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DJ AM is here to celebrate Serato’s 10th birthday

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:33:00 +0000

Kiwi company Serato has revolutionised the world of DJing.

Their creation meant DJs could spin MP3s in the same way they would spin a vinyl, giving them more freedom than ever before.

Tomorrow night, the company celebrates its tenth anniversary, and some of the world’s top DJs are coming to the party.

You have got to be a fairly famous DJ to appear on a hit HBO show like Entourage and DJ AM is that famous. He has got his own club in Los Angeles, he has dated Mandy Moore and Nicole Richie and various models.

And, what is more, he says new Zealand DJ'ing software Scratch Live changed his life.

“Serato's Scratch Live gave me the third hand I always needed,” says DJ AM.

Five years go New Zealand company Serato created the software, which allows DJ's to mix and scratch files from their computer using regular old turntables.

“The first year it was all word of mouth and people had to be in the know then is just went wild and knocked all the competition out,”

No longer did DJs have to seek out hundreds of 12 inch vinyls to get their parties started, as they could do the same thing, and more, with MP3s.

The New Zealand made system became so popular; it even brought a three time Grammy award winning DJ Mark Ronson out of retirement.

“It is surreal. When we got together to start this company it was not going to be anything with DJing now it turns out its our main focus,” says AJ Bertenshaw, co founder Serato.

And now their software is the main focus of DJ's around the world, from our very own P-money, to the Entourage-loving DJ AM.

Digital 1 Media Announces Commercial Release of PCDJ Reflex®

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:11:00 +0000

Reflex® software offers the latest in high-performance, digital mixing for professional DJs and producers.

Clearwater, FL, June 6 -- Digital 1 Media, Inc. today announced the commercial release of PCDJ Reflex®, the Company's new, high-performance mixing software for professional DJs. The product is marketed through the Company's subsidiary, Digital 1 DJ (www.pcdj.com). PCDJ Reflex® boasts more than 100 new features not found in the Company's popular PCDJ FX VRM dual audio-file player. With the Reflex® product offering, Digital 1 DJ has achieved a more complete and advanced DJ software solution then anything else currently available on the market.

"We compiled a wish list from thousands of PCDJ pro-users and incorporated the most-asked-for features into a 'dream package' for digital DJs," stated Digital 1 DJ General Manager, Andrew Van Almen. "Every tool a professional DJ needs to produce studio-quality mixes and remixes has been incorporated into PCDJ Reflex®."

in addition to giving DJs the ability to sweeten tracks by adding VST plug-ins, Reflex® offers three independent players with interactive waveform displays. This makes cueing and looping easier, faster, and friendlier. With new Beat Grid and Quantization technology, Reflex® provides the DJ with fully assisted bar detection and beat location marking. This feature can be used for seamless auto-beat mixing, or can be turned off for normal real-time user control. Among PCDJ Reflex's most anticipated features are its versatile control options. DJs can now choose between time-coded vinyl/CD control, full midi, PCDJ's DAC-2 or DAC-3 controllers, the Denon DJ DN-HC4500, DN-HS5500, DN-HD2500, DN-S1200 controllers, or any combination for any type of gig in any environment.

DJs familiar with PCDJ software will find in Reflex® major enhancements to the player's Record Case. Reflex® can easily handle hundreds of thousands of tracks with a search as you type find function. Digital 1 DJ has also added back the popular case player for fast listening to songs. In addition, PCDJ Reflex® exceeds all of the important features of previous PCDJ products; including automatic BPM extraction, unlimited cue-point-per-song capability, and Automatic Beat Matching - in addition to greatly improved time stretching and pitch shifting.

Digital 1 DJ worked exclusively with developer Jorgen Hedberg, the original creator of the PCDJ software products, on the Reflex® release. Supported operating systems are Windows XP and Vista.

About Digital 1 Media, Inc.
Digital 1 Media, Inc,, through its wholly owned subsidiary of Digital 1 DJ, develops and markets the PCDJ brand of professional audio products, which since 1999 have been recognized as the world's leading source of DJ performance software. More than 80,000 professional DJs around the world now spin music with their computer using one of the Company's digital audio file mixers. For additional information, visit www.pcdj.com.

Preview PCDJ Reflex at:
http://www.pcdj.com/reflex

For more information or a sample copy, contact:
Digital 1 DJ
1176 NE Cleveland St.
Clearwater, FL 33755
727-799-3828 ext 105

DJ Fatboy Slim blown away by Rockness festival

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:01:00 +0000

BEAMING Fatboy Slim returned to Loch Ness yesterday claiming: "My baby's all grown up."

Dance star Norman Cook played at the first Rockness two years ago and yesterday rejoined 35,000 fans rocking the Highlands.

The DJ was blown away by the festival, adding: "It's incredible how it's grown since we created it a couple of years ago. It's mad to think it came from such a silly idea. "It's like seeing a child go off and grow up. There's a strange mixture of pride and trepidation at how big it's become.

"It makes me wonder just how big this event can become.

"I suppose the limits are set by the reaction of the people of Dores.

"When they feel it's getting too big or out of control, that's the time to stop growing. For now, though, it's amazing to be back."

Cook headlined the main stage last night. There was a real sense of homecoming as he came on stage to a bizarre Willy Wonka intro.

When he launched into Praise You, he sparked a mass singalong and left his decks to dance in front of the crowd.

His good mood didn't even waver when he was hit by a fan's lightstick.

Earlier, Dumfries-born Calvin Harris played much of his album Acceptable In The Eighties, with single Girls a huge crowd-pleaser.

Fellow Scots dance star Mylo spoke to Email after his blistering set - and revealed he is looking for unsigned singers for his next album.

He said: "I've been struggling for a while with one track. It's a Roxy Music-style tune so I've been trying to get Brian Ferry to sing on it.

"It's been dragging on for ages though so it's time for Plan B.

"If anyone out there sounds a bit like Brian Ferry please get in touch."

Just like at last year's T in the Park, The View sizzled - with the set blowing away the hangovers from singer Kyle Falconer's birthday on Friday.

The frontman looked ragged as he walked onstage but led the band through a string of new tunes and old favourites, including anthem Wasted Little DJs.

Razorlight will close the festival tonight but drummer Andy Burrows plans to promote his favourite charity by playing a surprise solo slot earlier.

He formed an all-star group - featuring pals from Editors, Muse and Guillemots - to play a fundraiser in London last month.

He has also recorded a solo album in aid of children's hospice Naomi House.

Speaking exclusively to Email, he said: "I would love to squeeze in 15 minutes for an acoustic gig.

"Maybe I'll do a bit of busking backstage to try to raise cash.

"There will be 40,000 people so if I can get across my message about Naomi House. It's perfect."

He hopes to perform tracks from his album The Colour Of My Dreams, which he recorded at home using material from a book of poems by a family friend.

Andy admits playing solo in front of such a huge crowd terrifies him. He said: "It's daunting but knowing I'm doing it for Naomi House spurs me on.

"I think of the incredible kids there and it shows me my worries are ridiculous.

"I was down there the other day drumming with them and their spirit is incredible, very inspiring."

Razorlight's next album is well underway and Andy claims it is the best thing they have done.

He added: "It's going well - it sounds amazing, immense, epic.

"The songs are stronger. It sounds phenomenal."

But will Razorlight give Rockness fans a preview tonight?

Andy said: "I'm not sure. I don't know if it is a bit early to let the singles, the biggies, out there."

Jazzie B, OBE

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:49:00 +0000

Jazzie B, OBE

Producer honoured

Jazzie B – Soul II Soul head honcho and sound system selecta extraordinaire, has been awarded an OBE.

On 16th May, he was bestowed with the title of Officer of the British Empire from HM Queen Elizabeth, in acknowledgement of his tremendous contributions to black British culture, and his work supporting young people in music and sport.

The central figure of the pioneering Soul II Soul Sound System, which gained massive props and a cult following due their genre-fusing blend of boogie, rare groove and reggae, through the early '80s, Jazzie B led his collective to huge success when they morphed from party rocking DJ outfit to a mould breaking recording act.

