It doesn’t feel like half a decade since mono_cult first dropped the needle at The Lounge one lazy Sunday afternoon. As they celebrate turning five years old, they still have the same drive and ambition to provide underground music, to the music lovers.
Saturday 10th March,11pm -6am
The Faversham, Leeds, LS2 9NG
£10/12/14
On Saturday 10th March its returns to the venue they share many memories with, The Faversham. The last 12 months have seen mono_cult bring the likes of Theo Parrish, The Revenge, Ben Westbeech, Julio Bashmore, John Daly, Floating Points, Soundstream, Tiger & Woods,ArtDepartmentto venues ranging from their spiritual home The Lounge, to Warehouse parties in Holbeck, discovering the FullCircle space, and ending the year with a 12hr, 2000 person New Year jaunt.
To kick of the next milestone, Henrik Schwarz (Innervisions) drops in for a very rare and long overdue LIVE performance at mono_cult. Henrik recently graced RA’s Top 5 Live Acts in the world, and along with good friends Ame andDixon, has been responsible for shaping the mono_cult sound as it is today.
mono_cult @ The Faversham, NYD 2012
One of thier favourite guests of 2011, Joy Orbison (Doldrums/Aus) returns with armfuls of acetate to deliver on his reputation as one of the biggest artists of the last 18 months. Axel Boman will make his mono_cult debut, rising to the forefront with the epic screw-house anthem ‘Purple Drank’ (Pampa Records), remixing Tricksi’ Good time to pray’ (Suol), dotting in occasional appearances at the RBMA.
3rd Strike Records’ Homepark bring the sound of London toLeedswith some eloquent deep house, ever present on their mono_cult podcast, while Hypercolour/Glasstable’s resident string-puller Ste Roberts, displays why both labels have dominated record boxes the world over. Last but not least the gimp room is hosted by Manchester’s party starters Limbo, headed up by Cecille and Get Physicals latest signing, H2.
With the weekend fast approaching, so is the need to plan how you’re going to let your hair down and escape that hellish week at work. Promoters and nightclubs all strive to get the best line ups and best ideas to draw in the UGrooving crowd; it can be a challenge deciding what the best option for you is. We at UGroove have decided to put together a weekly round-up of our ‘top picks’ to help keep it simple. We’ve selected what should be set to get those heart rates pumping with events from all the way up North to the down and dirty South of England.
Down South
Under 300
Secret Location
Saturday 18 February
TBC
£15 + BF
Line Up:
Loco Dice, Enzo Siragusa
The host of the Under 300 show inLondonwas almost clear from the very first moment: Enzo Siragusa. As one of the cities hottest house talents and being a driving force behind the glorious FUSE events, Enzo has been pushing the local club scene as well as the sound of Desolat inLondonlike hardly anyone else.
Prosumer, Axel Boman, San Soda, Midland, Dan Beaumont, Zoo Look
On Saturday the 18th of February, Corsica Studios invites you to the fourth edition of Tief with possibly our most fitting bookings to date. Tief welcome house music connoisseur Prosumer to headline the bill with a 3 hour set. As well as runningBerlin’s pronound record shop ‘Hard Wax’, Prosumer is a resident at Berlin’s world class Panorama bar and releases under the heavyweight Ostgut Ton label.
For their third party they have two special guests. First up, the brothers that everyone are talking about, the excellent Krankbrothers. In a very short space of time these guys are becoming well known for their sets, parties and most recently their booking agency. Then to cap the evening off they have put together two very talented DJ’s and producers. Corey Baker, one third of WiLDKATS, and Rebel, co-founder of Save The Pony. This is a very rare and unique back-to-back offering that is sure to please the deep’art faithful.
Motor City Drum Ensemble, Fred P, Louche Residents
This February ladies and gents Louche welcome two of modern house music’s finest for a night that is to be filled with the blissful sounds of the originators. Expect touches of Detroit,Chicago,New Jersey,Berlinand beyond…To kick things off, one of the biggest success stories in house music over the past few years; the prodigal Danilo Plessow, also known as Motor City Drum Ensemble and Fred P will be taking to the decks.
Matthias Tanzmann, James Holroyd, Tristan Da Cunha, Buckley
A Basics regular a couple of years back, it’s been far too long since Matthais graced the decks at Basics. He is one of Circoloco’s main residents and it’s not hard to see why, every time he’s played at Basics it’s been an absolute riot and we’re sure his return will be no different!
