I’m disappointed I didn’t catch that boat to Formentera now. Still, that was years ago and listening to Chris Coco’s super easy blend makes the thought of happy day come one step closer. And what better way to celebrate than with a statement of intent as Seu Jorge & Almaz’s version of Everybody Loves the Sunshine feels very suitably breezy. This is of course a first rate selection that seems particularly telling in the June sunshine. At this stage I was going to talk you through the standout tracks but there’s really little point, as they all standout. However the best thing I can recommend is that you buy a copy and switch it on in the sunshine, beside water and drift away…

The second CD is mixed by Pete Gooding and picks up the pace with a more House orientated selection that again starts sublimely with his self-penned opening track, Malibu. The sunshine vibes continue with further of his own compositions alongside those from M.A.N.D.Y. while ending on notably Waifs & Strays electronically charged Remedy. Happy days.

release: July 15

https://www.facebook.com/DJChrisCoco?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/petegoodingofficial?fref=ts

www.facebook.com/seamlessrecordings

www.geckobeachclub.com

Ranacat
Love Is Super Food
Mobilee Records

Argentinean born DJ/Producer, Pablo Ranacat’s first EP for the label is simply spellbinding. Feeling and sounding distinctively unique this inspired collection of notes sees deep, atmospheric keys strung out across soaring string lines and funky percussion while tense voices colour the atmosphere on In Your Face, producing a touch of class. Next, the title track itself adds in a sense of melody via punchy piano and cascading synths, while The Real Milton Flow gets friskier with bouncing chords and invigorating vocal edits. Leaving final track Urself To Me to get tougher with yet more vocal snippets vying for your attention in amongst rich, deep chords and creative percussion.

release: June 10

https://www.facebook.com/ranacat?fref=ts

http://www.mobilee-records.de

Robosonic & Adana Twins
La Fique EP
2DIY4

Dropping right at the perfect moment is this latest production from Robosonic & Adana Twins. Let’s cut straight to the chase, La Fique is so funky it hurts, not least of all because this classic funky disco sample is so refreshingly familiar, but also just because it’s so f***king good! Not a lot goes on apart from some smooth filtering and the odd vocal addition but then this is so infectious it doesn’t matter. Barracuda again plays a classic eighties moment though this time over low-slung beats to sound seasonal and summer. Smiling faces.

release: June 24

Robosonic: www.robosonic.cc/

Adana Twins: www.adanatwins.com/

Nirosta Steel
Some Say
Wilde Calm Records

Steven Hall’s (Arthur Russell produced) solo project from 1985 gets revisited and updated for 2013. But to only add to the intriguing history lesson, legendary disco producer Bob Blank recorded and engineered the project, which has only recently been unearthed. Originally intended to come out on Rough Trade this just shy of three minutes track has Steven’s aka Nirosta Steel sassy vocal build the tension just before the tempo suddenly changes to challenge your preconceptions. The labels’ own Pocketknife version then expands the track letting the funky bass led groove breath over punctuating beats while likewise changing the rhythm on the outro.

release: 21 June

“Edition of 500 copies
7″ black vinyl
Full-colour insert with liner notes by Bob Blank
Hand-stamped and numbered with love”

http://www.wildecalm.com

The post reviews:90 appeared first on magazinesixty.

Djoon is a club space located in eastern Paris and as you can guess from the choice of Dj’s who have contributed the mixes it’s very much, ‘all about the music’. Making a rare appearance on CD is Joe Claussell who actually recorded his mix in a Tokyo hotel room alongside a cast of musical heads providing the atmosphere to accompany this classy, timeless selection of soulfully infused gems. It’s packed full of emotion with his trademark eq’ing and filtering accentuating the rhythm and tension throughout, and provides the sort of organic listening experience that’s not quite so prevalent these days. No point in spoiling it for you by concentrating on the track list but suffice to say that Gregory Porter’s ‘1960 What?’ is in there too! Johannesburg’s Black Coffee then take centre stage with their blend of similarly crafted sounds, which take from me, feel even better when the temperatures raised. The music proceeds to drift through deeper, less percussion fuelled, tracks than Joe Claussell’s but then that only compliments the experience. Again, this is a faultless selection that creates its very own time and space which if you like musicality within the electronic process is pretty much essential listening.

