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Sunday 31 October 2010

A truly HORRORific weekend...

Yes, that is the best Halloween related blog title I could come up with, and yes I am now exceptionally glad it's all over. I had a lot of fun this weekend but it was utterly manic hence the reason I've not updated this thing for a good few days. I'm going to try and piece it together in this post but I have a suspicion this might prove quite difficult...



Starting on Friday I found myself at Death Disco's Halloween warm up which featured a live performance from Jamaica as well as sets from DD residents. I could only get down for 9 so missed MOPP live but managed to catch Josh Jones hammering himself through some seductive disco and kick-starting a fantastic atmosphere with a number of electro-charged rhythms.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Jamaica but with DJ Mehdi & Riton in the crowd my expectations were quite high. Bouncing through an energetic set with numbers from their debut album 'No Problem', they proved to be really quite entertaining with lead singer Antoine Hilaire emanating a mixture of French cool and ultimo Euro-cheese (think Bob Sinclar without the perfectly toned man pecks). Musically I found my unfamiliarity with the band didn't matter as each track was entertaining enough to hold my attention, climaxing with the Xavier (Justice) produced 'I Think I Like You' which sounds like a cross between super-neat, French turbo-pop and out and out 80's power rock. With what can only be described as a deluge outside this was a more than acceptable way to start the weekend!

Following on from this it was on up to Glasgow Uni to DJ the 10hr Hive which as always was massively fun even though the fire alarm did go off half way through my set sending 1000 sweaty students out into the street.



Saturday was spent setting up the Magnetic Man gig for Mixed Bizness at the Sub Club before DJ'ing as a French Waluigi (Luigi's evil twin) at The Local's Halloween weekender. Back down to the Subbie after to derig, managing to catch the last song and probably losing a pound in sweat just standing there. From what I've heard it was a truly epic evening and even after yet another fire alarm went off as people were getting their coats you couldn't wipe the smiles off with an industrial strength floor buffer.

Finally, it was off to Subcity's massive party at the Art School for Dimension B. If you want a general rule of thumb, Subcity parties NEVER fail. It's hard to communicate just how much work obviously went into this party but the attention to detail was astonishing, with even the entrance being transformed into a disturbing portal into the unknown. Both rooms were utterly rammed but upstairs had the edge with a production set up which was truly mind blowing. The DJ's were perched on what can only be described as a mega structure which could easily have featured in Mad Max, great shafts of coloured light split the smoke filled atmosphere and every where you turned there were clever details such as missing person posters and TV screens displaying the message 'DIMENSION B - NO SIGNAL'. All the DJ's and live acts were exceptional, but for me Tarantism & Hahaha really stood out as whipping the crowd into a frenzy, with a masterful choice of music to suit the atmosphere, theme and set-up. I even saw Skream & Benga cutting about at one point....

If you weren't there here's what you missed:


Hahaha live


























Photos and video by Sean Anderson

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Naive presents....Chewy Chocolate Cookies: Preview



After launching last month in a blaze of Italo glory Naive returns tonight, offering a frenetic night of balls-out electro courtesy of Chew Chocolate Cookies. The London based producer has become well recognised as a remixer dejour as he takes on the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Major Lazer & Justice and transforms them into a post-apocalyptic reflection of their former selves.

Check out some of his own productions here:

Chewy Chocolate Cookies "Thunder" EP - OUT NOW on Beatport & Juno by ChewyChocolateCookies

Chewy Chocolate Cookies "Apocalypse" EP - OUT NOW on Beatport & Juno by ChewyChocolateCookies

Supporting this sonic nutter will be resident Peace, whose own productions have graced the pages of Synth many times before with offerings of cosmic electro & liquid dubstep, Mausr who you know a lot better then you think, the Sub Club is becoming pretty familiar to him actually, plus myself (Vianassa) - I'll be booting up the Sub Club's world renowned sound system from 11.

To get a better idea of just what Naive is all about I caught up with lead promoter Cal who has a hankering for parties with added OOOOOMPH!!Here's what he had to say:

S: Naïve describes itself as ‘going in too big and too fast, hitting Glasgow with a blend of sensual French Touch, Hi-NRG Italo bliss and dirty Electro basslines’. You certainly achieved this at last month’s highly successful launch party with guest appearances from Louis La Roche & ex Aeroplane, The Magician. What is the concept behind Naïve and why did you decide to start the night?

Cal: Naïve was quite simply born out of a personal desire to become more involved in music and creativity. Clubs were the ideal output for this and the creative side of the club will develop over time.

Of course there is a music policy and it’s fairly well defined, relatively narrow in some respects. A number of clubs will pride themselves on playing a variety of material, although Naïve is primarily geared towards Electro and Disco House/French House. The club edges towards the Italo/Disco sounds at times but may also go heavier on occasion and Naïve resident PEACE will have no problems there.

S: Tonight you have Chewy Chocolate Cookies making an appearance at the Sub Club along with Mausr, our own Vianassa and resident Peace. What should we expect from Chewy Chocolate Cookies and why did you choose a Wednesday at the Sub Club to showcase their talent?

Cal: Honestly, Wednesday wasn’t my ideal choice for my next night. I was keen to carry on the momentum from the launch, but there was a lack of suitable weekend dates in appealing venues. You could certainly say that this night had a lot to do with my own impatience.

