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

2008-06-10T22:33:00.001+07:00

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®

2008-06-10T22:11:00.004+07:00

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

2008-06-10T22:01:00.002+07:00

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

2008-05-20T04:49:00.003+07:00

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!

2008-05-20T04:42:00.002+07:00

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

2008-05-16T23:28:00.004+07:00

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

2008-05-16T23:18:00.008+07:00

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

2008-05-16T22:02:00.013+07:00

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

2008-05-16T00:35:00.003+07:00

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

2008-05-16T00:24:00.003+07:00

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.

2008-05-15T22:33:00.002+07:00

America's Best DJ 2008

2008-05-07T01:12:00.002+07:00

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

2008-05-06T03:22:00.001+07:00

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

2008-05-02T01:36:00.003+07:00

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

2008-05-02T01:31:00.001+07:00

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

2008-05-02T01:16:00.005+07:00

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

2008-05-01T23:17:00.006+07:00

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

2008-03-14T22:31:00.024+07:00

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)

2008-02-24T04:34:00.002+07:00

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

2008-02-23T18:19:00.004+07:00

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

2008-02-23T18:15:00.003+07:00

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

2008-02-23T18:08:00.005+07:00

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

2008-02-23T18:02:00.004+07:00

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

2008-02-23T17:55:00.005+07:00

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

2008-02-23T17:52:00.003+07:00

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)

Justus Köhncke - Safe and Sound

2008-02-23T17:44:00.004+07:00

Justus Köhncke’s two previous full-lengths on Kompakt, Was Ist Musik (2002) and Doppelleben (2005), were slightly frustrating affairs. Both albums were filled with clever pop structures, quality sound design and subtle shifts in mood, but somehow they tended to fall short of pure emotional captivation. Partly of course this was due to Köhncke’s notorious vocals, which are at times just too deadpan and at times just too camp (check his destruction of Jürgen Paape’s seminal ‘So Weit Wie Noch Nie’ for the evidence), but the albums were also occasionally marred by Köhncke’s weakness for soft-focus disco, with kitsch rather than glamorous and decadent results.

Safe and Sound combines many of these tendencies, but happily, it’s a much more satisfying listen. So much so you’ve got to wonder what inspired the difference. Perhaps this more muscular sound is down to Köhncke spending a lot of time in the clubs, or perhaps it’s a product of his new studio (located in an old butcher shop). The newfound help of the album’s co-writer/producer Fred Heimermann (certainly on ‘Tilda’, but likely more) might also be a contributing factor. But perhaps there was just something in the air? Those leaves on the Pop Ambient-esque cover, after all, do look suspiciously like marijuana.

Köhncke’s disco tendency come to the fore on several tracks, but more confidently than on the previous two albums. With its ‘70s strings, ‘Parage’ is downright funky and would, in an ideal world, play on radios in Cadillac cars with whitewall tyres. ‘Molybdän’ lives up to its elemental name (attn non-scientists: ‘molybdenum’ is a heavy metal) and mimics more disco ball glitter than disco sound itself with sparkling stabs of sound and winding analogue washes. More overtly disco is the brilliant opener ‘Yacht’ which pays strong homage to ‘Slave to the Rhythm’, but then develops its own melodic narrative.

Grace Jones isn’t the artist from the past to get name-checked. The first single from the album, ‘Feuerland’, is a cover of Krautrocker Michael Rother’s track from his 1977 LP ‘Flammende Herzen’. Not disco, but big on authentic retro synths and guitars, all underscored by strong beats and a motorik groove. Köhncke also gives himself a work over, updating ‘Love and Dancing’ from Total 7, while ‘$26’, one of the albums most potent tracks, seems to borrow the slick bass riff from Thomas/Mayer’s ‘Panic Room’.

The most notable departure from the past, however, is the absence of vocals. ‘(It’s Gonna be) Alright’ is the only track to feature Köhncke’s voice, and even that is limited to repeating the title as a simple refrain. The music underneath, meanwhile, is promising, but the sentiment of the track is a little too simple to be truly anthemic. Elsewhere purely pop-ambient tracks such as ‘Tilda’ and ‘Spukhafte Fernwirkung’ (trans: ‘Spooky Long-range Effect’) capture more evanescent emotions, and work nicely to change the pace of the album.

Overall, apart from a few flat moments (such as the closing title track), this is an excellent pop techno record.

Words /Chris Mann

Tracklist: Justus Köhncke - Safe and Sound

01 Yacht
02 Molybdän
03 Love and Dancing (Update)
04 Tilda
05 Feuerland
06 Parage
07 (It’s Gonna Be) Alright
08 $26
09 Spukhafte Fernwirkung
10 Safe and Sound

Craze - FabricLive.38

2008-02-23T17:38:00.005+07:00

Miami’s DJ Craze has long been a shoo-in for FabricLive, one of the last obvious choices as the series creaks toward its golden anniversary. FabricLive.38 is loaded with turntable trickery befitting the three-time World DMC champ and Fabric staple, and the tracklist seemingly tries to satisfy every kid who came to the club and danced their ass off to whatever he pulled out and chopped up. It’s an impressive balance of scratch technique, mixing skill, clever sequencing and major attitude. For the first half, that is, after which Craze’s mix loses the last, but equally essential ingredient to a top-shelf FabricLive mix: momentum.

Fans hoping to hear Craze scratch his drum n bass itch have little consolation here, besides a secret sample from last year’s anthem ‘Ladies Night VIP’ by Demo & Cease, and a loud ‘n proud intro by noted MC Armanni Reign. His smirky boast on behalf of Craze amps up into ‘Set It Off’ by New York rapper N.O.R.E. before settling down with two cool-as-a-cucumber tracks by old-school throwback rap duo The Cool Kids. After just four tracks he’s already scratched, cut, looped and beat juggled, which should make even the most frowny-faced, disappointed dnb heads crack a little smile.

So far, so good. All warmed-up and still effortlessly cool, MC Naeem Juwan of Bangers & Cash politely asks Craze, “Turn that beat up, nigga!” He probably wasn’t expecting to hear the Miami Vice theme, which seems grossly out of place but works perfect here, paying tribute to Craze’s home and underlining the mix’s overall ‘80s vibe. It also drops gorgeously into Miami Jam Crew’s ‘Pretty Girls’, which in turn makes a perfect beat for Blaqstarr & Rye Rye’s ‘Shake It To The Ground’ acapella.

At this point, the energy is through the roof and listeners should be eating up everything coming out of Craze’s golden hands. Coasting on his mix’s natural high, he glides it smoothly into the 4/4 beat of Chromeo’s ‘Bonafied Lovin’’, thoughtfully remixed by Eli Escobar with a hilarious rap courtesy of Pase Rock. But it’s not too long before the good vibes fade out, amidst the relentlessly cacophonous Switch remix of Coldcut’s ‘True Skool’. Here, Craze makes his mix’s first big mistake, by spinning out entirely on a Switch track and fading back in with a Bmore Club-infused soul song, which is exactly what Spank Rock did on their FabricLive.33 almost a year ago.

