Canadian DJ Mikas is causing an international sensation

Deep, uplifting and mysterious melodies intermingle in a harmonious soundscape throughout Canadian progressive dance producer Mikas’ newest album, Illusions.

However, Illusions is about more than just the powerful beats – it’s about the message. Two years in the making, Illusions was inspired by the deception of comfort Mikas observed in the modern world, created by people’s need to achieve and to commodify their lives.

Illusions, set to be released in CD format on June 2, and in digital format on June 23, it emerges out of Mikas’ desire to be different. Its beats are characterized by his unique progressive sound that blends haunting rhythms and inspiring melodies, with flavours of Jerome Isma-Ae, Sultan, and Ned Sheppard, to create his one of a kind pieces.

Mikas has been rising to the top of international music charts since founding his own successful label, Progressive Grooves, in 2005. Since then, under Mikas’ direction, the label’s unique composition techniques and uncommon sound have caused a worldwide sensation, with over 35,000 digital song sales to date.

The label is distributed digitally through INgrooves, with CDs being distributed by Static and SuperD, for Canadian and American markets respectively.

Promotional copies of Illusions are available in both CD and digital format.

The Canadian artist has received support from some of the biggest names in the business, including Tiesto, Armin van Buuren and Paul van Dyk. France and the US have also picked up on the label’s success, having invited Mikas for live radio interviews.

With a cross-country tour lined up for this summer, along with plans for high-profile club residencies in Vancouver and Las Vegas, Mikas doesn’t plan coming down from this rhythmic high any time soon. Nevertheless, Illusions’ down-to-earth message reminds him and others to remain focused and grounded in light of such successes.

www.mikas.ca
www.progressivegrooves.com
www.myspace.com/progressivegroovesrecords

WHOA!

DMb looks different!

Yep, neck deep in making tweaks, but though I’d make a post for y’all to voice any comments or issues with the new set-up.

Get down to Fabric on June 1st to see one of DanceMusicblog’s favourite unsigned acts - and watch them DJ their way into getting signed! 

UNION presents:  SUMMER SENDOFF FESTIVAL at Fabric, London.

Earlybird tickets are already sold out, make sure you secure yours before they’re all gone:  Ticketweb

After discovering the pair playing a set at Global Gathering,  they have since gone on to play some of the UK’s biggest venues, including Ministry of Sound London.  It seems about time this class act got some real recognition and got signed up.  Get down to Fabric and support these guys  in the DJing competition run by Union DJ agency.  Check out some of their mixes and links below:

• Spirit Bomb 
• Robot Rocky Rock Rock

Myspace and Facebook pages

Best of luck boys - let us know how it goes.

Astralwerk sent us some free copies of their SlotMusic compilation featuring: Royksopp, Bat for Lashes, Digitalism, Hot Chip, The Kooks, and more.

We’re giving away free copies of the compilation on a SlotMusic MicroSD card to the first four people to send us an email listing 3 other Astralwerks artists other than the ones listed above. (more…)

I recently heard about TechnoBox from AudioRealism for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and already being a fan of thier Bassline VST instrument I had to check it out. $10 for this app is a steal when compared to the price of a VST instrument or any music creation software for that matter. Compared to the price of most iPhone apps it is on the higher side but it’s well worth it. Basically TechnoBox is similar to the old Rebirth program by Propellerheads but better sounding. I definitely see someone using this app in a live set, but you would have to deal with manually syncing it up. Definitely worth a look.

From the AudioRealism website:

TechnoBox is your virtual techno studio on the go for iPhone / iPod touch featuring stunningly accurate emulations of three classic boxes: The legendary 303 bass line machine together with the smooth 808 and punchy 909 drum machines. technoBox has easy to use sequencing capabilities which lets you tie together patterns, or use it live by improvising pattern switches on the fly!

Featuring the same high quality audio engine as ABL2 which was painstakingly optimized to be able to run on mobile devices. For the uninitiated our audio engine has aliasing free oscillators and full range non-linear filters.

The drum section features 11 parts with 808 or 909 sounds (for a total of 22 sounds) with variable amount of shuffle per pattern.

technoBox comes with a session manager which allows you to load/save sessions in realtime without stopping the internal sequencer — great for saving realtime improvised patterns without interrupting the audio stream.

