Let me just say first that Dip Vertigo gets better every time he gets on stage. He opened up for Dirtyphonics last week and got the crowd moving. This week, he almost instigated a full-on riot on the dance floor. Nasty stuff.
But on to the main man, Loadstar played like a true champ on Friday night at The Observatory. He didn't give anyone a moment to rest after Dip Vertigo's ridiculous set either. He jumped straight in with bangers like "Holdin' On (Skrillex & Nero Remix)" and "Hold On (Sub Focus Remix)". If I had to make a guess, I'd say that he really wanted to hold on to the experience he was getting from the crowd, a mixture of people from OC, LA, and even SD.
As for the the experience, it's interesting. If you look at my past events page, I've seen Loadstar twice before - once as a headliner supported by Ajapai, and the other opening for Delta Heavy - and this past Friday night's crowd was the most rowdy by far. On a few separate occasions I saw security dragging people out of the pit.
This must have come as a real nuisance to the other concert goers. In fact, there was another show going on right next door in the main room - Bonobo! Even without a ticket to that show, after midnight security didn't care anymore and I was able to sneak out and get a peek at what was going on "where the grass is greener." If I had a choice, I would have moved over there a litter sooner as the crowd was much more unified than Loadstar's.
- So overall, Loadstar's set was tremendous and kept me from leaving any earlier because of the crowd, but I have to give props to Bonobo's fans for keeping their shit together.
You can check out Loadstar's album mix of "Future Perfect" right here.
Now... if I had everything that I wanted, and were I not completely exhausted Saturday, and had I known about this show earlier... let's just say that if everything were perfect, I would have gone here instead.
J.Rabbit's trap remix of Tequila (soundcloud) has been blowing up lately and ever since KillaGraham released his Lifted EP (beatport), I've been hooked. Then, when the "super-secret special headliner guest" was revealed to be Rusko, I was really shooting myself in the foot. Plus for only $10, I'm sad that I passed it up.
Loadstar is playing at the Observatory in Santa Ana this weekend so I thought I'd give you guys a little heads up about what you might be hearing.
Loadstar is made up of Gavin Harris and Nick Hill, formerly and respectively known to the world of drum & bass as Xample and Lomax. These have have continuously surpassed the highest expectations in recent years imbuing incredible energy and impeccable musical precision into each and every release.
They recently released their first full-length LP "Future Perfect" on RAM Records and it's getting incredible reviews. Not only that, just a couple weeks ago Loadstar finally graced the immortal decks at BBC Radio1 for their first essential mix. 117 tracks of pure, unadulterated, heavy drum and bass spanning two hours. Tracks include hits from Koven, Gemini, DC Breaks, Wilkinson and more.
And if Dirtyphonics last Thursday was any indication of what to expect at the Observatory when drum and bass is in the house, it's gonna be a rowdy night. Dirtyphonics went on for nearly a full two hours, and I'm betting Loadstar is willing to top that.
Besides being a world-renowned DJ and producer duo, Loadstars' members are fun guys. The last time I saw Loadstar, Lomax was playing again at the Observatory and opening for Ben, one half of the duo making up Delta Heavy. I waited outside the venue until 3am for an autograph from Lomax, got it and then spent the next half hour playing soccer and watching Ben tackle Lomax into a bush. DJs really are people too.
For a look at what you might be hearing this weekend, check out their massive essential mix here:
In my experience going to shows, I thought I had seen the best and that everything else would just kind of reach that same level and stagnate. Sort of like a plateau for the EDM world, if you will. Caravan Palace and Dirtyphonics both managed to change my mind. These two groups are completely different from each other in terms of genre, group make-up, audience, and they played at different locations. The common factor here is stage presence. The shows that I've been to that really knocked my socks off - Infected Mushroom Live, Modestep Live, Rusko, Flux Pavilion, Borgore - they all interacted with the crowd. Knowing that you matter, feeling that you're more than a participant, that you are actually a part of a fluid, diverse experience happening at that very moment, nowhere else, is beyond comprehension. You can't know what it's like until you are apart of it yourself.
