Bam Bam

Bambam podcast

2011-04-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

After a very inspiring few weeks off appreciating the beautiful land of Thailand, we´re ready to start the monthly podcast. As always with bambam, our hope is to share exciting music from around the world, purely for enjoyment and to inspire others (to continue to produce amazing music :) ). As there are so many podcasts available online at the moment everyday, we needed a way of making the bambam podcast individual. To accomplish this, we have decided that we are not going to publicly name any of the artists that contribute to the podcasts.

The idea of this is to give our selected artists the freedom to be as creative as they wish within their set, without having the pressure of them having to stick to a certain style or genre that represents their name the most over the internet.

We want the person behind the name, the music lover themselves that play because it is what they love, to show us the music they love and to share it with our listeners! We´re hoping a wider range of people will be able to contribute and a more innovative, spontaneous and broader collection of podcasts will arise from this.

Heres a mix by me, recorded to promote Elefante - I - Picina, to kick things off...

Liudic's bass therapy mix may 2011

New SCB Podcast

2011-04-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of xlr8r, the master of bass-centric music, Paul Rose usually known as Scuba, gives us a new mix under his more house/techno alias SCB..

and for all you beautiful track junkies..

01 Recondite "Yield" (Plangent)
02 Sven Wiesemann "Emphasized" (Mojuba)
03 Terence Fixmer "Comedy of Menace" (Electric Deluxe)
04 Braille "Leavin Without You" (Rush Hour)
05 Obsolete Music Technology "Relapse" (Machining Dreams)
06 Unknown "Untitled"
07 John Spring "Drummachines" (Airdrop)
08 Shifted "Untitled" (AVN)
09 Sigha "HF029B1" (Hotflush)
10 Deadbeat "Vampire" (Echochord)
11 SCB "Down Moment" (Ostgut Ton)
12 SCB "Loss" (Aus)
13 Instra:mental "Pyramid" (3024)
14 2 AM FM "Desolate Cities" (Mos Deep)
15 Ness "Ancient Crackle" (Sonata)
16 Patrice Scott "2000 Black" (Sistrum)
17 Mike Denhert "Unknown" (Fachwerk)
18 Jon Convex "Order into Chaos" (3024)
19 Rod "Malmok One" (Klockworks)
20 Sigha "Politics of Dying" (Our Circula Sound)
21 SCB "Overlay" (SCB)
22 Portable "Inside Your Mind" (Karat)

RedBull Music Academy now to be held in Madrid

2011-04-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

"The Red Bull Music Academy 2011 will be held in the unique surroundings of Matadero Madrid. Set in one of the most remarkable architecture sites of early 20th century Madrid, the industrial complex is currently being transformed into the Spanish capital’s biggest centre for contemporary creation"

and more importantly, for those who failed to complete the application form in time, the application period has been extended – New deadline: April 26 (date of postmark)!!

Cassy - Magnificent Cat Wont Do

2011-04-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

A beautiful track I wanted to share with you all... (from superlongevity five on perlon)

Mp3 vs WAV difference finally explained

2011-04-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

Taken from slices tech talk.. finally the explanation that will stop the ongoing debate of what is done to sound to change it from wav to mp3 and can we hear the difference?...

Recommended Album, 2562 - Fever

2011-02-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

Limitation stimulates creativity and Dave Huismann seems to know this..

¨With his own birth year 1979 as the gravitational point. All based on one simple rule: every single sound in the album, from the smallest background shiver to the most obese sub bass, originates from a disco record. No additional synthesizers, drum computers or other sample sources involved.¨

An album made only from samples from old disco records, music made straight for the club! Raw as fuck!! Heres some previews..

2562 - “As a result the album to me feels like a soundtrack to my personal life during the summer in which I made it. I didn’t perform or travel much that time, so it was a very simple life: sampling records, making music, going for a run, watching the World Cup. Enjoying small things. In fact it was the first time writing an album was simply fun.  ”

Red Bull Music Academy joins MUTEK.ES in Barcelona to present a special workshop

2011-02-08T07:31:00.000-08:00

¨MUTEK.ES is pleased to announce a surprise addition to its 3-day program, which runs February 9 – 11, 2011 in Barcelona, Spain.

Directly following the third and final Q&A session at Discos Paradiso on Friday February 11, 2011, the festival welcomes an exclusive Red Bull Music Academy workshop with The Alchemist and Oh No!, two US producers making waves in the hip hop community with their 2010 collaboration, Gangrene.

This free workshop gives participants and lovers of “beatdiggin” a chance to take part in an Academy session in Barcelona, as a preview to the upcoming Red Bull Music Academy 2011 sessions in Tokyo, Japan.

RBMA representatives will be on hand at Discos Paradiso over all three days of the Micro_MUTEK.ES festival, as part of the launch of their call for submissions for the Red Bull Music Academy 2011 in Japan. Information about the event, application forms, and more will be available on-site. All styles of music and diverse levels of expertise are welcome so make sure to check it out!¨

Apply to Red Bull Music Academy 2011

2011-02-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

Red Bull Music Academy have begun taking applications for their 2011 event, taking place in Tokyo in October and November!!

¨Now in its 13th edition, RBMA is a program that helps fledgling musicians get on top of their game. Participants go through two weeks of workshops and lectures, and get the chance to play at clubs in whatever city hosts the academy that year, often alongside well-known artists. Last year's event in London featured speakers like Kenny Dixon Junior (AKA Moodymann), Steve Reich, Mark Ronson, and Terre Thaemlitz (AKA DJ Sprinkles), and past alumni of the academy include Flying Lotus and Hudson Mohawke.

This year's event takes place in two rounds: one from October 23rd to November 4th, the other from November 13th to the 25th. Candidates will be reviewed by a jury of label managers, music journalists and "Academy team members," and 60 participants will be selected in total (30 for each round). The academy is looking for styles ranging "from singer-songwriters to DIY synth designers and orchestral composers or digital beat makers." Applications will be accepted until April 4th.

Application forms on their website HERE

Turns out that music really is intoxicating, after all..

2011-02-07T06:53:00.000-08:00

Scientists prove what we all knew all along.. By Matthew Lasar (from Ars Technica)

An "outburst of the soul," the composer Frederick Delius called music. The sounds associated with the form produce "a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without," observed Confucius. It is the art "which is most nigh to tears and memory," noted the writer Oscar Wilde.

It turns out that these guys were more on target than we thought. Our experience of the music we love stimulates the pleasure chemical dopamine in our brain, concludes a new study produced by a slew of scholars at McGill University. The researchers followed the brain patterns of test subjects with MRI imaging, and identified dopamine streaming into the striatum region of their forebrains "at peak emotional arousal during music listening."

Not only that, but the scientists noticed that various parts of the striatum responded to the dopamine rush differently. The caudate was more involved during the expectation of some really nice musical excerpt, and the nucleus accumbens took the lead during "the experience of peak emotional responses to music."

In other words, just the anticipation our favorite passage stimulates the production of dopamine. "Our results help to explain why music is of such high value across all human societies," the writers conclude.

Chills and thrills

To learn more about the music/brain/stimulation process, the McGill researchers followed subjects through the 'chills' or 'musical frisson' response moment. You may have thought that chills were just a subjective concept, but that isn't the case. They involve a "clear and discrete pattern of autonomic nervous system (ANS) arousal," the experimenters say, which facilitate "objective verification through psychophysiological measurements."

Bottom line: the chills moment "can be used to objectively index pleasure." So these scientists rounded up a cohort of people who had a proven record of getting the "verifiable chills" when listening to their favorite songs.

It took a while to find these folks. 217 people responded to an advertisement looking for chill-susceptible music lovers. Each candidate provided ten pieces of instrumental music that set them off in some way. The genres included tango, techno, punk, rock, electronica, jazz, folk, and classical. They then filled out a questionnaire designed to make sure their chills were authentic, and went through a mental illness screening session.

Degrees of pleasure

The process produced a cohort of 10 subjects for the actual experiment, who were scanned over two sessions. The participants listened to music that they experienced as pleasurable or to which they felt neutral. They also kept track of their chills themselves, including the "number of chills, intensity of chills and degree of pleasure experienced from each excerpt."

Nature neuroscience

Meanwhile these frisson seekers were MRI scanned during the listening experience, and images that correlated with chill laden moments were examined.

"We found that hemodynamic activity in the regions showing dopamine release was not constant throughout the [musical] excerpt, but was restricted to moments before and during chills and, critically, was anatomically distinct," the researchers note.

The McGill group says that this experiment is "the first direct evidence that the intense pleasure experienced when listening to music is associated with dopamine activity in the mesolimbic reward system, including both dorsal and ventral striatum."

Thus dopamine "is pivotal for establishing and maintaining behavior," the researchers conclude:

If music-induced emotional states can lead to dopamine release, as our findings indicate, it may begin to explain why musical experiences are so valued. These results further speak to why music can be effectively used in rituals, marketing or film to manipulate hedonic states. Our findings provide neurochemical evidence that intense emotional responses to music involve ancient reward circuitry and serve as a starting point for more detailed investigations of the biological substrates that underlie abstract forms of pleasure.

It also may explain why, as Oscar Wilde suggested, we experience bursts of pleasant recollection while listening to the music that we enjoy. As studies of nicotine use show, the cigarette induced release of dopamine stimulates the remembrance of things past.

Best soundsystem in the world?

2011-02-02T09:40:00.000-08:00

Interview with the owner of Funktion One on why he believes his speakers remain the best in the world...

Scuba at Nitsa 29/01

2011-01-22T07:04:00.000-08:00

Clearly one of bambam´s favourite artists, we´re so excited to see his name appear in Barcelona! Recognised as one of the pioneers of techno and dubstep crossing, owner of hotflush label (featuring artists Mount Kimbie, Shackleton, Sigha, Pangaea) and the creator of the sub:stance night at Berghain club in Berlin. But also more importantly for us, he plays amazing records with bass that will blow your face off! :)

For those who didn´t catch his last album here a listen..

¨We meet today.. to thank thee for the era done, And thee for the opening one¨

2011-01-11T07:40:00.000-08:00

I want to thank all so much for your support for bambam in 2010! Its been a roller coaster year for myself, after some very difficult times, but then also some amazing memories all in the same year, i've definitely learned more about myself this last year than i have any other year in my life!

In 2011 we should be starting a podcast series.. im aware of how many podcast series there are online so ive decided once a month.. just as a present for those who follow bambam regularly would be perfect. Im still undecided if to name the artists who create the mix's yet as i think this changes how people listen to music. For me electronic music, especially techno and house, works better as a faceless art as the mystery has always seemed to be a key ingredient but we shall see how it goes.

I hope you all the best for the new year! i wish you happy times and amazing music to follow!

In the mood for some disco..

2010-12-12T17:29:00.000-08:00

Drukpers Podcast 04 | Todd Terje @ The Big Chill | Aug '09

"I like my music very fruity. Lots of percussion, lots of silly effects,". "But I still need that dubbiness and spaciousness. It's a strange combination."

...Ive found myself really craving listening to disco over the last few days, so another master of his craft, Todd Terje! Perfect music to get freakky to!! enjoy..

Micro mutek coming back to BCN

2010-12-12T15:49:00.000-08:00

"Much like its parent festival in Montreal, micro Mutek presents a series of visually-enhanced electronic performances at a handful of venues around the city. This year will have an added portion for industry professionals, with three days of free panels and interviews, on topics ranging from "economic and creative dimensions of festivals" to "international diffusion""

This'll be really good!! Artists include Actress, Ikonika, Dixon, Isolee and Frivolous over three days this coming february! Dixon is really on form at the moment and i continue to see his name pop up around Barcelona more and more this year. From what ive read alot of the djs will be playing at Moog club and the free panels and interviews will be at the vinyl boutique 'Disco Paradiso'.

Full artist list..

Actress, Adyo, Boris Chimp 504, Bowly, Coque, Dixon, Fernando Lagreca, Fiat600, DJ Fra, Frivolous, Gramofon (live), Landescape, Lucius Works Here + Oxxlabb, Microfeel, Nerone, Sebastian Bruno, The Suicide of Western Culture, Vaghe Stelle.

Dixon at Becool 5/12

2010-11-26T16:23:00.000-08:00

For almost 20 years, Dixon has been one of the main protagonists of house music in Berlin.

The last time I heard him play was at the fabric birthday in October where he played an amazing set straight after Luciano. He was also my favourite from Sonar this year and now he's playing at Becool at the beginning of December!

Quality house music through and through.. enjoy this quite recent FOUR HOUR recording with him playing b2b with ANA then get your ass to Becool on the 5th Dec!

ANA & Dixon Live @ Harry Klein Club, München - 29-10-2010

I thank Dixon for his music! There is a certain spacey emotion in his music that seems to touch me each time he plays and reminds me I love house music!!!!

In-Edit Beefeater Music Film Festival

2010-11-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

Now in its 7th year.. this music film festival, happening in Barcelona this week, is going from strength to strength! With so many documentaries from every side of the musical spectrum there will definitely be something to keep any discerning music lover on the edge of their seat!

These documentaries cover legends from Depeche Mode to the Doors, John Lennon to Brian Eno. It also shows films giving an insight into important movements in musical history like the Notting Hill Carnival and the roots of Soul music.

One cheeky film which we will definitely be attending is entitled "High on Hope". This film shows the highs and lows of the Rave revolution that kicked off in the UK in the late 80s.. heres the trailer..

"This is the vibrant and definitive documentary of the underground rave revolution, as revealed by its anonymous heroes (housewives, workers, dealers and DJs); of the turning point when acid house ceased to be a local underground phenomenon and became a worldwide cultural explosion"

Tickets are only €6 per film
The Central Box Office has changed location. It's now at Calle Muntaner, 24

We love Prins Thomas!!

