Kraak & Smaak: Tonight at DROM

Madison Grieco / November 10, 2011

Wim Plug, Mark Kneppers and Oscar De Jong are the studio core of Kraak & Smaak. Their 80′s inspired disco funk vibrations resemble a hypothetical hybrid between Curtis Mayfield and Jamiroquai. After originally bonding over a slavish devotion to vinyl and a love for classic funk records, this trio went on to record their debut album, ‘Boogie Angst’. Picked up in the UK by Radio 1 and in LA by KCRW the band quickly acquired fans, especially in the Los Angeles TV and Film community. This led to their music being used in hospital chick show Greys Anatomy that in turn spiraled to widespread use in other films and shows.

2011 is the year that Kraak & Smaak will take center stage with the release of their third studio album, ‘Electric Hustle’. The first single, ‘Dynamite’, has already become the most added electronic record at American College Radio and the band debuted their new live show at Eurosonc Festival to a rapturous response ahead of a mad summer touring.

DJ magazine IDJ describes Kraak & Smaak as a “must see live band” and New Yorkers you are in luck! The trio will be performing live tonight at DROM. Admission is FREE until midnight with RSVP. Otherwise, admission is $10. You can RSVP here. Check out their video for ‘Squeeze Me’ below. See you tonight at DROM! 85 Avenue A (between 5th and 6th streets) 21+ with ID, doors at 10 PM.

Take Cultivora’s Survey and You Could Win 60,000 Delta SkyMiles

Marjana Jaidi / November 09, 2011

As some of you may know, the HiFi team has been working hard to bring you Cultivora, a website that helps you research, plan and book music-centric voyages. Launching next year, Cultivora is a cross between a news publication, travel guide and booking resource centered around music festivals and other forms of music travel.

Help us prepare for this exciting new venture by participating in our online survey. As a thank you, you’ll be entered to win 60,000 Delta SkyMiles. Can you think of a better way to kick off the spring festival season? Neither can we.

CLICK HERE to take the survey. Good luck!

Deathrow Tull Melted Santos Party House

Madison Grieco / November 08, 2011

Friday night, the moon was out, and frost bitten air ran amuck through the desolate streets of Chinatown while organized chaos took place in the basement of Santos Party House. Deathrow Tull was at it again. The band was able to fill the basement to capacity on the first ‘winter’ night of the 2011 season. The bodily warmth of the packed audience was a delightful contrast from the horrific street cold. It was apparent that everyone was ready to absorb and engage in an energetic live show. The lights turned red as the band and crowd unanimously chanted “Deathrow Tull Will Kick Your Ass!” The chant bled into the first song of the set, and the eve kicked off with a bang.

Deathrow Tull is truly a Brooklyn gem. We are currently living in an age where new music constantly bombards and overwhelms us with options galore. More often than not, the easiest decision is to abandon the new and stick to what is familiar. However, after months of persuasion to give Deathrow Tull a chance by various adored music palates, I caved and immediately cursed my own self-deprivation. This group is unlike anything I listened to in a long while. The instrumentation consists of two white-male rappers, a stunning singer who’s face resembles Brandy but voice is a mix of an urban princess and angelic Goddess, a guitarist, keyboardist, bassist, and drummer. Together, they create unique funk/ska/punk/hip-hop tone that somewhat mirrors Sublime.

My mouth was on the floor as the set progressed. Soulful tunes like “You ain’t got the fire like I do” were balanced with the playful yet harmonious “We are your energy, we are your Friday night”. A bit of Bob Marley crept out of the group as they soulfully danced through “When the Revolution come” and the crowd be nuts as Deathrow closed with the White Stripes, “Seven Nations Army”.

Mid-set the band started to chant, “Deathrow Tull Ain’t Nuthin’ To Fuck With!”  From that statement alone, you might gather that Deathrow is some hardcore gangster group who likes to spit flow while pointing a middle finger towards the sky. And honestly, they can be that. But what is special about Deathrow is that they are more than that. This is a collective group of immensely talented musicians who melted the cold out of my Friday night. HiFi will keep you posted about their upcoming shows, and we highly suggest you go. Raw talent is not to be taken for granted, and it felt refreshing to get a healthy Friday night dose of it.

Click here for the full photo gallery.

BALANCE 020 Mixed by Deetron

Rose Mardit / November 03, 2011

BALANCE 020, a two-disc compilation mixed by Sweden’s Deetron, will be out Tuesday, November 8. Featuring a selection of classics and lesser-known tracks, this mix seeks to prove that vinyl and digital mixing can coexist. As Deetron puts it, “This compilation is a celebration of the gorgeous format that is vinyl and a praise for the endless possibilities the digital world has to offer.” The track selection and structure of each of these two sublime mixes lovingly and carefully reflects that inherent choice of medium, while at all times reminding the listener why his highly accessible, humanistic sound is so widely cherished and embraced.

Balance 020 is an easy contender for the finest compilation of 2011. North American customers can head over to Balance Music’s online store to purchase BALANCE 020 on Tuesday.

Contest: Win Tickets to Dark Disco & BEMF

Cecilia Doreng-Stearns / November 03, 2011

This Saturday, MeanRed is bringing L-Vis 1990 for a special Pre-Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival dance session. This English visionary has been called a “true phenomenon;” with releases on Mad Decent and Sound Pellegrino, L-Vis 1990 started receiving his well deserved recognition for changing the face of underground club music. His incredibly unique style comes from his musical stew of post-modern tribal house and years of garage heritage. The musical stylings of Nick Hook and Dan Wender will also be in effect.

As always, this Dark Disco will be filled to the brim with inspirational surprises throughout the night. The Chinatown location will not be disclosed until the week of the event… think Dim Sum.

To make this even more fantastically mouth-watering, they’re offering a BEMF ticket special: attendees will be given the option of a $10 reduction on their BEMF tickets, for a limited time. This will be SOLD OUT as they have limited capacity on the dance floor between the egg rolls and dumplings. Tickets can be purchased HERE.

But that’s not all! We have a pair of tickets to give out that are good for BOTH Dark Disco AND BEMF, to one luck winner! The winner will be chosen at 12 noon on Saturday, so be sure you enter before then. Fill out the form below to enter.