Have to start these reviews somewhere so why not start with Friday? After (somewhat) recovering from a very, very busy 3 days of nonstop dancing, I am finally able to clear my head and recall what the hell happened during this marathon of a weekend. As most people did on Friday, our schedule brought us to the Fool's Gold tent for the majority of the day with stops off at Netsky, Reboot, and Luciano throughout.
Treasure Fingers
Treasure Fingers started out the day for us playing his usual mix of nu disco fire and chiller electronic tracks. It was a perfect way to start the day as everyone's feet needed a little bit of a warm up for what was about to ensue. One of the best tracks that we did not suspect him to play was by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, who we recently saw at LPR, called Tapes & Money.
I think I'm the only writer that failed to do a post about my top picks leading up to Electric Zoo, so I guess I'll try to make up for it a bit by telling you who my favorites were from the weekend. If you read this post, you can probably guess who my number 1 is...
Way back at last year's Identity Festival, one of the most underrated acts there (and one of my personal favorites) had to have been Booka Shade. They do not grace the US with their presence all that frequently as they are touring all over the globe so you have to take what you can get in the form of studio releases normally.
Last week, Booka Shade released their Honeyslave EP and in typical Booka Shade fashion it did not disappoint. Although only 4 tracks long with 2 being club mixes of the original songs Honeyslave and Tomorrow Belongs to Us it certainly makes for a great listen. I especially enjoyed the club mix of Tomorrow Belongs to Us as the groove slowly builds throughout and brings in the semi-robotic vocals in a more atmospheric form later. The original of that same song is just as good but obviously is more chill and I tend to prefer the more danceable versions of most songs. Check out the EP in it's entirety below thanks to Dimmak Records via YouTube and make sure to purchase it via Beatport if you like what you hear.
We split up this post based on which writer knew each artist the best, so enjoy. Also, right up front we'd like to give serious props to Made Event for another incredibly smoothly run event. There's no doubt you guys are one of the best in the business.
Pleasurekraft
Oh Pleasurekraft, I have been waiting to see you for years now and FINALLY was able to catch you guys (at least 1 of the 2). I was running on about 3 hours of drunken sleep when I got there but I made myself go and it was so worth it despite almost falling asleep on the boat over. Needless to say, once I stepped foot off that ferry that thumping bass immediately woke me up especially when I heard the unmistakable carny/circus-like sounds of Pleasurekraft starting up.
If I do recall correctly, the first Pleasurekraft jam I recognized was one of their newer songs, Murdered Out featuring Belocca. This was only a brief sampling of their own collection to start, as the tech house vibes continued to groove further along into the night picking from songs other than their own to ease everyone in.
Pleasurekraft - Satyr Song (Original Mix) at Gov's Island
Another highlight from this streak of songs was the fact that the sample for Skeleton Key was revealed although I still have been unable to find it myself. Everyone thought the vibe was being switched to Trap randomly when in actuality you could hear the "I'm bigger than that" sample in all its true, higher pitched glory. This obviously was then picked up right into Skeleton Key for a full helping of their newest release with Green Velvet.
All in all, Pleasurekraft did the best of the night for me and I would love to see them again. Sadly, I could not muster enough energy for the up-close and personal after party at LPR as my body hated from the damage I had done to it in the days prior. Rumor has it that they could be returning to NYC with Green Velvet later in the Fall so keep your ears at the ready for that, I know I will. I just can't get enough of that ol' apple pie melody.
Ps. If anyone can ID the song that had a sample along the lines of "You always sayin' how tough work was today, well guess what? You ain't at work. DANCE", I will love you forever and ever.
Crazy P is an electronic group from the UK that have been around for quite sometime (formed in 1995). They normally produce deep house, disco, and house style tracks which are as chill as ever. And no, the title of this post is not a joke (ok it kind of is). Their name was technically Crazy Penis but was officially shortened for obvious reasons in 2008.
I believe this show was just recently announced (or maybe I just overlooked it) but I personally cannot wait for this. Sure, it's after a 3 day binge of every sub-genre of electronic music (Sunday night of EZoo 9/2) so exhaustion could be a concern but I will be making every effort to attend this solely for Crazy P. Unlike many shows in the electronic scene, this will be live with their full band of 5 people and if you haven't heard their live album, When We Live, I highly recommend checking it out for a little sneak preview. If you cannot find that live recording/album (I believe it's a rarity) then feel free to preview some of my favorite tracks from them below or their newest studio album When We On.