Worldwide hits 'Keep on Movin'' and 'Back II Life' are forever ingrained as bonafide classics of pop mythology, and since that time Soul II Soul have tirelessly released hit albums and rocked venues and festivals alike. Garnering Soul Train and Grammy Awards, and regularly hosting the Back II Life festival in Antigua, the funki dred is smashing it – it's about time he got his props!

Ben murphy

All Hail the Emperor Machine!

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Mon, 19 May 2008 21:42:00 +0000

Band to play Go!Zilla birthday

Hugely popular underground club Go!Zilla celebrate their third birthday this Saturday 26th July at London's Cargo, and to make the party swing in fine style, they've invited the live incarnation of Andy Meecham's Emperor Machine project to play.

Previously a studio only enterprise, Meecham has constructed a three-piece band to take his cosmic, spaced-out punk-funk grooves into the live arena. Most known for his part in dancefloor damagers Chicken Lips, he's saved his most esoteric, spaced out ideas for Emperor Machine, albums 'Aimee Tallulah is Hypnotized' and 'Vertical Tones and Horizontal Noise' becoming instant cult classics. Using live guitar, bass and obscure,'70s analogue synths, he merges elements of Krautrock, disco punk, house and the peculiar electronic soundtracks of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop to mesmeric effect. On the eve of the release of their third album, this live performance should be a defining moment.

As well as Mr. Meecham's gang, Go!Zilla regular James Priestley (secretsundaze) will be spinning, fresh from his work with Will Saul's pioneering Simple Records, and there are more DJs and acts to be confirmed. Tickets are £6 before 11pm, £12 after, with NUS concessions £10. Advance tickets can be purchased from www.cargo-london.com.

Ben murphy

PIONEER BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN COMPUTER JOCKS AND CD JOCKS WITH THE NEW CDJ-400 DIGITAL TURNTABLE

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:28:00 +0000

LONG BEACH (November 7, 2007)—Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. Professional Sound and Visual Division, the leader in Pro DJ products and the innovator of the CD turntable, unveiled the latest addition to its family of CD turntables, the CDJ-400. The CDJ-400 combines a sampling of features found in the different levels of Pioneer’s CDJ series with the simplicity of a standard CD turntable, including USB1 integration and MP3 playback, MIDI support, scratching capability, scratch jog effect and a variety of looping functions.

“We’re making it versatile and easy to get more control of digital music mixing by developing products like the CDJ-400,” said Matt Dever, vice president for Pioneer’s Professional Sound and Visual Division. “We’ve made the player very affordable for DJs. The CDJ-400 is packed with features that are ideal for different levels of DJs, from the ‘newbies’ to the professional DJs who want to better manipulate their DJ computer software.”

USB Integration and MP3 Playback
The CDJ-400’s cosmetic design is simple and compact yet elegant with all of its various controls and features located directly on top of the unit. A USB port found on the face of the player allows DJs to play their MP3 music collection from a wide variety of portable music devices such as thumb drives, MP3 players or external hard drives. With the use of a multi-function selector knob/button and its large, bright, dot-matrix LCD display, locating and accessing of files from these types of music devices as well as MP3 music files on CD and CD-R/RW through the CD slot are done with a turn and press of the knob.

DJ Software Compatibility and MIDI Control
With more of today’s DJs utilizing different DJ software for their
performances, the CDJ-400 is also equipped with a PC mode. In this mode, the CDJ-400 is a native controller for software such as Pioneer DJS2 computer software and SERATO® Scratch LIVE3. For example, the movement of the pitch slider on the CDJ-400 can control the pitch slider on the computer software and no timecode CD is required for audio control. The player can also act as a MIDI controller where the user can assign virtually every button on the player to trigger functions of various DJ software programs.

World’s First Scratch Jog Effect
A highlight and an advancement of the CDJ-400 is its scratching capability. In addition to traditional “vinyl” mode scratching, Pioneer implemented the World’s First Scratch Jog Effect. Three highlighted buttons, each assigned to a special effect, Bubble, Trans and Wah, creates unique scratching sound effects that can be enabled by the DJ on the fly. A “hold” button was also added to retain the different effects throughout the session or until its release, which can also be triggered at any point of play.

Additional features in the CDJ-400 include:

Digital Loop functions: A variety of loops can be created for additional audio effects.
Beat Loop: Automatically creates four beat loop based on the beats per minute (BPM) of music currently being played.
Loop Divide: Rhythmically divides the loop in halves to create different patterns.
Hot Loop: Restarts the loop seamlessly from its entry without interruption of the music.
Digital Jog Break: In CD mode the CDJ-400 contains three effects, Jet, Roll and Wah, which further enhances the audio by simply rotating the jog dial. The same buttons for the Scratch Jog Effect are assigned to the Digital Jog Break which are accessible at any point of play.
Tempo Control: Four tempo modes, ±6%, ±10%, ±16% and WIDE4, provide additional speed control with a resolution of 0.02% in the 6% range.
Cue/Loop Points: Up to 10 cue/loop points per disc, for up to 920 discs can be stored in memory.
Jog Indicator: A break in the red halo illumination around the jog wheel provides instantaneous feedback to the DJ.
Customizable Jog Wheel: The top of the jog wheel can be removed enabling the user to add their own customized image.
Digital Output: A digital output is available for a direct connection for clearer sound to a connected mixer.
Resume Function: The function takes effect if a CD is ejected accidentally. Once the DJ re-inserts the disc, it automatically starts playing from exactly the point where it stopped.

The CDJ-400 will be available in January 2008 with a manufacturer suggested retail price of $750.00.

www.pioneerprodj.com

PIONEER UNLEASHES NEXT GENERATION DVJ WITH NEW DVJ-1000

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Fri, 16 May 2008 16:18:00 +0000

LONG BEACH (July 20, 2006) – Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. yet again takes the DJ community by storm with the introduction of its next generation DVJ turntable, the DVJ-1000. Pioneer’s DVJ-1000 video turntable combines the function, operability and layout of the CDJ-1000, the most popular digital turntable in the market, with the revolutionary visual performance capability and power of the very first video turntable, the DVJ-X1.

“Pioneer doesn’t follow the trends, it helps create them. Moving beyond audio, the DVJ-1000 enables DJ/VJs to create performances with sounds and visuals from DVD,” said Karl Detken, director of product planning for DJ products at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.

By incorporating the key features and controls found in Pioneer’s CDJ and DVJ products, the DVJ-1000 becomes the “must have” equipment for today’s advanced audio and video jocks. Implementation of features from Pioneer’s CDJ series, such as large jog-dial controls, enables precise control of the audio and video data, various loop, hot cues, and reverse functions. Pioneer also enhanced the video features from its first generation DVJ product by adding a one-track seamless loop to instantly loop an entire video track to a session, perfect for short visual tracks.

The advancement of the DVJ-1000 also leads to a smaller physical footprint with a 30 percent decrease in size, closer to the dimension of the CDJ-1000 turntable. The change allows the player to fit in the same application of the CDJ players making it easy for DJs to upgrade to video.

