For When You Just Need To Know

Good goddamn I love this [particular remix], so I'm making sure it accompanies the long drive from New York to Boston this weekend.

Audible: Moby - "Disco Lies (Dusty Kid's Fears Remix)"

Christmas in the Tropics

Man, I really held out as long as I could on all this 'world sounds/live instrumentation' techno and house that's been so popular recently. "No!" I said to myself, "techno should be DARK and COLD and sound like MACHINES!"

But slowly and quietly these tracks have creeped their way into my iTunes playlist in the last few months. Sis' Trompeta really blew the whole thing open for me, and now Steve Lawler is making me go "FUCK YEAH MARACAS"

I blame the Brazilian air I've been breathing for the past week. For my friends in the northeast US, put this track on blast, close your eyes and forget about winter for 11 sweaty minutes.

Steve Lawler - Kalimba (R&S Records 2008)

MDSLKTR remixes: Rustie, Dettmann, Byetone

If we were able to, I'd have put Modeselektor's Happy Birthday! on the Top Ten for 2008 AGAIN (alongside 2007's Chromophobia by Gui Boratto) because the record is so goddamn good. Over the course of this year, some great remixes have surfaced, but nothing compares to the latest release (BPC184) of "Black Block."

The EP includes reworks by Rustie (whom we've just blogged about, and is featured twice in Shuttle's new mix), Marcel Dettmann (who is coming to Make It New on January 8th!), and Byetone, whose 2008 Raster-Noton release Death Of A Typographer was definitely on my top ten for this year.

The "Hiddennsee 2008" mix is MDSLKTR thickening the basslines that were laid out in the LP version, making it more of a peak mix point for the likes of Thunderdome or Trouble & Bass. The Rustie rework is definitely one to get you more acquainted with the young talent's spastic style, and Dettman's calls for some patience in the build-up and pays up tenfold when the track explodes about halfway through. An incredible difference wedged between Rustie and Byetone's reinterpretations...

These are all so well executed that I'd want to post them all up here, but I've got to stick to one. Byetone's remix is so otherwordly, and only contains traces of the untouched version of "Black Block." For those of you on the fence about "Plastic Star" or the entirety of Death Of A Typographer, this track is an incredible mindfuck for your synapses.

Audible: Modeselektor - "The Black Block"
Audible: Modeselektor - "The Black Block (Byetone Remix)"
Purchase: Boomkat
MySpace: Modeselektor

Rustie On The Hyphy Grind

We're still in heaven with the new mix by Shuttle - the reincarnate of Basstown's very own Etan. Inside the mix include two Rustie bits, and it's worth bringing tot he forefront.

An addition to your heavy rotation should come from Glaswegian Rustie, a young producer who recently put out "Zig Zag" - a track that sounds as good as the vinyl release looks...



You can have the track down below, but that sort of design and sound is a guaranteed kiss on the cheek from any hot dubstep and techno lovers. Check out Wireblock to purchase.


Audible: Rustie - "Zig Zag"
Purchase: Wireblock
MySpace: Rustie
Review: Resident Advisor

Etan is no more. He hath Risen.

Our golden boy. Wizard of Ableton. Maker of an angry Diplo. Etan and now Shuttle.

Due to legal reasons or some shit, Etan has had to change his name to Shuttle. To commemorate this turn of events, he's put together a pretty eclectic mix with gems from Brian Wilson, dubstep guy Zomby (who I think Sinden discovered, but I could be wrong about that. It's a blog, who fact checks?) and a few of his own tracks and remixes. Here's the rundown:

1. Brian Wilson - Our Prayer
2. Shuttle - w1
3. Thom Yorke - Cymbal Rush
4. Martyn - Broken
5. Aaliyah - Are You That Somebody?
6. Kode 9 - Bad
7. Joker & Rustie - Play Doe
8. Crissy Criss - Don't Mess About
9. TC - Where's My Money? (Caspa Remix)
10. Nero - Something Else
11. Rustie - Tempered
12. Zomby - 1 Up
13. Output Message - Glint
14. Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit - Funa Funa
15. Flying Lotus - Roberta Flack (Martyn's Heartbeat Mix)
16. Cardopusher - Homeless (Quarta 330 Remix) w/ Aphex Twin - Flim
17. Rob Sparx - Thug Step
18. Darkstar - Need You
19. Shuttle - Tunnel
20. Radioclit - Secousse (etan remix)
21. Daedelus - Hrs Mins Secs (etan greenwich mean report)
22. Reso - If You Can't Beat 'Em
23. Shuttle - Tunnel (High Rankin Remix)
24. High Rankin - Bubble & Squeek
25. Spankrock - Bump (etan's french film remix)
26. Alborosie - Kingston Town (Uproot Andy Remix)
27. Black Rabbit - 1992
28. Shuttle - Eighty
29. The Deathset - Impossible (etan's positive outlook)
30. Micachu - Golden Phone (shuttle's golden pager ringtone)
31. Our Prayer Rev-prise
32. Shostakovich - Op.86 No. 1

Link: http://www.zshare.net/download/52640187f2efece4/
Obligatory Myspace link: http://myspace.com/shuttle

Shuttle's first release is coming out on Ninja Tune in March 09 with a track featuring Cadence Weapon.

"Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains"

Gui Boratto is a favorite of all in Basstown, but lately "Chains" - the B-side to the Gate 7 EP - has been infectious. Part of me wants to declare it the best track he's ever done, but that would cause a series of serious investigation considering the gorgeous cohesion and visual (as well as cerebral)impact of 2007's Chromophobia, Supermayer's remix of his "Like You" or even "Tales From The Lab"...with or without Sian's touch.

The fact remains this B-side is excellent and not enough people have heard it.

So there.

Or, here, rather...

Audible: Gui Boratto - "Chains"
MySpace: Gui Boratto

Red Snapper Packer

While packing is a COMPLETE. BITCH. and no one actually enjoys doing it (except maybe Todd), it helps me to revisit my CD collection, which I often ignore due to the growing digital library on the iTunes.

This particular track from Red Snapper is the best of its catalogue, and also an essentially great tune from the year 2000. Warp and Matador came together to put out Our Aim Is To Satisfy...an album that is definitely an acquired taste until you reach the final track.

So just to appreciate music now by remembering how beautiful it always has been, here's "They're Hanging Me Tonight," just for you <3

Audible: Red Snapper - "They're Hanging Me Tonight"
MySpace: Red Snapper

Make It New / Vincenzo

Tonight's installment of Make It New is as high-end as always. With no cover, good martinis and some of the best DJs in the city playing at the Middlesex Lounge, it will be an incredible 5 hours. If you're looking for some dinner before, head next door to Royal Bengal and find a friendly face. Otherwise, just play the featured mp3 below while getting ready and you'll find it hard to stay indoors past 9pm. It's a favorite, and captures much of the wild energy you'll find on any given Thursday night at Make It New.

Audible: Vincenzo - "Fruit Fly (Fruity Bug Mix)"
MySpace: Make It New

Mr. Dry Gets a Steam Bath

TG (Tim Green) - Mr. Dry (Jakob Hilden's Mr. Right Remix) (2008)

Grab the original Mr. Dry here!

One favorite producer remixes another!
Tim's punk in drublic bassline gets the Berlin treatment courtesy of Jakob Hilden.

Jakob Hilden is one half of techno duo Format:B. I highly recommend their recently released album Steam Circuit for more great hissy, chug-a-lug techno choonz.
Pick it up at Beatport here!

Wicked Grumpypants & The Journey South

I am what we call, in Boston, "wicked grumpypants" today. It's possibly due to having woken up before noon, and when you're a nightlife promoter that is simply unorthodox. Much of it has to do with the upcoming move to New York, which frankly frightens the shit out of me because change, in and of itself, can be frightening. (See also: exhilarating, motivating, inspiring) Working on a local level with Basstown has been a gem, but the blogs will continue to roll in because good music lives on. The kind of crowd you find in Cambridge and beyond are incomparable, and sweaty nights at the Middlesex (Hearthrob, Make It New) and underground goodness at the Good Life and Enormous Room will be sorely missed.

More awaits, though, and that's the future. Hopefully Basstown will carry its name worldwide, but for now, we're just going to stretch it a little south of the New England border.

Tonight is a special edition of Hearthrob, featuring XXXChange of Spank Rock. Always a good time, this will be my last edition before returning to the motherland that is New York.

In the desire to keep the excellence going with new music, this track is from the recent release of various remixes on Spectral (SPC-51). The comp features Broker/Dealer and Osborne, but this Onur Ozer remix of Audion is perfect for your ears. Not to be biased, but Matthew Dear is one to deliver consistently under this alias, and it'd be worthwhile to check out his entire collection.

VA - Spectral Remixed [SPC-51]
1. Audion - Fred's Bells [Onur Ozer Remix]
2. Kate Simko - She Said [Barem Remix]
3. Daso - Meine [Lucio Aquilina Remix]
4. Broker & Dealer - Soft Sell [Sami Koivikko Remix]
5. James T Cotton - Distant Trip [Box Version]
6. Osborne - Bout Ready to Jak [Ryan Elliott Remix]

Audible: Audion - "Fred's Bells (Onur Ozer Remix)"
MySpace: Spectral

Our Joy & The Anger

While I often prefer the photo to be somewhat relevant to the post, I simply loved this. As you can see, our new President-elect Barack Obama is fighting off sharks, cars exploding into helicopters and the approaching possibility of death dude to falling from great heights. Seen with nunchucks and a skateboard, it looks like he'll be juuuust fine.

With that aside, last night Make It New took over Rise. Joined by Mark Ingram - a recurring guest and good friend - the residents filled the top and bottom floors of Rise with gorgeous sounds and endless techno. Truly a good fit for the club's soundsystem. A climax was when Ingram dropped Stimming's "The Anger," which was released in early August of this year. Subtly dark and brimming with intensity, this is will be a great track to properly usher you into the cold, hard weather that's just around the corner.

Turn off the lights. Turn up the bass.

