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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

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.”

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

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

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

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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

AVICII – Levels Music Video Contest

djnth — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:43:41 +0000

Record your own version of AVICII – Levels (street performance, children’s choir, flash mob etc) and upload to YouTube. Winners get to be a part of the official video for Levels. Contest ends November 1, 2011 so get moving.

Check out the full Info and Rules here.

Wolfgang Gartner “Weekend in America” Artist Album Out Today

djnth — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:17:38 +0000

ElectroHouse superstar, Wolfgang Gartner, has just put together his debut artist album with 11 tracks on the CD plus 2 bonus tracks for those purchasing online. Weekend in America is out today at all the usual outlets.

Tracklisting
1. Get Em feat Eve
2. Space Junk
3. Menage A Trois
4. Circus Freaks feat Jim Jones and Cam ron
5. 818
6. Forever feat will.i.am
7. The Way It Was
8. Shrunken Heads
9. Still my baby feat Omarion
10. Illmerica
11. The Champ

“I have to make something that’s never been made before; have to make the best thing that I’ve ever done in my life – otherwise it gets stagnant or worse,” says producer/DJ Wolfgang Gartner. Whether or not his progressively more maximilist take on electro-house is your bag or not, you have to respect his exponentially steep rise through the electro-house ranks. And Lord knows, you’ve heard it — or about it: flipping Beethoven’s 5th for the 4 am crowd; eight #1 tracks on Beatport; remix/collabs with Britney Spears, Timbaland and Black Eyed Peas; festival-highlight performances at Coachella ‘10 and Electric Daisy Carnival’s ‘10 and ‘11.

Where Joey Youngman, the one-time party kid from San Luis Obispo, CA and another-time househead old soul, has been electro-house’s dark (work) horse, Weekend in America, his debut full-length for Ultra Music, is Wolfgang Gartner becoming dance music’s one-man parallel universe, outpacing electro-house and outdoing himself.

“One of my mantras is that I have a responsibility to advance the genre. If I’m capable of doing something I’ve never done before, I feel like I have to use that ability, because there are not many people who do – or can. I have to push myself real real hard to do it. That’s something that’s really surfaced with this record,” he admits. Gartner’s work ethic is mythical amongst even his most storied contemporaries: Make music all week. Play it out all weekend. His DJ sets – and this speaks to a combination of prolificness, personal taste and a proven track record – are almost entirely made up of edits of his own work. Then again, when you spend 20 hours a day working on music…

“Maybe it’s like an insecurity and not being satisfied listening to it over and over, but I’m constantly asking myself ‘Could it be better?’ It could take me three hours to add this little milisecond sound that nobody but me will ever know is there, but I do it,” Gartner says of his somehow self-effacing self-confidence. “I get into tweaker mode; I’m just sitting there tweaking for ten hours straight on this sound or that track and putting everything together and coming up with something else.”

Take “Forever,” the menacingly not-what-you’d-expect will.i.am collab on Weekend In America. It’s a track that, with its ominous chord progression and middla-nowhere “RIP” shout-out to DJ AM from will, is as unlikely as it is, literally, amazing. “That’s just me sitting with my keyboard and pounding out chord progressions for three days and coming up with a hundred or so and some of them are good and a few of them are great, until finally I get to that one where I can say, ‘This is something I can spend three weeks making into something,’” says Gartner.

He attributes this spike in his equal parts obsessive-compulsive/obsessive-creative disorder in part to his recent move from Austin, TX to Los Angeles. “I had one friend in Austin – who I met for breakfast once every six weeks. I woke, up, went to Starbucks, made music, drove to the airport, flew out, and flew home. My studio was in the master bedroom. With my house in California, it’s in a guest room – I decided I want to make the master bedroom for sleeping.”

There are no love songs on Weekend In America, but there is a new love: hip-hop. “Still My Lady” features Omarion, Dipset’s Jim Jones and Cam’ron trade verses on “Circus Freaks,” and Eve brings it on “Get ‘Em” as highlights on the album.

