This Thursday the legendary DJ Shadow will be bringing his All Basses Covered tour to Brooklyn’s Output, a locale whose Funktion-One Sound System was crafted for trailblazers like Josh Davis. Fittingly, Shadow has noted that this leg of his tour will be hosted by venues who “value the communal experience of music and high-quality sound over exclusivity and bottle service”, which is most likely a direct result of him being booted from Mansion’s decks last December.
The turntable mastermind is set to premier a slew of new antics across the United States, as he will incorporate unreleased productions and live remixes by switching from drum pads to digital software and Pioneer CDJs; the tour will display a whole new take on DJ Shadow’s typical mixing style, while still throwing down his distinctive sound.
Bottom line, no matter what your flavor, this isn’t a night to miss – it’s not everyday that one of NYC’s most innovative clubs welcomes one of electronic music’s most influential DJs. Limited tickets are still available here. Also check out DJ Shadow’s latest mixtape here.
Following in the footsteps of fellow Dirtybirds Julio Bashmore and Eats Everything, British native Breach has crafted an incredibly sexy bass offering with his latest EP, Jack. Equal parts grimy and hypnotic, both the title track and ‘Let’s Get Hot’ embody the groovy, bottom heavy sound that label fans have come to expect from the ever innovative Dirtybird Records.
Although just officially released yesterday, both tracks have already become set favorites of the flock leader himself, Claude VonStroke, as well as the legendary Carl Cox, both of whom dropped a little Breach during WMC. VonStroke was actually so enamored with ‘Jack’ after his very first listen that he edited Breach’s original 2-minute clip while on his way to a show so he could drop it that very night. Not surprisingly, VonStroke is calling it ‘one of the best records of the year’.
Long, long before the birth of the acronym EDM (and its neon-clad army), Mark Van Hoen was pioneering and producing groundbreaking, ambient electronic music under numerous projects. One such group, Locust (which also includes Louis Sherman), is still going strong, having just announced the upcoming release of their newest album, You’ll Be Safe Forever, forthcoming on Editions Mego on April 16th. Like the prolific men behind the curtain, You’ll Be Safe Forever is album which spans across landscapes of electronic sound, combining the likes of 80s industrial techno, hypnotically pastoral beats, and cosmic synths.
The first digital single, ‘Strobes’, showcases the duo’s ability to blur the lines between ambient and eerie; the looping drums are infectious, the vocals both dreamy and chilling, all of which is tied together with melodies and synths that are part Front 242, part Radiohead, and a dash of Tangerine Dream.
Preview You’ll Be Safe Forever, as well as purchase ‘Strobes’, here.
Catapulted into the spotlight with their remxies of Usher, Parachute Youth, and Theophilus London, UK duo Just Kiddin is back with their first release of 2013, a 3-track EP titled Intimacy. The aptly named EP, released on New York based Nurvous Records, truly highlights the signature sexy sound the boys have been cultivating over the past few years; the mix of groovy beats, smooth rhythms, and soulful vocals interweave perfectly to create a funky yet cool vibe, suitable for both dancing or straight chilling (or perhaps, some intimate lovemaking). With Intimacy, Just Kiddin certainly proves once again that disco is not dead, as they further carve out their unique niche in the house scene. Definitely check out the previews below:
In the aftermath of the dubstep explosion, it seems nearly impossible to do something that can be deemed anything close to innovative. Enter WatchTheDuck, the Atlanta based crew of musicans/DJs Eddie Smith III, Jesse Rankins and Jonathan Wells, who are stirring up the scene with their fresh concoction of soul infused bass music. Part Jimi Hendrix, part Skrillex, a dash of Al Green and whole lotta Southern flair, the boys built a name for themselves on their freestyle Atlanta dance parties, for which single ‘Poppin’ Off’ is titled.
The video not only serves to highlight the groundbreaking style of the trio, but also showcases the energy and spirit of these notorious ATL parties, as well as features WatchTheDuck’s extended family, the Dragon House Crew (which includes the hypnotically robotic, dance moves of Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer of So You Think You Can Dance fame). It really is no surprise that the video garnered over 500,000 YouTube views on word of mouth alone, and later went on to win mtvU’s Freshman competition.
Be sure to check out WatchTheDuck at NYC’s own SOB’S tomorrow as they take the stage as part of Hot97’s Who’s Next Showcase (tickets available here). Visit WatchTheDuck’s Soundcloud page in the meantime to grab more tunes and stay up to date by liking them on Facebook.