Kings Of Tomorrow feat. April
Fall For You EP
Defected Records

Having already reviewed this classic sounding song from Sandy Rivera for DMC magazine (link below) I don’t really need an excuse to tell how good it is all over again. However, just in case you may have escaped the opportunity then please try the video instead and let the music do the talking!

http://www.dmcworld.net/dj-tv/entry/house/kings-of-tomorrow-featuring-april-fall-for-you-ep-defected-records.html

Killian’s
Feeling Good EP
Cobra Records

Label boos Killian’s delivers what is indisputably a heavy-duty soundtrack for the summer with the percussion frenzy of Feeling Good. Sequencing an irresistibly funky breakbeat together with pulsating electro stabs and classic 90’s styled vocals this relentless production never falls below fever pitch. Remixes come from the excellent Marko Nastic who cleverly drops the tempo and draws other drum elements to the fore alongside a futuristic collection of sounds and effects. Plus, from Edy C who again goes for the jugular with repetitive drums and bass.

http://www.cobra-records.com/

http://www.djkillians.com/

Jerome Sydenham
Bicept EP
Desolat

From someone who needs very little introduction comes this blistering assault on the senses with his latest EP for the renowned Desolat. The title track loops pumping beats and bass with echoed vocals and fiery percussion sounding inescapably commanding. Next, This Door adds more of a musical flair via punchy organ and Latin percussion. However, it’s the final two that really work it for me: With The Bone, re-imagines Pierre styled repetition with an excellent production that sees stabs fire off pounding drums, while The Jockey has him join forces with Quell for the final rendition which again sees relentless stabs and thumping drums feel every bit peak-time!

https://desolatmusicgroup.de

The post reviews:89 appeared first on magazinesixty.

Which records were most important to you before House Music? Who was the biggest influence on you during those times?

DJ wise my heroes were firstly a local DJ in Slough called Alan Sullivan who pioneered Funk and Soul music in the mid 70s – he managed to pull together black and white kids and more importantly lads off the different estates who had before been fighting at Discos into a large community – sometimes we would take 4 coach loads or more to gigs such as Fatback Band or Ohio Players. Once I was old enough to get into the more underground west end funk scene it was def Mark Roman the DJ at Crackers who had THE best dressed and more importantly best dancers in London at his Tuesday nights and Friday lunchtime sessions.. 500 kids bunking off school / college / work to dance in the west end on a Friday lunchtime – imagine that nowadays.

Can you describe the scene in London around 1985/86 as the first House tracks were appearing, where and how you got into the music in light of Rare Groove at that time?

There was many many scenes in London around that time – black warehouse party scene, the black 2 step scene, mixed ‘flare groove’ thing then the trendy west end rare groove scene and the huge suburban London ‘soul” scene that took in jazz , modern soul and rare groove . The first House records such as JM Silk and Raze ‘Jack the groove ‘ were just played alongside Go GO and Funk – no one saw them as anything different just black American music – which was the one factor most DJ’s went by .. Frankie Knuckles had a summer residency at Heaven in 87 and House music was played by most DJ’s but only as part of the soundtrack – not as a separate event. A lot of London DJ’s were playing in NY during that time (Fat Tony was a resident at Nells and Norman Jay had run trips to NY for his crew and had family living in Brooklyn) and had gone to the Garage so lots of that music was also played.

What were the factors in creating Boys Own and how important was the influence of Balearic music to what was happening by the late 80’s on the U.K. club scene?

We were suburban kids who did not have a voice – simple as that. The west end scene was run by a clique as was the suburban ‘soul mafia ‘ and the warehouse scene was either black or posh types.. we had lots to say and nowhere to shout it. Balearic was just Alfredo’s record box .. we were his disciples.

Together with Pete Heller you created some of the biggest records of the 90’s. Which are your favourites?

Stinkin Thinkin the dub of the Mondays record that Junior Vasquez made into his anthem at the Sound Factory. Wild Luv is still played at places like DC10 and I especially love our version of Blaze ‘If you should need a friend ‘ .. it’s better than the original ..

Do you feel House has come full circle since those days as so many new producers are heavily influenced by that sound now?

100% I can play music by Kink at a old school party and most people think it’s some long lost Trax release and go mad – equally I can play a MAW dub to 20 year olds in Dalston and they think its new .. it’s a good place for House to be in – time does not matter only the quality. Saying that the M1 organ sound is as played out now as it was in 1994.

What do you think of the whole re-edit culture? Do you think replaying the past informs the future?

When done very well it can add BUT most of the time its pointless .

Can you tell us about any new productions that have you got in the pipeline?