Making an unwelcome reappearance from Diplo’s FabricLive.24 is Debbie Deb’s bizarre electro-pop hybrid ‘When I Hear Music’, opening the door for Craze’s old-school Miami bass showcase, a quartet of tracks all sounding their age, none able to recapture the magic from the first half. ‘Lindsay Lohan’s Revenge’ shows up long after its expiration date—a mean-spirited, music blog novelty track that should’ve never, ever made it off the internets. It’s a toss-up for the worse half of Craze’s closeout: Kanye West sleep-rapping his way through the obligatory guest spot for ‘Pro Nails’ by Kid Sister, his tour DJ A-Trak’s girlfriend, or the stale message of hope to “keep pushin’, harder and harder to achieve whatever you tryin’ to achieve” from…Mr. “Ass-n-Titties” himself, the booty bouncing DJ Assault?! It’s a total crash ’n burn for a mix that started so pristine. Had Craze pinched it off after thirty minutes, this could’ve been golden, but as a full-length mix FabricLive.38 is only half-baked.

Words/DaveRinehart

Tracklist: Craze - FabricLive.38

01 Craze – Intro Ft Armanni Reign
02 NORE – Set It Off Ft Swizz Beatz and J Ru$$
03 Cool Kids – I Rock
04 Cool Kids – Black Mags
05 Bangers and Cash – Loose
06 Tuff Crew – My Part Of Town
07 Jan Hammer – Miami Vice Theme
08 Miami Jam Crew – Pretty Girls
DJ Blaqstarr – Shake It To The Ground Ft Rye Rye (Acapella)
09 Lushus – Ho Fo Sho
10 The Beat Club – Security
11 Chromeo – Bonafied Lovin’ (Eli Escobar Remix Ft Pase Rock)
12 Treasure Fingers – Cross The Dancefloor
13 DJ Blaqstarr – Supastarr
14 Coldcut – True Skool Ft Roots Manuva (Switch Remix)
15 Earth, Wind and Fire – Brazilian Rhyme
16 Armand Van Helden – I Want Your Soul
17 Debbie Deb – When I Hear Music
18 Magic Mike – Magic Mike Cutz The Record
19 Quadrant Six – Body Mechanic
20 DJ Laz – Red Alert
21 Fresh Celeste and M4 Sers – Give It All To Me
22 Bangers And Cash – Shake That
23 The Pase Rock – Lindsay Lohan’s Revenge (Klever Remix)
24 Kazey & Bulldog – Big Truck
25 The Chemical Brothers – Get Yourself High (Switches Rely On Rub)
26 Kid Sister – Pro Nails Remix feat Kanye West
27 DJ Assault – Pushin’ (Deekline, Wizard & Freq Nasty Mix)

Sebastien Tellier - Sexuality

2008-02-23T17:28:00.005+07:00

Sebastien Tellier is a tease. His breakthrough hit of summer 2005, ‘La Ritournelle’, took four of its seven minutes to get to the vocals, and the album it introduced offered glimpses of genius, but no real insight into the man himself. Politics pinballed from ballads to electronica to action movie danger music, and covered subjects as diverse as Africa, the fate of Native Americans and, er…zombies. Since then renaissance man Tellier has proven impossible to pin down, by moving onto animation, soundtracks, even acting—both starring in and helping to score Mr. Oizo’s movie Steak. He still likes to defy expectations—being possibly the only singer ever to release a purely instrumental comeback single—but Sexuality, produced by Daft Punk’s Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo, is his most focused and accessible work to date.

For now, Tellier has just one thing on his mind. This album is a musical red light district: sex is everywhere you turn. From the title, which on the review CD comes appended with a suggestive subtitle (‘Woodwork’), to the cover—a tiny man on horseback (Tellier?) looking out onto the vast open frontier of the naked female form—to the sensual video for the single ’Sexual Sportswear’. Most of the track names explicitly refer to love and love-making, and those that don’t hint at the man’s prowess (‘Une Heure’, ‘Fingers of Steel’), proclivities (‘L’amour et la Violence’) and possibly even length (‘Kilometer’). It seems that Sébastien’s genitals have a greater attention span than his brain, and following them has given him some much-needed direction.

This is Tellier’s Let’s Get It On, his Erotica. The sultry late night mood of Sexuality borrows from these, and a host of other seminal (in every sense of the word) sources. Sébastien gets all Gaye on ‘Elle’ and ropes in Madonna groan-a-likes for the slow jams ‘Pomme’ and ‘Kilometer’, which could otherwise be a Neptunes-produced Timberlake tune. Guy Man is the perfect producer for the schizophrenic singer, drawing all his influences into a tight framework that reins in his greatest excesses while allowing him room to breathe…heavily. He is allowed to indulge long-standing fetishes like corny soft rock chord progressions (‘Look’), Vangelis synths (‘Sexual Sportswear’) and basslines not heard since Kate Bush’s ‘80s work (‘Une Heure’)—but never at the expense of a good song. The success of this measured approach can be heard in ‘Divine’, in which Tellier is given just a couple of instruments, a drum machine, his own voice and three minutes to create a pocket symphony, his answer to ‘Good Vibrations’.

Sexuality is the best work in years from both the artist and the producer. Once the album is spent, the listener knows the formerly enigmatic Tellier intimately, and trusts that there will be life after Daft Punk for Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo. Guy Man is best known for performing variations on a theme, and a tired one at that (when was the last time you listened to Human After All?), but if he can successfully translate the wild ambitions of someone this eccentric, a promising production career beckons.

Words/JamesGlazebrook

Tracklist: Sebastien Tellier - Sexuality

01 Roche
02 Kilometer
03 Look
04 Divine
05 Pomme
06 Une Heure
07 Sexual Sportswear
08 Elle
09 Fingers of Steel
10 Manty
11 L’amour et la Violence

Principles Of Geometry - Lazare

2008-02-23T17:14:00.004+07:00

It's evident from Lazare that French duo Guillaume Grosso and Jeremy Duval are dedicated students: the album is littered with nods to various styles spanning the last four decades of electronic music. They've also clearly got a passion for copious range of genres, and (to their praise) experiment freely between Italo, hip-hop, pop, ambient, post-Justice grind and angsty guitar songs. If this sounds like it should press the button marked 'hell yeah' then you're right, it should, but 'Lazare' leaves the listener frustratingly unmoved. The album is given a studied polish that strongly recalls John Carpenter—many tracks sound like they were made on clunking ‘80s analogue banks—and throughout are the kind of noises almost stolen from the closing credits of films like The Running Man or the original Assault on Precinct 13. I say a studied polish because the problem is that it's too polished. The modish sheen is enticing and alluring—and hollow. The feeling you're left with is Principles prize their slightly pretentious aesthetic above everything and the content comes second.

This is annoying because Lazare threatens to, and occasionally does, make your pulse jump and your eyebrows arch to the back of your head. Like when Vast Aire of Cannibal Ox fame spits furiously over a rabid electronic crescendo on 'Napoleon', or the airy slow italo of 'A Mountain for President', where Sébastien Tellier guests on vocals and synths, or the catch and release spasm of 'Golem' which evokes the better tracks from Justice and Jackson and His Computer Band. Two of the slower tracks are also enchanting, 'Akeshore' in particular sounding like what flying through clouds would be like.

Too often, though, songs begin then never fully develop, as if the initial pulse was not enough to sustain it for four minutes. Too often it's only for a small part of the track you're hooked in and too often you're left hankering for more quality. In the end Lazare is held back from being great by the same affliction that bedevilled Kavinsky's 1984--that presentation seems more important than substance. Perhaps live the pressure of performance would cause 'Principles' to shake off their cool and bring out their obvious talent because on record it hovers in the background, aloof and frequently out of reach.