When the opportunity of a week-day show materialised I felt that the concept behind Naïve would have to be adapted and geared towards a different audience. The night had to have an appeal to a young, student crowd who were looking for some big, loud and unpretentious electronic music. Chewy Chocolate Cookies was an artist who I felt could connect with that audience and simply get them jumping around on the night. I think he should live up to that and don’t think it’ll disappoint, but this is really a one-off. I don’t plan any more week-day shows and I’ll be looking towards a more inventive booking policy in the future.

S: You’ve mentioned plans are in place for a big night next month at the Art School, will Naïve always be a free-roaming affair, moving from venue to venue or do you intend to find a location suited to the night and make it a constant fixture?

At the moment I’m really just testing out different venues to see what works for me as a promoter. The Art School is a venue that I’ve personally loved as a club-goer and all my dealings with them have been really professional and friendly, so I’m definitely looking forward to the next two Naïve shows that will be taking place there on November 19th and December 4th.

I feel that a venue can be an extension of a club and really help to define it, so it’s certainly important to me. I think that I would like Naïve to become associated with the one venue for this reason and also because it would let me properly familiarise myself with one space and how it can be used to it’s full visual/artistic potential.

S: As a relative new comer to Glasgow’s clubbing community what is your perspective on its current state? Was there a particular point that influenced the birth of Naïve? Was there a lack of certain bookings that you wanted to see in Glasgow for example?

I think Glasgow’s club scene is exceptional healthy, with a breadth and depth to it that goes beyond the number of consumers out there. However, I don’t think this is absolutely a positive. The club scene is maybe too saturated, with so much competition that some very hard working and creative people can struggle to be successful. I certainly wouldn’t like to think of new, developing clubs being muscled out by more established competitors. I suppose you can only hope that more of the general club going public can open their eyes to clubs going on outside of the G1 Group or that aren’t on Sauchiehall Street.

There was no one factor that influenced the creation of Naïve, it was really just a personal desire to become directly involved in music and clubs. Over time I do hope that it can develop into an outlet for both my own and other people’s creativity. If you look at the well established Electro/Disco nights that focus on bringing in major artists they tend to have been around for over five years and are maybe at risk of getting a little stale or losing their following to an extent. So, it would be excellent if Naïve could inject a little bit of energy into this scene, either through bookings (there are some artists I’m looking at who have either never played Glasgow or haven’t played Glasgow in years) or the visual/artistic direction of the club.

WHAT: Naive @ The Sub Club
WHO: CHEWY CHOCOLATE COOKIES, Peace, Mausr, Vianassa
WHERE: The Sub Club, 22 Jamaica St
WHEN: Tonight, 11-3am
TAX: £4 // Students free before midnight
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=152062634830429

Monday 25 October 2010

Trick or treat? (Or something else relative to Halloween)



Another week and a another tote bag of exceptional new tunes. Halloween is of course rapidly approaching and like many of you I still don't have a costume ready. I suspect it will be a last minute affair which will probably involve a mask from Tesco with added cape. Anyway, other than the amazing new music I've stumbled across this week, I'm actually still quite amazed by the above photo. Surf is well and truly up.

Blog Burner:

Some week's it's genuinely quite hard to chose one song above the rest as Blog Burner but this week the choice was simple. Digitalism return (finally) with a new EP due for release on Nov 8th. This is the title track called 'Blitz' and it pretty much does what it says on the tin, erupting in an explosion of intergalactic basslines, reflective melodies and soaring synths. Ladies & gentlemen, this is electro.

Digitalism - Blitz



All aboard the funk train now as Jesse Rose & Riva Starr come out of nowhere to start the weekend four days early. Using a BIG disco sample from the Aquarian Dream (also used by Studio 45 in the 90's for 'Freak It') don't be surprised to see people busting out The Funky Chicken to this one. Honestly, how long will it be before we all start rocking flares n fro's again?

Jesse Rose & Riva Starr - Start The Weekend



Yet more disco grooves next as Adam Kesher returns with a new EP by the name of 'Gravy Train'. And where the last song wouldn't be out of place on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack this is straight up New York hipster material. Produced by Dave One of Chromeo it's got more than a dash of DFA and here Fortune leads it onto the dancefloor with a bassline which is aimed straight at the hips.

Adam Kesher - Gravy Train (Fortune Remix)



Finally, time to get a bit nasty with Shake Aletti & Tom Staar. Coming straight out of Sheffield and signed to Jaymo & Andy George's Moda label this is a new single called 'Dancefloor' and yet again Tom Staar has created some type of electro-tech monster which has a breakdown that will literally have people being sectioned on the dancefloor. Madness.

Shake Aletti - Dancefloor (Tom Staar Remix)

Saturday 23 October 2010

Too hot to handle...



Ok...it's time for this week's finest local cuts, which are actually last week's finest local cuts because I'm writing this on Monday, but posting it on Saturday if that makes any sense? Anyway, four tunes that have erupted from Soundcloud like a great electrical storm wreaking havoc on a balmy summer's night...or something to that affect.