2010-11-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

Prins Thomas DJ Mix Munich April 2008

A dug out set from 2008, this is space-disco party music that will put a smile on anybodys face! The second part to this part is on the left "listening to now"!! If your liking this then the Todd Terje night coming up in Barcelona on the 7th Nov is a must!! Needless to say thats where I'll be :)

Artist Tip: Ramadanman / Pearson Sound

2010-10-26T06:25:00.000-07:00

Long overdue for a mention on bambam!! 20 year old David Kennedy aka Ramadanman is quickly becoming one of my favourite producers on the planet. His stripped down rhythms that exist somehow between house and dubstep show off his obsession and mastery of sound quality! I love this kind of open music, no matter what bpm, this can be mixed so freely with other music and can be played with so much! The rhythms dance around other tracks playfully whilest still having them bassy beats that can rip through any soundsystem. So dancable and so clear it sounds like high definition sound - Its an honour to mix such tracks, thank you Ramadanman! Here are some of my fave's. The first two some more 4x4 pieces and the last two abit faster and more dubsteppy!

Fabric 55 - Shackleton live

2010-10-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

"Details have been unveiled for Fabric 55, this time featuring a live set by acclaimed producer Shackleton.
Since his early records on the now-defunct Skull Disco imprint (which he founded with Appleblim in 2005), Shackleton has been at the vanguard of UK bass music. His dark, often tribal sound evades simple categorization, but as with contemporaries like Burial and Kode9, he is frequently described as dubstep. But much in his catalog suggests something different: his most recent album 3 EPs was released on esteemed modern house imprint Perlon, and two of his most loved tracks were remixes for and by Ricardo Villalobos ("Minimoonstar" and "Blood On My Hands," respectively).

With Fabric 55, Shackleton again joins ranks with Villalobos by delivering a set of entirely his own material. According to a press release, the mix was tailored with the London nightclub in mind, and in fact specifically recalls a recent live performance in Room 1. Shackleton explains: “With the mix I’ve made, I have tried to make a set that would best represent the set I played on that night [at fabric], but minus the mistakes. Some of the tracks are re-jigged versions of older material, some of them are new. Some of them will never see a release in any form aside from this. Some of them are not even tracks just coincidental parts merging with each other between tracks. Those are the best bits actually."

I'll post samples as soon as available! Cant wait to hear, last time i heard shackleton live it he was unbelievable! You can tell he produces his tracks with the dancefloor in mind, relentless hypnotic snake chalmer like rhythms and heavy bass! bliss!

In the company of dOP

2010-10-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

In preperation for fabric birthday on the weekend we have dOP! Unfortunate for me they are playing at Fabric at midday on Saturday which is when Im likely to still be on my way to the club! But thanks to fabric we have free music and an interview from the dOP themselves..

¨The dOP boys have had a characteristically wild summer. Still reeling from their recently released, highly acclaimed debut album, the band have a bank full of memories of live sets played at some of the most renowned clubs in the world – Pacha in Ibiza, Le Rex in Paris and our very own Farringdon disco to name but a few. Undoubtedly an ideal trio to invite to our colossal birthday bash, the French party professionals will be storming our Room One stage this weekend to give us a sensory overload of what orchestral electronic music can be.

It’s the bands unaffected, emotive take on live house music that excites - a multi-faceted sound finely tuned by the trio’s years of experimentation with jazz, reggae, hip-hop and rock & roll. What with JAW’s (the band’s lead vocalist’s) honeyed, soulful tones coming to the fore accompanied by the alcohol fuelled beat and musical arrangement controllers Clem and Damien, a dOP set famously epitomizes “liveness.”

Lucky for you lot, the dOP trio are just as generous as they are talented. Upon catching up with the boys for a quick chat about their upcoming fabric performance and the warranted success of their latest release, Greatest Hits, they’ve offered us a free download from the album and it’s an absolute boom ting if we do say so ourselves...¨ Sophie Thomas

Congratulations on the recent release of your debut album, Greatest Hits! How has it been received?

Thank you very much. We’ve had a lot of lovely feedback since September. We are touring a lot, playing in the best clubs and parties around the world. People send us a lot of good reactions everywhere. We are having an amazing time. Plus a lot of media are supporting us. People can feel that we love what we do.

The tracks share a somewhat earthly cinematic quality. Where did you draw inspiration for the album, much of its content seems mostly based on visuals and intangible imagery?

We thought about every track like little stories. Even though we sing mostly in English, we have a very French way of building the songs. We are very inspired by French singers like Serge Gainsbourg, Alain Bashung and Jacques Brel from Belgium. This filmic feeling has been reinforced by the arrangements of Emmanuel D'orlando. He writes for cinema, and he’s worked with artists like Sebastien Tellier. He has brought some very cinematic harmonies and instrumentations to the record. He took the album one step further in this direction.

Thanks for the free download of the recently released ‘1 Gram’! There seems to be a bitter-sweet juxtaposition between the self-assured, determined quality of the musical arrangement and JAW’s vulnerable vocal persona – how do you go about bringing together a track like this? What comes first?

This version is the third version of the track at least. Maybe we started it about 2 years ago. It took us a long time to finalize it. But JAW's vocal is the original one, we never did it again. To begin, I think the first idea was a groove - Clem started it a long time ago - and then came JAW's lyrics. When Emmanuel added the orchestra, this feeling was even stronger; it was not an easy feat with the two different energies the track exudes.

Do you enjoy playing at here?

We love to play for fabric like most artists in this scene. It’s great to play for fabric people, their very warm welcome, the club’s great sound, great crowd, afterhours, hotel etc. All the conditions are there to make an amazing weekend. It will be the third time we’ve played at fabric, and it will be for the birthday, with a line-up that dreams are made of; including a lot of friends. So we are very excited for sure, we’ll come with some new music to play for the fabric crowd.

What do you look forward to when you travel to London?

Knowing that we will be very tired the week after! JAW is even leaving before us, to get prepared! Last year we started to feel good playing in London, before it was a hard experience. Playing in shit places… And hanging with the fabric crew and the lo*kee people gave us great inspiration. The UK has a musical culture that’s totally different to ours. We’re starting to discover disco and some other English music we didn't know before. Now it's such a pleasure to come back to London; afterhours at Judy and Derren's places, the influence of Carsten Kleman on our musical culture, the list goes on. London is for many reasons a very forward thinking place and has been for many years.

After countless live performances, how do you manage to capture the feeling of spontaneity that is so inherent in your sets?

Improvisation; it pays to be free when you play. We try not to repeat ourselves too much. Ok, we often play the same tracks, but our lives are built in a way that means that every time the performance will be different. We try to steer clear of planning. It would be annoying for us to prepare in this way. We also sometimes play longer sets, with many different energies; spontaneity is the only way to achieve these things. Of course, this is not possible everywhere.

We also try to add new music as much as we can. Playing a lot also gives you skills, and with these we feel more and more free in our performance.

Would you recommend other electronic artists to embrace the performative quality of your sets, especially in the current climate in which new producers are popping up with such frequency?

For sure, we are in a very creative moment for electronic music. Bands like Caribou or Nôze are excellent and unique, Matias Aguyao and the Innervisions crew also. There are so many good DJs pushing great and versatile music today, it's more and more open.

Don’t you ever get tired of all this partying?

Like everybody, we get tired sometimes. But when the music starts, the feeling fades...

See you Sunday at 00h!

Perlon - Superlongevity Five

2010-10-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

A label needing no introduction with anybody who buys house and techno records is about to release the fifth in their Superlongevity series with a massive 28 tracks over 7 vinyl. My two favourite tracks being ¨Maratrax - Sticky Fingers¨ and ¨Markus Nikolai - The Clock Staring At Me¨.

Artists on the release include Ricardo Villalobos, Matt John, Dandy Jack, Thomas Melchior, Baby Ford, Cassy, Tobias Freund, Soulphiction, Stefan Goldmann, STL, Half Hawaii (AKA Sammy Dee and Bruno Pronsato), Matthew Dear, ¨Label founders Markus Nikolai and Franzmann both contribute as well, with the latter appearing under his Dimbiman guise¨

Heres some samples.. CLICK

14 Tracks - An Electronic Jazz Infusion

2010-10-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

Again another excellent selection of tracks for you from the Boomkat crew.. Recommended for fan´s of Mount Kimbie..

CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLES

Allen & Heath new Xone Revealed: DB4

2010-10-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

I think anybody else who fell in love with the original xone 92 has to share my feeling of excitement along with alot of skepticism when finding out about the new xone mixer was being released. Allen and Heath are yet to release full details but from what Ive read from other sources the best new features are..

4 Sends/Returns (This is probably my favourite as Ive been wanting more than 2 sends on the mixer for some time for effects/loops/bpm counter for effects)
The EQ´s can be changed to Isolators or Filters
Each channel automatically adjust their FX and loops to the BPM of the music

Some things I have noticed that isnt so great...

It would be nice to be able to route the effects to another channel instead of the dry/wet (This means you cannot have the effect on intense but quiet at the same time)
It only has 4 channels compared to the 6 available on the xone 92 (Maybe the factor that will stop me switching mixers to this one)

Forgetting all the specifications, I´ll obviously make my decision once Ive played with one for a few hours. I like the idea of the individual filters aswell as the two filters on the side. Some sick bass drops could be made from this but it has to be something very special to beat the 92. I feel you can give so much personality through the 92 and this for me is top priorty before effects and filtered eqs.

Ruffage Sessions

2010-09-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

Massive shout out for these guys from Leeds, UK. Ramadanman, Ben UFO and Pangaea. The online radio show ¨The Ruffage Sessions¨ they did for a few years was always a high quality mixture of very upfront dubstep, house and techno. The Ruffage sessions was a major influence for me, not only musically - as this is where I heard alot of the early tracks from Ramadanman, F, Joy Orbison and Pangaea, but also one of the biggest inspirations that originally got bambam off the ground. I knew I needed a way of spreading exciting electronic music to people around the world and these guys were doing the same but in their own way.

I´ve dug out the recording of the final show from earlier this year which was a four hour show and snuck a tracklist out for the tunespotters..

http://www.sendspace.com/file/53u2fb (I´ll get it on soundcloud in next few days)

1. Floating Points - People's Potential [Forthcoming]
2. Instra:mental - Let's Talk [Unreleased]
3. Andrés - Take Off [Moods and Grooves]
4. Wbeeza - All Those Beats [Third Ear]
5. Burial and Four Tet - Moth [Text]
6. Levon Vincent - Late Night Jam [Ostgut Ton]
7. DV8 - This Beat Is Over [Strictly Rhythm]
8. ? - Blue [Unreleased]
9. Zombie Disco Squad - The Cursed [Made To Play]
10. Rhythm and Sound - Why? [Burial mix]
11. Osunlade - Stomp [Strictly Rhythm]
12. Sole Fusion - Bass Tone (Underground Network mix) [Strictly Rhythm]
13. Scratcha DVA - Ganja [Forthcoming Hyperdub]
14. SCB - 3 5 [Unreleased]
15. Omar S - Day [FXHE]
16. Royal House - I Can't Quite Understand (Louie's Dub) [Loud House]
17. Shake - Arise [Rush Hour]
18. Jan Driver - Rat Alert [Music Man]
19. Basement Jaxx - Jump n Shout [XL]
20. Keith Worthy - Deep For Dayz [Sistrum]
21. Tonya Renee - About You (Karizma Deephubdub) [Home]
22. A Made Up Sound - Sun Touch [Unreleased]
23. Joy Orbison - The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow (Actress remix) [Aus Music]
24. Kim English - Nite Life (Armand Van Helden Retail mix) [Nervous]
25. Todd Edwards - Saved My Life [FFRR]
26. Delphic - Doubt (Kyle Hall remix) [Chimeric]
27. Jam City - What I Think About You [Unreleased]
28. Joy Orbison - GR Etiquette [Unreleased]
29. Untold and Roska - Myth [Unreleased]
30. Moodymann - Freaky Muthafucker [KDJ]
31. Panash - Cheval [Atavisme]
32. Teresa Jenee - Remember [Yoruba]
33. Jeremy Sylvester - Need a Fix [White]
34. Banana Republic - Catch The Feeling (Tuff Jam remix) [Catch]
35. Joy Orbison - Waxes and Wanes [Unreleased]
36. Ramadanman - Mir [Unreleased]
37. Mosca - Gold Bricks, I See You [Fabric]
38. Mr. Majika - Different Lextrix [Forthcoming Numbers]
39. Deadboy - If U Want [Forthcoming Numbers]
40. Shortstuff - Swine Time [Unreleased]
41. Ramadanman - Tempest [Forthcoming Hemlock]
42. Bok Bok - Citizens of the City [Forthcoming Blunted Robots]
43. Randomer and Fife - No Sleep [Unreleased]
44. Addison Groove - Footcrab [Forthcoming Swamp 81]
45. Patty Blingh - Brother (2562 remix) [Ramp]
46. Ramadanman - Glut [Forthcoming Hemlock]
47. Mark Pritchard - Elephant Dub [Unreleased]
48. Skream - Skunk Step [Big Apple]
49. Untold - Walk Through Walls [Hemlock]
50. Skream - 2D [Tempa]
51. Loefah - Rufage [DMZ]
52. The Bug - Skenk (Kode 9 remix) [Hyperdub]
53. D1 - Murky [Tempa]
54. Simian Mobile Disco - I Believe (Pinch I Believe In Bassline remix) [Wichita]
55. Mala - Ancient Memories [DMZ]
56. El-B and J Da Flex - When I Fall In Love [White]
57. Joy Orbison - Untitled [Unreleased]
58. Joe - Claptrap [Unreleased]
59. Burial - Wounder [Hyperdub]
60. Lil Wayne - A Millie (Harmonimix) [Forthcoming]
61. Digital Mystikz - Chainba [DMZ]
62. DEA Project - Ghetto Child [DEA]
63. Ramadanman - Leeds Electro [Unreleased]
64. Peverelist - Roll With The Punches [Punch Drunk]
65. Ruff Sqwad - Raw 2 The Core (Vocal) [RS001]
66. Wiley and Danny Weed - Blue Rizla [White]
67. Skream - Midnight Request Line [Tempa]
68. Skream - I (Loefah remix) [Tempa]
69. Mala - Antiwar Dub [DMZ]
70. Pangaea - Memories (Pinch remix) [Unreleased]
71. Joker - Stuck In The System [Earwax]
72. Kavsrave - PClart [Unreleased]
73. Ramadanman - Pitter [Unreleased]
74. Skream - Glamma [Tempa]
75. James Blake - Give A Man A Rod [Forthcoming Hessle Audio]
76. Untold - No One Likes A Smartarse [Hemlock]
77. TRG - Broken Heart (Martyn's DCM remix) [Hessle Audio]

Fabric 11th Birthday line-up announced

2010-09-19T05:51:00.000-07:00

Bugge Wesseltoft and Henrik Schwarz

2010-09-18T06:21:00.000-07:00

Interview from these two very inspiring artists about their new callaboration together..

