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Album Review: Ferry Corsten – WKND

Douglas — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:07:54 +0000

Album Review: Ferry Corsten – WKND

Ferry Corsten delivers his fourth full-length studio album, WKND (Ultra Music/Flashover), on February 24th. We got the early scoop & review for you!
When it comes to Ferry Corsten, the music possibilities are endless. As a seasoned veteran, every album or compilation that he crafts not only opens our ears to familiar sounds, but also introduces us to even more artistic, unique ,and dynamic sound possibilities. This year, celebrating 20 years of radiance, Ferry will be introducing his next masterpiece artist album entitled, WKND, scheduled to be released this upcoming February. Get ready to open your mind and allow Corsten to rock your world with these 14 unstoppable tracks.

From HUGE bangers, to harmonious melodies, to some seriously funky beats we expect from Ferry…this album has got it all! I am confident that some of the female vocal tracks on WKND will, without a doubt, make your hair stand up. The album kicks off with a stunning mellow vibe to A Day Without Rain ft. Ellie Lawson…an outstanding progressive work of art, accompanied by gorgeous vocals. Speaking of god-like vocals…Not Coming Down ft. Betsie Larken has (hands down) got to be one of the most magical songs I’ve ever heard. From start to finish, this song embodies a variety of elements. A dark & grindy trance track, that breaks down to an absolutely angelic piano & vocal solo. Just when you’re wrapped up in the emotion of this song, you’re quickly knocked out with some serious pounding punches to get your feet going. A work of a musical genius indeed, showing us that a single track, meticulously put together, has the strength to move your emotions in ways you never imagined possible. I forbid this track be remixed, as it stands so beautiful exactly where it is. Just sayin…

Corsten has always been notorious for his signature style. Over the years, these styles have grown into distinct sounds that only he seems to so effortlessly bring to every production. WKND introduces us to much of the latter. Take Me is a perfect illustration of pure trance energy. This track boasts a soft mesmerizing synth, with a hard, unbreakable beat. Another room shaker…Don’t Be Afraid. This tune offers nothing but a clean progression that builds up with some deep, strong synths to get you going. Fans will be in for a real treat when hearing this one live!

WKND also offers a beautiful and a unique progressive lounge vibe with the track Walk on Air. Simply stunning and well constructed. And with regards the vocals!? Well let’s just say, whether male or female, Corsten has come correct. Female vocals such as Live Forever ft. Aruna, In Your Eyes ft. JES and Let You Go ft. Sarah Bettens are all cleanly constructed with gorgeous melodies blended with sharp rhythms that will for sure not only get your feet to move, but will most certainly force you to belt out a note or two.

In the last year, male vocals have been the new trend and Ferry has certainly proved that on this project. Ain’t No Stopping ft. Ben Hague has already made some waves on Dutch Radio 538 with its catchy rhythm and feel good aura. While it could be classified as a somewhat risky track for Ferry with its mainstream radio characteristics, Ferry adds a healthy dose of entertaining synths that will compel this song to grow on you faster than you can say…”meh”!! Love Will ft. Duane Harden also presents a clean, crunchy beat accompanied by some classic piano melodies & enjoyable catchy vocals.

If you’ve been to any live production in the last 6 months, you’ve probably already fallen in love with some WKND bangers!! Feel it, has certainly done some significant dance floor damage this past year. Also, without a doubt our knees got weak for Ferry’s collaboration with Armin van Buuren…Brute. Wow, what an anthem this became!! An earth shattering, spine tingling track that lifts you up and gets you jumping! WKND also brings us Check it Out, which for sure got your feet moving this past year. Who would’ve ever thought of fusing a vocal sample from The Return of Captain Rock to create this fun, groovy, funky, phenomenon of a track!!

There is never a dull music moment on WKND, and Ferry Corsten has proven, once again, that his artistic musical abilities go way beyond our imaginations! Not only does he donate earsplitting bangers… but groovy, harmonious tracks that you can listen to anywhere, anytime, any mood! Tracks made to rock the venues, as well as relax your mind. What amazes me most about Ferry Corsten is that after 20 years, he’s still got it…and got it with a vengeance! Fans will forever be loyal to his sound and style because he is one of the few artists always on his A-game both live, and also in the studio…always proving there are no boundaries to music.

Ferry Corsten’s WKND will be released 2/24/12. Get it, and see for yourself what all this hype is about. Check it out…. Reviewed by Deb Graynor

Tracklist for Ferry Corsten’s WKND (Ultra Music/Flashover):
1. Ferry Corsten ft Ellie Lawson, “A Day Without Rain” 2. Ferry Corsten, “Feel It” 3. Ferry Corsten ft Ben Hague, “Ain’t No Stoppin’” 4. Ferry Corsten, “Don’t Be Afraid” 5. Ferry Corsten ft Betsie Larkin, “Not Coming Down” 6. Ferry Corsten vs Armin van Buuren, “Brute” 7. Ferry Corsten ft Aruna, “Live Forever” 8. Ferry Corsten ft Sarah Bettens, “Let You Go” 9. Ferry Corsten, “Check It Out” 10. Ferry Corsten ft Duane Harden, “Love Will” 11. Ferry Corsten ft Jes, “In Your Eyes” 12. Ferry Corsten ft Pierre In The Air & Amba Sheperd, “Walk On Air” 13. Ferry Corsten, “Take Me” 14. Ferry Corsten, “WKND” 15. (Bonus Track) Ferry Corsten, “Sunday”
Reviewer Deb Graynor
Label: Ultra Music/Flashover
Release date: February 24th, 2012

Dash Berlin – 100 Minutes Of 2011

Douglas — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:28:29 +0000

2011 couldn’t have given Dash Berlin a better treatment. The Dutch producer/DJ climbed to number 8 in the critically acclaimed DJ Mag Top 100, released the successful singles ‘Better Half Of Me’, ‘Disarm Yourself’, ‘Earth Hour’ and compilation ‘United Destination 2011’ and rocked the globe with sets all across the globe.

