Club Bangers!

Marco Bailey & Tom Hades
1. Rayavadee
2. Funky Business
(Bedrock Digital) Beddigo05
General Release: 16th May 2010

Hot from his immensely popular “Jungle Laps” track on John Digweed’s Bedrock 11 LP, and storming ‘Watergate EP’ released on Bedrock earlier this year, Marco Bailey is back again, this time having teamed up with fellow Belgian Tom Haddes, for a two track assault on Bedrock’s digital offshoot label.
Both ‘Rayavadee’ and ‘Funky Business’ are sure-fire big-room tunes that are sure to ignite everyone’s dancefloors, and are two great reasons why both of these producers are most definitely ones to keep close tabs on this year.
“It’s a burning, all consuming drive that can only be calmed down by getting into the music. It’s an urge that luckily gets a positive outcome in the studio when I’m working on a track just as long as it takes to get it to sound as it does in my head, or when I’m puzzling on my DJ set until it releases the exact energy that makes the crowd lose it. I can best describe this burning, consuming urge as a positive disorder. Plainly positive because it gives a meaning to my life.” - Marco Bailey
Belgium’s number one techno artist, is seriously putting some graft into craft. His sets are usually top of the night big room sets, and that is precisely the reason why he has been elevated to the upper echelons of Techno Electro Minimal DJ/Producers. Bailey’s innovation and reluctance to conform to a particular genre of music is both refreshing and unique.
“No nonsense, just great music. Techno is pure energy. Giving yourself one hundred percent to make people feel good. Keep an open mind and you’ll get the proper respect.”
Tom Hades started to discover and experiment with electronic music when listening to DAF, Kraftwerk, Front 242. At the age of 15, he bought his first keyboard, the famous Casio CZ-101 and transformed his game-computer (Amiga 500) into his first DAW. During the same period, his old school friend, RedHead, was co-producing with Marco Bailey. He got in contact with Marco, which led them in 2000 to their first co-release. This was the start of a big period of releases, including the anthem of “I Love Techno” in 2001.
In the first period of 2002, Tom also produced his first solo release. In the next 3-4 years he continued to produce tracks on his own as well as his co-productions with Marco on respected labels like MB Elektronics, Pornographic Recordings, Northwest Dynamics, Invasion, Fine Audio, Patterns, Lupp. In 2004, they decided it was time to take the next step, start a label. And so Rhythm Convert was born. End 2004, they released their full album, ‘Rude Boy’, causing a stir all over the world. Now you can enjoy yet another graet collaboration on the highly respected Bedrock Digital label. Enjoy!

Super Dope EP!

CARLO - DARKER THAN BLACK EP - Mija Recordings (MIJA008)
Glück Strasse
Glück Strasse (Mihai Popoviciu Remix)
Darker Than Black
Darker Than Black (Elef Remix)
Trainee

Global Release: Monday 19th July

The next instalment on Mija Recordings welcomes the incredible talents of London based Spanish expat Carlo. We asked Carlo for his biog to include in the press release to which he sent: “This Spanish producer and also half brain of Neovinyl loves to go to parties and have fun. Sometimes he makes nice music and goes out to play his live set. He likes simplicity!”
So mysterious he may be but Carlo is an underground artist on a mission! His track “Mr Brown” on his own Neovinyl was an underground hit last year with big support coming from Loco Dice, Carl Cox, Steve Bug & Damian Lazarus. Mija boss Louis Osbourne was also a big fan of the track, using it
a set opener for many months, so the polite thing to do was to ask Carlo for some material for Mija and he promptly delivered three excellent deep techy cuts!
The opening track “Glück Strasse” is a deep tech house track that is as groovy as it is hypnotic. The funky keys and atmospherics ensure this track is suitable for small clubs or big floors. It’s packed with soul and emotion. “Darker Than Black” harks back to old school Chicago house with its overdriven bass line, off-key sax stabs and subversive vocal hooks. Lastly “Trainee” shows Carlo’s versatility as he drops a lovely deep house cut. This is warm house music for late nights.
On the remix tip we have invited two excellent producers for their interpretations. First up is Romanian Mihai Popoviciu. Since his first release on DJ Hell’s imprint Gigolo Records in 2005 he has released Traxx on Pascal Feos’ Level Non Zero Recordings, Fear Of Flying, Hudd Traxx, Bang Bang, Diynamic and is now signed to Berlin’s Highgrade Recordings. He often collaborates with Jay Bliss recording as the Hermannstadt Collective. His remix of “Glück Strasse” is a hypnotic jacking affair with a nod back to old school house. This is deep and techy but with with a rhythm section that will move any floor.