Words /Daniel Bates

Tracklist: Principles Of Geometry - Lazare

01 Matin
02 Titan
03 Napoleon
04 Colfax
05 Golem
06 A Mountain For President
07 Shaberhill
08 Ninehundredandeightyeight
09 Interstate Highway System
10 Charles & Ray
11 Debra
12 Prophet
13 Akeshore
14 Corvo Sulla Città
15 Letom Redrum
16 Messiah

Junior Boys - Body Language Vol. 6

2008-02-23T17:00:00.004+07:00

When rumors started floating around the interwebs that Canadian electropopsters Junior Boys were about to take charge of the latest Body Language mix on Get Physical, a few eyebrows were raised. First establishing itself as a self-promotional vehicle for the label’s own artists (M.A.N.D.Y., DJ T.), the series, with the likes of Jesse Rose (fidget house), Dixon (deep house) and Château Flight (Italo-tinged house), started to get slightly more cutting-edge, all-encompassing, and thus more engaging, in recent months. No wonder fans were afraid of seeing it suddenly turn into Another Late Night-type select-first-mix-later collection with nothing else but amateurs at the helms.

See, very few people—yours truly included—seem to be aware of the fact Junior Boys are not only accomplished studio maestros in their own rights, but actual DJs in their spare time. Matt Didemus has his own residency in a Berlin club, apparently, while Jeremy Greenspan is not afraid of showing his DJing skills alongside collaborators such as Morgan Geist. Consequently, it turns out their take on the famous series is a surprisingly convincing affair that shows an innate sense of dynamics, progression, and even, at times, drama. The album’s opening tracks make for a perfect entry into their sonic world, especially when Supermayer’s ‘Saturndays’ gets pumped up by the DJ Hell remix of Chelonis R. Jones’ ‘Deer in the Headlights’, thus allowing Junior boys to revisit Get Physical’s recent yet neglected past (the Radio Slave remix of ‘Deer…’ got all the attention 18 months ago even though the Hell remix is the one that truly enhanced the original) while showing us they perfectly understand the dance floor’s imperatives.

Elsewhere, baroque yet irreproachable transitions are aplenty, like the way, at the album’s core, Gui.tar’s hippie house leaves place to Stereo Image’s Hot-Chip-lite electro-pop, then to Matthew Dear’s best Talking Head cold funk impersonation on ‘You Know What I Would Do’ and Pushé’s disco-ish digital and cheesy moves. Even more telling is their end-of-album combination: after a string of slo-mo numbers (including a brand new contemplative and plaintive composition from the Boys themselves), Chloé’s acclaimed ‘Be Kind to Me’, which remains one of the most creepy and haunting track you’ll get to hear these days, is weirdly yet effectively juxtaposed with Bill Nelson’s cheerful and high-spirited 1982 instrumental ‘When your Dream of Perfect Beauty Comes True’. Therein lies Junior Boys’ DJing craft: their attention floats with concerting ease from one corner of their discothèque and from one mood to the other, from one epoch to one emotion, without ever sounding like they’re suffering from any sort of attention deficit and without ever leaving us feeling disoriented or confused.

In the end, then, listening to Junior Boys DJing is a surprisingly fulfilling affair, especially after seeing them in concert. On the outdoor Sonar stage last June, Junior Boys live, unfortunately, was nothing short of excruciating: the mixing board was obviously fucked, machines sounded definitely out of synch, Greenspan’s vocals were anemic at best, and the duo’s own aura of melancholia left place to two slightly out-of-shape guys and their banal technical difficulties. For future public displays of talents, maybe it’d be better if they stuck to turntables, considering how candidly good they are here. Truth be told, their artistry was always designed for more private surroundings anyway and is supposed to be appreciated under anything that is not the burning Catalan sun. After two confessional and intimate electronic pop albums best suited for emo-tinged, alone-in-bedroom moments, who knew Junior Boys had it in them to actually recreate the elusive feeling of dancing in your head with your own heart as a partner on a DJ mix? Now that is some unexpected body language I wouldn’t mind hearing them speak more often.

Words/StéphaneGirard

Tracklist: Junior Boys - Body Language Vol. 6

01 Sorcerer - Surfing At Midnight (Prins Thomas Miks)
02 Supermayer - Saturndays
03 Chelonis R. Jones - Deer In The Headlights (DJ Hell Remix)
04 Love Nine – Feedback
05 Kreon & Lemos Feat. Feeboy - Fola
06 Kelley Polar - Rosenband (Magic Tim's Instrumental Version)
07 Steadycam - In The Moog For Love
08 Radio Slave - Screaming Hands (Cosmo Vitelli Radioaktivitat Remix)
09 Studio - Life's A Beach! (Todd Terje Beach House Mix)
10 Gui.tar - Love Started To Shine
11 Stereo Image - Dark Chapter
12 Matthew Dear - You Know What I Would Do
13 Pushé - Don't Take Your Love Away
14 Visage - I'm Still Searching
15 Junior Boys - No Kinda Man
16 Rework - Love Love Love Yeah (Chloé Remix)
17 f0st3r - bl3w r0d30 d3m0
18 Chloé - Be Kind To Me
19 Bill Nelson - When Your Dream Of Perfect Beauty Comes True

Free music

2008-02-16T03:13:00.010+07:00

Unlimited mp3 house music download for free

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#Dj micro - drowning
#DJ Yanny & DJ Gollum - Delirious Minds
#Mylo - in my arms (tocadisco mix)
#DJ Dave - Stand by me (Noemi RMX)
#Rachel Starr - Till
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Dj tiesto and friend collection

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U Know Ur Gonna Dance Part Two
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Late Jan.Feb 08 NuOnes - Mixed by DjLes4DANCE
(full album)

Tracks and Artists:
#Mark Brown ft. Sarah Cracknell- The Journey Continues (Vocal Club Mix).
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#Mary J. Blige - Just Fine (Moto Blanco Mix).
#Candy - Ride On Time (Original Club Mix).
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#CountParis ft. Katherine Ellis - Poza (Dave Armstrong & Redroche Mix).
#Hernandez vs. DJ Tyo - About Us (Extended Mix).
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Feb 08 Electro tec nu 1's - Mixed by DjLes4DANCE
(full album)

Tracks and Artists:
#Put Your Hands Together [ Extended club mix] - Janis Kay.
#Superlove [Club mix] - Zentribe ft Linda Newman.
#I Can Feel it [ Dan McKie mix] - Rachel Loy.
#Bring it back round again [ Andy Boph mix ] - Manny Reid pres. Disco Construction.
#Superlove [Electro mix] - Zentribe ft Linda Newman.
#Business Lunch [Original mix] - Andy BopH.
#Put Your Hands Together [ JJ Masspool club Dub] - Janis Kay .
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#Antecedence [ Techno mix ] - Diarmaid O Meara.
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New Gear Makes it Easier to Realize DJ Dreams

2008-02-02T04:54:00.000+07:00

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - Have you ever dreamed of being a DJ--the kind who mixes songs that keep the dance floor packed?