Buy it here: 100 Minutes of 2011 (Selected and Mixed by Dash Berlin) – Dash Berlin

Dash Berlin now shows his personal year’s overview, with the biggest tracks of 2011 in one steady mix!

Tracklist:
Victor Dinaire & Bissen feat. Peter Finley – 2nite U R Perfect (Steve Brian Remix) (07:07)
Daniel Kandi & Phillip Alpha – Don’t Fix It (Original Mix) (07:46)
ATB with Dash Berlin – Apollo Road (Original Mix) (07:24)
First State feat. Sarah Howells – Reverie (Dash Berlin Remix) (08:53)
Cerf, Mitiska & Jaren – Another World [Cerf, Mitiska & Jaren] (Shogun Remix) (07:35)
Cosmic Gate feat. Jan Johnston – Raging (Alexander Popov Vocal Remix) (07:31)
John O’Callaghan & Timmy & Tommy – Talk To Me (Orjan Nilsen Trance Mix) (07:54)
Dash Berlin feat. Jonathan Mendelsohn – Better Half Of Me (Club Mix) (08:57)
Space RockerZ & Tania Zygar – Puzzle Piece (Original Mix) (08:00)
Faruk Sabanci – As Faces Fade (Alexander Popov Remix) (06:56)
Klauss Goulart – Deep Universe (Rave CHannel Remix) (07:31)
Filo & Peri feat. Audrey Gallagher – This Night (Dash Berlin Remix) (06:50)
Anhken presents Fyrsta – If Not Me [Anhken presents Fyrsta] (Norin & Rad Remix) (06:47)
Cosmic Gate & Emma Hewitt – Be Your Sound (Extended Mix) (08:01)
Orjan Nilsen – Shoutbox! (Cressida Remix) (08:07)
Shogun – Skyfire (Original Mix) (08:27)
Dash Berlin feat. Emma Hewitt – Disarm Yourself (Club Mix) (08:25)
Protoculture – Liquid Logic (Original Mix) (08:09)
Dash Berlin – Till The Sky Falls Down (Dash Berlin 4AM Mix) (05:52)
Lange pres. Firewall – Touched (Dash Berlin’s Sense Of Touch Remix) (06:24)
Dash Berlin – 100 Minutes Of 2011 (Full Continuous DJ Mix) (101:31)

Markus Schulz – 100 Minutes Of 2011

Douglas — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:22:55 +0000

2011 makes up for one of the highlight years in the career of American based DJ/producer Markus Schulz. He’s still rocking the DJ Mag Top 100 with a Top 10 position, moves ten-thousands of dance lovers each weekend, groves them with tracks and anthems and influences the sound of 2011.

100 Minutes of 2011: Markus Schulz is 100 minutes of essentials, mixed and handpicked by Schulz himself!

Buy it here: 100 Minutes of 2011 (Selected and Mixed by Markus Schulz) – Markus Schulz

Tracklist:
Mike Foyle presents Statica – Shades Of Blue [Mike Foyle presents Statica] (Original Mix) (09:07)
Basil O’Glue – Realm Of Mind (Original Mix) (06:38)
Max Freegrant – Olya (KhoMha Remix) (06:15)
Nash & Pepper present Ostrega – First Scream [Nash & Pepper present Ostrega] (Mike Foyle Edit) (03:45)
Danilo Ercole – Water That Birds Don’t Drink (Original Mix) (07:45)
3rd Planet – UFO Here (Original Mix) (06:10)
Kyau vs Albert – Kiksu [Kyau vs Albert] (2011 Rework) (06:57)
Basil O’Glue – Angular Momentum (Original Mix) (07:38)
Mario Hammer feat. Asheni – Life Before The Earthquake (Original Mix) (06:48)
Skytech – Sirens (Original Mix) (06:46)
Mike EFEX presents Emtech – Callisto (Pobsky Remix) (07:23)
Erick Strong – Heart Inside (Original Mix) (06:25)
Mark Otten – Libertine (Original Mix) (08:44)
Tucandeo – Macula (Original Mix) (06:47)
David Barnes – Noodler (Original Mix) (06:11)
Pobsky & Paul Atkinson – Locked Out (Original Mix) (07:04)
Grube & Hovsepian – Torque (Radio Edit) (03:04)
Boom Jinx feat. Justine Suissa – Phoenix From The Flames (Club Mix Edit) (04:00)
Jessus – Stereophonic (Original Mix) (06:51)
Markus Schulz – Digital Madness (Transmission 2011 Theme) (Original Mix) (08:35)
Beat Service – Charged (Original Mix) (07:00)
Grace – Not Over Yet (Max Graham vs Protoculture Remix) (08:28)
Aerofoil vs E&G – Oslo Anthem [Aerofoil vs E&G] (Original Mix Edit) (03:27)
Rex Mundi – Valley Of Dreams (Original Mix) (07:52)
Dennis Sheperd & Cold Blue feat. Ana Criado – Fallen Angel (Dennis Sheperd Club Mix) (07:52)
Markus Schulz – 100 Minutes Of 2011 (Full Continuous DJ Mix) (99:01.9999)

2011 Breakthrough Artist of The Year – Arty

Debra — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:58:01 +0000

When asked to single out one artist who made an immense impact in the year 2011, it was no question for me. First name that popped to mind was the young & dynamic, Arty. While although Arty got the ball rolling in late 2009, he didn’t truly obtain his star power until Armin released one of his singles on his ASOT radio shows in 2010. Soon after, Arty was signed to the Anjunabeats label and has been on an express train to the top ever since!