Christian Burkhardt, Raffa FL, Jack Barton, Freeman & Farrelly, Daniel Sanders, Keiran Sharples
It’s time to celebrate Mutes! 1st birthday and you’re all invited. In order to provide you with an adequate birthday they’ve enlisted the help of someone they have respected and admired for quite some time. Cocoon favourite Christian Burkhardt is coming along for the ride, and what a ride it will be!
2012 is a year that has started in a positive vein for house music, the scene is awash with bright new talent championing a sound that is saturated with haunting vocals that feed off throbbing bass lines and deep, twisting, soulful lines. A pair of artists that count themselves in this number are Zee & Eli, this dynamic duo have certainly caught our ears thus far.
This pair hail from the UK’s south coast, not really known for it’s house music pedigree or sun licked riviera, nevertheless Zee & Eli seem to mean business with their first release on Spanish imprint Flumo. They describe their sound as a “blend of house meets nu-disco, indie dance and big bass lines” which definitely covers there bases and is an attempt not to limit these artists to inhabiting a certain pigeon hole. With early releases from imprints such as Flumo, Ponton, Hype Muzik, it_Tizz and ZiiZii Records and influences cited as Jamie Jones, Maceo Plex, Lee Foss, Solomun, Claude VonStroke, Crazy P and Tim Green these lads are ticking the correct boxes for the musical journey they are intending on embarking on. Special mention needs to be made that Tim Green has been their early high profile champion and has dropped their tracks at several of his gigs.
Saturation is a word that most in the know would use to describe the number of releases of music that considers themselves to be a “blend of house meets nu-disco, indie dance and big bass lines” and this release does stand out from the crowd. All tracks seem to have a definable “sound” that runs throughout the release, the duo seem to have a clear image on their sound and I feel that this will run in their favour and they will develop as their productions blossom. Ones to watch perhaps? They could well be and only time will tell.
The first track on the release is “I Wanna Dance” a chuggy and clunky number that is populated by a nice vocal and looped synth. Peak time it certainly is not but it is certainly a track that would build a set nicely and get heads nodding as the floor fills.
“Mind Games” is slightly more upbeat but falls into roughly the same line as the first track. I say roughly as it has a more upbeat feel to it. I prefer it, I feel it has more personality straight off the mark. The duo are keen to highlight there hankering for giving home to old pieces of analogue production equipment and experimenting to see what can be extracted from them. I think that that skill manifests itself on this number, it has a nice rolling analogue warmth to it, offset by a stabbing synth that takes the lead. My favourite on the EP!
Bringing up the rear is “A Visit From God”, something we have all either dreamed off, or attained somewhere on our weekend journey, only for it to go up in smoke when reality sets in. We are greeted not by the voice of the Messiah (I always imagine him to have a gravely, husky voice) but by that of a female that asks us to “do me baby” and goes on to extol that she “wants me baby” and so on and so forth. Maybe not The Messiah but close enough for some I guess! The track builds up nicely with a littering of percussion and the aforementioned vocals and then presents us out of the blue with a squelchy, croaking bass line.
A nice solid release from these up and comers that does give a glimpse of a real edge, a sound that they seem to be focused on and I feel they will develop with subsequent releases. They do maintain a feel of analogue warmth that perhaps can be attributed to their love of old production gear. Watch this space and keep your lugs peeled for anymore offerings from these guys. Guess what? You also get a free track off them if you care to have a listen to the download link below, and we all love a free lunch. I’m not going to review “Feel It”, you guys have a listen and download if it tickles your fancy. I did!
I caught a small part of Shenoda’s set at a recent LowBrow party in a small underground parking in Leeds and was impressed with what I heard. He is an up and coming artist and is making all the right noises within the UK Underground scene, his sound was perfect for the party, that luckily, I breezed through en route home after a busy night. He has a production pedigree of around 5 years, and some of you may know Laurie Shenoda from the integral part he has played in the development of the Hypercolour label. He has counted himself amongst this tight crew since the label’s inception.
Shenoda seems to be spreading his wings and leaving the comfort zone of what he knows and impresses with this tight offering. His sound is one that oozes understated coolness, throbbing lines and subtle melodies and is right at home in the coolest of underground parties. First up on this release is “Phonecall” a driving, pumping tip that is warm, ambient but pushes listeners forward at the same time. A looping sample which has telephonic vibes accompanied by a “hello, hello” vocal is subtly joined at arms by a nice melodic arrangement. This track is delicate yet lets you know there’s no messing around.