There is now gear hitting the market that will make it easier and cheaper for anyone to become a "jam master." "For years and years it was limited basically to two turn tables and a mixer and DJs would use vinyl," explained New York-based Dan Brotman, who run the website futuremusic.com. "And by manipulating the pitch control on the turn tables they could do that seamless mixing."

A new device, known as the Pacemaker, seeks to change that routine. "It's basically the size of a PlayStation Portable, or you know even a little bigger iPod and it'll let you basically mix two distinct songs into a seamless mix," described Brotman.

The Pacemaker is made by Tonium, which is offering its software online, for free. The software is of course compatible on the Tonium equipment, but can also be used on a Mac or PC. Tonium envisions the Pacemaker being akin to YouTube for music fans.

Coast2Coast with X-Press 2

2008-01-31T08:02:00.001+07:00

London house trio X-Press 2 mix the latest volume in NRK's Coast2Coast series.

From New Jersey (Kerri Chandler) and Chicago (Ron Trent) to Berlin (Âme) then back to Baltimore (Karizma), NRK’s Coast2Coast mix series has been following house players around the globe, and next up the series pulls up in London for a volume from X-Press 2, aka Diesel, Rocky and Ashley Beedle.

Previous editions have included the same tracks on mixed and unmixed discs but X-Press 2's volume is a double disc set of thirty mixed cuts including best-of-2007 picks from Stefan Goldmann, Dennis Ferrer and Etienne Jaumet as well as older tracks from house and techno legends such as Carl Craig, Mr. Fingers and Phuture.

Tracklist

CD01 Mixed by X-Press 2

01 X-Press 2 feat Bernard Fowler - Don't Make Me Wait (Acoustic Version)
02 Johnny Blas - Picadillo (Carl Craig Extended version)
03 Farley & Rocky - The Cobra
04 Ron Basejam - For The People, By The People (Schmoov Mix)
05 3-Voices - Escape (Inst.)
06 Blackjoy - Untitled (Solid Groove Mix)
07 Presence - The Strength (Within)
08 As One - Germanium (Los Hermanos Revival Mix)
09 Master C&J - Dub Love
10 Joint Venture - Love & Happiness
11 Katcha - Touched By God (Peace Division mix)
12 Phuture - Inside Out (Roy's Rad Nomad Mix)
13 X-Press 2 feat Rob Harvey - Kill 100 (Lost Heroes Mix)
14 Mr Fingers - Stars

CD02 Mixed by X-Press 2

01 Skat - This Is
02 Stefan Goldman - Lunatic Fringe
03 Alton Miller feat. Lady Linn - Possibilities (Boddhi Satva's Ancestral Dub Mix)
04 Etienne Jaumet - Repeat Again After Me (Ame Mix)
05 Andre Kraml feat. Schad Privat - Dirty Fingernails
06 Solomun - Jungle River Cruise
07 Marlow & Claudia Nehls - Water (Jackmate Remix)
08 Art Of Tones - Praise
09 Dennis Ferrer - Transitions
10 Johannes Heil - All For One (Tobi Neumann's Swingin Mix)
11 Frankie Valentine - Paradise Regained (Slam Mode Mix)
12 Audion - Noiser
13 Paul Ritch - Nordbanhof
14 Michel De Hey vs Grooveyard - Compound
15 Robbie Rivera - Sound Xpress
16 Oxia - Domino

'Coast2Coast' mixed by X-Press 2 arrives on NRK on February 25, 2008.

Becoming Butane

2008-01-31T08:01:00.000+07:00

St. Louis techno producer Butane promises dark, detail-oriented minimal on his debut album Becoming out in March.

The seven-track album, which arrives on 2x12” and digital but not on CD, is the product of six months away from music for Butane, known to his family as Andrew Rasse. “Moving to Berlin around Christmas of last year kind of forced me to take a break from studio work for nearly six months,” says Butane. “Then when I came back to Berlin in June after Sonar, I slowed my travel schedule down and spent a lot of time reading philosophy and just generally enjoying the Berlin summer.”

“When I finally took all the pent-up creative energy from those past six months into the studio with me to write the album, it all just came pouring out. I fine tuned it over the next few months, testing some of the tracks while out DJing, and this is the final result.”

“I really wanted to present something a bit different than what I had done before,” adds Butane. “And approaching this as an album enabled me to do that. I feel like these tracks all somehow belong together.”

Tracklist

A1 Collapse
A2 A Rave Mistake (Remix)
B Hallucinate
C1 From the Beginning
C2 Wanderer
D1 I Didn't Know
D2 Reflection

’Becoming’ by Butane is out on Alphahouse on March 17, 2008.

Take The Glimmers home for free

2008-01-31T07:56:00.000+07:00

Here's a way to clever way to combat piracy: Belgian discoists The Glimmers are giving away their debut album for free at gigs.

The Glimmers' Mo Becha and David Fouquaert have put out plenty of mix compilations on labels such as Fabric, !K7 and Eskimo, but for their first artist album they've decided to take a different route. Instead of putting the album out on a record label proper, the pair are firing up their CD burners and making it available for absolutely nothing for punters who turn up to their club dates.

Titled Gee Gee Fazzi after a track by ex-Yello member Carlos Peron, the album promises to be as eclectic as The Glimmers record collection with studio hook-ups with Princess Superstar, Lindstrom & Prins Thomas, Padded Cell, Freeform Five's Anu Pillai and Ray Mang. There's also a cover of Olivia Newton-John’s aerobics classic ‘Physical’ and a rethink of Spanish rave anthem 'Esta Si, Esta No (Asi Me Gusta A Mi)'.

Tracklist

00. Intro by Cantankerous
01. Frantic
02. Physical
03. Kobe's In Columbia
04. Time For Action
05. I'd Much Rather Go (Out With The Boys)
06. Esta Si, Esta No (Esta Me Gusta A Mi)
07. Kiss Me
08. Wanna Make Out
09. Wanna Make Out (Part II)
10. Music For Dreams

You can grab a copy of the album at any of the official Gee Gee Fazzi tour dates throughout 2008. Here are the dates confirmed so far:

Feb 2 Firefly, Nottingham
Feb 16 Crush, Cookies, Berlin
Feb 22 KVS, Brussels
Feb 23 Together, Turnmills, London
Feb 29 Razzmatazz, Barcelona
Mar 1 Groove Dynasty, Oostende
Mar 7 Noxx, Antwerp
Mar 8 Tivoli, Utrecht
Mar 14 Melkweg, Amsterdam
Mar 15 Death Disco, The Arches, Glasgow
Mar 21 Anarchic, Brussels
Mar 22 Make Up Club, Ghent

First names announced for Gatecrasher 2008

2008-01-31T07:53:00.000+07:00

Paul Van Dyk, The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy and 197 more sign on for the Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem.

After a six year break, the fest will once again take place May Bank Holiday weekend at Turweston Aerodrome in Northamptonshire, this time under the banner of celebrating 20 years of acid house. The six-year interlude perhaps shows what has changed in dance with lots of names in electro/dance rock top of the bill (CSS, The Whip, Simian Mobile Disco, New Young Pony Club, Digitalism, a Bloc Party DJ set, Tiga, Soulwax Nite Versions).