“Rap music is actually all I listen to when I can just listen to music, like in my car. I spend so much time listening to dance music, rap is something I can just enjoy,” Wolfgang Gartner explains. “I’m not trying to do all these collaborations with rappers to be trendy,” he adds. “I reached out to each of them to make sure they were down and understood where I was coming from. I honestly like hip-hop almost as much as I like dance music, so it’s a perfect combination.”

It should come as no surprse then that the track that opens Weekend In America is “Get ‘Em” featuring Eve. Gartner explains: “I was in New York playing Pacha so I actually went into the studio and worked with her on the track, looping it, trying stuff out,” he says. “She came up with, ‘Party round the world/All my fly people no nasty girls/Jet planes baby that’s me/Come on people now sing along with me.’ We knew that was the hook. It sounds like something Sugarhill Gang would have done, like it knows it’s this classic-sounding hook.”

The addition of rappers is all part of the progression of Weekend In America, he says: “It’s getting progressively harder to make music without hearing vocals and vocal melodies on it – that’s what comes naturally to me.”

Of course, “naturally” is an evolving word in the Wolfgang Gartner lexicon. As “Menage A Trois” proves, you don’t need a vocalist to hear voices. Another of Gartner’s mantras is that he’s making music for the future, and “Menage A Trois” sounds straight outta 2016: fully articulated synth lines trading verses in their own freaked-frequencies like MCs spitting in some as-yet undecipherable tongue. “The thing that makes that track for me is how conceptually different it is for me,” Gartner offers. “It’s literally just a bunch of random pieces from all over the place and some Fender Rhodes piano and this bass tone and then this vocal snippet that sounds like it’s saying ‘Menage A Trois.’”

Random, yes, but Weekend In America is nothing if not inspired by Wolfgang Gartner’s almost contradictory need to evoke his best live moments while pushing himself to top them – and then gig some more to create new moments to top: “Mantra number three for me is that when I’m writing I think about the last really amazing show that was f$%ing unbelievable for whatever reason – everything I make is designed for playing out. I get super tired of playing out every weekend, having one day at home. But I know I need to get out there – I have to do it for market research,” he says.

As Weekend In America proves, it’s often the tracks that are most obsessed over privately that make the biggest impact publicly. Take the Electric Daisy Carnival festival ‘11 favorite “Space Junk,” caned as it was in several sets, which seems to take everything great and terrible over the last 15 years of dance music – vintage synths, hands-in-the-air trance flutter and dubstep’s modulated stammer, and fits it in one track – often in a single measure, sometimes even a single bar. “That’s the one that haunts me,” Youngman admits. “That’s the one I’m always trying to top.” Ironically, it’s also the one that contradicts another Wolfgang Gartner myth: that Youngman is himself a gearhead.

“I’m actually working on Windows XP with limited RAM, on Abelton and three vintage synths – one of which I don’t even use anymore,” he admits. “My computer’s constantly freezing up and maxing out,” he says. “But I’m more concerned with music than technology. I’m willing to write the entire breakdown of ‘Space Junk’ on an old keyboard with a busted arpeggiator that comes out so muddy that I have to deal with the hassle of spending a whole day editing it in 16th notes,” he continues. “But the fact that it came out of a synth – and not a plug-in – makes it totally worth the day I spent.”

Likewise “Illmerica,” with its long, phantasmic synthesizer chord progression, belie the heart of a composer over the somehow soulful rhythm sections that chug and chew more than chop or churn- Youngman’s past life as a Kerri Chandler-loving househead living on. That, he says, and his other past life: third grade piano virtuoso. “My parents made me take classical lessons,” Gartner laughs. “I played in competitions at local colleges with a bunch of other ten year-olds and I think I won a couple of them. Now I couldn’t play to save my life, but that foundation is there.”