I have a track out alongside Stretch Silvester on DJ Pierre’s label called ‘Cold Rockin’ – DJP has done a great 90s Wild Pitch mix that we are excited about.
I have been working with Leo Elstob (Leo Zero ) on 4 vocal tracks that are just about finished – all from scratch. Robert Owens, Sean from Hercules and Love Affair, Victoria who has worked with Murk and London club legend Waterson .. I believe Leo wants to release them all on vinyl only … keeping the faith.

Where can people hear you play this summer?

Garden fest in Croatia, Ibiza on June 16, Far festival in July .. loads. I also do a non House monthly free Friday at the Half Moon pub in Herne Hill – we had Jerry Dammers guesting last week .. its amazing and free.

Three records you couldn’t live without?

That would change by the hour .. this moment in time ..

MURK – BE MINE

GAPPY RANKS – SCHOOL DAYS

JACKIE MOORE – THIS TIME BABY (Tom Moulton mix)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Terry-Farley/169664479759558?fref=ts

Out soon. Acid Rain: Definitive Chicago Acid House (Complied By Terry Farley)

(Harmless Records)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Acid-Rain-Definitive-Chicago-House/dp/B00AR1VTYI/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1367245969&sr=1-1&keywords=acid+rain

The post Terry Farley Q&A appeared first on magazinesixty.

This hot blast of super psychedelic funk has just about everything going for it, not least of because it was the last thing I expected to hear today in amongst all the tedium. Witches blends – if that’s the correct word – crazed Adrian Below styled guitar together with Talking Heads/ Eno infused rhythms that are perhaps best sample in a darkened room, but which are sheer delight none the less. For those inclined to a Balearic deposition this will have you weak at the knees/ foaming at the mouth. Stringray then compliments the insanity with a brooding slow-burn jam pitching atmospheric guitar against shuffling drum brushes, and let’s put it this way the album sounds like it should be an absolute gem.

release: June 24

https://www.facebook.com/RougeMecanique?fref=ts

http://aureliapaumelle.com

Davina
9 Weeks
Hot Trax

Davina’s sizzling production for Hot Trax sees sassy percussion fuse alongside addictive organ stabs and thumping kicks drums to immediately demand that the volume is turned up. Love the uncomplicated yet thoroughly invigorating way the production envelops you in rhythm as vocal snippets tease out some soul on 9 Weeks. Second track, Moskitoes Cries cleverly delivers tough, wobbly bass, infectious voice edits and inspired guitar stabs that lend it all a distinctively original flavour that you just know is going to sound huge at around 3am.

release: June 24

sound clips: http://aboveboarddist.co.uk/hottrax/HXT003

https://www.facebook.com/massivemusic

Just Be
Don’t Make Me Wait For You feat. Jesse Monroe
Crosstown Rebels

You could play this Sandee referencing bassline all night long and not get bored of it, however this latest production from Just Be transcends beyond pale imitation. This is in fact a beautifully atmospheric piece of music as Don’t Make Me Wait For You combines sensuous synths alongside classic drum touches, with Jesse Monroe’s emotive vocal proving to be the icing on the cake. The Dub version then explores all of those instrumental possibilities to the full, leaving the Subb-an 5am Remix to re-imagine the bassline while tripping out the vocals across the light fantastic. Another first rate release from Crosstown Rebels.

release: June 17

https://www.facebook.com/justbeofficial

https://www.facebook.com/subbanmusic?ref=mf

Nikola Baytala
Nikola Baytala EP
Pets Recordings

Next excellent release this week is from San Francisco’s Nikola Baytala whose self titled EP is nothing short of mesmerising. Setting the scene is Zero $ and its neat blend of hypnotic Techno elements that never stray too far from being totally captivating and soulful. In a sense it’s more about the atmosphere created than individual beats or basslines, because as a whole this tension inducing arrangement feels near perfect.  Catz ‘N Dogz then proceed with a great remix that picks up the pace hitting you with heavy bass on another typically effective number. Cityz Angels, is next and is likewise an intriguing succession of musical ideas from Nikola Baytala taking cues from classic Disco and House while giving it all a curious twist. MT’s Pillow Talk remix ends on first rate terms developing the ambience of the track even further while retaining that timely guitar lick.

release: June 10

sound clips: http://www.deejay.de/m_House/Nikolai_Baytala_Ep_Rmx_By_Cat__125263

https://www.facebook.com/djnikolabaytala

http://www.pets-recordings.com

https://www.facebook.com/catzndogz.official

The post reviews:88 appeared first on magazinesixty.