Next up is one of the freshest talents to emerge from Germany this year, Elef. He started his journey into electronic music aged 12 when he bought decks and started DJing! Three years later, he started producing house music. Today, Elef is one of the new faces of house music on the global scene with releases on Hypercolour, Weplayminimal, and Siam. He is being charted across the board by the likes of Jooris Voorn, Osunlade, and Robert Dietz. In 2010 Elef is preparing a wide range of tech & deep house originals as well as collaborations with other artists including M.in. His remix of “Darker Than Black” is proof of his ever growing talent. It’s a brilliant deep house re-work with excellent new school production, whilst retaining a nod to a classic deep house sound.
This release sees Mija shake things up again, moving back to a deeper sound. Not wanting to be generic they will continue to release underground music from deep house through to techno whilst retaining the high quality we are known for! Now get your freak on!

Here’s something very very exciting…

CRISTIAN VARELA - COL ME E.P.
A1 PERRAS A TUTTI
B1 COLMEDEAM
B2 ETIAM
(Bedrock) Bed89
Release: 17th May 2010

Spain’s Christian Varela is a force to be reckoned with. Winner of the International Award Ibiza 2007 as Best Techno DJ , DJ Of The Year 2007 and Best Techno DJ 2008, for the eighth year in a row, Cristian has more than 25 awards (best label, best producer…) in a career spanning nearly 20 years in the business.
He has composed the soundtracks for theatres, movies, fashion “pasarelas” and TV shows. Cristian has a massive discography with more than 150 productions and compositions for the most prestigious
international record labels. Now, ready for the summer, he drops his most exciting release this year in the form of the ‘Col Me EP’ on John Digweed’s Bedrock Records.
Kicking off with ‘Perras A Tutti’, a funk-fuelled percussive workout par excellence, then creating an anthemic hypnotic melodic gem with ‘Comedeam’, and finishing with a darker twisted vibe with ‘Etiam’,
Cristian Varela shows that he is indeed a true master at work.

Further info:
www.cristianvarela.com
ww.myspace.com/cristianvarela
www.discogs.com/artist/Cristian+Varel

Hot on the heals of his critically acclaimed debut artist album, ‘Niwa’, out now on Joris Voorn & Edwin Oosterwal’s Green label, Ripperton has been showcasing some stunning new releases for his own Perspectiv label…

BEHLING & SIMPSON - Tetch / Tetch (October’s ‘Point Your Finger’ Re-Interpretation) (Perpectiv, Switzerland) PSPV002.8 - 12″ vinyl & digital

JONNY WHITE & JAMES TEEJ - Narco Balada / Narco Balada (Chaton’s Bass Traxx Version)

(Perspectiv, Switzerland) PSPV002.9 - 12″ Vinyl & Digital

Next up on Perspectiv is the man himself……

RIPPERTON
1. 1976
2. 1976 (Sebo K Remix)
(Perspectiv, Switzerland) PSPV003
12″ Vinyl & Digital: Release 7th June 2010 TBC

Both born in the year ‘76 of the last century, Ripperton & Sebo K are really happy to celebrate that good vintage vibe with you here. ‘1976′ Ripa’s original version is cheering up his roots in garage house, while on the flip you’ll find the rolling Sebo K Remix, which is as memorable as the first girl that you kissed when you were a teenager on your first holiday without parents. Enjoy!

Further Information:
www.ripperton.com
www.myspace.com/raphaelripperton

Ripperton’s debut artist LP ‘Niwa’ is out now on Joris Voorn & Edwin Oosterwaal’s Green label

Further information: http://ripperton.com/gr102.html

As a special bonus EQ Recordings have released two EP’s of exclusive tracks from Agoria’s amazing Balance 016 mix compilation.

