I’ll be taking the week off from the site so no new mixes…
However, I will be alive on Facebook and Twitter, so find me there!
Aug
31
For years Tiesto has been electronic music’s whipping boy and the butt of jokes in DJ circles… From his propagating of “teh trance aids” to the almighty “Jesus Pose” and his lackluster mixing abilities, he has been the one people love to hate.
But that’s so 2008!
The times are a-changing, and the Deadmau5 hate club has built just as fast as his rise to fame.
But does it really matter? Tiesto is still one of the world’s top booked (and paid) jocks. And as much hate as the Mau5 gets, he’s got more fans than ever. Sure, his social media tiff with Rusko drew some criticism, and his recent collapse during a show had people saying some pretty tasteless things, but let’s face it, the Mau5 has it going on. Hit singles, huge albums, sold-out shows, world tours, and kids everywhere making Mau5-heads. A record deal with Virgin. A chance to be the official MTV Music Awards DJ. And the list goes on and on…
SELL-OUTS:
I’d say a large part of the hate comes from those people that don’t like anything or anyone once it gets too big. Some will argue once (or even “if”) an artist has mainstream or commercial success he has sold out; has abandoned the Fans for the Fame. Has become lazy. Or any of the other tired and usually untrue (but not always, mind you) excuses the haters will toss out for not liking somebody. But is selling out (if this is even the case) always bad? No — but I’ll pick this up in a later post…
FRESHNESS:
People want to be the first in their circle to discover something new. And when too many people know about it, they move on to the next new thing. Simple.
It may also be about over-exposure. If an artist is everywhere you look, if the music is in everyone’s mix and monthly charts, if the jock is constantly being talked about on the web, then some people might get turned off. This happens in Top 40 radio all the time. Even the good songs, when played every hour, every day, get old fast. People stop listening.
But the more exposure an artist gets — the more ears he reaches — usually means the more new members will join the tribe. You’ve got to take the good with the bad.
ATTITUDE:
Sometimes fame gets to people. It makes them cocky or overconfident. It makes them paranoid. It takes them off “The Streets” and puts them in “The Tower” or simply puts a wedge between the artist and the fans. Not always, but this is often the case. Unintentional? Usually. Unavoidable? Sometimes. But some level of frustration is understandable, even expected. It’s hard to find somebody that isn’t affected by the constant pressure to always be on top, not to mention the stress fans and media could cause… But that’s the price you pay. Right?
Sure, some artists are able to paste a smile up for the Public and hold everything back while the cameras are rolling. But for how long?
THE MUSIC:
Or it could simply be the music.
Yes, maybe the early projects by the artist were indeed better. It’s all relative, I suppose. I love early stuff from Bad Boy Bill but can’t stand his recent sound. Has the artist changed his style, or has the sound or scene changed, making the artist adapt? Probably a bit of both. After all, an artist that isn’t constantly experimenting, trying new things, and pushing the envelope a bit further than his last project probably won’t have the longevity of someone who does. These are the flash-in-the-pan guys. The one hit wonders.
Then again, push too hard, too far, too fast, and you may lose just as many fans. There is a fine line between genius and insanity, after all. And if you’re going to walk the line you need to be ready to fall. You need to be ready to take the good and the bad. Take the critics with the fans.
And don’t take things too personally.
Aug
29
01: KNAS (Orig) _ Steve Angello (Size Records)
02: Half Steppin (Orig) _ Inland Knights (Bambino Recordings)
03: Here Comes the Killa _ Inland Knights (Bambino Recordings)
04: 80 Degrees (Orig Club Mix) _ Harry Choo Choo Romero (Toolroom)
05: Breathe (Orig) _ Milton Jackson (Neurotraxx)
Aug
22
01: Chop (Orig) _ Bingo Players (Sneakerz MUZIK)
02: Hit & Throw (Muzzaik RMX) _ Anthony Acid & Method Man (Nervous Records)
03: Things U Do (Orig) _ Giom (Lost My Dog)
04: Sri Lanka (Selectro Mix) _ Selectro (unreleased)
05: U Don’t Have To (Sonny Fodera RMX) _ Manjane & Jazzy (Disko Zoo Records)
Aug
18
I’m still amazed to hear people shooting down Digital Deejaying as “cheating” and “uncreative” – but is it really? Or are these naysayers just part of the dying school of purists?
