Finally found some time to spend in the “studio” amidst my heavy touring schedule… hahaha. Two months is quite the hiatus, but I like to think that the BlogTrolls have been holding things down in the interim. Sharing the tracks that are going into my crate hopefully preserves the OoC sound in between mixes, so the podcasts should be “more of the same” for readers that enjoy the weekly offerings.
There are so many different sounds that I enjoy, so it’s fun to explore the tracks that aren’t quite bumping enough for the dancefloor in mixtapes. But with the big HIPSTER TWISTER party coming up next month, I wanted to capture more of what I would play for a banging live set–electro, of course!
BTW, the fellow nerds out there may recognize the Alex Gopher track from its radio airplay in Liberty City. Purely coincidence, I swear.
Track Listing:
Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To? (Erol Alkan remix)
The Rapture - First Gear
Theatre of Disco - COA (The Twelves remix)
Alex Gopher - Brain Leech (Bugged Mind remix)
The Presets - This Boys in Love (KIM remix)
Alex Metric - In Your Machine
Mystery Jets - Diamonds in the Dark (LA Riots remix)
Revolte - Ironical Sexism (Blanche Duboise remix)
Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (Guns N Bombs remix)
Flou - Les Gens Pour Ce Qui’ls Sont (Designer Drugs remix)
The Cars - Let the Good Times Roll (Mike Genius remix)
Go to Saturday, July 12 on your calendars. Write “GET CRAZY AND DANCE”. We’re returning to 14 Below in Santa Monica to do just that, folks!
If you thought FHBD was fun, this party is going to be all that and then some. Wonderwood and I will be rocking the spot with hip hop, electro, funk, indie, dancehall, house and everything in between. Drinks will be cheap and stiff. Cover will be zero. Good times will be had.
And if you even needed another reason to come–I’m moving away this summer! So at least come buy me a drink, and we can laugh about all the fun memories we’ve had in LA. Not to mention start scheduling trips to Seattle…
PARTY DETAILS:
Saturday, July 12 — 9:00 pm
14 Below in Santa Monica
More old school vinyl rips from U-Tern. This one clocks in at almost 140 bpm, much faster than most of his slower, groovy posts. Has a cool 80s electro vibe–funny to think that “electro” means something totally different now…
I first heard We are Scientists a few years ago on roadtrips in the Matrix. This remix sounds almost nothing like the stuff I’ve heard, but it is very cool emo electro.
We are Scientists - Chick Lit (Danger TV remix)
I had posted a remix of this Van She track by the man himself a few BTs ago, but I like this new take by the hotter than hot Yuksek even more. Here it is, as well as another banging remix as well. All his tracks seem to incorporate a huge build followed by an electro explosion–very cool shit.
Van She - Strangers (Yuksek remix)
Mika - Lollipop (Yuksek remix)
I think I still prefer the Them Jeans blend of this Kid Sister hit better, but this new re-work by Tepr certainly gives it a run for its money. Almost has an 80s power pop vibe.
Kid Sister - Pro Nails (Tepr remix)
GRUM is simply on fire right now. Dude’s productions all rock hard. Take that fury and add some Le Castle Vania, and damn.
GRUM - Go Back (Le Castle Vania remix)
As I’ve spent more and more and more time over the past year following this new wave of electro/blog house music that is coming out, Kitsune has grown to become one of my favorite labels. While it is certainly one great among many others, it seems to pick out all my favorite elements of the current melting pot of sounds. Case in point: Autokratz out of London.
I hadn’t heard of Fardoche before, but this track’s randomness is great. Not club material, but great mixtape potential!
I was pissed that I missed these guys at Coachella this year, and was excited to see this track get posted recently since it isn’t that new. Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip almost fell off my radar… Every line of this song is so TRUE! Cracks me up.
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip - Thou Shalt Always Kill
Have been reading about Tommie Sunshine a lot over on GWTP, and while I don’t listen to that much of his music, I really respect the guy. In a scene so dominated by new, new, new; he really seems to play what the fuck he wants and do his own thing–which includes a lot of older stuff. Take this sweet remix of the Stones classic, for example.
The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil (Tommie Sunshine’s Peak-Hour
Lucifer remix)
Image from underwoodpix.com
We hit up Day 2 of the 22nd annual UCLA JazzReggae Fest over the holiday weekend to chill and listen to some fresh riddims. Despite very atypical Memorial Day weather, it was very good times. It’s always interesting to return to the little part of this giant city that used to be pretty much my entire world, too.