Can you tell us a little about your background and how you first got into Dance music, the clubs you used to frequent, and which Dj’s initially inspired you?

I often thank my Mum for putting me on the road to becoming a dj as she was a proper music lover with an ever growing record collection and was more prone to putting on a good album for entertainment over plonking me in front of the box as a kid. The soundtrack in our house covered everything from Blondie to the Beatles, the Beach Boys and Stevie Wonder and it was wasn’t long before I was trained up to put on the precious black stuff myself. I even remember when my Mum’s taste started getting more electronic and albums from the Pet Shop Boys, Kraftwerk & Depeche Mode started to appear in her vinyl.

As a kid growing up in Belfast through the eighties the whole Breakdance scene was in full effect and I watched the Beat Street movie on repeat and was blown away by the soundtrack which basically started a life long love affair with 80’s electro music. I promptly started collecting the Street Sounds and Electro compilations with any pocket money from week to week, I couldn’t have been any older than 9 or 10 at that point.

Fast forward to high school and a girlfriend had a brother who was a DJ in Belfast around the time the whole acid house scene was forming and I used to ask her to let me hear his promos at her Mum & Dads house when he went out. I clearly remember him getting sent A Homeboy, A Hippie & A Funky Dread “Total Confusion” and loved it and early Rising High Collective & R&S releases. Soon tales of raves in the city centre put on by a group of hairdressers and their mates had myself and some school friends straight down hassling the guys for tunes and mix tapes in a make shift record store that had been set up in an area of Star Hairdressing where they practiced their djing in between clients. One of these guys happened to be a young David Holmes.

We were way too young to go to the parties at first so we just collected the flyers and a friend and I made do with Dj’ing at school discos and practicing on the decks at the youth club with the 12’s we’d bought in Makin’ Tracks & the Gramophone Shop until we at least looked old enough to hit clubs in Belfast. Tokyo Joes provided my first proper club experience and Glen Molloy was a mind blowing resident, he really made an impression on me with the way he mixed and moved through genres. From then, there were trips to Kelly’s in Portrush before eventually regularly attending most of the Art College events in Belfast. A group of friends and I really fell in love with the music and vibe in there, mostly down to Holmer and McCready’s fantastic Sugar Sweet events and the amazing soundtracks that we were lucky enough to get educated on. Getting to see people like Slam, Weatherall, Christian Vogel and more,  alongside these fantastic local guys is something I’ll never forget. We were lucky enough to get asked to play ourselves a few times before the demise of the Art College events, which meant the most logical thing was to start putting on some nights of our own.

Your label Extended Play (co-founded with JMX) is going from strength to strength having recently celebrated the 30th release. How would you best describe its sound and what do you look for in signing a track?

I guess it’s safe to say it’s a straight up house label but that could mean deep, acid or peak time vibes as John and I both have varying individual tastes but also meet somewhere in the middle, which means the releases can have a classic house feel or slightly darker electronic edge. Only rule is a track has to get both thumbs up or it simply can’t go out. We both love early Chicago house as well as people who push things forward, so hard to say exactly what we look for in a track but something fresh sounding but retaining elements of the origins of house or techno is most likely to grab out attention.

Can you describe the process involved in producing a track (perhaps something you are currently working on), tell us about the studio you work from and what your favourite things are in it?

My home studio these days is a pretty modest affair compared to the one I previously owned with my friend Glenn when we recorded as the New Aluminists. It consists of a decent PC, Mackie HR824 monitors, a Novation midi keyboard, Ableton and a shedload of samples and vst’s. I generally always start with my drum programming, then work on the bass line as this can often provide the backbone for something decent before I start trawling for synths and interesting vocal samples. My monitors are easily my fav bit of equipment as they helped no end with getting the mix down process right but I do honestly believe good tracks come from good ideas and not banks of equipment, we always say ‘it’s the ear not the gear’. I’ve a mountain of projects on the go at the minute including some collaborations with JC Williams, Bubba, Slack Society, Cromby & Chris Hanna as well as some projects to complete that I started in Toronto when I was there earlier in the year, a few remixes have just been completed for Made Fresh Daily in Scotland and Molotov 21 in Brazil as well as putting the finishing touches to a batch of new T-Bone originals.

How is the club scene in Belfast at the moment, how do you feel it has developed over the years?

