It seems Umek is going all out this year in gaining a higher position in the yearly DJ mag competition for the hundred best DJ’s. When we look at the current top ten, the genres that spring to mind are House, Progressive and Trance. Very nice, but Umek is launching a Battle for Techno Music! I really like this concept because I am sick and tired of seeing the exact same names pop up every year.
A bitter battle will be fought on the techno grounds of this year’s DJ Mag Top 100 DJs pollsEvery summer electronic music fans around the world converge around DJ Mag Top100 DJs polls. Supporting their favourite artist always results in supporting their favourite genre. This year Umek and [1605] tribe step into fierce battle for techno music. The reason of Umek’s call-to-arms for supporting techno is that it is the origin of almost all electronic music genres known today. Nowadays techno also went digital and there are a lot of talented producers and techno DJs out there. However it’s still interpreted as an underground genre, a kind of guerilla fighter and the bastard of electronic music.
So there you have it. Your task is clear. Vote for Umek. No questions asked.
His hair might look like shit, but D. Ramirez (also known as Dean Marriot) is a very skilled producer and DJ who created some iconic tracks throughout the years. (Remember the remix for Bodyrox’ ‘Yeah Yeah’?) I came across this video quite a while ago, which features mister Ramirez bashing out a pretty neat remix using Logic. Dean gives some pointers on the basics of creating a track and using something simple as side chain compression. Quite interesting material for people who just started out with producing, but also entertaining to watch if you’re a pro.
Furrr and Hazendonk, who are currently touring through eastern Europe, dropped by in Marco Nastic’ radio show to push out a banging guest mix. If you want to spot these two grooving maniacs rocking the dance floor then jump on a plane and hurry your ass over to the Fun Factory Summer Club, Belgrade. (Which happens to be in Serbia) Undoubtedly, the place will be packed.
Oh boy, London based Perc Trax did it again. A fresh grooving Techno release by Paisley’s finest. Hans Bouffmyrhe whipped up two smashing Techno flavoured tracks, and Perc Trax picked one hell of a remixer. Mistake Me EP is a groovy floorfilling release which will certainly gain support from a truckload of Techno DJ’s. I will certainly be playing this one out in the open tonight! Pick up your package right here or check ‘Subterfuge’ down below.
Some info on Hans Bouffmyrhe; Hans Bouffmyhre is a young man from paisley with a worrying obsession for techno music. Hans started off his career in 2006 when he began to promote his own party in Glasgow called ‘Sleaze’ where he booked and played alongside some of the worlds best techno acts including the likes of Andrew Weatherall, Funk D’ Void, Chloe, Radio Slave, Johannes Heil, Extrawelt, Phil Keiran, Len Faki & Par Grindvik!
Holy smokes, a pretty neat application has been cooked together by French producer Le K and Berlin based Christian Blomert. It’s called touchAble, and the application enables you to use your iPad as a multi touch Ableton controller. It seems that the iPad has found its purpose after all as a kicking DJ gadget. When can we expect the application to hit the digital shelves? Well, actually.. we don’t have a clue, neither do the inventors of this magic little app. It’s all in the hands of mighty Steve Jobs & Co who have yet to approve this application.
So what about the features? Well strap yourselves in because it’s a long and neat looking list. Make sure to check out the video below to get an idea of what you can expect.
Iranian born DJ Ally Farahvashi currently resides in London where he DJ’s at venues such as Ministry of Sound, pushing a groovy tech driven house sound, this mix shows off his impeccable track selection and mix progression, well worth checking out
Holy stepping mech, apocalypse is upon us! Utrecht based producers Fred and Adriaan (better known under their synonym Sinister Souls) mixed together 53 minutes of hell raising Dubstep tunes. Most notably are some of the forthcoming Sinister Souls tracks. Make sure to listen all the way to the end for the piece de resistance, a remix of System of a Down’s ‘Chop Suey’ by Sinister Souls.