Audible: Stimming - The Anger
MySpace: Stimming

Carl Craig : Recomposed & Versus

While it takes a little over 10 minutes to "kick in," this hour-long collaboration between Detroit techno legend Carl Craig and Les Siècles orchestra is an incredible way to shake off the gloomy Boston weather as of late. Appropriately named Versus, the event took place in mid-October at the Cité de la Musique in Paris.

"The program features six of Craig’s tracks arranged by pianist Francesco Tristano. Legendary Berlin producer Moritz von Oswald also has a hand in the project, contributing a rhythmic arrangement and new co-written piece with Craig." - Resident Advisor

Sections
1. Darkness
2. Transition #1
3. At les
4. Dominas
5. Desire
6. Recomposed
7. Technology
8. Bis 1: The Melody
9. Credits

This comes hand-in-hand with the recent release of Recomposed Vol. 3 : Music by Maurice Ravel & Modest Mussorgsky, which is an excellent project put out on the legendary label Deutsche Grammophon (a part of Universal). Be sure to watch the video above and check out some reviews of Recomposed below.

Headphones highly recommended for both.


Read: Resident Advisor review of Recomposed Vol. 3
Read: Boomkat review of Recomposed Vol. 3

Steve Bug : Bugnology 3

While having a deep obsession with both Kompakt Records and Bpitch Control, Poker Flat is putting out its 100th release. Steve Bug is one of the label's founders, and it's been home to some of the best releases of the last few years. Trentemoller's The Last Resort - which brought us tracks like "Take Me Into Your Skin" "Evil Dub" and "Miss You" - is one that may have had the most crossover, as it was big around the time his remixes of The Knife and Royksopp's "What Else Is There?" were circulating the parties and afterparties throughout the city.

Now Steve Bug returns with Bugnology 3, which carries through much like the best of the latest Fabric mixes. As a matter of Fact, Bug did contribute to No. 37, which didn't come out too long ago.

The selections on this record are excellent. It took a long time to figure out which to highlight. Sven UK & Andomat3000's "O Moresi"? What about Anton Zap's "Captain Storm"? Top to bottom, the tracklist is excellent, and a great way to propel yourself into the more obscure corners of techno that the true 'heads are digging.

Ben Klock is on several labels, but has worked closely with Bpitch Control in the last few years. His original version of "Steady Plus" takes this record to a whole new level. Enjoy!

Audible: Ben Klock - "Steady Plus"
MySpace: Steve Bug

Dopamine Records @ CMJ - Tonight!

Tonight, our beloved Dopamine Records - now home to DJ Die Young of Basstown and Baltimoroder of Hearthrob - has its CMJ showcase. For all of you beloved Bostonians that want a taste of home, you can get your Make It New fix here annnnnd here...

DOPAM​INE RECOR​DS / DROP OUT MUSIC​ FESTI​VAL:
2 spots​.​
1 night.​

9pm-12am @ alpha​beta (70 green​point​ ave, green​point​,​ brook​lyn)​
Hooray For Earth 9-9:35
Paul Holmes and The Patients 9:50-10:25
Pacific Theater 10:40-11:15
Zambri 11:30-12:05

12am-??am @ lost and found​ (113 frank​lin stree​t,​ green​point​,​ brook​lyn)​
Jubilee (Modular, Trash Menagerie, Nightshifters)
DJ Die Young
Baltimoroder

From 6pm-9pm @ Alphabeta there will be a book signing with fun free drinks with Martha Cooper
Hooray For Earth 9-9:35
Paul Holmes and The Patients 9:50-10:25
Pacific Theater 10:40-11:15
Zambri 11:30-12:05


Audible: Hooray For Earth - Cellphone (dj die young remix)
Audible: The Replacements - Talent Show (dj die young screwed remix)
Website: Dopamine Records

Etan/Passion Pit @ CMJ

Basstown loves Etan. His talent and personality are inspiring to us all, and we're happy that he's jumped on the Passion Pit bus as their drummer. This year, he's clocked in about nine bookings (and growing!) at CMJ. Here are some highlights:

Tuesday, 10/21
(Passion Pit) 10pm @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg
(DJ Etan) 2:30am @ Santos
Wednesday, 10/22
(DJ Etan) @ Bar 13
Thursday, 10/23
(Passion Pit) 4pm @ Fader Lounge
(Passion Pit) 9pm @ Club NME
Friday, 10/24
(Passion Pit) 4pm @ Piano's (Planetary Group's CMJ party - Boston reprazent!)
(DJ Etan) 11pm @ Fontana's
Saturday, 10/25
(Passion Pit)6pm @ Brooklyn Yard

MySpace: DJ Etan

dawn

This mix is fucking great


Berlin is fucking great






Shit


Farley Jackmaster Funk - You Ain't Really Acieed (Acieed Mix) (1989)

Raven Disturbs and Delights the Middlesex

After the Red Sox caused a cacophony of screams and hugs within the Middlesex Lounge, the environment at Make It New shifted into a pure celebration mode. Baltimoroder and DJ Die Young manned the decks all night, and it was during a peak that DY threw out "Raven," a track that hasn't been played out nearly enough. Dark, heavy and pulsing, Baltimoroder calls The Proxy "that Russian guy that everyone loves." It's hard to explain how such a wide variety of techno heads can take to a version of electronic that is so blatantly rooted in horror, goth and industrial subculture, but the general cross-over appeal is as obvious as the mass-army marching chant that leads the track through most of its choruses.