Over the course of one year, Arty has made ridiculous waves among the trance/electro community. His fusion sound is certainly a hit on dance floors world-wide. I was first introduced to this Russian producer’s music when I heard his masterpiece rework of Ferry’s Punk. This may have single-handedly opened all doors for this young artist. His collaboration with Mat Zo on Rebound, also made its debut in April of 2011, and soon after, us EDM fanatics were blessed with Around the World. Most recently, his track Kate boasts a friendly, feel good disposition with clean beats & subtle progressions to get your feet moving.

Arty’s tracks have a distinct sound, combined with a quirky blend of music styles and he makes it apparent that he is not afraid to experiment with various techniques. As a live performer, Arty possesses energy behind the decks that can’t be surpassed. One of his first unveilings was when he rocked the main floor in Den Bosch during Armin’s ASOT 500 celebration. Aside from his amazing music, his animated faces and crowd interaction is a sure seller!

I must congratulate Arty for breaking into this scene like a bulldozer! From what we’ve already witnesses from this young lad, he definitely holds this title…and holds it strong! He mirrors a true artist experimenting with hearty sounds and effortlessly blending electro, trance, & house gracefully, proving how different genres can coexist.

Check out Arty’s full discology and give your ears a brilliant listen. This is only the beginning, as Arty has confirmed more collaborations to come with big-name artists. It’s safe to assume we can expect more original and edgy productions in 2012!

Written by Deb Graynor

Interview with Myon & Shane 54

Douglas — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:37:34 +0000

Myon & Shane 54 are one of the brightest stars of the so-called new generation of dance music producer / DJs.

Coming from Hungary, the duo have achieved serious success in the international dance music scene; an achievement no artist had done before from their home country. In less than 2 years after they started making music together, the pair were voted into DJMag’s Top 100 DJs at #91. They’ve been producing for the biggest names in the trance scene, are a constant fixture in their record boxes, and the combined sales of everything they’ve done way exceeds the million mark.

USTM: Hello guys, how are you? You just celebrated 100 Episode’s of International Departures! Must have been a great achievement in your life/music career. Can you tell us how you celebrated?

S: The show started a few days after our big introduction at ASOT 400, which was our 2nd international gig together in 2009. We had a few ideas about how it’s gonna turn out, but we never imagined it will go this far. It’s still weird to think about all those people around the world listening to what we do week by week. We get a lot of feedback, and that’s what keeps us going really. It might sound cheesy, but the love of the fans makes everything worthwhile.

M: We were celebrating in Winnipeg, Canada while we had a few days off while touring there. We made a regular radio episode, and we thought it would be great to do a long mix consisting of all our stuff, just to show how far we’ve come since day one. But as the mix reached 4.5 hours length, we realized we might not be able to squeeze everything in there. So we kept half of those tracks and remixes for episode 200, where we pretty sure they will work with our future material. And it was a lot of fun listening back to all those old productions we’ve made like 3 years ago, and haven’t heard for a long time. We will also have an ID100 Celebration in Hawaii on New Years Eve. Now THAT is something we are looking forward to…

USTM: What are your opinions on the changing EDM scene and the effect that pop culture has had on EDM? Do you think its better? Worse? And would you be willing to change your style to fit the new and growing audience?

M:It’s just as true the other way around. Pop music has changed a lot due to dance music, and now every single big pop artist wants to work a dj or seen hanging out with big djs. Obviously those people don’t have any real idea what EDM is really about, but they have a great sense of pop of course. Underground djs can moan about this, but we don’t necessarily think that way. We think it’s a great thing, and it opened a lot of doors for people who might have never thought about 4/4 beats if it wasn’t for all those big cheesy hits.

S: We don’t believe in getting into the line and make stuff that’s not us musically, but since we both coming from a pop background, we can certainly see ourselves making great songs with artist we like anyway. At the end of the day a good song is a good song, and people will always relate to them even if they don’t know much about the whens and hows of “real” dance music. But it’s happening big time in the US, and no one can deny it.

USTM: Who are some artists you’d like to collaborate with in the near future? Are we going to see Velvetine project again in the future?

M: Yes, a new Velvetine single is ready for a while now, but since we used a little piece of music in the piano riff by Thomas Newman, one of the best film composers out there, we had to ask permission to use it. We were surprised how fast he agreed after hearing the song, and of course we are extremely happy he was going for it. Above & Beyond premiered “The Great Divide” on TATW 400 just a few days ago, and the response was more than great.

S: We have quite a few ideas who we would like to work with, but we won’t reveal any names, just now. Some people are more open to dance music than others, but we can only hope everyone we approach will see our dedication to great songwriting, and good production.

USTM: Can you tell us something we are the first to know?

M: I was a cook at some point in my life.

S: I’m allergic to tomatoes…

USTM: Can we expect an album in the near future?