It’s pretty good right now with bigger nights and smaller parties all covering a broad range of styles from disco and techno to house and drum & bass. Sadly it can be a little over-saturated at times meaning sometimes a promoter wins out and sometimes not, but if you look at the amount of nights that are going on and the guests that visit Belfast on a month to month basis compared to the population of the city it simply means people can often be too spoilt for choice. The opening times and related licensing issues are fairly embarrassing, especially when explaining to visiting guests about going on earlier than usual & length of set times but that aside it rarely dampens the atmosphere and most Djs will agree that Belfast crowds can often be the best in the world to play to. My friends and I do agree that we feel fairly privileged to have been going out around the time of the events that happened in the Connor Hall at the Art College though as the atmosphere, attention to detail and dedication of people who attended those nights has rarely been repeated in the city.

If someone was going to start their own label what advice would you give them?

It’s not essential but I think it’s a good idea if you have already been producing for a while yourself before starting a label or have a group of friends who do so that you can generate releases more easily and build some core artists from the off. Try and do as much as you can in-house, so if you have friends who are graphic designers, web designers, into mastering etc. then aim to get some mates rates action going on where possible therefore keeping overheads to a minimum, especially at the start. All label profit should be invested back in to help keep momentum going, aid with getting the right remixers on board and generally help build the following for the label. You’ll most likely not retire on the profits of running an independent label these days but if you make ends meet and keep your quality control high then the labels output will not go unnoticed.

What releases have you got planned for the coming months?

The label releases are more or less mapped out for the rest of the year now and we are about to release our first vinyl in the coming months. Tracks will be coming from De Sluwe Vos, Chris Hanna, Timmy Perry, Dale Howard, & H Wax plus remixes from the likes of Jamie Trench, Kastil, Chesus & Organ Grinder, JMX & myself meaning we feel we could have a best year for Extended Play lined up to date.

Where can people get to hear you play?

On the home front I’ve got three regular monthly gigs and can pop up in various guest spots. Keep Diggin’ is on the first Saturday of the month in a great venue called Love & Death which is basically a music collectors dream. Myself and Lyndon, the other resident, get to play anything and everything from the collections we’ve built up from the last 20 years right up to the present day, so funk, disco, acid house and Detroit techno can end up in the mix.
Work at The Hudson is a monthly Saturday hook up with the Twitch guys and is a proper heads down house and techno affair. We also host Extended Play label parties on the last Fri of the month, JMX and I make up the residents and are joined by the artists who record for the label and it’s great to hang out and play with everyone in our crew. We’ll be popping up all over with our Extended Play take overs which have so far been hosted in London, Liverpool & Dublin but are soon to start appearing all over the globe.

https://www.facebook.com/mrtimmystewart

https://www.facebook.com/extndply

JMX https://www.facebook.com/pages/JMX/358489487500429

The post Timmy Stewart (T Bone/ Extended Play) appeared first on magazinesixty.

This delicious, brooding production from Guido Schneider & Jens Bond is little short of outstanding. Not only do the intriguing electronic rhythms captivate your attention creating a hypnotic, inviting soundscape but with the addition of commanding voice, trumpet and timbale the picture is warmly complimented by the human touch. Another first rate piece of music from the Cadenza stable. Planet E’s Monty Luke then remixes the title track with pulsating drums, acid styled bass and squelchy keys. The likewise excellent Flags Of Peace, finishes with punchy instrumentation featuring infectious organ stabs, spacey effects, flourishes of Balearic guitar and a spoken message that will surely resonate throughout the summer…

release: June 10

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Guido-Schneider/155915707889348

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jens-Bond/117236128313369?directed_target_id=0

Julien Chaptal & Lauhaus
Jujuman
Supplement Facts

Julien Chaptal & Lauhaus challenging collage of sounds fly high along the lines of tribal and hypnosis. It’s a deeply intoxicating blend of slightly unsettling moods coupled with dark, pulsating rhythms and striking sound effects firing off in all directions, with the relief of subtle melody only occurring via moody synths some six minutes in. Franck Roger’s Remix as you would expect adds quality House bass to the equation while supplying his own take on the effects with as usual inspired consequences. Second and equally good is, Watching You which supplies sleazy suggestion vocally running alongside various Acid tweaks and building layers of percussion.