The DVJ-1000 audio features include:

- MP3 Playback from DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW: Allows playback of MP3 files recorded onto DVD discs (record about 1,500 MP3 songs depending on bit rate and compression technology used).
- MP3 Navigator: Viewing of MP3 folder / track name on the preview screen of a monitor. Navigate the folder hierarchy, showing seven lines worth of information for quick song selection.
- Hyper Jog Mode: Increases the response of the jog-dial by four times for a quicker response on jog-dial motion for audio and video.
- 4-Beat Loop: Pressing the button while playing automatically sets a seamless four-beat loop.
- Back & Forth loop: Creates a loop repeating playback and reverse-playback in turn with the specified loop.
- 24bit/96kHz Digital Out: The audio output for DVD provides a connection to a Pioneer digital mixer (DJM-1000, DJM-800) that retains the signal path entirely in the digital domain for a cleaner sounding mix with less noise and distortion.
- Preview Monitor: A preview screen shows a range of information without the need to switch display modes, including: track number, time, track name/artist name/album title, wave display, playing address, hot cue point data and cue point data.
- Cue / Loop Point Navigator: Display memorized cue / loop point information on the preview screen of a monitor (12 points per page) for quicker navigation and callback of stored data.
- Jog Feeling Adjustment: DJs control the resistance of the jog-dial to tailor the tension jog to their liking.
- On Jog Display: The display at the center of the jog-dial allows quick viewing of rotation or current playing position similar to an analog record. Additional hash marks have been incorporated for better referencing of the playback position during scratch performance.
- Super-fast Search: Search through a track at a very high rate of speed which varies according to the rotation applied to the jog-dial by holding the search button while rotating the jog dial.
- Wave Display: The display resolution of the DVJ-X1 was doubled so the audio levels offer a higher degree of display for the track dynamics, from low to high passages.
- SD Memory Card: SD cards in addition to MMC cards can be used to store memory, cue points and wave data.
- Resume Play: A resume play feature starts the disc at the exact time a disc is ejected eliminating the need to start playback from the beginning of a disc. The feature is especially helpful when a CD is ejected accidentally.
- Legato Link Conversion Pro: Enhances the audio for a richer, more natural sound.

The DVJ-1000 will be available in September 2006 with a retail price of $2,999.

www.pioneerprodj.com

NEW GENERATION PIONEER DIGITAL TURNTABLES PROVIDE MORE CONTROL AND BETTER MIXING CAPABILITIES

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:02:00 +0000

CDJ-1000MK3 and CDJ-800MK2 refined with new features including MP3 capability

LONG BEACH (February 22, 2006) – Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today introduced the CDJ-1000MK3 and CDJ-800MK2, a new generation of high-end digital turntables that puts more control into the hands of DJs. Step-up features include jog feel adjustments, hot looping / re-looping, improved track and wave data display and MP3 compressed audio playback, providing DJs enhanced mixing and scratching capability to sharpen their craft. Suggestions from previous generation CDJ owners were taken into account in developing the new turntables, to add better feel, precision and performance. DJs will find the Pioneer CDJ products to feel as close to a vinyl turntable with the great benefits of a digital player.
“The input we received from leading DJs who used the previous CDJ models helped in the development of the next generation products,” said Karl Detken, product planning director for DJ products for Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “Adding MP3 playback to the CDJ-1000MK3 and the CDJ-800MK2 was a natural progression based on the growing use of MP3s. MP3 adds convenience and immediacy, making it easier for DJs to transport and access their music.”

Both new turntables will be available beginning in March 2006. Suggested price for the CDJ-1000MK3 is $1449 and the CDJ-800MK2 is $849.

CDJ-1000MK3

Club owners and DJs will appreciate the robust build of the CDJ-1000MK3, with its familiar high-quality polished look and clean layout. The new features make it easier to transport music as well as simplify cueing, looping, scratching and stretching of tracks.

- MP3 Capability – The player accepts playback of MP3 music including VBR files. A direct folder search button was added to allow DJs quick access to files within folders on an MP3 disc.
- JOG Wheel Feeling Adjust – The CDJ-1000MK3 includes a unique JOG feeling adjust letting DJs modify the resistance of the non-slip metallic jog wheel to meet individual styles. The wide tempo range (+100% to –100% with CDDA and +70% to 100% with MP3) also gives greater control.
- Multicolor Fluorescent Display - The display on the wheel was improved with a brighter, fluorescent display for quick visuals to music information. The larger cue marker and angle marks make it easier for scratch DJs to time their effects. The track display area was doubled in resolution to accommodate WAVE data and playing address details so users can see a track’s entire length at a glance.
- Hot Loop / Hot Cue Button – The player utilizes a single button to perform hot loop and hot cue storage, holding up to three loops per track. Orange and green illumination differentiate hot loop and hot cue tasks.
- Resume Play – A resume play feature starts the disc at the exact time a CD is ejected eliminating the need to start playback from the beginning of a disc. The feature is especially helpful when a CD is ejected accidentally.
- Gold RCA Connectors – Ensuring the highest level of sonic purity, the players use gold RCA connectors to minimize audio signal resistance.

The CDJ-800MK2

The CDJ-800MK2 retains the same key design themes found in many of Pioneer’s CDJ products, with a stylish new silver metallic finish and metallic buttons. It employs additional features for outstanding performance.

- MP3 Capability – The unit’s MP3 playback capability includes a “Folder Search” and “Text Mode” to provide artist name, track title and file name for quick access to music files.
- JOG Wheel Adjust - The feel of the JOG wheel is tweaked to mimic that of the CDJ-1000MK2. The jog wheel retains the non-slip metallic finish of the CDJ-1000MK3 as well as the same features on the JOG Display (brighter, larger cue point and 45° marks).
- Track Data Display – Track information through a higher resolution display is extended to show the complete track.
- Resume Play – Much like the CDJ-1000MK3, the unit resumes CD playback at the time a CD is ejected.
- Auto Beat Loop - DJs can create 1/8th beat loops with a new auto beat loop command with a quick hold of the loop-in button.

www.pioneerprodj.com

Fenin - Been Through

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:35:00 +0000

The cover of Lars Fenin’s second album for Shitkatapult looks alarmingly like the promotional shots of Burial that came with Untrue, with a silhouetted Fenin set against a cloudy Berlin sky amidst puddles of rain. But rest assured, this is no fanboy homage, nor even particularly moody or urban. In fact, while dubstep may have played a part in shifting Fenin’s sound further away from its dub techno origins, you couldn’t say Been Through is even really a dubstep album. Dub there certainly is, but Fenin is going for more song-based electronics, something like labelmate Apparat’s Walls from last year, only more compelling and less sentimental.

Perhaps the closest sonic analogy might be late '90s post-rock of the City Slang and Soul Static Sound variety, which Fenin’s earlier Shitkatapult 12” ‘Thrill’ also hinted at. There are guitars on ‘Miles and More’, for example, and the scratchy rhythms of the single ‘A Try’ could easily find themselves on to a To Rococo Rot album. ‘Elephants’, meanwhile, is abstract pop with clear dancefloor leanings and synthy pop beats.

Been Through is occasionally tense and brooding, such as on opener ‘Dub Eraldo – Intro’, made with Italian avante garde musician Eraldo Bernocchi, which is all dub pressure pulses and wobbleboard bass, or on the closing track ‘Years Ago’, which pairs a metronomic tin beat with dense hypnotic keyboards. In between, the mood is lighter: ‘Breakin’ is almost happy sounding, lifted up by it’s infectious (or infuriating, depending on your point of view) one finger keyboard melody and shuffling percussion.

Ghanaian-born Berliner Gorbi, who provided the vocals on several early Fenin singles, also adds to the retrospective dub flavour on four tracks. Unfortunately, his vocals on the single from the album ‘A Try’ and the electro pop cut ‘Colorfields’ follow almost the same melody line in parts, which undermines the effect. Gorbi is at his best on the cover of Neil Diamond ‘Red Red Wine’, which is transformed into an electronic roots reggae cover that is thankfully closer to Tony Tribe´s rocksteady version than the UB40 hit. Robert “Scorcha” Williams almost outdoes Gorbi on his one appearance with some heavy vocals on the sound system-esque ‘Complain’, but Gorbi is again in form on the excellent ‘I Guess’ where he lets himself get lost and loose in the hypnotic percussive maze. Importantly, Fenin seems to be content not to over-process any of the vocals, leaving them vulnerable, but also steering them well away from the clichéd dub territory of too many echoes and filters.

The albums greatest quality overall is its intelligence and control. No track is overly long and yet each has its own strong melodic current and well designed structure that develops as the track goes on –many even have short, elaborate codas. These details may give Been Through a weaving flow that adds interest, but overall there is a certain restraint to the record, which combined with the absence of a single binding idea leaves the album just short of being classic electronica.