Double click it to watch full screen

Shed - The Traveller

2010-08-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

In 2008 we were blown away by Shed´s amazing first album ¨Shedding The Past¨. Two years later and we have the first glimpse at his second album ¨Traveller¨..

CLICK FOR SAMPLES

¨There can be few people who don’t count Shed –

real name Rene Pawlowitz – among the very best

producers of the contemporary era¨

After being featured in our Artist Tip at the beginning of the year, there is much excitement about his Shed´s second album. He is definitely one of bambam´s top artists at the moment.. Looking forward to hearing the full album at the end of the month!

¨Dancefloor tracks, made for DJ‘s, follow a structure which require a damn perfect dancefloor in your living room in order to adequately absorb that very energy. A good album must offer more than a couple of dancefloor anthems, mixed with some ambient interludes and the obligatory downbeat experiment, it has to be more substantial than a paint-box for your euphoric memories of perfect nights long gone¨

News: Mount Kimbie - Crooks & Lovers

2010-08-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

Amazing new Album from our friends Mount Kimbie!!

¨Mount Kimbie have opened a portal into the world of post-dubstep, electronic fusion soundscaping¨

¨This is an album of abrupt changes and paradoxes, at once organic and heavily processed, drowsy and yet with moments of eyes-on-stalks urgency, acoustically sweet and electrically charged. It's akin to gently drifting in and out of consciousness on a bus trip, only to be sporadically jolted back into consciousness¨

Heres a few of the tracks..

Other samples can be found and CD bought from Hard Wax

Recommended Night - Carl Craig at Ghoa Beach Club 6/8/10

2010-08-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

The Ghoa Beach Club is still a venue Im yet to visit.. After numerous names such as Ricardo Villalobos, Luciano, Raresh, etc playing there over the Sonar madness period in June, for me the venue seemed to have settled down quite abit recently. This Friday should be an awesome night though with the line-up as follows..

00:00h - 01:30h MOODYMANN
01:30h - 02:30h CARL CRAIG & FRANCHESCO TRISTANO .live!
02:30h - 04:30h STACEY PULLEN
04:30h - SUNRISE -> CARL CRAIG vs. STACEY PULLEN

Musically if this doesnt inspire you, I think for those who haven´t been, the venue itself with swimming pool etc included should make for a guaranteed crazy night..

...Inside the tent

Barcelona After-Hours

2010-08-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

After venue hunting for bambam parties and reading an article in last months Metropolotan magazine it has become even more clear to me how limited the after-hour club scene is in Barcelona. Licencing laws from 2005 has made it so the volume has to be low, the drinks are extra expensive.. not exactly party ingredients!!

Now I'm not planning on starting a mission to bring down the Catalan laws, but I am heavily researching into ways of avoiding such set backs as Barcelona is really missing out! When people are not heading out to clubs until 2am then being asked to leave at 6am!! Some of the very best parties I have been to didn't properly kick off until 7am. Musically DJs can go into the wierd and wonderful and I find the crowd are generally more open. So now there is a new after-hours club just started called El Row which starts at 6am every Sunday being run by the Monegros Festival guys, along with La Nava and La Camara down Poble Nou end of town which are just open until 11am.

Watch this space for bambam parties as I believe after-hours or day events could be the new way forward in Barcelona, either that or underground bunkers or other locations where we equally cannot be found!

Labrynth Festival 2010 Japan

2010-07-05T05:04:00.000-07:00

Im going to make every effort to get to this festival. Sets I have heard from the previous years together with talk and excitement from people who have been before, makes me believe this 10th year anniversary will be a magical event! Unlike other festivals there is not so many names on the line-up, each artist hand picked and given enough performance time to really get in deep and to give the crowd something very special and unique!

As we get closer to the date I'll start to post mixes of some of the artists on this line-up that is really exciting me

September 18 - September 20

Ticket Info

Early Bird Discount Tickets: 14,000 YEN (May 10 ~ June 20)
Pre-sale Tickets: 16,000 YEN (June 25 ~ )
Parking: 2,000 YEN

Early bird tickets are limited to 500 only. Act fast to avoid disappointment.

Early Bird Discount Tickets are available at Lawson Tickets now!
Lawson Tickets: 0570-084-003
L-CODE : 72837

Total tickets are limited to 2500. This is a pre-sale tickets event only. There will be no tickets sold at the gate.

(If you are traveling from overseas, please contact us at info@mindgames.jp. We'll try to take care of our international guests.)

Special "Ticket + Hotel + Free Parking" packages are available for booking here:
http://www.travel-a-s.com/greenland.htm

Regular pre-sale ticket shop info coming soon...

Thankyou everybody!

2010-06-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

After this last two weeks full with crazy parties and amazing friends I really haven't had time to get my head together but I want to thank everybody who helped with the Joon Ripple party! Organisers, DJs, staff, guests, it was an emotional night for me and everybody who was there was so amazing and helped make it what it was! I will add photos for those who didn't make it soon..

With Sonar just passed aswell this has really been one of the most memoral couple of weeks I have ever had! Meeting lots of new people and catching up with old friends, there has been inspiration musically and emotionally coming from every direction!

I am working on a new Liudic concept mix now which shall be the first to kick off the bambam podcast series!

Joon Ripple this Friday!

2010-06-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

Really looking forward to this! Alot of my favourite people all in one place!!

Going to be a special one.. DJ Timetable to be released shortly..

Echospace

2010-05-27T06:22:00.000-07:00

With alot of influences coming from dub in todays electronic music I had to get a mention of these boys on here. Aswell as rhythm and sound, maybe more so, Rod Modell & Stephen Hitchells label echospace was a massive influence for me into deep, atmospheric, dubby music. Every release being a new deeply engrossing dub variation that is some of the most ear pleasing masterpieces I have ever come across!!

¨..a sublime configuration of airy, reflective chords and a heaving bassline cushioned by all the space you could imagine¨

I have to mention though, with all the.. not hype.. but increasing attention on the dubby side of techno and electronic music in general, I worry that the whole thing is going to tire itself out and crash. The increasing popularity of dubstep, along with alot of the watered down, more accessable, versions of dubtechno being released, I am worried this will soon have a backlash effect and this sound will be known as the clichéd 2009/2010 sound! Which would be a massive shame because I feel music as subtle and delecate as this should always remain its rightful place within the scene.. in the deep underground, only to be pulled out of the record box now and again for very them rare intimate partys.

If something becomes more and more popular, inevitably people will tire of it and crave an opposite sound to excite them. But as it always has done, musical trends will continue to go round and round in cycles and I find hope in the fact that, through all these trends, the most creatively produced tracks will always hold their own the longest period of time and the absolute best will remain as timeless.. continuing to touch people just as deep in years to come..

Recommended Night - Âme playing at Becool 22nd May

2010-05-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

¨..Âme and the surrounding Sonar Kollektiv/Innervisions field undoubtedly triggered a true revolution in Deep House a few years ago, not only through their own productions but also thanks to the refreshing records they (and other people such as DJ Dixon) discovered and played. A very warm and melodic sound was brought to life! Sometimes stripped down and dry, sometimes heavily orchestrated and emotive. Deep House, whose image had been somewhat suffering in Europe among younger people, suddenly changed from being reputedly boring "lounge" muzak that many people just smiled at - to utterly fresh and funky dance music, grown up and serious yet forward thinking and playful...¨

.. and forward thinking and playful is what bambam loves best!! Since Dixon played here in Barcelona last year Ive been waiting for these guys to come my way.. Expect to be dancing and smiling!! I´ll get a set on here for the warm up..

Bambam presents... Joon Ripple

2010-05-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

Right its about time we had a party no? and we plan to do it like no other!! Held in secret location here in Barcelona, we are throwing together a 14 hour party. In memory of Joel Taylor and also a celebration of life, friends and creative music!! For those who didn't know Joel, he was the co-creator of bambam, he was the inspiration that led me to where I am today..

OK, The line-up

Liudic (Bambambcn)
Tik:Tok
Mr Henry Von (Rekluse, Excentric)
nat nite (Sastango)
KID SUDA (RawFormat/UK)
Nicnac (Fresh Vibes Records)
Refold
Soundshifter
Junkuhn (Freaked)

Together with various art installations, amazing foods, this one is going to be one memorable event! Tickets are starting at 25 euros per head, that gets you all your food, all drinks are included and transport from the metro to the venue. Get on the facebook group called "Bambam presents Joon Ripple" or contact me through bambambcn@gmail.com to get your name down.

I will keep updating as new developments occur!

Recommended Event - Matias Aguayo - Friday 7th May

2010-05-05T04:24:00.000-07:00

"Matias celebrates his vision of dancemusic, with intensity and sensuality, nights where people dance to dark disco gems, futuristic visions of underground house, nocturnal and groovedriven techno, and obviously lots of unreleased tracks, dancing and singing on top included..."

..and now we have him again playing live in Barcelona! In Raum club Friday 7th May!

Heres a short set by him from last summer to get you in the mood...

Making a Ripple - Master at work - Donato Dozzy

2010-04-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

Well for a while, we've been delving into music which has been more on the fringes of house and techno, mainly within the bass-centric exploration sounds coming from the Bristol/Berlin axis, but I think it's about time we presented you with a slice of some pure mind-melting, ritualistic Techno from who can only be described as a current master within his field.

"The number of people who were just standing there this night with tears in their eyes says it all. When Donato plays, you can feel so much passion and love and care it could be overwhelming or even painful sometimes... this is why he's so special"

http://soundcloud.com/r_co/donato-dozzy-clubberia-podcast-march-2010

I started to notice Donato Dozzy more and more thanks to the boys across at mnml ssgs. The way they spoke about Dozzy's music and inparticular how they rated his sets so highly, I knew they must had been touched very deep by him at some point. It had been a while since I had heard people talk about somebodys DJing in this way, probably since Richie and Ricardo a few years back. Alot of exciting new artists in the past couple of years but not so many people have been highly rated for their grasp on emotionally exciting a crowd. Especially in the UK Bass and House scene, but the further I read and listened to Dozzy's sets myself the more I started to realise the level to which he has mastered his craft. This is techno in its purest form. So far away from the latest trends, the most experimental beats, this is just techno doing what is does so very well.. bringing everybody back to their primal selves! Them moments on the floor when time makes no sense, you are just being carried by the music, Donato Dozzy seems to have studied this emotion to such a rediculous level and therefore because of this, in Dozzy we trust!! Enjoy..

RIP Joel Taylor aka Soassi

2010-04-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

Joel Taylor aka Soassi, co-creator of bambam tragically passed away April 1st 2010. His philosophies and creative ideology on music will live on through bambam, through his close friends and all the people he inspired over the years. In his memory I want to share part of a recorded live mix he and I did a couple of years ago. This was an amazing party shared with close friends and one of the best memories I have with Joel! bambam is and always will be about looking forward, capturing new emotions and creative concepts within music but for now I want to look back in order to move forward..

Soassi vs Liudic @ The Towers 2008 by bambam.bcn

Obviously different people who knew Joel, knew how much of an inspiration he was. For me he was a teacher, a best friend and above all a true artist. He taught me to follow what I believed in, to inspire others and to keeping progressing, keep learning and becoming a better person for it.

I miss you mate! Rest in peace man..

News - Mutek 2010

2010-03-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

"Kicking off its second decade as one the globe's premier showcases for cutting-edge electronic music and digital creativity, MUTEK is proud to announce its first confirmed performers for its highly anticipated 11th edition. This year, the influential Montreal institution runs from June 2nd to June 6th, kickstarting Montreal's summer festival season with a program featuring over 100 Canadian and International artists"

Actress
Ben Frost
Brandt Brauer Frick
Carl Michael Von H
Dave Aju
DEMDIKE STARE
Dixon
DJ Koze
Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts
Henrik Schwarz
Ikonika
King Midas Sound
Marson Jules
Matias Aguayo
Matmos
Moritz von Oswald Trio
Nicolas Jaar
Pépé Bradock
Rebolledo
Shed
Theo Parrish
Tim Hecker
Vladislav Delay
..More TBC

Even though this is a festival happening the otherside of the globe I thought I'd still give this a mention as I think its a very important part of todays underground electronic music scene. Especially with their newish Micro_Mutek that we've been closely following here in Barcelona, I wouldn't be surprised if they started a festival here in the next couple of years and they are testing the water with their quarterly parties. With a line-up as good as they always have though, I welcome them across. A battle between them and Sonar to hold their titles as showcasing the most cutting-edge artists can only be a good thing and should be a major catalyst in bringing alot more amazing music to our beautiful city!

