Superstar Dutch DJ and producer Sander Kleinenberg has built his international reputation on an ability to create different atmospheres, for myriad crowds, at venues all over the world.

Kleinenberg is not only an artist who declines to stick to a single, easily defined sound, he also utilizes more than one medium to create a night out. Long at the forefront of integrating video imagery and other visuals in his VDJ sets and integrating music and images single-handedly requires sharpened skills and on-the-fly invention. “Now, in the process of DJing, I am in control of another dimensions. The thought processes are not just about music; there is a visual element as well.” Which allows his to shape his identity, and stimulate crowds, in a host of fresh ways. “This is a whole new way of looking at what you do creatively. In the end, that is very challenging. It makes you more versatile as well. I love keeping on my toes.”

Sander will continue to show off his aesthetic flexibility at residencies around the world during the course of the year, including Pacha in Ibiza, Avalon in Los Angeles, Ministry of Sound in London, and Paradiso in Amsterdam. So his calendar is jam-packed. But for Sander, there is always still more to do. The head of his own Little Mountain Recordings label, and a producer of sublime original tracks that elude being easily date-stamped, Kleinenberg plans to tap into all the facets of his creativity for his debut artist album, which he has been working furiously in the studio to complete over the past year with the one and only Josh Gabriel. “I am working on a definitive document,” he hints. “I want to create a real landmark, both visually and musically, where I say, ‘This has been my journey over the last twenty years… and this is where I am now.’”

One of my personal favorites over the years, I’m very excited to present this exclusive DJ Mix from one the Progressive greats, Sander Kleinenberg!

Enjoy!

Podcast: Download (Duration: 29:40 — 34.0MB)

Mix Info & Tracklisting (more…)

This is the first edition of a new series here at DMb which is presented and hosted by DJ EQ (www.dj-eq.com) which will feature live sets and interviews exclusive to DMb. In this first episode LA’s own Paul Ahi takes the decks and talks about where his DJing career began from EQ’s studio in Hollywood.

Enjoy!

Podcast: Download (Duration: 45:51 — 52.5MB)

For more info on Paul Ahi and DJ EQ check out:
Paul Ahi FaceBook
Paul Ahi Twitter
DJ EQ Official Website
DJ EQ Twitter

This DJ Nth mix entitled “The Afterparty” has been a very popular posting on our blog for the past few years so we decided to make it the first in our “Classics” Series of Podcasts. As our regular listeners know, DJ Nth is our resident DJ and Editor here at DMb and always delivers a solid mix no matter what style he spins. For those that haven’t heard this mix yet, pop this one in the car CD player on a roadtrip and get ready to start humming along to the infectious Trance melodies.

Enjoy!

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:19:13 — 90.7MB)

Mix Info & Tracklisting (more…)

With over 3000 entries in the NGDJ competition spanning 3 months and garnering almost 200,000 votes the winner was just announced. Congrats to May Vanya from New Zealand via Coatia. The winner was chosen based on not only mixing and track selection but also music production, visual presentation and general artist potential. It seems like the 3 winners definitely lean more towards a deeper housey kinda vibe. Hopefully next year we can see a bit more genre variety with the winners.

According to the jury, Croatian sister duo Maya Vanya “are intriguing in a ’what‘s next?‘ way” and “have proven themselves by mixing their own masterfully laid out edits” with “a big room friendly tech house sound ready for next generation dancefloors everywhere.”

You can check out Maya Vanya’s winning mix here.

NGDJ runner-ups, including Jeremy G and Adeline Supreme.

via: LetsMix

Rephlektor Inkorporated has been kind enough to send us 3 of Tom Stephan’s new mix CD “Nervous Nitelife” to give away to our loyal readers. If you don’t recognize the name you probably know Tom by his other alias, Superchumbo. I’m pretty excited to check this mix out as I have been a huge Superchumbo fan since the late 90′s when he defined the Tribal Progressive sound. Just looking at this tracklisting has already got me ready to go out an boogie! So we’re going to give away 3 copies of this CD via a random drawing. To enter to win just leave a comment below with a valid email address and tell us your favorite Superchumbo track. We will contact the winners to get your info.

TRACKLISTING (more…)

ARTIST: Deadmau5

TRACK/ALBUM: For Lack of A Better Name (Mixed Album)

RATING: (3/5)

This album is a compilation of Deadmau5′s original productions spanning the past two years and serves more as a showcase for his diversity as a producer than his skills as a dj.  Short cross fades and minimal overlays that can easily be done in a number of software programs these days, is less than impressive.  Especially given the potential for layering and EQ work with the more minimal percussive tracks, like “BOT”, later in the sequence.  Based on the technical mixing skills usually highlighted in a “mixed” cd, this seems like a bit of a misnomer.

The album does includes some of his popular electro house tracks like “Ghosts N’ Stuff” (featuring the vocals of Pendulum’s Rob Swire) and “Hi Friend” to get things moving towards the beginning.  But seems to flounder in the middle with the more minimal techy tracks that fail to resolve the conflict between the rhythmic shuffle and the sudden halt created by the breakdown of sweeping synth chords and arpeggiated crescendos to nowhere.  While his new releases contain some interesting ideas, the execution is somewhat lacking in terms of integrating them into a cohesive whole.  “Soma”‘s deep bass and techy groove is hijacked by a piano interlude that feels out of place. “The 16th Hour” starts as a dark driving progressive trance track that is starkly contrasted by the uplifting melodic breakdown. Concluding the cd is “Strobe” that begins with an orchestral, cinematic introduction and builds to a more dance floor friendly, melodic track in his signature style.  Leaning more towards trance than the electro house, fans of his earlier work will still be pleased with this one!

For Lack of A Better Name (the mixed album) traverses several areas of the electronic music realm from the booty shakin’ club hits to the more introspective soundscapes, demonstrating his range as a producer.  And perhaps a glimpse into where he may be heading… film score by Deadmau5?

Sorry we’ve been missing in action for a few weeks while we moved to a new webhost, but we’re back and we have some great things planned to the rest of 2009!

This great little Trance/Progressive Podcast has been growing and growing since its start a little over 2 years ago and now finds itself delivering some serious downloads for any DJ featured. Check em out, subscribe, and send em a mix.

TranceDesign.net

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.