I had been starting to distinguish between reggae and dancehall since hanging out with Wonderboy, and it was cool to hear the two back to back to really juxtapose the genres. Reggae has been what I put on to chill when not dancing to EDM, so I couldn’t see how it could be dance music in itself. Well, the dancehall guys, Mr. Vegas and Cableton, really got the crowd going! Stephen Marley busted out all his dad’s classics (which was perfect), and Alaine added an R&B element to the reggae sound–I really liked both.
Ultimately, I don’t think dancehall is for me, but it was very cool to experience since it’s outside my largely electronic scope. Was an incredible live performance, but the cultural differences about the function of the DJ threw me off a bit. Spin-backs two minutes into each track, bouncing from classic to classic with lots of breaks to toast–it was 100% track selection and 0% mixing. I understand that it is the style for the genre, but it just runs so contrary to my understanding of a DJ’s abilities as being measured just as much or even more by how well tracks are mixed than simply what is played.
In addition to the good music and people watching, I scored some delicious banana bread pudding and it was sweet to kick it with the homies. On the way out I also got a flier for another HARD party in July featuring my boys MSTRKRFT. Hell yeah!
First off, we have an original track from Chubby Fingers with a bassline that I hope remains stuck in my head for another week. Great disco house–will definitely be included in my french house podcast if/when I ever get around to it…
Chubby Fingers - Into the Night
And speaking of basslines, I was frankly a little surprised to hear this groovy Cut Copy remix coming from Boys Noize. I know and love his harder stuff, so nice to enjoy the lighter side as well.
Cut Copy - Lights & Music (Boys Noize Happy Birthday remix)
I know Felix Da Housecat is a huge name in house music and started pushing things in the electro direction early on, but he isn’t really on my radar for whatever reason. But Shinichi Osawa sure is, with his awesome remixes of Pogo and Star Guitar in the past. More good stuff here.
Felix Da Housecat - Radio (Shinichi Osawa remix)
If I’m going to “play to a crowd”, I’d much rather do it to indie rock than worthless Top 40 shit. I hadn’t heard of indie darlings Matt & Kim before finding a Flossy D remix, but here is another great remix by Radioclit, whose name I have been seeing more and more. Simplistic, like the drum fills.
Matt & Kim - No More Long Years (Radioclit remix)
Lifelike has been yet another Parisian that I have been following for a while now (well, me and everyone else). This track has quite the extended intro, but eventually builds to another pretty house track with warm synths ala my boy Falke.
DK7 - Fashion Feelings (Lifelike remix)
This synth house backdrop works really well with the classic Busta track. Probably because this is from back when rap was legit, and he can really flow. This one’s for you, The Steve. I’ve got my ears especially tuned for these tracks now.
Busta Rhymes - Dangerous (Night Facilities remix)
Villains are my electro sweet spot. Hard but not too hard (as much as I dig that too) and just plain fun. Here they work on a new one by up-and-coming hip hop artist Shwayze from Malibu. I don’t hear “representing the 310″ very often–hell yeah! I sure am going to miss you, 310.
Shwayze - Buzzin’ (Villains remix)
(a) I used to hear this track all the time in the 2 Many DJs sets that we used to listen to religously, and (b) I gotta represent the latest efforts by Chew Fu. Like the guitar riff addition.
Missy Elliot - Lick Shots (Chew Fu H=H fix)
Credit to Busy G for these next couple. My boy has been throwing lots of good stuff my way, and great to have more ears out there. This remix of the Midfield General hit downplays the siren clips; but the vocals are my favorite part anyway, and I like the added distortion.
Midfield General - Disco Sirens (Push Music Electro Rub)
Doesn’t have to be new to be good. Either Busy P or Kavinsky dropped this at Coachella, and I stumbled on a post with several SebastiAn tracks recently–so this one jumped out at me.
Last weekend was meant to be. After the SFAI gig, we went over to MIGHTY to see Z-Trip. The venue was small without feeling too crowded, and DAMN was it loud. I fully got down, too. I mean my hips were going and I think I even had the index fingers extended for a bit, too. His sets are hard to define since they are all over the place–in a good way. Rock, hip hop and even more electronic stuff than I remembered him playing in the past.
On a technical note, he must have a master tempo set in Serato. I know he’s a wizard and all, but I didn’t see him really adjusting the pitch at all on the decks and he mixed everything so quickly and flawlessly. Maybe I’m trying to reduce his skill down to something on my level, but that was my observation… His mixing and scratching were still as perfect as ever with or without digital aids, but maybe I can add that to my own bag of vinyl emulation tricks…
His opening DJ played a very eclectic mix of funk, reggae and some hip hop. It would have been a groovy mixtape for in the car, but the whole place was overflowing with excitement, and it didn’t feel like the tunes were keeping up. We also bumped into Mike Relm in the back and said hello, rapped about prior gigs that we had been to. Not that he knows who the hell we are, but we are practically BFFs.
