Monthly Archives: March 2013

Mix of the Week – New World Punx Debut @ A State of Trance 600

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A State of Trance 600 NYC was a triumph. While I can’t wait to share my expanded thoughts about the event, the music, the crowd and the entire evening, I wanted to make sure that this specific set was noted. I’ve been a fan of Ferry Corsten for years, while Markus Schulz has started exploding in my awareness only a year or two ago. The collaboration history of Ferry is impressive and the New World Punx lineup was amazing. The tracks were hard, fast and insanely well mixed. The closest ID’ing of the tracks is below, and any track that you see as a New World Punx remix/mashup or bootleg mix, just go ahead and assume it’s fantastic.

Of course, track 20 “The Digital Punks of Gotham” is my favorite unreleased track of the set. How could you tell?

01. New World Punx – Romper
02. Binary Finary – 1998 (New World Punx Bootleg Mix)
03. Markus Schulz & Ferry Corsten – Loops & Tings
04. ID – ID
05. Ferry Corsten & Bassjackers – Collision
06. Jacob van Hage – Crank
07. ID – ID
08. KhoMha – Hydra
09. Ferry Corsten – Rock Your Body Rock (Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Mainstage Remix)
10. Dimitri Vegas, Moguai & Like Mike vs. Ferry Corsten & Aruna – Mammoth Forever (New World Punx Mashup)
11. Ferry Corsten – Kudawudashuda
12. Markus Schulz & Elevation – Finish Line
13. Digital X Music – Raptor
14. Ferry Corsten & Markus Schulz – Stella
15. Fisherman & Hawkins – Apache
16. Cosmic Gate – Storm Chaser ( KhoMha Remix)
17. Ferry Corsten – Black Light
18. Beat Service – Fortuna vs Markus Schulz ft. Ana Diaz – Nothing Without Me (New World Punx Mashup)
19. Grube & Hovsepian – Trickster
20. New World Punx – The Digital Punks Of Gotham
21. Ferry Corsten feat. Betsie Larkin – Not Coming Down (Edit)
22. Markus Schulz – The New World 2013

Lightsabers, HulaHoops & Diamonds: GlamTech Sparkles.

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I’ve always been a fan of hula hoops. Even more so when they strobe, glow or otherwise dazzle.

GT_1

GlamTech, as a party, a cell of DiSORIENT and an artistic philosophy, was in full effect at the Warsaw. This two-room venue has been the home to GlamTech for years, but it was totally new to me, as was the entire GT experience. After picking up a native Polish beer that I could not spell or pronounce to save my life, I attempted to stealthily move my way through the crowd. This idea fails pretty hard when you’re wearing a disco ball hoodie, so I was greeted by friends and the random well-wishers who congratulated me on purchasing appropriate plumage for this specific event. The crowd that glittered with lights, mirrors and a rainbow of colors parted and I sadly realized I’d missed my BFF DJ Pony’s set when he greeted me in his amazing outfit on the dance floor. I offered my mea culpa to the gorgeous & talented fellow while trying not to be distracted by the cascading rainbows that hoopers, the projectionists & the deco wizards surrounded me with.

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Mix of the Week – 8bitpeoples Sampler by TWD Industries

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I, like many of my geeky Gotham cohort, can get down pretty hard to some chiptune. Whether it’s Blip Festival, the nerdier end of Baltimore DIY, the errant anime/comic convention I find myself at hitting their dance parties, or my own secret stash of chippy goodness that no one but me ever gets to hear, I’m a big fan of the bleeps and boops. This week, I was turned onto a really fun 8bit secret here in Gotham. TWD Industries was put into my face by two of the loveliest ladies I know so it was given the benefit of all the doubts. However, upon actual review, there was no need, as the work stands on its own quite well.

I do get annoyed with poor chiptune quickly, so it was very reassuring how quickly the mix picked up and kept me going with it. If you can drop both a compelling beat and enough ambient FX that I stay entertained you’ll keep my attention, but otherwise, I’m outtie in a big way. However, the mix rolls through a bunch of fun grooves in the first 4 minutes, solidly remaining chiptune throughout, but oscillating between heavy and light/airy bleeps & bloops.