The Show
Sure, Digital Deejaying is not necessarily as “hands on” as diggin’ thru a record box to find the perfect vinyl and twirling it onto the turntable (or even flipping thru a CD book for your next song)… But does that matter?
I’ll admit, somebody standing in the Booth staring at a Laptop for two hours isn’t very exciting. But most jocks use some type of hardware along with the computer, whether it’s an ACP40 or a DVS system or any of the other controllers, platters, or performance tools available today. They are able to manipulate the music with their hands just as much as a Vinyl jock. And while it doesn’t quite match the same stereotypical image of what a DJ “should” be, it’s still fun to watch a master at work.
The Music
The music is what matters in the end, right? Not where the music comes from or how it’s played. The average clubber is out for the experience. They don’t care who the songs are by as long as they are good (hell, they probably couldn’t name most of the songs or artists anyway)… And they don’t care how the jock gets the job done, as long as it gets the floor poppin’ off. It’s really only other DJs that will criticize somebody for the gear they use. So if a Digital kit gets the same (or better!) results as the old skool Frisbee, what’s the difference?
The DJ
Now step into the Booth. You’re the DJ. Which direction do you take? Sure, Vinyl brings image points from hoi polloi and props from jaded purists. But Digital brings you options and versatility. No need to carry around the heavy crate all evening. No need to worry about scratched records or a bumped or skipping needle. Your music is at your fingertips. And you can cut and chop and mash. Loop and sample and tweak songs on the fly. Work in some FX and heavy EQing. Things the guys in the booth 10 years ago just couldn’t do. Sure, less time may be spent matching beats, but that’s more time that could be used doing other things.
And so?
If you had access to tools that would make your job easier, why wouldn’t you take advantage of them? Sure, riding horses is fun every now and then, but a car is more practical and efficient. Is driving an automobile cheating? If you can get better results with less effort, does that make you a cheater?
I’m glad to see that most of the dance music community has accepted (if not embraced) the fact that Digital Deejaying is here to stay; it’s the future. But every now and then I hear a dinosaur growling about the way things used to be, and all I can do is shake my head and wonder when they will finally go extinct.
Aug
16
Before there was The Cloud and MP3s, before there the iPod and compact discs, there were mixtapes*.
Early mixtapes were simply collections of recorded music – sometimes from vinyl or cassettes, sometimes from the radio, but often from other more creative (and hard to get) sources. But as dance music evolved, so too did the DJ mixtape.
It seems to me that the mixes today just don’t have the magic the little 4 X 3 treasure box of plastic held. But why? What was it about the Mixtape that made it so sought after? Back then it was two 30-minute episodes of continues dance music. The A Side was a bit friendlier and more upbeat featuring relatively popular tracks. The B Side had a bit more of an underground – or maybe afterhours – vibe. Sometimes even experimental. DJ mixes are pretty much the same now. So what’s different?
Back in the day, music wasn’t infinite. Sure, you could always duplicate the cassettes, but you needed to find them first. It wasn’t as simple as jumping into cyberspace with your eyes closed and arms open and scooping up any of the thousands of new mixes that go up every week. Today’s music is unlimited, and that effectively cuts their shelf-life down to almost nothing. There are very few mixes I listen to more than once or twice, and most of those getting continuous play are older mixes I picked up years ago. How often do you listen to same mix nowadays? And I can’t put my hands on an MP3. The missing tangibility takes away from the sense of ownership. But in theory it’s the same music, so why were Mixtapes more “fun”?
Maybe because they were something that used to bring us together at the multi-state parties. Something to show you were a part of the tribe. Mixtapes. Buy ‘em, sell ‘em, trade ‘em. Copy them with your friends and pass them on. The feeling I got when I stumbled upon a great mixtape from a new DJ, one that I’d never heard of, someone that rocks the decks several states away, THAT’S what it was all about.