And therein might lay the greatest mantra/myth of the Wolfgang Gartner story and the greatest contradiction of Weekend in America: that it’s just dance music. “I would think I would hate what’s mainstream, but the truth of it is, the dance world makes sense to me,” says Wolf. “I understand how and why it creates the response that it does with people.” That said, as Weekend in America shows in its byzantine soul, kaleidoscopic command of frequencies and impossibly imaginative arrangements, Weekend in America the artist is answering to an altogether higher power and potential, one the Wolfgang Gartner massive has the good fortune of being able to get onto the floor and out of their heads to every weekend.

But for Wolfgang Gartner, the introverted empath spending thousands of hours in isolation making these tracks that will connect him to tens, even hundreds of thousands of people at a time, Weekend In America is party-rocking speaker-freq’-ing as self-realization. “I can imagine it and I know something amazing that’s never been heard before is possible. Occasionally it’s even something I can already hear in my head and that’s why I have to make this music.”

via: Wolfgang Gartner Offical Website

DMb Podcast 038 : Niki Belucci – 1st of September (feat: Mark Knight, Swedish House Mafia, Mark Fanciulli, John Acquaviva) Free DJ Mix Download

djnth — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:00:37 +0000

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Niki Belucci is the symbol of beauty, charm, eroticism, freedom, sexuality and energy. Growing up, Niki had a promising background in gymnastics collecting 21 gold, 12 silver and 8 bronze medals and countless other awards. Years later, after several months in the adult industry she began to focusing on a different hobby, DJing. By then she had been performing in small clubs with her vinyl plates entertaining club goers around the country. In a real professional sense, Niki entered the club life in the fall of 2003. Thanks to her talent and ability to perform well under pressure, she had about 160 performances during her first year in Hungary and in the neighboring countries altogether. More and more new gates opened up to her in the upcoming years mainly Austria, Germany and Russia, while she also continued to perform in her homeland.

After several years of playing gigs and touring the world she signed to Unlimited Sounds, home of the D.O.N.S and only a short while later her hit album was co-produced by D.O.N.S. & DBN, the widely recognized DJ and producer Jerry Ropero and vocals were performed on it by Charles Salter (the voice of Axwell). And Niki’s success story continued…

Niki as a resident DJ has acquired increasing recognition during 2010 and following her previous success in France and Italy, she is asked to become resident at the true home of House music at Amnesia in Ibiza. With that her new home on Wednesdays is now the party island of the Mediterranean, where she is headed straight from Gabicce, Italy, her other home of the past two years.

We have been getting lots of hits on DMb from people searching for more info on Niki Belucci and now we finally have a DJ mix for our loyal podcast listeners that covers the spectrum of Techno, House, and Club music.

Enjoy!

Mix Info & Tracklisting
Niki Belucci – 1st of September

01. Rainer Weichhold and Nicole Moudaber – Wild Wild Fest
02. Mark Fanciulli – The Tide
03. Jon Rundell – Knick Knack
04. John Acquaviva and Olivier Giacomotto – Clear Sailing
05. Yves LaRock – The Zoo
06. Wally Lopez and NDKJ – Running Out
07. Adele – Rolling In The Deep
08. no id
09. Florence And The Machine – You’ve Got The Love (Mark Knight Remix)
10. Swedis House Mafia – Save The World
11. no id
12. Mark Knight – The Future

For more info on Niki Belucci check out:
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Speedy J – Catwalk : 5 Hour DJ Mix (free download)

djnth — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:32:43 +0000

When I first started listening to this mix I didn’t realize how long it was (5 Hours 47 Minutes to be more precise) and before long I was 3 hours in and completely lost in the rhythm. This is an amazing and flawless DJ Mix from one of Techno’s finest!

Download it now.

More about Speedy J
Jochem Paap is the Rotterdam artist Speedy J, early on in his career he was given the moniker to note his adept skills in his DJ performances. He is unanimously considered to be one of the first techno producers to come from the Benelux. Together with people like Laurent Garnier, Aphex Twin and Richie Hawtin he helped in pushing the genre on just after it had escaped the Detroit delivery room.