Tickets are on sale now via Resident Advisor for the show at Highline Ballroom and are only $25 which is a steal. They have a very chill disco/house vibe to them so even if you are too tired after EZoo I recommend you check them out. They will be accompanied by dOP and Safeword at Highline Ballroom. Special thanks to Verboten for getting them to come to NYC and like I said before, look for my favorite tracks of theirs below.
This EP was released on the earth-shaking Visionquest Label (Seth Troxler, Lee Curtiss, Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves) a week or two ago. I think it's a phenomenal EP because it consists of three drastically different songs all equally infectious for their own reasons.
Kicking off the EP is Lauren Lane's "Lazer Eyes" featuring Jaw. The only thing I really have to say about this one is if it doesn't make you want to dance, you're probably a total douchebag that hates fun. Sooooooo funky, incredibly catchy. From the lyrics and vocals, to the funky bassline, to the heavily reverbed-out snare, this is a big track that defines the recent quasi-renaissance of 80's dance music.
Next comes "Alice" by Qbeck with Julia Govor on the vocals. The bass hook on this track is the first thing that stands out for me...I can't get enough of it. Add in Julia's smooth, soothing vocals and you have a fantastic track.
The EP wraps up with "All Over All Kinds" by Clarian. This is the slowest of the bunch (115 bpm), and the thing that stands out most for me is that atmospheric high synth line that's slightly held back for most of the journey. Then, with maybe 2 minutes to spare, the bass and low synth lines begin a crescendo, ultimately peaking in the full return of the high synth line. Well done.
Before I go on any rant about how the event was organized and whatnot, I will say (and later review) that I went to Pacha afterwards to catch Prydz and had a great time because you simply cannot go wrong with Prydz. However, the Pacha venue proved to be disappointing for many, as usual. Luckily, it seems that they have issued full refunds through their ticket provider, clubtickets.com, for this event or free tickets for Thomas Gold at Pacha on August 11th. All you have to do is email helpdesk@clubtickets.com. I only recently did this and have not heard back yet (UPDATE: You can get tickets or a full refund, either one works and clubtickets is VERY quick and professional about it all) and I would recommend including your confirmation number and event name in your email to expedite the process. Anyway, on to the rant/review.
To start, I got to Beekman at around 11:30PM and was greeted by a massive line to get inside. I imagine this was largely due to Identity ending but I still had never seen the line there stretch so far back. For Maya Jane Coles and Maceo Plex at Beekman, the line was practically nonexistent and there was a very solid crowd there. Granted, the Maya Jane Coles crowd was not oversold like this was.
Eventually, everyone made it into the venue despite the crowd and got to enjoy the legend that is Prydz. Only problem was that this fun lasted for about 30 minutes tops. The question everyone is wondering is how on earth does something like this happen? Well, in all honestly, I am about as baffled as everyone else out there. If they had bothered to look into ANY of the past events at Beekman (Maya Jane Coles/Maceo Plex, Art Department, Knife Party) they would have known that the sound had to be reduced at all of these events and some even shut down for a little while. This was with the venue being much less packed too. Oh, and I almost didn't touch on the bathroom situation which was the worst I've seen anywhere but whatever, all I know is that entire boardwalk was covered in piss (including the mall).
After being completely shut down, they decided to try and salvage what was left of the night by moving the party to Pacha, where Madeon was already playing. I'm fairly certain every single person at Beekman groaned in unison upon hearing this announcement as everyone thought it would be much more packed than Beekman was. Some went, some did not, my friends and I went to the nearest Duane Reade to regain our buzz (great decision might I add) and then proceeded to Sullivan Room for Justin Martin. Some of us actually went in but the majority of us ended up sucking it up and moving on to Pacha rather than coughing up more cash.
A couple of us ended up at the Sullivan Room both nights this weekend after Pacha royally fucked up the Prydz show on Saturday night. Criminal Sound brought in Guy J (Bedrock Records) on Friday, and Zombie Disco Squad and Justin Martin (Dirtybird) were recruited by Verboten for the party Saturday.