LOCAL HERO:

The title of Local Hero this week goes to a producer/DJ by the name of Quahaze, who along with Math.You is a resident at new night Nuke The Moon which is launching 3rd Nov at the Flying Duck. Here he takes us on a journey of self enlightenment as the composition of life is laid bare before us over a down tempo disco groove which compliments the insightful vocal. Sunday afternoon material.

Quahaze - True Self



Next up,Killer Kitsch resident and promoter Euan Neilson is back under his Warschauer guise and this time he's gone 'wobble-core' on your ass. I'm sure he won't like me saying this but it has a flavour of Deadmau5 getting his electro-rod out and prodding you in the face with it. Add to that a searing vocal sample and you've got potential for mutiny on the dancefloor.

Warschauer - Numbers Up



Chromeo are back and with new album 'Business Casual' delivering a collection of sex dripping electro flavas to get down with it's no wonder Spectrum resident and good friend of Synth, Aymard wanted a bit of the action. Here he re-edits 'You Make It Rough', injecting it with a hint of super-funk for the dancefloor and leaving you decidedly sweaty in the process.

Chromeo - You Make It Rough (Aymard Re-Edit)



Finally, Hologram Hookers get another flaming remix on new single 'Touched Up', this time from Digital Stitch, who for all intent & purposes has created a disfigured monster that creeps up on you like Nosferatu at a swingers party (honestly don't know how I come up with this stuff). A shuddering bassline and razor sharp synths combine to make this pretty heavyweight material.

Hologram Hookers - Touched Up (Digital Stitch Remix)

Friday 22 October 2010

Our Appreciation Society Launch Night: Preview



This Saturday sees the launch of new night Our Appreciation Society at the Art School which is shaping up to be a rather epic affair. Set up by Glasgow based record label 3rd Abstract Records, the idea of the night is to showcase some of the finest talent the label has to offer as well as promoting some of the DJ's who the label have their eye on.

To set things off with a considerable doosh, they've enlisted Inverness electro titan and recent label signing Polymath (more on him in a bit), plus Dersonna & Elbodrop to get things moving. We recently caught up with 3rd Abstract main man and OAS promoter Stu Gilmour to discuss tomorrow night's impending messiness and the label at large:

S: So, on Saturday night 3rd Abstract Records launch new night ‘Our Appreciation Society’ at the Art School with Polymath, Dersonna and Elbodrop. What inspired you to start the night and what do you think will make you stand out from Glasgow’s already thriving club scene?

Stu: That's exactly it, I wanted to be a part of the buzzing scene that is happening at the moment. I felt that with running the label, the best way to showcase our artists would be to get them in front of some avid clubbers. We plan to transform the nights into surround sound, and with our visuals guys, create a unique and exciting experience for anyone who comes down. Hopefully this will leave a lasting impression with people and keep them coming back each month.

S: With 3rd Abstract Records you describe yourself as offering high quality electronic music and one of the first labels in the world to offer ‘3Dnrecordings’. What type of artists can we expect to hear on 3rd Abstract and can you explain a little about the idea behind 3D recordings?

Stu: The 3D recordings is something we can offer to the artists to create a unique package. It is basically the next step up from surround sound and the way technology is going, might well be the start of something huge. As a lover of all things electronic, I would like to host as wide a range as possible of electronic styles. At the moment we have plenty of great techno and electro signed to the label, but I plan to have many more exciting styles in the future.

S: You recently signed Polymath’s Volta EP to 3rd Abstract and obviously you have him playing at the OAS launch party, what is it about Polymath that first attracted the label to him and what can we expect from his set at the Art School?

Stu: I expect a completely wild, booze-fuelled set from Polymath, and it is that which originally attracted me to his music. He already had support from several Radio 1 DJs and having only been producing for little over a year, he had a great sense of professionalism and knowledge. There will be some heavy electro tracks flying around at the launch, and I imagine the crowd will be left somewhat stunned after the set.

S: Returning to Saturday’s launch party, do you intend on making it a monthly event with regular guests from 3rd Abstract and if so what can we look forward to in the future from Our Appreciation Society?

Stu: Yes, we have already booked Our Appreciation Society for November and we have a great line up for that. Local techno hero Hans Bouffmyhre will be there, along with our very own Dersonna, another great young producer with big things ahead, and DiScEtRo who will provide some variation on the night with his own spin on some great electro tracks. The nights will continue into 2011, with the previously mentioned surround sound club nights starting around March/April. In the long run, I aim to turn Our Appreciation Society into a brand of its own and keep fans coming each and every month.

S: Finally, who should we be listening out for in the coming months from 3rd Abstract or indeed other producers you might have an eye on from across Scotland? The label has obviously got off to a fantastic start, so we’re very excited to hear about future releases!