Since the early nineties, Speedy J has released his music on Plus 8, Warp and Novamute, while techno developed into a dominating force on many dance floors worldwide. After his seminal albums Ginger (1993) and G Spot (1995), Jochem turned left and headed for other exciting sounds.

On Public Energy No. 1 (1997) and A Shocking Hobby (2000) the sound wizard exchanges flowing, harmonious techno for a much more complex sound, filled with colliding samples, crackling rhythms and tremendously thrilling turns.

After 20 years of techno Speedy J has now come full circle. But what a an exiting journey it has been musicaly. Over the years he has collaborated with video-artists, filmmakers and advertisers, made the pioneering DVD Umfeld (2007), in collaboration with LA based video artist Scott Pagano. The DVD, remarkably made available as a free download on the internet for his fans is an audio-visual, electronic trip in 5.1 surround sound, which sets the standard for many composers who want to compose in the six speaker format.

Speedy J has continuously been pushing the boundaries of electronic & experimental dance music. Blurring the lines between Live performance and Digital Djing, he fuses subversive electronics and peak time Techno. Always on the lookout for new tools and technologies, Speedy has adopted some exotic tools in his studio setup such as Symbolic Sound’s Kyma system. He is also working collaborating with NI and Allen & Heath advising and helping develop DJ tools such as Traktor, Maschine and the A&H DB:4 mixer.

Logically, the releases on his label Electric Deluxe all feature tool versions, introducing the concept of creating unique live sets from parts as a natural progression of traditional Djing. Not only setting the bar for peak hour Techno madness, Electric Deluxe has become the platform for his Collabs series that started on Novamute, as well as releases by open minded artists like Terence Fixmer, Gary Beck, Echologist, George Issakidis, Tommy Four Seven and Edit Select to showcase the value of creative synergy using newest technology.

Another important part of his Electric Deluxe platform is the introduction of a new series of techno events called Electric Deluxe presents, now on its 11th edition has brought the likes of Richie Hawtin, Marco Carola, Radio Slave, Matthew Dear, Chris Liebing, Modeselektor, Jeff Mills and Marcel Dettmann into play. Electric Deluxe is the staple of many summer festivals and is now setting its stall out to move around the globe pushing its sound and forward thinking parties. EDLX l has hosted stages include Mysteryland and Lowlands in the Netherlands

Speedy J’s musical vision is genre blurring, creative freedom at the highest level of innovation and quality, it is providing a platform for artists operating within any conceivable genre in the broad spectrum of techno to fully explore and embrace the ever- expanding technological possibilities.

Speedy J Official Website

DMb Podcast 037 : Browntown – Cube Life 12 (feat: John Dahlback, Who Da Funk, Marco Lys, Sebastien Leger ) Free DJ Mix Download

djnth — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:00:32 +0000

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As a native of the city that gave birth to House music, Chicago, browntown (Sami Ahmed), has cultivated his roots in House music from a very early age. After living in Florence, Italy and London, England, for some time, browntown has now settled back in his native city and taken his understanding of House music and coupled it with all of the worldly influences he witnessed and experienced himself. Not tied to one specific genre of House, browntown’s live sets are one that leave listeners wanting more -from his Funky Deep House Grooves to his explosive buildups -all who hear hear him continue to listen, love, enjoy, dance.

We’ve been listening to this mix continuously for the past few weeks and it is truly great for all situations, working, chilling out, partying, driving, eating, showering, blogging…you get the point.

Enjoy!