File under...music to go apeshit to...

MySpace: The Proxy

SOLID! Is Solid

When something is considered a bit of a hidden gem - especially a recurring event in a room with a 59 person capacity - it might be best to keep it mums. The beauty of SOLID! is that it will probably never lose its balance. Not for tourists, this little restaurant packed tightly between the Middle East Upstairs and Downstairs becomes a showcase for some of the best electronic music on Friday nights. Run by Sean Quinn, who also heads Soul Touch @ Zuzu and is a generally well-known and liked guy around Boston, DJ Die Young (Basstown) and Baltimoroder (Hearthrob) joined forces to take over most SOLID! nights since last summer.

The beauty about this night is that 90% (might be a stretch) of the people there don't listen to electronic music. They don't seek out Hearthrob, Rise, Make It New, Circus and other nights. They are most likely devoted Cantabrigians. They do, however, get to experience electro and techno at some of its finest when Baltimoroder and Die Young are together. Their chemistry is top notch, and for an intimate night for only $3, you can't really go wrong.

Jan Krueger (Berlin) @ Make It New, this Thursday

This Thursday, Berlin-based Jan Krueger debuts in Boston at Make It New, and following the excellent guests the Thursday night has had this summer, it will be quite a closing. Re-entering the residents season, Krueger pulls us into a dark, pure corner of Berlin techno with his recorded sets featured below, and you can be sure to find more of it at the Middlesex Lounge on the 9th. The Bunker mp3 is top notch!

[Editor's Note: Jan Krueger has got to be THE nicest DJ any of us has ever booked ever in the history of everyone. Thanks Jan!]

Audible: Jan Krueger @ Bunker
Audible: Jan Krueger - Ibiza Voice Podcast
Facebook: Event Page
Legible: Background on Jan

Minitek Update: Resident Advisor Interviews The Promoters

Ok, this may very well be the last Minitek update. We don't want this to go on too long, but we want to make sure that Resident Advisor - a website we value and whose podcasts we go gaga for - are represented here. Shortly after the statement issued by the Minitek/Minimoo promoters on the Mblog, which was posted here yesterday, RA had an exclusive interview with Jenny Tan to follow up.

Will there be another Minitek?

Yes, absolutely.


Read more: Resident Advisor: Minitek Organizers Speak Out

Minitek Update: Minitek Promoters Speak

Yep, we're still having Minitek updates. Looking back on previous posts, the coverage is really one big clusterfuck. A lot of the reporting doesn't say much because it was hard to make much of it, but I feel Jenny Tan - 1/2 of the creative foundation of Minimoo, which spawned Minitek - worded herself with a fierce confidence that a female promoter needs to have in today's climate.

By "it," I mean the 1,000+ word statement on the Minitek blog today, which outlines the many problems the festival faced this past weekend in New York City.

The core is here: "[the penn plaza pavillion hotel] had misrepresented their certificate of occupancy (the official document that restricts the amount of people the venue can legally hold). there was no reason to believe that the 38.000sf venue couldn’t hold the people that had paid for weekend passes at the very least. once the police showed up, the manager of the venue was forced to show the “real” certificate of occupancy and as it turned out, the venue didn’t even have one! the one that was eventually shown to the police was from 1963 and claimed an occupancy of only 208 people, but it was long void as the venue had changed their use a few times since the permit was issued more than 40 years ago."

We want to see Minitek happen next year (this includes YOU) and I think giving the promoters a fair chance is worthwhile. If Minitek 2009 aims, fires, and blows its target to pieces, the 2008 series of events will probably go down in history in a much more positive light...it's really not the mistakes you make, but the things you do to rectify them, and if there's anything worth saying about minimal techno promoters in America, well, it is a labor of love.

Full Statement: Apologies Owed...

Trouble & Bass <3's Coralcola

Our friends over at Trouble & Bass have been holding a remix contest for the release of Little Jinder's "Polyhedron" EP on their label. Recently, the match came to a close and our friend Coralcola made it as a runner up! While his remix will not be featured on the release, it's currently available for download on the Trouble & Bass blog. This was an excellent idea, and we're wondering if we should try and do the same. Congratulations to all that won, and will appear on the EP, as well!

Contest: Little Jinder remix winners
Site: Trouble & Bass
MySpace: Coralcola

Minitek Mini-Update: What are others saying now?

Two Minitek Crowds: Saturday Night vs. Friday Night


photos by luciditywaves and Burak Arikan


I H8 Minimoo
"Learn to crawl before you try to walk!...this is a massive FAIL."

Rhythmism
"While we do love Studio B and their much improved sound system, the approximate 600 capacity space is going to be completely overrun and unable to accommodate all ticketholders."