Caravan Palace is an electroswing group hailing from France. This is their first U.S. tour and, based on all the posts on their Facebook page, they're hitting bulls-eyes at venues left and right. The level of theatricality and technical ability within this group is astounding. Seven performers go on stage for every show - Arnaud Vial on guitare, programmation; Charles Delaporte on contrebasse, programmation; Hugues Payen on violon, programmation, scat; Toustou on machines, trombone, programmation; Colotis Zoé as lead singer; Chapi on clarinette; and Paul-Marie Barbier on vibraphone, brushes. And every one of these individuals shines during the performance - and that's really what it is. During their song, Rock It For Me, as the vocals fade into a cacophony of brilliant sounds and the lyrics fade, Zoé and Barbier come to the front of the stage and swing dance. Then, just as the lyrics resume, a stagehand sprints across stage with a mic in hand and passes it off to Zoé a la a baton, and she resumes singing without a hint of bated breath. Payen and Chapi often have musical "exchanges" on stage as they play to each other and create wonderful, wonderful melodies. Chapi is also apparently in charge of getting the crowd dancing, because the Fonda Theater didn't have a single person standing still when he would come up to the front and motion for us all to jump - and we were happy to do it. As a special treat for the show in Los Angeles, Quest Crew, winner of America's Best Dance Crew, made an appearance on-stage and danced during the song, The dirty side of the street. And besides all of this, if you haven't heard any electroswing, it's about time you have. The genre plays off of the old-timey beat of traditional swing music and layers it with modern synthesizers, catchy lyrics, and heavier bass. This is the kind of music you and your mom can both listen to, and I say that from experience. Caravan Palace continues their tour at Lake Tahoe tonight and tomorrow and then moves on to San Francisco on Monday. You can find their full tour schedule below. In the meantime, listen to a mix they put out. Relax. Put your feet up. Get a glass of red wine. And then get the fuck up and dance because that is what this group is all about.
Dirtyphonics, on the other hand, is made up of just four guys on decks - Charly, Thomas, Pitchin and Pho. However, it seems France is doing something right because these guys are French, as well. Nearly pioneering the drumstep genre, along with Figure and Terravita, Dirtyphonics isn't afraid to push the boundaries of what they create, and especially what goes on at their shows. Having already been thrashed around at the foot of the stage during opener Dip Vertigo's set, Dirtyphonics quickly sets up and absolutely surges the sound system with their unique resonance. Playing a set that lasted for nearly two hours, with multiple encores, if you weren't drenched when you came of The Observatory, you were doing something wrong. It disgusts me, and pleases me, to say how wet I - everyone - was. My ears are still ringing as I write this two and a half hours later. Hearing and watching them seamlessly melding trap, drum & bass, dubstep and drumstep into their set was nothing short of mesmerizing. At this particular show, only two of the four were mixing but that didn't stop them from having the full force of the Dirtyphonics name behind the set. As an encore, they played Vandals, a song which they "don't play at shows anymore. But for you guys, we're gonna do it." Mixing that into the newly released Tequila (J.Rabbit Remix) continued to get the crowd moving at well past the hour and a half mark of their set. Playing from 12:00-1:45, these guys STILL had the energy to do a meet & greet with everyone at the merch stand outside and sign shirts and tits. Their dedication is nothing short of remarkable and I'm glad to say I can finally take them off of my bucket list of DJs. That isn't to say that the next time they come through SoCal I won't be seeing them. Trust me. I'll be the first in line. You can stream their latest album, Irreverence, below. And please do the music justice, and turn it the fuck up.
Not more than a couple weeks since I last saw them live, Infected Mushroom release their massive EP 'Friend's on Mushrooms, Volume 2'. This is a follow up to the first-part of the EP series, a 4-track journey through a more experimental side - featuring moobahcore, glitch hop as well as their signature psytrance sound.
Volume 2 features support from Savant and Pegboard Nerds, two huge producers that are likely to see a lot of press this next year. The album flows well with tracks ranging from glitch hop ballads to signature psytrance synths. It is extremely well-rounded, and if you've already purchased Volume 1, then you've essentially got yourself a full LP there.