Mix Info & Tracklisting
Browntown – Cube Life 12

01. Danny Daze – Fall Away From Love
02. Sebastien Leger – Majuro (Alex Dias Remix)
03. Josh The Funky 1 – Everynight (John De Mark & Steve Kid Remix)
04. Mladen Tomic – Lets Funk (Stefano Noferini Remix)
05. DBN pres. Tom Shark – Le Freak feat. Shena (Marco Lys Dub)
06. Soundshaperz – Get it Right (Original Mix)
07. Kid Massive & Peyton – A Little Louder (Muzzaik Remix)
08. Dirty Secretz feat Will Clarke – Hazlo (Original Mix)
09. Lasterkraft 3D – Weightless (Tube & Berger Remix)
10. Belocca – Lemme Love You (Original Mix)
11. Plastik Funk – The Reason feat. Irma Derby (Luca M Remix)
12. James Talk Ridney – Sunrise (Original Mix)
13. Danny Serrano – Keep On (Original Mix)
14. John Dahlback – Work It Out (Original Club Mix)
15. Piet Van Dongen – Vulcanic Ass (Original Mix)
16. Bass Kleph & Filthy Rich – Be Right There (Original Club Mix)
17. Jose M., TacoMan – Tom Collins (Original Mix)
18. Amelie Music – Wildcard (Dualton & M.in Remix)
19. Who Da Funk – Shiny Disco Balls (Feloppe Senne Remix)

For more info on Browntown check out:
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DMb Podcast 036 : The Squatters – What’s Your Status Summercast (feat: Kid Robot, Kerli, Alex Metric, Russ Chimes, Foamo) Free DJ Mix Download

djnth — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 00:23:26 +0000

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The Squatters is the brain child of Oliver Portamento and Alex Powell, who have been working together for many years, not just as DJs but also as successful Promoters, Event Organisers and Producers. Taking influences from Oldskool, Hip Hop and Rave, then fusing it with today’s modern House, Electro and more experimental genres such as Dub Step, Drum n’ Bass and even Trance. By cut n’ pasting these together, adding chopped vocals and colossal breakdowns, they have created a unique big room sound that has closed the ranks between the genres ensuring a heavyweight impact on the dance floor.

Their productions and remixes have received consistent airing by BBC Radio One, Kiss100 & Capital FM, as well as support from a countless list of elite radio and club DJs. Having remixed and produced for some of the worlds’ finest Labels & graced some of the world’s finest dance floors.

The Squatters newest track releasing on August 29, ‘Higher’ sticks firmly to their signature sound with stomping 4×4 beats and drops to a rave-influenced riff before building to a bleepy, slidy crescendo, accompanied by an all important vocal tag. We’ve seen this one do damage on an unsuspecting dancefloor and it does NOT disappoint! On remix duties, HeavyFeet with a stompy House mix and Flask with the Dubstep remix.

It’s a great day for a high energy stompy House mix from the Squatters! And if you like this one be sure to head over and subscribe to their Podcast for a regular dose of their sound.

Enjoy!

Mix Info & Tracklisting
The Squatters – What’s Your Status Summercast

01. Phonic Funk & Roog – Ktdng
02. Champagne – My Love Is Right (Sharp Boys Remix)
03. Kidda – Wanna Be Loved (Stupid Fresh Remix)
04. Neoteric & Wax Motif – Go Deep
05. Kid Robot – Freaky Work
06. Belle Amie – Girls Up (The Squatters Dub)
07. Little Bastard – Voodoo Doll (The Squatters Remix)
08. Kerli – Army Of Love (Riley & Durrant Remix)
09. Adam K & Soha – Circadium Rhythm
10. Moonbootica – Highrollers
11. Alex Metric & Charli xcx – End Of The World (Russ Chimes Remix)
12. Joey Saint – Rocket Dog
13. Sted-E & Hybrid Heights – Up & Down Feat. D.O.S.E
14. The Squatters – Sucka Punch
15. Example – Ctwykm (Tom Staar Remix)
16. Foamo – Vibrations
17. Mr. Spring – Voyager 1.57 (The Squatters Blogged It Mix)
18. Hot Pink Delorean – Overthrow The City
19. The Squatters – Zippyshare
20. Botnek – Pop Music