Guy J
I've never seen Guy J before and was not sure what to expect. The Israeli producer and DJ has been on the scene for quite a while now and has no shortage of amazing singles and full-lengths released on John Digweed's Bedrock Records. His tracks can be quite ambient at points, drawing influences of techno and electronica. Definitely a deeper, darker sound, but always melodic and soulful at the same time. The Sullivan Room's Core Audio sound system brought out the best in these tracks too. Sidenote: he uses Ableton to mix! So do I! Maybe we can be best friends?
One of my favorites:
Guy J's take on "Pushin Too Hard" by Saints and Sinners:
Finally! Some news about Jack Beats' new album. Anyone who follows them knows how much they have been in the studio as of late. Today they released a 30 minute mixtape of some of their new material and let me just say it's magnificent. They have said they are going to release two mini albums rather than one big one as it "works better with their style of music". The first album, Careless, will be released via OWSLA on Beatport August 7th. From what this mixtape has to offer, I do not think anyone will be disappointed with what they have come up with (can you really go wrong with that signature wobbly Jack Beats sound?). In addition, if Niall & Beni are ever around your area (they'll be at EZoo) then I strongly recommend you check them out. Seen them three times now and they always throw a hell of a show.
Tracklist:
1. Jack Beats: Intro
2. Jack Beats: Careless ft. Takura
3. Beyonce: Countdown (Jack Beats Rework)
4. Duke Dumont: Street Walker
5. Jack Beats: War ft. Example & Diplo
6. Jack Beats: End Of Love (Re-edit)
7. Jack Beats: Fast Girls ft. MNEK (Instrumental)
8. Flux Pavillion: Daydreamer (Jack Beats Remix)
9. Jack Beats: Just a beat (Demo mix)
10. Justin Martin: Ruff Stuff
11. Jack Beats: Hooligans
12. Jack Beats: Make the People
13. Jack Beats: Epidemic ft. Dillon Francis
BONUS: As a little something extra check out Special Features' new original song in full, You and Me. Free D/L via his Facebook page.
Three huge names, all on one island, in downtown New York City, on the same day. I feel like I don't even need to say anything else really but if I must elaborate and convince some of you then continue reading.
Before I begin to explain, if you are into deep house, tech house, techno, and tribal house at all then just do yourself a favor and buy a ticket right now, I guarantee you won't regret it. First off, Danny Tenaglia is a straight legend, especially around New York City. As far as locals go, no one could possibly be bigger than Tenaglia. The man has played everywhere imaginable and truly knows house music as he has been killing it since forever ago. He never plays a set (or transition for that matter) twice, as any quality DJ should. He is the true meaning of what a DJ is, no pre made set where you simply press play, you hear what he wants and feels at that moment. If you missed him at EDC NY or at Pacha this week then I urge you to come even if it is just for him.
Secondly, John Digweed takes more of the progressive house style but has largely been influenced by his close friend Sasha. Sasha recently played an epic boat party that my friend wins1o will write about shortly but let me just say that Digweed is up to par with Sasha so prepare for greatness here as well. He played at EZoo last year and was dominating the main stage (kind of wish he was in the Sunday School tent but whatever). Below I have posted some of his remixes that are in a word, timeless.
Lastly, and most importantly in my opinion, are Pleasurekraft. I have been waiting for them to come to NYC (and begging them to do so) for the past couple years. I missed them at Cielo last year in May and have been awaiting their return ever since. Hopefully, we will get the both of them but I fear this may not be the case. Either way I cannot wait for them, as every single release since Tarantula has been a treat. From Tarantula to Carny to The Main Ingredient to Skeleton Key (released today), every song is spectacular with that signature circus sound that only Pleasurekraft can deliver. Prepare for some of that old apple pie melody to shine through all day and night at Governor's Island.
Tickets can be found here and a couple preview tracks are below after the jump. Prepare yourself for one of the best overall house shows that will ever be in NYC. Do not sleep on this one folks.
It's been awhile since any Big Room House has been posted around here. This is largely due to the fact that we believe the sound is getting to be a little too predictable and stale. However, I do occasionally find a few songs that become guilty pleasures of mine for a brief amount of time and we know there is still a demand out there for some so feel free to indulge in the next few new tunes. Who knows, if you have to work tomorrow after the 'Mercuhhh festivities perhaps this uplifting House music will be exactly what the doctor ordered to get you through the day. I imagine at least 1 or 2 of these will be played at a bar near you very soon too and it never hurts to be prepared.