S: on January 13th we’ll finally get to release the first Mash Up double album on Armada. It was in the works of more than 6 months, the tracklist has changed gazillion times, and for the label it was a licensing nightmare, but we’re glad to report it turned out just as we imagined it. We can’t wait for you guys to hear it.

M: We also working on our new artist album, which we work on for more than a year now. We got pretty much all the songs written, but loads of production work is still ahead of us. We can be very meticulous, so it’ll take some time to finish it. We surely want to do something different, not just a “regular” dance album, that’s so common with djs these days. As we said earlier songwriting is the key for us. You can’t make a good album without actual songs, and that’s what we’re after.

USTM: When you guys are not touring or releasing fantastic mash-ups! What do you guys like to do to relax?

M: We make music to relax. We always working in something, if it’s not a particular track, we make samples, discovering instruments or effects, you know, just fiddling about. Sometimes great things coming out of not necessarily going for something specific.

USTM: USA has long awaited your “International Departure”. Should we hold on to our seats? What can we expect?

M: We always loved the US, and the enthusiasm of the crowd. We can’t wait to finally tour there, and we will give everything we have in our belts to make our gigs the best we can. We will play loads of new stuff, and there’s always a new mashup to play.

S: Not to mention Cinnabons, which I love so much I always have to buy more than one piece.

Myon & Shane 54 were recently our Featured Artist of The Month: November – You can read our full feature here

Last Chance to Vote for djNth

HQ — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:43:55 +0000

Today, Monday Dec 4th, is the last day of voting for the Lights – Siberia remix contest and our own djNth has a couple of tracks in the running. Voting ends at 5pm PST. Get your votes in now.

http://www.indabamusic.com/opportunities/lights-siberia-remix-contest/submissions/83315
“This one came together very quickly, I initially downloaded this vocal first becuase I liked this song the best out of all of the Lights tracks in the remix competition but I found it wasn’t working out with my clubby Trance track I was writing so I set it aside and did the Banner remix instead. Came back to this later and checked to see how it fit with the Breaks track I had originally intended to use in the Toes remix and I liked the feel of it. I think it turned out pretty good for getting pieced together last minute and keeping me up all night long trying to make the deadline.”

http://www.indabamusic.com/opportunities/lights-banner-remix-contest/submissions/82201
“This is my nu-school Cybertrance remix. Inspired by AVICII and the portamento synths of the Cybertrance sound of yesteryear. :) I feel like this song could finish in the top 20 just because it is pretty different from the rest of the remixes. Most people did faster Dubstep type remixes because the original track is around 75 or 150 BMP range, but check it out and send me a vote.”

Armin van Buuren Announces All Dates for ASOT 550 Tour

Douglas — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:32:01 +0000

Last night, during his radio show, Armin van Buuren revealed 5 extra events of the A State of Trance 550 celebration. Next to events in Belgrade, Moscow and Kiev, the 550th episode of the show will also be celebrated in Los Angeles and Miami. The grand finale will take place in Den Bosch on March 31st, 2012. Divided over 4 weeks and taking place on 2 different continents, ASOT 550 will be the biggest show the popular DJ has ever done.

A State of Trance 550 kicks off on March 3rd in Serbia’s Belgrade, to move to Russia’s capital Moscow only 4 days later on March 7th. Ukrainian dance lovers will be dancing in Kiev on March 10th. This time, Armin lands his ASOT show twice in the US. On March 17th, as part of the Beyond Wonderland festival in Los Angeles and in Miami on March 25th. On March 31st, the biggest and final edition of ASOT 550 takes place in the Brabanthallen of Den Bosch, The Netherlands. Armin announced the full line-up for the Dutch edition of A State of Trance 550 last night, which can now be found via www.astateoftrance.com.

Armin:“Like last year, I wanted to lay it on again, so that ASOT 550 turns into a real worldwide happening. I’m very much looking forward to share this milestone with all listeners, visitors and DJ’s!”

Next to these 6 events, Armin and his team are also looking into the possibilities of an exclusive pre-party on the first of March 2012. The full line-up of all events, as well as the winner of the wildcard for the A State of Trance 550 Theme contest will be announced next week, on December 8th. After that, the voting poll for the contest opens and people are able to vote for their favourite track to be the official anthem of ASOT 550.

TOURDATES ASOT 550, March 2012: 3rd March A STATE OF TRANCE 550 – Belgrade, Serbia 7th March A STATE OF TRANCE 550 – Moscow, Russia 10th March A STATE OF TRANCE 550 – Kiev, Ukraine 17th March A STATE OF TRANCE 550 – Los Angeles, USA (as part of Beyond Wonderland) 25th March A STATE OF TRANCE 550 – Miami, USA 31st March A STATE OF TRANCE 550 – Den Bosch, The Netherlands For more info and tickets, as well as the full line-up of the Dutch ASOT 550 show, check www.astateoftrance.com.

Also all producers send in your original tracks by December 8th for a chance to be the ASOT 550 Anthem. http://www.astateoftrance.com/anthemcontest/

Ferry Corsten Releases First App-Only Album

Douglas — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:46:49 +0000

Ferry Corsten has released the first App-only album ever to celebrate his 20 years as a producer.

The 20 year App contains a one hour long special mix created by the man himself, filled with 34 of his biggest hits up to date and a lot of unique pictures of Ferry’s face morphing through the years and his musical life. A must have for every fan of Ferry Corsten and dance music in general.

