We are very pleased to announce a new direction in nightlife indulgence, Greater>Than, launching at Cielo August 19^th. 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…

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)

Mount Kimbie – Crooks & Lovers (Hotflush Recordings 2010) [Vinyl | Digital]

The U.K. society of bass stretches far beyond the bounds of audible range; one can rummage through countless tunes, sub-genres and genres until the brain just shuts down from low-frequency exhaustion. It’s a fruitful time for sure, as we have artists like Mount Kimbie providing a sound that’s so natural and so organic to their musical climate that people get drawn in and never come out thinking about music the same way. The duo of Dom Maker and Kai Campos have been releasing tunes since 2008, forging a relationship with the bass community and beyond. Their most well-known tune, “Maybes”, stunned people from every continent and proved that Mount Kimbie was a sound that wasn’t particularly stuck to one genre. Dark, inviting and enticing all at once, they continued to make tunes, unassuming of the hype that would build up towards their first album release. Enter July 2010, and Hotflush Recordings have graced us with one of the best albums of the year so far, Crooks & Lovers, an enduring journey that’s more than what one would expect from up-and-coming electronic producers.

The album starts off with a tone that’s similar to a train leaving the station in a hurry but then is taken over by a guitar and a child-like vocal sample. “Tunnelvision” is the starter that pretty much sets the table for the journey one takes in listening, as chopped and filtered percussion go between synth notes, guitar notes and vocals (presumably from Kimbie collaborator James Blake). The next tune takes the familiar tonality of previous Kimbie records and spins it into a grainy, dissipating struggle between ambience and notation. Cut-up samples, plopped bass tones and a rhythm that stays in your head for ages, “Would Know” is a perfect trip between positive and negative energies that lead to an ultimately satisfactory purgatory of cloudiness. The next few tracks, “Before I Move Off” and “Blind Night Errand” find a light in the cloudiness, providing contrasting ideas within their audible context but ultimately leading to the gorgeousness of the guitar chords of “Adriatic”. A simplistic tunes of minimal electronics, guitar, handclaps and somewhat-satisfying scat vocals, the short and sweet tune provides a look beyond bass for the duo and more towards the aspect that the Kimbie boys are songwriters and not just producers.

The next track is undeniably a bumpin’ one; “Carbonated” is similar to what you would hear on the intelligent and welcoming dancefloors of London town, expecting invigorating rhythms and cut-up RnB vocal samples. The chords, lush and lamenting, sound like the doing of James Blake, who we don’t know had officially worked on this album. No matter, because it’s a great tune that finds ways to tug at the heartstrings and provide a beat amongst its doing. Again, the next two tracks are complete contrasts of one another; “Ruby” being a dark and dusty walk amongst town drones and “Ode to Bear” being a tale of a long night, being a bit chipper in the beginning and going closer to the grain of bass-filled blues by the end of tune. The following tune might be the most intriguing on the record, as “Field” is a journey that must’ve taken place during an acid trip gone wrong, waiting for it to disperse and longing for a clear-headed viewpoint. Once the madness disperses, the guitar comes out to hopefully shake off the chemically-induced cobwebs and look towards the sun and start the day fresh once again. The final two tracks, “Mayor” and “Between Time” follow the formula of the record, be drastically different. The former, is a bouncy affair between keyboard jumpiness and high-pitched vocal cuts and bumping bass, with the occasional strike of a modular synth in the mix. “Between Time” is the excellent closer of the record, depicting the long journey back from a night on the town, whether it be the moody vocals or bass tones that will make you want to revisit Unknown Pleasures, it’s the perfect way to close out a record that’s full of everything one could expect.

While Crooks & Lovers isn’t close to a perfect record, it’s nothing short of a brilliant debut for Mount Kimbie. Alluding to their love of indie bands, hip-hop and current U.K. bass music, the duo invites us to the world of London from the eyes and ears of people, places and things they hold dear. Honest, humbling and heart-warming at times, Crooks & Lovers is an essential record to pick up in 2010.

Stream “Mayor” below and make sure you check them out October 1st at The Bunker in Brooklyn.

Mount Kimbie – Mayor

Trouble & Bass founder Drop the Lime has finally released the EP and video for “Sex Sax”, the first single off his upcoming album, set for an October release. The catchy beat, which is dominated by a saxophone (duh), is sure to ignite dance floors across the globe this summer. CLICK HERE to buy the EP from iTunes, which features the original track, along with remixes by Bart B More, MJ Cole, Sinden (previewed below), Zombies for Money and Blu Jemz. Then watch the hilarious music video, directed by T&B’s own Patrick “The Captain” Rood, starring Dirty South Joe and Kate Boyer. The video also features a ton of cameo appearances, including 77Klash, Telli Federline, Nick Catchdubs (our favorite), Dust La Rock and of course, the Trouble & Bass crew. Check it out after the jump…

Drop the Lime – “Sex Sax” (Sinden Remix)

Don’t miss Dance Right vs. Trouble & Bass this Friday at the Puma Social Club, where AC Slater, Star Eyes and The Captain will be joined by Them Jeans, resident DJ at Dim Mak Tuesedays at Cinespace in Los Angeles. The event is free with RSVP.