Resident Advisor forums
"Minimoo has not apologized or posted any new information on their website, and that screams of 'we shit the bed on this and don't know what to do, but at least we have your asshole's money!' It's not very fucking hard to figure out the firecode-reason given for police presence-of a venue you're considering for an event."

Minitek Update: Saturday Night Success

photo by Eddie Birk

For some of us, last night made up for being left out of the Penn Plaza Pavillion on Friday, and the late start to Saturday's events. Minitek by Night was rescheduled at Studio B, and arriving around midnight, there wasn't much chaos on the outside. At one point, the pre-bought ticket holders and guestlist folk were pushed aside, allowing only cash up-front paying customers to enter quickly. No one knew where the order had come from, but it almost seemed like it was an independent decision by the venue and its bouncers. This is highly unlikely, but considering how it was put together at the time, you could simply say "Yes, I'll pay $40," move up front and through the entrance, and then head right instead of left (cash window) to the will call table. For the next hour, things were difficult to decipher as everyone seemed to be settling in.


Magda at Studio B

2am, the music stopped for about two minutes. Some of us quickly debated leaving, and that's exactly when Magda came on deck. The immediate feedback was an explosive frenzy. Around 4am, Format:B quickly moved into their set, taking the night all the way to its 6am end as the sun started rising. It was during these four hours that the magic of Minitek happened, and sharing the dance floor with Mark Ingram and Patrick Barry, it's safe to say that we never left the dance floor. To what it seems, Pan-Pot never made it on, but they were standing in the booth behind Format:B. Unless the party restarted after the music shut down, the applaud ceased, and the house lights went on, we definitely missed it.


End of the night applause!

The night, in our eyes, turned into a success. Up in the lounge area, people were friendly and interactive, and many felt that everyone was there with a desire to see Minitek take over the night. Now 8pm on Sunday, Audion should be taking the stage at this very moment, and being the one act left that was high on the list, it's sad to say that I've already clocked out for this weekend. Presumably, those who attended and those who organized Minitek have much to think about and take home. All we can hope is that they decide to set this up again next year, and take it above and beyond its launch. Many kudos to those that invested so much time and money into making this happen!

Back to the office...

*9.25.08 11pm Note: Turns out the post-Magda set was Pan-Pot, and Format:B were moved to Club Europa. Apparently the night was split in two between Studio B and Club Europa. Excellent. If that is true, considering Studio B was the only advertised venue...well, that is just shite.

Festival Site: Minitek

Minitek Mini-Update: Magda!

Magda @ DC10 July 2007

This just in, for anyone watching the Btown blog for their information - Magda canceled her 10pm slot at the Minitek by Day event and is rescheduled for Studio B tonight!

MySpace: Magda

What time, I am unsure, but this is great news.

Keep in mind that over 3,000+ tickets were sold, and the capacity of Studio B is 500...I certainly will.

Cheers,
Vicki

Minitek Update: Mid-Fest Odds & Ends

Minitek Day @ Coney Island . Saturday, 2:30pm

Stopping by Minitek Day on Coney Island, the entry into the area was slow, but the bouncers were much friendlier than last night. Understandable, as no one seemed to have any authority breathing down their necks. I have to admit, being under the impression that much of the staff is being outsourced, everyone I've approached with a question - whether or not they could provide and answer - has been very courteous.

The music was great, and for those that wanted to catch Derek Plaslaiko's set, he was on and off - rotating with the other DJs. While there, I caught up with a local Bostonian about Rebel's post-Pavillion shutdown. Apparently Marco Carola and Paco Osuna - who were slated for the last two slots on last night's bill - showed up at Rebel and went head for head from, roughly, 4am and 8am. "Those two...together...it's the best booking out there," he said.


photo by Chris Carella

Tonight's festivities have been rumored to be moved to Rebel, and then Webster Hall, but as of now there's a confirmed establishment for Minitek Night to Studio B. An excellent choice! Minitek's intentions will most likely be a solid reality tonight. After a food coma following by a nap and strong cup of Greek coffee, it's time to head off the island (Long Island, that is), and head back to the madness. See you there!


MySpace: Marco Carola
MySpace: Paco Osuna
Festival Site: Minitek

Minitek Update: Friday Night's Shutdown & Saturday Morning's Optimism

Photo by Phillip Scholz

Our experiences at Minitek last night were much like others. Since the event was happening from 10pm to 8am, we arrived at 2am to the Penn Plaza Pavillion hotel to find 300+ people in line, wrapping around the corner down 33rd street. At the entrance, the VIP line was anything but single file; a cluster of up to 100 people calling, texting, and looking around for friends that had more information on what was going on. Bouncers were angry, no one was moving, and the rumor most overheard was that for a 3,000 capacity venue, they had a certificate for only 300. No way. The minds behind Minitek are much smarter than that, and the other scuttlebutt on the street was that the hotel simply decided to shut it down.

So far, there's an incredible amount of concern for the coordinators of the festival and those who spent money beyond their ticket to attend. According to Red Beatle most of the crowd regrouped at Rebel night club (on 30th between 7th & 8th), and it lived on with as much success as could be gathered.

