Monday is immediately made better with the release of Dub Kweli, a new mashed masterpiece from the mind behind Jadiohead and Mos Dub, Max Tannone. Brilliantly layering Talib’s rhymes over ’60’s reggae and dub plates straight from the Trojan record vault, this creation will make your ears smile. Hit the jump for immediate aural pleasure, and be sure to catch Talib Kweli this Friday when he DJs at Webster Hall with Questlove and Nina Sky. Continue Reading
In today’s awesome collaboration news, Robyn will debut a brand-new version of “Dancing On My Own” when she performs with Deadmau5 at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. Deadmau5, the evening’s in-house DJ, is also set to collaborate with Travie McCoy and Jason Derülo to rework some of their current hits. Other scheduled performers include Eminem, Usher, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, B.o.B, and Florence + The Machine. The MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 PM Eastern Time.
According to his own description, Claude VonStroke does not scowl and look mean while he DJs. He does not pretend to know everything and he will be nice to you and your friends. He is grateful to be doing music for a living and he knows that the reason people go to parties is to have fun. If you want to act cool and not have any fun then please do not book him.
It’s probably due to this attitude that dirtybird has always been synonymous with sweaty bass-lines, quirky ideas, bumpin’ funk, and most importantly, FUN. It is therefore only fitting that a label based on a philosophy of bringing smiles to the dance-floor was created by a party. Claude VonStroke’s enigmatic tech funk label released its first record in Janaury 2005, but the idea actually began in 2002 during the production of “Intellect,” one of the most intensive studies on DJs and producers of house and techno music ever filmed. Director Claude VonStroke (aka Barclay Crenshaw) created the concept of the label in order to supply tracks for the DVD soundtrack, and in 2003 his friend Christian Martin purchased a massive portable sound system and began throwing outdoor parties in San Francisco called “dirtybird” with the grand idea of changing the landscape of San Francisco house music by throwing an epic free party in the park based on a new sound.
In 2005, “dirtybird” the record label began releasing vinyl. At the same time, the DJ alias “Claude VonStroke” was created as a joke, but the name stuck forever after the debut record “Deep Throat” sold through more than 11,000 vinyl copies worldwide. Since then, both the label and the dirtybird party have enjoyed great success, particularly through the release of classic dirtybird records such as “Deep Throat,” “Stoopit,” “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?,” and “The Whistler.” Artists on the label are mostly from San Francisco (like Justin Martin, Worthy, and Claude VonStroke), but the label has recently been expanding beyond its West Coast home base to include a more diverse roster of talent.
As for the man himself, since 2005, VonStroke has released two artist albums as well as a Fabric mix and over 25 remixes for a wide range of commercial and underground artists from Indy rock group “The Rapture” to Detroit techno legend Kevin Saunderson. Tour wise, Claude has headlined almost every major club, festival and basement after-party in the world. He will be appearing Saturday, September 4th on the Sunday School Grove stage at Electric Zoo Festival, an opportunity to experience the tech house master for yourself that you definitely do not want to miss.
To celebrate the five year anniversary of one of America’s quirkiest labels, a 3 CD package with over 50 tracks has been put together representing the past, present, and future of the label.
Disc One – The Past: Includes all the greatest hits and most loved dirtybird tracks including everthing from Claude VonStroke’s classic “Who’s Afraid of Detroit?” to the Martin Brothers hyphy-house anthem, “Stoopit.”
Disc Two – The Present: Justin Martin, the man behind DB001, one half of the Martin Brothers, and one of the original founders of the dirtybird party represents the full catalog with a superb DJ mix using bit, pieces, and parts from over 30 dirtybird classic and future tracks.
Disc Three – The Future: Claude VonStroke spent almost a full year A&R-ing this cd filled with new classics and crazy cuts representing the future of the dirtybird sound, further expanding the label from SF to Europe, Canada and beyond.
Visit the dirtybird WEBSITE to pick up a copy of Five Years of dirtybird, as well as other releases from the label’s impressive array of talent, and to see what else the dirtybird gang is up to.
Just remember, Claude VonStroke is only coming to see you if you want to enjoy yourself and get sweaty and nasty. If you want to wear a sweater and frown in the VIP section, he is not the right DJ for you. With that in mind, we’ll see you Saturday at Electric Zoo, stage front and center.
Just in time for his appearance at Electric Zoo this Labor Day weekend, pioneer beat master Flying Lotus has announced a September 21 release date for his new EP, Pattern+Grid World, through Warp Records. Still riding the wave of epic success that was Cosmogramma as well as touring all over the globe, it’s astounding to think the man had time to produce a new EP so soon – not that we’re complaining. Flying Lotus’ abstract and jazz-tinted style of electronic music pushes boundaries and challenges listeners in the best possible way, creating an aural journey that is thought provoking, inspirational, and often downright extraordinary. Judging by the evolution of his talent for production and his artistic vision, this new EP promises to be just as incredible and forward looking as his other releases, if not more so.