Key features in this App: - Unique 20 Years mix made by Ferry Corsten - Beautiful pictures of Ferry’s face morphing through the years, his musical life and dance events - An overview of his albums over the past 20 years, including track lists Check out the App on ferrycorsten.com

Ferry Corsten has become an icon in the trance and dance scene. He has released 6 artist albums since his rise to the top and a myriad of compilations. With his own record label, Flashover Recordings he releases his own music and the music of other great electronic DJ’s and producers.

His interactive radio show Corstens Countdown is currently broadcasted in more than 50 countries worldwide and annually nominated as one of the best dance radio shows in the world.

With Full on Ferry he treats his fans to a great night filled with back to back sets with himself and various artists. The show has it’s residency in Ibiza, Spain.

Markus Schulz Unveils His City Compilation For 2012 : Los Angeles

Douglas — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:38:10 +0000

As part of a special video-cast, Markus Schulz – one of the 10 biggest DJs in the world – yesterday announced that it would be the sprawling electronic dancetropolis of Los Angeles that’s been selected for his 2012 city compilation! Speculation had been mounting on forums over the last week that the honours could well fall the city’s way, with it becoming the odds-on favourite among Schulz watchers in the final hours before the broadcast. And that was indeed the way the compass spun! As the video’s countdown reached zero (with the broadcast’s hosts uStream at near meltdown!), it revealed the iconic cityscape of the album’s cover and confirmation that the series would return to North America next year.

In unveiling LA as the city of choice, Markus said “electronic dance music has blown up huge in the United States this past year. One of the main reasons driving that is the scene in Los Angeles, where a new generation of clubbers are uniting with long-term fans and creating one of the most passionate scenes anywhere on the globe. I’ve played there many times in my career, at the Monster Massive festivals, the Electric Daisy Carnivals and for the last 3 years New Years Eves at Together As One, and they’ve all been so memorable in their own way.”

To mark the release of Markus’ city-celebrating Los Angeles 2012 mix-comp, Schulz will be playing not one, but two incredible gigs on consecutive nights at alegendary LA dance spot. Markus continues: “one of the clubs heavily featured in my Do You Dream DVD is Avalon. The fans there have always been amazing and as a result of the vibe and the response of the Avalon crowd I ended up playing over six hours, past 7am in the morning! It’s these types of environments where I really test my DJ sets and skills”. So on Presidents Day weekend in the States, it’ll be the West Hollywood club that will play host to two very special parties to celebrate the release of Los Angeles ’12. Saturday February 18th will be a 21+ event with Sunday the 19th being a 18s and over show. “It’s going to be an extended set from me alongside some very special guests and it’ll be the first time in my career that I’ve done two back-to-back shows in LA”, says Markus. “So get your plane tickets, booked, your hotel rooms reserved and your plans made – it’s going to be an incredible weekend!”

From here, over the next six weeks, Markus will be making his final preparations to musically decode the City of Angeles. The album promises to be two discs of the most upfront, cutting-edge, tip-of-the-spear electronic dance music out there, personifying exactly how LA clubs it!

We’ll be back to unveil its tracklist mid-Jan… so standby for that! More info on Markus Schulz from www.markusschulz.com and www.facebook.com/markusschulz

High Contrast presents: Ali Wilson – A 31- Track Mix Compilation

Douglas — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:57:04 +0000

Featuring music from across the electronic dance range, including 31 tracks and remixes from W&W And Mark Sixma, Marco V, Orjan Nilsen, Jochen Miller, Marcel Woods, Alex M.O.R.P.H. and many more.

As this dance music year starts to draw to a close, High Contrast Recordings are ready to put 2011 through the sound barrier with their latest compilation expedition. The man tasked with compiling and mixing it is none other than genre-explorer extraordinaire, Ali Wilson.

Late last year, through the release of his ‘Phenomenon’ album, Ali established himself as one of the producers to watch throughout 2011. By the same stroke it sent his deck career into overdrive, with turntable duty being served at a many major worldwide events and festivals.

Now he’s been given the keys to a trove of the best current and forthcoming crop from High Contrast Recordings and beyond and he’s ready to deal the year some compilation justice!

Wilson instantly draws the listener in on Mix 1 with the Dyor Feat. Matthew Hall’s groovy-but-moody ‘On The Road’ and ‘I Die’, the moving, Sue McLaren-sung current single from Dennis Sheperd & Alan Morris. The album’s audio initially charts a chunky, proggy path, but don’t get too settled. Tectonic style shifts are afoot. True to his reputation, Ali refuses to hang in any genre locale long enough for the album to get pigeonholed. Erick Strong’s ‘Muffin’ puts it into a housey S.H.M. stride, before Aerofoil & E&G’s ‘Plank Effect’ and Marco V & Damian William’s ‘Essence’ re-point it down a churning, burning tech road.

Given that this is the man who gave us ‘Pandora’ – one of dance overlord Armin van Buuren’s top 10 tracks of 2010 – you better believe that some big room action isn’t far off. Norwegian sensation Orjan Nilsen sends the mercury rising with the pulsating ‘Atchoo’, while ‘Twist’ (in its arena-sized Rick Mitchells and Bas van Essen Remix form) catalyses with its attacking can’t-miss riff.