Next up is “Nighteater” a deep journey that is backed up by a pulsating bass line that we are sure will delight heads. Again Shenoda eases us in and all the tracks elements seem to come together elegantly, in a swirl of understated cool. The track keeps listeners interested and enthralled, with every layer of production comes a nod and feeling of warmth. Chunky, uncompromising beat again demonstrates this producers lack of compromise.
Completing this delectable trio of audio treats is “Supercede” the edgier of the three. Again a deep journey of a track this number starts off with a more haunting feel to it but soon softens up with a melodic warmth that plays off a bubbly almost aquatic arrangement that is punctuated by industrial sounding samples. It works!
After being hailed as one of 2009′s Artists To Watch by Beatportal, Dietz has since come a long way as a DJ and producer in the house and techno scene. A respected and loved favourite in clubs around the world, Dietz incessantly tours across the globe playing shows in Ibiza, Amsterdam, South America, Australia, Moscow, London and more. His style can be described as taking the basics of classic house and turning them hypnotic and sexy, taking the ethos of minimal with a grain of salt and adding richness and texture rather than following trends.
He’s worked with the likes of Loco Dice and Karotte, proving his production skills to be as impressive as his mixing. Now a valued member of Cadenza records, he released his first record on the legendary label entitled ‘Home Run’ in 2008 and has since gone on to continue to produce and remix tracks. Three of which are released in the next coming months on Candenza, Saved and Get Physical records. So with his busy schedule UGroove TV managed to catch up with Dietz to have chat about his global success, his new releases and what he believes 2012 holds for his career and his fans.
Dietz starts off by telling us he’s feeling fantastic and how happy he is to be enjoying a few days at home relaxing. As a fan of 90’s hip hop music myself, I decide to ask Dietz about his early attraction to the genre and early hip-hop culture, and how he feels it influenced his own musical career. “I was listening to a lot of different genres of music while I was a kid and during the 90s I paid a lot of attention to the hip hop and rap music of these days. I discovered the early surrealistic and experimental style of the “Wu Tang Clan” and “Outkast”. Also, the smooth and raw beats of “The Pharcyde”, “Souls of Mischief” and DJ Premier. I think I got a lot of inspirations of all these artists and even now I’m still listening to this kind of music, buying old records or trying to discover new hip-hop, which is far away from the radio played definition of it.” The way Dietz speaks about music shows his passion, and despite hip hop being far away from the house and techno he plays at his shows and produces himself, it shows Dietz’ diversity and his open mind as an artist.
We speak about how his career has grown and gone from strength to strength since 2009, as Beatport hailed Dietz as one of their artists to watch that year. “It was a big honor for me to be nominated by Beatport as an artist to watch even I felt a lot of pressure though. But since 2009 my career kept growing and I’m very happy for that. I had the chance to enter the Cadenza booking agency in 2009 and release on some great labels. More than I ever expected altogether.” Dietz speaks with honesty and integrity. It is easy to see that he genuinely appreciates the love and support he has been given by his fans and critics over the years, which perhaps is his secret to such a great career and live performances.
We go on to discuss other music polls, such as ‘artists to watch’ and ‘resident advisor top 100’ and again, Dietz speaks with wisdom and knowledge of the industry. “It’s a difficult thing with these polls as it is always a question how representative they really are. On one hand it is cool that we have polls for our genre of underground music where people can vote for their favorites, but on the other hand even there you see a kind of misleading hype.
“There are so many artists with a healthy career, great output and a huge fan-base, who are not even mentioned in these polls, but you have producers in the DJ Top 100 who had recent successful releases but they are not really present as DJs. These polls are great to see the direction of our music but they are not the holy bible.”
It comes as no secret that Dietz loves playing live shows more than anything else. He describes the last few years as “many great parties”, the best being when he can really feel that the crowd is with him, feeling the same feelings as he is for each track he is dropping. He names Japan, Italy and Hungary as just a few of his favourite countries to play in, as he feels the crowd show so much enthusiasm. House music has always stayed relatively underground, which Dietz shows his appreciation for.
“I can’t say what the future of house music will be, but I hope that it will never lose its charm of rawness and true soul and not become too calculable and commercialised.”
Interested in how Dietz manages to stay chilled and find time to produce with his incessant live touring, I ask him about producing and what he does in the morning to get his creative juices flowing. “I always brew a big cup of Gyokuru green tea to wake up. I then make sure I listen to every kind of music. I find I get my best ideas when I’m listening to Jazz or Hip-hop. Just open up your ears and get inspired. For four years now I’ve been working with Ableton Live to produce music, but I just recently switched my studio system to Mac to start working with Logic as well.”
