemic Recordings (Dan) to create a fresh track for their label. Here, I bring you a sneak peek at the track called ‘What The Fuh’.

Release date: TBA

Release Label: Epidemic Recordings

Have a listen to this preview:

LO-FI PREVIEW: What The Fuh (Original Mix) [Epidemic Recordings]

A fresh set of electro for August.

Free Download Below (MP3 – 192kbps).

Diesel Laws (1 Hr) Enigma Mix

Tracklist:
Alex Velea – Don’t Say It’s Over (Deepside Deejays Remix)
Pryda – M.S.B.O.Y. (Original Mix)
D-bag – Milk (Gigi-Barocco-Remix)
Chrizz Luvly – Make It Right (Original Mix)
David Tort -Chase The Sun(Original Mix)
The Prodigy – Voodoo People (Dave Winnel ‘essential’ mix)
Calvin Harris – Flashback (DJ Kue Remix)
Christopher S & Mike Candys – Rhythm Is A Dancer (Christopher S Horny remix)
Diesel Laws – Shake Shake (Original Mix)
Filthy Rehab – Shake ‘N’ Dance (Alex Kidd (USA) Remix)
Dan Balan-Chica Bomb (Original)
MSTRKRFT – Heartbreaker (feat. John Legend) (Wolfgang Gartner Remix)
Aaren San – Apes From Space (Dirtyloud Remix)
Dave Spoon & Pete Tong – Gas Face (Lee Mortimer Remix)
Deadmau5 – Some Chords (And Some More Notes Fixd Remix)

Vino Tinto (English Translation: Red Wine)

Vino Tinto (Original Mix) [Unsigned] by Diesel Laws

Here comes something a little different from the Australian producer/dj Diesel Laws; “Boom Tap Sofa” – A lighter, solid house track destined to be the glue that sticks your sets together. The best way to enjoy this tune? Follow the Boom, Tap your feet and chill out on the Sofa.

Drop your feedback on the track by heading to Diesel Laws Soundcloud page.

Boom Tap Sofa (Original Mix) [Unsigned] by Diesel Laws