The second mix comes to life from the first beat of Protoculture’s formidable, ‘Liquid Logic’, with the South African’s latest stirring the prog-trance waters deep. Hot on its heels is ‘Flashback’ – Jochen Miller’s new single – which builds looping, whooping vocals and knowingly retrospective synths and riffs into the game. These overture a big trance 1-2-3, with Ali slickly dropping ‘Lifetime’ – Ben Nicky’s huge pads-&-chords melodic moment, Snatt & Vix’s cheekily-titled ‘Loco Motion’ and Ben Gold’s likewise highly descriptive ‘Colossal’ one on top of the other. With the release right at boiling point, taking his foot off the pedal is not an option. The dynamic orchestral majesty of Ralphie B’s ‘Epic Battle’, the heavy drumatics of ‘Viking’ (Orjan Nilsen again) and the tech rhythms, evocative chants and wildly climactic synths of Ali’s own ‘Elpis’ Calling’ combine to create a suitable meteoric conclusion.

High Contrast Recordings Presents Ali Wilson is a 31-track mix comp, purposefully and skillfully mixed to chip away at dance music’s stylistic borders. Lovers of Cox, Jules, Van Buuren, Prydz and a dozen other eclectic DJs will find plenty of audio to enjoy. Listen without prejudice.

Tracklist Mix 1 01 Dyor feat. Matthew Hall – On The Road (Ricky T Remix) 02 Dennis Sheperd & Alan Morris feat. Sue McLaren – I Die (Alan Morris Club Mix) 03 Erick Strong – Muffin 04 Aerofoil vs E&G – Plank Effect (Original Mix) 05 Marco V & Damian William – Essence 06 Fafaq – Rocket Fuel 07 Nightstylers feat. Dan Brown – The More I See (Original Mix) 08 Orjan Nilsen – Atchoo! (Original Mix) 09 Shy Brothers – New Wave 10 Jacob van Hage – Convoi (Original Mix) 11 Lange – Songless ft. Jennifer Karr (Mark Sherry Outburst Remix) 12 Ali Wilson & Matt Smallwood – Kontrast 13 Lay & Browne – Ten City (Original) 14 W&W & Mark Sixma – Twist (Rick Mitchells & Bas van Essen Remix) 15 Manuel De La Mare & Luca Monticelli – Guerrilla (Original Mix) 16 Marcel Woods – Inside Me (Bassjackers Remix)

Mix 2 01 Protoculture – Liquid Logic (Original Mix) 02 Jochen Miller – Flashback 03 Ernesto vs Bastian – Dark Side Of The Moon (Marc Simz Remix) 04 Alex M.O.R.P.H. & Chriss Ortega – Ocean Drive (Protoculture Remix) 05 Ben Nicky – Lifeline (Original Mix) 06 Snatt & Vix – Loco Motion (Original Mix) 07 Ben Gold – Colossal (Rafaël Frost Remix) 08 Ali Wilson – Turbulence 09 Matias Faint – Casino Fire (Original Mix) 10 Niclas G – Finder 11 Ralphie B – Epic Battle (Original Mix) 12 JOOP & Raneem – PLUR 13 P.H.A.T.T. – Organised Chaos (Original Mix) 14 Orjan Nilsen – Viking (Original Mix) 15 Ali Wilson – Elpis’ Calling

Arty Exclusive Interview/Photos, Vision Nightclub 11/12/11 – Around the World

Douglas — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:39:50 +0000

Arty at Vision Nightclub Photos by Jennifer Catherine Filmed and Edited by Abhishek Patel Arty & Topher Jones (HQ)By Vision Nightclub | View on Facebook Related posts:

Vince Clark (Erasure) and Martin Gore (Depeche Mode) Collaborate for Techno Album as VCMG

djnth — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:39:27 +0000

After 30 years working on their respective ongoing music projects, Vince Clarke (Erasure / Yazoo / Depeche Mode) and Martin L. Gore (Depeche Mode) come together for the first time since 1981 as VCMG to release a brand new album on Mute, preceded by a series of EPs.

VCMG is the fruit of initially tentative discussion and subsequent enthused collaboration where Vince and Martin, both influential as pioneers in electronic music, get to exercise their lifelong love of the genre as the techno inspired VCMG.

As Vince explains: “I’ve been getting into and listening to a lot of minimal dance music and I got really intrigued by all the sounds… I realised I needed a collaborator… so it occurred to me to talk to Martin.”

Says Gore: “Out of the blue I got an e-mail from Vince just saying, ‘I’m interested in making a techno album. Are you interested in collaborating?’ This was maybe a year ago. He said, ‘No pressure, no deadlines,’ so I said, ‘OK’.”

The writing and recording of the album was done in a typically unique way with the pair working alone in their respective studios, communicating only via email, exchanging files until the album was ready. It was in May 2011 that the pair met for the first time to discuss the project when they both performed at Short Circuit presents Mute festival in London.

The album (title to be announced soon) was produced by Vince Clarke and Martin L. Gore and mixed by the influential Californian electronic artist Überzone / Q and will be released in the spring of 2012.

The first release is an EP entitled Spock. EP1 / SPOCK will feature remixes from Edit-Select, aka Tony Scott, the UK DJ / producer and founder of EditSelect Records whose previous remix credits include Speedy J, Death In Vegas and Gary Beck; Regis, British techno musician Karl O’Connor, member of the Sandwell District collective and co-founder of Downwards Records); Zak aka DVS1, founder of Hush Records and one of the most prominent figures in US dance music counts techno innovator Derrick May amongst his biggest fans, with his second ever release on May’s own Transmat plus XOQ, the alter ego of Überzone / Q, who mixed the VCMG album.

EP1 / SPOCK will be available initially as a global exclusive on Beatport on 30 November, and then on all DSPs from 12 December with the 12″ release following on 19 December 2011.