Looking to Dietz as a music veteran, it’s interesting to know what artists he personally thinks we should look out for. “Definitely have a look for Maayan Nidam (Miss Fitz) who is going to release her first album on Cadenza, she’s an amazing producer and will bring a total different note to the label.”
While on the topic of Cadenza and other label releases, I ask about Dietz three new releases he has in the pipelines. “I have three remixes coming up for Reboot, Nic Fanciulli and Tim Green plus a track of mine featured on the 5years compilation of Be Chosen. All of them are quite diverse but focus on the atmosphere that they will bring to the dance floor. My three personal favourite tracks I’ve ever produced are “The Sorrow” on Deepvibes and “Teleparty” on Cecille.
It must be an amazing feeling for Dietz to be successful and recognised for his talent and what he loves doing. For those of you reading who have never seen him play a live show, in his own words, open your ears and get inspired. He really knows how to please a crowd and it will be a new, refreshing experience to anyone who enjoys live music, whether it be hip hop, drum and bass or techno. After his well deserved January break, you can catch Dietz playing all across Europe this year and he even embarks on a United States tour in March ending at the legendary WMC in Miami.
Best known for his Sunday promotion, Fuse, Enzo Siragusa delivers his deep dubby house and techno, marathon DJ sets in the cosy little courtyard in Brick Lane alongside some of the worlds greatest electronic artists on an almost weekly basis. Enzo Siragusa is one of a dedicated cavalry of DJs leading the charge to put London back at the forefront of the electronic music scene, apt then, that he should be chosen as London’s resident to take part in Loco Dice’s Under 300 tour, a tour that is focused on the residents of cities around the world. We locked Enzo down ahead of this weeks gig to find out what 5 tracks that will never leave his record bag and why…
Time (Doza’s Lawnchair Generals Mix) – Hanna
One of my all time favourite deep house tracks, this record has never left my box since I purchased it from Slough Record Centre 10 years ago! I play this record a lot, works perfect in a warm up set. A friend and I drove to Ibiza in 2003, I think we had this on repeat most of the way and it was played every day that summer – it never gets boring and I’ll keep playing it forever!
19.5 – LTJ Bukem & Peshay
I’m a Jungalist at heart. I used to blag my way in to the raves like Dreamscape and Helter Skelter with my fake ID and pretty much jog on the spot all night long to tracks like this. I fell in love with the deeper, more intelligent bass driven hardcore sound that became Jungle / Drum & Bass. I think this music is a major influence in my sound today. The rolling beats, warmth in the low end and the emotion in the pads and vocals send shivers up my spine, and thats something I try and put into my sound – productions and DJ sets. Its hard to pick between any of the releases on Good Looking Records but I played this one this as my last tune at Fuse once – magic moment!
Eve By Day – Patrick Chadronnet
For me this is a seminal track from the minimal era. Beautiful, timeless and emotive stripped-back techno. I first heard it played in a live set by Patrick Chadronnet at The End, he had 3 synths and a drum machine, it blew my mind to hear and watch at the time. I had a serious moment to myself on the dancefloor that night and this track inspired my sound at the time. I take any opportunity I get to play it. The Ripperton remix is brilliant too.
The Bounce – Kenlou
It was Masters At Work that started my love affair with house music and took me away from the sweaty raves in the 90′s. I heard them play at Garage City at Bar Rumba in London and was captivated by the vibe and soul in the U.S. House sound. Of all the classics MAW have produced ‘The Bounce’ is the one I play the most, definitely a go to track that always smashes it on the dancefloor and still slots in seamlessly in any set. Timeless dance music.
We Are I.E. – Lennie De Ice
This is one of the first records to switch me on to dance music as kid in my teens early around 1991/92. The pad and bass line at the beginning still gets me every time, but its when the amen drops that the tune goes off – I remember thinking what the hell is this music, I had never heard anything like it at the time!! I wasn’t old enough to get in to the raves but used to buy all live recorded tapes packs from my local record store, it was on a Slipmatt mix from Fantazia. Around 10 years later I came across a second hand original copy of the vinyl – priceless.
These cool Mexican cats are strutting onto the scene with some purpose in their stride. Hailing from Mexicali the duo are made up of Jay Blakk & Kiko Deal. We liked their sound so much we decided to ask them to come up with a mix for the latest in our series of Groove-casts, and it’s a belter! Their sound is one a blend of classic house percussion, groovy, wandering bass tips and some catchy vocal sampling. With imminent releases on Culprit amongst others we like what we hear. You heard it here first.