release: June 10

https://www.facebook.com/supplementfacts

sound clips at http://www.deejay.de/__124765

Yamen & EDA
Planet Brooklyn
One Records

Another great release from One records this time seeing the label explore seductive possibilities by Frenchmen Yamen & EDA. You could describe this as very late night or illicitly early morning depending on your sense of time but either way this excellent production simmers with low-slung tension. Powered by throbbing bass and tough percussion this features an entrancing monologue playing alongside the whirring instrumentation. Remixes come from Shaun Reeves, Jay Haze & Bill Patrick who pick up the tempo as they inject twisted electronics into the mix while concentrating on the Rap part of the vocal. Next, All Out continues the tension with deep beats and echoed stabs giving it all spacey far flung quality. The Subb-an 5am Remix completes with an all out Techno assault that spins an invigorating basslines against quick-fire drums.

release: June 10

https://www.facebook.com/YamenEda?ref=nf

http://www.onerec.net/

https://www.facebook.com/onerecofficial

The post reviews:87 appeared first on magazinesixty.

The label copy reads: ‘This release is dedicated to the master of the Edit Mr. Ron Hardy, The Music Box and all those involved’. So no doubt this a family vibe that we can all be part of. Side A opens with two from Chicago’s legendary Gene Hunt beginning with Is the Color and its infusion of what’s best described as spacey, jazzy funkiness played out over tough beats with the sample not fully resolving until some six and half minutes into the frenzied journey. Second is LSD Hootie which I guess is an easy give away re-tweaking classic Acid, making you all at once nostalgic, with all those drum machine sounds alongside the 909 sounding effortlessly timeless. Black Booby finish the release with 4 Ron by propelling almost eleven minutes of Disco blended bliss that touches upon many of the tracks that the original ‘master of the edit’ made his own. Inspirational.

release: June

https://www.facebook.com/BlackBooby

http://www.formalworldwide.com/fw/Wink_every_day….html

Andrea Bigi & Marius Laurentiu
Music, Love & Romance EP
Catwash Records

You can always rely on something exciting to happen via DJ W!LD and with this latest release on Catwash Records that’s exactly what you get. For the more adventurous of you out there the title track hints at what lies in store with Irving Berlin’s classic getting cleverly reworked in ways you never thought possible i.e. over moody House beats and feeling excellent. Dejale delivers funky percussion and warped eastern sounding scales, with Empty & Blue ending on a more introspective note with questioning vocals and pulsating tribal rhythms feeling deep and frisky.

release: May 23

https://www.facebook.com/catwashrecords

Asadinho
Transgression
RvS Music

Love this from Asadinho whose addictive bass and drums achieve a slinky, sassy groove that’s oh so easy to fall for. Spoken atmospheric vocals come from Natamiq and are backed up by semi melodic synthesized tones which together all feel suitably late night/ early morning – inventive and imaginative. Alex Arnout’s great remix gives it more of a techno sheen with energetic basslines and rhythmic snares pushing the voicel forward. ‘Rouge’ completes with an infectious vocal looped alongside cool, funky percussion and an almost shuffling groove that spells out low-slung nicely. That of course and a certain Robert Owens who talks us through just what’s on his mind making this another compelling production.

release: early June

https://www.facebook.com/asadinho.rvs

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alex-Arnout/161634167193604?fref=ts

http://rvsmusic.net

The post reviews:86 appeared first on magazinesixty.

Can you tell about how you came to form Klasse Recordings and what the philosophy behind the label is?

Klasse was born out of the need to do something different, I have been involved in music for a while and it seemed like the right time to start my own label. I enjoyed working with other labels but felt the need to create something that I was in total control of, from the artwork to the music I wanted to ‘be’ the identity of the label. There was no grand plan of world domination, just a simple platform for myself and my good friends that surrounded me….Klasse started in 2010, amongst an explosion of new digital labels, I began to see a lot of content being created and a lot of it seemed really half-hearted shitty album artwork, bad design and carbon-copy music seemed to be everywhere and Klasse was my way of counteracting all that, a place where we could consolidate all of our interests…music and beyond.

Your new single: Sail On is built around a classic sample. Can you talk us through the process of producing it, and about your relationship with Amirali who is featured on the release?

Sail On is similar to most of the other tracks on my album, heavily sample based and with a heavy leaning towards hip hop, classic breaks and live instrumentation. I had had the track for a while and it seemed to be begging for the right vocal, I tried various things but nothing seemed to fit right. I was lucky enough to be put in touch with Amirali, we had a brief back and forth and he laid down the vocals, they fit perfectly from the get-go and the track just fell into place. Amirali is a talented dude with a great voice, I recently saw him play at Panorama Bar and really enjoyed his set….

Where you get your inspiration from/ which artists have most inspired you over the years?