Stu: We recently signed Feliz Plastico from Glasgow, who's personality and atmospheric electro will add another dimension to the label, as well as EP's on they're way from Alex Modigliani from Naples, and MetanoiaX from Munich. We plan to utilise these signings to spread the club night over Europe,and to get some cheeky wee holidays out of the trips ;)

WHAT: Our Appreciation Society @ The Art School
WHO: Polymath, Dersonna & Elbodrop
WHERE: Glasgow School Of Art, Renfrew St
WHEN: Sat 23rd Oct, 11-3am
TAX: £4/6
VISUALS: Broadcastr
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118702434846269




Headlining the night will be Polymath, who after only a year of producing has found himself being played by the likes of Kissy Sell Out & Jaymo & Andy George on Radio 1. Think big, energy-ridden electro laced with pulsating techno and you'll get an idea of the type of full-force bass-bludgeoning on offer here. He has a forthcoming EP on 3rd Abstract called 'Volta' scheduled for release on Nov 1st and to put it bluntly, it's like being shot in the face with a sandblaster. Check a sneak preview of the EP here:

Polymath - Volta



Polymath - Golava



Polymath - 9000



Polymath also provided our twenty minute mix of Mash Up Madness on our Subcity show on Wednesday night, cop an earful here (starts at 1hr 34Mins):

Polymath on Subcity

Thursday 21 October 2010

Tempa T - mad talented grime MC

A random post here about one of my favourite up and coming grime MC's cutting about at the moment. He goes by the name of Tempa T and while most of the 'heads' out there already know he's got mad skills I think the wider music buying public might take a while. Coming straight out of Stratford, he's got flow comparable to Mystikal on a migraine - angry & most definitely unique.

Recently he's collaborated with Chase & Status on their new single 'Hypest Hype' which is being released as a free download on Nov 8th from www.chaseandstatus.co.uk. Check out the rather sweet video for the single here which uses a lot of live footage to showcase Tempa's truly energetic stage presence.



While researching this song I also stumbled across the dirty video for Tempa's 2009 single 'Next Hype' which features Tim Westwood as an unreasonable, slave-driving management figure. In my opinion this just reiterates why Westwood is such an unadulterated legend. If you've not seen it, prepare to piss yourself....

Wednesday 20 October 2010

Shake & bake...



Time for that weekly hit of new mixxes from some of your favourite local DJ's who are just itching to jizz some big, fat bass-bombs in your face (sorry, that's a bit crude). Anyway, always like hearing what other DJ's are feeling at the moment so get your ears locked into these:

Shaun Fae Solar, Subcity legend and all round night hawk has released his set from September's Death Disco for download in which he seamlessly takes you from the cloud-scraping smoothness of The Jets, through Mount Kimbie & Prince before giving you a Modeselektor happy slap with 'Suckerpin'. The mix culminates with some rave to the grave mash up business - which we like.

Shaun Fae Solar mix // Death Disco Sep 2010 by DeathDisco

And here's another live set that's recently been recorded for your listening pleasure, one half of IAM residents 'Beta' has released this 30minute mix from last night's shindig at the Sub Club with four to the floor mega nonsense from the likes of Djedjotronic, Boy 8 Bit and current Synth favourite 'Bare Knuckles' by Kid Gloves.

Beta's Mix - 19/10/10 by iamclub

Finally, Spectrum resident Aymard has put together this techy monster which drives you to a state of utter delirium through glitchy drops, storming basslines & soaring synths. Aptly titled 'This tape will self destruct in 5 seconds', that's probably how long it takes before your head starts nodding uncontrollably. Unfortunately there's no tracklisting but I'm sure if you pester him enough he'll do the right thing.

This tape will self destruct in 5 seconds by Aymard

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Don't touch that dial....

Over the next few weeks Subcity welcomes a whole host of new programmes to the schedule which should fulfil the junkie like cravings you might have for all things bass, club & dancefloor. Here's a selection of a few we think you should be tuning in religiously to on a weekly basis (other than ours of course):



Launching on Nov 9th from 8-10pm, Mixed Bizness is offering exclusive promo mixes, remixes and releases from Mixed Bizness artists and guests. They're also giving you the chance to get on the guest list for their big parties as well as providing updates from the worldwide mixed biz fam. You all know Mized Bizness, they've had Thursday night's at the Art School on lock since the year dot as well as bringing some of the finest dj and producing talent to Glasgow on a regular basis. Nuff respect yo.

Mixed Bizness on Subcity



Next up Dirty Basement hit the airwaves for 60minutes of the best 'Eclectro' - a mix of the finest electro & eclectic joints. Dirty Basement have been DJ'ing throughout Glasgow for over 5 years now and their own productions bother our own show on a regular basis. You can expect nothing but quality from the boys as they bring you exclusive promos, interviews and mixes on a weekly basis. Catch them every Wed night/Thu morning at midnight.

Roll N Square on Subcity



It's a grime ting! Dub technician Jinty is bringing his Mixcloud based radio show 'Gutter Riddim Radio' to Subcity this Saturday morning with choice cuts from the world of dubstep, bassline, grime & garage. Apart from being one of the finest dub DJ's in Glasgow (in our humble opinion) Jinty has a quite frankly worrying knowledge of his genre. Look out for MC sessions, guest mixes & exclusive tracks coming your way soon.

Gutter Riddim on Subcity

Monday 18 October 2010

Music sounds better with you....



Riiight, time for the weekly dose of new tunage I've discovered while spending hours scouring blogs like some type of socially inept hermit. All tunes are as yet unreleased, but causing a skirmish regardless so get your frontal ear lobes locked onto these bad boys....