Coldplay - Fix You (Maayan Rechler & Mantrastic Remix)
Dirty South & Thomas Gold ft. Kate Elsworth - Eyes Wide Open (Project 46 Remix)
Fun - We Are Young (Revolvr Remix) *Free D/L Thru E-Mail*
Florence + The Machine - Spectrum (Calvin Harris Extended Remix)
As I tend to get more and more songs that are released on the Hot Creations label, I find myself enjoying Hot Creations more and more. Then I ask myself, why did I ever doubt Hot Creations for even a split second? The newest release on Hot Creations is simply fantastic in my mind and has a bit more of a funk edge to it than the norm on the label.
This new release from Digitaria is the Masochist EP and although the title track may not be may favorite of the bunch it is still a pleasure to listen to. I would have to say that either You Bring Me Down or Crazy Life are the best due to that thick semi funky synth in both of them that is just too delicious to pass up. Couple that with a more mysterious sounding female vocal and you have a winner in my book. Please sit back and enjoy all of these tunes and of course support Digitaria on Beatport.
According to this article via PrefixMag, we may be seeing a brand new single from EDM's most famous duo very soon. Turns out the album rumors/whispers may be true and I think this goes without saying, but with a new album, a new tour normally follows, which would be tremendous.
I don't know about you all but I'm incredibly pumped for some new Daft Punk. The word is that this new song will be out near the end of next month and is called "Renoma Street". Keep your eyes and ears at the ready as these robots are definitely up to something and it's bound to be delicious.
Yes, you read that correctly. The man, the myth, the legend, Eric Prydz will be gracing NYC not only at Identity Festival but also at Beekman Beach Club at the South Street Seaport. This is by far one of the best (if not THE best) venues in the city and most definitely the best summer venue in the city for house music. If you hadn't heard from my Prydz Epic Radio post, he hardly ever comes to the States. This coupled with the venue makes this more than likely a once in a lifetime show which we HIGHLY recommend.
Prydz will be visiting Beekman Beach Club on Saturday, July 28th and tickets will go on sale on Friday at Noon, although it is not known what website they will be available on exactly (UPDATE: Eric Prydz Beekman tickets can be found HERE) at Noon. Watch the trailer below for this momentous occasion and get yourself pumped up for what could possibly be the show of the year in NYC.
Alright. With Art Department at Beekman Beach Club / SRB looming large, I have to take a moment to give some props to Verboten New York. As one who attends an unnecessarily large quantity of electronic music events, I feel like I have enough authority these days to bash promotion companies when they suck and praise them when they're awesome. Lately I've been doing much more bashing than praising, but that's not the case today. When Verboten throws a party, you can pretty much count on not only fantastic deep house and techno, but also smooth sailing logistically (entrance / bathrooms / bars).
These guys threw a show a few weeks ago featuring Maceo Plex (Crosstown Rebels), Maya Jane Coles (2020 Vision), Audiofly (Get Physical), and Maher Daniel on the decks. The night kicked off at Beekman Beach Club down at the South Street Seaport and then moved to SRB in Brooklyn, and the party didn't stop until well into the next day.
This Friday, the format is the same, and only the cast of characters has changed (buy tickets here!). Most notably, Beekman will feature Art Department (No. 19), Ryan Crosson and Shaun Reeves (Visionquest), and No Reg Play (Wolf+Lamb) and Tone of Arc (No. 19). The afterparty at SRB is simply touted as showcasing "Art Department and friends," so we'll probably see some other No. 19 artists in the mix. Verboten will follow up this one with Oliver Huntemann Saturday, but thats another story...
Toronto-based Art Department consists of Canadians Kenny Glasgow and Johnny White. Kenny is a techno hero and Johnny is quickly rising to fame. Johnny also owns the No. 19 label, which has been on fire with a series of stellar releases this year. The duo only began collaborating around 2009 when Damian Lazarus (Crosstown Rebels owner / the tits) asked them to do a remix, which ended up leading to several releases on the prestigious label. Art Department has a unique style, but I would suggest that their signature sound usually includes deep, driving synth and somewhat haunting vocals.
This one was released on Monday and is done in collaboration with Konrad Black, another Canadian (Vancouver-based) techno veteran. It pumps out serious deep house vibes and is bound to be dropped at afterhours clubs all summer long. I definitely expect to hear it at SRB on friday. Hit the jump below for more of what to expect this Friday.