Make sure to catch FlyLo’s set Saturday September 4th at the Red Bull Music Academy Riverside Stage during Electric Zoo. You can also pre-order the EP in either CD or 12″ vinyl form here, as well as other material from the innovative artist.
Just in case you’re not excited enough about the prospect of this, FlyLo has released his first track “Camera Day” off the new EP, which you can stream below. Feel free to dance around the room, we know we are.
Check out the over art by Theo Ellsworth pictured above, and the EP’s full tracklist after the jump…
We are very pleased to announce a new direction in nightlife indulgence, Greater>Than, launching at Cielo August 19th. Joining us for this innovative event are two of the world’s finest producer/djs, Mendo and Crazy Larry. RSVP for FREE ADMISSION BEFORE 12…
Mendo hails from Spain, which is immediately evidenced by the latin and funk influences exuding from his rhythms. He has releases on Luciano’s Cadenza imprint along with Get Physical and VIVA as well as his own label, Clarisse Records, with his partner Chab. This man knows how to get a crowd going, spinning at the best parties across the globe including regular nights in Ibiza and Paris. We are thrilled to be a part of his NYC debut. You can have a listen to one of his mixes below from his Ibiza podcast…
Hailing from Denver, Colorado, Crazy Larry is a young and fearless talent with an insatiable craving for old and new sounds, who starts as he means to go on. Having fallen in love with dance music in 2000 via the Casa Del Soul record store and a deeply held love of wax, Larry developed his infamous live PA in January of 2006, which debuted in NYC for Taimur Agha and the Blk Market crew. His live performance is much more than the average one-man-one-laptop show – incorporating vintage drum machines, live home made plug-ins, and even the Nintendo Wii.
Currently residing in the depths of Bushwick, Brooklyn, and getting inspiration from DJ’s like Koze, Three, Matthias Tanzmann and Pedro, and pushing his Time To Get iLL parties, Larry Ursini is all about the records you may not know, but really enjoy. With the party stamina of actual rock stars and the talent to back it up, the Crazy one can not possibly fail to command your attention, or leave his own lasting mark.
New York native and founder of Greater>Than, Michael Vieira, has been influenced by music for as long as he can remember. Most likely in his blood, he first picked up DJing from his father who granted him full access to his own vinyl turntables and vinyl collection. Finely tuned over the years, the art form has become a therapeutic method of self-expression he undoubtedly excels in. Specializing in his own blend of tech house, one can find hints of deep, soul, funk, and latin rhythms in his sets. Determined to “bring the vibe back” he is looking forward to the year ahead, confident it will bring his sound to new audiences. That vibe is what he considers most important and what he strives to revive and spread as best as he can.
From its state-of-the-art space in downtown’s ultra-chic Meatpacking District, Cielo provides a music program specializing in deeply soulful house music as well as various genres of electronic music. Cielo is a haven for mature individuals seeking intelligent nightlife with neither the hassles of large clubs nor the elitism of upscale lounges with too many VIP rooms. Once you are in Cielo, there will be no more ropes, checkpoints, or rules. Security’s goal is to compliment the experience, not to hinder it. Cielo has set a new level in New York nightlife by going back to basics: the best DJs on the planet, a strong door, impeccable service, stunning decor, and lighting, and a Funktion 1 sound system which will blow the most fastidious audiophile’s socks off.
We have two tickets to give away. Simply fill out the form below to enter. Advanced tickets may be purchased HERE for $10.
CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. RSVP for FREE ADMISSION BEFORE 12…
We have taken notice as major vocal artists flirt with dubstep. From Snoop Dogg, Britney Spears, Rihanna, to Wu-Tang, it seems everyone interacts with the genre differently. “Love Never Dies,” from Mr Hudson is one of the best infusions we have heard to date. We didn’t expect any less after learning that British dubstep impresario Caspa was behind the production.
The song is derived from an original Caspa track, “Back For The First Time“. While the song receives raves — already named by BBC Radio 1 as the ”Hottest Record in the World Today,” we wonder how it will take hold in the States, and whether there is a future collaboration in the works for the two artists. With the success of Skream’s remix of La Roux’s ”In for the Kill,” we expect a lot more mainstream artists to test the elements of this up-and-coming genre. Love Never Dies is available via iTunes today. Check out the video for the track after the jump.
In June we reported on Mark Ronson’s upcoming whopper of an album, Record Collection. While it isn’t due till September 28th, you can get a taste of what is to come. The latest single to come off the forthcoming album features Ghostface Killah. If this were facebook, we’d be hitting the like button all over this one. Check out the track below and enjoy.
Mark Ronson Feat. Ghostface Killah – Lose It (In The End)
While this young woman from South East London may not appear to be much more than a pretty face, Andreya Triana’s debut album Lost Where I Belong is an exquisite 9 track journey through heartfelt melancholy and sage contemplation of her place in this world. The British self-taught singer and songwriter grew up submerged in a multicultural atmosphere, and the impact of this has clearly influenced the formation of her music to create aural art that exists outside of traditional boundaries. Andreya began singing when she was only 7 years old, using the sights and sounds of inner city London as her inspiration and the foundation to her inception as an artist. Her natural affinity for communication through music encouraged her to dedicate huge amounts of time to writing poetry, making homemade mix tapes, and recording her own original tracks on battered cassette decks.