Artist Tip - Peverelist

2010-03-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

"I fucking love techno but I'm almost scared to say that... it depends on your interpretation of what techno represents.. but if your interpretation of techno is futurist electronic music, then thats certainly something that I identify with" Peverelist

Peverelist FACT mix by bambambcn

I think we all knew, maybe ever since Shackleton's first tracks, that it was only a matter of time until dubstep became the new breeding ground for techno. Well.. any genre that experiments with rhythms, patterns, sound design, while taking the best influences from all music that came before it, techno was always going to become a major part of. And just to be clear, as techno is one of the most misunderstood and misused words I know, I refer to techno as (quoting the late Covert Records as they worded it so perfectly) ¨electronically advanced underground music¨

So, Bambam's endless pursuit for exciting, creative music has lead us to an artist that goes by the name of Peverelist. This new techno, in its dubstep guise, is definitely starting to push that mood of techno that we all love. Ive spoken before, briefly on here, about the music that I have to admit, above all, has to be the most exciting for me. There are some artists making that music at the moment and Peverelist seems to be at the head of his game. This is music that exists for me at the exact crossover point where experimental meets dance-floor. These tracks belong to no genre and can be described as nothing less than art! This music creates life changing moments in sets, people spend their whole lives dedicated to the emotional excitement from this music. This feeling I like to call the "crack" feeling, when your head is blown away but your body cannot stop moving. So you can imagine how excited I was when I started noticing, within the dubstep world, more of this music emerging.

The first time I saw Peverelist was last year in Barcelona at the Bam Festival and was such a pleasure hearing such good music here, (I have to say it; it was so refreshing after hearing such bad music here in Barcelona, especially the dubstep). So the mix at the top of this post is a very recent mix Peverelist has done for Factmag. It really is a glimpse of the future.. enjoy... (Please dont listen to it quiet)

Scuba vs SCB mix

2010-03-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

Again Scuba makes his way back on to bambam and again he has been a busy man! Featured on bambam earlier as our artist Making a Ripple, he really HAS been... The first half of this mix for RA is as his Scuba alias with his own Bass-Centric Experimentalism and then half way he flips to SCB (his more techno/house project which Im the most excited about!!) Excited enough to be booking my flights on the 26th May to hear him play as SCB in Watergate, Berlin!!

Scuba vs SCB RA Podcast by bambambcn

I also want to mention the quarterly label parties Scuba is now putting on called Horst Flush on the KILLASAN sound-system. The first party had the lineup of SCB, Headhunter, Sigha. I didnt make it to this but I heard some really good things from a close friend who said Sigha (another really talented rising artist within the hotflush family) absolutely killed it! From what I've read the next one should be in May..

Also a really interesting insight from the man himself talking very openly and honestly about his album, drum and bass and his attitude towards producing music..

Read (also below, a free dnb track called Process Part 195 by Scuba) Thanks Scuba!

Artist Tip: Joy Orbison

2010-03-07T05:54:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while a producer comes along who stands out like a bright shining beacon amongst the endless waves of bleak, grey, un-inspiring and un-memorable dancefloor tracks that get released in abundance every day online. This may sound like quite a cynical and generalised comment, and to some extent, it is. But, even though I often like the whole 'functional tool - the sums are bigger than their parts' approach to DJ'ing, I really have been scratching my head for quite some time over the last few years, asking myself; whether it be in clubs or even at home listening to sets etc...."when was the last time I heard an anthem?". You must know, one of those hairs on the back of neck, everyone unites in the club anthems.

Well let me explain a little bit about the guy behind one of those rare anthems..The story to the rise of the 22 year old producer and DJ from Croydon 'Joy Orbison' really began when Ben Ufo, the DJ and label boss of Hessle Audio (in my opinion one of the most forward thinking Bass music labels at the moment), ended one of his consistantly amazing recorded promo sets with the now number 1 track of 2009 (as voted by Fact Magazine) 'Hyph Mngo'. Ben Ufo is another guy I will talk about soon on here, but for now let's get back to some Joy.

Anyway this was the one track which stood out by a mile and had all Ben's fellow crew asking for copies within days of it dropping. With other big guns like Scuba, Appleblim and Peverelist all dropping this track left right and centre, it didnt take long to reach super hype status and reach the airwaves of all the major electronic music radio shows and online music mags. And it didn't take long for Scuba to snap this up on his label 'Hotflush', which then released it later in the year.

I must admit, when I first heard this track last year, I was quite reluctant to like it, because I really do hate hype. I even heard it dropped by Peverlist at the Bam festival here in Barcelona last year and even though it was an amazing set and the track really did sound big on that system, I was still quite wary of getting into it, just because it was being hyped so much.

However as with most major anthems, sooner or later they grab you, and it really does get to a point where you just can't deny that this is just a massive massive track which really does provoke an amazing reaction on any dancefloor. What I love about this track, is that it really does transcend genre boundaries. You've had everyone from the house heads, techno boffs, garage boys and dubstep massive playing it, as it really doesn't quite sit perfectly in any of those fields, it's just very high quality, amazing dance music.

Right then, enough about Hyph Mngo, lets move onto the real end of the producer, because as we all know, lots of people in the past have had huge anthems, but have failed to live up to the hype after. I've been very interested in the progress of Mr Orbison since and have made it a priority to check out his new releases. And guess what....the guy is on it! He really has shown his production finesse with his follow up tracks. his latest release on the AUS label is an absolute gem of an EP which I seriously recommend you check out. The title track definitely has a more subtle feel to it than Hyph, but again the use of his snyths to create those warm textures and also the slickness and bounciness of his beat programming is again of the highest order. On a big system this will make even the most cynical of chinstrokers dance. However for me personally, its the B-side which really shines here. It has a more experimental approach to it's beat programming and track structure but it twists and turns like nothing I have heard in quite some time. Going from futuristic spaced out vibes, to deep house moods and back again all in the space of minutes, and a phat bass stab just to tickle the stomach along the way.

Again, as with most of the BamBam tips on here, I've posted a selection of my favourite Joy Orbison tracks for you to check out. And if this is something your feeling, I strongly recommend you purchase these tracks and be sure to keep an ear to the ground for some of his future works, because I've heard a few more future releases recently and they are taking it another step up. He's also playing at Sonar this year so if your about for the festival, again I can't recommend enough that you check him out!

The BIG one.....not much needs to be said about this, other than if your not familiar with this track yet, then turn this up loud, because it really is something special. The way the synths rise and dip throughout the track, the melody shift in the second half and of course, those beats!

An amazingly deep, sexy and slick version of the already massive track by Four Tet, 'Love Cry'. I heard Four Tet drop this in Barcelona a while back and it really did sound so crisp and sweet whilst loud, and it really does show the current sonic range that he has on offer at the moment.

Perhaps my favourite track by him at the moment. I just love the contrast between the futuristic spaced out elements and the classic deep house vocal's and vibe throughout the track. Definitely on a more experimental tip, but still highly danceable.

The more subtle, refined answer to Hyph Mngo, but hey this doesn't need to be a massive anthem, this is just high quality, highly emotive and danceable music from the man. Again, the synths are beautiful and the rhythms are so bouncy and danceable, amazing stuff.

News: Mount Kimbie liveset

2010-03-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Following on from the Making A Ripple article we had last month, we have a liveset for you.. Mount Kimbie recorded live from the RMBA session at Manchester's Deaf Institute in January. Full of experimental rhythms that lend themselves to the fringes of dubstep, wonky and hiphop but that ooze so much emotion, that with the echoing ambient soundscapes, this will take you to an entirely different place..!! Enjoy...

Mount kimbie - live at deaf institute manchester 29-01-2010

Sonar Update

2010-02-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

Alot more artists have been confirmed now for this years Sonar. Click on each name for a quick introduction video for each artist.

The Chemical Brothers, Air, LCD Soundsystem, Plastikman, Jónsi, Dizzee Rascal, 2manydjs, Booka Shade, Hot Chip, Fuck Buttons, Aeroplane, King Midas Sound, Broadcast, The Sugarhill Gang, Matthew Herbert's One Club,Flying Lotus, Pete Tong, Joy Orbison, Zomby, Roska, Necro Deathmort, Mary Anne Hobbs, David M, John Talabot,Bradien, Speech Debelle, Emilio José, Uffie, Jimi Tenor & Kabu Kabu, Hudson Mohawke, Carte Blanche (DJ Mehdi & Riton), Nosaj Thing Visual Show, Delorean, The Pinker Tones, Noaipre, Sandwell District, bRUNA, Bomba Estéreo, Cora Novoa, Cluster, Mike Slott, BCN 216 + Tristan Perich, Bflecha, The Slew featuring Kid Koala, Eclair Fifi & John Computer, Machinedrum, American Men, The Blessings, Elektro Guzzi, Zigmat, dp-S, Lesley Flanigan,BCN216 + Cristian Vogel, Robot Koch, Larytta, Round Table Knights, Goldielocks, Tim and Puma Mimi,

And if your only thinking of maybe doing one or two of the official Sonar parties click here for details on who is playing when. Also as soon as some off-sonar parties come to light, I'll get them on here. Keep an eye out for a special BAMBAM party aswell..

News - Scuba live recorded mix

2010-02-22T05:04:00.000-08:00

Click on the arrow to download

Recorded live from the RMBA Radio stage at Eurosonic Noorderslag 2010 festival. Again Scuba (featured in our Making a Ripple last year) is still doing an amazing job in bringing his love of techno and dubstep together and creating something very refreshing (Bass-Centric Experimentalism he has named it) It is soo good! This guy is seriously on it at the moment! Pure dancefloor shit! Expect to be dancing around your home for the next hour!

Making a Ripple: Mount Kimbie

2010-02-18T01:44:00.000-08:00

When the alien sound-waves of Mount Kimbie first reached my unexpected ears one night last year whilst listening to the Mary Anne Hobbs show, It was something of a shock to the system. This was electronic music like I had not heard in a long time. The first track I heard by them was their now cult hit track 'Maybe's' which was released out of the blue on Scuba's Hotflush label in early 2009. The track had an almost pop like feel to it on first listen, but with a unique, intricate and complex heart. After hearing the track I immediately fell in love with their sound and straight away hunted for more info on the release, which was forthcoming on 'Hotflush' at the time. One thing that has to be said, is that their first Ep was and still is a magical creation and it's an Ep that I still have on heavy rotation now. It's just very delicately crafted, subtle and emotive electronic expressions. Some people may label this as Dubstep, but for me this is not Dubstep at all, it's just Mount Kimbie music, which is what BamBam love.

Incase your not aware of them, Mount Kimbie are a London/Brighton based duo who bounced onto the Dubstep scene last year with their first magical Ep. According to Scuba, they had actually been sending him all sorts of weird stuff for quite some time, but it was with their Maybe's Ep where the sound had really matured to the level it is now. The interesting thing also is that their sound, as with all good acts, seems to be evolving all the time, as displayed in their latest Ep on Hotflush called 'Sketch on Glass'.

As music is more powerful than words, I think the easiest way for me to introduce you to their sound if your not familiar already is to guide you through my favorite tracks so far. So put some decent headphones on, or make sure your listening on some nice warm speakers, and enjoy the sounds of Mount Kimbie.....

The main track which got me into them, and still sounds as fresh now

I'm in love with this track, and love the slow-mo crunchy hip hop style beats which swing in half way through. The only downside to this track is that it's too short!

This is perhaps my favorite of their tracks, the intro synth on this is so warm and pure and when the first, almost downtempo percussive elements arrive they are just so crisp it's baffling. What I love the most though is the deceiving nature of the track, at first it appears to be downtempo, but the elements are cleverly placed within the 140bpm timeframe which leaves for a subtle transition mid way into a cheeky swinging, somewhat dubstep style track which is highly danceable and playful at the same time.

This is the title track from their latest Ep on Hotflush. Slightly more dancefloor focused with snappy crisp beats and a cheeky sub which will bust your gut on a big system. Again pure quality!

They are playing quite a few gigs at the moment in the UK and across Europe but sadly none lined up in the near future in Barcelona (fingers crossed though). To find out more info on releases and gig dates, check out their Myspace HERE

Micro_Mutek Bring dOP to Barcelona

2010-02-15T14:24:00.000-08:00

Mutek (one of the worlds most important festivals on the planet for cutting edge electronic music and visual arts) have pulled it out the bag once again!! They are now calling their new Barcelona invasion "Micro_Mutek". First they tested the water by bringing Deadbeat to Barcelona a few months ago, after such good reviews and such a cool party, this month they are throwing three consecutive parties in a row, starting from tomorrow! We're so excited about this at bambam, Ive decided to make our new friend Micro_Mutek another feature of the site so we can keep you updated about all new events they put on. This month though there is one party they are throwing in particular Im really excited about..

The artists I cant wait to see are people we haven't yet spoke about on bambam, "dOP". Ive been following their music for a couple of years, but have always been told with these guys that it's their live performance thats sets them above the rest. Heres an example of the energy these three guys bring to the club..

Also they have DAVID MARDONES providing his groundbreaking interactive installations.
"Play with Motion' lets anyone in the audience interact with the video projections to command them through motion!" I cant wait to see how this works in the club environment!! Heres a quick clip of his visuals in action..

The full Micro_Mutek lineup for these three parties

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 17

Soirée MUTEK

SONJA MOONEAR [CH] live, LE K [FR] live

Moog Club, starting midnight

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 18

Livesoundtracks and MUTEK.ES present

DRAMA SOCIETY [IT] live reinterpretation of Pasolini's film "Teorema"

+ Photo Expo

Vintage Bar, starting 8pm

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19

AKUFEN [CA] Dj, dOP [FR] live

+ DAVID MARDONES (interactive visuals)

Raum Club, starting midnight

Article: Surround Sound, But Where is it Coming From?