BLOG BURNER:

It was a hard choice this week I have to say, but after much soul searching I've decided that this new mix from L-Vis 1990 on MJ Cole & Wiley's forthcoming single 'From The Drop' is doing the damage. You can always trust L-Vis to go freaky-naughty on the remix and he certainly doesn't disappoint with this. Elastic bass, echoed vocal chops & a true badman riddim makes this fairly heavyweight material.

MJ Cole & Wiley - From The Drop (L-Vis 1990 Remix)



Next up, Diplo & Switch have dusted off the old percussion organ to give Gyptian's new single 'Hold Yuh' a nice dancefloor friendly bounce. To be fair, lyrically this song could have been easily placed on 'Guns don't kill...' which is probably why they've done such a fantastic job remixing it. Drop this peak time & trick people into thinking it's early 90's house. (Exactly what I'll be doing at Glasgow University Union).

Gyptian - Hold Yuh (Major Lazer Remix)



And the award for most unrecognisable remix this week goes to The Krays, if you ever wanted to hear Robyn in the style of Daft Punk then here it is. Consisting of Yuksek & Brodinski, The Krays have been firing off remixes all over the shop this year and the quality has never failed to impress. Slow building electro that will work for Aeroplane & Erol alike.

Robyn - Indestructible (The Krays Remix)



Finally, Riton & DJ Mehdi come together again after the summer success of their Carte Blanche project. Here they take on the Scissor Sisters new single 'Any Which Way', which already has a super-hot mix from Tensnake supporting it. On this version they fire off the sirens, beef it up for the dancefloor and get the piano chops out for the lads. Funkee. Catch Carte Blanche at the Sub Club for Mixed Bizness on the 29th of oct.

Scissor Sisters - Any Which Way (Carte Blanche Remix)



P.S the photos I use for these posts have nothing to do with anything other than the fact they look nice. Check out more at davidblackphotography.com

Saturday 16 October 2010

Awwww shiiit....



Time for some Saturday night weekend party tunage I think. I've been doing my bloody tax return all day so I'm 100% in the mood for getting completely grannied now and these tunes are most definitely going to help.

LOCAL HERO:

So this week's Local Hero award goes to none other than that mad-mental rocket we know as Pasty32. Using a quite exceptional sample of The Real Tuesday Weld track 'Last Time In Clerkenwell' and looping the shit out of it, this adaptation is probably the funkiest thing you'll hear this week. If you need an instant hit of Serotonin throw this on prepare to smile.

Pasty32 -'Clerkenwell'



Next up, Megamegaman boots up the remix machine to produce this stomping, robotised take on Mausr's new track 'Arcane Markings'. With that trademark electro Mega-flare that sounds like a Trojan Horse eating your hard drive and the uncompromising filth of a bassline which could well be on parole for some type of ear-bending crime this is the sound of a post-apocalyptic Top Of The Pops.

Mausr - Arcane Markings (Megamegaman Remix)



Finally, as Halloween looms ever closer it seems only right that we should give Hahaha's forthcoming 'Evil EP' a mention. Scheduled for release on his own label 'Swimteam Records' on Oct 31st the lead track, 'Afraid Of Sharks' is a bouncy number which actually reminds me more of the soundtrack to the opening levels of Donkey Kong then shark infested waters (no bad thing Fraz if your reading this). Strangely addictive.

Hahaha - 'Afraid Of Sharks'

Friday 15 October 2010

Jungle Nation presents....Chase & Status + Nero: Preview



So tonight herald's not only a massive night for Jungle Nation in Glasgow but for The Arches as well. It's not often you get two massive name's from Drum & Bass & Dubstep taking over the entire complex, but with Chase & Status, plus Nero on the bill the stage is set for a night of epic proportions.

Chase & Status have of course gone stratospheric in the last few years producing pop mega royalty such as Rhianna, Dizzee Rascal & Jay Z as well as maintaining the underground intuition which got them noticed in the first place. As for Nero, now of course signed to C & S's own label MTA, they've been bubbling under as one of the hottest production duos in the world of bass since, well, Chase & Status.

Check out two of the latest tunes from tonight's headliner's here:

Chase & Status - No Problem



Nero - Me & You



We also recently caught up with Jungle Nation resident & promoter Djamba ahead of tonight's seismic bass-off, here's what he had to say:

S: Jungle Nation has been going strong in Aberdeen for over 10 years now attracting some of the finest talent DnB has to offer. Earlier this year you made a foothold in Glasgow, launching Jungle Nation at Stereo with Commix. Why did you feel the time was right to start JN in Glasgow and how do you feel it has been received in what is already a very crowded clubbing community?

D: We just felt that drum & bass is heavily under represented in glasgow. Especially with the demise of another monthly night at the time, we just wanted to give it a good kick up the arse basically. I play house, dubstep and all sorts of other genres, but i started out as a dnb dj and will always love it, so decided to go ahead and start Jungle Nation in Glasgow with Tez. I feel it has been received well, but our smaller events at stereo haven't reached the wider clubbing community - so we decided to take things up a notch and the reception has been amazing.

S: Some people regard Glasgow as a hard nut to crack when it comes to drum & bass with very few nights really making a success from it. With DnB becoming more prominent in the mainstream and cross pollination with dubstep do you think it’s become easier to promote this sort of night and do you think there’s room for more?