The remix at 5:19 is amazing. A chip-tune remix of the “Ecstasy of Gold,” the theme to “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.” Yes you heard me right. And it could not work more. Watching the mix evolve from there is a delightful pleasure and it’s a fun way to ride out a Saturday I wager. Get at it chip-peeps, you won’t regret it.

VICE interviews the American student who is planning the most important EDM festival ever.

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http://www.vice.com/read/the-american-student-planning-an-israeli-palestinian-music-festival

While I love bass music and parties and dancing and sunrises, I’ve never made the mistake of thinking they were more important than caring for people or fighting for change. When events shine light on world issues or advocate for the downtrodden it makes me feel better about the gigantic miasma of alcohol and electricity that is being consumed so people can ostensibly move around in a big box. However, if this kid manages to pull this off, I will eat damn fine crow and cheer for him and the necessity for what he’s doing.

The creation of an Israeli-Palestinian music festival, on neutral ground, based on music from both cultures could quite possibly be the most amazing thing to happen to EDM ever. And this kid deserves every kind of support he can get. From the interview: “Anyone interested in helping Andrew and his friends out should email manofathousandteas@gmail.com“

Do so if you can or know people who do. This could be the start of something amazing.

The Dark Side of the Moon will be added to the Library of Congress

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21880663

Each year, 25 albums are selected to be added to the Library of Congress that are deemed “historically” or “culturally” significant. In addition to The Twist (Chubby Checker), the original cast album of South Pacific the musical & the soundtrack to the movie Saturday Night Fever, The Dark Side of the Moon was added, receiving the highest number of public votes.

I’m not sure how to stress how important a recognition this is. The Dark Side of the Moon is one of those albums that means so much to so many people, decade after decade, that its contribution to the UK, USA & world-wide rock and psychedelic scenes cannot be overstated. My kids will probably listen to it in college and then have to pretend they don’t know what it’s about when I ask them about their experiences on campus on holidays.

Get at this ripped/totally illegal upload of the album by some random Youtuber, just in case you needed a little nostalgia. No guarantees for how long it stays up there without getting a DMCA notice, but frankly, if you don’t own the album, do yourself a favor and change that. Then sit back, relax and let it envelop your reality.

Earworm of the Month: Pink is Punk & Benny Benassi – Ghost (ft. Bright Lights) [Dyro Remix]

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The song is hauntingly good if not a bit abusive when it comes to its treatment of subwoofers. First discovered on DJ Tiesto’s Club Life (don’t judge), this sweet remix from a youngling that goes by the name of Dyro, the track cannot be ignored. Dyro was recently featured on a list of up-and-coming DJs that are way too fucking young to be dropping beats this fucking phat. I can’t speak to Pink is Punk but if they’re working with Benny Benassi, the crowds must be satisfied. Yes, I’m going to walk away from that terrible pun and move back to the track at hand.

The video isn’t the official one for the remix/track, but the time-lapse photography works well enough, especially when lightning is involved. The tune starts off with some crushingly good vocal work and matches it with some ascendant synthy-bass. The build is quite nice and blasts into a big room house track that’s a bit less melodic than I’d like it to be, but I was too busy being blown around the room by my subwoofer to register my complaints. In case you’re interested in checking out any of the 3 peeps that had something to do with this sweet collab, hit up the links below. Also, turn the sub down a teensy bit before you crank it up 😀

Pink Is Punk
https://www.facebook.com/pinkispunkof…
https://twitter.com/pinkispunk1
https://www.pinkispunk.org/

Benny Benassi
https://www.facebook.com/bennybenassi
https://twitter.com/BennyBenassi
https://www.bennybenassi.com/

Dyro
https://www.facebook.com/officialdyro
https://twitter.com/DyroMusic
https://www.dyro.nl/