Other genres represented among the initial names are trance (Paul Van Dyk), grime (Dizzee Rascal), house (Pete Tong, Axwell & Ingrosso), drum n bass (Roni Size, DJ Marky), turntablism (DJ Yoda) as well as the big names in electronica (The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers), but with 200 DJs, twenty arenas and twenty live bands, expect most genres to represent as more names are announced.

60,000 people are expected to attend the festival.

May 24 Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem 2008 – Day 1, Turweston
May 25 Gatecrasher Summer Soundsystem 2008 – Day 2, Turweston

Defected returns to WMC

2008-01-31T07:21:00.000+07:00

After a no-show in 2007, UK house and garage label Defected will be back to party at the Winter Music Conference this March.

Defected skipped last year's conference after their 2005 poolside party at the National Hotel got rained out and torrential rain and hurricane winds threw an even bigger dampener on their bash on Nikki Beach in 2006. And while the label has signed on for this year's WMC, they aren't taking any chances, moving indoors to the lavish (and waterproof) club Set.

Thirteen acts will line-up behind the decks at the six hour event on the opening night of conference week including DJs from the label's In The House mix series (DJ Gregory, Joey Negro, Junior Jack & Kid Creme, Copyright) as well as studio boffins ATFC, Hardsoul and DJ Yass. Dutch house producer Funkerman from Fedde Le Grand's Flamingo imprint also makes his debut for the label with live percussion from Shovell throughout the night.

Mar 25 Defected In The House, Set, Miami

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2008-01-07T21:53:00.000+07:00

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2008-01-07T01:53:00.000+07:00

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cool turntable isn't it?

2008-01-05T20:35:00.001+07:00

The turntable is completely disassembled, and any parts that will be reused are cleaned and rebuilt (drive motor).

New motor isolation bushings are installed.

The wood based is stripped, sanded, and refinished with Watco Danish Oil.

An IEC power inlet is fitted to the rear of the wood base.

The original thin cast aluminum plinth is discarded, and replaced with a ¾" thick billet aluminum plinth.

The plinth and belt cover are finished with a retro style textured black powdercoat.

The pop-up 45 adaptor is removed from the existing platter, so a new acrylic mat (supplied) can be fitted.

The perimeter of the platter is polished.

A proprietary damping compound is applied to the underside of the platter.

The bearing and spindle shaft are cleaned, inspected, and relubricated.

All of the electronics are replaced, including a new lighted power switch.

A new drive belt is supplied.

The plinth is machined for the SME family of tonearms.

Any 9" arm that has an SME style mounting flange will work.

Custom adaptor inserts for other tonearms are available on a custom order basis.

Price: $2495.00

info@analog-engineering.net

DJ equipment tips: Choosing DJ turntables

2007-12-30T22:48:00.001+07:00

Getting your first set of DJ turntables can be a hard process.This is due to the fact that you can't DJ and therefore can't evaluate turntables for your needs and budget. Turntables are one of the most important pieces of DJ equipment.

For a long time (20 years) Technics Turntables have been the safe (but expensive) option. I got a set of Technics turntables when I started and I have never regretted the buy.

However over the last few years there have been a number of quality turntables released from Numark, Vestax and Gemini that not only rival but excede the performance and features of the Technics SL 1200/1210.

This page is for those new to DJing who want some good tips for selecting turntables. I'll take you through what I think are the best turntables on the market for DJing.

Bear in mind that I don't scratch so if you want a guide to what decks are good for scratching you are out of luck my friend.

1. Drive mechanism:

There are two different types of turntables. Expensive direct drive and cheap belt drive. Direct drive is far superior and I won't consider any belt drives here.

2. Torque:

This is the strength of the drive on the platter. More torque is better, it makes your start ups faster and lets you make precise changes in the mix. Manufacturers claim torque figures but do you know what 1.5 Kg/m feels like? Technics turntables have plenty of torque for mixing and the Vestax PDX 2000s have even more. Once you get certain level of torque the limiting factor becomes you skill at mixing.

3. Pitch adjustment:

All the turntables below allow you to adjust the tempo of tracks by adjust the speed of the platter. Some allow you to adjust it more than others. The + or - 8% that Technics turntables have is plenty.

4. Tone arm:

Straight tone arms are apparently better for scratching since the needles will jump less. Jumping needles is a real pain in the ass when your in the mix so I am all for things that reduce it. However, my Technics turnmtables have an "S" shaped arm and they never jump when I have needles in good condition on them.

Now let's look at the different DJ turtables that are currently available

Technics SL 1200/1210 MK2/MK3 Turntable (approx. $399)

You can get Technics SL 1200 (silver) or SL 1210 (black) varieties. There are also MK3 versions that have a few minor changes. I totally recommend Technics turntables as they have a proven reliability record. They have plenty of torque and accurate pitch adjustment. They are standard DJ equipment in clubs and thus if you practice with these you will have no trouble playing out.

This is the turntable that recommend you get:

Vestax PDX-2000 Turntable (approx. $499)

This is a serious piece of DJ equipment. I have used one and the torque is great. It can also reverse the platter and has greater pitch adjustment than the Technics. the stop times can also be adjusted for extra fun. Owning these would certianly make mixing more entertaining.

If you have the money then I would totally recommend getting these. The only problem is that if you get used to this luxury turntable when you have to use something else you will miss all your features and torque.

Vestax PDX-2000MKIIPro Turntable

The PDX-2000MKIIPro direct-drive turntable features a redesigned platter that has been lowered to 7mm (0.27") and given a flatter edge surface for easier beatmatching and performance play. Also, the slipmat slips better thanks to the 6 canals on the platter's topside.

The tone arm features Dynamic Balance technology with a spring-loaded weight system that allows you to adjust the tonearm to the weight and balance you prefer. The tone arm seems almost glued on and your needle will seem skip-proof to the vinyl. The height adjustment system allows accurate arm height setting and makes it easier to return to a preferred height setting.

The floating suspension system gives you superior anti-howling.Fast and accurate beatmatching adjustment with a 100mm (3.93") ±10% fine pitch control fader, without the center indent. The fader movement on the PDX-2000MKIIPro has been tightened in order to allow smaller and more accurate pitch adjustments. The Ultra Pitch fader controls the pitch range by ±50%. Combined with the fine pitch fader, a total pitch control of ±60% is possible.

The PDX-2000MKIIPro features .5-second startup time thanks to a high-torque direct-drive motor. This powerful motor is controlled by an accurate digital servo, making pitch adjustments instantaneous. The futuristic design features a high-density molded body for the best possible acoustic sounds

Numark TTX1 Direct-Drive Turntable (approx $399)

I have not used this turntable. I have heard from people I trust that they are good responsive decks. They are definitely expensive enough to be good.

They apparently have really high torque and thus would be precise. I have included them here to make this list complete. Numark has also recently released the TTX2s which have a few new features.

Gemini TT-04 Direct Drive (approx.$299)

This is a reduced cost turntable that is perfect for the beginner. It has enough torque and all the new features at a reduced cost. These would be fine for learning and even playing out at parties.

Another positive thing is when you use something better your mixing can only improve. Gemini also makes other models in a wide range of price and features.

Numark TT200 Direct Drive Turntable (approx. $200)

This is a beginners turntable. It is fine for learning in your bedroom. I have had a quick go on this and found it totally sweet.

There was a slight lack of torque which made me start tracks behind the beat and push too hard when making adjustments. However, after a while I got used to them and could do some good beat mixes.