Good times in the city. Even better once we made it over to Sparky’s for late night delectables, though I learned my lesson about ordering non-peanut butter & chocolate milkshakes to accompany my 3:00 am breakfast special. Good but not as good.
I flew up to SF to spin at the San Francisco Art Institute commencement reception last weekend. It was a glorious day (so glorious that I got the first sunburn I have ever had in the city), and a lot of fun. I knew this would be a different gig from prior parties, and creating ambiance would be just as important as getting people to move their feet. So I wanted to work in more disco, 80s and non-electronic tracks in order to resonate with as much of the multi-generational crowd as possible.
The three hour set gradually built from mellow and groovy while people were strolling in to the regular OoC indie bangers once the event was in full swing (to whatever I felt like by the end once there were only a few of us left). I felt good about my efforts to match the tunes to the reception atmosphere, and at least a handful of people were dancing pretty much throughout the event. Gave out some cards to peeps who were especially digging it, too.
It was also good to spin for such an extended period. The macbook has weeks worth of music on it (most of which I’ve spent the last year picking track by track), but for some reason I used worry about running out of songs to play. Quite the opposite in reality, as the tracks/genres progress and evolve fluidly over the course of things. I could have played for another three hours…
The only downside of the gorgeous vista views of the bay from the campus was when the winds picked up and started actually blowing the needles off the records. So there are a few screw ups from ill-timed gusts, but front row seats to the fog rolling in and swallowing Alcatraz was well worth a few environmental hurdles.
Big thanks to Byron for setting it up and Cryptic for making it happen!
Track Listing:
Feist - Inside & Out (Sumo remix)
Grand Master Flash & Furious Five - The Message (Datashat remix)
Simply Red - Sunshine (remix)
Laura Branigan - Self Control
Chromeo - Gangsta (Playgroup remix)
Mark Ronson - Just (remix)
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great
Bakazou - Snake Hip Shuffle
U-Tern - Gwen Guthrie vs. Daft Punk (club version)
Oliver Cheatham - Get Down Saturday Night
Waldorf - You’re My Disco
Daft Punk - Face to Face
Human League - Don’t You Want Me
The Rapture - Get Myself Into It
Michael Jackson - Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
Xavier - Give Me the Night (ATOC remix)
New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle (extended dance mix)
Coconut Records - Nighttiming (RAC remix)
Gorillaz - DARE (Junior Sanchez remix)
Blur - Girls & Boys
Shitake Mushroom - I’m Gonna Take U Home (The Glass remix)
The Gossip - Listen Up! (MSTRKRFT remix)
Daft Punk - Around the World
Roisin Murphy - I Know You Better (Nightmoves remix)
Klaxons - As Above, So Below (Justice remix)
Heads We Dance - My Heart is Set on You (Combo remix)
Death from Above 1979 - Sexy Results (MSTRKRFT edit)
Treasure Fingers - Cross the Dancefloor
The Ting Tings - Great DJ (Calvin Harris remix)
Calvin Harris - Acceptable in the 80s
Animotion vs. Tabledancers - Obsession (Stan remix)
Villains - Rock It
Vandalism - Never Say Never
Datarock - Fa-fa-fa (Skateboard remix)
Guns N Roses - Sweet Assed Child O’ Mine (DJ Donna Summer remix)
Digitalism - Pogo (Shinichi Osawa remix)
Dirty Secrets - 5 Feet Snow (Miami Horror remix)
Rihanna - Don’t Stop the Music (LAZRtag club remix)
MSTRKRFT - Bounce
Hot Pink Delorean - Badonkadonk
Kid Sister vs. The Outrunners - Pro Nails (Them Jeans blend)
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Chew Fu refix)
Jackson 5 - I Want You Back (Chew Fu Big Room refix)
Black Star - Definition
Ol’ Dirty Bastard - Got Your Money feat. Kelis
Justice - D.A.N.C.E. (Benny Blanco mix feat. Mos Def)
Unlike most prior gigs, I actually remembered to record this one. Here it is in its unadulterated three hours of glory. iTunes is set to remember playback position for your listening convenience.
Back once again with the renegade master… A lot of classic tracks getting remixed this past week, so let’s start with one of my personal faves by Midnight Juggernauts. I’m all about funky basslines, and this new take really emphasizes it.