Croatian based Balanced push out a wicked podcast every now and then. This week it’s Dutch Minimalist Ronald van Norden who had the honor of creating sixty minutes of utter groove. Ronald is a producer, DJ and live act based in the city of Apeldoorn. Releases on Eminor, Kostbar Musik and Structure, running his own label and several tracks hitting the Beatport Minimal top 100.. where does it end? Ronald van Norden is a force to be reckoned with in the world of Minimalistic Frequencies, and you can take my word for it: This is not the last you heard of him!
‘bout the mix? It’s put together very well, without using your average minimal track. Check out the hour long mix, or download it directly.
I’m not sure if Tom is related to the Greek God of the Underworld, but this track certainly sounds like it originated from around his manor. It’s a huge, brooding, progressive techno monster, metronomic beats, subterranean bass and a horror film soundscape tying up the top end. After a few listens I can feel my mood getting darker, my heart rate increasing and an image in my head of a bloodbath dancefloor with flickering lasers strobing over the top.
The track is over 10 minutes long and flows effortlessly from the subdued percussive intro into the pad bassline. Liberal use of reverb on incidental fx works well to give the track more space, and keep the track interesting. The track continues to build for several minutes before the first break nearly 4 minutes in. At this point the massive top sound is hinted at before pitching up and down for much of the rest of the track, it provides a huge amount of energy and atmosphere to an already superb layered soundscape, sounding much like a broken fan belt with a lot of reverb!
The track stomps on for another 4 minutes, with occassional breaks, incidentals, subtle melodies and fx keeping it interesting, all in all a superbly produced track which really sets a mood which and with the right audience would take the roof off any club. To listen the track, check out the player below.
93 Feet East is renowned for some epic Sunday Parties but this weekend it was a 13 hour Saturday rave up that caught the attention of London’s party seekers. A relatively new promotion called Feast has been working a daytime residency there for a few weeks now and considering its always been free entry you wonder how they have managed to sit such talent at the top of the bill every week.
The likes of Geddes (Mulletover / Murmur) and Sabastian Voigt (Lo*Kee) have already featured for them but it was the 13 hour marathon that took place on Saturday 24th of July which really established Feast as a party to look out for in the future.
By 2pm the outdoor area was full of eager ravers showing off their sunglasses, everyone was basking in the sunshine and the smoke from the BBQ. On the whole, It was a great vibe and I often found myself talking to randoms who were on the same level. Its a credit to the promoters that the right crowd was attracted and the DJs ensured that the crowd there stayed for the duration. A carefully crafted blend of Tech and Deep House with a splash of Techno was presented by a hand picked line up of up and coming and established talent.
Promoter / Residents Jamie Ward and Liam Webb entertained us with both the first and last set of the night in the main room which set the mood rolling. Billy The Kid now more recognised performing on Traktor Scratch gave us a blast of Tech House and was followed by Oli Forster (Detail) and Brad Brown (Details) who went back to back turning up the vibe for a now intoxicated crowd.
Ryan Mac had the task of warming the seat for Saytek and picked up the pace which reflected the crowds eagerness to fill the dance floor. The switch over to a live set was smooth enough to only slightly dampen the mood with the party then escalating quickly. Saytek, using a cutting edge set up that would make any digital DJ’s mouth water showed us all why his is currently commanding sets in Ibiza for Zoo Project and why his tracks are receiving support from the likes of Richie Hawtin and Steve Lawler.
By this time it was seriously getting messing and Farserelli didn’t disappoint, with a bunch of ravers holed up in the main room he put together a unique set which built up nicely to the opening of the second room. The anticipation of two hour long sets from Matt Gill (Guru-vu) and Sabastian Zito (Fuse / Monique) was enough to destroy any hope anyone had of waking up with a clear head in the morning.
Before long the second room was rocking to tunes such as Dan Berkson’s “Ghosts” and Wally Lopez’s “Rocking Year” proving the class of two DJ’s at the top of their game, the fact that Sabastian Zito finished with Scott Garcia’s Garage anthem “Its a London Thing” made the crowd feel like they had attended a rave up only London could deliver.
Feast have now set themselves a high benchmark but with line ups like these I’m sure we shall be seeing more Epic parties in the future.
There’s just one more thing………. Did anyone else end up in a front room overlooking Brick Lane that night?
For further information on Feast and their next party join their Facebook Page
August 24th, 2010 
Geronimo 