Tracklist: Fenin - Been Through

01 Dub Eraldo – Intro
02 A try
03 Breakin
04 Colourfields
05 Miles and more
06 So weit so gut
07 Complain
08 Elephants
09 Red wine
10 I guess
11 Years ago

Chris Mann

Nôze – Songs on the Rocks

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:24:00 +0000

And the big new sound of the year is…BOOZECORE.

Nôze come lurching in to the big time with their debut album release on Get Physical and it’s a cocktail of slurred vocals, jolly pianos, sloppy rhythms and maudlin sentiment. In contrast to the prevailing spring break/frat party vibe of maximal music in 2008 or the cultural studies seminar of ‘serious techno’, this album is like you, your friends, some tequila shots and the back room of a pub.

Musically the main inspiration seems to be European folk music, particularly the raucous Balkan variety and an emphasis on genuine instruments (or synthesized approximations of the same) creating loose, easy grooves.

And that looseness is one of the two things that makes Songs on the Rocks so great. This stuff is just easy to dance to because the rhythms feel human and natural not tight and constricted – the beats are somewhat backgrounded instead of imposing themselves on the songs so tracks like ‘Danse Avec Moi’ are perfect for gently bobbing around, beer in hand, as well as more committed dancefloor perambulations. Even more stripped-down beaty instrumentals like ‘Ethiopo’ have woozy brass or off-time strings to move them away from a strict rigidity into something more informal.

Have you ever danced in pajamas? That’s how Nôze feels.

The second thing that makes this great are the vocals. There’s a touch of Gilbert Becaud in the confident moments and more than a little Shane McGowan in the growly emotional ones. It sounds like nothing else around today and means that this is an album that sits quite happily on iPods as well as club systems. Then the lyrics themselves are noteworthy – a mixture of English and French that feels utterly natural for today’s polylingual EU. The songs all focus on bringing to life characters and situations like ‘Slum Girl’s rose seller, or ‘L’inconnu du placard’s Uncle Charlie which give them a fantastical hallucinatory quality.

On the negative side more than a few people are going to find the oompah-oompah groove of songs like ‘Little Bug’ erring too far on the side of cheese. But if like Uncle Charlie you wake up in the morning and have a glass of wine it’s unlikely you’ll feel that way.

Songs on the Rocks is genuinely that reviewer cliché – “a breath of fresh air” (although perhaps “a breath of smoky whisky-flavoured air” might be more accurate). There’s a distinctive and well-realised vision here and it’s a vision that’s both original and more importantly incredibly fun. I’ve got no doubt that Noze’s piano sound, best known on ‘Remember Love’, will soon get ripped off ad nauseam by far lesser artists but that’s just the surface sheen. The ideas that lie below the execution are what makes this shine out as something special.

The album also contains a new contender for anthem status, and a worthy successor to ‘Remember Love’ in ‘You Have to Dance’ (which M.A.N.D.Y. are already closing their sets with). It has a whistles, a reggae-like offbeat stab and most importantly the lyric “You have to dance, you have to dance, you have to dance on this and think about your death / you have to drink, you have to drink, you have to drink all night to remember that you’re alive’. And if that’s not a statement of intent I don’t know what is…

There’s justifiable buzz around this and a strong chance that it will cross over to a more general audience. And even if it doesn’t, everyone should have a place in their collection for an album that straddles pop and techno and that can get the (house) party started even if your guests normally hate electronic music.

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:33:00 +0000

America's Best DJ 2008

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:12:00 +0000

MUCHOS TURNTABLES
NUMBER OF MICROPHONES UNKNOWN

As it celebrates 20 years of chronicling U.S. DJ Culture, DJ Times magazine kicked off its 2008 America's Best DJ contest on March 25th at Miami's Winter Music Conference by announcing this year's top 100 nominees.

Now entering its third year, America's Best DJ (ABDJ) stands to solidify itself as the pre-eminent DJ & nightlife culture-branding event in the nation. Inaugurated in 2006, this exciting prize-packed promotion supports the growth of US DJ & nightlife culture by encouraging dance music fans to get involved and promote their favourite US-based DJ. Previous ABDJ winners include New York club king Jonathan Peters (2006) and Miami trance master George Acosta (2007). A tour, which will culminate with a closing ceremony in Las Vegas, will include 40 events that will entertain over 100,000 dance music fans throughout the United States.

Over the past two summers, participating fans chose from a panel of America's Top 100 DJs (nominated by the staff of DJ Times), casting votes both online at www.americasbestdj.net and in-person at the 40 tour stops featuring showcased nominees at some of America's top club venues.

"We believe that America's Best DJ - the contest and the tour - will continue to bring visibility for DJ culture and strengthen its lasting foundation in the US," says DJ Times Editor, Jim Tremayne.

For the full list of 2008 America's Best DJ nominees and more information on the America's Best DJ 2008 Summer Tour including tour cities dates and participating nominees, log on to www.americasbestdj.net. Voting for the 2008 contest begins May 1.

America's Best DJ 2008 Summer Tour
April 30 - Philadelphia, PA - Fluid - Josh Wink
May 10 - Tampa, FL - Hyde Park Cafe - Adultnapper
May 10 - Columbus, OH - BoMa (Bar Of Modern Art) - Filo & Peri
May 17 - Atlantic City, NJ - The Mixx/Borgata Hotel & Casino - Roonie G
May 24 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Electronic Music Festival - Moby
May 25 - Columbus, OH - BoMa (Bar Of Modern Art - Micro
May 25 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Electronic Music Festival - Carl Craig
May 26 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Electronic Music Festival - Dubfire
May 31 - Boston, MA - Underbar - Joe Bermudez
June 5 - New York, NY - S.O.B.'s - DJ Rekha
June 14 - Los Angeles, CA - Avalon - Miguel Migs
June 20 - Austin, TX - Sky Lounge - Chris Fortier
July 4 - Las Vegas, NV - The Palms Hotel & Casino - DJ Skribble
July 5 - Las Vegas, NV - Empire Ballroom - Sandra Collins
July 12 - New York, NY - Sullivan Room - Steve Porter
July 12 - Atlantic City, NJ - Harrah's Hotel & Casino - Dennis Ferrer
July 19 - Hampton Bays, NY - Neptune's Beach Club - DJ Theo
September 6 - Las Vegas, NV - Empire Ballroom - Closing party (tba)

Police claim no charges to be brought over DJ Greening death

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Mon, 05 May 2008 20:22:00 +0000

Police have said that no-one will be prosecuted over the death of former Radio 1 DJ Kevin Greening.

A post mortem found that Greening, 44, died from a drug overdose in December, at a time when he had been a presenter on London's Smooth Radio.

A 51-year-old man was arrested at the DJ's London flat and cautioned for drug possession but no further charges will be brought, the BBC has reported.

A police spokesman is quoted as saying: "We can confirm that, following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, no charges will be brought regarding responsibility for the death of Kevin Greening.

"A 51-year-old man who was arrested at the time has been cautioned for possession of Class A substances - cocaine and ecstasy - and a Class C substance, cannabis."

Greening was found dead in his Wandsworth flat on December 29th.

An inquest into his death is now due to take place at Westminster's crown court on June 3rd.

www.inthenews.co.uk

TT50 turntable Cambridge Audio

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:36:00 +0000

After successfully stimulating the resurgence of affordable hi-fi in recent years, Cambridge Audio has now introduced a turntable to complement its range. The TT50 has been developed in partnership with respected turntable manufacturer Pro-Ject using some key Cambridge Audio innovations to produce outstanding vinyl reproduction at the price. The TT50 will set any record collection free.

The foundation of the TT50’s excellence is its elastomer coated acrylic platter. Developed at Cambridge Audio’s research and development headquarters, this design carefully controls resonance and provides matched acoustic impedance to the vinyl record for maximum detail retrieval. The elastomer paint also allows the platter to ‘grip’ the weighted sub platter which provides the necessary inertia to both provide rock solid timing and act against the forces at the stylus/record interface for retrieval of deep bass. As the platter has an elastomer coating there is no need for the more common felt mat and so any unnecessary influence is reduced.