TechnoBox Website

JohnBeez has developed a new Fretless Fader which acts as a two octave pitch controller and crossfader which makes creating music on the turntable that much easier. Pair that up with the Vestax Controller One and this is what you get…

Here is another video of JohnBeez with his Controller One and a Loop Pedal…

The Prodigy released their fifth album ‘Invaders Must Die’ on 2nd March.

The title track comes with a video directed by Paul Dougdale and starring actor and director Noel Clarke.

The Prodigy recently showcased the new material with UK dates and are set to head out on a full arena tour in April in the UK and May in the US.

04/05 - Cardiff International Arena
04/06 - Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
04/07 - Glasgow SECC
04/09 - Birmingham NIA
04/10 - Manchester MEN Arena
04/11 - Nottingham Trent FM Arena
04/13 - Sheffield Arena
04/14 Brighton Centre
04/16 London Wembley Arena
04/17 London Wembley Arena

05/18 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC
05/19 - Electric City - Philadelphia, PA
05/20 - House of Blues - Boston, MA
05/22 - The Filmore - Detroit, MI
05/23 - Congress Theater - Chicago, IL
05/26 - The Grove - Anaheim, CA
05/27 - Hollywood Paladium - Los Angeles, CA
05/28 - Warfield Theatre - San Francisco, CA
05/30 - WAMU Theatre - Seattle, WA

Cr2 Records first launched there LIVE & DIRECT compilation series at the tail end of 2007. The series started with a bang, featuring a head-to-head electro house battle between Dirty South & Kurd Maverick. Having said that, the series reached new heights with the Miami 2008 Compilation, which was extremely well received and leaped straight to the top of the charts. This was no mean feat considering the competition, which included the mainstay brands such as Azuli, Ministry of Sound and Defected.
 
Cr2 Miami 2009 follows on exactly where the 2008 edition left us…hanging on for one more tune! The compilation again offers 3 CD’s, with the theme across the CD’s spanning CD1-Day / CD2-Night and CD3-Classics. This combination seems to really work enabling the label to cover the broad spectrum of music they release.
 
The compilation features a massive 47 tracks, of which 20 are exclusive to Cr2! Featuring upfront cuts from DJ Sneak vs Herve, Mark Brown, Harry Choo Choo Romero & Jose Nunez… plus ‘Love Emergency’ the huge new single from Kurd Maverick Feat. Sam Obernik.
 
The Album is available for download now and will be out physically Monday 16th March as mixed and unmixed CD’s. There are also 3 x 12” vinyl Samplers.

Check it out here.

A while ago we posted about our competition with dBM Labs.  OK, so it didn’t go that well - very badly in fact.  It’s still open to entry, and the peeps over at dBM Labs are still eagerly awaiting some DMb readers to have a go.  See below for the mashup and clues, and how to to enter.

They have just released some great new shirts and hoody (defo guna be popular):

Want to know more about dBM Labs? 

Watch their youtube video or go straight to their homepage: dBM Labs

You can follow them on twitter - http://twitter.com/DBMlabs.  Don’t forget to add DanceMusicblog while you’re at it - http://twitter.com/DBMlabs.

Competition Details:

Guess the tracks!  There’s 5 of ‘em, and the artists are:

1. Jaydee
2. Dave Clarke
3. Plastikman
4. Robert Armani
5. Tetraflux

Have a listen to the mashup here:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: DMb Mashup

And if you think you’ve figured it out - click here to submit your answer.

It’s free to enter and you can win some great prizes from dBM Labs!

Story taken from www.beatportal.com

Meanwhile, Troy Pierce gets locked in the loo
17 February, 2009 | 9.52AM

* Written by: Zack Rico

Here’s why you should never go to the toilet in the middle of a DJ set. Minus troublemaker Troy Pierce decided to sneak a leak whilst playing at the Beatport 5 Year Anniversary Tour party at Rex club in Paris recently.

After putting on a record, he scarpered to the nearest bathroom to do his business, but unfortunately for him, the door somehow locked behind him and wouldn’t open. Oh dear.

For almost an hour Troy Pierce was locked in the loo, and Konrad Black [a] had to take over control of the music to save the party.

In the end security heard Troy banging on the door, and despite their best efforts to unlock the door, they had no choice but to break it down, one punch at a time.

They smashed a hole in the door just wide enough for Troy to squeeze out of, and about one hour after he had gone missing, Mr. Pierce began his DJ set for the second time that night.