What are your names?
Jay Blakk and K.D. aka Climbers
Which labels have you released on?
We haven’t released anything yet but we are very excited for our the upcoming releases. Our first release will be with Culprit LA. We also have another one with Nurvous Records and some other labels to whom we have been talking too. Also, we finished a remix for the label Electronique Music. We love the sound of all these labels and are very happy to be working with them.
Where do you live?
We live in Mexicali, Baja California Mexico, which is right across the border with U.S.A.
Background info? Where are you from?
Both from same place Mexicali.
How did you get into dance music?
It’s actually a funny story. We both got into dance music through a trip that we took to Rosarito Beach two hours away from Mexicali. Back then it was really mind blowing for both of us to see someone with that kind of power on stage playing electronic music. That’s when it hit us and got us starting to care a lot more about dance music.
A track we would recognise you for?
At this moment, one of our tracks that has been getting a lot of attention thanks to the great artists that have been mixing it in their podcast is called “All Right”. We are very excited about this video of Droog playing at the BPM Festival our track “All Right” which will come out in our EP with Culprit.
The track came about in a normal studio session, but all of a sudden we were having a laugh about bacon and we were talking about how much we love bacon and how our tracks should have something memorable, and that is what we call bacon in our tracks.
Some of the difficulties we have encountered during producing is computer crashes. Since Jay’s PC is a bit old, sometimes it starts to crack down during Vsts loading. Below is a video with said track on it from a party at BPM Festival;
And this is our soundcloud from Jay Blakk’s label Mexa Records:
Remix we would recognise you for? This remix you would recognize it because has so many bacon strips on it.
And also because we support the original a whole bunch, it’s a great track.
Who has remixed you?
Still no one, but we are starting to get more attention and people want to start making some tweeks on our tracks.
Who have you remixed?
We have remixed “Raffa FL – Hot For You” for Electronique Music and “Map of the World – Night- Something Always Never” for Nurvous Records.
Has your music been featured on any albums/EP’s?
Not yet, but we are going to give you some anytime soon.
Any notable collaborations?
We are doing collaborations with great artists but once everything is confirmed will give the news, watch this space!
Where have you played?
Well since the project is totally new, we just did some gigs here in our hometown and Mexico City along with Cholula, but what takes the cake is our time at BPM Festival, that one was off the hook, something really out of this league, and we got to met incredible people and incredible vibes all with such a lovely support.
What is your sound? Describe your sound to anyone who may not already know it.
Is it very important for us to describe it as somebody putting bacon in your dish and enjoying every bite of it. Each track needs to have bacon so we try to bring those elements that make you wanna ask for that track. It must be something you can connect too, that special vibe, synth, lead or whatever your mind goes with your heart.
Your next release is…?
Our first release will be with Culprit LA, and then with Nurvous Records and other labels we respect much but can’t mention right now. The releases will be lovely.
Where are you playing next?
Right now we are organizing a mini tour in our country for the presentation of the Culprit EP, so its going to be really exciting to do that, and we will still work a lot to make it happen to go around the globe as a dream of ours.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Still enjoying life, doing our best to keep spreading the universal word of love thru our music and just be thankful for everything that we have and the things that we don’t, because that way we have a reason to wake up and do our best, to keep doing what we love so much.
Who is showing you big love at the moment?
Well a lots of people we respect have given us a lot of love. We feel blessed. The guys from My Favorite Robot have been so supportive, especially James Teej and Voytek since both played our tracks and always giving us words of wisdom. Another artist is Richy Ahmed, he has supported us from day 1 in every way possible. Andrei Osyka from Culprit also for believing in us so much, and Andrew Salsano from Nurvous Records, also a great human being, Lee Brinx and Cozzy D from Lower East and lots of people. Its very amazing for us and feel so blessed about all this.
Favourite producer at the moment? Why?
There are too many to say one but for us is Maceo Plex. I know its like a safe choice but for us he has been doing all the right things. Every time I hear his tracks I get the feeling he was trying to put into the track, but there are also so many other producers we love so much and inspiring us in so many ways.
Favourite DJ? Why?
This year at BPM a lot of people brought it but the set that My Favorite Robot put on Cannibal Royal was so exquisite and pure of joy and magic involved in those transitions.
Do you have any quirky musical talents?