Cambridge Audio’s proprietary arm and head shell are cast as one piece of precision aluminium, intrinsically reducing resonance with fewer parts involved. The fitted Audio Technica AT95E is a classic design high-specification half-inch mount moving magnet cartridge chosen by Cambridge Audio after extended auditioning as it offers a synergistic clear, dynamic and richly balanced sound.

The TT50 benefits from a magnetic anti-skating bias adjustment which applies a non-contact force to the arm counteracting the natural force applied by the record as the stylus is forced towards the centre of the spiraling groove. Anti-skate also ensures that the average pressure on both sides of the stylus is equal ensuring best stereo separation and tracking ability.

The one speed motor is optimized for both 33 and 45rpm respectively by moving the belt between two pulleys. The motor is isolated to float freely, minimizing vibration as well as producing a more coherent sound.

High quality gold phono/RCA connections are used in the TT50 for the best possible signal transfer and to allow choice of interconnect, without the usual compromised captive arm lead.

The TT50’s chassis is made from MDF with a high gloss finish applied and affords control of noise and resonance, something which is further underpinned by the simple but effective acoustic isolation feet. The TT50 is designed to work with Cambridge Audio’s existing range of products including amplifiers and well regarded phono stages such as the Azur 640P but of course other phono stages and cartridges can be used and the manual gives full details on cartridge replacement, alignment and set-up and includes a protractor to make this process relatively simple. All this gives a firm basis for outstanding playback from a treasured but perhaps underused LP collection!

Vestax Guber CM-02 USB Turntable

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:31:00 +0000

In this day of MP3s, turntables have been given a modern update to keep up with the times while retaining that aura from the past. The Vestax Guber CM-02 USB Turntable is drop dead gorgeous, allowing you to convert all your old favorites from vinyl into MP3 format if you haven't yet done so already. There is something about the glossy iPod-white color that graces the CM-02 which makes it all the more desirable. Prices vary from $233 to $499 depending on which side of the pond you're at, so do the smart thing and look it up online for the best deals.

Numark's TTi turntable

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:16:00 +0000

Turntable Features Direct Recording to iPod or Computer

Cumberland, R.I. (Jan. 16, 2008) – Numark, the world’s leading manufacturer of products for the DJ market, announces the TTi turntable. This new turntable includes a Universal Dock for iPod, USB audio interface, a metal platter and pitch control, making it one of the most versatile turntables ever produced.

Legendary Numark turntable performance, USB connectivity and the convenience of the iPod are fused together for the first time in the Numark TTi so users can easily transfer old vinyl collections to an iPod. The included software bundle archives records directly to the user’s iTunes Library for transfer to CD or any MP3 player. The software also reduces noisy pops and clicks inherent on some old vinyl recordings.

Owners of iPod (Classic or 5th generation) and iPod nano (2nd or 3rd generation) can record from vinyl directly to an iPod without a computer. People with other iPod models can transfer captured vinyl recordings to their iPod by using iTunes to transfer the tracks after recording.

TTi's integrated Line-level output allows quick, easy connection and instant playback from an iPod or vinyl record. Included ±10 percent pitch control enables adjustment of playback speed. 33 and 45 RPM playback speeds are supported, and 78 RPM recording is possible using the included software. Line-level outputs also enable easy connection to home AV Receivers, without the need for a Phono input on the receiver, making TTi a great match for home stereo setups or a home office.

The TTi includes EZ Vinyl Converter 2 (PC) and EZ Audio Converter (Mac), the simplest way to record and convert vinyl directly to iTunes. This amazing new software features Gracenote® MusicID technology, which analyzes your vinyl recordings and automatically retrieves album, artist and song information from the Internet. EZ Audio Converter also enables easy entering of track information.
EZ Vinyl Converter 2 and EZ Audio Converter software help anyone digitally archive their record collection with just a few mouse clicks.

Numark’s TTi turntable will be available Q2 - 2008 from most musical instrument retailers with an MSRP of $449.

www.numark.com

Sony Unveils a New "Digital" Turntable

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:17:00 +0000

You've got to hand it to Sony -- they've got their sticky mitts in everything, as their newfangled $149.99 PS-LX300USB turntable illustrates. As you might guess (or not) from the model number, this sucker includes a USB connection that lets you transform all of your old Duran Duran, Tangerine Dream and Ozzy LPs into the pristine digital domain. Never mind that analog purists decry the act of converting lush, warm analog fuzziness into brittle, thin and unsatisfying digital audio... that's a battle to be fought another day.

The Sony staffers were obviously at a loss while writing ad copy for this thing, remarking that "the PS-LX300USB USB turntable is also a fully functional turntable that can connect to your current system and playback your vinyl albums..." Uhh, yeah. It offers all the usual home turntable capabilities - a 33/45 RPM belt-driven platter, semi-automatic operation, early 1990s styling, and stereo analog outputs with old-school "greater than 50 dB signal to noise ratio."

Features

Do you still have some classic vinyl? Would you like to transfer those albums to your PC, Walkman® music player or even your iPod® music player? Well now you can bring those albums into the digital world with the PS-LX300USB USB stereo turntable from Sony. Using the USB connection, you can import all that music into your computer and create MP3 files to store on a PC or bring along with you on your favorite portable player. The supplied Audio Studio software makes it easy for you to archive your music from vinyl, optimize the sound, and store it on your PC. The PS-LX300USB USB turntable is also a fully functional turntable that can connect to your current system and playback your classic vinyl albums.

USB Audio output

33 1/3 and 45 rpm Record Playback

Belt Drive System

Supplied Dust Cover

Built In Phono Preamp

No Phono Input Required on Connecting Device

RCA Type Output Jacks L/R

Signal to Noise Ratio

>50dB

Wow and Flutter

<0.25%>

EQ Switch for Non-Phono Input Devices

Fully Automatic Operation

Product Specifications

Weights and Measurements

Weight (Approx.) : 6 lbs. (2.7 kg)

Dimensions (Approx.) : 15.7" x 3.9" x 13.5" (420 x 100 x 342mm)

Inputs and Outputs

RCA Audio Output(s) : 1 (Rear)

Audio

Signal-to-Noise Ratio : 50dB

Wow and Flutter : 0.25% (WRMS)

Audio Recording/Playback System : 33 1/3 and 45 rpm Record Playback

Accessories Supplied

Dust Cover

Paul Van Dyk's - Victory Mix, Armin Van Buuren's - 10 Year CD 1 & 2, Blank & Jones's - The Singles

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:31:00 +0000

ARMIN VAN BUUREN

Armin van Buuren (born December 25, 1976) is a trance music DJ and producer born in Leiden, the Netherlands who grew up in Koudekerk aan den Rijn. In 2007, he was voted number one DJ in DJ Mag's annual Top 100 vote.

10 YEAR CD 1
Tracks
01. HYMME.mp3
02. SAIL.mp3
03. LOVE YOU MORE FT RACCON.mp3
04. COMMUNICATION PART 3.mp3
05. YET ANOTHER DAY.mp3

10 YEAR CD 2
Tracks
01. WHO IS WATCHING.mp3
02. SATURDAY NIGHT VS HERMAN BROOD.mp3
03. ZOCAB FT GABRIAL.mp3
04. THIS WORLD IS WATCHING ME.mp3
05. SUNSPOT FT AIRWAVE.mp3

(NB : Just simply click the tracks to download)

PAUL VAN DYK

Paul van Dyk (born Matthias Paul; December 16, 1971 (1971-12-16) in Eisenhüttenstadt, Brandenburg, East Germany) is one of the world's leading trance music DJs and producers. In 2007, he was voted number four DJ in DJ Mag's annual Top 100 vote.

victory - mix (full album).mp3

(NB : Just simply click the tracks to download)

BLANK & JONES

Blank & Jones is a German Trance act, consisting of the members Jan Pieter Blank (born June 15, 1971), René Runge (born June 27, 1968), better known as DJ Jaspa Jones and the producer Andy Kaufhold ( N*D*K) (born December 17, 1969).