Special treat today as two great new mixes came out these past couple of days.
First, 'Wall of Sound' by Drumsound & Bassline Smith. Longtime favorites of mine, this duo knows how to make drum & bass for the new generation of listeners. And while the junglists are mad that liquid and pop DnB are becoming the norm, I'm very happy that these guys have filled the void in my heart left by Pendulum when they disbanded. Toward the end of last year, they performed an essential mix for BBC Radio 1 and absolutely murdered it. Over 70 tracks and double-drops like no one's business; everything quality, and now we see that a lot of tracks featured on the mix like Freak, Atmosphere, and Revolution were released on their new album. Other tracks such as Daylight feat. Hadouken! are re-releases from other artists. (You can find Hadouken!'s new album 'Every Weekend' on iTunes.)
Like I mentioned before, a lot of these tracks are not going to be new to die hard D&BS listeners. But stand-out tracks like The Weekend feat. Phreeda Sharp - a trap tune, done Drumsound & Bassline Smith style, with booming bass and screeching synths - make this album a must get.
This album comes as a showcase of all that the duo has accomplished over the past couple of years. Don't expect 'Wall of Sound' to flow as an album, but don't let that stop you from being swept up by the great style that they exhibit. Featured on the album are longtime UK favorite Sam Frank - who has also featured for Benga, Skream and Swindle - as well as Ayah Marar and Tom Cane.
Next up is another personal favorite of mine, Tut Tut Child. Hailing from Monstercat Records, it would be wrong to suspect anything generic from this native Londoner. His new EP 'Impossible Things Before Breakfast' is as eclectic as the title. The first track features Laura Brehm, a favorite for other Monstercat producers such as Rogue, and remixed by the likes of Popeska. 'Eye of the Storm' starts out as a club banger with a 4x4 beat and nothing special to it. Towards the end, after the bridge, well I'll let you experience it for yourself but it evolves into a full-on glitch banger. The second track 'Gravity' features a new-to-the-scene singer, Isabel Higuero. Hailing from South East London, Higuero gives new life to the track and works to keep it serene and calming. The track is reminiscent of Seven Lions or Minnesota. The last track 'Barghest' is an orchestral epic beginning with rising strings melding into glitch hop madness. This is not an album to miss. You can experience a little Tut Tut Child for yourself here on his January mix, released earlier this year.
I first discovered Arkasia back in 2011 with Hope For Better Days. Since then, the Parisian native has put out three massive LPs and a couple of EPs as well. No stranger to dubstep or drum & bass, Arkasia unleashes his knowledge of orchestral and metal genres in his mixes, culminating in a truly terrific blend of melody and heavy-hitting bass. You can truly feel the emotion he puts into tracks like Sadness or Invisible Bridge, all available for listening on YouTube. Arkasia's samples are often filled with some degree of political charge, which only serves to make his tracks even more epic. He uses breakdowns and drumfills most producers these days would only dream of creating. He shows his true skills mixing genres and creating unique basslines in tracks like "Kill the Evil Bear."
I personally cannot wait until I get to hear more from Arkasia. His newest EP, "Phoenix" is available on Beatport. Check it out!
I'm just gonna come right out and say it - I don't like house. You'll never find me in the house tent at a festival, ever.
There are always exceptions to the rule. Those exceptions are generally viewed to be Prog House or Electro, not real house. And to be fair, I've never delved deep into the house genre. Dutch house is something that I believe is popular, but I've never taken the time to really get into it.
I think what has ruined house for me is the constant pop culture surrounding the genre. And you know, maybe that should be a new genre - pop house. But the constant crap being put out by producers like Hardwell, Swedish House Mafia, Tiesto, and their evil leader, Guetta, make me want to shoot myself in the head.
I go to shows where, let's say... Excision is the headliner. Sweet. Supported by Liquid Stranger. Awesome. Supported by Savoy. ... Okay, never heard of them before (this was over a year ago, mind you), but I'll give them a shot. Boy, was I scraping at the walls.