BALANCE 016 - Sampler EP1

A1 The Same - Szarpiesz Minerwa
A2 Jozif - Back 2 My Roots (jozif’s 5o’clock Fabric Shadow edit)
B1 Oxia - Less Time
B2 Kid A - Lonely
(EQ Recordings)

All tracks are featured exclusively on Agoria - Balance 016 (EQ Recordings).
Sampler EP1 is available as a 12″ vinyl EP and digital release, and is a collection of newcomers, friends and competition winners…
The Same is a Polish duo. Agoria organized a competition on Soundcloud a few months ago to collect some fresh tracks for his Balance 016 mix. The Same are the winners from more than 1000 tracks submitted.
Oxia is a long time friend of Agoria, they perform a back 2 back set together…called Shamouchi. Olivier “Oxia” is perfectionist, he does not produce a lot of tracks but every time he does, it’s a bomb! “Less Time” is a true jewel offered to one of his best friends for this mix compilation.
Jozif - for many months, Jozif and Sebastien have been exchanging demos, and this one perfectly fits with the mix.
Kid A is a young American artist, and she is definitely someone you are likely to hear more of on Agoria’s InFiné label. She just signed another track called “Spitzer” (out next month on InFiné).

BALANCE 016 - Sampler EP2

A1 Perc & Passarella Death Squad - Temperature’s Rising
A2 Manvoy de Saint Sadrill - Soeheniona
B1 Olibusta - La Pazz
B2 Cubenx - Mis Dias Y Tus Noches
Bonus Digital Only: Justin - Columpnam
(EQ Recordings)

All tracks are featured exclusively on Agoria - Balance 016 (EQ Recordings).
Sampler EP2 is available as a 12″ vinyl EP and digital release, and is a collection of newcomers and friends….
Perc & Passarella Death Squad - Perc told Agoria a couple of months ago he was working on some new productions, that would fit this project. He was right, Agoria liked almost all of them from the first listen.
Manvoy de Sandrill - Lyon, the new music capital of France? It has the biggest electronic music festival (Nuits Sonores), and Agoria of course, but also a very lively indie rock scene. Antoine Mermet aka Manvoy de Sandrill comes from there, haunting Lyon’s music scene with his saxophone and hybrid pop…
Olibusta - check “Get The Curse”, in addition to being one of the finest blogs in France, it should also become a much sought-after label in the coming months. Seek and ye shall find.
Cubenx - Mexican Ambassador for Agoria’s InFiné label. He’s released two EPs for the label already, and some people are saying he might be joining Apparat for a tour in Europe.
Justin - together with Francesco Tristano, he belongs to this new generation of classically trained musicians who are pushing electronic music somewhere into outer-space.

Press Page: www.stomp.com.au/press/balance016

After a long time out I will now be blogging once more and I have a lot to post as you can imagine it has ‘backed up’. So apologies to anyone who has been checking the blog for updates and not seen any.

Bio

Giorgos Gatzigristos was born in Nijmegen - The Netherlands, and has lived there all his life. After a disappointing Saturday night in the center of Nijmegen, he got lost with some friends and ended up at the famous club Doornroosje, where one of the first Highland Beats label nights had already taken off. After that event, Giorgos interest in electronic dance music grew. He bought his first production equipment, and later on dived into DJ-ing as well. On June the 2nd, 2004 Giorgos first record got released on the Dutch label of Darko Esser and Ger Laning (DJ LL): Wolfskuil Records. It was a split release with his mate, Piet van Dongen, and was the first step in producing music for the public. After releasing three records on Kompakt’s K2, he got in touch with the Manual Music family and felt right at home. This resulted in the grand performance of the Manual Orchestra in De Melkweg in Amsterdam. Around that time, Giorgos got his Masters degree in Management Science at the Radboud University Nijmegen. But music was his love, so he went for that.
Now, Giorgos is releasing e.g. on Bedrock, Channels Music, Manual Music, Wolfskuil Records, Snejl and Outside The Box. He is always building on past experiences - trying to create a hybrid sound that is universal. Giorgos can be booked for Live and DJ performances.