THE SINGLES
Tracks :
01. A FOREST.mp3
02. PERFECT SILENCE.mp3
03. CATCH.mp3
04. THE NIGHTFLY.mp3
05. CREAM.mp3
06. DESIRE.mp3
07. MIND OF THE WONDERFUL.mp3
08. SOMEBODY.mp3

(NB : Just simply click the tracks to download)

IN SEARCH OF SUNRISE #5 (ASIA TOUR)

In Search of Sunrise (ISOS for short) is the title given to a trance mix-compilation series by Tijs Verwest under his most well known pseudonym DJ Tiësto, and just Tiësto from the fourth installment onwards. The series, currently up to its sixth installment, has been released by Tiësto on the label Magik Muzik, a subdivision of Black Hole Recordings. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at #170 with 4,200 sales.

TRACKS :
01. CLOSE TO YOU.mp3
02. SPARKLES.mp3
03. 4873.mp3
04. TRAFFIC.mp3
05. VICTORIES.mp3
07. BREDA 8_00 PM.mp3
08. ADAGIO FOR SINUGS.mp3
09. OLYMPIC FLAME.mp3
10. ATHENA.mp3
11. DALLAS 4 DUN.mp3
12. URBAZ TRAIN.mp3
13. IN MY MEMORIES.mp3

(NB : Just simply click the tracks to download)

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 21:34:00 +0000

Unlimited mp3 house music download for free

Download the coolest and newest house music from the dj around the world with any genre here for free !

Febuary Update

#DJ Tiesto - Trance Energy
#DJ Tiesto - Adagio For Strings
#DJ Tiesto - Lethal Industry
#DJ Tiesto ft.Kirsty Hawkshaw - Urban Train
#DJ Tiesto - Insomnia

#Benny Benassi - Satisfaction
#Benny Benassi - I Love My
#Benny Benassi - Can U Feel The Bass
#Benny Benassi - bombs
#Benny Benassi - storm love
#Benny Benassi - Change Style

#DJ Tony - Untitled
#Martin Brother - Stoppit
#DJ Riri - Rusty Guitar
#Violeta- I Love My Sex

Prosumer & Murat Tepeli - Serenity

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:19:00 +0000

I did a naughty thing. I made a playlist, one that might make Prosumer and Murat Tepeli uncomfortable. It’s called ‘Amnesia vs. Serenity’, and I leave it on shuffle for hours at a time. I wouldn’t have made it under most circumstances—or with nearly any other combination of albums—but in this case, the meeting seemed not so much a tentative experiment as an exhilarating tryst. It’s no light thing to say that Serenity is an ideal counterpoint, a perfect partner for a musico-romantic involvement (across the space of decades) with Larry Heard’s classic productions as Mr. Fingers. And it’s no mean feat that the duo (with help from Elif Biçer’s voice and the prestige of Ostgut behind them) have managed to produce a collection of tracks and songs that not only echo but amplify and renew the passion that they draw their form and voice from. Serenity calls to the classic house trax of mid ‘80s Chicago in the same way that CW Stoneking calls to Robert Johnson and the delta blues; the way that Amy Winehouse (poor thing) calls to Arethra Franklin and Billie Holiday; the way that Jamie Lidell calls to Otis Redding. Maybe, to draw this release into a broader current in music, the loving capture of old spirits presents us with a perfect encapsulation of what it means to be contemporary in the mid ‘00s.

It should be obvious then (following the analog) that Serenity is hardly about the search for new formulas, or even their accidental discovery. ‘Steeped’ in the classics might be a word for it. ‘Staunchly’ house might be another. Within the sound called house, the music of Prosumer, Murat Tepeli and Elif Biçer on Serenity also parallels the neo-classicist productions of Jamal Moss (Hieroglyphic Being), but there are key differences in approach and outcome. Moss’ emphasis is always on ‘the box’, the way he uses it as a tool for exploring a groove that is continually discovering itself. In contrast, Serenity’s strength is in the sparse precision of polished arrangements and the looseness of their movement. Prosumer and Tepeli use their style to rediscover something that was already there, a preset, but a personal one that the machine will only bring forth if you seduce it.

A few highlights: the album’s opener, ‘Serenity’, for the clarity and warmth of Prosumer’s vocal, and the lyrics. ‘Butterfly’, for the ‘beauty and the beast’ contrast between the elevating sweetness of Biçer’s soprano and the sinister growl of the bassline below it. ‘Devotion’, for the sighs of the synth washes and the slow acid line that weaves it all together. ‘Latenight Theme’ for the deliciously brief (eleven seconds) window on the larger melodic theme that contains shades of Isolée’s Rest—also thereby hinting at a possible avenue of musical development for their forthcoming works… guys?

Hinting at such possibilities also brings us to the limits of Serenity as a work of musical creation, as ‘new’ music. Amy Winehouse apparently missed out on the 2007 Mercury Prize because some thought Back to Black was a ‘retro record’ (the guy from the Klaxons said as much). I wonder whether this is a relevant or interesting criticism in 2008. Whether or not this is a problem for you depends on your conception of what ‘new’ music should be. It should be obvious by now that Serenity is not an album of surprises, but of tried and true sounds. You might even call it ‘traditional’; it certainly could just as accurately have been called Fidelity. Personally, such a perfectly faithful articulation of the golden formulas escapes the kinds of caveats that might pursue it. For the many new fans who (hopefully) discover ‘the feeling’ through this album, this also means that Serenity presents an entry into the jacking yesteryear of the Warehouse (via the back door). Either way, Serenity is the golden age recast as the gleaming spirit of the now, and it soars.

Words/PeterChambers

Tracklist: Prosumer & Murat Tepeli - Serenity

01 Serenity
02 I Go Mad
03 Drama Baby (feat. Elif Biçer)
04 Lov (feat. Elif Biçer, recorded live at Panorama Bar)
05 Turn Around (feat. Elif Biçer)
06 The Craze (recorded live at Panorama Bar)
07 Go Silla
08 Makes Me Wanna Dance
09 Give And Take
10 Butterfly (feat. Elif Biçer)
11 Believe (Instrumental Mix)
12 Latenight
13 Latenight Theme
14 Noone Else
15 Solid Mind
16 Devotion
17 Serenity Reprise

Commix - Call To Mind

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:15:00 +0000

The press notes for the very first artist album in Metalheadz history compare it to landmark drum n bass full lengths such as Timeless or New Forms. Unfortunately, the reality is a little less glowing. Rather than the Pendulum-fueled headbanger breaks that have dominated DnB over the last few years, Call To Mind is more retro-tinged, inhaling the likes of Bukem, Photek, and Two Pages-era 4 Hero and synthesizing them into something that has a lot of variety. Well, at least the CD version released last year did. The 3x12” vinyl—held up at the plant for months due to a pressing error, apparently—unfortunately strips away that range and focuses squarely on the most dancefloor friendly choons.

The first disc is the best of the three. ‘How You Gonna Feel’ has a nice urban feel and features the warm smoothness of Steve Spacek’s voice, while ‘Change’, featuring a guest appearance from fellow Cambridge hip-hop producers the Nextmen, is even better. This side may not be tough enough for kids in the States raised on a steady diet of Linkin Park and Timbaland, but it will certainly get love back home in England for being authentic.

The second disc is more progressive-sounding, underpinned by a touch of blunted Philly soul that’s overall reminiscent of mid-nineties Photek, while disc three is the weakest of the collection with two peak hour steppers that, beside the lush electronic strings on ‘Emily’s Smile’, offer little of the forward thinking drum n bass movement that Commix are said to be a part of and that’s seriously disappointing.

Call To Mind is a decidedly ordinary album. It’s retro feel might be fun, but there’s little of the innovation shown by Goldie and his Metalheadz label the decade previous to show here. Hailed as the return of the genre on its release, ultimately the record only speaks to how low the bar is for DnB these days.