2010-02-05T10:03:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years we have seen technology in the visual realm evolve so rapidly that now some of the big producers are boasting they can now make 3D TV even without making you wear glasses that make you look like Brains from Thunderbirds. But with each new cinematic home entertainment system that comes out, one underlaying factor is always there which always makes the viewer feel one step closer to feeling the environment they are viewing, and that is the surround sound system!

The surround sound system is what ultimately intensifies the whole viewing experience, so much so, that you can feel the vibration from every explosion in your favorite action movie, hear every war cry and stab wound in epic battle scenes, put you infront of 64,000 screaming football fans at a stadium, or totally bewilder you in an environment you have never been to, like the heart of an Amazon rainforest, pulsating with life and with exotic creatures calling you from every angle!

So then, if a cleverly programmed surround sound environment and effects mixdown can glue the viewer to their seat, so strong they are actually too scared to leave, for fear of stepping into the crazy world they are watching; then dont you think it's time you got a piece of this magic from your favorite music producers?

Well, believe it or not, there are guys out there doing it to a great standard, and not only for home listening but in clubs also. It's still a fresh scene that is brewing and with no fixed rules or boundaries, every release or live performance is giving way to a new vision of how to guide the listener through this new spacious world. Not even the major record companies are yet united on which media format to release this music.

The most common setup is Dolby 5.1 which everyone is probably aware of by now, consisting of 2 speakers at the rear, 2 at the front and a dirty whopping sub at the front to take care of bass. The next progression is Dolby 7.1, which is a similar setup but with 2 extra speakers almost exactly to the left and right of the viewing position. But then taking things a few steps further, there are now setups like 9.1, 11.1 and 11.2 (the latter experimenting with sounds above and below). But despite all this pussyfooting around between record companies and sound system producers, some of the big boys of the Techno world have decided to plunge into the deep end and show people it can be done and at a pretty high standard to-boot!

Richie Hawtin, Speedy J, and Monolake are some of the guys who have made the evolutionary swim from their tiny crowded 2D stereo pond into the open sea of 3D! Richie Hawtin gave me the first taste of this world courtesy of his 'DE9 Transitions' DVD. The main concept of this piece was to take snipits and loops from over 100 techno tracks and turn the idea of a standard A to B DJ mix into a rich alphabet soup (with a lot more fidelity than his previous "closer to the edit concept CD's" ), but then further enhance the already lavish concept by making the final mixdown in Dolby 5.1 surround sound. The result is a wonderfully hypnotic example of how to showcase the format of surround sound. The whole concept of minimalism, in this instance, working extremely well in this format, with the ultra crisp productions from the chosen tracks in this mix and the beats at times becoming very sparse, making it very clear which direction sounds are coming from and also the extra space created by more speakers leaves room in the mix for more complex rhythems to develop; thus creating a truly spellbinding piece of music from start to finish.

Not much was done on the visual end though, with Richie perhaps overplaying the minimal theme by giving the viewer only the titles of tracks from which he took the pieces from and fading them over a black background, which; is nice for the musical nerds among us, but after seeing how cool some visuals are at his DJ gigs, it's quite disappointing. Still, this does not detract from the sheer quality of this piece.

Speedy J aka Jochem Paap was the next heavy weight Techno DJ I came across pushing this format. He has been doing his 'Umifeld Tour' for a few years now and to enhance the musical experience has been collaborating with the graphic designer Scott Pagano to create stunning visuals in HD also.
I caught one of these performances at the Berghain club in Berlin, on a nicely tuned FunktionOne system. Speedy started with some great larger than life cinematic soundscapes that were so intense you would have thought it was a warning signal for the end of the universe and made the HD screen shots on the walls seem like the most epic gallery you had ever been to. Then throughout these monsterous soundscapes which slowly morphed their way around your head, Speedy hammered out his brand of brash non merciful beats. Real heavy breathtaking stuff, at times though a little too maximal and didnt give the listener the full multi-directional experience it could have been. Also with him having to perform in front of the spoilt for choice, face-picked crowd of Berghain, it didnt show off everything that he is truly capable of and he stuck to a tried and tested formula of driving four-to-the-floor Techno.

Joachim is very excited to show off this unfamiliar format and says that “it feels like being back in the early 90s when techno happened in Europe” and that “the subtle stuff will probably come later”

In fact he is that keen to show off his work, together with the high-tech visual masterpiece that accompanies it so well, that it is available for download on a donation basis. If you have a 5.1 system at home this is a real trippy Techno session that will give it a good workout! So make sure you check out the link below

Umfield TV

Monolake was the last guy I saw perform his work in this format. His mechanical beats and luchious soundscapes were a mouthwatering prospect for this format and this is a project he is really evolving everytime he performs. He is the co-founder of Ableton live (the most efficient live music performance tool on the market) and has his own self built controller, the "Monodeck II'; so with the issue of playing and control out of the way, he can hone all his efforts into what sounds great and how to make the best musical experience he can.
When I saw him he had the club arranged in a new format for the occasion. With his control booth set smack bang in the middle of the dancefloor, which is the ultimate place for every performer to:
a) accurately cue up and monitor.b) be a part of the crowd and respond well.
However, this sadly takes up quite a percentage of the sweet spot, which ultimately is where its at! Never the less, from standing alongside the man himself, you could hear how he used mono beats to rock the party and complex delays to bounce the sound arround your head, to really add some cool groove (all be it on a diabolical sound system, tragically typical for Berlin!). However, this was such a well thought out set, going from sparse and sci fi to full on thrashing rave and not only was it a meticulously planned set but so to was the video art.
Monolake is working with the artist Tarik Barri during these performance and doing great sound to visual work in ground breaking ways. He has created sci fi worlds that slowly evolve but how they evolve is down to the tempo and intensity of the music and also clever manipulation by himself.
"What makes me dance in a club is rhythm, but what makes me really happy while dancing is great sound. I like the experience of being surrounded by a massive wall of sound which at the same time is highly defined and structured." Monolake.

Looking even further into the future, Monolake is also working with the German company 'IOSONO' who have created a system which takes surround sound to a whole new level. IOSONO have created a system using 'Wave Field Synthesis', which in simpler terms for you and me, means that the speakers can create a sound which actually sounds like it is being created from any position inside or even outside of the room. This means the illusion of space will be at a much higher standard than simply using reverb effects and will also give the possibility of the ENTIRE dance floor becoming a sweet spot!

To find out more about Monolake and his latest project, check out the link below

http://www.monolake.de/concerts/surround.html

Truly there is a new era of concerts coming, and these are exciting times to be experiencing, with this in it's infancy. It will only get better. So keep your ear to the ground and you could be a part of this new phenomenon!

Recommended Label - Raster-Noton

2010-02-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

"Raster-Notion is a platform — a network covering the overlapping border areas of pop, art and science. emerged from the fusion of the two labels rastermusic and noton (in 1999) they realize music projects, publications and installation works. The common idea behind all releases is an experimental approach — an amalgamation of sound, art and design."

(headphones on...)

I came across Raster-Notion through the artist Alva Noto. It was my first experience of music that can capture the same intense, heady emotions as techno and other rhythmical electronic music solely through use of ambient soundscapes and drones. Some of Alva Noto's ambient music in soo bass heavy and textured it really takes your breathe away and fills the club to such an extent that you have forgot there isnt even a beat. Hitting all the right emotions that keep you locked in! Alva Noto's music is so grounded it comes up from the floor and engulfs everybody on the floor!

As with alot of other ambient and other experimental music Ive always thought alot of it lacks a strong relationship between itself and the listener/crowd. For me, if something is too experimental and is off 'doing its own thing' then it is only experimenting with sounds and not with emotions. Obviously there is a need for this music, alot of new genres are created from ideas first put into this category. But my main interest is in the music where the experimenting crosses over with the people. When those ideas can be translated and understood to the point where the people can be guided into this new world. For me this is where the life-changing magic happens!!

Coming out of the clubs though, anybody looking for colourful, creatively diverse electronica, Rasta-Noton is definitely a label to have a dig through..
Heres the Link to their website which has samples of all their releases and up to date information on up coming events..

I'll end this on one of alto noto's biggest tracks from back in 2007.. enjoy!

Album Tip! Elemental - Messages From The Void

2010-01-30T02:45:00.000-08:00

Huge album! I only just came across this whilst searching for a track in the Shed Fact Mag mix and the name of the track happened to be this guy. Whether intentional or not, the album title really does have some relevance for me. The messages are perhaps his sonic signals which seem to be coming from an unknown place which contains ghosts of various genres, including deep Dub Techno, Post-Garage and a bass-heavy framework all intertwined into some serious machine funk. This album is futuristic, atmospheric and rhythmically daring, whilst having a certain fun and playful charm which is what really grabbed me on first listen. But crazy genre names aside, this gives me that forward-thinking emotion of cutting edge Techno, and for that reason, in my book, it is Techno!

Elemental has been in the production game since 2002, with early releases on Paul Rose Aka Scuba's Hotflush label and has a bonus disc which comes with the CD release of this album, containing his best releases between 2002/2009.

Check out the album HERE and if it's tickling your ear drums, then I seriously recommend a cheeky purchase, because as always, the album really needs to be listened from start to finish in it's entirety, to truly absorb the sonic messages which I being delivered here from Mr Elemental!

Here's one more track which I'm really loving off the album. It's not for the faint hearted, but make sure you either have some good headphones or listen through some decent speakers to get the full spectrum of the standard of production here. Percussion which seems to skid from underneath itself and elements which seem to be only just hanging on for their life until they all unite for brief moments of intense impact. Crazy stuff!

Peace out x

Recommended Site - Hardwax

2010-01-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

"Kids…never judge a book by its cover…but you can probably judge a city by its record store"

Hardwax record shop was, and still is, the quintessential model for all independent record shops in Berlin. It has been going now for 20 years. Almost an exact anniversary with the fall of the Berlin wall. For along time I have seen this online record store as somewhat of a connoisseur site. Never compromising on quality, and unlike a lot of the online stores at the moment, they do not bombard you with thousands of poor new releases everyday. The releases which range from Disco, dub, techno, house, all of which have that "hand picked" hardwax stamp of approval to them.

As for the actual store itself, I went there for the first time in December. Tucked away in Kreuzberg, its appearance definitely encompasses the vibe of Berlin. A dark entrance, full of graffiti and old flyers, leads to a small stairwell also completely covered in graffiti. Walking up the three flights of stairs, almost in the dark, the familiar bass sound lets you know that you're in the right place and keeps you climbing. There wasn't too many people in there when I arrived, which gave me a chance to take my time and really absorb the place. For once, I was in a record store where the staff didn't care if you stayed there all day listening to their music. In between listening to the music I could hear the staff telling people about cool parties they must go to that week, they were more than happy giving their recommendations to people and it definitely felt like I was a part of something when I was there. After a few hours there, I offered to put back the numerous records I had been listening to when I decided to leave, the guy behind the desk simply smiled and said he would sort everything and passed me a flyer for the their 20th Anniversary party (in which I actually already has tickets to) but I accepted and walked away smiling.

They are currently running a night called Wax Treatment. The next party has Peverelist headlining and is on the 31st January "...on the Killasan sound system @ horst krzbrg, Tempelhofer Ufer 1. Also here is a link to their monthly Wax Treatment Podcast run by the staff there.

"Devoid of any sales clerks taking the moral high (fidelity) ground, this vinyl vault is a must-visit for record lovers..."

News: Four Tet - 'There Is Love In You' Album Treat x

2010-01-22T08:43:00.000-08:00

There Is Love In You by Four Tet

Well.. BamBam would love to share with you a stream of Mr Four Tet's latest Album 'There Is Love In You' because:

A.) It's one of the most beautifully hand-crafted electronic albums to surface in quite some time. And as a friend of mine recently said..

"The mastery of his percussive elements blows my mind.... to have that electronic template and those natural sounds fitting in is a feat..props"

Couldn't have been put better I think.

B.) For the lucky ones going to check him out this week here in Barcelona, its the perfect soundtrack to get you in the mood before you hit the club.

C.) Last but most importantly, Mr Kieren Hebden aka Four Tet has uploaded the whole album to stream for your free listening pleasure!

Touching on the last point, I think this is really starting to highlight the current transition in the independent music industry which is a huge huge article in itself, which I don't feel at this point to have enough knowledge or in a position to really take on fully. But all I can say is that for those that are really enjoying this album, make sure you show some love and get this on the legal download once released or even pop into the shop to buy (if people still even do that these days?). Or most importantly show some extra love and go and see him live; as we all know, nothing compares to the real thing! Anyway again a bit of a tangent here, so enough of the blabbering, ENJOY!

News - New Shed Mix!!!

2010-01-21T05:34:00.000-08:00

Now, you can probably tell from the Artist Tip posted before Shed is one of my favourite artists, he continues to produce music of the highest quality and here we have an amazing new mix from him for your listening pleasure... taken from the guys at over Factmag... (to download it click on the arrow on the right)

"The mix reflects its makers ongoing interest in dubstep and post-garage forms, with tracks from the likes of Peverelist, Martyn, Joy Orbison, Zomby and Skream enjoying prominence, but that’s just one strand of a diverse and hugely rewarding selection: look out for hard and raw techno from Surgeon and Underground Resistance, deadly warehouse minimalism from Pan Sonic and Marcel Dettmann, and out-and-out rave anthems from Aphex Twin, Drexciya and Link"

Recommended Event - Red Bull Music Academy (London)

2010-01-20T03:02:00.000-08:00

This year the Redbull Music Academy is in London! And trust me, when Redbull Music Academy comes to your city you know about it!! For those unfamiliar The Academy brings new artists from around the world together, from producers to vocalists, DJs and all kinds of musicians. Over 30 days these artists get to meet people in the scene, collaborate on music, share ideas and generally come away from the experience very inspired and a lot more knowledged about the music and their scene in general. Its been going for over ten years now visiting a different city each year. Aswell as this though, while Red Bull Music Academy is around they put on events available to the rest of us that are not part of the academy, infact this year they have promised 30 mind blowing music events in just over 30 days!!! Starting 7th Feb.