EP1 / SPOCK TRACKLIST
Spock – Album Version
Spock – Edit Select Remix
Spock – Regis Remix
Spock – DVS1 Voyage Home Remix
Spock – XOQ Remix

Review: Paul Oakenfold presents – We Are Planet Perfecto Volume 01

Douglas — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:41:10 +0000

Paul Oakenfold, a man who has been around since Trance began, has played a myriad of locations. His compilations thorough the ages have been notorious. He’s mixed film soundtracks into “Perfecto Fluoro” and selected his favorites from his performance of at the Great Wall of China (“Great Wall”). “The Goa Mix” is referred to one of the greatest Trance compilations of all time by many. That being said, I’ll be the first to admit Oakenfold has been lower on the radar in the last few years. Recently, though, he’s been releasing some serious singles and his last compilation ripped our faces off. “Never Mind the Bollocks” was full of heavy hitting, extreme Trance with a good balance of lighter tones. The only complaint across the board seemed to be that some of the tracks were a bit old by the time the compilation was released.

“We Are Planet Perfecto: Vol.1? is focused heavily on new material gunning Paul’s Perfecto label. What’s very special about this album is the sneaking suspicion that some of these tracks may be from Paul’s fabled album “Pop Killer,” which has been prolonged in release at least twice and into 2012. From the title of his collaboration’s title with Robert Vadney (that’s right — it finally happened) alone “Pop Star,” we’re seeing the newest sound. You’ll find it at the “pick-up” moment of Disk 1, along with his newest jam “Sleep” and a 2012 remix of Red Hot Chili Pepper’s “My Otherside.” This version is extremely different, taking an intense progressive Trance sound rather than the previous house versions everyone has heard. This disk starts off with Juventa’s new song Ocean Sparkles, in the Eric Shaw Cinematic Mix. Oakenfold is a man who knows how important a first impression is, and through the years some of my favorite mix introductions have been carefully picked tunes for his compilations. There’s an intense consistency of winning tracks from the Otherside remix right until the end, a rework of PPK’s classic “Ressurection” by the Planet Perfecto Knights, remixed by Remy Le Duc vs. EC Twins. This is one of the craziest remixes ever done for this song, and leaves you wondering what the man intends to play on his second disk.

Disk 2 opens with USTM’s #3 track of November 2011: the original mix of Syna vs. Ayleon’s “Change.” This track is calming yet intense, instant pulling you into a mix we’ve all been waiting to hear for a long time. Right off the bat Oakenfold brings in his psytrance undertones with Liquid Stranger’s remix of “Ode Ao Sol” and the legendary Man With No Name with his newer tune “Sugar Rush” (Astrix Remix). Minutes later we’re hit with Robert Vadney’s remix of Paul’s song “Firefly” and things take a turn to the high-point of the compilation. Heatbeat’s remix of “This is New York” by Lange and Gareth Emery takes us over the new remix of Grace’s “Not Over Yet” we’ve all been loving, then into two brand classic remixes in a row: of Oakenfold’s “Faster Kill Pussycat” and “Southern Sun!” That’s all before some other noteworthy classics come in remixes and the mix ends with thumping Goa and Euphoric trance selections.

What I really like about this compilation is the skill Paul demonstrates in keeping the same vibe interesting through overtime, mixing each CD almost twenty minutes over the standard hour. The theme here is to demonstrate the new sound of Perfecto Records, and he’s willing to spend extra work in the mix to make sure you get the full picture. Once you realize it’s about time to wrap it up the pace changes again and you realize there’s no stopping this comeback. The sound of Perfecto has once again been solidified.

-Written by Tom Rogers

Interview with Simon Patterson, Roger Shah, Tydi – Massive 5 Yr Anniversary Event

Douglas — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:16:41 +0000

The 5 Year Anniversary of Massive Event with Simon Patterson, Roger Shah, & tyDi @ Highline Ballroom, NYC . For more info go to www.massiveevent.com

Simon Patterson Hi Simon, Massive Event will be celebrating its five years of event production in New York, and invited you back for the celebration along with Tydi & Roger Shah. You have been working with Massive Events for quite some time now. What is it about Massive that makes you continue to come back?

Simon Patterson: Well I have known Mike for the same amount of time and he’s a good friend. His parties have been amazing since day one and he was the first to bring me there so I have a tremendous amount of loyalty to him and the people that always go to his shows. I haven’t played at Massive for a while so this is going to be a great party!

Any new remixes or tracks you have been working on, that you’re looking to share for the anniversary?

Simmon Patterson: I have been working on a few things, but nothing’s quite finished yet. I’m just toying with sounds and new ideas and seeing what’s working and what’s not. There will be a few new vocal tracks coming from me soon.

What advice would you have for both Michael Brand and Matthew Felner in their continuing drive to push the boundaries of event production & promotion?

Simon Patterson: Just keep doing what you’re doing. You are keeping the NYC scene alive so keep it up! Any last words for your fans and New York?

Simon Patterson: Can’t wait to be back… see you there!!!

Roger Shah

Hi Roger! How are you doing? Massive Event will be celebrating its five years of event production in New York, and invited you back for the celebration along with Tydi & Simon Patterson. What are you looking forward to most of your return back to the Big Apple?

Roger Shah: The most i look forward to the incredible music lovers of nyc. i’m still in early steps to conquer the united states and my profile is still not on the level as i have in other countries where i even do solo concerts like a band, but for some reason i have a special connection to nyc which started when i played the a state of trance 450 with an unbelievable crowd reaction, this continued when i played for massive events earlier this year, so i can say that nyc is my favorite place in the usa to play and i’m very excited to be back even i have to admit that i had the hope to play a longer set is i usually do on my current openminded album tour.