We ran into Will Lynch & Sarah Joy Murray on the street - friends of Basstown who've played opening slots in the last year (Lynch will also be opening for Shed @ Make It New on September 25th) - but Bostonians instinctively fled to Bunker by 3am, catching the last hour of Derek Plaslaiko's set. Mark Ingram, Sergio Santos, Jason Bosserman...the list goes on. Even Teh Choyce (!), who headlined the East Coast Boast residency at Basstown in January, was present and wasted. The music was great, but all we could talk about is hoping that the Minitek folk get things sorted out. Personally, I'm sure they will, and no matter what happens this weekend will go down, positively, in the history of attempt to unite lovers of electronic music in America. We're looking forward to the next three installments, ready to dance!

Blog: The Red Beatle - The Night That Was “Minitek”
Blog: Jaskim.com - MINITEK 1ST NIGHT, OVERCAPACITY CROWD AT PENN PLAZA TURNED AWAY AT THE DOOR, WILL SHUT DOWN AT 3:30AM
Festival Site: Minitek

Minitek : The Magic Begins Tonight

Ready to shut down the office computer for the last time this week, the next destination is MINITEK. Join Vicki on her sail around the techno universe all the way from midtown Manhattan to Coney Island. In two words, this is going to be fucking. epic.

Here are some of the art installations that are happening, to entice those in the East Coast area to spend their last minute cash on this event. It's the first of what we all expect to be many more - a legend in the making, and a dream come true.

Festival: Minitek

Alright. This is sounding exaggerated. It's not, but goddamn, read on...

DAITO MANABE - Tokyo, JAPAN

wiimote DJ and RFID light sequencer
Redefining existing media and technologies from unique angles, Daito has been active in various fields, such as art, design, and even research and development. He produces the output of sounds, images, and light through analyzing and transforming the numerical values gained from various sensors and input devices. He will perform at the festival as an innovative musician with a Wiimote DJ performance and also as a groundbreaking RFID artist. The aisle to lead people to the hall are veiled with the lights and sounds and will look like an aurora— this is a fantastic view that technologies create. The color card placed on the table decides the color of the aisle. You can also combine more than one color card. For example, if you place a red card and a blue card on the table, the resulting color would be purple. When the cards are placed on the table the aisle color changes immediately. Also, the sounds change with the light changes. The use of RFID in the installation is groundbreaking and a sight to see. It will also illuminate the path to the night venue’s dancefloor.


OWEN WALLIS + JORDAN HOCHENBAUM - Los Angeles, US

Roots
“Roots” is an interactive and multi-touch interface, where multiple people can collaborate in making music in a dynamic & visually responsive environment. When a user presses their finger on the tables surface, a vine-like structure will branch out and generatively maneuver around the surface, actively triggering sounds and loops. Harnessing “multi-touch” technology, a single user, or multiple people can very quickly create dense and lush generatively evolving sound collages and compositions, simply by pressing their fingers anywhere on the tables surface.


DILO - Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA

Percussa Audiocubes – Live performances
Imagine beautifully designed cubes made of white plastic, with built-in full colour lighting and powerful wireless computer technology, capable of sensing your hands and cube placement and orientation. These are the Percussa AudioCubes, which let you create sound and music with your computer in hands-on and powerful ways. The cubes let you explore, discover and enjoy, without the usual complexity that comes with music technology. Through their MIDI capabilities, AudioCubes work with music software such as Ableton Live and Propellerheads Reason.


SENSEable - Boston, US

City Lab (MIT)
New York Talk Exchange (NYTE) illustrates the global exchange of information in real time by visualizing volumes of long distance telephone and IP (Internet Protocol) data flowing between New York and cities around the world. To reveal the relationships that New Yorkers have with the rest of the world, New York Talk Exchange asks: How does the city of New York connect to other cities? With which cities does New York have the strongest ties and how do these relationships shift with time? How does the rest of the world reach into the neighborhoods of New York?


JAMES PATTEN - New York, US

Audio Pad
Audiopad is a composition and performance instrument for electronic music, which tracks the positions of objects on a tabletop surface and converts their motion into music. One can pull sounds from a giant set of samples, juxtapose archived recordings against warm synthetic melodies, cut between drum loops to create new beats, and apply digital processing all at the same time on the same table. Audiopad not only allows for spontaneous reinterpretation of musical compositions, but also creates a visual and tactile dialogue between itself, the performer, and the audience.


MARIUS WATZ - Oslo, NORWAY

Visual processing
Marius Watz is an artist concerned with generative systems for creating visual form, still, animated or realtime. His signature is a brand of visual hedonism, marked by colourful organic shapes and a maximalist attitude. Most of his works deal with drawing machines implemented in software, live visuals for music or large-scale projections of plastic visual systems. Watz just moved from Berlin to New York. His tools of choice are Java, Processing, VVVV and Flash.