Jay Blakk is the geeky one on the duo, he loves to read about programming, mastering stuff, and got into keyboard lessons, but he chosed video games over that. He is now going to try to take piano lessons and trust me he knows how to cook picadillo like no one else. K.D. is the musician, he has played in different bands, and was the lead singer on one of them, he is more known for playing the bass and doing vocals, actually glad you ask because we have one track just finished that Kiko is doing the vocals and we are starting to work on originals vocals and lyrics so exciting times.
First club memory?
That one we told about Rosarito Beach
Do you prefer to Produce or DJ?
For us got to the point where we can say 50/50 because Jay Blakk come from djing for about 8 years now and K.D. from playing live instruments from about 15 years now, we love everything that comes within djing, with the connection from the crowd, and especially when you connect to those human beings with the music you put your soul into it, and having those special moments in the studio transfer to the people makes everything so much special.
Your famous last words are…?
What you think is what you are
We should keep an eye on you because….
Because it’s good for your health and keeps you smiling.
Anything to add?
Yes that we are truly grateful for this interview and for the respect your giving to the Mexican Dance Scene out there that is growing in such an organic way and UGroove have been so supported, and all the artists that are supporting us, we believe in being grateful about all that is happening and that life is such a rush we just have to keep enjoying. We think this is just so beautiful.
Now 2011 is all wrapped up sights are firmly focused on the year in hand. Artists that made impressive inroads in the previous year are are a bulging stable who are looking to capitalise on there efforts and step things up. Danny Daze is without a shadow one of those artists. Here is a guy with a musical pedigree who has seen his hard work pay off and doors open for him. The Miami native brings an array of influences with him; a long career spanning 13 years that began with him playing at a tender age at electro raves in The States coupled with a latin influence (Danny is a Cuban-American) is paying off. He is the type of atist that is a purist, he has a clear vision of how he wants things to be, both in his productions and his sets, and that comes across to the delight of all that either see him spin or listen to his productions. His authenticity and general “straight-up” attitude make him a credible artist who will no doubt achieve longevity. When we met him last year when he played a gig in Leeds we were enthralled by him. His persona is suave and engaging, like a character out of a mob movie, his gaze burns with intensity that you feel is fueled by his passion for electronic music. We were lucky enough to catch a few words with Danny and asked him to provide us with 10 tracks he feels influenced him in life. Enjoy!
• Hey Danny, mega pleased with being able to catch a few words with you. How are you feeling today?
• DD – Doing great, catching up on some sleep! Laying in bed at Playa Del Carmen. Here for the BPM Festival =0)
• With 2011 drawn to a close and everyone reminiscing about their year we would like to ask; How has it been for you?
• DD – 2011 was nuts! Released loads of music and got to meet a lot of great people.
• How much of 2011 has been built upon “Your Everything” and it’s success?
• DD – I’d say 65%-70% of 2011 gigs were with promoters I haven’t played for before. That EP sure did wonders for me =0).
• So for many of our readers “Your everything” will be your breakthrough track, the one that introduced them to Danny Daze. What’s the story behind this track and how did it end up getting released on Hot Creations?
• DD – The tune started over in LA when I sketched it out and had my buddy Jason Tyler do the trumpet part. I then took it home and sang vocals on it (which is the low part of the vocal), then sent it off to Louisah so she can add the top end/more pronounced layer of the vocal. Jamie heard the tune was unsigned so immediately hit me up to release, of course I agreed. Lee then heard “Fall Away From Love” and said “we have the EP right here”. Couple months later it was out.
• This record was broken at the WMC last year, how did that feel being your home-town and all?
• DD – That was pretty rad. I was playing at another event the first time Jamie dropped the tune and received about 12 text messages all at the same time from my friends who knew about the record. Funny part is during WMC, the track wasn’t even 100% finished.
• How do you think the WMC has evolved and what role do you think it plays in electronic music? Do you think it’s just an excuse for a party?
• DD – Pretty simple, WMC used to be an actual conference. Now its an excuse to wear a neon yellow banana hammock to the beech.
• The differences between the scene in Europe and the States are considered by some to be expansive. Why do you think this is?
• DD – Very true, seems like the states is owned by Clear Channel which pump out total garbage on radio. This affects not only the commercial ear, but also the underground as many aren’t able to flirt with a sound they haven’t heard before. Anywhere in you Europe you can tune into a radio station and here a brand new underground house tune being pumped out. Pretty nuts to know that even most of Detroit & Chicago where House & Techno started have also fallen into Clear Channel’s grip of death.
• Can you see the gap closing?
• DD – Hell no. It’s getting worse as we speak.
• What is your favorite club to play in?
