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/

DJ Ayesha Adamo Drops EDM-Related Knowledge

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http://www.alternet.org/culture/cant-tell-difference-between-witch-house-and-nu-disco-welcome-electronic-dance-music-101

For many of our electronica-related neophytes, the sheer volume of genres is mind-boggling. Whether you’ve spent years hitting up parties or if this is your first weekend out of doors, it’s easy to have no idea what you’re listening to. Thankfully, there are amazingly talented DJs who are here to help. Ayesha Adamo is a multi-talented beat Goddess who I’ve had the pleasure of working with a few times in the past and has been cleverly picked up by Alternet to create a run-down of the 11 most popular genres that are happening right now. House, Techno, Breaks, Dubstep, Nu Disco/Indie Dance, Electro (House), Prog House, Trance, Tech House, Trip-Hop & Witch House. I’m not sure the last one should be on the list but I’ll give it to her because she knows her shit.

Check it out, and the next time some fool is all “zomg wut r dubstepz?” you can just forward them this and get back to listening to your psy-trap-core compilations. Check out more of her cool stuff right here:

http://www.ayeshaadamo.com/
http://twitter.com/ayeshaadamo/
(Image property of Ayesha Adamo)

 

Party of the Month: GlamTech by Disorient

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Just in time to welcome the spring, DiSORIENT is busting out one of their signature events. You know it’s time for GlamTech when all of your friends start getting allergies and/or start planning out how they’re going to cover a tuxedo jacket with mirrors. Including the tails. Because, go big or go home. While DiSORIENT is known for its flair & general bon vivant affairs, this one brings out some really well done costumes & sets every year.

The Diamond is an interesting theme, one that does require a lot of work, a bunch on pressure and some heat to create. There shall probably be a liberal dose of blinky-shiny being invented by the many tinker/hackers that populate the event, and of course, art, video & 2 rooms of music. Because expecting anything less from DiSORIENT is essentially passe at this point. While I’ve sadly missed the event for the last two years in a row, the third time is certainly a charm. And, it seems my reward is a merry band of DJs that are going to rock le house.

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Seven Lions & Porter Robinson Melt a Frozen NYC with Epic Bass.

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There he was.

SL

I could have probably hit him with my shoe or the plastic cup in my hand if I wanted to, but that would have been in poor form as he was absolutely obliterating the crowd at Roseland Ballroom. Seven Lions, my absolute favorite aural discovery of 2012, had the crowd in the palm of his hand and he was barely halfway into his third track. The space shook with every beat drop and chilled out with every vocal sample. I’d had an inkling of how badly he was going to kill it but I couldn’t quite picture the enormity of the space rocking out to his entire discography. The stage was ringed with staff to prevent the throbbing mass of 21st century club kid, braver (bro-raver), hipsters, skaters and cornucopia of tri-state area stereotypes from tumbling past the safe area and sweeping through the performance space like a tidal wave of flesh and excitement.

SL Crowd

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Album of RIGHT NOW: Chrono Jigga by “2 Mello”

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Anyone who was anyone in 2004 remembers The Grey Album, heralding the birth of legit mash-up culture and solidifying DJ Dangermouse’s up-and-coming don’t give  fuck status. The playful beats and chords mixed wonderfully and created a laudable success. If you’ve never heard of this stuff, imagine if you saw this randomly 9 years ago.

Various mashup projects with the Black Album, with varying levels of success. The Linkin Park one came close to topping the Grey Album and then it all kind of petered out. Until now that is. This remix project is fantastic. The melodies are used excellently, the samples are dropped at just the right time and the project is neat and pay-what-you-can. Exactly what a hit should be, and I encourage you to toss a few bucks into the tip jar if you ever played the game or rocked the album. It’s worth it to reward people taking cool cross-boundary risks, plus hell, you probably spent more than that on corn you didn’t even want to day 😀

David Guetta’s manager cuts off a 9yr old DJ

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http://www.reddit.com/r/electronicmusic/comments/1a1mfi/david_guettas_manager_cuts_off_9yearold_dj/

Good job guy. Way to support “the scene.” I guess it’s time to check out this Miguel Dix kid, if he’s good enough to get his sound cut. Translation of the spanish post linked on the Reddit page in the comments below. There’s also theoretically video of it but it would make me too sad to go look for it and see a kid get his DJ’ing cut off. Sad ass shit.