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As a New Yorker, I’m a sucker for art, fashionable people, an open bar, and good music. At the Dash Gallery last Tuesday, we found all four. Featuring art by Mark Roth, Julian Gilber and Innver City Avant Garde, and DJ sets from Bim Marx, Vin Sol, & One Auff to start the night, we couldn’t have been better prepared for the main event.

Celebrating the release of their new single and video for their track, “Black & Blue”, directed by Kahlil Joseph of Directors Bureau, New York’s Cubic Zirconia put on a live performance that heated up the Tribeca gallery space. They have great energy and are completely unpredictable. Words alone can’t describe the mesmerizing and unique experience, so go ahead and check out the photos from their electrifying performance and the moments leading up to it. Also, click through for the video of “Black & Blue”.

The Dash Gallery is hosting the 10th anniversary of The Bicycle Film Festival till June 20th from 6pm to 10pm.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ALBUM

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We’ve seen 77Klash perform a few times over the past year, most notably as the MC for Major Lazer’s NYC debut and the Trouble & Bass Three Year Anniversary Party, but today he is finally releasing his first EP on Trouble & Bass recordings, Shadow of Death. The five-track EP, his first release in over two years, was produced by T&B’s own Drop the Lime and AC Slater. Shadow of Death layers 77Klash’s hard-hitting raps over beats inspired by a wide range of genres, including dubstep, ragga, hip hop and of course, bass. Check out the title track below, preview the EP HERE, or head over to iTunes to purchase Shadow of Death.

77Klash – “Shadow of Death” (download via The Fader)

This week, Theophilus London debuted the first official music video from his latest effort, I Want You. The seductive video for the mixtape’s title track – London’s second – was directed by longtime pal VaShtie. The grainy black and white quality of the video, shot with a handheld camera at the Chelsea Hotel, has Theophilus London written all over it (look no further than the cover art of his three mixtapes for evidence). Va$htie cites French new wave cinema as inspiration; indeed, the atypical style of “I Want You” is a departure from London’s MTV-ready music video for “Humdrum Town”. A sexy through-the-legs shot evokes memories of Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman in the 1967 classic tale of seduction, The Graduate.

Watch the music video for “I Want You” after the jump, and CLICK HERE for a free download of the mixtape.

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Everyone in New York looks for big things; from big DJs, big clubs and big buzz, it’s all about the size of it all. Enter Dark Disco, MeanRed’s seminal event dedicated to all things massive. Originating from their Central Park event last year with Drop The Lime and Boys Noize, the MeanRed crew go darker and deeper in this installment; housing a multimedia extravaganza in the L.E.S. establishment Element. The fun starts with an atmosphere that will include ice sculpture art, textual imagery and much, much more, but the spotlight is on the group of artists who are coming together to provide the audio goodness for the 7-hour bash.

The artists taking the trans-Atlantic trip over are nothing short of epic; with Werk Discs head honcho Actress (off the heels of his amazing sophomore album, Splazsh), Hyperdub heroine Ikonika and UK Garage don MJ Cole providing the forward-thinking vibes of what’s across the pond with a spread of funky, dubstep and anything in between. Joining them will be NYC heroes Nick Hook (of Cubic Zirconia), Ghostly-based bass crooner Michna, and mythical house master Kenny Dope. In addition to all this, Canadian bass bomber Egyptrixx comes to round out a night full of amazing tunes.

Click through for a chance to win a pair of tickets. Advance tickets HERE.

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On Thursday evening, we stopped by Santos Party House to catch Jive Records’ showcase for LA-based  R&B/Electro-Funk musician Miguel. Hot 97’s DJ Enuff warmed up the crowd at the Ciroc-sponsored affair. This was Miguel’s NYC debut, which went well for the fresh young talent.  Backed by drums, bass, keys and electric guitar, his rhythmic slow jams brought together a nice crowd, who weren’t the only ones having a good time – the group seemed to enjoy themselves on the stage as well. Miguel invited J. Cole on stage to perform “All I Want is You”, which is Miguel’s first single. Check out his latest mixtape HERE.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL ALBUM

As luck would have it, “Animal”, the first single off Neon Trees’debut album, is featured as the iTunes single of the week. CLICK HERE to download “Animal” on iTunes, which will be free until Tuesday, March 23.

Check out Richie Adomako’s recent interview with Neon Trees frontman Tyler Glenn HERE.