It was a little hard to be precise with them. One good thing is that if you learn with these moving onto better gear will be a dream.

Tips for choosing a DJ mixer

2007-12-30T22:23:00.001+07:00

The DJ mixer is a key piece of DJ equipment. Choosing a DJ mixer can be a little confusing at first. I have aimed this buyers guide at the novice DJ who is doesn't have a strong grasp of what features are important in their DJ mixer.

There is a huge variety of DJ equipment out there so I have boiled it down to three mixers that I have used and rate highly.

I'll take you through the best features and I have also recommended what I think are the best DJ mixers at 3 different price ranges.

Cheap DJ Mixer:

I think for your first mixer you should spend around $100. At this price I recommend the Numark DM1050 which is on special at the moment only $79!.

This mixer is fine for practicing on and playing out at parties. But I found cheaper mixers often have a buzzing noize coming out of the mixer over really powerful sound systems. This is why you pay for a better mixer if you will be playing over big systems.

As you can see it is also compact for easy transportation. This is quite good value even though it is a 2 channel mixer. It has a mic input as well so you can mix two turntables/CD players and a MC on a mic together all at once and adjust all three levels so it sounds good.

If you've got a mate that fancies themselves as an MC then you can have some fun practicing your mixing while they practice their rhymes.

Another important feature is that this mixer has 3-band Eqs. This is a requirement for DJing. You must be able to cut the bass separately in the mix so that it sounds smooth.

This mixer also lets you listen to each channel in the headphones independently of the main output so that you can beat mix properly (get the next track in time).

The problem with this type of cheap mixer is that the crossfaders are of low quality. After a few months you may get some clicking noises from the crossfader and of course this mixer is not high enough quality to use with a big sound system.

Middle price DJ mixer:

If you want to get a DJ mixer that will let you do a lot more live stuff in your sets then I recommend you get the Vestax VMC-180 3-Channel House / Techno Mixer. This mixer retails for less than $400. This is another compact 3 channel mixer. But also lets you adjust the level of 4 mics.

Having more features in one mixer is a good idea. You can always chain mixers together but you will quickly degrade the sound quality and increase the complexity of your setup.

This would be great if you wanted lives drums MC and vocals. The channels can also be sent to an effects unit for even more interesting sounds.

It has 3 channel Eqs and kill switches on each Eq. Kill switches let you kill the bass, middle or trebles instantly and are fun to play with and can create some interesting effects.

I have used one of these and they have amazingly quiet and smooth crossfaders. This mixer would be perfect for playing over a big sound system in a club.

Top of the line DJ mixer:

If you can afford a little over a grand, then get the Pioneer DJM-600 Pro. I have used this mixer a few times and love it. This is a four channel mixer plus 2 mic levels. One thing it has is the ability to mix the signal running into the headphones.

The fantastic thing is the built in effects and BPM counter. I have used some cheap mixers with beat counters and they were completely worthless. I have used this mixer and the DJM-500 beat counters are good enough to mix with.

So if you can't beat mix (don't know how or are too smashed) then this DJ mixer will calculate the BPM of each track to you can get them in time with no effort.

The other fantastic thing is that the built in effects can be synchronized with the BPM of your tracks so that you get delays in time. This is really effective for vocals.

This mixer has all the other required features for DJing. 3 band Eqs high quality faders and LED level indicators. It is also a great DJ mixer for using CD players.

You can also assign the crossfader to any of the 4 channels so that you can effortlessly change from mixing off CD or vinyl. It has a Fader Start Play function that overrides the pause control to start the music when the fader is increased.

Of course if you want what I think is the best mixer for reasonable money then take at look at the Pioneer DJM-800. This is a serious piece of DJ equipment.

Pioneer DJM-800 Professional DJ Mixer

Pioneer's DJ music mixers have a reputation for providing high-quality audio and reliability. The DJM-800 incorporates features recommended by many professional DJs and club engineers, raising the bar on sound fidelity and ease of mixer operation. Most important are its high-quality 24-bit/96kHz sampling and effect capabilities.High Quality Audio The analog signal from the player passes through the shortest signal route, first digitized at 24-bit/96kHz through a pro A/D converter where it reaches the digital mixing stage with the best sound possible. The mixing is carried out by 32-bit DSP with minimal deterioration of sound quality. A highly rigid chassis minimizes unnecessary vibration, which could adversely affect sound quality. The mixer also incorporates a dual-shield structure for eliminating entry of digital noise and a high performance power supply for noise-free power.Sound Color Effects For A New Style of DJ Mixing The world's first pro DJ mixer with Auto Harmonic Tuning detects the key of song and automatically corrects to the closest true key. In music theory terms, when a DJ raises the pitch of a song in the key of C by three percent, the song is no longer in the key of C, but somewhere between C and C sharp. This makes it impossible to perform a perfect harmonic mix. Pioneer's new Harmonic Tuning feature takes the key of the source audio and adjusts the pitch until it is that of a standard...

Getting Started dj'ing

2007-12-30T21:26:00.002+07:00

One of the first things that most people will tell you when you think of getting into this game is to try it out on someone else's equipment before you put your hard earned money into it. FANTASTIC idea. But what if you don't know anyone who is either willing, or has the equipment to let you practice on? You could always try to find somewhere that'll let you rent gear from them (I don't know of anywhere before you ask!) but not a lot of places do that. So, I'm afraid you have to think about buying stuff - sorry. Providing that you're looking to become a Vinyl using Dj, then there are a few basic thing that you are going to need:

2 x Turntables
2 x SlipMats
2 x Cartridges and Needles for the Turntables (normally included)
1 x Mixer
1 x Pair of Headphones
Something to amplify the signal (Stereo, Amplifier + Speakers etc.)

So, apart from some tunes and some really friendly neighbours, thats should hold you for a while.

The one thing I'll say though before I go into each of this lot is that it's a good idea to spend as much as you can on the turntables, then whatever you have left on the rest of the gear. You can use a bad mixer with good decks without too much problems, but not even the best of mixers is going to compensate for bad decks. Plus, it's a lot cheaper to upgrade a mixer when you get round to that point than it is to upgrade your turntables.

TURNTABLES

The first thing you really have to make sure of is that there is a control on the turntable which allows you to adjust the pitch (the pace at which the record will be played at) of the record. Just a 33 or 45rpm setting is not enough. You're looking for something that will allow the pitch to be adjusted by AT LEAST + or - 8%. The larger the pitch control, the better. One that runs most of the right hand side of the turntable is preferred and is the industry standard for pitch control. The length allows more fine adjustments than just a small control on the front of the unit (see the Gemini XL-100 as the method you DON'T want to get.

The next, and biggest choice you have to make when you are on a shoestring budget is whether to buy DIRECT DRIVE or BELT DRIVEN decks (another word for Turntable or CD unit).

Suffice to say, direct drive decks are by far the preferred means of powering the deck. Simply, because the Belt Driven decks use a rubber band and an intermediate to drive the deck, a lot of the power and accuracy is lost through the transfer of that power. This means that the pitch settings that you choose might not be held for long enough, meaning the tempo of the song you are playing will change while in use, causing havoc when trying to beat match. It also means that the deck does not have the power (or TORQUE) to withstand the vigours of scratching, and has a very poor start up time.