November 2009 Chart

Furrr & Hazendonk - Rrrhythm - Melomane
Giorgos Gatzigristos - Binary Star System - Bedrock
Pole Folder - Hate Myself (Sasha Intrumental Mix) - La Tour
Adam Beyer & Par Grindvink - Seq 3 Zoetrope - Drumcode
Guido Schneider Meets Jens Bond - Eijeijei - High Grade
Piet van Dongen - Firewoods with Strings  0.9c - Manual Music
Levon Vincent - Late Night Jam - stgut Ton
Applescal - Avoiding Mental Lazyness (Russian Linesman rmx) - ManualMusic
Giorgos Gatzigristos - Latent Presence - Outside The Box
Information Ghetto - How To Build A Brain (Xpansul Remix) – StolenMoments

Giorgos Gatzigristos – November 09 Guest Mix

Guido Schneider meets Jens Bond - Eijeijei – Highgrade
Solomun - Midnight Snack - Diynamic Music
Kevin Gorman - Insomnia (Joseph Capriati’s Dark Night Remix) - Mikrowave
Applescal - Applescal - Avoiding Mental Lazyness (Russian Linesman Remix) - Manual Music
The Mountain People - Mountain009.2 - Mountain People
Martinez - America Electronica - Frenetica
Seth Troxler - Panic, Stop, Repeat! - Spectral Sound
Francesco Pico - All By Pitching The Crowd (DJ Remy Remix) - Outside The Box
Fever Ray - Seven (Marcel Dettmann’s Voice In My Head Mix) - Rabid Records
Mendo - Everybody I Got Him (2009 Mix) - Clarisse Records
Michel Cleis - Dark Glasses - Supplement Facts
Giorgos Gatzigristos - Mutila - Outside The Box
Simuck - Saturn - Sneijl
Zwicker - Dragon Fly feat. Billy Oden (Soultourist Remix) - Compost Black Label
Northern Lite - Cocaine (Timo Maas Remix) - Armut 24
Jonas Kopp - Deliric - Curle
Giorgos Gatzigristos - Sporting Dark Stuff - Outside The Box

Mix Link - http://www.mediafire.com/file/gcrnl1ymmim

Bio

King Unique is Matt Thomas, an all round studio junkie and DJ with a taste for tripped-out cosmic techno and rough-edged underground house. In a career spanning nearly a decade KU’s distinctive sound has won an enviable global following. A ceaseless schedule of DJ sets and festival gigs backed up by relentless studio sessions resulting in scores of records, remixes and radio broadcasts has made the KU sound an instantly recognizable part of the music-life of millions of the world’s clubbers - and a fixture in the vinyl crates, cd wallets and laptops of the world’s most influential DJs. Consistently appealing across genre boundaries the tracks have been played by everyone from Sasha to Soulwax, Dubfire to Tiesto, and have turned up everywhere from Hollywood soundtracks to mobile ring tones - not to mention countless compilations and mix albums.

Formed in 2001 by Matt Thomas & Matthew Roberts, King Unique hit the floor running, claiming the title of Undisputed Remix Champs by scoring five Essential New Tunes in five months on Pete Tong’s “Essential Selection” Radio 1 show. A US Billboard Dance Chart number 1 for the remix of Dirty Vegas’ “Walk Into The Sun”, plus two more solo Essential New Tunes for Matt under his Watkins and Mainframe alter-egos saw KU firmly cement their place amongst the ranks of first-call remixers. The King Unique production touch has been in constant demand since, appearing on more than fifty remixes and yielding some of the biggest dance floor bombs known to man - Underworld’s “Two Months Off”, The Killers “Somebody Told Me”, Planet Funk’s “The Switch”, The Teamsters “Feels Like Love”, and Chable and Bonicci’s “Ride”.