BURAK ARIKAN - Istanbul, Turkey

Visual processing
Burak Arikan is an artist and researcher who is based in New York and Istanbul. At the festival, Burak will perform pieces from the Meta-Control project. It will include the new versions of existing pieces and three new softwares. Meta- Control is a collection of visual/ kinetic performative artifacts. It contains visual software pieces that are often designed to expose their own control mechanisms. Meta-Control is a project started by Burak Arikan and Ali Demirel, and first performed with Richie Hawtin’s music.


PAUL PRUDENCE - London, UK

Visual procesing
Paul is an artist and real-time visual performer working with generative/computational systems, audio responsive visual feedback and processed video. His projects « SonLattice /Talysis » is a real-time audio responsive work and is part of a larger group of works exploring software simulated video feedback .It is made using the video synthesis toolkit VVVV. In mythology the process could be identified in the form of Ouroborous, the snake who eats his own tale, a symbol of self-perpetuating loops and a symbol as ‘output as input’.


DEVAN SIMUNOVICH + NIKA OFFENBAC - New York, US

Video Installation
Devan Simunovich and Nika Offenbac founded CTRL in 2004 as a vehicle to create films, experimental multimedia projects and installations. They will present you two installations from their "Extended Room" series. ”Speak My Language” invites attendees to experience an ultrasensory environment to re-imagine how we interact with urban modes of sign communication. “Volume” is an illusionary extension of a physical architectural space.


NORMAN FAIRBANKS - Berlin, GERMANY

Tenori-on performance
Audio conceptualist Norman Fairbanks has always remained at the cutting edge of music production, so when he first heard about Tenori-on back in 2005 he felt compelled to investigate the myriad possibilities of this hybrid instrument. His audio concept “7 Days Microsleep” is deemed to be the first album solely made with a Tenori-On. Fairbanks’ 90 minutes live set at Minitek will be an eclectic sonic trip combining a Tenori-On performance with electronic sounds created by custom-made machines, including a rather unconventional black robot...


ALBERT HWANG - New York, US

wiremap
Albert Hwang will show the Wiremap, an innovative projection technique that builds a real and interactive 3d image by manipulating light from a projector. The projector throws its beam on an array of vertical wires. From the projectors single-point perspective, all the wires are evenly spaced from one another. However, due to the randomized dimension of depth, from any other perspective, the wires create a 3d map of cyberspace. The result is a floating, glowing 3D object made entirely of light. This object will move around, change in color or size ac- cording to keyboard and mouse input.

Klik Records : Athens, Greece

Good call by David Day (surprise, surprise) on noting Athens, Greece based label Klik Records. Launched in 2003, it's home to many Greek artists, but also includes others from around Europe. It's very gorgeous, much in a way that Basstown particularly loves the more gentle tracks from Kompakt artists. More information is on their site, and if you're looking for an unexploited label to love that continues to grow, be sure to subscribe your ears to this collective.

Basstown <3's Greeks

MySpace: Klik Records

SIS Answers The SOS

According to Make It New resident Baldur, Ricardo Villalobos has been playing this track by SIS all summer, but finally released it on vinyl. This past Thursday, "Trumpeta" made its premiere at Make It New, and it completely blew us away. At first listen, I thought it might be an Italoboyz track because of their deliverance of variety with opera (Viktor Casanova) and jazz (Bahia), but it is, in fact, the German producer SIS. The tune is highly sought after, but Baldur was able to acquire a 12" and let us indulge in all of its glory. Now, it's your turn.

Audible: SIS - Trumpeta
MySpace: SIS

September 17th : Glitch Mob Heads To Bassic

Wednesday, September 17th
Bassic Presents
GLITCH MOB
w/ C-Dubz &
Professor Pious
The Good Life
10pm / 21+ / $5

The four man crew known as the Glitch Mob have been shattering sound systems and breaking down musical boundaries for well over 2 years now, and it is with great pleasure that Boston gets to have a taste. Edward Ma aka “edIT” of The Glitch Mob touches down in Boston for a very special night of beats, breaks, and bass.

A quick history lesson on edIT: This “Con Artist” is a Massachusetts native and former Konkrete Jungle L.A. (now defunct) resident DJ. As a Konkrete L.A. resident he shared the stage with Hive, Daddy Kev, James Tai & Mic Rockers Busdriver, P.E.A.C.E. and Mikah 9. In 2004 he dropped his debut solo album Crying Over Pros For No Reason, which was released on Planet Mu records. From there he went on to remix and mash tunes geared more towards the dance floor. His popularity began to soar and before he knew it URB magazine was telling people to keep their eyes peeled for this up and coming artist in 2006. His next major release, Certified Air Raid Material, was focused more on his personal production and showcasing his creative skill behind the buttons. The highly anticipated four-year album in the making will be dropping some time this year on Alpha Pup Records.

edIT always brings his ‘A’ game to the decks, laptop, or whatever he uses to create, manipulate, and destroy beats. “The way you bring [the music] live is what matters," Ma stated in his interview with XLR8R magazine. "The whole purpose of why we’re doing this is that we’re basically out there writing music to wow ourselves and wow other people. So the connection with the audience is huge for us.”