The first party they are doing that got my instant attention is at the Royal Festival Hall on Feb 12

"The Red Bull Music Academy's fascination with the genre’s future tangents is a dance that has lasted over a decade now. To further this investigation, the Academy takes over the Royal Festival Hall on February 12, with four collaborative acts who’re currently at the forefront of exploring the grey areas of sci-fi electronics, discoball jazz, neo-classical, laptop soul, and 22ND CENTURY TECHNO"

The line-up consisting of Carl Craig, Francesco Tristano, Moritz von Oswald, Matmos, Bugge Wesseltoft, Henrik Schwarz, and Terre Thaemlitz as DJ Sprinkles.

No doubt about this one, its going to be an unbelievably special musical evening!!

...And if thats not enough for you, on the same night they are bringing one of the biggest dub-based lineups to the club Plan B. Including my favourites of the night Ramadanman and Appleblim that will be playing back to back. These two have been producing some of the most forward thinking bass music of the last couple of years "Expect Dubstep-to-Techno-to-Funky-to-Jungle and back again"

There are many more artists and events still to be confirmed for the other partys. Anybody within reach I cannot recommend enough! The Red Bull Academy Team again have proven how much they are supporting the most creative, advanced music of our time and full respect to everybody that is involved!

Check RedBullMusicAcademyRadio for endless shows of live recordings and interviews from all artists involved.

News: Much Love To The Plastic People (Four Tet DJ Mix Dec 2009)

2010-01-19T03:55:00.000-08:00

Much Love To The Plastic People (DJ mix December 2009) by Four Tet

Following on from the Four Tet Recommended Event, here's a mix by the man himself. It starts off with a bang courtesy of his latest killer outing 'Love Cry' and continues in quality throughout.

Also check out the link below for an interview with Four Tet on Pitchfork which talks about the huge influence that his current residency at 'Plastic People' in London has had on his more recent work and up and coming album, which is due out this month called 'There Is Love in You'

"The rhythms and the techno influence seeped into it naturally. I think it was a combination of what I was doing with Steve Reid and DJing"

INTERVIEW HERE

Recommended Event - Four Tet @ Apolo Barcelona 23/01/10

2010-01-18T05:50:00.000-08:00

The Four Tet project by producer Kieren Hebden has been a continuous exploration into the balance between organic and programmed sounds, ranging from the more experimental beat and structure patterns of his earlier albums, with the last released album 'Everything Ecstatic' in the same vein, to the more four-to-the-floor orientated outings of his more recent work.

Below are two tracks I'm really loving, the first one being one of the most beautiful House tracks I have heard in a long time, which was made along side the famously mysterious Burial and the second track is one of his latest tracks released on the 'Domino' label called 'Love Cry'. This track really highlights Four Tet's recent transition into more dance-floor based sounds whilst still retaining the live sample, organic feel which his work is so famous for. On the flip side there's a very cool remix by Joy Orbison which is worth some attention.

Anyway I'll be popping along to this night so a review will be following shortly, but for now enjoy these and if your not familiar with his work then have a good old dig......

News: Berghain Sub:Stance Interview with Scuba and Robotic @ Berlin Mitte Institut

2010-01-16T01:47:00.000-08:00

Really interesting four part interview with Scuba and Berlin Dubstep maestro Robotic.

Check out the four parts on youtube for a sneaky insight into Scuba's Sub:Stance night at the Berghain Club in Berlin, the evolution of Dubstep, Scuba's thought's on the pigeonholing of the genre, the current cross pollination with Techno and future visions.

Just follow the links on the first part to see the other four video's.

Artist Tip: A Made Up Sound (2562)

2010-01-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

Firstly I want to clarify that this is not your typical biographical article I'm writing about here, this is more specifically about one of Dave Huismans' alias pseudonym's called 'A Made Up Sound'. If you have been following Dubstep over the last few years you may be aware of a rising star in the scene called 2562, which is the most famous alias of the mastermind that is Huisman. With two widely aclaimed albums under his belt as 2562, both exploring the realms between Dubstep, Post-Garage, House, Grime, Funky and more, Huisman has created a special mood which is amoung a small list of current producers who can rightly claim to have carved themselves. However parallel to this, he has also been very busy creating and releasing a string of releases under his lesser known but arguably more intriguing guise 'A Made Up Sound'.

Right, lets cut the bullshit fancy writing here, 'A Made Up Sound' is big. I've been following him since his first release on 'SubSolo' and every EP and track with his name on released after 'and before' this has been pretty much, a buy on site purchase. With AMUS he adds an extra depth to House and Techno that seems to have been lacking for me, for quite some time. The tracks are raw and funky, rhythmically adventurous but still stay true to the dance floor which is perfect for any forward thinking DJ's to weave in and out of. Even in a home listening environment his tracks have enough finesse and creative twists and turns to keep you interested from start to finish. But as with most of this kind of music, it really is on a big sound-system, where the music takes on a life of it's own....you really do need to hear the sub-base in these tracks LOUD!

With AMUS it's a little bit like what I mentioned in the Scuba article. With 2562 you seem to get the Techno elements fused into Dubstep, but with AMUS you get the Dubstep Elements fused into House and Techno. Which ever way round you look at it, and however you see it, give Mr Huisman some love and go and buy some of his music!

Below is a selection of my favorite tracks by 'A Made Up Sound' to get you started.

This does exactly what it says on the tin....Bounce, and plenty of it.

Absolutely love the acid line in this and the groove just keeps on developing throughout. Pure sickness with a touch of cheek.

Leaning towards more of a technoid Dubstep tip, this has rising synths which remind me in a more subtle way of Joy Orbison and has one of those special moods which if dropped at the right point can create magical moments.

This one is purely about the big sound-system. An almost rave sounding track with a raw groove and sub-base which will sound like its ripping through your chest (in a good way) on the right sound-system.

On a much deeper tip, this is one for the early morning meditators. A slice of highly hypnotic Dub Techno fused Dubstep.

Sonar Update: A Taste Of Sonar

2010-01-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

Not only are Sonar having two simultaneous festivals in the summer this year in different locations (see here) they are also putting on "A Taste Of Sonar" which is going to be held at the Roundhouse in Camden, London on the 5th and 6th March..

"It will be two nights to savour in pure Sonar style, containing a small-scale version of the intense festival experience" The first two confirmed artists are - the enigmatic North American MC and producer DOOM (in Europe for the first time), and Laurent Garnier.

Also this year, Red Bull Music Academy are getting back involved and will be programming the Studio Theatre Stage which will be "representing some of the most exciting emerging talent from around the globe"

Artist Tip - Shed aka Wax, EQD, STP, Deuce (with Dettman)

2010-01-10T11:16:00.000-08:00

"Shed's numerous 12"s for his own Soloaction imprint, and a succession of tracks on Styrax Leaves, Delsin, Ostgut Ton, alongside a number of anonymous club tools for Hardwax, have become the purest source of Berlin engineered Detroit techno available" - Boomkat

The track above, The Lower Upside down, is one of my favorites off Shed's amazing album Shedding the Past from 2008 and is perfect example of the ambience and beauty that Shed can create in his music. Heres a link to here the whole album.. Shed - Shedding The Past

Being one of the staff at Berlin's famous record store hardwax, Shed has always had a close relationship with electronic music and has been releasing music since 2004. Its in the last two years though, where I think he has really raised the standard.

I had the pleasure of seeing him play at the Hardwax 20th Anniversary party in Berlin and judging from that, it seems he has a lot more amazing music coming for us also.. Not only that but two big tracks of the night for me were both sides of his Wax 20002 release.. which was a big reminder that this guy knows exactly what he is doing and also how much his music comes to life on a big system! Heres one of the tracks..

Recommended Event - Cassy @ Raum 22/01/2010

2010-01-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

After giving us an awesome set during Cocoon's Adrian Dance Week last year at Off Sonar, Barcelona has been waiting for Cassy to return. Cassy is one of the most loved residents of Berlin's Panarama Bar. She also has releases on labels such as Perlon, Cocoon, Ostgut Ton, Desolat.. I could go on but basically those looking for a really good dance to some cool house music (and a trip into a little bit of madness) get ya ass there!!

Article: Fabric London - Love em or Hate em?

2010-01-07T08:23:00.000-08:00

'Elevator Music' Special:

Unless you have been living in a cave for the last 10 years then you may have heard of the infamous Fabric club in London. I didnt check out the place until around 2005 and the main thing I recall of my first hazy Saturday night visit was that I never even realised that room one existed! Well upon further visits to the club I finally found it and had the pleasure of hearing, for me, the best soundsystem (in a club) I have ever heard. Yes, I have heard of the Labryinth Festival in Japan and it's ridiculous sound-system and various other legendary sound-systems around the world, but in terms of a club sound-system there isnt really much more that can be done to improve the sound at Fabric. It's nearly always just the right level (depending on the talent and experience of the DJ) and has crystal clear sound and depth which, especially in room one, is perfectly tailored for showcasing the many sonic levels and textures that good quality House & Techno has to offer. Rumour has it, that if you are clued up enough and keep a look out, you may actually catch the sound engineer 'Sanj' pottering around the dancefloor tweaking the levels to sustain that constant sweetspot of sound, which can't be a bad thing for any DJ can it?

However there is a darker, colder sider to Fabric which has been highlighted over the years, especially in the latter ones, and this is an image which has been mainly reinforced by the influx of tourists and hipsters from all over the world, who have no interest or clue about who or what is playing, but are there just because it's the cool place to be. Fabric by no means have done themselves any favours here by letting in far too many people on far too many occasions when headliners have played which has helped kill any sort of atmosphere that may have been created over the course of the night. Also due to the mixture of crowd types, i.e hipsters and tourists combined with music enthusiasts, it has often led to the atmosphere and club dynamics feeling somewhat sterile and void of any emotion or 'vibe'.

One thing though that has to be said here about the club is that love em or hate em, however big their brand and image has become, unlike many huge clubbing institutions before them, in no way shape or form over the years has Fabric ever took their fingers off the pulse. They have always stayed true to themselves, never selling out to expectations, and are continuously pushing forward new talent accross a wide spectrum of the electronic music canvas, showcased through from the more urban UK Bass and HipHop spectrum of their Friday night to the more straight up House and Techno on their Saturday night. All I can say is, that regardless of the atmosphere on a general basis in Fabric, on the times they have got it right, I have had some of the most magical musical and clubbing experiences of my life there, and to hear people like Ricardo Villalobos on form working the levels to absolute perfection and playing some of the most mind bending shit your ever likely to hear or even just to hear some of your favourite music on THAT sound-system will always be somewhat special, even to the most cynical of clubbers.

On this note, I can now go on to explain about their new project called 'Elevator Music' which will be showcased on their launch party, spread across all three rooms on Friday 8 Jan 2010. Below is a little snippit version of the summery by Fabric themselves about the concept of the project and what your likely to be hearing.

"Fabric are set to venture into fresh territory with a new unmixed compilation series. Entitled Elevator Music, the purpose of each of the releases is to showcase unreleased tracks from some of the producers that have been exciting the Fabric staff, with a definite focus on dance floor."

"Although Graham Best (Fabric's A&R synchronisation manager) has said that future editions won't focus on any particular genre, Volume 1 has a grounding in UK bass music and related international producers, collecting new tracks from the likes of Martyn, Starkey, Shortstuff, Untold and Hot City, as well as an appearance from previous Fabriclive contributors Caspa & Rusko. Ranging from bumping sub-heavy house through to various styles of dubstep, the compilation is sure to appeal to listeners who have been keeping their eyes on recent developments in the UK scene. Although only a CD release is on the cards for the meantime, Best has hinted that there will be a set of vinyl singles that will follow on from the compilation's release in January."

Not mentioned in the above press release are various other acts playing on the opening night such as the now hotly tipped Joy Orbison, in full swing after his massive 2009 crossover track 'Hyph Mngo', which if, again you were that person living in a cave in 2009, you may have missed all the hype around this track, with it being charted as the number one biggest track of 2009 on many music websites and blogs. Also other excting artists such as 2562, the future smooth Drum & Bass influenced Dubstep of Dbridge / Instra:mental and the techy precision of Headhunter. Basically everyone who have been exciting Fabric and me for that matter during the course of 2009.

I think what is great here is that Fabric have created an umbrella with this night and project of all the artists which have splintered off and mutated from the varous branches of UK Bass and are quite hard to pin down. It's almost a 'take from it what you want' kind of attitude which reminds me of the early days of House & Techno before the genre definitions came to rule and regulate. I don't know exactly why, but over the last few years I have found myself listening to more and more of the crossover stuff from UK Bass, hearing more and more interesting sounds and sonic explorations with each listen and it has made a refreshing change in contrast to what has been the main theme of the more straight up sounds in House/Techno over the last few years, which is the whole mid 90's retro 'old is new' trend, but that is a whole new topic in itself that I may write about at some point. But slightly back on topic, as many a House head or Techno nerd may say, "House is a feeling" and "Techno is a state of mind"; so if this is the case, then as long as these crossover idea's are creating the emotion your after, then isnt this the 'feeling' or 'state of mind' your claiming to be chasing?

Anyway check out the little video below which showcases the tracks due be released on Fabric's exclusive 'Elevator Music' compilation coming very soon. Mine is in the post and is due to arrive shortly, so I can't wait to get my hands on it! I'm especially after a few tracks in there, one of them being the HUGE roller called 'Skinnz - Ukraine' which i'm looking forward to weaving in and out of some other rhythms in my record box shortly!