Words/Sean-MichaelYoder

Tracklist: Commix - Call To Mind

A How You Gonna Feel
B Change
C Belleview
D Japanese Electronics
E Emily's Smile
F Strictly

Cyantific - Hospital Mix Six

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:08:00 +0000

Hospital Records consistently puts out at least decent, usually good and sometimes great drum n bass tunes, but I've no idea why they showcase their best releases each year under the Hospital Mix aesthetic. The sixth in the budget-priced series is 29 Hospital tracks mixed live across three decks by boy wizard Jon Cyantific, who nabbed Best Breakthrough DJ award at last year's BBC 1Xtra Bass Awards. If that description alone made you want to bust open the piggy bank and rush to your nearest record store, I'm not gonna block the door. But everyone else who still thinks five pounds is too much for an often-incoherent DJ jerk-off session had best hold on to their wallet.

It's hard to figure out exactly who's to blame here. Could it be label founder London Elektricity, who made last year's Hospital Mix Five with the same more-bang-for-your-buck mentality? That mix was still a fair shake better than Six though, so is it Cyantific's fault? He did a bang-up job on his disc for the Hospitalised package two years ago, cutting a wide swathe through the label's tougher territory with loads of clever double drops, teases and a nice flow.

All the same tricks are employed here, so is it the tracks' fault? Not by a longshot, seeing as how Cyantific didn't pass on a single gem from arguably Hospital's best year yet: High Contrast's 'If We Ever,' Apex featuring Ayah on 'Space Between', and the massive Matrix & Futurebound remix of 'System' by Nu:Tone with Natalie Williams. It's a solid selection, but what Cyantific's mix desperately needs is about ten less tracks and ten more minutes.

Problem is, instead of building a coherent set with peaks, troughs and an ending that leaves you wanting more, Cyantific would rather just show off his DJ tricks for an hour and call it a night. His habit of layering songs three-at-a-time is bad enough, coating the crystal clear breakbeats in one tune with the grimy film of those from two others. Most annoyingly, however, is his tendency to replace uplifting breaks with sinister ones: pitting Nu:Tone & Pat Fulgoni's funky 'Beliefs' against his own industrial 'Disconnected', and criminally draining the aforementioned 'System' remix of all its
spine-tingling power by dropping it into his caned-to-death 'Flashback' from 2005. The double-drop works nicely on 'If We Ever' cut with little-known producer Muffler's 'Mermaids.' But even then it's not as good as DJ Hype managed when he slammed it into Dillinja's 'Tunnel Grinder' on his Drum & Bass Arena Presents mix last year.

Like Hype and fellow three-decks jock Andy C, Cyantific is a proud proponent of the ADHDJing style that is so prevalent in DnB. Maybe it's those DJs' years on the scene, but they're much more capable of juggling shitloads of tracks in a short amount of time and still having it all make sense. And while Jon Cyantific has been quoted as saying, "A good DJ is a musician in my book," his mixing has a long way to go before it will reflect that. Go back to the lab and let someone else on next year. My advice to that DJ: less is more.

Words/DaveRinehart

Tracklist: Cyantific - Hospital Mix Six

01 High Contrast – Metamorphosis/Logistics - Inside My Soul
02 Apex featuring Ayah - Space Between
03 Logistics - Glitch
04 High Contrast - The Ghost Of Jungle Past
05 Commix - Scarlet
06 Blame - Hindsight
07 Nu:Tone featuring Pat Fulgoni - Beliefs
08 Cyantific – Disconnected/Logistics - Krusty Bass Rinser
09 Nu:Tone Feat Natalie Williams - System (Matrix & Futurebound Remix)
10 Cyantific & Logistics – Flashback/London Elektricity - Round The Corner (Origin Unknown Remix)
11 Nu:Tone - Second Connection
12 Logistics - Colour Wheel (Friction & K-Tee VIP)
13 High Contrast - If We Ever
14 Muffler - Mermaids
15 Danny Byrd - Shock Out
16 Logistics - Spotlight
17 Makoto & T-Ak - Voyager
18 Nu:Tone - Troopers
19 Mistabishi - No Matter What
20 Logistics - Lullaby
21 Cyantific - Change Your Mind
22 Logistics - Reality Checkpoint
23 Cyantific - Space Station Kru
24 Danny Bryd & The Brookes Brothers - Gold Rush
25 Mistabishi - She Lied
26 High Contrast – Everything's Different (Calibre Remix)

Sascha Funke - Mango

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:02:00 +0000

It feels like the debate around new production software and mp3 distribution is just going to run and run, and to an extent we’re all pretty sick of it now. I’m certainly never checking one of those “VINYL WILL NEVER DIE SUXX0RS” forum threads again. These changes to the way music is made and sold, however, have one effect that hasn’t been talked about that much, and that’s the increase in the number of artist albums. Because it’s so much easier to produce an album and send it out these days, many more artists are doing them. And that’s having an effect on the nature of albums.

So what is a good album? Mango is well produced and there are some really nice tracks on here. The general way it sounds isn’t surprising—there are a lot of clean sounds, trancey basslines and melodies like sunshine on a cold, wintry day. This is what Sascha Funke has always been most liked for—that techno with a poppy edge which brings to mind classic Kompakt (which is odd because he’s on BPitch).

On the other hand it just doesn’t feel unified at all, which is also par for the course for Funke, who’s always been a frustratingly inconsistent producer and one who’s very hard to pin down. He’s done classic techno (‘A Boy’) and unmitigated cheese (‘When Will I be Famous’) and a host of more forgettable releases to boot.

There are three basic styles on Mango. The first is lazy, melodic tunes that sit halfway between club fare and home listening, for example ‘Mango’, ‘Feather’ and ‘Chemin des Figons’. These are well constructed, rich and pleasant to listen to. They’re also not terribly memorable, lacking catchy melodies and not picking out a unique enough mood to really stick in the mind. It’s comedown music, but not the kind that makes you feel better, just the kind that makes you feel like you’re coming down.

More successful are the darker pieces – ‘Lotre (Mehr Fleisch)’ and ‘Double Checked’. ‘Lotre’ is definitely a stand-out and would have been a great single. It’s an epic journey of shifting sounds, drum fills and gothic ambience underscored with punchy and overwhelming bass. There’s a stuttered, cut-up vocal section with a metallic riff that will put a serious boot up the ass of the dancefloor and really get everyone sweating. I can definitely see this track being used to shift the evening into high gear. ‘Double Checked’, which was a single, has a similarly dark edge to it, but is tense rather than intense with a choked-sounding bell doing a staccato jig over a very foursquare rhythm and marginally corny downpitched vocals.

The third style is what I’d call first-wave trance—reminiscent of Rising High or Eye Q records from the early ‘90s. ‘We are Facing the Sun’ is the poppier of the two tracks in this vein, with a Hi-NRG bassline that bounces along satisfyingly under chiming pianos and some jacking snare sections. There are distinct sections to the song so it ‘progresses’ in classic style and that bassline is definitely catchy. Less upbeat is ‘Take a Chance with Me’ which is more spacey in feel with quasi-electro blips and an echoey almost-melody which really reminds me of Oliver Lieb. This is one of those ‘holding pattern’ kind of tracks that don’t take you up or down but rather inward and may be a chance to look around and take in the scenery without leaving the dancefloor.

Finally, worth mentioning is the closer ‘The Fortune Cookie Symphony’, which is an ambient piece. There’s a spoken vocal on the theme of ‘dream on, dreamer’ which falls just the right side of cheese making it feel genuinely inspirational despite some of its downbeat subject matter: “the revolution won’t be televised, won’t be live, won’t happen at all”. The trickling water sounds and melancholic washes complete the mood and dropped at the right time this will make hearts swell or eyes moisten. Not bad for closing mixes with either.