• DD – It’s tough to answer that question. So I’ll answer for 2011 alone, I’d say D-Edge in Brazil and Fabric in London.
• What’s the difference in the underground scenes between USA and Europe? Is there more money in commercial gigs in USA than for underground artists?
• DD – I think the underground scene will always be tougher to make money, the point of the underground is to play what you love, not come into it thinking you’re going to make money. The money is definitely in the mainstream gigs but feeling like you’re selling your soul to the devil comes with it as well.
• A little bird told us that you used to produce tracks for an artist that many would consider a pop act. Care to divulge any more on that one?
DD – noooooooooooope
• You are known as a DJ that doesn’t tend to partake in the party side of the scene, preferring to concentrate on your music. Do you sometimes feel pressured to get involved?
• DD – Nah, at all ….. I have the weakest immune system known to man. I’m like a 4 month old baby so my lack of sleep needs to be balanced out with me not partying that much. This week for example, since I’m at Playa I’ll let loose. I might even drink one of those tequila worm at the bottom of the cup thingy’s.
• Although you did have a beer at your recent gig at Teknicolour in Leeds, granted it was your birthday!
• DD – Haha, aaaaaacccctually I had like 4 …… thats called SUPER BIRTHDAY PARTY MODE
• You recent had some studio time with Eric (Estornil aka Maceo Plex), how was it?
• DD – I hate that guy. jk. Dudes the homie. We’ll be working together on stuff in 2012. Ellum is gonna be a monster label and I’m stepping in as part time A&R since I’m usually on the hustle for new tunes. If you got some new ish …. shoot it my way!
• What’s you current production set up?
• DD – Run Ableton as my DAW, then have craploads of outboard units. MAM-VF11, JP8080, Nord Lead 3, Thermionic Culture – Culture Vulture, blah blah blah ……..
• What’s you opinion on people using engineers to produce? Is it cheating or merely using a tool to get your musical message across?
• DD – Depends on what that person using an engineer is actually doing in the studio. If they just sitting there having someone make music then them just signing off on it, thats complete bull shit. Learn wtf a VCO is then get yourself an engineer so you can at least have SOME credit to your song. If you actually have put time into knowing whats what in the studio but are using someone to tweak stuff out for you then that a liiiiiitle better. I’m not fond off having others make music for me though. I’d rather make shit music than have to show face for something I didn’t do.
• So now onto what makes you tick musically Danny; having been involved in the scene for a prolonged period of time what do you think to the evolution of the electronic music scene?
• DD – This is a conversation that would have to be recorded in audio. Typing it would take 2 days. To sum it up, I’ve been Djing 13 years already and even though I’m young. I’ve done my fare share of create digging and obsessive vinyl collecting. There’s a new generation in the electronic scene that know nothing about Acetates or White Labels which scares the living hell outta me. Who knows where electronic music is going? New technology = new sub genres.
• Do you think technology helps or hinders artists and producers nowadays?
• DD – If you have your basics down (Dj beat matching, recording proper audio, sound design ect) it can help you, but if you just picked up Traktor and decided to Dj because your best friend does it too, then I HATE YOU. Obviously if your a youngster and just started Djing I don’t expect you to go out and start buying vinyl having Traktor and Serato at your disposal, but please don’t start djing just cuz you think it’s cool.
• Who’s really doing it for you this year, production wise?
• DD – ooooooofffffffff there’s so much talent out there its impossible to answer this.
• And performance wise?
• DD – Performance wise …. LIVE PA wise ….. the guy I bow down to is Anthony Rother. Been following him for the last 12 years. His live set up is eventually what I want to do.
• What do you listen to when you want to relax?
• DD – Only time I “relax” is when I sleep which at that time I zone out to the sounds of my AC Unit or and app on my phone called “WhiteNoise” which has some relaxing sounds in there like rain or airplane rumble or white noise itself. I can’t remember the last time I just sat down and chilled out though. I love working and making music and traveling and noisy airports and Skype meetings.
• Who was the better rapper Biggie or Tu-pac?
• DD – Tu-pac as heeeelllllll …… I was all about that west coast rap.
• Do you have an all time favorite band or musician that you always return to time after time and find comfort in?
• DD – To be honest, not really an artist. I go back often to my roots in electronic music which is Electro/Techno/IDM ….
Can you list 10 tracks that have been influential, not only in your production, but also your life. No holds barred here so go wild, any genre, any track, any artist.
DD – Here’s a collection of what made me who I am today, starting off with some str8 up Miami ish.