D: I think the reason people regard it as a hard nut to crack is because no one has taken the risk of putting on huge nights since 2005 when LiveEvil ran. Pangea was a really successful local dj night though, and had about 200 punters every month at the art school, and symbiosis still runs every 2 months and gets a good crowd in. I think it would be fair to say that drum & bass has maybe dropped off a bit since 2007or so, but its had a massive resurgence recently and will continue to grow back into the mainstream again. People like DJ Fresh, Netsky and Danny Byrd are all flying the flag for popular dnb these days getting plays on radio 1 daytime and what not.

S: You launched new monthly night 'Jurassic' last Thursday in the Vic bar of the Art School with Mixed Bizness doing their thing upstairs. The night is promoted as offering the finest in jungle & drum & bass. Was the night a success and do you feel drum & bass can stand alone now on what is arguably Glasgow’s busiest student night?

D: Yeah I was really excited when I got asked to do that by the Art School head of programming. I think it really showed that Glasgow is opening its arms to drum & bass and has given me the chance to popularise it amongst the student masses. Our launch was great, so many people were coming up saying "its about time we had dnb in glasgow", so yeah I think it can stand alone easily. Its a big room sound, theres no reason it shouldn't.

S: Tonight you welcome Chase & Status, as well as Nero to The Arches in Glasgow. Obviously nights such as Pressure & Death Disco are used to bringing in prolific artists from the world of electro, techno and house but this is one of the biggest line ups in dnb/dubstep to appear in recent memory. How are you feeling about tonight? Could this perhaps open the door to similar line ups as FWD >> and Rinse in London for example?

D: Yes, definitely. We have some more massive nights in the pipeline, and will be trying to book and push artists that might not be quite as well known in the club scene once we have established Jungle Nation as a brand. Tonight is going to be off the hook :)

S: Finally, how do you see Jungle Nation developing in the future? Obviously it’s been a major success story in Aberdeen and now Glasgow is following suit. Do you have visions of taking it beyond Scotland?

D: Haha, surprisingly some guy from London Facebook messaged me the other day and asked if I was going to do a night in London?! But hopefully it will develop into a popular club night where people come to listen to drum & bass and dance away to it. Who knows, open to anything!

Better warm up the screw face then....

WHAT: Jungle Nation
WHO: CHASE & STATUS + MC Rage & NERO, plus DJ Tez, Djamba, Giles Walker & Jongerre
WHERE: The Arches, 253 Argyle St, Glasgow
WHEN: Tonight, 11-3am
TAX: £15 advance
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=148400991843591

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Let me hypnotiZe you...



It's Tuesday morning, the weather is unreasonably dull and the workies relaying the road outside my house decided to get a 'jump-start' on the day's work. I should technically be in state of turbo-grump, however, an influx of new tunes has already made this a GOOD day....

BLOG BURNER:

After appearing on the David Letterman show recently with a silky smooth electronic number called 'Hypnotize You', NERD have found themselves as one of the most talked about bands on the blogosphere this last week. The discovery that the tune is also produced by Daft Punk fanned the flames and now a strategic leak has pushed this song into every conceivable ear-hole available. Any female readers should be aware that Pharrell's vocals could make you vomit.

N.E.R.D - Hypnotize You



After months and months of waiting, Burns & Fred Falke have finally got clearance on what should have been a song of the summer. Now scheduled for a full release on Dec 6th, 'Y.S.L.M (You Stopped Loving Me)' is shaping up to be one of the biggest tunes of the last quarter. Sampling Luther Vandross the Treasure Fingers have stayed true to the original sample on this remix. Can't put into words how happy this song makes me. Disco bliss.

Burns & Fred Falke - Y.S.L.M (You Stopped Loving Me) (Treasure Fingers Remix)



Here's a video of the original mix as well:



And here's something else that's resurfaced recently: Grum produces the goods once again with a remix for Human Life's new single 'Wherever We Are'. It literally seems that a mix from Grum is almost obligatory now if you want a decent remix package and here he takes a similar direction as 'Heartbeats' with regard to melody and dashes it with some Daft Punk esque synth lines. If your a budding producer, band, singer/songwriter then I'd get your name on the waiting list now. Could be a while.

Human Life - Wherever You Are (Grum Remix)



Finally, Sigma release one of their most anticipated singles to date as 'Stronger' goes roaring up the charts this week off the back of Andy C's 'Nightlife Vol 5' compilation. Like Nero, Sigma are definitelty a production duo to be watching in the world of sub-bass and dancefloor devestation. Following up summer smash 'Baltimore' they bring you another uplifting cut with a vocodered vocal taking this higher and HIGHER.

Sigma - Stronger

Monday 11 October 2010

Mixtape Monday....