Audible: Exclusive Glitch Mob podcast on XLR8R
MySpace: Glitch Mob
MySpace: Soundbox Presents: Bassic

K.atou : First ever Boston appearance, tonight @ Midweek Techno

Tonight, the Athens-born goddess K.atou will be a special guest at Midweek Techno. Calm and collected, her beats are pristine and with the strong feminine touch that is often revered in skilled European females. Soul Clap first saw K.atou outside on the terrace at the Resolut party at Detroit Techno Fest back in May. "She was playing some of the dopest classic house and future techno beats we heard the whole weekend," says Eli. "So we're super psyched to have her coming all the way from Athens via Berlin for her first Boston appearance ever at MIDWEEK TECHNO at Pheonix Landing!"

K.atou started collecting electronic music oriented records at the age of 17, djing at the age of 18, when she played as a guest dj at one of the biggest and most upfront clubs in athens(her home town) Bossa Nostra. Then back to Corfu she continued with frequent parties and a radio show every weekend at Life radio, as well as a series of parties named "Elektro Soundz..". The sessions lasted a year, till she moved to UK due to a university scholarship. London filled her flycase with new sounds and a further view on the dance scene and gave her great feedback on the way back. As soon as she got back she got frequent gigs at cafeina(athens) and later at astron bar (athens-psiri), and monthly night as an after hours party at almodobar,gazi .In UK it seems she found one of the most inspiring friends and formed a team Les Rythmes Minimales along with DJ Fanny G promoting the minimal sound around Greece. Winter 2005 found K.atou (aka katie_m) with another collaboration along with Zero:One (I<3Aki, Minimal London) & Bonzo creating a team called .:MinimalAthens:. Spreading the vibes of minimalism around Athens in several venues..(minimalathens.gr).

In the meantime she performed in different venues in Athen such as: Danza, Factory, Wunderbar, Cafeina, Vanilla, Lithos (Rhodes), Patra, as well as famous Synch festival of contemporary electronic arts on the Red Bull Home Groove stage. In 2006 the NY label Goosehound assigned her as "foreign diplomat". After a trip in US and CAN for music meditating, as she likes to claim, started working on production. First collaboration with Nutown Project found its roof at the respected Berlin based Einmaleins Musik label. She has performed at Animo3 festival Madrid, Macarena club Barcelona, Opera club Cluj, Heat club Oreada, and become as well a member of the London Multivitamins nights family and 2007 will find her between Germany, Belgium, UK, USA, Japan, and many other destinations. K.atou changed her base during 2006 from Athens to London.

P.S. Vicki is particularly thrilled about this because she is Greek and knows absolutely no Greek and female DJs. *faints*


MySpace: K.atou
Facebook: event page

DJ SEGA Returns To Basstown!

This September, Basstown's residency returns with a punch! DJ Sega will be headlining - returning after a triumphant opening set for Diplo back in February. Check the Facebook page for all details. Fliers, Going.com links, and much much more to come!

Down below, we have his set from that gig to get you ready and pumped.

Audible: DJ Sega - Live Set @ Great Scott, 02.24.08
Facebook Event: here
MySpace: DJ Sega

By for now, America

Music sends the message when words fail



2 Unlimited - Do What's Good For Me 1996 (zShare)

Livin' Joy - Don't Stop Moving 1996 (zShare)

My Mind's My Kingdom

I have to tell a quick story about Kingdom. Baltimoroder and I were asked to play the ICA and I was there setting up some gear and playing some music to warm myself up, so I decide to play a Kingdom remix [Keyshia Cole - Let it Go (Kingdom's 909 remix) specifically] and who walks not 2 minutes later but Kingdom! Kingdom is from Brooklyn so needless to say it was a surprise to see him at the museum. But I love moments like that, and I think it brought a smile to both of our faces.

Kingdom is doing a twofer with some of the Basstown crew this Friday and Saturday. As a bit of a warm up he will be playing his unique brand of Baltimore club, heartfelt 90s jams and Bassline straight off the CDJs at Solid! with me (sorry ladies Baltimoroder can't make it to this one). Solid! is at Zuzu and starts at 11pm.

Saturday of course he will be at Basstown with the whole line up seen above.

Here are some remixes and edits you can check out:

Rashad - Tell Em What They Wanna Hear (Kingdom Remix)
CLUB VORTEX MIX MAY 2008 (mixed by KINGDOM)
Krezy Ryan - Get Up (Kingdom extended Remix)
Ben Hill Squad / James Nasty (Kingdom extended remix)
Lil Wayne - Lollipop (Kingdom Remix)
Kingdom - A Milli(freestyle) <--- This is Fire
Kingdom - Mind Reader ft. Shyvonne (Bang Riddim) vocal dub (snippet - 160kbps)


Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/kkingdomm
Website: http://kkingdomm.com/

Basstown + Cornerstone collab on a wine tasting series

Tonight, Volvox, Die Young, and Baltimoroder will kick off the four-day Black Swan Presents: It's Pop It's Art series at the Samson Project (450 Harrison Avenue in the South End).

There will be complimentary adult beverages, as well as excellent art on display. Starting at 7 and ending at 10, be sure to RSVP and we'll see you there!



*click image to RSVP*