And getting into a collection that’s traveled across the country? Priceless!
With almost everything available everywhere, that sense of belonging is lost. The pride of a hard-earned collection is gone. There isn’t much value in the current iteration of the mixtape.
Oh, and get off my lawn!
*"Mixtapes" is a generic term in contemporary culture to refer to any DJ mix or simply a collection of songs regardless of the medium or format.
Aug
15
01: Musica _ Ian Round (Monkey Beats)
02: Dramatic Landro (Orig) _ Duiset (CE Records)
03: Shake (Orig) _ Luca M (Neurotraxx Deluxe)
04: Back in the Days (Orig) _ Resoluto (???)
05: Lentamente [Rescue the Frog] (David Jones & Neuroxyde RMX) _ Haunted House (Rise Records)
Aug
13
It’s been a while since the last Digital Dance Doppler… You can chalk it up to pure laziness on my part or the fact that I get so much spam and crap music from random people that it’s hard to get thru it all. Whichever excuse you choose, you’re right. But I’ll try post up some decent music every few weeks (or when I come across it)… And if you’re following me on Facebook or Twitter you know I usually post up links to the free downloads that I don’t normally put on this blog. So don’t be shy, find me on there too.
Drug’sex & Beat By Anthony Godwin by AnthonyGodwin
Chuggin’ tribal/mnml/tech/house track loaded with percussion… Doesn’t really go anywhere but it’s a strong filler.
Anthony Godwin & Kefren – 450 Miles by AnthonyGodwin
And another mnml/tech/house cut from Godwin… Free download here ~
Ian Round “Musica” by Monkey Beats
Great melodic house tune with a big build and uplifting hook… Perfect summer choon! Expect to see this as a free download later this month.
Tomaz Vs Filterheadz – Sunshine (Tristan Garner 2010 Remix) by Tristan Garner
Another winning summer tune available for a limited time as a free download here ~
Lee Coombs – Light and Dark – Lee Coombs Club Remix-Lot49 by Lee Coombs
Mr Coombs strikes again with this chunky electro track packed with liquid darkness and dirty acid! Available on Beatport ~
Aug
11
Lynx @ Bar Standard (Photo by djElroy)
A few weeks back I was booked with some friends to host a house-session on a rooftop overlooking the majestic Mile High City. The promoter had multiple rooms of dubstep and related genres but for the sake of diversity we were asked to come in as the token straight-beat slangers.
We showed up early to check out some of the other acts… And “What the Fuck?” is all I can remember saying. What is this shit? Somebody please explain to me the appeal of this new sound… Take the attitude of hip hop, the fans of the dying (dead?) drum & bass scene, and the creativity of a Rock-em Sock-em Robot and you’ve got dubstep.
Think of it as the mutated love-child of garage and D&B — broken beats, frantic drums, heavy bass, and gritty synths, born with a five o’clock shadow and lead-pipe in hand, ready to club those unsuspecting punters about the head with it’s aggressive and often offensive sound.
Now I can understand sprinkling it into a set of mixed up music, but a 2-hour continuous mix of this by itself? DJ after DJ on the main stage? All night? No way!
It just wore my ears down, and I know I’m not the only one.
Yes, there are some amazing dubstep songs out there. I’m not saying there aren’t.
But just like fidget or electro-house before that or NRG before that or any other very distinct musical style, a little goes a long way.
And an entire set of the same thing goes too far.
Aug
8
01: Mboia (Orig) _ Nicol Ananaz & Mastiksoul (4Kenzno Recordings)
02: Tall Glass (Orig) _ William A (Armada Music)
03: Keep this Fire (Reset! RMX) _ Goldhawks (unreleased)
04: Bright Lights (Mark Knight RMX) _ Die & Interface ft William Cartwright (Toolroom)
05: Copacetic (Neighbour RMX) _ Louis Hale & Joshua Heath (Golden State)