It’s hard to come to an overall conclusion on this record. If an album is just an EP with more tracks to choose from, that’s fine. If on the other hand you’re shooting for something like Asa Breed or From Here we Go Sublime which has that unified feel, and can be put on and listened to all the way through, it’s not. I’d say that the tracks you want here are ‘Lotre’, ‘We are Facing the Sun’ and ‘Fortune Cookie Symphony’. The rest are probably safe to miss. As an EP of three songs, that would be absolutely killer. As an album this is rather less so.

I think that as the quantity of music being produced continues to increase, editing is more important than ever. Nobody wants to check on hundreds of albums every month, we need shortcuts. We need labels like BPitch to stand for quality and to do this it’s important not to put out albums when EPs would be better. That’s why, even though labels as a round piece of paper and a facilitator of distribution are becoming obsolete, the role of the label is has never been more significant.

Words /Jacob Wright

Tracklist: Sascha Funke - Mango

01 Mango
02 We Are Facing The Sun
03 Feather
04 Take A Chance With Me
05 Summer Rain
06 Double Checked
07 Lotre (Mehr Fleisch)
08 Chemin Des Figons
09 The Fortune Cookie Symphony

Mlle Caro and Franck Garcia – Pain Disappears

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:55:00 +0000

Deep house label Buzzin’ Fly signed Caro and Garcia after the suitably dark single ‘Far Away’, released back in 2006. However, the odd coupling of micro-house with electro-pop on Pain Disappears makes it an unlikely choice for the imprint’s first ever artist album. Until you consider that Fly boss Ben Watt established himself as Tracey Thorn’s other half in Everything But The Girl, admired as much for their romantic pop sensibility as their dancefloor friendliness. This is what Rex Club resident Caroline Laher and fellow Paris DJ Garcia seek to emulate, right down to the question marks over the true nature of their “collaboration”. But while the intensely private Thorn and Watt are now confirmed married with kids, if Caroline and Franck were ever an item, they certainly aren’t any more.

Pain Disappears reveals the death of a relationship, which, as always, takes place behind closed doors. The outward signs suggest everything is fine: the wistful single ‘Always You’ and the Ewan Pearson mix that tugged our heart strings late last year; the album’s happy-ever-after title; even its production presents a united front. Caro and Garcia share vocal duties throughout, singing every line side by side as if they were one being. (Granted, a being that can't really sing, but they're carrying on the great French tradition of vocalists whose accent far outweighs their ability, from Serge Gainsbourg to Miss Kittin.) The couple’s double-edged voice is supported by instruments that chime in together, like the twin guitars of ‘Dead Souls’, which reinforce this atmosphere of absolute harmony. But the lyrics tell a different story…

“Dead souls are shouting,
Melancholy is my wife,
Angels are dying,
Love hurts like a knife”

…and all against a backdrop of sheer sonic positivity: the whimsy of early Air, the warm organics of neo-kraut rockers Fujiya & Miyagi and the welling-up emotions of the best haus Berlin has to offer. This juxtaposition of the gleeful and the glum betrays an adolescent delight for wallowing in misery, the reveling in the rollercoaster ride of a teenage crush. As the chorus for ‘Dead Souls’ declares without a hint of irony, “Alright! What a great life”.

This is a romantics’ record. Aside from a micro-house mid-section bolstered by the instrumentals ‘Lost’ and ‘No Name’, Pain Disappears won’t move dancefloors. But if you’re of the right (overly?) emotional state, it can find a place in your heart. If you’ve ever swayed to The Smiths at an indie disco, drunk and alone, or secretly enjoyed having your heart broken, then this is for you. No doubt Ben Watt has done all that and grinned through the tears, but if devotees of his label don’t have the same sentimental streak, this affair could be over before it’s even begun.

Words/JamesGlazebrook

Tracklist: Mlle Caro and Franck Garcia – Pain Disappears

01 Always You
02 Apologies
03 Dead Souls
04 Hold Me
05 I Don't Want
06 Mon Ange
07 Lost
08 No Name
09 No One
10 Reason To Stay
11 Always You (Ewan Pearson Remix)

Various Artists – Kitsuné Maison Compilation 5

noreply@blogger.com (dj ctux) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:52:00 +0000

When the first Now… This is What I Call Blog House compilation is going to be released (probably a sign of the forthcoming Apocalypse if there was ever one, right?), Parisian imprint Kitsuné will obviously be featured prominently. Sure, at the beginning, Kitsuné was merely just the bastard lovechild of two Daft Punk’s mimickers and some French Touch leftovers designing exclusive and expensive cashmere sweaters and releasing vaguely cheerful house tracks by Romuald and Towa Tei next to the occasional Playgroup number grooving about mad love or Black Strobe getting all excited about Italian fireflies. Then, in early 2005, they signed Digitalism, who spawned almost singlehandedly the whole rock’n’dance collision trend, and this very discovery articulated a shift in aesthetics, one the label’s is still dealing—some would say struggling, but I’d disagree—with today. Their Love, Midnight, X and numerous Maison compilations chronicled both the label’s and the scene’s evolution, and the fifth installment of the Maison series only enhance Kitsuné’s slightly controversial yet legitimate legacy and ongoing relevance.

Latest recruit Fischerspooner (Fischerspooner?!) is, somewhat ironically, opening the compilation with their comeback single: ‘The Best Revenge’, sounding like Pet Shop Boys stuck in an attic with a brass band and a jar full of year-old ketamine (that is actually more exciting that it sounds on paper, by the way). It mostly serves here as a reminder that 1) blog-house/nü-rave wouldn’t even exist if it wasn’t for the breach opened by Electroclash seven years ago and 2) there is still something to be said about vaguely homoerotic and histrionic NYC art school electro-pop from eccentric out-of-touch 30-somethings. Other big names include M.I.A. and the aforementioned Digitalism: ‘XR2’ (Silverlink vs Kicks Like a Mule Remix) exhilaratingly brings us back to a time when music was actually made for jilted generations, while ‘Pogo’ (Digitalism’s Robotic Remix) gets rid of the annoying vocals and guitar parts of the original altogether in favor of pulsating and relentless synths echoing the duo’s scorching live rendition. Mumbling, yeah? Err, I don’t think so.

Even bands that usually appear in rockier guises everywhere else (The Teenagers, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, Cazals) are shown here in DJ-friendly remixed mode, thus making the entire compilation appearing definitely more coherent than the previous ones. Add an Alan Braxe exclusive (the rave-ish ‘Addicted’), a recent Rex the Dog cut (the reliable ‘Circulate’), and a few recent signings for good old-versus-new measure (autoKratz, Pin Me Down, Bitchee Bitchee Ya Ya Ya, Kid, Big Face, all slightly predicable but quite efficient nevertheless), and you get Kitsuné’s very own Now… This is What I Call Blog House compilation… without the Apocalypse and with just the fun.

Overall, then, Kitsuné Maison 5 does exactly what it says on the tin, albeit harder, better, faster, and stronger. What is straight-out-of-rehab Britney doing in the top right corner of the artwork, on the other hand, is anyone’s guess.

Words/StéphaneGirard

Tracklist: Various Artists – Kitsuné Maison Compilation 5

01 Fischerspooner - The Best Revenge
02 Late of the Pier - Broken (Fairy Lights Mix)
03 Alan Braxe - Addicted
04 David E. Sugar - To Yourself
05 Pin Me Down - Cryptic
06 M.I.A - XR2 (Silverlink v Kicks Like a Mule Remix aka 92JUK)
07 The Teenagers - Homecoming (Gentlemen Drivers Rave Mix)
08 autoKratz - Pardon Garçon
09 Digitalism - Pogo (Digitalism's Robotic Remix)
10 DatA - Aerius Light (Kitsuné DJ-Friendly Edit)
11 Does It Offend You, Yeah? - Let's Make Out (Extended Mix)
12 Rex the Dog - Circulate
13 Bitchee Bitchee Ya Ya Ya - Fuck Friend (CSS Remix)
14 Friendly Fires - On Board
15 Big Face - I Wanna Be a Style Crusader (DatA Remix)
16 Kid - I'll Never Know
17 Cazals - To Cut a Long Story Short (Vicarious Bliss Mellotron Mix)