Looking for the perfect way to close out the year? Why not spend it with French sensation Madeon as he returns to Webster Hall on December 28th. The 18 year old boy-genius undoubtedly had an epic 2012; from breaking into the DJ Mag Top 100 (at 54 no less), to playing the likes of UMF and Coachella, its hard to believe that Madeon just played his first US show last October (fittingly at Webster Hall). He certainly has catapulted from internet sensation to international superstar; you know you’ve made it when your single ‘Finale’ is used in an NBC Summer Olympics commercial.
Madeon’s unique brand of poppy electro will be supported by NYC’s own The Knocks, and of course Alex English and EO’s favorite local bass master, rekLES. Be sure to grab your tickets HERE before they are gone – this will surely be a night not to miss!
Swedish House Mafia have announced that they will throw a Black Tie Rave on February 28th at Hammerstein Ballroom to benefit Hurricane Sandy Relief effort. Tickets for this epic event will be auctioned at Ticketmaster starting on Dec. 14th at 10am EST. Bids will start at $100.00 per ticket and fans can purchase a minimum of 2 tickets and maximum of 4 tickets.
Although the pricing isn’t the most pocket friendly, the trio will be donating 100% of the net proceeds to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City and the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund in support of hurricane relief efforts. The group noted that “New York City has been a massive part of our journey and there was no better way to say thank you than to help out along with so many other worthwhile events. We had the night off in NYC before our Madison Square Garden gig…and what better way to spend it!”.
For more information, be sure to visit the event’s official website here.
Thomas Gold has certainly had an incredible 2012 – from his collaboration with Dirty South on ‘Eyes Wide Open’, his live spot on Swedish House Mafia’s Masquerade Motel, to the launch of his Fanfare Radio Show, it’s no surprise that the German electro maven rounded out the year with a break into the DJ Mag Top 100 and debut BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix (stream it below). And to ensure that he keeps the ball rolling in 2013, Gold has also announced a return to North America in January 2013 for an entire month of dates on his globetrotting ‘Fanfare World Tour’.
To cap off this special engagement, Gold will take the stage at New York’s famed Roseland Ballroom on January 26, an event that is promising to be full of surprises. Anyone who attended his epic Summer 2012 event at Governors Island can attest to the special relationship that Gold has with NYC – this is certainly not a show to miss! Tickets on sale TODAY, December 7 at noon EST through Ticketmaster, so be sure to grab them while they last!
Also, keep your eyes out for Gold’s newest track ‘MIAO’, set to be released on Calvin Harris’ Fly Eye Records on December 25th exclusively through Beatport. And don’t forget to tune in to Thomas Gold’s FANFARE radio show every Thursday & Saturday on Sirius XM, which is also available for download on iTunes. Complete tour dates after the jump!
Established in 2011 by techno aficionados and DJs Jason Tavarez (Jason T.) and Nico Tedesco (LoKKoTRONN), Erratic has become an exclusive emblem specializing in true techno promotion and event curation in NYC, bringing a special niche to the techno scene that had been missing from the city’s nightlife. Priding themselves on celebrating techno in its purest form in an all-inclusive environment (for a refreshing change), in the last 18 months Erratic has already hosted the likes of Perc, Donor/Truss, Forward Strategy Group, Dadub, Inigo Kennedy, Ascion, Pfirter, and Luis Flores. On top of that, the bi-weekly Erratic Podcast Series has featured over 30 exclusive techno mixes from key artists in the industry as well as the Erratic founders and residents. For a taste of these exclusive mixes be sure to check out the recent podcasts from Jason T. and LoKKoTRONN below.
To show appreciation for the continued support from their fans, this Saturday, December 8th, Jason T. and LoKKoTRONN will play a back-to-back set for 6 hours under their collective and acclaimed staple act known as Dos Lokos at Open House (formerly Stay) in the LES. As the boys are promising that this 6+ hour journey will showcase and reach into all the different textures of the genre, this is certainly an opportunity not to be missed! And don’t worry if you are not in the area – part of the evening will also be available via live video feed at www.ElectronicRhythm.com. Please visit the event’s Facebook page here for more details and ticketing information, and be sure to show your support for Erratic by liking their Facebook page and following their Soundcloud for free downloads of their podcasts.
In the ultimate clash of the titans, Benny Benassi has remixed The Rolling Stones’ latest single, ‘Doom and Gloom’, a track which appears on the band’s 3-CD 50-track 50th anniversary greatest hits collection, GRRR!. Premiered by Pete Tong last Friday, the song is exactly what one would expect: high octane guitar-driven rock meets bass-heavy electro, the end result being a hard-hitting track that both you and your father will enjoy. Check out the preview below to hold you over until the official release on Universal Music on December 9th.
The Rolling Stones – Doom and Gloom (Benny Benassi Remix)