Also here's a little quote by Mr Skinnz himself on his current style, which is exactly the kind of attitude I'm loving.

“I see what I do as taking elements of classic loop techno and fusing them onto a deeper rolling bass-heavy framework,” reasons Skinnz, “I’m inspired as much by older Marco Carola as I am by Mala!”

.

Recommended Site - Boomkat and it's Random Oddities

2010-01-06T13:09:00.000-08:00

I can't praise this site enough and for those you haven't used it yet, seriously give it a whirl. For fellow music diggers, especially DJ's, its a little heaven for the people like me who can get stuck in a rut on the more mainstream House & Techno online stores like decks.de. The problem with decks.de is the fact that all of their 'new releases' etc are an exact representation of the 'in sound' of the moment. You never get the sense that your going to find some random little gem which may not quite sit within the tight genre frames in which it's placed. If like me you like things to get a bit wonky and rough round the edges, then Boomkat is the perfect place. It's a very musically eclectic website with recommendations ranging from modern classical soundtracks to Reggae, Downbeat, Soul, House and Techno, but it still manages to have it's own personal vibe. You can hear an album recommendation and you instantly feel it sits with the Boomkat style. Even if your just a music enthusiast then this site will hit all right spots if you have an open mind and lust for things undiscovered or new.

Another great addition which they have added to the site, which I have been following since it's introduction is it's sub site called 14 tracks. It's basically a selection of 14 hand picked tracks with a different theme each time. The theme could be about showing all the different shades of a certain producer or just giving a snapshot of a new genre like that god awfully named 'UK Funky' for example. You can either download the tracks individually or get all the tracks for half price if you buy the selection. It's a great way though of discovering new sounds, artists and scene's. Follow the link below...

http://www.14tracks.com/ Get subscribing!

Recommended Event - Elevator Music Launch Party @ Fabric London 08/01/2010

2010-01-06T08:20:00.000-08:00

Massive night with a massive lineup. If your in London around this time and are vaguely into electronic music, then be very sure not to miss this night. It has a huge lineup accross all three rooms which will be showcasing some of the most cutting edge talent in rhythm science over the last year. Get a huge pot, throw in some garage, dubstep, grime, house, dub, techno, and god knows what else, shake it all up, add some BASS, and see what happens...Get involved!

News - Sonar 2010

2009-12-21T11:02:00.000-08:00

Sonar, the most respected electronic music festival in Spain, draws thousands of established artists, new talent, record labels and DJs to Barcelona each year. Next summer for the first time the festival will take place across two locations, Barcelona and A Coruña, due to the celebrations of the holy Xacobeo Jubilee Year.

DFA's 'LCD Soundystem' and 'Air' have just been handpicked as the two first acts to kick off the 3-day electronic music festival.

"The A Coruña event, dubbed Sónar Galicia, will have a Sónar by Day with a music line-up, and a multimedia and audiovisual area with a special emphasis on Galician artists. The Sónar by Night stages will feature the latest leading lights in electronica."

Earlybird prices have also just been released, these prices up until 31st January

Full day and night pass 130€
Professional Accreditation 145€

Really looking forward to this summer's Sonar! For new, experimental and fresh music the Saturday Sonar by Day is a one not to be missed!!

As more artists get added and we get more news we will keep you updated!

Artist Tip - UK Bass Maverick - Shackleton

2009-12-19T18:23:00.000-08:00

Co-founder of the legendary Skull Disco label (RIP), Shackleton has more recently made the 'all so familiar' migration to Berlin after deciding to put the highly successful Skull Disco to rest. I actually arrived a little late on the Shackleton wave, as it wasn't until his famous musical rendezvous with Ricardo Villalobos that I woke up to his unique sound. To cut a long story short, Shackleton and the other half of Skull DIsco 'Appleblim' saw Ricardo play one of his mind bending sets at Bestival (Isle of White) and having heard him drop his now famous track 'Blood on my Hands' a few times earlier in the year they were interested in getting their faces known. Both kitted out in Skull Disco t-shirts, they soon got his attention and after the show, had chance to hand him over the track to remix, which he gladly obliged to and free of charge! This kind of thing really does show the genuine side of Ricardo and his quest for new sounds. Anyway he returned with his amazing trippy 'Apocolipse Now' remix and in turn dropped it to devasating effect at places like Fabric, which raised Shackleton's profile to to the next level.

This in my opinion was a pivotal point in raising awareness in the Berlin Techno camp of the futuristic sounds coming out of the UK Bass scene over the last few years.

Right then, let's get down to the music. For those who aren't aware of Shackleton, think of Dubstep for a second, and then completely throw that out the window. Aside from the structure revolving around the base and perhaps in his earlier work (the tempo), it bares little resemblance to anything other than 'Shackleton' music. From his first Live performances playing just his own tracks on vinyl, he has taken the 'Ableton Live' route. From what I hear, it was due to the fact his music is so percussive it was actually a bit of a ball ache having to beatmatch all the time. Well regarless of the reasons, he really has utilzed the power of Ableton Live to create highly hypnotic primal sets which as mentioned on 'MusosGuide.com'..."Seem to be built vertically with layer upon layer of tribal patterns and washes of static feedback, with individual components stacked upon each other and then elaborately peeled away to the bare bones. The overall effect is reminiscent less of any concept of 'dubstep' than of some mutant, devolved strain of techno, stripped to its very core and innately tied to the ritualistic connotations of the 'dance'.

Described as 'Interesting bass music' by many, and with his current home residing in Berlin, it seems fitting that the legandary Perlon label asked him to release his latest work, called 'Three EPS'. This EP grows on me more and more with each listen. There just seems to be so much depth and texture within the sparse razer sharp rhythms and sub base that it always evokes that 'one more listen' aspect. Perhaps with his music having that certain uneasy vibe, it provokes that little bit of human nature in all of us, which is the curiosity to just look around the corner that 'one more time' and just try to understand that 'little bit' more.

The last time I saw him play was at Stealth in Nottingham back in 2008 and it still sits among the top Live sets ive ever seen. The mood he created was so primal, hypnotic and tense, by the end it really had sucked in my mind. After his set it actually took me and few others a good half hour to adjust back to some sort of normal conversation.

Check below for a review and link of his latest EP and also a stream of his mix on BBC's Mary Anne Hobbs Experimental Show. We will be keeping an eye on his musical development over in Berlin and will post any links to up and coming EP's or interesting gigs, so watch this space!

Shackleton - MAH MIX September 2009

SHACKLETON

THREE EPS
(PERLON)

Three EPs combines the cutting edge of electronic music with a ritualistic intensity operating at the level of the unconscious; in this purely "shamanic" sense it's part of a lineage that includes voodoo tribes, Burroughs/Gysin, Psychic TV. It makes you feel anxious, it hurts your ears, it changes your physiology. It's a trip. If you're looking for music to DJ out or to brighten up your commute, then look elsewhere. You can't "use" this record - it uses you, it's uncompromising, and it doesn't meet you in the middle. It's a record to be loved, but also to be feared." [Kiran Sande]

Masters of the live-sets...

2009-12-15T11:51:00.000-08:00

For me the idea of the "live-set" has always been an odd one. For those unfamiliar..

"Live-set refers to any performance of electronic music that is generated live out of a bank of equipment or a laptop rather than played from a pre-recorded medium (such as vinyl or CD.)"

The electronic dance scene has always been pushed forward by DJs. The guys at the front testing the new music on different crowds, educating and directing the scene. DJs now having access to so much recorded pieces of music and sounds from so many different countrys and decades.

Even though livesets have been around for a long time there seems to be an increase in artists getting booked, maybe because of the internet etc, after producing just a couple of good tracks. Not comfortable with DJing, not a natural performer, a lot of times these artists stick to playing there own tracks and loops and bang "...PLAYING LIVE" is put on the flyer!!

In my experience, at the moment most are:- sounding flat in the club, the artists are not vibing off the crowd as the 50mins - 1hr20mins set is mostly pre-planned.. it feels like somebody should be taking care of the crowd, letting them get involved and really experience something and not just having somebody throw music at them. But with limited sounds and emotions to choose from... there doesn't seem to be many directions for the artist to go!!

Anyway the title wasn't meant as an attempt at sarcasm.. There are a few guys at the moment that are playing livesets and are doing it at an extremely HIGH standard!! It feels like, instead of making their music and then trying to somehow piece it together to show it to a crowd, they are always concentrating on working on bettering their performances.. Keeping the music as spontaneous as possible by controlling as many effects and mixing on the fly as much as they can. They are also releasing some amazing tracks, which do an amazing job of capturing a snippet of the emotion of their live performance, but also gives other DJs the chance to use their music in different ways. Its like they are using their releases to get people excited about going to see themselves performing, rather then using the livesets to try and promote themselves and their new album or latest release.. The right way around if you ask me..

Three examples that need to be heard live!!!..

Deadbeat.. (Already mentioned in the review of him playing in Barcelona last month) an adopted Montrealer who has been releasing dub laden minimal electronics since 1998. Heres him playing last year at the Elevate Festival..

Deadbeat Live @ Elevate Festival, Graz Austria - 08-11-2008

Shackleton.. Originally from Bristol, Shackleton has been carving out his own brand of eclecticism with intricate, snaking percussion, hypnotic melodies, seriously deep bass lines and dubwise sensibilities..

Shackleton Live at Sonar 2008

Carl Craig. very different example from the other two but just had to get this up on here. Amazing, one of the best things Ive seen. He was in Barcelona last month.. Sit back, get comfortable. Here he is at Cite de la Musique, Paris last year. Click for full video (taken from Grandcrew.com)

Event Review - Deadbeat and Andres Bucci in Barcelona. (Taken from residentadvisor.net)

2009-12-13T13:00:00.000-08:00

Event - Soiree Mutek

Venue - Moog Club Barcelona

Line-Up - Deadbeat Live, Andres Bucci Live, Nerone...

Rating - 4.5/5

I was unlucky (and lucky for other reasons) to be back in sunny England at the time so I missed this, but I had a fair few friends who attended and made me even more jealous with their rave reviews. Watch this space though, as according to the grape vine, Mutek will be doing more events here in the near future. I'll give the link to the review below but firstly I want to highlight a paragraph in this review which is very relevant to my personal views of the current state of affairs with electronic music in Barcelona at the moment.

"Mutek, like many others at the grass roots level in Barcelona, have realised that there is a growing gulf between the techno tourists and the big stage sounds of the yearly festival and the so-called "advanced electronic music" they claim to represent. The mood away from the festival is also growing disillusioned as well, with few places for local talent to tout their wares at the bigger clubs that are neither aware enough nor brave enough to consistently push a more "advanced" electronic agenda, bar the occasional night."

It's good to here these words from someone else about Barcelona, as I was beginning to think it was just me and my anal tastes. But I am not anal, I just enjoy good music thrown by passionate people and in terms of what is happening in barcelona (bar a few exceptions) it's pretty non existent at the moment. It's still quite an interesting time though as there is a definite feel in the sinful air of BCN that things are looking up. With underground venues such as La Nave in Poble Nou, run by various passionate music lovers and party organisers, there is definitely a market for nights which have that 'vibe' to re-egnite BCN once more. Let's see what happens ay?

http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=6898

Making a Ripple: Scuba (SCB)

2009-12-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

Founder of the amazing Hotflush label, this guy has had a serious year. One of the genre pushers who's been thoroughly exploring the realms of the Dubstep/Techno crossover and a key figure in the B2B or Berlin Bristol axis as some people may know. To cut along story short about the Berlin Bristol axis, it's basically a group of producers, mainly from Bristol who have been producing 'Dubstep' which doesn't quite sit within the genre (Shackleton is another example - but that's another story!) but have been plopped in there anyway as it's only place the music can fit. But these guys (many long term fans of Techno) have been exploring the idea's of using Detroit Techno, Chicago House and other sounds as influences within the Dubstep palette. Through releasing tracks which have been picked up by the crew over at the Hard Wax record store in Berlin, they have built a strong relationship with the guys at Hardwax and thus have created this Berlin Bristol mashup. The tracks tend to be more stripped down and more focused on rhythmical experimentation and clever use of space within sounds whilst still evolving around some serious sub base. Scuba is one of the leading figures of this sound at the moment has has done some sick mixes this year to showcase it.

But for me personally, the most interesting thing about these guys at the moment is their bravery in mixing things up in their sets. There not afraid to hop between old and new house, techno, acid, even the odd Pink Floyd or as displayed in the opening of Scuba's Hotflush podcast, one of the tracks from the Alien movie. And in my opinion in a time where the scene is saturated with 2 hour set safety DJ's who are afraid to take things down and back up again, this is a welcome movement.

He's currently running a night in Berlin at the Berghain club on a Friday called 'Sub:Stance', which I'm yet to go to but it's on the top of my 'to go' list that's for sure. Another equally as interesting Alias of his at the moment is called SCB, which is basically flipping the concept upside down. The way I perceive it, is Scuba is playing the more Dubstep end (mainly because of tempo) which has heavy House/Techno influences, where as SCB is more straight up House/Techno but its taking many influences and sounds from the Dubstep side. Anyway enough ramblings, check out both sides for yourself....

Podcast 03 – Scuba (RIght click and save as to download)

Recommended Event - Sub:Stance @ Berghain (Berlin) 15-01-10

2009-12-13T12:45:00.000-08:00

This is a heavily recommended night, with only a few nights behind them this is a very new concept at the Berghain club. Expect to hear futuristic sounds from the grey area between Dubstep, House and Techno with the odd bit of jungle and Drum & Bass thrown in for good measure.