Where does the weekend go? Honestly, it seems like one moment I'm getting ravey at some big, filthy, bass-crunching party somewhere, the next I'm waking up with a monumental hangover and here we are again on Monday counting down the days til Friday finally gives us release! (Not that my weekday's are that bad considering I'm self-employed)

Anyway, if you feel like re-living the weekend some of your favourite club nights have provided live recordings of recent parties to get you grooving through the midweek drudgery. Firstly Subcity have released a live recording of their big Fresher's event at SWG3 last month. The night was by all accounts a HUGE success with hundreds of sweaty ravers turning out to get their party flex on. Catch set's by All Caps, Digging The Twelve Inch, Indra, Pasty32 & Shaun Fae Solar by clicking ze links. (Might take a hot minute to load)

Next up the lads from Hotbox have provided this deep, dark & dangerous recording of the Italoboyz at their 1st birthday in The Universal last month. This is three hours of solid grooves ranging from jackin' tech house to out and out techno madness, best of all, it's up for free download, so if you can't afford to go out this weekend put this in your stereo, dim the lights, get on some sunnies and bounce about your room like a twat.

Italoboyz@ Hotbox - Glasgow - 17.9.10 by hotbox-glasgow

Finally, Subcity's own DOMM has released his recent set at Beatitude for all to hear with more driving, underground beats to splash your soup to (providing your eating soup while listening to this, could be cereal). Anyway, Beatitude are cramming the punters into the 100 capacity basement of the Brunswick Hotel on a monthly basis and this is what it sounds like:

DOMM@Beatitude 01/10/10 by domm

Saturday 9 October 2010

Friday 8 October 2010

Muck & Dirty Noise present....Clouds: Preview



FRIDAY! I don't think anything actually makes me happier than working all day and knowing in only a matter of hours the weekend will begin. And this weekend is most definitely going to start with a bang, as Perth natives and recent Fake Blood signing Clouds make their debut Glasgow performance at Stereo.

Once again Muck & Dirty Noise have come good, bringing you the freaky-naughty, sweat fest they've become known for. Tonight's booking couldn't have been better timed as Clouds recent rise to notoriety is bagging them attention from the mainroom masters and electro glitterate. Famously Boys Noize got all quisitive and pestering when Tiga played their track out to a riotous reaction. Asking who the track was by he was amazed when Tiga pointed out the two fledgling producers going tits-up mental down the front. Here's a couple tracks to give you an idea of the sort of bass-squelching perfection you can expect from the boys:

Clouds - Liquid



Screendeath - Packback (Clouds Remix)



I also recently caught up with Muck mastermind PMcQ to discuss tonight's impending silliness:

S: So tonight Clouds come to Stereo for their debut Glasgow performance in a Muck/Dirty Noise special. The boys from Perth are the first signing to Fake Blood’s new label and are arguably the hottest producing duo to emerge in recent years. What originally prompted you to book them when they were still relatively unheard of and how does it feel to be the first promoter to
put them on in Glasgow?

P: I have been following CLOUDS since April and everything I have heard by them has smacked me in the face. The timing has worked out perfectly really with their ep being released and their fans (Fake Blood, Tiga, Erol) speaks for itself really. It's great to have them booked first as the night has been in the making for a long time. The fact they are both young and Scottish too is also a bonus! One of them still works in McDonalds, so if I help them dj for a living then i think that's a good thing!

S: This year Muck, along with Dirty Noise on some occasions have brought the likes of Strip Steve, Malente & Mighty Fools to Glasgow. How important do you think it is to bring guests to your night as apposed to simply promoting Glasgow talent or a resident set up? Do you think with so many nights currently running in Glasgow you need to distinguish yourself with external bookings?

P: Personally I get really excited when I go to a night with a guest. These are the guys who's tunes we are playing out so it's great to give them the platform to play in Glasgow! Theres some amazing residents nights/dj's in town but booking a guest who I'm a big fan of has always made it that bit more exciting for me!

S: How would you describe Muck to people who have never heard of it or are intending on coming for the first time tonight? What’s the music policy? What sort of vibe can we expect? And how do you feel it differs from other nights in Glasgow?

P: MUCK was born out of a frustration of guitars getting a bit rubbish, and electronic music is pretty fun to jump about too. I like to embrace both sides of "dance music" now though so it's not all BOOM BOOM BOOM, but there is alot of that too! How it differs? I don't know really. The original plan was to run intimate sweaty nights with big guests and only a dancefloor to hide on, and i think it's went like that. I treat it like any night out, I'll be right at the front jumping about to the acts, and occasionally i might take my top off too. The Dirty Noise crew add a great element to the night with their dj's, visuals and hard work. They like techno taps-aff too which is handy.

S: So this is actually a busy weekend for you as you’re also supporting Kissy Sell Out at the Art School on Sunday. How would you describe you’re style and approach to DJ’ing? How important is it to make yourself stand out as a DJ and what makes you unique?

P: I like to prepare alot in advance and work on some cue points, acapellas and 3 deck stuff. I like to play music you can dance to rather than flat out dance music. It's good to be original too as essentially anyone can dj. Good taste obviously helps, and that's why I will be playing Phil Collins at some point this weekend.

S: Finally, where do you see Muck going in the future? Can you see it developing into a permanent monthly fixture or would you rather keep it as a spontaneous event pushing hot new talent from out side Glasgow? Anyone you have an eye on for future bookings?

P: I'm pretty passionate about music and I always want to be involved in it. A fuller on role like a booking agency with a roster of dj's/acts is a thought. Most of the main agencies are based in London but with Mixed Bizness flying the flag for Glasgow there's no reason why there cant be more. It's something I'm really keen to do. I'll always be striving to put on fun nights and bringing big guests to Glasgow, playing some cool sets and maybe other events beyond. Monthly I'm not sure as I'd never want to put on a night just for the sake of having to. There are plenty of acts I'm right into and would love to bring over..but telling you would give the game away eh?!