2006 saw the end of the original duo’s studio partnership, as Matt Thomas took on the King Unique role as a solo artist. The two years since have seen Matt taking the KU sound to new heights with a mixture of euphoric acidic melodies, dark brooding techno vibes and old skool beats. Remixes of Tracey Thorn’s “Grand Canyon”, Fergie’s “Anon” and an ’08 remix of KU’s own “Sugarhigh” have reaffirmed his status as one of the most versatile and consistent producers of the last ten years.

Most recently Matt has produced a stunning reworking of “Heaven” for James Lavelle’s UNKLE project, as well as remixes for James Talk, Paolo Mojo and Infusion.

The renowned King Unique DJ set has made KU a regular addition to the line up of some of the world’s most respected clubs and biggest festivals, playing everywhere from ultra-hip blacked-out sweat boxes in Tokyo to euphoric crowds of thousands on the tropical beaches of Madeira. Regular gigs for super-brands such as Renaissance and Ministry Of Sound coupled with an increasingly hectic international schedule has seen Matt racking up enough air-miles for a free trip to the moon, with gigs in Sydney, Osaka, Barcelona, Shanghai, Lima, Bucharest, Auckland, Bogota, Singapore, Chelyabinsk, Malta, Vilnius - just to name a handful from recent months.

Since the very first shows Matt has pushed at the cutting edge of the technology revolution that’s swept through club culture, taking laptops, new gadgets and studio gear into the booth. 2009 sees the addition of the near mythic Monome controller to the sonic armoury - part track-mangling Ableton controller and part psychedelic light show, lovingly hand built by techno-hippies in the Catskill Mountains.

Matt + Mac + Monome = Beats + Bleeps = KU Live ‘09

See you by the speakers…

Recent remixes to check

Infusion “So Soon”
Dappled Cities “The Price”
UNKLE “Heavy Drug”

Recent video to watch

Here’s a rather good little video from KU’s recent gig in Buenos Aires… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSyExMlL5WE

King Unique December Chart

Einmusik - Altered Beyond Recognition” Einmusika Recordings
The way Einmusik gets from jaunty drunken tech-ska wobblings to Klaus Schulze kraut-synth epicness in just this one tune is staggering. Masterful stuff.

King Unique - “Feniksas” Bedrock
Brand new KU single, big retro-techno meets epic prog monster - coming to a Bedrock near you soon.

Niko Fantin - “The Bad Shepard (Facundo Mohrr Remix)” Frisky Records
Colossal tech-prog in the Henry Saiz/Guy J style. Get on this, a great set opener.

Justin Margovan – “From The Beginning (Ekkohaus Remix)” Phobic Records
Wailing, wobbling, looping diva vox over a brutal tech stabber. Don’t leave Ekkohaus alone with your pets.

The xx vs Alan Fitzpatrick & Reset Robot – “Silicone Shelter (KU Bootleg)” On my hardrive
Huge emo tune of 2009 in a head on collision with the most criminally neglected techno bomb of 2009. Absolutely crass, absolutely mindlessly simple – and it absolutely destroys clubs

Guy J – “Ballroom” Bedrock
Menacing and steady as a burning steamroller pointed at your house.

Mike Monday - “Grace (Justin Martin Remix)” Dirtybird
Fantastic organic genre-crosser of a tune. Precise sub bass, chamber orchestra string vamps, looped vox fragments and a collision of beat styles, all tied together to make a mournful San-Fran classic.

Federico Milani - “Eleven (Loco & Jam Remix)”
Played an unfinished mix of this at Exit, Kaunas and kicked the night into orbit. Curious to see what the finished version will do…

Fergie - “Motion” Excentric Muzik
A little glimpse at Ferg’s forthcoming album. Motion backs off from Ferg’s peak-time sound and locks into the deeper grooves that made his remix of ‘Softy’ such a winner.

Nicolas Masseyeff – “Modul8” Herzblut
Mr Masseyeff brings it again for Herzblut – bass heavy beats and classic house riffery fed into the effects and worked to alarming heights of intensity.

Apologies for not posting for a major amount of time!

Anyway, this time will be different. It won’t be interviews each week, instead I will be posting all sorts of information about Tech and Techno like DJ Charts, Videos, Pictures, Mixes, Information on DJs, Information on Nights and all sorts of other interesting information that you would love to know. Oh and ofcourse the DJ interviews will feature throughout.