Swedish producers Daleri on soundcloud recently put up a mashup of 16 top-house songs at festivals. I'll let you guys decide what to think.
I want to make something clear here, right from the get-go. A lot of the shows I go to feature big, brand-name acts like 12th Planet or Skrillex. I go to these shows because the little guys I follow on soundcloud and Facebook don't have live bookings yet. They don't play all around the country, even if they do.
A really awesome producer going by Haywyre [soundcloud] [Facebook] lives in Minneapolis/Milwaukee. He isn't signed to any label, so he doesn't have the opportunity to travel much, especially to "extravagant" places like L.A. So while he has amazing tracks, (most of which he gives away for free by the way) I may never get to see him do his thing live.
All in all, I want to promote small producers who are just starting out - or even who may be popular, but aren't signed yet, or don't have enough publicity to make it out of their small town. Either way, The passion I have for music is real, and if I can feel that same passion from these producers, I want to support them.
So for now, check out this amazing remix of Bingo Players - L'Amour by up-and-coming artist Ommi (previously "Deadpool").
The second day of a long weekend, Infected Mushroom come back to the Avalon Hollywood for their FungusAmongUs 2013 tour.
The opening set by Randy Seidman got the crowd moving, but as it got closer to midnight, everyone was becoming quite anxious for Duvdev and Erez to get on stage. Soon, the projectors started and the curtain parted to reveal their signature DJ orbs. Having seen them with the orbs once before didn't matter one bit, it was still just as stunning.
The good thing was that it wasn't the same set. These guys know how to switch it up, but it's always a party. Compared to last time, they threw out much less of their own music, but still kept it funky and upbeat. Opening with The Rat from Army of Mushrooms set the stage for a great night ahead, playing other favorites as Becoming Insane and their cover of The Pretender by The Foo Fighters.
As before, when Heavyweight was played, guitarist Tom Cunningham joined Erez and Duvdev on-stage. The addition of a live instrument to any DJ show has always, in my experience, taken the experience up to another level; and having seen both their FungusAmongUs tour as well as their live band set, it's hard to say which one I liked better.
Trolley Snatcha and Calvertron graced the Avalon Hollywood stage on Friday night to deliver their signature styles of bass music. The night started after a warm welcome from Gent & Jawns, two long-time friends from Richmond, VA and Washington, DC, respectively. They served up their special style of moombah and bass music that has gotten them respect from the likes of Nadastrom and Diplo. But the real hero of the night was Trolley Snatcha. A well-known UK native, Trolley Snatcha belongs to the Dub Police label. Not one to overload the crowd too early, he started off with some moombahton and progressive house. It didn't take long however before he unleashed his repertoire of massive bangers that made the rafters shake. First breaking out the dubstep hit Fabrication by Emalkay, rinsing Jah No Partial by Major Lazer feat. Flux Pavilion. Also thrown out was the newly released FuntCase remix of Genetix' Squid Attack [Beatport]. What I believe to be the highlight of the night was the mash-up of the basslines of Red Heat by Skism and Trolley's own Make My Whole World. Trolley straight-up murdered his set and received an (already) standing ovation as he left the stage to make way for Calvertron. I had seen Calvertron once before, supporting The M Machine on their first live show in L.A., and once again he did not disappoint. He managed to take a tired crowd at 1:30am and get us back on our feet. He started with his very own 50K off his new 50,000 Watts EP released May 27th of this year. He even took a leap and played Swing Break by The McMash Clan off Circus Records to great enthusiasm from the crowd. The set quickly turned into high energy hard electro and got the crowd jumping and moving around, transitioning from tracks by Excision to Dodge & Fuski and Zomboy. Calvertron played many more of his own tracks including 8bit Dreamz and Lazerbeam, all available on Beatport. Tonight, Infected Mushroom is taking the stage with their FungusAmongus 2013 Tour. Calvertron soundcloud: http://bit.ly/4Sylid Trolley Snatcha soundcloud: http://bit.ly/1aNaF85