DJs: Sven Väth, Richie Hawtin, Carl Cox, Ricardo Villalobos, Loco Dice, Marco Carola, Dubfire, Adam Beyer, Chris Liebing, DJ Rush, Kevin Saunderson, John Digweed, Magda, Monika Kruse, Karotte, Jamie Jones, Visionquest (Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves, Seth Troxler), Steve Lawler, Marcel Dettmann, Ben Klock, Paco Osuna, Mathias Kaden & Nick Curly b2b, Davide Squillace, Pan-Pot, tINI, Robert Dietz, Dorian Paic, Felix Kröcher, Seebase, Federico Molinari, Steffen Baumann, Sasch BBC, Steffen Deux, Lautleise
Live: Laurent Garnier pres. L.B.S., Extrawelt, AKA AKA feat. Thalstroem, Paul Ritch, Guti, Hobo
The 31st of March is like a call to arms for global techno fans. For the 17th year running, the clock will be ticking in time to fat bass drums and hissing hi-hats – a truly unique experience… a breathtaking combination of music, light and emotions. The spirit of Time Warp has changed very little since it’s beginning in the mid-nineties. A calendar focal point for all in the electronic music scene, and a pivotal platform for new sounds and trends.
Time Warp 2012 will host the very best in electronic music with DJ heavyweights such as Sven Väth, Richie Hawtin and Carl Cox, coupled with new discoveries such as the Visionquest crew who are based around Berliner Seth Troxler… Resident Advisors Best DJ Jamie Jones will also make his Time Warp debut. Nick Curly will not only perform tracks from his debut album “Between the Lines”, he will also be performing back2back with Mathias Kaden – an appearance that is hotly anticipated! Kevin Saunderson and John Digweed, two pioneers of the electronic dance music scene, will join a whole host of DJ talent, which also includes AKA AKA feat. Thalstroem, Davide Squillace, Pan-Pot, Guti, Hobo and many more during Time Warps marathon event.
Time Warp takes an innovative stance in the field of production and stage technology, with an emphasis on cutting edge technologies. Besides elaborate light shows, the focus is primarily on the use of 3D technology. The audience has previously been impressed by the stunning 3D mapping at Time Warp Holland. In Mannheim, the production team will offer a completely new experience in this department. The Time Warp team has already been successful while on the lookout for talented and innovative new visual artists, and is now working on the concept for the six floors.
Visitors can look forward to a unique audiovisual experience with more than 40 acts, extraordinary lighting and stage concepts – packed into 19 hours non-stop – Time Warp in 2012 will again provide an intense party experience that is second to none.
Time Warp 2012 Limited Early Bird tickets sold out in record time, but don’t panic, normal tickets are still available via Time Warps website.
Another year’s passed for Filth, which means another fine selection of party memories taking in a myriad music styles, have all been collected. To celebrate a half decade of all this, Filth will call on Davide Squillace, Audiofly, Inland Knights and one more Canadian vocalist and label boss in the form of James Teej.
Saturday 11th February
The Warehouse Leeds
Davide Squillace is not only a fine spinner at the Ibiza club DC10, but he also runs his own labels (Hideout most avidly in 2011) and has a long back catalogue of productions starting in 1998 which includes imprints like Supernature, Sci + Tec and Loco Dice’s Desolat. Next up are Get Physical’s recent long player specialists Audiofly aka UK talents Luca Saporito and Anthony Middleton. The duo have carved out a sound all their own with big bold house and tech productions featuring plenty of vocals and pleasing melodies in the last years, with releases also coming on 8Bit and Supernature in their time.
Headliner James Teej has steered his own My Favourite Robot label to the top of the tech house pile whilst reviving his native Tornto scene, has performed vocals on his own tracks and those of others and is a respected DJ and producer in his own rite.
Laurence Ritchie and Andy Riley aka Inland Knights began their auspicious careers as promoters of some of UK’s most memorable early 90’s free parties. Since then they have gone on to produce well received underground house and tech records for 2020 vision, NRK Music, Drop and Om amongst other labels. They have played at such diverse events as Dance Valley in Holland and clubs such as London’s Fabric as well as in Australia, New Zealand and even South Africa, whilst their most recent album ran a gamut of quirky styles and has defined their DJ sets since.
You can be assured of all the extra attention to detail as per usual from expert crew Filth, the usual on-point sounds from residents Cubiq and Love Not Money boss Luke Pompey. With The Warehouses punch-packing soundsytem and second Loft room, this could be the best birthday yet.