Any new remixes or tracks you have been working on, that you’re looking to test out at the Anniversary party?

Roger Shah: always work on new stuff, recently i just finished a new single under my famous global experience alias, for which i had no time the past couple of years, i also did some new remixes for 3 drives – greece 2000 or loverush uk ft carla werner but i also will play all main tracks from my new album and of course some of my greatest hits as well.

Massive Event has been around for five years here in New York, and is bringing in new talent to the masses monthly. What advice would you have for both Michael Brand and Matthew Felner in their continuing drive to push the boundaries of event production & promotion?

Roger Shah: I think there is not really an advice to give to those guys since i think they do everything right, especially in a country where edm is still a small sub genre. i think it’s more to give a lot of respect than advices. just keep on doing what u doing for the love of edm music. from the production side i can say that my last show was really amazing, they brought in a lot of show elements and i also had one of my singers with me, so i think it was a great experience for the audience. we are in entertaining biz and the guys know what it needs.

Any last words for your fans and New York? See you there!

Roger Shah: I just wanna send a shout out to my fans in nyc with the note the i think that i will have the first set time, so make sure to be there early, not to miss anything, i will prepare a special live show and trying to play as many songs as i can in this 90 minutes of my set. can’t wait to be back and i love my fans there. see you soon

Tydi

Hello Tydi, How’s it going? Massive Event will be celebrating its five years of event production in New York, and invited you for the celebration along with Roger Shah & Simon Patterson. What are you looking forward to most, as this is your first time playing in New York, and will end your Tour with.

Tydi: Hey hey! There’s nothing more exciting than playing in a city for the first time! I’ve toured nearly everywhere around the world and all over the USA except for NYC, in fact it’s one of my last few major cities to visit. Saving the best for last I guess I hear the vibe in NY is crazy, and I’m already getting flooded with fan mail from people who are excited about my first visit, so that’s a great sign! I have no doubt that this show is going to be CRAZY! I can’t wait

Any new remixes or tracks you have been working on, that you’re looking to share

Tydi: I just released my brand new album ‘Shooting Stars’! It’s been topping the charts around the world and hit #4 on USA iTunes dance; you guys have really shown a lot of love for the album so I’ve prepared a whole bunch of exclusive remixes that you’ll only hear at my live performances. As this is part of my Shooting Stars tour you can expect my show to be built around the album.

Massive Event has been around for five years here in New York, and is bringing in new talent to the masses monthly. What advice would you have for both Michael Brand and Matthew Felner in their continuing drive to push the boundaries of event production & promotion?

Tydi: It sounds like they are going really well, five years is a long time to do well in suck a fickle industry – so I’m not sure I should be offering advice? They have it nailed! The advice I give to anyone out there is to keep up to date with the new sounds, the scene moves quickly so it’s important to keep up with who’s on top of their game, tomorrow it could be someone else!

Any last words for your fans and New York? See you there!

Tydi: I am SO excited to be performing in NYC for the first time! I know I’ve got a lot of supporters in your city and I’m sorry it’s taken me so damn long to get out to you! I promise this will be a night to remember, I’m gonna to bring the party

DMb Podcast 039 : Juliet Star – USTM18 (feat: Nic Chagall, Super8, Ferry Corsten, ATB, Cosmic Gate) Free DJ Mix Download

djnth — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:43:11 +0000

Like DMb

Always wanting to be a dancer, Juliet Star enjoyed dancing to the beautiful sounds of Progressive House and Trance. The transition from just dancing to the music, and wanting to play it instead, was a slow one but eventually took hold and a love for DJing was born.

After joining #trancefamily and a trip to Holland Juliet found a home for herself among Trance lovers from all over the world. Currently residing in San Diego, California, Juliet Star can be found performing across the Southwest US with her take on Progressive and Trance with the occasional Breaks or House set.

Currently you can catch her live every Thursday at 6pm PST / 9pm EST on ProjectRadio.us for her show ‘The Mix Hour’ and ever Sunday 6pm PST / 9pm EST for 2 hours on ProjectRadio.us and JulietStar.com

Moving forward keep an eye open for some original Juliet Star productions and her contributions to the blog United States Trance Movement.

Juliet Star has put together a great collection of Trance tracks that showcases her programming and mixing skills. Download then head over to her podcast and subscribe.

Enjoy!

Mix Info & Tracklisting
Juliet Star – USTM18

01. Nic Chagall and Duderstadt feat. Relyk – Alone With You (Original Mix)
02. Super8 – Cre8 (Mike Saint-Jules Remix)
03. Nuera pres. Levann – Someday (Original Mix)
04. KhoMha – 507 (Original Mix)
05. Jordan Suckley feat. Lisa Cowell – Latvian Sun
06. D-Mad pres. Yummy L.Y. – Blaze Away (Original Mix)
07. Victor Dinaire feat. Peter Finley – 2nite U R Perfect (Steve Brian Remix)
08. System F vs. Cosmic Gate – The Blue Theme (Ferry Corsten Fix)
09. ATB feat. Cristina Soto – Twisted Love (Otto Knows Remix)
10. Tom Cloud – The Sky Is the Limit (Original Mix)
11. Shato and Paul Rockseek – Wonderfooled (Radion 6 Remix)

For more info on Juliet Star check out:
Facebook
MySpace
SoundCloud
Twitter
Official Website
Booking