So first of all, for the return of TechandTechno I have some cool info on a very well known DJ/Producer that goes by the name of King Unique!

Enjoy!

BIO

The 90’s were an erratic time for the guitar player Hugo, mostly due to jazz music
addiction, and he was  exploring most of the electronic shapes of modern music,
performing very eclectic live set during this time.

At the beginning of the third millennium he decided to focus his efforts on the “live
performance” side of dance music, creating several live projects as UBIT, that delivered
the Ibiza anthem A-sid chosen by Mauro Picotto for his Meganite mixed set in 2004 and
COMADISCO, an electro-punk trio experiment built to explore the darkest side of his
talent, releasing its mega hit “Love in a bookshop” on Irma Elettrica in 2005.

But the call of the wild was so strong that he decided to make a step back into the future
creating HUGO project as the brighter side of his dance attitude. Hugo released a series of
fresh tunes which blended jazz, house and funk that brought him out on the worldwide
scene.

After several dancefloor burner, in 2008 Hugo released “The Sloop and the Siren” on Jay
Haze’s label Tuning Spork. The Sloop rapidly became a must have for all the dj’s of the
global scene, a contemporary classic for dance music market. Hugo’s works have been
appreciated by the most influential artists and his remixes are gaining great feedbacks all
around.

Hugo’s live set is rocking the globe with shows in venues as Womb/Tokyo, Fabric/London,
Paradiso/Amsterdam, Footwork/Toronto, Watergate/Berlin, Rex/Paris aimed to share his
passion for music with the hottest dancefloors worldwide and  to promote his upcoming
label Good Vibe Records.

Hugo’s music is what feelings sound like. Music expresses feeling and thought, without
language; it was below and before speech, and it is above and beyond all words.

INTERVIEW

What made you want to start DJing (Producing)?
I grew up with music and I play jazz guitar since I was 13 years old. At that time I was attracted by
rave scene that was huge especially in UK. My addiction to electronic music and production come
as a consequence.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
I have been always focusing on music. I studied sound engineering and I am attracted by everything
is plugged to something else. Music is my passion and my daily satisfaction.

What is your favourite venue to play at?
Goa Club in Rome, Fabric in London and Club der Visionaere in Berlin.

What was your worst gig?
At home with my cat and my guitar.

Favorite DJ gadget?
My Elektron Monomachine

Vinyl, CD’s or Laptop?
Laptop as I am performing live.

Is there anywhere you want to DJ that you haven’t?
Well, there are a lot of places but I will be proud of myself when I will play in Detroit, electronic
music promise land.

What inspires the music that you make?
My music is inspired by my musical background. Above all George Clinton, Herbie Hancock and
Chet Baker. Than I get inspiratio from people. Dance music must be driven from people emotions,
as if they dance it is a good sing.

If you could be anyone else in the world for a day, who would it be?
Somebody else, to be on the other side of the decks while I am playing.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Smoking.

Where can your fans see you play regularly?
I don’t have a residency but next parties will be huge. During Sonar weekend I will play alongside
Steve Lawler at a party on Barcelona beach with an amazing lineup, the 1st of July we will present
Goodvibe records showcase at Privilege, Ibiza  than I will be in Brasil for a short tour, Romania for
Sunwaves festival, Ministry of Sound and many other gigs.
Summer will be really intensive this year!

What are you plans for the future?
I want to focus all of my efforts on my new label Goodvibe Records. I am setting up my brand new
studio and I am working on several projects. A solo album will be the main output of next winter.

Is there another DJ you would like to work with?
I love to work with Jay Haze, he is a great producer. And I won’t talk about Daniele Papini and
Goodvibe Records crew…it is too easy to spend nice words for my crazy family.

Who is leading the tech house and techno scene at the moment?
Well, Ricardo Villalobos is the shining star but I find really interesting Billy D’Alessandro’s style. It
fits with my idea of contemporary dance music.

Finally, what is your song of the month?
Jeff Samuel – Funk Taxi - Trapez

Link to Hugo’s Mix - Click here