For more info on The Squatters check out:
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DMb Podcast 035 : Mac Monroe – Mixtape August 2011 (feat: Moby, Axwell, Arty, Hardwell, Arno Cost) Free DJ Mix Download

djnth — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:35:47 +0000

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Mac Monroe is a Belgian DJ and Producer. It’s in 2007 that Mac Monroe made his first steps as a DJ in a club. A few months later, he became a resident DJ in two well-known Belgian clubs. In he 2008, focused his work on producing his own tracks, and after a few months had released his third single ‘Wrong’, a huge record supported by well known DJ’s as Freemasons, Agent Greg, Ted Nilson, Dubfire, Sharam and Peter Brown. Two months later, Mac Monroe returns and unleashes ‘Amazonia’, ‘True Happiness’ and ‘Organic’, three massive tracks supported by international DJ’s such as: Joachim Garraud, Armin Van Buuren, Copyright (Defected Records), Dave Spoon, Antoine Clamaran and Above & Beyond. After the great success of ‘Amazonia’, Mac Monroe keeps up the pace with the release of ‘Roll With You’, a tremendous EP supported by: Roger Sanchez, Thomas Gold, Dave Spoon and Sarah Main, to name a few. The package includes a Trancey Tech-House original mix, a chugging Deep Techy remix from Bartosz Brenes & Nick Mentes, and last but not least, a Techy powering club remix from Eric Powa B. In 2010, Mac Monroe has become resident DJ on Radio NRJ for Extravadance from 2 AM to 3 AM every Saturday.

We would like to welcome our newest resident DJ, Mac Monroe, to DMb with a Uplifting mix that spans Trance, House, and Progressive for the Big Room and Arena crowds! In addition he has generously given us a Free Track of his “Dirt Diver” which is a massive melodic track in the style of AVICII. Get it here.

Enjoy!

Mix Info & Tracklisting
Mac Monroe – Mixtape August 2011

01. Moby – Lie Down In Darkness (Arno Cost Remix)
02. Hook N Sling & Goodwill – Take You Higher (Club Mix)
03. Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix)
04. Mac Monroe – Dirt Diver (Original Mix)
05. Axwell & Calvin Harris – You Used To Feel The Vibe (Romeo Blanco Festival Edit)
06. Dirty South & Thomas Gold – Alive (Original Mix)
07. Arty – Around The World (Original Mix)
08. Audible & Mikael Weermets – Free (Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman Remix)
09. David Costa, Francesco Diaz & Young Rebels – Barcelona (Original Mix)
10. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike – Generation X (Original Mix)
11. Martin Solveig – Hello (Relanium Remix)
12. Deniz Koyu -Tung (Original Mix)
13. Gregori Klosman & Promise Land – Endless (Original Mix)
14. Hardwell – The World (Original Mix)
15. Fadi – Ticket To The Sky (Original Mix)

For more info on Mac Monroe check out:
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Official Website
Victauril Records
Booking

Free Spotify.com Invites Courtesy of Point Blank

djnth — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 23:24:48 +0000

Spotify, last week, finally got round to opening their services up to music lovers across America. And now we have the chance to stream full albums for free, download the songs we like and sync our spotify accounts with Facebook, Twitter and iDevices.

This recent release comes as Spotify passed the 1 million subscriber milestone across Europe and continues to grow. To celebrate Spotify’s landmark achievement the guys over at Spotify HQ have offered Point Blank a limited number invitions for users to use the service for free.

To get your hands on the streaming service, all you have to do is head over to Point Blank’s Facebook page, ‘like’ it and send your name and email address to james@pointblanklondon.com. You will then be contacted with a link to download Spotify and create and account. Remember there are only a limited number of invitations, so they will be distributed on a first come first serve basis.

Point Blank is an online college for Music Production and has lots of great classes geared towards Electronic Dance Music taught by some of the biggest names in the business. They also offer some free Tutorials on various aspects of production, check it out.

To find out more about Spotify, and it’s recent US launch, check out the video below.

Visit:
Spotify
Point Blank College