I’m constantly returning to the music I enjoyed as a teenager, Mo Wax, DJ Shadow, early East Coast hip hop like Mobb Deep and Wu. My album was directly inspired by these early connections with music and I think these sounds are deeply embedded in my consciousness. I spent a lot of time digging for weird and wonderful music, listening to a lot of Jazz on labels such as Three Blind Mice, taking inspiration from Jamaican steel drum bands and abstract Cosmic music from Italy. I looked everywhere outside of dance music for inspiration and influence and I think that comes across in the music.

Your forthcoming album is called ‘Life In Black And White’. Can you tell us about what the title means and about some of music on it?

The title refers to a few things, the main one being my slightly left of centre placement in this world. It’s kind of tricky to describe but there are parts of my personality that are dominated by OCD tendencies and sometimes I am unable to see the ‘middle ground’, I’m obsessed with extremes…everything is either ‘ON’ or ‘OFF, ‘YES’ or ‘NO’. Hence ‘BLACK’ and ‘WHITE’, there’s no grey area of mediation and negotiation…no room for movement. Essentially it’s all about me being a really awkward dude….I guess that sums it up!

The music on the album is primarily for listening, I didn’t want to make an album that was focused on the dancefloor…most of the tracks range between 90-110bpm and feature some sort of Hip Hop influence. I used a lot of classic breakbeats and classical instruments on there, attempting to marry them with electronics and a more standard ‘dance music’ template. Every track was a pleasure to make, whilst making the album I tried to ignore fashions and trends and this made it flow very naturally….good music always comes easy!!

The artwork for the label is also particularly distinctive. How would you describe that?

Art and design is a huge part of my life and I want Klasse to look as good as it can, commercial identity is always really important…especially in today’s world of facebook, emails and never-ending social feeds. The idea behind most of the artwork is simplicity and effectiveness, all the artwork needs to work on a wide range of scales…most artwork is viewed as 300 X 300px thumbnail these days and it needs to stand out amongst the rest of the shit out there. I take inspiration from my interests, graffiti, punk zines, outsider art and ‘the good old days’…it’s important for me that the visual side of Klasse has a definite grain and roughness to it…something different than the usual shiny, rounded and polished graphics of most labels around these days.

Earlier this year I took Klasse Recordings over to Barcelona for the ‘Blanco Y Negro’ graffiti event…in conjunction with Montana Spray Paint and betahaus barcelona we put together a handful of likeminded writers and got busy.

Heres the video for the event, which features an exclusive peek at a new track from my upcoming album. Enjoy!

BLANCO Y NEGRO from mydogispolite on Vimeo.

You also A&R for the label. How do you find the standard of music around in 2013, what do you look for when signing a track to Klasse Recordings?

I look for a uniqueness and individuality, a track needs a personality just as an artist does. I enjoy tracks that have a good balance of functionality and originality, weird is always good..something to surprise the listener out of their comfort zone. These days I get sent a lot of ‘retro-house’ and I’m done with hearing the same old deep house organ stabs and diva vocals, by default I find myself leaning towards colder, more techno-ish styling’s. Our recent release of the FJAAK guys is a perfect example of what I’m enjoying at the moment, synth heavy, hook laden and drenched in analogue goodness….please send more like this!

Where can people get to hear you Dj this summer?

I have a few shows coming up; I’m really looking forward to playing with Kink in Basel, Spring Festival in Austria and the new Aerophilia festival just outside of Berlin. We are also putting together a great show for Off-Sonar, I’ll be playing alongside John Heckle and Arttu…most of all I’m looking forward to playing alongside my homies at the next Klasse label nights….watch this space!!

http://www.klasserecordings.de

https://www.facebook.com/lucalozano/info

https://twitter.com/lucalozano

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So excited to get to review Derrick Boyd and Zoe Presnick’s Tone of Arc debut album. The Time Was Right captures everything I love about music that sits just outside that very loose term of soulful dance music, although of course this packs more emotion than a lot of that very same cliché. With song titles like Surrender, Lost In The Machine, and Hardly Standing setting the scene this plays out like life’s alternative with a smouldering, funky drive that would make Bowie blush with envy on the irresistible Love Kissed! Sure, you can hear the influences loud and proud but it makes for sparkling refreshment not to hear the early 90’s replayed over and over again, with the intriguing vocals referencing the lost era of new-wave. All that and their superlative cover of ‘Goodbye Horses’ go to vary the light and shade of the album while tempos live at varied speeds giving you that rush of excitement Tone of Arc do so very well.