The problem is though, that cheap Direct Drive decks will still have similar problems, though not to the same extremes that the Belt driven decks will have. The power to the deck is still somewhat lacking compared to the better quality (and more expensive) models, and they can still have a tendency to lose their pitch settings slightly.

As I said before, I DO urge you NOT to get belt driven decks, but as so many people have hardly any money when they start, combined with a yearning to be a Dj, it might be something you settle for. Just don't come running to me when they start playing up on you!!

AND , I'm going to say this again. It seems to be lost on people, maybe they aren't reading this far into the site (1 page, lazy buggers!) but I'm going to re-iterate this now.

Belt Driven decks suck. This isn't from a "To be a Dj you must have Technics" point of view. It's the truth. Belt-Driven decks suck. You'll hear people telling you that they're using Belt-Driven decks, and there's nothing wrong with them, "Oh yeah, I've had mine for years, can do anything on them, scratch, mix, cook, play frisbee, solve the worlds debt and hunger problems...." Fine. If you want to listen to them rather than me, then I'm not going to get all fussed and bothered about it, but PLEASE, stop asking me if it's OK to use Belt-Driven decks, then bugging me about it for two weeks, ignoring what I say, then sending me a mail two months later saying "Yeah, you were right, they suck. How can I make them better?" At which point, I just hit the delete button. It's the only thing I'm a wanker about. This is something I feel passionate about, that belt-driven decks are for people who either a) Aren't serious about Dj'ing, b) are only going to use them for a couple of months as a test to see if they're going to like Dji'ng, or c) Think with their wallets instead of thier heads.

So, there are things like Soundlab's DLP30's (I think), Numark's TT-1700's, Gemini's XL-400's, Kam's BDX something's which are built to emulate a Technics deck, but don't quite have the power or pitch accuracy to be that much use after you've learnt to beat match. If you MUST go out and spend as little as you can, then look at these decks. I really would like it if this is the last I have to mention of not using them, I'm getting ready to punch my computer the next time I get a mail asking me about them. I was pretty sure that I'd plastered "Don't use belt decks" enough over my site already!! :-)

BUT, the thing I will stress, no matter how shoe-string your budget is, no matter how unserious you are about dj'ing (unserious? Someone get me a thesaurus) no matter how long you'll be using them before you know you'll buy better decks, DO NOT, I REPEAT

DO NOT

Use the Gemini XL-100 or the Soundlab DLP-1600 decks. These decks are NOT meant to be used as Dj decks. Yes, people like Sapphires advertise them as decks you can use, but you'd be better pissing off your cat so it'd stick out its claw, then making it run round the record, caterwauling as if to reproduce the tune you're playing. You'll have better power, pitch control and care for your records with the cat than you would with the XL-100 or DLP-1600. I can not stress enough NOT to use these decks. If you're cheap, go for the ones above, don't be fooled by the "Yeah, these are Dj decks" and the price tag. You'd be better getting "I'm a cheap twat" tattood on your head BACKWARDS for the money, rather than buying these.

Anyway, rant over, on with the site again........

Most likely, for a small budget, you'll be looking at this lot (no particular order):-

Belt Driven Decks	Direct Drive Decks
Soundlab DLP1	Soundlab DLP3R
Gemini XL-400	Gemini XL-500/600
Numark TT1700	Numark TT1910
Kam BDX180	Kam DDX580
sorry, ran outta decks!	Citronic PD-1 (best of the lot)

Yes, I know there's a lot more makes and models out there, American Dj, Limit, Sherwood, etc etc, but the ones above are the ones I have had even the slightest of time on, and I'm loath to include stuff I've never used.

Here's where I put in a disclaimer though. The decks that I mentioned above will just about do for normal beat mixing styles (trance, house etc) but if you're thinking of doing ANY scratching at all, then you're wasting your time and money considering any of these decks. For start, belt driven decks are RIGHT out of the question. The other decks I mention, though direct drive, just don't have the power to the deck plate to make scratching a viable option on them, they just aren't made to cope with the vigours of scratching. I've put a bit about equipment on the Scratching page on this site. Read that if you're interested in Scratching gear.

SLIPMATS

The purpose of the slip mat is to reduce the friction between the record and the turntable to the point where you can hold the record still, and the turntable will still turn underneath it (which is yet ANOTHER problem with basic, cheap decks, their power is so weak that this won't happen). The setup should go like this:- At the very bottom, is the deck plate in all it's shiny glory (make sure to take off the removable rubber mat that comes with the deck (NOT the rubber coating, the rubber mat). On top of that goes the slipmat, and on top of that goes your finest record.

As mentioned, there can sometimes be problems with the decks that causes the deck to come to a grinding halt when you are trying to cue up the record. The way to try to get around this is to reduce the friction further between the deckplate and the slipmat. This can be done by either cutting a six inch diameter circle piece of cardboard out, punching a hole in the middle, then sitting this between the slipmat and the deck plate or by cutting out a piece of wax paper (some inlays in record sleeves are wax paper) to the size of your slipmat, and putting THAT inbetween the plate and the slipmat. The second option there is by far preferred, by putting the piece of cardboard between the two, the friction IS reduced, but so if the stability of the record, so you may find the needle jumps a lot. Go for the wax paper if you're having issues.

Try to steer clear of the mats with lots of printed designs on them too. They can (sometimes) damage your records, and they are (sometimes) not as effective as plain felt ones.

I don't really know the part where it comes to what makes and models (if there are models) of slip-mats are best, but, the Technics ones are damn good, a great choice. Just look for generic hip-hop ones, coz they're designed to be very slippy. The best ones I've ever used are ones I got from M2 (The people who sponsor my equipment pages). They're light, thin and minimal printing on them, making them perfect.

MIXERS

The purpose of the mixer is to change the sound you can hear from one turntables output to the other ones, without having a break in sound. Typically, this means that deck 1 is in Channel 1 and deck 2 is in Channel 2. To change from one channel to another, a cross fader is normally included on the mixer, which, as you move it, moves the sound from one deck to the other.

When you're starting off, you are going to be fine with a really basic mixer like Numark's BlueDog. Ok, if you have the money, get something better, but again, I'm just talking bare minimum equipment right now. The problems that you'll encounter with a very basic mixer should only add up to sound quality issues. With no kills or cuts on the mixer, you'll find that a lot of the times the bass drums and bass melodies will clash with each other, and with no Gain controls, or means to measure the strength of the incoming signal, you'll find that there will be mismatches in the levels (volumes) of each tune as you go through the mix process.

Just make sure it's not so basic that it doesn't have a cross fader, or it doesn't have a headphone cue on it. By headphone cue, I mean a means that you can listen to (monitor) the turntable that ISN'T playing out of the speakers. A normal cue will allow you to listen to the unheard turntable and the live (playing through the speakers) turntable at the same time and will have a slider or a rotary knob which lets you adjust the volume at which you hear either of them. This allows you to be more precise when it comes to matching the beats.

CARTRIDGES AND NEEDLES

These are what transfer the vibrations caused by the grooves in the record to sound. The needle (Stylus) itself sits inside the groove of the record, and as the record passes through it, it vibrates. The cartridge hold the needle, which is then screwed onto the headshell, which is locked onto the tonearm - all of which translate the vibrations to an electrical signal which is turned into the music that you hear.