Lost Where I Belong is a beautifully crafted album, pairing Andreya’s profound and smokey vocals with masterful production by jazzy beat master Bonobo. Andreya’s haunting and soulful voice manages to rest on that perfect balance that so many R&B singers strive to attain – the delicate tipping point where beautiful melancholy and near sorrow maintains an underlying resilient strain of light and hope. Her voice imparts a certain sense of belief – a steadfast faith that through the darkness of heartache and loneliness, the future is bright with possibility, and every day is alive with chances for new beginnings.
The album opens with the appropriately entitled”Draw the Stars”, a tune who’s wistful melody speaks volumes of dreams and night skies. A simple deep bassline in the background is sprinkled with ethereal sounding chimes, truly transporting the listener to the realm of imagination, as if the notes are raining down from the twinkling stars themselves.
The title track and single “Lost Where I Belong” is next, opening with sultry and scratchy brass notes before introducing her overlaying vocals. The essence of this album, this core feeling of confusion and loneliness underlined by hope, truly flows in earnest from this one central track. This aura of melancholy and faith is underlined by the string section at the end of the song, which seems to carry the listener into the future, as if to say that the journey is only just beginning. It also serves to transition into the second single off the album, “A Town Called Obsolete”. This mournful psalm is a heartfelt plea for patience and faith in the face of indifference, and once again reflects Andreya’s frustration and inner turmoil through the emotional weight of the production and melody.
Another deeply beautiful song is “Daydreamers”, an incredibly sexy and penetratingly blue tune, with Andreya’s open and raw voice gracefully smoothed across a simple melody, impossibly heavy with heart. Listening to this song feels like floating on still water and staring at the sky, or gazing deep into a fire, in many ways creating an actual manifestation of the content of the lyrics themselves, namely floating away on daydreams.
The concluding track “X”, provides the perfect end to this beautifully emotional album. A feeling of drama and sorrow is carried on the strings of the harp and cello, like saying a painful goodbye to a lover or dear friend. The painful goodbye of this nostalgic and relatively simple song ensures that even after the last note sounds, the remnants of a twinge of heartache is left resounding in your chest.
Ultimately, while the album’s funkier and more upbeat tracks may be more danceable and fun, Andreya Triana truly creates something meaningful and profound through the works of art that are her quieter, simpler, and weightier songs. The heart heavy and dreamy quality that pervades through both her voice and the message of her lyrics shines most brightly when the melody and production is reflective of this quality. It is during these tracks that the material world melts away, and the listener is transported into this emotional journey, where the path may we winding and the road lonely, but there always remains light at the end of the tunnel.
Lost Where I Belong drops September 7th, 2010 from Ninja Tune. Until then, visit Andreya Triana’s WEBSITE to watch the music video for “A Town Called Obsolete”, listen to the Mount Kimbie remix of the same track, download the Flying Lotus edit of “Lost Where I Belong”, and place advance orders for the CD or LP.
Andreya Triana – “Lost Where I Belong” (Flying Lotus Remix)
This Friday, July 30th, Webster Hall will be sculpted into bass heaven with Nero and Gaslamp Killer, while our favorite NYC trio, Ayres, Catchdubs and Jubilee, bring their flashing lights rave goodness to the stage. This is one not to be missed, period.
Last time we caught the mother fucking Gaslamp Killer, he delivered an epic sermon of cosmic bass that melted our brains in Brooklyn. Vaulting hip-hop into another dimension, GLK’s eccentrically dizzy dj sets wrap riddims around your soul while his hair keeps up the tempo. Have a listen to this mixtape from last year which Flying Lotus tells us is his first glimpse into the mind of GLK.
The Gaslamp Killer – Brainfeeder Podcast [Download]
Nero brings their internally bruising drum & bass and dubstep riddims straight across the pond to damage your ear drums. Remixing eveyrone from The Streets to Beyonce, these boys are poised to bring out the bassface in everyone. Check out one of the their hugest anthems from this year…
Nero – Innocence
The Flashing Lights crew needs no introduction. Let their latest mix do all the talking…
Flashing Lights Mix #6
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The video for “I Am Europe”, the lead single from Chilly Gonzales’ highly-anticipated upcoming album, Ivory Tower, hit the interwebs yesterday, giving us an exciting glimpse of Gonzales’ collaboration with DJ/producer Boys Noize. The seemingly unlikely partnership has spawned a truly unique sound, blending Gonzales’ piano playing and trademark spoken word with a stripped-down version of Boys Noize’s electro beats.
Click through to watch the video, which not only has a fantastic concept, but also features a hilarious appearance by Tiga.