release: May 13

https://www.facebook.com/pages/TONE-of-ARC/206988806053907

https://www.facebook.com/no19music

Tapesh & Maximiljan
Feelings
Leena Music

Slightly late in reviewing this but none the less a first rate release from the Dusseldorf duo sees the excellent All The Time at the top of the list with its infectious, brooding atmospheres and darkly sophisticated arrangement sizzling with infectious energy. Given the human touch via yearning spoken vocals this has to be one of my favourite releases from the label so far. Feelings, follows with more of a sense of urgency coupled with sleazier bass. Leaving, Get It On to deliver more of that Acid attitude as yet another excellent production sparks your imagination with fiery electronic sounds and rhythms.

http://www.beatport.com/release/feelings/1059737

https://www.facebook.com/tapesh.official

https://www.facebook.com/maximiljan.arndt?fref=ts

http://www.mobilee-records.de/

Various Artists
InnerCity Records Vol 1
InnerCity Records

InnerCity Records is the brand new Manchester based label from Mark Horsfall and Danny Stott and their first volume points the way forward to good times ahead. Music from the likes of Giom’s impressive bass-bizzy Exhausted and from Dale Howard’s typically pulsating Go Deeper indicates what lies in store in terms of fresh thinking House Music that isn’t afraid to look forward. The remaining artists included are: Leigh D Oliver, Roland Nights, Gutto Serta and finally Casey Lee Jones whose invigorating Feel It ends this most promising package. Listen below…

release: May 6

https://www.facebook.com/innercityrecs

The Black 80s
Give Me Something
Air London

The Black 80s aka Hollis P Monroe & Overnite deliver a strikingly original piece of music with their latest for Air London. Not least of all because Give Me Something features a soul infused vocal that sits somewhere between light and shade, although with a haunting edge that will you find yourself mesmerised by. The music does a similar thing with drum machine beats and atmospheric electronics feeling distinctive and other worldly. Meanwhile, the Hollis P Monroe Mix replays the elements with a pacier tempo and further spaced out sounds to compliment the original.

Release: June 5

https://www.facebook.com/hollispmonroemusically

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Overnite/307543039338386

http://www.airlondonmusic.com/

The post reviews:85 appeared first on magazinesixty.

How did you first get into remixing and who inspired you to do so?

I got into remixing by the need to want to make the records I loved longer I really didn’t have anyone who inspired me
as there weren’t many people doing it at the time.

Your new compilation: John Morales M+M Mixes Part 3 reads like a who’s who of Dance music. Can you tell us about how you go about compiling the CD’s?

M+M Vol III includes many of my most favorite tunes, it was a process of elimination. From trying to get the recorded sessions from the record companies, mixing them and then getting the mixes approved. But all in all it is filled with some of my all time favorite and hopefully some of yours..

Can you talk us through the process of remixing a track? For example something from the new compilation.

The process for each mix is different for me I usual start with a clean canvas, no presets or templates, I first Focus on the drums and rhythm section, for me it’s very important for the track to really have power, I then work the keyboards, strings or horns and finally but not least I lay the vocals over the top . And tweak it, and tweet it and tweak it. ( lol)

What is your favourite piece of equipment and can you give some background information on your studio?

Don’t know if have a particular favorite. It’s not like it used to be, now days I totally mix in the box or in the computer using Steinberg’s Cubase Digital Workstation which I have used for over 25 years. I occasionally bounce my mix to analogue tape for some warmness.

How do you feel about the quality of song writing today – what importance do you place on vocals in Dance music?

In my opinion I I think that it is sad to say technology has caused music t day to be watered down.  I think vocals are important as they send the message of the song and lyrics.

You inspired you to start Dj’ing, and what for you makes a good DJ?

Now days My inspiration is the desire to continue the legacy of the music I love so much, a good Dj entertains his or her’s audience providing a seamless experience of some of the music they love.

You are currently playing across the globe. Have there been any particular highlights so far?

My highlights are the support and love that the people who have come to some of the gigs have shown to the music I play. It is heartwarming to see that the music I Love has so much support.

What are your plans for the future?

My plans are to continue to spread the word of the music and I thank you for the opportunity to do so.

Hear John Morales next weekend: Sat April 27 at Futura in 2022nq (Manchester)

Buy tickets http://skdl.it/10g1Xqd

Horse Meat Disco: Sun April 28 at The Eagle (London)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Horse-Meat-Disco/128638804936

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