Midnight Juggernauts - Shadows (Knightlife remix)
As much as I love pretty much all of the Van She Tech remixes, Van She’s alter ego always cranks out bpms that are well beyond this guy’s utilitarian promised land of 130. That said, this one isn’t. And it’s just as good. Techy with a sentimental break in the middle.
I am Finn - I Love You (Van She Tech remix)
I have had a soft spot for Annie ever since I bought her DJ-Kicks album from Amoeba based solely on respect for K7!. Then I started to recognize her tracks around and here is a remix of the newest single. Good synth backdrop for her whispery vocals.
Annie - I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me (Get Shakes remix)
No shock that Mr. Falke is back in yet another BlogTroll. All his tracks are pretty, but I especially love the slap bass on this one. Ladyhawke’s vocals certainly don’t hurt either!
Ladyhawke - Back of the Van (Fred Falke Ultimate Beverly mix)
(a) Cazals are a great new addition to the Kitsune label, and (b) Moulinex is the fucking man. Put those two together and hot damn, don’t stand in my way to the dancefloor.
Cazals - Somebody, Somewhere (Moulinex remix)
Granted, it’s a little slower than the aforementioned banger, but this new Lismore is good stuff. Like a more electronic NYPC. I don’t know about you, but I certainly want more.
This was posted many weeks ago elsewhere, but I dropped this Chew Fu fix during last weekend’s gig and it had the speakers rumbling. Brooklyn! Worthy of spreading the good word again.
Jackson 5 - I Want You Back (Chew Fu Big Room fix)
It’s a shame that this electro remix evolves into such a gnarly banger because now I can’t as easily work it into sets for my indie buddies. But this Mike Genius remix is…genius. Will be keeping this in the arsenal mos def.
The Cars - Let the Good Times Roll (Mike Genius remix)
GRUM continues to crank out the electro bangers. I’m going to try to hunt down the original now too, since Tronik Youth has been doing a lot of choice productions himself.
Tronik Youth - Laugh Cry Live Die (GRUM remix)
The Toof scored this interesting remix from newcomer PUBLIC. I am a whore for remixes, and this track is why. Have been headbanging just as much to the heavy synth riffs as I did the original. Classic Toof though–the track is cut off.
There are so many killer mixtapes floating around the interweb that I usually only post OoC shit, but this new fixtape by Chew Fu is hot.
Much respect for pushing things in a new direction. A lot of hip hop remixes come out more along the lines of Conan’s What If They Mated bits, but his fixes and productions are truly a joyous union of the genres. I now pronounce you hip hop and house.
Ok, please bear with me on the posting dearth. Had to take care of this little thing in the desert, and frankly the blog harvests haven’t yielded much lately. I’ll pass on the Lil’ Wayne remixes, thank you very much… So we’re back, albeit with a slightly truncated offering.
Since it really has been too long since posting new tracks (or a new podcast for that matter, blargh…), here are a couple different twists on Daft Punk classics. The first of which is an interesting banger edit by B. Rich–who also did a wicked remix of Prince’s 1999 for those who remember from FHBD; followed by a sweet indie cover of Digital Love by Wonky Pop stars.
Daft Punk - Too Long (B. Rich remix feat. Nate Dogg)
Wonky Popstars - Digital Love (daft punk cover)
Not to be left out, here is a great new Justice concoction–shallow party vocals layered over a chopped up DVNO instrumental.
Justice - DVNO (Officially Unofficial Transformer remix)
Representing some new shit from the boys over at Brooklyn Zoo, too. Very funky, almost French house joint from ESTAW. My FTP account seems to be acting up right now, but hop over to their sight to catch a new Chew Fu track featuring wonky Michael Jackson lyrics, too. There is no such thing as too much MJ!
ESTAW & J-Cast - Break It Down
This one came on my radar courtesy of G-Unit–another sweet Ting Tings remix. Not quite as timeless as the Calvin Harris track, but those are big shoes to fill. Less indie, more straight up house. All good.
The Ting Tings - That’s Not My Name (Tom Neville remix)
I know the last thing the blogosphere needs is more Chromeo remixes, but Laidback Luke is one of my favorite house producers right now. I had begun to skip over Fancy Footwork remixes in my trolling, but this reminds me why I like it in the first place.
Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (Laidback Luke remix)
I had been hearing this track all over from MSTRKRFT to Sandra Collins sets, and I finally figured out what it was. I know, I know–I’m way behind. Crookers are blowing up right now; helping Italy to almost keep up with France and Germany in the electro scene. Not for those with musicogenic epilepsy!