Making a Ripple - Matias Aguayo

2009-12-13T12:44:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of seeing the man at Club Apollo in BCN a few weeks back with Michael Mayer. To be honest I hadn't really followed him much since his early days on Kompakt, with his more minimalist melodic style. However after a recent 14tracks selection of the man, I decided to buy his new album called 'Ay Ay Ay' which I have been very impressed with. In my opinion, it's somewhere in between House, Techno and Punk. His style at the moment definitely has that rough round the edges raw vibe to it, and much like his titled 'minimal' track it's obviously a direction which has been fueled by the rebellion of all things sterile and clean within the 'minimal' domination over the last few years. What I like about this though however is the fact he's not just making fuller louder sounds purely to rebel against minimal like much of the soulless loopy 'House' which has flooded the market over the last few years (I mean it's still 'minimal' anyway, expect replace the glitches and bleeps with sampled bongo's and the white noise and plug in vst's with classic chord stabs and classic soul vocals and voila, the 'sound of now'). Back on topic, no this guy has a very clever rebellion, this is some future live House and Techno shit with very clever live elements and arrangements. The guy had a shaker and was beat-boxing and still managed to make it look cool as fuck and sexy as hell.

What I like about his live vocals and beat-boxing is that he used them not in the standard format, but in a very sutle way to create textures and rhythms which heightened the groove and flow of his tracks during the mix. For all people who haven't seen him yet, be sure to check one of his gigs soon and for those who haven't even heard him, check out the links below. One is his new album 'Ay Ay Ay' and the other is a selection of tracks on 14tracks.com

Matias Aguayo - Ay Ay Ay

Recommended album track - Rollerskate

http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=232814 -

Recommended selection track - Walter Neff

http://www.14tracks.com/selections/74-14_tracks_deep_inside_matias_aguayo - 14 Tracks - Deep Inside Matias Aguayo

Article - Barcelona Bass

2009-12-13T12:43:00.000-08:00

(Taken from factmagzine.co.uk)

An interesting article on the current lack of musical identity in Barcelona.

For the majority of the electronic music-loving world, outside of one heady week in June, Barcelona only exists as an Adidas record bag bearing the industry code of honour – that little Sonar snowflake.

For the weeks following the festival, fellow owners of these souvenir bags smile knowingly as they pass each other in London streets; yep, they were all there, in the press area, musing on what comes after wonky. But what happens for the other 51 weeks of the year on the Barcelona club and music scene?

The reality is that, for a few years, Barcelona’s music scene has been suffering from an identity crisis. Barcelona The Party Town that hoards of graffing Swedes, German graphic designers and London DJs moved to five years ago has had to face some cold, hard practicalities. For every new club that opens, five are closed down due to noise restrictions. Some of the cities most legendary clubs, like Paloma, Café Royale and New York New York, have suffered deathblows. There is now no such thing as a bar with a licence for live music - this includes decks. Short-sighted club owners are happy to cram their spaces with thirsty tourists, who ask nothing more than to shake their sequins to the five-nights-a-week resident techno DJ.

"Barcelona’s music scene has been suffering from an identity crisis."

So, what does this mean to a city full of party-hardy heads, hungry for something new and with no place to go? As ever, the time has come to get creative...

After a couple of years in therapy, Barcelona is beginning to gain confidence. Two weeks ago, somewhere in a crazy sculpture studio-cum-club in Poble Nou, Meneo’s Rigo was heard whispering “I don’t want to speak too soon, but I think we might have a scene here”. The city is young and resilient and bursting with creative people who have the will, and are gradually finding the way.

Each time the police close down one party, another one crops up somewhere else. Puny soundsystems in central venues mean that people are heading for the outskirts – illegal warehouse venues like Pere IV and out of town clubs like Sala BeGood (home to the huge dubstep night B.LOW). The recent Su Casa Es Mi Casa saw a collective of artists and musicians take over painter Monty’s home and re-invent it as an exhibition space, for one day only.

"Puny soundsystems in central venues mean that people are heading for the outskirts."

Alternatively, scruffpots and pay-as-you-goers are turning to unlikely spots for inspiration. The city’s ‘pijo’ (read: ‘footballers' wives bling-a-ling’) venues have become an untapped source of merriment and mischief. Each month Mondo Club’s Studio 54-inspired, white banquette-filled terrace overlooking the yachts is flooded with caps and gold hoops – youths with hipflasks in their back pockets and a yearning to turn the place upside-down to dubstep, grime and booty. Shake & Bass had a stint in a privately owned gallery – DJ Face-Tic had people hanging from the rooftop bed and swinging from the sculptures.

So, what about the music itself?

What's emerging is a music scene that reflects the city’s unique and slightly bastard identity. It' a city that has only known immigration for 30 years, but it knows it very well. Much of Barcelona’s creative crowd can be found in studios and on terraces in higgledy piggledy Raval, an area where illegal immigrants from Morocco and Pakistan cuddle up to Senegalese bag sellers and Nigerian prostitutes. Barcelona City Council’s aggressive town-planning attempts to ‘clean up’ Raval have seen Philip Stark-designed hotels air-dropped into poor areas - the local residents have no hope of getting a job in these places, let alone staying in them. An air of menace and disquiet lies beneath the tourist hotspot and all of this is reflected in the music. If you are at Sonar this year, be sure not to miss two offerings from Barcelona’s Disboot Collective – Cauto who recently released on DJ/rupture's Dutty Artz and brings menacing dubstep to the dance, and anti-globalist Filastine whose dark soundscapes cover everything from trip-hop to Balkan.

"However bad the credit crunch (or ‘creeeeesis’ as they call it here in Spain), it’s hard to stay blue for long when there’s a parrot on your balcony and a five-man salsa band at the end of your street."

But the fact, whichever way you look at it, is that Barcelona is a chirpy city - there’s sunshine, there’s a beach, there’s palm trees for christ’s sake! And there’s no mistaking this in the parties and music that ooze out of every little uptown warehouse and downtown chiringuito. However bad the credit crunch (or ‘creeeeesis’ as they call it here in Spain), it’s hard to stay blue for long when there’s a parrot on your balcony and a five-man salsa band at the end of your street.

Nobody knows and shows this better than local legends, Meneo, a bouncy, colourful duo who play 8-bit cumbia music – their very own, self-coined ‘electropical’. Just listening to one Meneo track says everything there is to say about Barcelona – there’s spirit, there’s colour, there’s hints of darkness and lots and lots of noise. Meneo are crowned and naked kings of Barcelona’s party scene and they are slowly taking over the world, festival by festival. Friends with Toy Selectah and the Zizek crew, they are also part of an international Cumbia scene that is threatening to throw Hervé and Sinden from their fidget house thrones. And with upcoming remixes from Tomb Crew, Silverlink and Dead Robot and some serious love from Mad Decent these boys are proving themselves to be so much more than a niche 8-bit act.

Download: Meneo - Barcelona Bass mix for FACT Magazine

Meneo also represent a sound that is undeniably a part of Barcelona’s heritage. Dare I say the word ‘fusion’? Dare I utter the name ‘Manu Chao’? Whatever your thoughts on this omnipresent local, his sound is representative of a city that takes its influences from all around the world. Barcelona is a port town. People from all corners come here for a week and end up staying five years. It is a transient city of come-ers and go-ers, who all bring and leave behind their influences and sounds. And because of this the fusion sound is progressing. Barcelona’s El Guincho may well be one of the most internationally recognised artists currently pioneering this movement. He plays techno for the sunshine – his sounds are hard and unrelenting, but somehow manage to remain cheery and decidedly tropical. A new world music.

"Barcelona cannot claim to have a sound that is all its own right now – it’s no Bristol or Baltimore."

Alongside the appreciation of other cultures, there is also a quiet and modest appreciation of the homegrown. K**O will be playing at Sonar by Day this year. He is a resident DJ for both Plat du Jour and Desparrame – an uber-cool night he organises with electro-rockers Delorean. The crew came together through a shared love of R Kelly and old-school Spanish dance music and are doing nights that cover everything from T Pain to El General. K**O’s Espanish Boogie mix was a homage to Spanish 80’s boogie music and it became a blog hit, snapped up by the likes of Discobelle. His production debut - Ximo XL - is packed with pure 90’s Bacalao samples. Kazey & Bulldog are among its fans.

Download: K**O - FACT Mix

Another new night that is currently making waves in Barcelona is our very own Plat du Jour. With a crew made up of Brits, Swedes and a Basque man, we can't claim the Spanish culture as our own, but we still take a certain pride in it. What we're trying to do is open up Barcelona once more as a destination for forward-thinking international DJs. One of the promoters, Tom Dodd, explains that the hope is to “take the best of what there is to offer locally and put it on an international stage. There is no international stage without international players.” The night has seen the likes of Meneo, K**O and DJ Face Tic billed alongside Joker, Mumdance, Yo Majesty, Drums of Death and Rustie. Our Off-Sonar party in association with FACT looks set to be one of this years highlights: with a Brainfeeder room featuring Flying Lotus and friends, and a Plat du Jour room billing local acts such as DJ Slick Dixx alongside Mumdance, Jackmaster, Oneman, Brackles and a few surprises.

What this city is undoubtedly steeped in is people who want to party. Forget self-conscious, ‘ironic’, people-watching parties. Barcelona is about unashamed, hands-to-the-ceiling fun - no wry smiles round here. Barcelona cannot claim to have a sound that is all its own right now – it’s no Bristol or Baltimore. But it will never be short of creative people doing creative things – open-minded and receptive to all number of influences. It’s only a matter of time.

Clare Considine

Album Tip! (Not for the faint hearted) - Demdike Stare - Symbiosis

2009-12-13T12:42:00.001-08:00

*Long awaited CD album collecting both limited vinyl editions from Demdike Stare, fusing elements of everything from fragmented dub to Turkish, Iranian and West Indian library records, through to Scandinavian drone, Chicago House and beyond..." Demdike Stare is a long-in-the-making hookup between two shady characters operating at the fringes of Manchester's fragmented music scene: Miles Whittaker and Sean Canty. Miles has been a longtime affiliate of Modern Love as one half of Pendle Coven and under his own MLZ alias, while Canty is one of the city's most recognisable vinyl collectors, carrying an obsession with everything from obscure Nordic Doom records to Anatolyan funk albums, fuelled by his dayjob helping out at the Finders Keepers label. The project is named after Pendle's most famous witch: Elizabeth Southerns, aka Demdike. The tracks on 'Symbiosis' are drawn from elements of Turkish, Indian, Iranian, African and West Indian film soundtracks alongside Norwegian drone records, classic House templates, punctured dub, modified techno and the arctic noise perfected by Mika Vainio. Original sources and dense analogue experiments weave around eachother with little care for convention or stylistic expectation, instead throwing the pair's extensive musical knowledge into a set of tracks that, quite brilliantly, defy categorisation."

(Sourced from Boomkat.com)

Okay, so halloween has passed, but for all people who want to push their emotions a little bit down the dark and unknown from time to time, then spend a night in with the headphones or have a long walk at night and absorb this album in it's entirety. A very atmospheric album which has touches of Rhythm and Sound influences with an all together unique touch. Highly Recommended!

Artist Tip - The Many Shades of Stephan Laubner...

2009-12-13T12:24:00.000-08:00

One of the most unknown prolific producers in the business. Here is a selection on Boomkat's excellent 14tracks site which will show you a vast array of his beautifully crafted electronic expressions ranging from headfuck ambient to lush deep house and techno. One of my all time favorite producers and a true master in his own right....Seminal!

On a party tip check the track 'Something is Raw' by his STL Alias. Pure Cheek! On another note, an example of the beauty of the 14 track selections....even if you know a fair bit about everything, there's always something new you'll discover. I never knew about one of his ambient alias' called 'Lunatik Soundsystem'. Turns out to be beautiful stuff...

Anyway check out the link below and give this guy some love..

Stephan Loubner - Somethings Out There

Article - The blogs that act as modern-day cratediggers

2009-12-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

Cratedigging … the old-fashioned way. Photograph: David Sillitoe/Guardian

Interesting article I came across about the music recommendations and passionate music loving bloggers who are beginning to fill the void of the old school record store format.

"When big indie albums leak, bloggers often post up tracks to drive traffic to their site – it's cynical, and often against the wishes of the artist, but I'd be lying if I said I'd never done it myself. However, there's another type of site engaging in copyright infringement, in a far more defensible way. These are the whole-album bloggers, the modern-day cratediggers who post records long out of print, and so obscure as to have barely existed. These blogs democratise record collecting, making the arcane – Turkish prog, Italian soundtracks, Puerto Rican 45s – accessible to all.

The cratedigging bloggers think their posts are on solid moral ground. "If an LP is out of print, there are no sales to be affected, so no one suffers any losses," says Smooth, of My Jazz World. "If the industry cannot keep this music in print, then bloggers like myself have to fill the void."

They also, perhaps paradoxically, keep the collectors market vibrant – "If 500 people download an album from 1981, and there is one for sale for €200, then my blog has probably been instrumental in selling it," suggests 433rpm, who blogs at No Longer Forgotten Music.

Of course, what the cratediggers are doing is technically illegal, hence their anonymity. But there's a real vehemence from the cratedigger brigade towards blogs that post new and readily available material: "I hate those blogs, they're the true death of the music industry," spits 433rpm. Hines agrees: "I am constantly stunned at the cupidity and greed of the people that frequent these sites."

Despite the questionable legality, savvy labels are starting to see the opportunities from these exhumed artists. 433rpm's championing of Dutch punks the Rondos, and Pittsburgh industrialists XX Committee, led to reissues of their material. Soul reissuers Wax Poetics have advertised on My Jazz World, although Smooth says the likes of Universal and Sony are still reluctant: "They cannot fight on one side what they support on the other."

Feel free to leave your recommendations for cratedigger blogs in the comments below, but beware: as Simon Reynolds said in an article for the Wire last year, whole-album blogs "drastically exacerbate the condition known as collector-itis". You have been warned!"

(As taken from guardian.co.uk)