There are MANY different kinds of Needle and cartridge (cart for short) out there, but the chances are the ones that you'll get included with the decks will be Stanton 500AL's. Check to see whether they are included with your decks or not, as there's nothing worse than taking all your stuff home, only to find that you can't use anything because of missing equipment.

AMPLIFIERS

The signal that comes out of the mixer is barely strong enough to power your headphones, so you need something which will increase (amplify) this signal so that it will drive (make 'em work) a pair of speakers.

There's three choices (as far as I see it) to how to do this:-

1) Buy a separate amplifier and speakers. This can be a bit costly, but it is a great way of doing it.

2) Plug the output cable into either the CD or AUX port in the back of your stereo (if you have one) . This is what I do at home. I prefer this method because it cuts down on the amount of equipment you need (and so money you'll have to spend) and it means that there's already a built in tape recorder, or MiniDisc recorder etc. to record your mixes. DON'T use the PHONO input though. The Phono inputs use a completely different means to process the signal, and are only meant for Turntables. Though you ARE using turntables, the signal you are using is from the mixer, which is known as a LINE signal and is far stronger than that of a turntable, and therefore can't go into the PHONO input.

3) Using POWERED speakers. A few people that have written to me over the year or so that I've had this site up have used these. Really, they are just speakers with a built in amplifier, so you have to plug them into a power socket, but, provided they are powerful enough to let you hear the music loud enough, the will suffice. A few people I know actually use the powered speakers from their computers. For professional use, the JBL EON PWD 10 is great, I've seen it used a lot for the monitor in the DJ booth.

So apart from getting records to play, and having some nice understanding neighbours, that's the basics of what you need. Ok, there's stuff like something to keep your records in, and something to put your decks and mixer on, but you can work that one out yourself.

Article written by: DJ Recess www.recess.co.uk

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Tiësto’s ‘Elements of Life’ album nominated for Grammy Award

2007-12-27T23:22:00.000+07:00

On December 6th, Tiësto’s album ‘Elements of Life’ was nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in recorded music, a GRAMMY in the Best Electronic/Dance Album category. ‘Elements of Life’ released by Virgin / Nebula Music, continues its success, having sold over 60,000 albums in the UK & Ireland to date and reaching golden and platinum status in numerous other countries globally. The other nominees in the category of Best Electronic/Dance Album are Justice, Shiny Toy Guns, LCD Soundsystem and The Chemical Brothers.

To support his album Tiësto has been touring with his Elements of Life world tour, selling out venues in the US such as the LA Sports Arena with an attendance of 15,000 people and the prestigious Hammerstein Ballroom in New York two nights in a row. The tour lands in almost all continents from North-to-South America, Europe, South Africa and Asia, reaching hundreds of thousands of people with each single event on the globe being sold out in advance.

“It has always been a dream for me to be nominated for a Grammy. I have been working on this album for over a year and therefore am very happy with the nomination.” says Tiësto, “It’s a recognition for all the hard work!”

Nominees are selected through a voting process with members and record companies submitting entries. Submissions are then screened for eligibility and category placement by 150 experts in various fields, to ensure that entered recordings meet specific qualifications. The Academy’s voting members, all involved in the creative and technical processes of recording, then participate in the nominating process that determines the five finalists in each category; and the final voting process which determines the GRAMMY winners.

This is the 50th Anniversary year for the Grammy organization, and the GRAMMY Award show will take place on February 10, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA. USA.
www.tiesto.com

Pioneer Nu Revolutionises DVD DJ Hardware

2007-12-27T21:31:00.001+07:00

Pioneer have announced what they claim to be the future of DJ technology with its new DVJ-X1 digital audio and video turntable. This groundbreaking product allows users to manipulate and playback synchronized digital audio and video in a way that will revolutionize the DJ industry.

The DVJ-X1 DVD: a DVD Turntable

By imitating the form and functionality of Pioneer?s digital CD turntables like the CDJ-1000MK2, Pioneer is making it simple for digital DJs to adapt to the new product. DVJs will be able to use Pioneer?s new unit to manipulate DVD visuals in exactly the same way as they would music. So real-time digital video scratches, loops and instant cues are all possible with the DVJ-X1, while the video and audio streams always stay in perfect sync, even when they?re being reversed and pitched.

?Pioneer proved that we have our finger on the pulse of today?s club scene when we forged the path from vinyl to CD in the world of dance music,? said Karl Detken, director of marketing for the Pro Audio group atPioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. ?Now we?re usingPioneer?s experience in DVD technology to offer the next revolution for DJs. We believe this product will spawn a new breed of entertainer ? the DVJ ? combining the skills of a DJ and VJ for the ultimate dance experience. As a result, clubs that are already investing in video technology will be able to draw even more customers for a totally unique AV experience.?

The DVJ-X1 brings together existing AV technologies into a single unit that interfaces with currently available software and hardware to introduce a completely new form of entertainment. This unique unit satisfies the needs of digital DJs to please their dance-floor audiences with today?s newest technology. It also helps future-proof club venues with an unprecedented standard for crowd-pleasing performance.

The remarkable DVJ-X1 also establishes a platform for dance music labels keen to market their releases, in an arena where there are few opportunities to showcase promotional videos.

?We have big plans for the future of the Pro DJ market with an idea to add yet another dimension to this mind-blowing concept. In a near-future scenario, two DVJ-X1s are linked together via a fully integrated audio and visual mixer. This set-up would allow the digital audio and video from the two separate sources to be mixed and scratched on the fly ? in the same way that DJs create audio mixes in their live sets today,? said Detken.

The DVJ-X1 offers on-board memory capacity as well as a SD Card slot similar to the CDJ-1000MK2 for even greater flexibility in performance. This allows for AV loops and cue points to be stored, either on-board or on a removable memory card. A memory card that is bundled with the DVJ-X1 can store up to 500 loop or cue points. During playback, the saved cue and loop points can be searched, selected and previewed using an external preview monitor. An emergency loop feature makes the DVJ-X1 even more user-friendly with a one-touch solution that automatically loops four beats seamlessly, in line with the beats-per-minute to allow a DVJ extra time to mix from one track to another.

The DVJ-X1 is only 25 percent larger than the CDJ-1000MK2, making is fairly simple to replace the CD unit with the revolutionary new DVD replacement in the DJ booth. Pioneer will offer a video switcher to interface with the Fader Start function of many professional audio mixers. Inputs on the DVJ-X1 include:

Video Output Composite Video Output RCA (1), BNC (1)
Component Video Output BNC (1)
Preview Video Output Composite Video Output RCA (1)
S-video Output 4 pin mini DIN (1)
Audio Output Audio output (2ch) RCA (1)
Digital audio output (coaxial) RCA (1)

Disc format DVD Video, DVD-R (Video Mode)
DVD-RW (Video Mode)
CD, CD-R, CD-RW
Power requirements AC120V, 60Hz
Power consumption 47W
Weight 16.1 lb

Dimensions 348(W)*451(D)*128(H)mm
Dimentions 13-11/16"(W) * 17-3/4"(D) * 5-1/16"

Frequency response (CD) 4Hz to 20kHz
4Hz to 44kHz
(DVD, 96kHz )

Signal to noise ratio 115dB or more (JEITA)
Distortion 0.006% (JEITA)
Control terminal 1/8 inch phone jack