A recent mix by PMcQ to get your weekend flex rocking:

PMcQ - Stockholm to Chorlton mix by PMcQ



WHAT: Muck & Dirty Noise present CLOUDS (Blood Recordings)
WHO: CLOUDS, PMcQ, Go-Dirty, Digital Stitch & Martin What?
WHERE: Stereo (Renfield Lane)
WHEN: Tonight 11-3am
TAX: £5
VISUALS: Mighty Joe Crogan & Mediaheroic
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=156299294387577

Thursday 7 October 2010

Punters rejoice!



You guys should really count yourself lucky...the sheer volume and choice of quality nights happening in Glasgow at the moment is truly inspiring. On Tuesday night you had the choice of Detboi at Killer Kitsch which was by all accounts heaving and also new weekly night I AM at the Sub Club. I popped down to the latter briefly and I can confirm they've definitely got something good going on down there.

Forget your cheesy student knock abouts on Sauchie Hall St, if you want GOOD music, exceptional visuals, and a truly welcoming atmosphere I suggest you get yourself along to one of the two nights mentioned above. You could do one week about or something. Point is, they're doing it for the right reasons so get involved!

I caught part of Barrientos' set at I AM and it was truly rocking, pity I'm not a student and have to get up and work the next day otherwise I would have been getting a sweat flex on no bother.

Here's a wee video Megamegaman made of the night:

I AM iamclub.co.uk launch night from Christopher Stevens on Vimeo.

Tuesday 5 October 2010

I AM: a highly credible week night alternative



You may have noticed I AM's enticing marketing campaign about Glasgow recently, where other cheese ridden student nights make a song and dance with garish branding and repulsive propaganda I AM entrigues with simple slogan's: 'Here's to writing Wednesday's off', they simply present an alternative, it's up to you whether you want to take it.

Commandeering the incredible Sub Club every Tuesday night and packing it with the finest DJ's, visuals, photographers, cool kids...Glasgow has to offer I AM is a true week night alternative. Launching back at the start of September they've since seen the night get busier and busier with the likes of Matthias, Peace and the Vitamins crew all joining residents Beta & Kappa for some proper decent Tuesday night tunage.

Tonight they celebrate the launch of their website iamclub.co.uk with Synth favourite Barrientos (check out his mix in a recent post) & Roose, plus the mystery vj's. Once again it's looking like it will be a jam-packed event with students in the know jostling for position on the dancefloor.

Check out this recent video by multi-talented Glasgow lad Hahaha for an idea of whats to come:

I AM Launch by HaHaHa from I AM on Vimeo.



You can also get some pre-party action in at Hillhead Book Club as Matthias & Beta warm your cockles with some lovely, warm electronic action and pure-decent chat. I'll be heading along to the launch later so will report back with some conclusive statements which will mainly be irrelevant.

Details:

IAMCLUB.CO.UK launch @ the Sub Club
TONIGHT / £4 entry or free with student id before 12am
BARRIENTOS & Roose, Beta & Kappa + Mystery VJ's
FACEBOOK EVENT

Monday 4 October 2010

Autumnal flavas...



I've decided I'm quite excited about the onset of autumn now. The nights are getting longer for a start, who can honestly say they didn't get pissed off this summer when they got back to an afterparty at 4am only to have to shut the blinds half an hour later because the light pouring in was making you feel like a complete waster. There's also of course the influx of parties to look forward to seeing as there's nothing better to do when the weather is undecidedly shit. So with that in mind, here are some Autumnal beats to get you warm:

BLOG BURNER:

If there's one track that is getting people into a tizzy at the moment it's Jamie Woon's windswept masterpiece 'Night Air'. Blasted by the likes of Pete Tong and the rest of the dance music fraternity at Radio 1 the original is already getting huge attention. Here Ramadanman gives it a Burial esque re-fix, which at 7mins long is what I'd class as proper trip.

Jamie Woon - Night Air (Ramadanman Re-Fix)



I've already declared Tensnake as my producer of the year after 'Comacat' literally wanked all over the summer, and here he solidifies that statement with another exceptional remix on the Scissor Sister's new single 'Any Which Way'. Echoing some of the original elements of 'Comacat' and elevated by a truly Balearic breakdown this is nothing short of brilliance.

Scissor Sisters - Any Which Way (Tensnake Remix)



And here's something a bit funky for you, hot off the press from Riva Starr (the biggest name in house right now?), is his piano laden remix of London based songstress Lauren Pritchard. It's standard Riva business on this one, vocal chops galore, irresistible loop action and a groove made for smiling (I'm aware how cheesy that sounds).

Lauren Pritchard - Not The Drinking (Riva Starr Remix)



Finally, Mumdance have given UK G classic 'Battle' by Wookie a new lease of life this winter by enlisting the help of Esser for this rather classy cover version. If you were too young to catch this first time round, then rejoice as this cover is pretty faithful to the original and Esser has done a reet good job on the vocals. Nuff respect yo.

Mumdance - Battle ft/ Esser