If Eric Prydz doesn't get you excited then I'm not sure you truly appreciate house music. He has started this monthly radio show that he posts to his SoundCloud and so far, he has not disappointed with the song selection, playing lots of new tracks for the first time. This is a great way to get the week started and to make yourself forget about how another work week is under way.
In case you haven't been keeping up with his tour dates, he is making a big trip over to North America and touring with Identity Festival right about now. It is very rare to see him make the trip over due to the long flight and his fear of flying so this is an absolute must see for me. We can only hope that he will plan an extra day in NYC so we can see him at a more intimate venue than Jones Beach, say Webster Hall, Terminal 5, Cielo, or what have you (preferably not Pacha). Also make sure to check out his newest album out under one of his aliases Pryda, called Eric Prydz Presents Pryda. Enjoy the mix and as usual, track list after the jump.
By now, Madeon is a name familiar to most people in touch with the EDM community. From his chart topping remixes of Raise Your Weapon and The Island to his smash hit Pop Culture Mashup, this young gun is at the forefront of the young wave in electro. This week, he had the opportunity to put together a minimix for Annie Mac over at Radio 1 and what the young man does with 5 minutes is nothing short of extraordinary. He seamlessly samples an astounding 96 songs (!!!) to create what can only be described as Pop Culture on Steroids. The mix covers everyone from the Beatles to Daft Punk to Kanye West. By the looks of it, he hits almost every genre of dance music I can name. Give the mix a listen and be sure to take advantage of the FREE DOWNLOAD while it lasts!
Alright...down to business. I think electronic music is like fine wine in that you have to appreciate its subtleties, its creator(s), and its place of origin to get the full value out of it, and this track proves that point perfectly.
Marco Bailey has been one of my favorite techno guys for a long time now and his work with Tom Hades has been exceptional. And when you put these two on Bedrock Records, boners result. Marco and Tom are both from Belgium, an area clearly influenced by the rise of techno in neighboring Germany/Netherlands. Marco and Tom are both veterans of an energetic techno sound and have worked together on many collaborations since 2000.
"Stars and Shines" is definitely up to par with some of the other tracks that I love from these two, including "Shining" and "Brightness," though arguably with a trancier vibe. Regardless, this track has been sending shivers down my spine for the last couple months. John Digweed close his set with this one in Cordoba Argentina at 8am recently, and you'll instantly be able to see why: this one was meant for sunrise.
Finally, the day has come that Special Features will be gracing NYC with his presence. If you are into more of the Big Room House scene I can guarantee you have heard at least one of his remixes or possibly an original of his in the past few months as he is absolutely blowing up right now.
The man himself (Eden Anderson) is traveling from London to Santos Party House to provide us with some great house tunes along with his signature arpeggiator style for his first headline show ever. I could not tell you where I first heard of Special Features, I think it was either his Feel So Close or Look Into Your Heart Remix that first caught my ear, but I've been on the lookout for any release I can get my hands on ever since. Martin Solveig recently dropped his remix of In My Mind at Terminal 5 and the crowd (myself especially) went crazy for it. I still to this day believe that his Feel So Close remix may be the best remix of the bunch despite being remixed by the best of them.
As I stated before, he will be joining us all in NYC at Santos Party House on Saturday, June 23rd for Electric Beach. Tickets will be about $20 and are available here. Because this is his first headline show (surely not the last), he has promised to let loose a ton of unreleased tracks that surely should not be missed.
I can almost guarantee he'll be hitting the festival circuit hard next year so this is a golden opportunity to see him up close and personal. Make sure to check him out at Santos Party House, his Soundcloud, Facebook, and all the tracks below that are my personal favorites (after the jump).
As we all now know, it seems that the NYC Sensation date will be held in Brooklyn at the new Barclays Center in October. While this is supposedly confirmed information, the actual announcement will be tonight at 8PM. There is a private party for this announcement and we will have all the details from it if there is no public announcement via social media or their website. Stay tuned to this space and we will update everyone as soon as we have any 100% confirmed information tonight.
Update: Tickets will be on sale at sensation.com and ticketmaster.com on June 8th at Noon with two dates for Sensation in NYC (modeled after Innerspace shows), October 26th and 27th. No artists confirmed as of right now, supposedly will be coming in two months.
